A Tasting of Fattoria Betti wines in Singapore

An evening with wines from the Montalbino wine region of Tuscany. I had the opportunity to attend a winetasting cum dinner last week at Singapore eatery Casa Tartufo. It was a press meet to introduce wines from Fattoria Betti winery. This event was hosted by Guido Betti, a co-owner of this winery.

A brief introduction by Guido Betti revealed that this winery is located within the sub-region of Montalbano DOCG (in a small town called Quarrata). It’s a family owned winery presently in the hands of 2 brothers: Gherardo Betti the resident oenologist takes care of viticulture & winemaking, while Guido Betti concentrates on sales & marketing.

Guido Betti with Edmond Yau Kin Hung

Guido Betti highlights that production at present is around 60,000 bottles but with the potential and ability to produce more in the near future. At present this winery grows Chardonnay, Trebbiano, Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Colorino, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varietals for use in their wines. For now, Fattoria Betti wines are exported to countries like Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, China, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore.

Bianco di Toscana IGT "Creto die Betti"2018

  

 

The first course for the evening was Burrata with Rucola, Sicilian tomatoes and pesto paired with a white, a Fattoria Betti Bianco di Toscana IGT “Creto di Betti”2018”. This is a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Trebbiano Toscano with current production at around 4,000 bottles. You get a play of floral, citrus and stone fruit aromas on the nose and palate from this wine. The fruit on the palate is fresh and young with a noticeable ripe element to it. This medium bodied wine also reveals a fleshy and supple side to it in the mouth. Acidity supports the fruit rather than overwhelm it.

Chinati Montalbano DOCG 2018

The second course was Purple potatoes Gnocchi in spicy tomato sauce paired with a Fattoria Betti Chianti Montalbano DOCG 2018. This wine is a blend of 90% Sangiovese with the remaining 10% made up of Canaiolo and Colorino. Current production is at around 20,000 bottles. Fresh aromas of black & red cherries and spice greet you in nose and palate. The medium plus body reveals soft tannins, smooth texture, easily noticeable fresh cherry notes and an ample display of acidity. It’s still on the youthful phase of its development profile and makes for a good example of a Montalbino red which can be appreciated while still young and fresh.

Rosso di Toscana IGT "Semel"2016

The third course was char-grilled ribeye steak with truffle fries and Pommery mustard paired with a Fattoria Betti Rosso di Toscano IGT “Semel”2016. It’s a single varietal wine comprising of 100% Merlot. This is a different creature from the previous red we tasted. Black cherry and plum notes greet you on the nose and palate. What surprises you is the intensity, power and depth revealed in the palate. It’s certainly a wine with good aging potential. According to Guido Betti, the first vintage for this wine was in 2009 and to date only a small quantity is produced. Current production stands at around 1,200 bottles only.

Rose di Toscana "Caprone"2018

The last course for the evening was Tiramisu with a Fattoria Betti Rose di Toscana “Caprone”2018. It’s a single varietal 100% Sangiovese, dry wine showing light, fresh red cherry notes of strawberry and raspberry flavours. It comes off as an easy, playful and cheerful sip. You want to sit back and enjoy it over a good conversation with friends at the table rather than ponder over it.

Edmond Yau, Claudia Bondi, Guido Betti & Morgun Pathi

In Singapore these wines are available via local wine merchant V Wine Studio at 321 Alexandra Road. My many thanks to Ms Claudia Bondi of Perle & Perlage, the organizer of this event, for her invite.

Castello del Terriccio Wine Lunch

Ms Carolina Zucchini Metelli, Sales Manager of Castello del Terriccio (Tuscany), was in town recently to showcase her company's wines. The team from Grand Vin Pte Ltd organized a tasting session for the local media folks to share with us information on the winery and its Tuscan sips.

Carolina Zucchini Metelli

The Winery

Going by size, Castello del Terrico is one of the largest estates in Tuscany (at 1,700 hectares) explained Ms Carolina. It's located long the coastal shores of Maremma (between Pisa and Bolgheri), facing the Tyrrhenian Sea. Much of this estate is given to forest lands, olive & cereal cultivation and breeding of horses. Vine cultivation at present takes up 60 hectares of the land.

