I liked Nicola Thornton within five seconds of chatting with her.

The wine industry can be tough. Selling wine in this climate is challenging with so many restaurants closed. Writing about wine can be even tougher thanks to shrinking budgets and limited paying outlets. It’s easy to find people that are beaten down. Meeting optimistic people feels like a breath of fresh air.

That’s exactly the type of person that Nicola is. She left the UK and fell in love with sunny Spain. After years of working in cooperatives and private wineries, she founded the Spanish Palate in 2016. Her team looks after several small producers and helps them market and export to over 40 countries worldwide.

From our first call to tasting the wines, I was impressed with her energy and enthusiasm. Her lineup of wines named “Spanish Palate Creations” is inspiring. They consist of two lines. The Botas de Barro (muddy boots) lineup are wines that see a little oak aging, while the Mi Tractor Azul (my blue tractor) wines are fresh and fruity. Nicola and her team designed the labels and market them as inexpensive wines that overdeliver in their price points.

These wines are produced by cooperatives in different regions of Spain that work with old vines. “The idea of the cooperative is perfect (to me), you get all of the small farmers pulling their resources together to defend a dignified way to live,” Nicola says. “It gives these guys power in numbers.”

I think all of the wines in the Spanish Palate Creations line are good to very good. These are the types of wines that will be fine house pours in restaurants around the world. Purchasing a bottle also helps bring communities together and supports the little guy.

Wine Recommendations:

Spanish Palate Creations

• Botas de Barro, Old Vine Garnacha Almansa 2017

The Botas de Barro, Old Vine Garnacha Almansa is my favorite wine in the Spanish Palate creations. This has a wonderful, complex nose with notes of strawberry, black raspberry, parched earth, meat, and pepper. There’s plenty of fruit here with a hint of complexity. There is meatiness and earthiness on the palate and the tannins are supple and ripe. It doesn’t have great length but it is very fun and pleasurable to drink. Score: 88+/100

• Botas de Barro, Toro 2018

The Botas de Barro, Toro is Tempranillo aged for 5 months in oak. This is a nice, slimmer Toro. There’s complexity here for such a young wine. Notes of cherry, raspberry, pepper, and earth. There’s a pleasant streak of tangy acidity on the mid-palate. Tannins are chewy but not overly drying. Very good, entry-level Toro. Score: 87/100

• Mi Tractor Azul, Garnacha Tintorera 2017

Mi Tractor Azul, Garnacha Tintorera is Alicante Bouchet unoaked. Very dark wine. There are notes of raspberry, violets, cherry, pepper, and stems. It’s full-bodied and generous on the palate with some bright acidity. The wine is fruity and big but there’s a slight green streak to it, which I like a lot. A delicious bistro red with some tannins. Score: 87/100

• Mi Tractor Azul, Toro 2018

The Mi Tractor Azul, Toro is made from 100% Tempranillo that doesn’t see oak. Shows decent complexity for an unoaked wine. Notes of black cherry, cassis, and pepper. Fruity and easy-going with low level of tannins. This is a young wine but the spike of flavor on the mid-palate is surprising. It’s not built to go the distance but another year in the bottle would do it wonders. Score: 87/100

• La Baldosa. Macabeo 2019

The La Baldosa, Macabeo is from the Manchuela DO. This is 100% Macabeo. It’s a nice crisp white wine with notes of pineapple, white flower, and flint. This grape is one of the components of Cava and you can definitely pick it up here. It’s crisp and fresh, not complex but very well done. This is a summer sipper for those who want something different than a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. Score: 87/100

Estate Grown Spanish Wines

The Spanish Palate also markets a number of small producers from all over Spain. All of the wines below are available in Spain for under 20 Euros, with the majority of them around 10. All of these offer fantastic value for money and are worth seeking out.

• Hacienda Albae, Viognier 2019

The Hacienda Albae, Viognier stays on the lees in steel for four months. Notes of dandelion, sweet yellow peach, honey, and clay. The floral and yellow stone fruit notes are what really stand out. This is a solid, full-bodied Viognier. Don’t expect an ultra-crisp white wine but do expect something with some significant body. It is very similar to the wines of the Southern Rhône. For a wine that retails around 8 Euros in Spain, this is a steal. Score: 89/100

• Hacienda Albae, Chardonnay Barrica 2017

This Chardonnay Barrica from Hacienda Albae is fermented and aged in oak for six months. It’s deeper in color thanks to 24 months on the skins. There are unmistakeable Chardonnay notes here such as melon, sweet peach, and a touch of toast. The wood is laid down remarkably well, it’s negligible on the nose and pleasant on the mouth. Sweet and long yellow fruit finish. There’s a lot to like here. Score: 89/100

• Loess, ‘Inspiration’ Ribera del Duero 2018

Many mid-range Spanish reds tend to be too oaky for my palate. The Loess, ‘Inspiration’ Ribera del Duero is not one of those wines. This is 100% Tempranillo aged in oak for nine months. This is made from estate-grown fruit. The oak isn’t overbearing here and this is a pleasure to drink. Notes of dark cherry, mocha, and tobacco come together on a full-bodied frame. There’s intense, ripe fruit here but the wine is burdened by oak, which I love. Chewy tannins. This gets an uptick in score thanks to its affordability (11-15 Euros in Spain). Score: 90+/100

• Loess, ‘Collection’ Ribera del Duero 2015

For those that like bigger, oakier reds, the Loess ‘Collection’ Ribera del Duero is for you. This is 100% Tempranillo aged in oak for 24-30 months. This is a big, dark red with notes of cherry, baking spice, tobacco, and bacon fat. It enters the mouth with a ton of dark fruit. It’s a structured red. There is a spicy finish along with plenty of acidity. The woody tannins are a bit strong but with a big piece of meat, they shouldn’t be a problem. Score: 90/100

• Coral Duero, Los Lastros 2017

The Coral Duero, Los Lastros is simply fun to drink. It’s a single-vineyard Toro aged for 8 months in oak. Notes of bright cherry, earth, and tobacco. The interplay between fruit and oak here is fantastic. It’s more of a medium-bodied Toro, there’s enough fruit here to overpower the oak. Ripe tannins and a luxurious finish. Score: 90+/100

• Coral Duero, Rompesedas 2017

The Coral Duero, Rompesedas is higher up on this producer’s portfolio. It is a single-vineyard Toro aged for 18 months in oak. The specs suggested that this could be too oaky but that’s not the truth. There are oaky aromas but they are far from distracting. Notes of black cherry, crushed rose petal, and earth also emerge from the glass. This is rich and looks to be more age-worthy of the four wines. There’s a lot of structure from the barrel but this should fade with time. This might be the best wine out of the four but to drink, I prefer the Los Lastros. Score: 90/100

• Casa do Sol, ’10 Meses Sobre Lías’ Albariño 2016

The Casa do Sol, ’10 Meses Sobre Lías’ Albariño is brilliant. It is barrel-fermented and aged on the lees for 10 months. It’s a beauty and shows bottle development. Notes of caramel, dried peach, dried pineapple, yogurt, lemon, and flint. It’s very complex on the nose and in the mouth. Full-bodied with a gritty texture and a long finish. Spine-tingling acidity that is typical of the grape. It’s in a great place now so drink it up. Score: 91+/100

