Buyer’s Guide – January 2017

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SVIJET U ČAŠI & SUHI U ČAŠI & WINE STARS
BUYER’S GUIDE
JANUARY 2017
IN THE WINE THERE IS SUN, SOIL, VINE AND SWEAT, AUTHENTICITY AND BUSINESS, JOY AND PAIN, ANXIETY AND EBRIETY
SAMPLES ARE FROM THE MARKET

♣♣♣♣♣♣ –Champion – 99 – 100 (or: 19,9 – 20 / 4,9 – 5,0) pts = Brilliant! Impressive! Unique!
♣♣♣♣♣ –Great gold medal – 95 – 98 (19,5 – 19,8 / 4,5 – 4,8) = Excellent, with character, elegant, classic great wine.
♣♣♣♣ –Gold medal – 90 – 94 (18,6 – 19,4 / 4,0 – 4,4) = outstanding, multilayered, with high style and a big personality.
♣♣♣ –Silver medal – 85 – 89 (17,5 – 18,5 / 3,0 – 3,9) = very good and typical, complex, convincing, with chances to develop even more, for the exigent consumer.
♣♣ 80 – 84 (15,5 – 17,4 / 2,1 – 2,9) = variety recognisable, in a certain determinate style, solid, not exciting.
♣ 71 – 79 (11,0 – 15,4 / 1,1 – 2,0) = average, ordinary, with no virtues and no significant to strong flaws, still acceptable for everyday use.
under 71 ( 11,0 / 1,0) = low-average, best to avoid.

⇑- drink • ⇗ –drink or hold • ⇒ –hold • – recommended to drink with food.
Samples are taken from sources with adequate wine storage and expert staff, so inappropriate storage effects should be excluded. If a classic scent or taste is found on the cap (TCA), the sample is retasted from another bottle. A sample is immediately rejected if at least two thirds of the jury decides so. For a quality/price comparison the wine needs at least 85 points out of 100, or 17.5 points from 20, or 3 on a scale to 5.

Dalmatia

♣ ♣ ♣ (M-L) CHARDONNAY 2015 – PROVIĆ

NERETVA, Opuzen

■ VARIETY: Chardonnay
■ LABEL&ALCOHOL: 13,5 %
The wine is complex, full and juicy, fresh and balanced. A fine herbal scent, also of ripe sweet fruit. Somewhat creamy in the mouth.
■ SERVING: ⇑ (white-fleshed fish and meat with vegetables) • large glass (Burgundy) • 12°C

♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ (M-L) KORLAT SYRAH 2012 – BADEL 1862 Vinarija Benkovac

NORTH DALMATIA, BENKOVAC-STANKOVCI 

■ VARIETY: Syrah
■ LABEL&ALCOHOL: 14,0 %
The wine is full, complex, of intense ruby colour with a mild granite nuance, fine fruitiness, with a sense of wood which fits well. Taste is fresh, juicy, tannin is lively but refined, body strong, lingering in the mouth.
■ SERVING: ⇗ wine with food (dark grilled meat/beefsteak or spit-roasted lamb) • uncork bottle several hours before consuming • large glass (Bordeaux) • 18°C

Istria & Kvarner

♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ (L) MALVAZIJA VIŽINADA FESTIGIA riserva 2015 – LAGUNA VINA

CROATIAN ISTRIA, WESTERN ISTRIA

■ VINEYARD: Vižinada • slope • soil: white earth • variety: Istrian Malvasia
■ LABEL&ALCOHOL: superior with controlled geographic origin • dry • 13,5 %
■ BOTTLED IN: 0,75 ℓ • bottle: modified – tall and slender – lovely • CAP: cork – serious – long
■ DESIGN: elegant – decent • label: several sections – neat, but overloaded with text (many useless information) – visually quite harmonious – readability: relatively good
The wine is complex, substantial, serious, spruced up, harmonious, warm, dynamic. Drinks well with food. On the rise. Looks greenish-yellow. Moderately strong on the nose, developed, mineral, fruity – presented well (fruit: domestic, white / pit – pear), floral, spices. In the mouth rounded, slightly creamy, savoury, salty, with quality acids. In body & structure very good, of fresh long ending.
■ SERVING ⇗ wine with food • large glass • 14°C

♣ ♣ ♣ (L) CASTELLO FESTIGIA 2013 – LAGUNA VINA

CROATIAN ISTRIA, WESTERN ISTRIA

■ VARIETY: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah
■ LABEL&ALCOHOL: superior with controlled geographic origin • dry • 13,5 %
■ BOTTLED IN: 0,75 ℓ • bottle: Bordeaux • CAP: cork – serious – long
■ DESIGN: elegant – decent • label: several sections – neat, but overloaded with text
The wine is complex, harmonious goes well with food, of a lively ruby colour with a mild granite nuance, lovely scent of dark berry and strawberry fruit, chocolate, skin – touch, spice and wood – very well blended. In the mouth fresh, well rounded, with refined tannin, very good body, lingering taste.
■ SERVING ⇗ wine with food • large glass (Bordeaux) • 14°C

(XL) GRIMALDA 2013 red – MATOŠEVIĆ

CROATIAN ISTRIA, WESTERN ISTRIA

■ VARIETY: Merlot, Terrano
■ LABEL&ALCOHOL: dry • 13,5 %
Wine has a lovely dark colour, on the nose leaves an impression of heightened volatile acidity, wood is very pronounced in scent, as well as taste, tannins quite pronounced.
■ SERVING 18°C

Slavonia & Danube area

♣ ♣ ♣ (L) GRAŠEVINA 2015 Goldberg – BELJE

DANUBE REGION, BARANJA, KNEŽEVI VINOGRADI

■ VINEYARD: Goldberg • variety: Graševina
■ LABEL&ALCOHOL: superior with controlled geographic origin • semi-sec • 13,5 %
■ BOTTLED IN: 0,75 ℓ • CAP: cork – serious – long
■ DESIGN: decent • label: several sections – neat, but overloaded with text
The wine is pleasant and likeable, complex. Lovely fruit-floral scent, slightly sweet in the mouth, but also salty, good acids. Solid body, relatively short ending.
■ SERVING ⇑ wine with food (pasta with white sauces, also meals with white meats and white sauces) • large glass (Rhine) • 10-12°C

(S) GRAŠEVINA 2015 – BUHAČ

DANUBE REGION, ILOK

■ VINEYARD: variety: Graševina
■ LABEL&ALCOHOL: 11,5 %
■ BOTTLED IN: 0,75 ℓ
■ DESIGN: neat
The wine is of golden colour, closed on the nose, neutral, salty in the mouth, with strong acidity that doesn’t seem to make it fresh, disturbing the harmony.
■ SERVING ⇑ • 8-10°C

(M) ROSÉ 2016 – PERAK

KUTJEVO

■ LABEL&ALCOHOL: 12 %
■ BOTTLED IN: 0,75 ℓ
■ DESIGN: neat
Wine is uncomplicated, with a pure and not rich scent, fresh fruity taste, too young.
■ SERVING: ⇑ • 8 -10°C

(M) MERLOT 2015 – PERAK

KUTJEVO

■ VINEYARD: variety: Merlot
■ LABEL&ALCOHOL: 12,5 %
■ BOTTLED IN: 0,75 ℓ
■ DESIGN: neat
Wine with pronounced wood, not helping with scent harmony, nor taste, body relatively slender. Young wine, but without a future.
■ SERVING: ⇑ • 16°C

For the original and more from Suhi u Čaši blog on wine, click here.

 

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