The current owner, Gian Annibale Rossi di Medelana Serafini Ferri (also affectionately known as ‘Pucci’), inherited this estate in mid 1970s and embarked on a wine making initiative. He sourced for good vine cuttings from France to plant in his estate. Varietals like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot found a home in his estate from late 1980s. Under the guidance of consultant oenologist Carlo Ferria, the winery adopted new vinification methods like the use of stainless steel for fermentation, French Allier oak barriques for aging wine and a shorter aging period in oak for wines to highlight fruit quality. At present, this winery’s main export markets are USA, China and Russia.

Ervin Tang, Jason Koh, Carolina Zucchini Metelli, Kate Tan & Gordon Tay

During this tasting session at Pizzeria Mozza, Carolina introduced 5 wines from Castello del Terriccio; 1 white and 4 reds. They were:

Castello del Terriccio Con Vento Blanc 2014
Castello del Terriccio Capaninno 2014
Castello del Terriccio Tassinaia 2012
Castello del Terriccio 2009
Castello del Terriccio Lupicaia 2009

Snapshot of these wines

The first 2 wines easily showed freshness, purity of fruits, ready-to-drink approachability and a cheerful personality (ideal wines to start an evening with). The noticeable acidity played a good part in keeping the fruit element lively in both wines. The 3rd wine (Tassinaia 2012), while retaining primary fruit notes as the Capaninno 2014, showed a higher flavour intensity and complexity in its body while displaying a 'ready to drink now' quality as well. The last 2 red wines revealed a persistent core of dark fruits in their body, noticeable depth, complexity, and ample tannins to justify aging to allow for further development.

Tasting notes

Castello del Terriccio Con Vento Blanc 2014

1. Castello del Terriccio Con Vento Blanc 2014
Blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. Carolina explained that this is a small production of 5,000 bottles/year. It’s an aromatic wine highlighting herb and floral notes. A lively, fresh fruit intense sip with a rich, supple, viscous mouthfeel. It’s not often that one comes across a SB and Viognier blend ín Singapore, I must add. The SB gives acidity and liveliness to the wine, while the Viognier contributes to the body weight and mouthfeel I suspect. Sur lie aging plays its part to contribute to the viscous nature of the body, I beg to suspect again. It makes for a good aperitif and an ideal companion for seafood dishes.

Castello del Terriccio Capaninno 2014

2. Castello del Terriccio Capaninno 2014
Another fresh and lively wine; this time a red blend (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) highlighting the purity of fresh fruits in its body. Cherry and eucalyptus aromas reveal on the nose, with fresh red fruit flavours and acidity making for a youthful palate. A medium bodied wine enjoyable at this moment.

Castello del Terriccio Tassinaia 2012

3. Castello del Terriccio Tassinaia 2012
A red made of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and a little Sangiovese; and aged 6 months in used French barriques. A medium bodied wine which still shows primary fruit notes in palate (without being overwhelmed by tannins). Black berry, blue berry, cedar, spice, cassis and hint of chocolate notes add to the complex nature of this wine. Good balance, depth, smooth tannins and a lingering finish add to its charm. You can keep this wine (it has the quality for mid-term aging), but I see no reason for such a venture as it makes a delightful sip at this moment.

Castello del Terriccio 2009

4. Castello del Terriccio 2009
A red blend; Shiraz (50%), Petit Verdot (25%) and a mix of other red grapes (25%). It’s aged for 20 months in new French oak barriques; and spends another 5 years in bottle before release. A complex wine with dark fruits, black berry, spice, leather and tobacco aromas; a good core of dark fruits in its body with ‘grippy’ tannins adding to its character. It’s got a good structure and a strong constitution; making it an ideal candidate for further aging and development.

Castello del Terriccio Lupicaia 2009

5. Castello del Terriccio Lupicaia 2009
Carolina highlighted that Lupicaia is this winery’s flagship; it’s first vintage being 1993. It’s a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and a little Pertit Verdot. The varietals are fermented and aged separately in new French barriques for 20-22 months before blending takes place. It’s aged another 5 years in bottle before release. Black fruits, spice and tobacco notes reveal in nose and palate; a balanced, complex sip with good depth. There’s a lovely smooth, silky texture to its body which highlights elegance rather than a show of power. This is another wine which shows the potential to age and develop further.