• Casa do Sol, ‘Braiña de Casa do Sol’ Albariño 2018

The ‘Braiña de Casa do Sol’ Albariño is the entry-level wine from this estate is beautiful. It’s an electric, high-acid white. There are notes of kefir lime, lemon, and seawater. It has a sandy texture on the palate with a long finish guided by citrusy acidity. The perfect wine for shellfish. Score: 89/100

• Válgame Dios, Toro Crianza 2017

The Válgame Dios, Toro Crianza is the only wine in this small producer’s lineup. This is 100% Tempranillo aged in French oak for 12 months. It’s a full-bodied, rich Toro. There are notes of black cherry, pepper, earth, and mocha from the wood. The wine has generous fruit and acidity with a subtle graphite note. The tannins are tough but not excessively drying. There’s a rustic charm to this wine but in a good way. Score: 89/100 

• El Regajal, Selección Especial 2018

El Regajal has created a fun red wine with their Selección Especial. It is a blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, and Petit Verdot aged in oak for 12 months. This is a big step up from their Las Retamas and doesn’t show the oaky flavors. Notes of red cherry, cassis, thyme, and pepper. Very complex and elegant nose. Full of fruit and flavors on the palate. Chewy tannins. The grape combination would be hard to guess if this was tasted blind but that doesn’t matter. It’s a delicious red that should develop nicely over the next few years in the bottle. Score: 90+/100

• Bigardo, Vino Tinto Experimental 2018

The Bigardo, Vino Tinto Experimental is a minimal intervention red made from Toro de Tinto (Tempranillo) aged in oak for about six months. Lots of soil, earth, cardamon, black cherry, and fall leaves flavors emerge from the glass. In the glass, it doesn’t act like a normal red from Toro. It’s medium-bodied and more earthy than fruity with bracing acidity and a low level of tannins. Fans of natural reds are going to find a lot to like here. Score: 90/100

• Leyenda del Paramo, ‘El Aprendiz’ Albarín Blanco 2018

The Leyenda del Paramo, ‘El Aprendiz’ is made from rare grape Albarín Blanco. It has bright notes of pineapple, almond, white peach, and clay. It is a fresh white but far from boring. The flavors come on strong and hit you with a blast of white and citrus fruits. The slight, bitter finish on the backend adds to the complexity. High, It’s got the aromas and punch of a Southern Rhône white with Riesling-like, citrusy acidity. Score: 89/100

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Thanks to the Spanish Palate for providing tasting samples. Please note that the opinions expressed are our own and have not been paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Spanish Palate: Bringing Communities Together appeared first on Wine Travel.

Charine and I are huge fans of Hungarian wines and jump at every opportunity to return to the country and taste. So when hungarianwines.eu invited me to attend their 4-day study trip for the second year in a row, I immediately said yes.

The trip included stops in the Hungarian wine regions of Egér, Hajós-Baja, Mór, and Balaton. The trip consisted of visits with producers, winemaker dinners, and organized tastings. I attended the trip with guests from Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Spain.

As expected, the quality of Hungarian wines I tasted on the trip were very good. This is a country with a long history of wine production and it’s unfortunate the world doesn’t know more about these wines. I feel there are several good reasons for that. First is the fact that the Hungarian language is incredibly difficult to grasp. To the consumer, Hungarian wine labels might as well be written in Martian.

In my opinion, the second reason is the overall mindset when it comes to marketing. Hungarians are proud people, as they should be. For decades, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was one of the largest and most powerful nations in Europe. It seems to me that many Hungarians feel too proud to market their wines or seek help. This is unfortunate because it deprives the wine consumer of experiencing fantastic and unique wines.

Despite these two factors, I am optimistic that Hungarian wines can breakthrough. Hungary is home to Tokaj, which produces some of the world’s greatest sweet wine and the quality of the dry wines is equally impressive. There is a wide range of styles from the rich reds of Villány and Szekszárd to the mineral-driven whites of Somló.

Charine and I continue to be the biggest cheerleaders of Hungarian wine. Overall, the quality of wine production in Hungary is among the highest in Eastern Europe. It should be a matter of time before the rest of the wine world shares our sentiment.

Here are the Hungarian wines that stood out the most during my four days back in the country.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks:

You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.

• Juliet Victor, Tokaji Édes Szamorodni 2017 – Tokaj-Hegyalja 

Juliet Victor is a new producer in Tokaj and this is their only sweet wine so far (they will be releasing a Tokaji Aszú in the future). Szamorodni is a unique style of sweet wine usually only sold in Hungary. The Juliet Victor Tokaji Édes Szamorodni is a blend Furmint, Hárslevelü, and Yellow Muscat. It has rich notes of sweet peach, white flowers, mineral, and lemon. It’s full and concentrated with a high level of residual sugar for a sweet Szamorodni (189 g/L). This needs to lay down in the cellar for a few more years to show its best. Score: 92/100

• Toth Ferenc, Egri Bikavér Grand Superior 2016 – Egér

The Toth Ferenc Egri Bikavér Grand Superior 2016 is the most impressive wine I’ve ever tasted from this winery. This Egri Bull’s Blood is a blend of Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch), Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir. It has notes of sour cherry, graphite, pepper, and stemmy. Aged for 15 months in the barrel. This plays on the lighter and stemmier side of red. It’s a medium-bodied red, the tannins are a little unripe, but overall this is a solid effort. Score: 90/100

• St. Andrea, ‘Boldogságos’ Egri Csillag Grand Superior 2018 – Egér

Egri Csillag translates to the “Star of Eger”. The St. Andrea Boldogságos isn’t the winery’s top Egri Csillag but it delicious and well made. This is a single vineyard wine with Olaszrizling, Pinot Gris, Hárslevelü, Furmint, Sauvignon Blanc and this vintage has a touch of Viognier in it. The latter grape adds some floral notes in addition to the flavors of white peach, lemon, and yogurt. It’s full-bodied and rich white with a grassy, spiciness to it. This is a baby now but will round out beautifully with some age. Score: 90/100

*For a step up in complexity we highly recommend their Örökké and Maria Egri Csillags.

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Thummerer, Egri Csillag Grand Superior 2015 – Egér

The Thummerer Egri Csillage Grand Superior is one of the best wines I’ve tasted from this particular estate. It’s a partially barrel-fermented white blend of Chardonnay, Olaszrizling, Királyleányka, Leányka, and Traminer. The Chardonnay really dominates here. This is ripe and big with notes of white peach, melon, yogurt, and a touch of grass. Score: 91/100

• Bolyki, Egri Bikavér 2016 – Egér

There were many good Egri Bikavérs at the tasting including Gál Tibor, St. Andrea, Kovacs Nimrod and others but the Bolyki Egri Bikavér stood out for its great value. This is found under 10 Euros in Hungary and is exported. This unfiltered wine is a blend of Kékfrankos, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Zweigelt, and Pinot Noir. It has a rich nose with flavors of blueberry, cherry, earth, and a touch of pepper. This is a medium-bodied red with juicy acidity and soft tannins. Score: 89/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Koch, Premium Kadarka 2017 – Hajós-Baja

Don’t let the score fool you, the Koch Premium Kadarka is a fantastic wine that can be found for under 5 Euros in Hungary. It has notes of strawberry, pepper, and earth. The finish is earthy and spicy. Another excellent vintage of this wine, which we buy often when in Hungary. Fantastic fruit for an inexpensive wine. Score: 88/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Koch, Vin Art Csanád Villányi Cuvée 2012 – Villány