A Tommasi Wine Dinner in Singapore

Simone Margheri, the Asia Export Manager of Tommasi Family Estates (www.tommasi.com), was recently in town to share about the winery and its wines. D&D Wines Pte Ltd (www.ddwines.com.sg), the local representative, took the opportunity to organise a dinner showcasing some of the Tommasi wines.

Sascha Baeggli, Julien Sauvage and Simone Margheri
 

The Tommasi family’s affiliation with wine began in 1902, when Giacomo Battista Tommasi purchased a small vineyard in the Valpolicella Classico region. Each generation following the purchase continued with the wine producing tradition. At present 9 family members of the 4th generation are involved in the management, production and marketing of Tommasi’s portfolio of wines. Giancarlo Tommasi is the current winemaker who tends to all the estates within this family.

What began in 1902 as a single vineyard plot has over the decades expanded to 205 hectares of vineyard land in the Veneto wine region (105 hectares in Valpolicella Classico region in the hills of La Groletta, Conca d’Oro and Ca’ Fiorian ) and 100 hectares in the Verona DOC region. Over the years, the family has also acquired vineyards in other wine regions of Italy to expand its range of offerings: Lombardy (Tenuta Caseo), Tuscany (Poggio Al Tufo & Podere Casisano) and Puglia (Masseria Suraini). Wines from these vineyards have helped to contribute a range of wine styles from sparkling, rose, white to red wines.

Presently wines from the Tommasi portfolio are distributed in 68 countries around the world. Scandinavia, USA and Germany are top markets in terms of volume. In Asia, the Veneto wines (notably Amarone, Ripasso, Valpolicella Classico Superiore wines) are sold in countries like Singapore, Japan, China, HK, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Korea, Philippines, Macau, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Mongolia.

During dinner wine enthusiasts present were introduced to 4 wines from Tommasi's portfolio.

 

Tommasi Poggio Al Tufo Rompicollo Toscana IGT 2014.
This wine comes from its estate in Maremma, Tuscany. The Tommasi family owns 66 hectares of land in Pitigliano and another 80 hectares in Scansano. This is a blend of 60% Sangiovese and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. It went through fermentation in temperature controlled stainless tanks, followed by maturation in Slavonian oak casks for 12 months. Its shows red berry notes in aroma and palate; an easy, straightforward sip. The Cab Sauvignon element contributes to structure and fruit presence in mid-palate.

Tommasi Viticoltori Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC 2014.
Here the red wine from Valpolicella underwent refermentation with residual grape skins (from its Amarone wine making process). This second fermentation adds body and richness to an otherwise light bodied Valpolicella red. It’s a blend made with 70% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella and 5% Corvinone. After the second fermentation (called the Ripasso), the wine is aged in Slavonian oak barrels for 15 months. There’s noticeable red and dark fruit notes with hints of pepper in palate. It reveals a medium plus supple body with smooth texture and pleasant finish.

Tommasi Viticoltori Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2010 & 2012.
The Amarone wines are produced from grapes which comes from hillside vineyards in La Groletta and Conca d’Oro. The Tommasi Amarones consist of a blend made up of 50% Corvina Veronese, 15% Corvinone, 30% Rondinella and 5% Oseleta. The grapes are dried for 100 days before pressing and fermentation takes place. The finished wine is aged for 30 months in Slavonian oak barrels before being bottled and aged for another 12 months. Both vintages displayed cherry and plum notes, hint of dried fruit nuances and a savoury appeal backed by a supple body with smooth texture. The 2012 vintage however showed more body, weight and flavour intensity than the 2010 vintage.

Simone Margheri explained that this was due to the fact that the 2012 vintage was a warm vintage which resulted in riper berries. The 2012 vintage went on to produce a more powerful, intense and age worthy wine than the cooler 2010 vintage Amarone. One can therefore enjoy the 2010 vintage now (its approachable and drinkable) and age the 2012 vintage for future consumption.