Koch also produces several reserve wines including the Vin Art Csanád Villányi Cuvée which is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon aged in oak for at least 18 months. This has a pretty nose with black cherry, violets, tobacco, cedar, and toast. Full in body with chalky tannins and a long finish. Score: 91/100 

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Kristinus, Kékfrankos Selection 2017 – Balatonboglár

The Kristinus Kékfrankos Selection is aged in oak for 14 months. It has notes of crunchy red fruit, fall leaves, pepper, and cedar. The wine is medium-bodied and silky on the mid-palate with a spicy finish. This is never overburdened by the oak and is food-friendly. Score: 91/100

• TR, Tokaji Dry Furmint 2017 – Tokaj-Hegyalja

The prices of dry Tokaji continues to rise, which makes the TR Tokaji Dry Furmint so appealing. TR is a young winery located in the village of Tállya. This wine has everything that I want in a dry Furmint, white pear flavors with intense mineral notes, combined with fiery acidity. Some of this wine was barrel-aged which builds up the body. For a wine that retails at around 10 Euros in Hungary, this is a steal. Score: 90/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Tornai, Top Selection Grófi Hárslevelü 2017 – Somló

Tornai is one of the big names in the tiny, volcanic region of Somló. The Tornai Top Selection Grófi Hárslevelü is in the top range of their portfolio. This is barrel fermented and half-dry with flavors of yellow peach, mineral, smoke, and white pepper. Like many wines from Somló, this is full-bodied with mineral notes and a powerful, long finish. The high acidity makes this feel like a completely dry wine. Score: 92/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Teleki, Villányi Franc ‘Kopar’ 2015 – Villány

Teleki is one of the oldest and largest producers in Villány, a red wine-producing region in the south of Hungary. The region is known for Cabernet Franc. The Teleki Villaányi Franc ‘Kopar’ is 100% Cabernet Franc from the esteemed Kopar vineyard. The wine has the typical notes of the grape, black cherry, olive, and capsicum with a touch of wood. It’s a full-bodied and dense Cabernet Franc with firm, but not overly drying tannins. Score: 90/100

• Csetvei, EA 2018 – Mór

Csetvei is a young producer in the tiny region of Mór. They specialize in the grape Ezerjo. The Csetvei EA (Ezerjo Amphora) is fermented and kept in amphora for 5 months without the skins. This is a clean and well-done amphora wine with notes of dried pear and pineapple. The wine is rich and chewy with a salty, complex finish. This is a producer we will be keeping our eyes on. Score: 92+/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Jackfall, Grand 2012 – Villány

Jackfall is a small producer in Villány and their Grand is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s rich with notes of graphite, black cherry, tobacco, capsicum. This is full-bodied with many layers of texture and Bordeaux-like flavors. The long finish is guided by chewy tannins. Score: 93/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Heimann, Barbar 2016 – Szekszárd

Heimann is one of the big names in Szekszárd and this is their flagship wine. The Heimann Barbar is made from Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Tannat, and Kékfrankos. It has notes of capsicum, black cherry, chocolate, green herbs, and tobacco. This is full-bodied and rich with smooth, ripe tannins. Score: 91/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

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Exotic Wine Travel Hungarian Wine Articles

Thank you to hungarianwines.eu who provided accommodation and meals during my four days in Hungary. Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Hungarian Wines Revisited appeared first on Wine Travel.

Thai food is phenomenal. It possesses a balance of tartness, sweetness, and spiciness. The food is just one of the reasons (in addition to the gorgeous beaches) that over 35 million tourists come to Thailand annually. I would guess that a handful of those visitors know that Thailand is also a wine producing country.

Thai wine?

Most of the world’s great vineyards are located between the latitudes of 30 and 50 degrees North and South. Thailand sits entirely between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer. Most of the vineyards are located between 12-15 degrees North. This is a difficult environment to grow wine grapes.

*Check out the VLOG from my visit in the video below.

Thai Wine Association

The Thai Wine Association was kind enough to invite me to their annual vineyard inspection tour. The TWA consists of six members: Gran Monte, J&J Vineyard, Aldicini, Moonlight Valley, Village Farm Winery, and Silverlake Vineyard. The association was established in 2004. President Visooth Lohitnavy (proprietor of Gran Monte) was my guide throughout the week.

TWA is attempting to make Thai wine truly Thai since its inception in 1995. “Our members have to agree to use less than 15% of foreign wine and/or grape must in the blend,” Visooth says. “If wineries use more than 15% or all foreign grapes, they must state it on the label,” he further adds.

That sounds like a good idea, but how do high-quality grapes grow in this tropical climate?

Tropical Viticulture

If you have spent time in the tropics, you know the feeling. It’s sticky and the sun is intense. The entire country of Thailand sits within the tropics and I’ve been skeptical about wine grape growing there for many years. The Thai Wine inspection trip shattered my misconceptions.

In the tropical climate, the vines don’t go through a winter dormancy period like many wine regions in the world. Instead, the growers prune the vines down so that they ripen fruit during the dry season in Thailand – which is November to February.

The best vineyards I saw during the inspection tour were around the Khao Yai National Park. All of these vineyards sit at just under 400 meters (1312 feet) in elevation. When I was there in January, the weather was surprisingly dry and cool. It was around 28 degrees C (82 F) during the day and 18 C (64.4) at night. In the evening, the temperature felt very much like Mediterranean regions in the summer. Irrigation is a must during the dry season in Thailand. The vines are pruned throughout the year so that harvest coincides with the dry season.

“We’ve figured out how to grow vines in this climate,” Gran Monte winemaker Nikki Lohitnavy said, “the biggest obstacle in Thailand is taxes.”

It’s true that the taxes are crippling. In Thailand, wine costs around two to two and a half times its native country’s retail price. This puts a lot of pressure on quality-minded producers, especially because tropical viticulture takes an immense amount of costly labor to manage the vines.

The Thai Wines

One surprising thing is that Thai red wines are not high alcohol, big bruisers like one might expect. I assume it is because producers must pick before the rains come in late February. Meaning that the fruit set to the harvesting period is relatively short (Nov-Feb). This means that the reds are more medium bodied in style. Thai wine producers are having the most success with Syrah for the reds and Colombard, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and Verdelho for the whites.

The wines are surprisingly well made and would shock a lot of people if served blind. Thai Syrah leans more on savory, earthy Rhône style and the Viognier and Chenin Blanc can be delicious. Colombard is known as a pretty innocuous grape but Thai wines made from it can be refreshing. They are a great option to sip on while soaking up the sun on one of Thailand’s world-class beaches.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks

You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.

• Gran Monte, Gradient Syrah 2017

The Gran Monte Gradient Syrah is made using fruit from the J&J Family Vineyard, which is the most impressive plot I saw during the inspection tour. It’s made with 30% whole cluster fermentation and aged in larger oak cask. It’s for people who like savory, earthy reds, not fruit bombs.