Wines from west Veneto presented by an Italian Wine Expert

Wines from areas bordering Lake Garda. This tasting offered an opportunity to learn about wines from west Veneto; a little further afield from the familiar wine areas of Soave and Valpolicella when one talks about the Veneto wine region.

Consortium Il Veneto in un Bicchiere organized this event for the benefit of local wine specialists over here. Our resident Italian wine expert, Chan Wai Xin, was at hand to introduce the wine region and wines.

Chan Wai Xin

I like to highlight here the latest achievement of Wai Xin. He recently was awarded (in Nov 2016) the Italian Wine Expert certification by Vinitaly International Academy (VIA). He is the first from Singapore (and South East Asia as well) to get this award; something wine enthusiasts from this little red dot can be proud of. It’s a rare achievement as at present there are only 6 individuals (worldwide) holding this certification. This certification comes on the back of other wine credentials he holds; like the Certified Wine Educator (CWE) and the French Wine Scholar (FWS). He certainly made an ideal speaker for this tasting.

Wines presented during this tasting were produced by a co-operative winery called Cantina Castelnuovo del Garda. It started in 1958 with 11 members and over the years has grown to currently represent more than 250 wine growers from the west Veneto region. The location of viticulture and vinification is near Lake Garda (Italy’s largest lake), a place which offers ample seafood for those residing there. It’s said of Italy that wines produced in a wine region often goes well with local cuisine. Both elements, over generations, evolve to support and complement each other. It was therefore easy to appreciate why the wines introduced during this event seemed ideally suited for seafood cuisine.

Something easy, something light, something fresh

We tasted 3 whites, 1 rose and 2 reds during this event. Most of these wines were aged in stain steel tanks thus retaining freshness and primary fruit elements. Even when oak aging was used, it was for a short period only. Thus these wines displayed freshness, a lively acidity, soft tannins (where the rose and reds were concerned) and a near delicate body; making them easy to approach, food friendly sips. You would want to enjoy these wines (ideally in generous portions and in a relaxed atmosphere) with good food and pleasant company; without going into a rigorous examination of their personalities or evolution in the glass.

Some details of the wines.
Ca Vegar Lugana DOC 2013. A Trebbiano di Lugana wine. Straw yellow in colour with a noticeable fruity aroma and a freshness in palate. A short aging period of 4 months in stainless steel which helps the wine retain its fresh personality. One highlight from Wai Xin during this event was that not all Trebbiano grapes are the same. Jancis Robinson’s book on Wine Grapes highlights a few distinct Trebbiano varietal (a good start if one likes to learn about Trebbiano grapes. Further, the Trebbiano from Lugana has been identified via DNA profiling to be identical to the Verdicchio varietal found in the Marche region. (You can read “Native Wine Grapes of Italy” by Ian D’Agata if you are curious to know the connection between Lugana’s Trebbiano and Marche’s Verdicchio).

Ca Vegar Custoza DOC 2015. A blend this one; comprising of Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano, Trebbianello and Cortese varietals. Straw yellow in colour with 3 months aging in stainless steel tanks. Exhibits mild floral notes in aroma and a freshness in palate. An easy, approachable light bodied wine.

Bosco del Gal Albarell Custoza Superiore DOC 2013. A white blend made using Garganega, Trebbiano Toscana, Trebbianello and Cortese varietals. Aged for 4 months is barrique. Straw yellow colour with vanilla hints in aroma. Wine with some structure in its body. A light-medium bodied wine.

Ca Vegar Bardolino DOC Chiaretto Classico 2015. A rose wine made with Corvina Veronese, Rondinella and Molinara varietals. Aged for 3 months in stainless steel tanks. Red cherry notes and a hint of floral aromas. This wine’s appeal is in its delicate body and fresh red fruit primary flavours.

Ca Bardolino Classico DOC 2015. A red wine made with Corvina Veronese, Rodinella and Molinara varietals. Aged 4 months in stainless steel tanks. Ruby red in colour with upfront red berry aromas and violet notes. Palate reveals vibrant, fresh red fruits flavours in a light body.

Bosco del Gal Pra dell Albi Bardolino Classico Superiore DOCG 2015. A red wine with Corvina Veronese, Corvinone and Rondinella varietals. Aged for 6 months in oak casks. Bright red in colour (pinot noir like comes to mind). Aromas of ripe, fresh red cherries and a hint of spice in the background. Palate reveals ripe, warm red fruit flavours with a noticeable structure in its mid-body (though not overly firm).