There are notes of black fruit, pepper, meat, and a touch of stems. The wine has a chewy texture on the palate. It has a very pretty nose but the oak sticks out on the palate (it should settle down with time in the bottle). The wine is medium bodied and has a savory finish with a touch of violets. Score: 88/100

• Gran Monte, The Orient Syrah 2014

The Gran Monte The Orient Syrah is one of the premium wines in the portfolio. It’s not a fruit bomb, it’s for people that like savory, complex reds. The wine is made from older, ungrafted vines and is aged in French and American oak for 18 months. Full of brambleberry, pepper, tangerine peel, and violet flavors. The wine is full-bodied with a chewy texture, soft tannins, and peppery finish. This wine is low in alcohol and has real soul.  Score: 90/100

• Gran Monte, Viognier 2018

For people who like a big floral white wine without sharp acidity. The Gran Monte Viognier has notes of yellow flower, yellow peach, apple, and vanilla spice. It’s barrel fermented in used oak and full-bodied. My only complaint is that the wine’s finish started out thin at first. This was not a problem with time as the wine breathed. Fantastic effort by winemaker Nikki Lohitnavy.  Score: 90/100

• Village Farm, Château des Brumes Cuvée Prestige 2004

The Village Farm Château des Brumes Cuvée Prestige 2004 is very much an Old World style of wine. It’s for people who like the aged Bordeaux notes and subtle fruit. The wine is a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. I was told that there is 15% French grapes blended in, although I think it may be more than that. This vintage is much better than the latest releases. There are notes of sour cherry, tobacco, sweet cedar, tomato leaf, and pepper. The wine is medium bodied with fine tannins and a long finish. It is really impressive wine.  Score: 90/100

• Moonlight Valley, Colombard 2018

When I first saw the vineyards of Moonlight Valley, it seemed improbable that the grapes would be good enough to make drinkable wine. The vines are at a lower elevation and have to cope with high levels of humidity. The first sip of the Moonlight Valley Colombard was quite a surprise.

It’s for people who like crisp, light, and refreshing whites wines. There are notes of white-fleshed fruit, lemon, and even a touch of flint. The wine is tart with sharp acidity with a subtle yogurt note from the lees contact. It’s a refreshing white that would be perfect on a sunny day on the beaches of Southern Thailand.  Score: 85/100

• Silverlake Vineyard, Shiraz Premium 2017

Silverlake Vineyard is a massive property near the beach resort Pattaya. Because of the intense humidity, most of their production is with grape must that is imported from Australia (although they do produce an Estate Shiraz and Colombard). This wine is for people who like big, rich, fruit bombs.

The grapes are from Barossa Valley in Australia, where Silverlake Vineyard has a 35% ownership share of the vineyard. The Silverlake Vineyard Shiraz Premium is aged in oak for eight months. There are notes of stewed plum, blackberry, chocolate, and pepper. It’s full-bodied with a lot of oak, which should settle with time. The soft tannins guide the spicy finish.  Score: 87/100

The post Thai Wine Association: Extreme Tropical Viticulture appeared first on Wine Travel.

Check out our wine travel guide to Santa Barbara Wine Country. 

Located on the southern end of the Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara County is about 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles, California. The history of this wine country can be traced back to five million years ago: tectonic activity thrust up a huge part of the land, rotated it, and created a geologic anomaly. As a result, the mountain ranges in Santa Barbara County are transverse and run east to west—unlike the rest of California where the mountains are parallel to the coastline, positioned in a north-south direction. This topographical feature creates wind tunnels, which enable cool air to flow from the Pacific Ocean into the valleys of Santa Barbara County, keeping the temperatures moderate during the day and cool at night. The Pacific Ocean also creates morning fog that cools and protects the grapes in the vineyards. All in all, Santa Barbara County is characterized by little to no rainfall especially during the harvest period, a lot of sunshine, and extremely long growing seasons.

Photo by Babcock Winery.

These climatic and geographical features have helped Santa Barbara County become a sublime spot for viticulture. The multitude of microclimates and soil types provide a perfect place for a wide variety of grapes. In fact, Santa Barbara is one of the oldest wine-producing areas in California, with the first wine grapes planted by the missionaries in the late 1700s. The modern commercial production as we know it today came about in 1960 when the first commercial vineyard was planted in Tepusquet in Santa Maria Valley.

Despite all the attention, Santa Barbara County remains somewhat alternative, especially in comparison to the other California’s wine regions.

Initially, most of the fruit produced was shipped out of the county to be vinified. Then, in 1962, Santa Barbara Winery, the first post-prohibition commercial winery in the county was established. In 1975, Firestone became the first estate winery to make wine using its own locally grown grapes.

The biggest revolution happened in the early 1980s when Santa Barbara became known for its independent winemakers with larger-than-life personalities. Among the first generation of winemakers that arrived in the county included Bill Wathen (Foxen Vineyard & Winery), Bob Lindquist (Qupé), Bryan Babcock (Babcock Winery & Vineyards), Chris Whitcraft (Whitcraft Winery), Jim Clendenen (Au Bon Climat), Ken Brown (Ken Brown Wines), Lane Tanner (now Lumen Wines), Richard Sanford (now Alma Rosa Winery), and Rick Longoria (Longoria Wines).

Qupé’s founder, Bob Lindquist, is a distinguished winemaking veteran and has mentored dozens of famous winemakers in the Central Coast. (Photo is provided by the winery.)

The spirit of innovation and quality permeated this wine country. Loads of delicious wines were coming out of Santa Barbara that could have built the area’s reputation single-handedly. Then, in 2004, the critically acclaimed film Sideways was released. Most of the movie was shot and set there; the film’s popularity and the protagonist’s affinity for Pinot Noir further enhanced the wine country’s shining reputation.

Today, the Santa Barbara County’s wine industry is said to generate around $1.7 billion of annual revenue and account for more than 9,000 full-time jobs. There are about 200 wineries in the region and more than 27,000 acres of vines.

Despite all the attention, Santa Barbara County remains somewhat alternative, especially in comparison to the other California’s wine regions. There is electricity in the air as an abundance of veteran experience and young talent keep the wine scene fresh.

Photo by J. Wilkes.

Wine Growing Areas

At around 3,730 square miles in size, Santa Barbara Wine Country offers unique topography and climatic diversity that give birth to six official AVAs (American Viticultural Areas). The distance between the grape-growing area and the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean is a key factor that shapes the characteristics of each AVA. The western areas are cooler, while the eastern reaches are warmer. The grapes also show considerable vineyard-to-vineyard variation within each AVA. The highest vineyard sits on a plateau at over 3,000 feet above sea level.

Map by Santa Barbara Vintners.

Santa Maria Valley AVA

Established in 1981, Santa Maria Valley is the northernmost and oldest AVA of the region and the third oldest in the United States. It sees direct access to the cool ocean breezes but without the topography that creates a natural wind tunnel. The vines are mostly planted on the slopes of rolling hillsides with well-drained sandy loam and clay-loam soils, at elevations between 300 and 800 feet.

There are several varieties grown here—including Albariño, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier—but the flagships are Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. Chardonnays from this appellation can range from lean with crisp acidity to full-bodied with a floral tone. Noted for its slightly spicy and earthy characteristics, the Pinot Noir here can taste vastly different from the ones in Sta. Rita Hills. Overall, the wines from the Santa Maria Valley AVA tend to have a nice acidic backbone, high drinkability, yet not shy on complexity.

Total Area: Around 98,000 acres in southern San Luis Obispo County and northern Santa Barbara County
Planted Area: ~7,500 acres
Notable Vineyards: Bien Nacido, Cambria, Foxen, Nielson, Sierra Madre, and Tepusquet

Santa Ynez Valley AVA

A long east-west corridor with varying temperature: the west side of the valley is cooler as it is closer to the Pacific breeze while the east side and further inland are significantly warmer. The Santa Ynez Valley AVA has the largest concentration of wineries and the most varied grape varieties. The climatic diversity here enables the cultivation of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and varieties of Bordeaux and Rhône—including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Marsanne, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Syrah, and Viognier. Small amounts of Arneis, Gewürztraminer, and Riesling can also be found here.

The Santa Ynez Valley AVA boasts various soil types, ranging from sand to gravel, loam, and diatomaceous earth (i.e. deposits of fossilized marine life that are high in Calcium Silicate). All of these soil types provide excellent drainage and are highly suitable for viticulture.

Please note that four other AVAs are nestled within Santa Ynez Valley; they are Sta. Rita Hills, Happy Canyon, Ballard Canyon, and Los Olivos District.

Sta. Rita Hills AVA

Created in 2001, this AVA was known as Santa Rita Hills up until 2006, when the name was changed to Sta. Rita Hills because a Chilean wine producer called Viña Santa Rita objected to the original spelling. This is the westernmost AVA and has direct access to the cool ocean breeze. The hills act as narrow corridors and the breeze blows through them, creating a cool climate in this wine-growing area.

There are about 20 cool-climate wine grapes planted here. The majority of the plantings are Pinot Noir and a good portion is Chardonnay. The sites in Sta. Rita Hills make a distinct difference in the flavor profiles of these two grapes. In Chardonnay, expect mineral, smoke, or flint characteristic. For Pinot Noir wines, most are rich and concentrated with red fruit accent. There tends to be more stem inclusion used in the vinification of Pinot Noir here, which can lend interesting flavors and tannins to the wines. Pinot Noirs, especially the single-vineyard bottlings, that bear the Sta. Rita Hills AVA are said to perform better after five years of barrel and bottle aging.

Total Area: Over 30,000 acres
Planted Area: ~2,700 acres
Notable Vineyards: Acin, Ampelos, Babcock, Cargasacchi, Clos Pepe, El Jabali, Fe Ciega, Fiddlestix, Hapgood, John Sebastiano, Kessler-Haak, La Encantada, La Rinconada, Lafond, Machado, Melville, Mt. Carmel, Rita’s Crown, Sanford and Benedict, Sea Smoke, Sweeney Canyon, Zotovich

Happy Canyon AVA

This is the most inland AVA and because of that, it is significantly warmer than the other AVAs. It is at the far eastern edge of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA and has shown promise with Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Sauvignon Blanc. Syrah is also planted here. The wines from the Happy Canyon AVA can be exciting, especially the Cabernet Sauvignon blends which tend to express ripe fruit notes without being overbearing. The soil types are made up of a mixture of loam and clay loam with red and yellow chert and serpentine cobbles.

Total Area: ~24,000 acres
Planted Area: ~500 acres
Notable Vineyards: Grassini, Happy Canyon, Star Lane, Vogelzang

Ballard Canyon AVA

Located near the town of Buellton, this is the smallest AVA of the region. The Ballard Canyon AVA is known for producing Rhône-style wines. The majority of the plantings here are Syrah. Other varieties planted include Grenache, Sangiovese, Roussanne, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Petite Sirah, and small amounts of Chardonnay. The vines are planted in clay or sand. In the northern part of the AVA, limestone substrate lies under clay topsoil. The reds from this area tend to be aromatic, fruit-forward, rich, and slightly earthy, with approachable tannins.

Total Area: ~7,700 acres
Planted Area: ~300 acres
Notable Vineyards: Beckmen, Harrison Clarke, Jonata, Larner, Stolpman, Tierra Alta

Los Olivos District AVA

Established in January 2016, this is the newest AVA of the county. It sits within a triangle created by the towns of Solvang, Santa Ynez, and Los Olivos. From a geological perspective, it is fairly uniform and produces a handful of interesting wines from Bordeaux and Rhône varieties. Italian and Spanish varieties can also be found here. The soils consist of moderate to well-drained sandy loam and clay loam. The terrain slopes gently from north to south towards the water. As the Los Olivos District AVA is largely flat, machines and other automated support can be used here, as opposed to the neighboring wine-growing areas with steep, rugged terrains.

Total Area: 22,820 acres
Planted Area: 1,121 acres
Notable Vineyards: Baehner Fournier, Sunstone, Tensley

************

Planning a trip to Santa Barbara County?
Want to learn more about the wines of Santa Barbara?

Our visitor-friendly guide to the wines and tasting rooms of Santa Barbara is available now!
Check out Sipping Santa Barbara: Recommended Wines and Producers for more information.

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Check the availability of Santa Barbara County wines globally at Wine Searcher.

You May Also Enjoy:

• A Vinous Dream: Wine Tasting in Los Olivos
• Sipping Buellton: Wines and Other Gastronomic Delights
• Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail: Highlights and Tips
• Slumming It at the Lompoc Wine Ghetto
• 10 Wines to Try in Santa Barbara
• 8 Tips for Visiting Santa Barbara Wine Country

– Cover image by Mark Weber: Sunset at The Rock Garden and White Mountain high in the Santa Ynez Mountains above the city of Santa Barbara in southern California.
-We have referenced data from sources believed to be the most reliable or up to date. However, data can quickly become outdated. It is recommended that careful attention is paid to the usage or reference of any data in this article.
– The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Santa Barbara County: Appellations and Wine Region’s Layout appeared first on Wine Travel.

Check out our wine travel guide to Santa Barbara Wine Country. 

Los Olivos is a town located in Santa Ynez Valley. Despite its small population of about 1,000 people, the town is constantly bustling due to its plethora of tasting rooms, restaurants, cafes, galleries, and boutiques. There are around 50 tasting rooms, representing wineries and vineyards from all over Santa Barbara County. The number of award-winning and highly scored wines that can be found here is astounding. A wine lover can easily spend a week here and sip well every single day.

For wine nerds and movie buffs: there’s a famous movie line that once affected the global wine sales and the scene takes place in Los Olivos.

Outstanding Wine Tasting Rooms in Los Olivos

The theme here is similar to Lompoc Wine Ghetto – it isn’t about the quality level but rather personal preference when selecting the producers to visit. We can’t stress enough how important it is to explore wine with an open mind. During our research trip, a few places that we had planned to visit were closed, so we ended up reworking our schedule with ideas from the people we met along the way. We took recommendations from the acquaintances we met in town and went to visit Tercero and Kaena – two producers we hadn’t heard of prior to our trip. Both producers turned out to be a pleasant surprise and a breath of fresh air. They are excellent choices for people who tend to feel intimidated by wine but simultaneously curious to explore the diversity and sensory merits of it.

If you like richly flavored wine with an exuberant lift, then Dragonette is the tasting room to check out. All the wines are excellent and tell the characteristics of the various sources. The highlight for us is the rosé made from Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah.

For some of the best examples of Pinot Noir, head to Samsara. The Samara Cargasacchi Vineyard Pinot Noir is one of our favorite Pinot Noirs of Santa Barbara Wine Country. We love how it is not overtly fruity yet still captures the Californian sun with an underlying elegance.

If you’re a big wine geek who wants to understand the appellations, geographical characteristics, soil types, and climatic features in Santa Barbara County, then J.Wilkes is a place you shouldn’t miss. Wes Hagen has been a winemaker in Santa Barbara since 1994 and is now at the helm of J.Wilkes. Wes also did the research and wrote the petitions for Sta Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon and Happy Canyon AVAs. When we visited the J.Wilkes tasting room, he was there to walk us through the maps of Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley in greater detail than anything we could find anywhere else.