Though Italian wines are well represented in local wine retail outlets in recent years, its still challenging to lay one's hands on wines from the 'less famous' wine producing areas (at least less familiar to those in this part of the world). I must say it is a good effort on the part of the consortium to reach out to local wine specialists and share with them information on such wine producing areas. It certainly goes toward learning and appreciating a little more about what Italy has to offer.

The Great Southern Wine Event in Singapore

The Great Southern Wine Producers came to town recently to meet up with local wine enthusiasts. One of their aim was to share with wine consumers here information on their wine zone, sub-regions and the type of wines they produce.

A handful of wine producers from this region participated in the Masterclass, Dinner and Walkabout Tasting held in conjuction with this awareness exercise. The Wine Review acted as the local organizer and hosted these wine events in Singapore.

It’s a timely reminder of this region, as local wine folks here by and large look towards Swan Valley and Margaret River wine regions for their purchase of Western Australian wines. Even during casual discussions on cool climate wine regions in Australia, the Great Southern wine region seldom gets readily mentioned. At times a little effort from wine associations and stakeholders go a long way to educate and expose wine consumers to wine regions less heard of. In this context, the efforts of the Great Southern Producers Association needs to be appreciated.

Masterclass for Media & Sommeliers

The masterclass was held at Yan Restaurant (National Gallery of Singapore). Ch'ng Poh Tiong and Tan Ying Hsien, MW moderated this tasting session. Over 2 flights, participants were given the opportunity to taste Rieslings and Pinot Noirs to better understand the style of wines produced in the Great Southern region.

The wines presented were:
Flight 1
Rising Star Riesling 2014
Rockcliffe Single Site Riesling 2015
3drops Riesling 2015
Plantagenet House of Plantagenet Riesling 2015
La Violetta Das Sakrileg Riesling 2015
Frankland Estate Poison Hill Riesling 2015
Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Riesling 2015

Flight 2
Plantagenet Omrah Pinot Noir 2013
Rockcliffe Third Reef Pinot Noir 2015
La Violetta Ye Ye Rouge Pinot Noir 2015
3drops Pinot Noir 2015
Rockcliffe Single Site Pinot Noir 2015
Wignalls Pinot Noir 2014

Daisuke Shibuya

Unlike the warm-hot wine regions in Australia, The Great Southern offers the coolest wine growing region in Western Australia. The grapes get the opportunity ripen slowly, gain physical and phenolic ripeness, while at the same time retain good acidity to provide a fresh, vibrant sip. The wines therefore weren’t bold, concentrated or rich in character. They were, as one would expect, more the cool climate style displaying a degree of restraint and offered a delicate personality.

They highlighted more the purity of fruits in fresh, lively, light-plus to medium bodied sips. Rieslings from this region by and large highlighted minerality and citrus notes, with the occasional white flower blossom aroma. Pinot Noirs were notable for their youthful body with fresh red berry notes and lively acidity which offered a feel of vibrancy in one’s palate.

More pictures of this Masterclass can be viewed via this link: Masterclass Photos

The Great Southern Walkabout Tasting for Public and Professionals

This tasting was held at Salon by the Pool (Conrad Hotel) on 27 Aug.

 

 Seven wine producers from The Great Southern showcased their wines. They were:
3drops
Frankland Estate
La Violetta
Plantagenet Wines
Rockcliffe
Rising Star
Wignalls Wines

Both public and wine professionals attended this casual walkabout tasting which offered participants the opportunity to interact with wine producers directly and taste their wines.

Apart from Rieslings and Pinot Noirs introduced during the Masterclass, there were wines made from Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet blends as well. The Sparkling Chardonnay and Rose from the Rising Star winery and the Rose from 3drops proved delightful distractions from the still reds and whites tasted during this event.