Charine Tan, Matthew Horkey, and Wes Hagen.

One thing to note is that while the operating hours are relatively uniform and that’s 11AM to 5PM, the days that each tasting room is open vary. It is also common for the rooms to be opened or closed at a different time from their official hours.

Planning a trip to Santa Barbara?
Want to learn more about Santa Barbara wines?

Our visitor-friendly guide to the wines and tasting rooms of Santa Barbara is available now!
Check out Sipping Santa Barbara: Recommended Wines and Producers for more information.

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You May Also Enjoy

• Santa Barbara Wine Country: Appellations and Region’s Layout
• Sipping Buellton: Wines and Other Gastronomic Delights
• Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail: Highlights & Tips
• 10 Wines to Try in Santa Barbara County

The ideas expressed in this article are personal opinions and are not associated with any sponsors or business promotions. 

The post A Vinous Dream: Wine Tasting in Los Olivos appeared first on Wine Travel.

Charine and I moved to Zagreb for a few months in late 2016/early 2017 to finish the research for our upcoming Croatian wine guide. It just so happened that there was a Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) course happening in Zagreb at the end of 2016. We decided to kill two birds with one stone and finish the wine research while getting our WSET Level 3 certification. We chose the Wine Academy Croatia as our course provider.

WSET – Wine & Spirit Education Trust

WSET is one of the big names in international wine education for enthusiasts and professionals in the wine industry. There are four levels. The first two are targeted at wine enthusiasts, level III is known as the advanced certification, and level IV is a diploma course. For those who want to apply for the Master of Wine course, it is necessary to complete the WSET level IV diploma. Confident in our wine experience and knowledge, we opted to skip levels I & II, going straight to the level III course.

The criticism of the WSET program is that it is simply a certification mill. Some people say that passing the WSET course is meaningless, apart from the WSET Diploma. Some people say it makes people robotic in their approach to tasting. Others have said that it poorly trains people to describe wine. Regardless of these complaints, we found the course to be incredibly valuable. Here are some of our thoughts on the course.

SAT Tasting Method

The WSET calls their tasting method SAT, which is an acronym for Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine. The SAT is a structured system although it still leaves some room for subjectivity. It is broken down into observing the appearance, smell, and taste of the wine to determine the quality and price level.

Prior to taking this course, we had honed our tasting skills by doing a lot of reading and massive amounts of tasting. In 2016, we tasted a little over 3,000 wines. After taking the course, we found that our tasting techniques were a little sloppy, as well as our wine descriptions.

We really enjoyed the deductive tasting process when it comes to describing the body of a wine. To consider that oak and alcohol can bring the body of a wine up while acidity can bring the perception of the body down was a game changer for us. When we tasted in the past, we measured body mostly by weightiness on the palate.

I used to wonder if a wine can have high alcohol while being medium or low in body because of the mouthfeel. Using the deductive SAT method has allowed us to answer that question by taking acidity, oak, and perception of sugar into consideration. Looking at a wine more holistically instead of relying simply on feeling alone has allowed us to state our observations with more confidence.

Winemaking Process

While I come from a farming family, we both admit our shortcomings when it comes to knowledge of the winemaking process. What we know about the winemaking process comes from constantly traveling, spending time with producers, and seeing a few harvests.  When we first started traveling for wine, many of our questions probably seemed mundane, ignorant, and dumb.

The great thing about WSET is the coursepack and powerpoints which describe the winemaking process. The flow charts created by WSET describe the winemaking process clearly. They are not intended to make you a winemaker by any stretch but they offer a broad view of the process.

There were four Croatian winemakers attending the course with us. All of them wanted to learn more about international wines. The time we spent interacting with them, asking questions, and having discussions were invaluable. We’re thankful that the Wine Academy Croatia attract these types of people into the course, which offers a new dimension of learning and experience to us.

We find all of this information to be useful in understanding wine holistically. More importantly, it will allow us to have better conversations with producers.

Tasting Choices from Wine Academy Croatia

This is where Wine Academy Croatia excels as a course provider. One of the instructors works for a wine importing business in London. Because of this, Wine Academy Croatia has access to many excellent wines from around the world that are not available on Croatia’s wine market. We tasted close to 80 wines over the duration of the course.

These were our favorite wines tasted in class.

WHITE WINES

• Dawson & James, Chardonnay 2011 – Tasmania, Australia

This is an oaked Chardonnay done right. From the island of Tasmania, this wine was tasted double blind. It has all the fresh characteristics of Chardonnay with a touch of wood and very high acidity. Banana, pineapple, tropical fruit. Extremely delicious and wonderful. A fresh approach to New World Chardonnay.   4.3/5

• Chateau Lamothe, Bouscaut 2014 – Pessac – Léognan, France

A marvelous white Bordeaux! This is a 55-45 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. The wine is herbal with a touch of oxidation. Nice acidity. Flavors include grass, stone fruit, herb, cat pee, and sweet oak with deliberate oxidation notes. This wine has the stuffings to age. It is a beautiful wine.   4.6/5

• Domaine du Chêne, Condrieu 2013 – Rhone, France

This is the first Condrieu that I’ve tasted. Fashionable as a premium white wine made from Viognier that should always be drunk fairly young. This is full of dried stone fruit, apricot, jasmine, brioche, and almond flavors. I tend to prefer acidic white wines and Condrieu is renowned for its low acidity. My preference doesn’t matter, this is a wonderful wine.   4.8/5

• Domaine Koquelicot, Belaigra Grand Cru 2013 – Istria, Croatia

This was served to us during our practice blind tasting examination. Most people thought it was a Puligny-Montrachet (high-end White Burgundy). This winery is made up of a Frenchman and an Istrian woman. This is full of flint, stone fruit, vanilla, and oak. Flavorful, nice acidity, and very elegant.   4.4/5

RED WINES

• John Duval Wines, Entity Shiraz 2013 – Barossa, Australia

After 29 years as a winemaker at Penfold’s, John Duval left to start his own winery. This is Australian Shiraz in a big way. It is dark, full of spice and blackberry jam. The tannins are ripe and mouthcoating, you need a huge steak to make this easier to drink. It is nice now, but boy has the stuffing to age gracefully.   4.2/5

• Chateau Talbot, Saint Julien 2005 – Bordeaux, France

This vintage, as well as 2009 and 2010, are considered to be the vintages of the century thus far in Bordeaux. This producer has a track record of producing very good and fairly inexpensive wines. It has a rocking nose of tobacco, tomato leaf, cedar, and chocolate. The finish is long and the tannins are fine and gritty, this can age even more. Excellent wine and can be transcendent if the palate offers the same ommmpf as the nose.   4.3/5

• Cafaro, Merlot 2010 – Napa Valley, USA

I was wondering how the USA would be represented in this course. Most of the excellent wines from America don’t make it abroad. If they do make it overseas, they come with insanely high price tags. This wine is from a producer who recently closed his doors, what a pity. The wine is a wonderful blend of New World fruit and Old World earthiness. Leather, meat, tobacco, cedar, tomato leaf, and blackberry. Beautiful structure with a long finish.   4.3/5

• La Croix de Saint Jean, Lo Paire Minervois 2012 – Languedoc – Roussillon, France

A GSM blend (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) from the south of France. I really enjoy the wines from Languedoc – Roussillon. Mostly Syrah, it is a big wine that has all the stuffing to age gracefully. This is chalked full of dark fruit, cedar, and licorice. High in alcohol, with medium tannins, and a voluptuous body, this wine is a pleasure to drink.   4.2/5

 (You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

Conclusion

We were happy with the entire WSET 3 experience. Wine Academy Croatia did a fine job and exceeded our expectations with the wine tasting samples. The course was fun and dynamic. We skipped the Level I and II course and jumped straight into level III. It didn’t prove to be a big leap as we both passed the final examination.

You can find out more about the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and the course provider we used, Wine Academy Croatia, on the websites listed below. 
– https://www.wsetglobal.com
– http://www.wineacademycroatia.com
Many of the wines we tasted in class are available at Liberty Wines.

Disclaimer: This article is based on our own opinions and is NOT associated with sponsorship or business promotions of any kind.

The post Wine Academy Croatia: Advancing with WSET appeared first on Wine Travel.

Our favorite thing about traveling around the world for wine is tasting unique, indigenous varieties. That is why we jumped at the chance to visit Cyprus. With its long history of winemaking and isolation, many old grape varieties have survived there.

The Cypriot wine industry is working hard to focus on their native grapes. The most famous Cypriot wine, named Commandaria, is a blend of two native varieties—Xynisteri and Mavro. The wine industry is not resting on its laurels and many producers are now focusing on dry wines. Nearly every producer is producing a dry white wine from Xynisteri and most are attempting to produce a dry red wine from the finicky Maratheftiko.

One interesting thing to note about many of these varieties is the vines that they come from. About 90% of the vines in Cyprus are old, head-trained, bush vines. They stick out of the ground looking like old, gnarly hands. Cyprus was never affected by phylloxera, while the rest of Europe’s vines suffered in the late 19th and early 20th century. Therefore, the vines are all on their original rootstock.

Cypriot White Wine Grape Varieties

Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Viognier can all be found in Cyprus. There were examples of varying quality made from all of these international grapes. Producers often commented on international grapes struggling with the sun and heat in Cyprus. All the producers agreed that Cyprus has a need for white grapes capable of making more high-quality wines.

All producers are working with Xynisteri and because of the focus, quality has jumped tremendously in the last five years (so we were told). The other three native grapes were difficult to track down. Getting a chance to taste them takes serious effort. Hopefully, the Cypriot producers continue to experiment with all of these grapes as some show great potential.

Xynisteri

Xynisteri on its own is a neutral grape, similar to Spain’s Palomino—which is used to make Sherry. Xynisteri is one of the two grapes used in the traditional dessert wine, Commandaria. In the last several years, many producers have focused on making this wine in fresh and fruity style. The name translates to “little acid” and wines made from the grape need acidity correction, which the Cypriot law allows. It is also blended with small amounts of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion, or Muscat to add aromas and flavor.

We found this grape to make very nice white wine. You can count on every producer to make at least a decent Xynisteri. Most producers make a Xynisteri wine that is meant to be drunk young. However, a few also make cellar-worthy, barrel- fermented or/and aged Xynisteri like those from Kyperounda and Zambartas. We often found lime and pine flavors in Xynisteri wines.

• Nicolaides Xynisteri 2015

Nicolas Nicolaides studied winemaking in Montpellier, France. This Xynisteri is markedly different from others and is very French in style. Kept on the skins for one day. Nice golden color. Nuts, mature peaches, and flowers. Oily and balanced body. Long finish and delicious. Very much like a Côte Catalanes white wine made from Rhône varieties. Unfortunately, Nicolas made Xynisteri in this style for only one vintage.   4.1/5

• Ezousa Xynisteri 2016

Full of pine, mineral, lime, and white peach—typical Xynisteri flavor profile. The wine is crisp with a touch of residual sugar. The finish is very citrusy. Mineral driven and delicious.   4.0/5

Morokanella

A very interesting white grape that is just starting to gain some traction. We only came across three producers making wine from this grape. It has adapted to the heat and lime soil of Cyprus. Many producers have faith in this grape, but time will tell as more start using it. The examples we tasted were smokey and oily in texture with a nice citrus finish.

• Aes Ambelis Morokanella 2016

Smoky with white pear and a touch of white peach. Juicy and almost soapy on the palate, with a lime finish. This would benefit from a few more months of bottle aging but a nice effort from this winery.   3.7/5

Promara

Only one producer is working with this grape, Vouni Panayia. There’s a hypothesis that it is a mutation of Xynisteri, but that has not been proven. The examples from this winery showed unique flavors of smoke and brown spices mixed in with melon and citrus fruit. The wines made from this grape were not high in acidity but very well-made. You can see a more in-depth write-up about Vouni Panayia in this article.

Spourtiko

We only tasted two examples of this variety. One example was poorly made and oxidized, while the second one was more interesting. Vouni Panayia makes a varietal wine from this grape as well but they were completely out of the wine when we visited. Many producers say they have problems working with this grape. With the limited sample size, the grape’s potential remains a mystery to us.

• Fikardos Spourtiko 2015

A very rare grape, oily and smokey with a touch of petrol. The flavors include lemon drops and onion. This is interesting with new flavors and nuances that will satisfy the experimental palates.   3.3/5

Viognier

While driving through the country, going winery to winery, we had a thought. It seemed like the terrain and climate would be perfect for white Rhône varieties. If producers were struggling with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, perhaps it’s worthwhile to give Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier a try?

Later in the trip, we got the answer to our question. We tasted two excellent examples of Viognier. The wines were very well made and would make any discerning palate happy. Perhaps Rhône white grapes wouldn’t be as “sexy” as other French grapes on the local market, but we feel they would make infinitely better wine.

• Argyrides Viognier 2015

Full of white peach, apple, lemon, white flower, and mineral notes. The wine is very ripe and full, oily and packed with flavors. There are multiple layers of flavors and the mouthfeel is nice. The finish has a bitter flower component. This wine was drunk over dinner and was a big hit among everyone present.   4.2/5

• Ezousa Viognier 2016

On the lees for four months. This is Ezousa’s best wine in my opinion, while Charine is more partial to their mineral-driven Xynisteri. The wine is not intense on the nose but white peach, yogurt, and white flower are present. The end palate is very oily and viscous with a bitter orange peel finish. The acidity is lower for a white wine but it really works here with this grape. Very correct for the variety and delicious to boot.   4.1/5

You May Also Enjoy
George Kassianos: The Godfather Of Cypriot Wine
Vouni Panayia: Confidence In The Cypriot Wine Grapes
Your Cheat Sheet To The Wines Of Cyprus, Part 1
Facing Our Fears: Cypriot Wine

Stay tuned to our website for more articles and videos about the wines of Cyprus.

Disclaimer: Our trip was partially sponsored by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, The Annabelle Hotel (Paphos), and Saint Elena Hotel (Larnaca). A few wineries provided us samples, but most of them simply gave us their time. The opinions expressed in this article are our own and we are under no obligation to give favorable reviews. 

The post More than Xynisteri: Indigenous White Wine Grapes of Cyprus appeared first on Wine Travel.

Renowned wine critic Jancis Robinson said in 2013, “Some of the worst wine I have tasted since I started writing about wine was what was available the one time we went on holiday to the far-eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus in 1983.”

That may have been a long time ago, but that line was stuck in my head as our travel dates drew nearer. Are the Cypriot wines still awful? The island of Cyprus is located in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and near to Lebanon. Would it be too hot for wine grapes? Is there any winemaking talent there?

As we circled the island, preparing to land, those questions kept running through my head. We were about to embark on a tasting trip through Cyprus. A place that has always sparked Charine’s curiosity, as well as mine to a lesser extent.

A few months ago, we bumped into a representative from the Cyprus Tourism Organization in Tbilisi, Georgia of all places. Fast-forward a few months and we found ourselves landing in Larnaca, Cyprus. The itinerary was put together by the head of wine tourism at the Cyprus Tourism Organization and the president of the Cyprus Sommeliers Association.

We visited two to three wineries every single day during our time in Cyprus. The schedule was intense but we walked away with a good grip on the Cypriot wine scene. More articles will be on our website over the next few months but here are some initial observations after tasting over 200 Cypriot wines from nearly 30 different producers.

Beautiful Vineyards

Bush vines on top of Mt Panayia, 1,150 meters.

Cyprus has never seen the pest phylloxera, which nearly eradicated all of Europe’s vineyards in the early 1900’s. This means that many of the vineyards are old and on their own rootstock. More than 90% of the wine grapes in Cyprus are from goblet-trained bush vines. Some of these plants are over 100 years old. For wine nerds, something about bush vines is magical. I can’t put my finger on it, but whenever we passed one of these vineyards, we’d stop the car and take a slow walk through it. The climate in Cyprus is hot and dry, so most vineyards need high elevation to escape the heat. Some of these plots in Cyprus reach 1,400 meters in elevation. 

Mountainside vineyards covered in bush vines? That’s a wine geek’s wet dream.

One of the few trellised vineyards in Cyprus.

Check out the preview video of an upcoming episode of Exotic Wine Travel below. We are at 1,150 meters amongst old bush vines.

Xynisteri… Xynisteri???

This white grape is indigenous to Cyprus and is the most planted grape on the island. It is described as a neutral grape like the Spanish grape Palomino. Xynisteri is one of the two featured grapes that go into the dessert wine Commandaria.

The last few years, producers have been focusing on making white dry wine from the grape. It shows a lot of promise, even the least inspiring producers make solid Xynisteri. The excellent producers are using the grape to make wines ranging from fresh and fruity, to barrel fermented, and even botrytized.

Nearly every producer made a solid Xynisteri, this example is from Shoufas Winery.

One problem we found is that the market is voracious and causes nearly all producers to bottle their Xynisteri too early. This is good for the producers who can benefit from some immediate profit but leads to wines that are not ready to drink. For more experienced tasters, this is evident on the palate. 

International Grapes

There are many international grapes grown in Cyprus. We saw wines made from Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Mataro (Mourvedre), Syrah, and Merlot.

Many producers raved about how Syrah is acclimating well to the hot Cypriot climate. The wines we tasted made from Syrah resembled jammy, spicy Australian Shiraz. These wines we tasted were ripe, big, and high in alcohol. Most were well made and delicious. A few of these Cypriot Shiraz wines were of excellent quality, that being said, many lacked depth and complexity.

Wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon really surprised us, especially those from old bush vines. Some of these examples were shockingly good – showing depth, concentration, and ripe fruit without obsessively high alcohol. These wines also showed a great deal of vegetal and herbal notes – very exciting!

This Cabernet Sauvignon from Vasilikon is a steal at 12 Euros.

Sadly, with the exception of a few producers, the wines made from Chardonnay need a lot of improvement. The few examples of wines we tasted from Viognier were much more promising. They were oily and showed varietal character. With the climate in Cyprus, it seems as if the Rhöne grapes like Marsanne and Roussanne would fair best for international white wines.

Rosé and Entry-Level Reds

Cypriot rosé is a whole new animal in terms of wine. The rosé wines are not light blush in style. Cypriots like their rosé with deep color, no residual sugar, and a touch of tannic tug. One wine producer poured his rosé and jokingly said, “I hope you enjoy this Pinot Noir.” Humor aside, some of these rosé were very serious with a beautiful meatiness to them. They paired well with the Cypriot Meze.

The typical color of rosé in Cyprus.

Entry-level red wines from good producers were very good. They were usually blends of international and Cypriot varieties. Many showed good structure. In many parts of the world, entry-level reds are a bit off-dry, with residual sugar left in them to soften flavors for the mass market. The Cypriot examples we tasted were bone-dry with firm tannins and a touch of complexity.

Cypriot Indigenous Varieties

Besides Xynisteri, there are several other indigenous varieties that producers are experimenting. Most of the country is covered in Xynisteri and Mavro because they are used to make the sweet wine Commandaria, but there is a resurgence in reviving other varieties. We tasted white wines made from grapes like Morokonella, Spourtiko, and Promara. Varietal red wines we sampled included grapes such as Ofthalmo, Yiannoudi, and Maratheftiko. We will have more information about these grapes in future articles. 

One of Charine’s favorite whites from the trip. Aes Ambelis Marokanella 2016.

Commandaria!

The wine that Cyprus is most known for. It is rumored to be the oldest, continuously made wine in the world and possibly the oldest wine appellation. There are records that suggest the wine was made in the same way 5000 years ago! Richard the Lionheart served this sweet wine at his wedding after encountering it during the Crusades in the 12th century.

The KEO St John 1984 vintage is in the glass, it was sweet and divine!

These wines are lusciously sweet, nutty, and oxidative in style, and are very undervalued in the world of great wine. A few of the examples we tasted were shockingly good. It wasn’t just the surprise factor, some were among the best sweet wines that we have ever tasted. We especially liked the example from The Anama Concept. Lefteris Mohianakis makes the wine and his wife Kristina Mohianakis is packaging the wine in a modern way, but more on that in future articles.

Lefteris Mohianakis, co-founder and winemaker at The Anama Concept showing Charine the old-fashioned grape press he still uses.

Cypriot Cuisine

When we sat down at a restaurant and ordered Cypriot Meze, we were in for a surprise. The places that we have been around the world use meze to describe appetizers. Cypriot Meze is a full feast that is impossible to finish. The food is Mediterranean, so expect lots of olive oil, bread, fresh vegetables, lamb, pork, and fish. Most produce is grown locally in Cyprus and the standard is outstanding. The local wines, especially darker Cypriot rosé, compliment this exciting cuisine.

One of our favorite gastronomic experiences in Cyprus was at Our House Vavla. Donna Marie and George moved back to the tiny village of Vavla after running a restaurant in Long Island, New York. They are a beautiful couple with a great life story to match. The guesthouse is their actual home, the place George grew up in before heading to America. We didn’t stay the night there, but the stone rooms are beautiful and the views are to die for. They do take reservations for dinner (24-hour notice) if you aren’t staying there.

Donna Marie’s cooking can compete with any meal that we have had around the world. If this video doesn’t get your mouth watering, then you don’t like food.

So… Cypriot Wine?

We were shocked by what we found in Cyprus. There is a lot going on in an industry filled with winemaking talent. The high-elevation vineyards are beautiful and we found a few GREAT wines. The industry has come a long way since Jancis first visited in 1983. Stay tuned to the website for more in-depth articles and videos on the Cypriot wine scene.

Disclaimer: The Cyprus Tourism Organisation provided us with flights, hotel accommodation, a car rental, and a few meals. Parts of our stay were sponsored by The Annabelle Hotel (Paphos) and Saint Elena Hotel (Larnaca). A few wineries provided us tasting samples, but most of them simply gave us their time. The opinions of the wines are our own and we are under no obligation to give favorable reviews. 

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