Paul Hyatt of Rising Star with Jessica Tan

Joanne Bradbury of 3drops

More pictures of the Walkabout Tasting can be viewed via this link: Walkabout Tasting photos

A Bollinger Champagnes Tasting in Singapore

A new tie-up between local wine company Enoteca Singapore and Champagne House Bollinger. Enoteca recently organized a workshop on Bollinger champagnes to introduce its latest addition to local wine professionals. It was held at St Pierre (Singapore).

Pictures of this tasting and be viewed via this link:
Bollinger Champagnes Tasting Photo Album 

Bastien Mariani of Bollinger Champagne

This is not to say that folks here were unaware about Bollinger; it is a well known House after all. To prove this point, when Bastien Mariani (export area manager) of Champagne Bollinger asked if we knew of this House, a few participants promptly went “Sure, the James Bond Champagne”. I suspect Bastien is used to hearing replies in similar vein. He took it in his stride and answered “yes, but there’s more to Bollinger champagnes as well” with a playful smile.

The Presentation

During the presentation, Bastien highlighted several factors which over the years have helped this House with its continued success. Some notable factors were:

a. Owning its own vineyards (presently about 165 hectares within the Champagne region) helps this House implement its own viticultural standards and practices. This goes a long way to ensure quality of its grapes. Currently 97 hectares are under Pinot Noir cultivation, 38 hectares under Chardonnay and 30 hectares used for Pinot Meunier.

b. The conscious choice of using Pinot Noir as the dominant grape varietal for its champagnes is highlighted as a winning formula.

c. The reserve wines of this Houser are stored in Magnum bottles and stored under cork, which according to Bastien, offers winemakers a good quality of base wines to work with.

d. Fermentation is undertaken in barrels and the finished champagnes are aged way longer than stipulated by appellation rules; a process which goes to produce elegant and complex sips.

e. This House has always been a family owned concern, which gives it a degree of freedom in running its own affairs; making it all the more easier to focus on producing and maturing champagnes in a manner the owners are satisfied with.

The Tasting & Wine Personalities

The Special Cuvee Brut N.V. and Bollinger Rose N.V. showed as light bodied, crisp natured sips with persistent flavor offerings in the palate. Both displayed vibrant bodies with refreshing personalities. Between these two, I was delightfully seduced by the delicate red fruits and berry notes in the Rose, its personality revealing itself via tiny playful bubbles which teases one’s nose and palate.

La Grande Annee 2005 and La Grande Annee Rose 2005 were different creatures compared to the earlier champagnes. These were strong, sturdy sips (both in aromas and flavor offerings). Aging has blessed these sips with good weight, depth and long lasting finish. Again the Rose with its red fruits flavours and slightly spicy undertones seem to capture my preference. The sommelier at St Pierre served these champagnes in white wine glasses. Definitely a good call, as these sturdy sips deserved larger glasses to better appreciate them.

 

The last champagne served was the Bollinger R.D. 2002. If the last two were about sturdy champagnes with complex personalities; the Bollinger R.D. 2002 was about powerful presence. There’s certainly nothing shy about this sip. It surprises the palate with a strong, bold presence and demands attention; one which I was more than happy to give. It's not often that I get an opportunity to taste an age-worthy champagne which displays such power, personality and finesse. This champagne certainly offered a learning experience for me.

Additional Information

For those keen, here’s some technical information on the champagnes tasted above:

Special Cuvee Brut N.V. Blend consist of: 60% pinot noir, 25% chardonnay, 15% pinot meunier (over 85% of Grands and Premiers crus used). Aged for more than twice the time required by appellation production rules.

Bollinger Rose N.V. Blend consist of: 62% pinot noir, 24% chardonnay, 14% pinot meunier (again over 85% of Grands and Premiers crus used). Aged for more than twice the time required by appellation production rules.

La Grande Annee 2005 Blend consist of: 70% pinot noir and 30% chardonnay. Grapes from 13 crus; Pinot noir mainly from Ay and Verzenay; and Chardonnay from Avize. Chouilly and Mesnil-sur-Oger. 95% of Grand crus and 5% Premier crus used. Fermented entirely in barrels; and aged for more than twice the time required by appellation production rules. Only produced in exceptional vintages.

La Grande Annee Rose 2005 Blend consist of: 72% pinot noir and 28% chardonnay. Grapes originating from 13 crus; Pinot noir mainly from Ay and Verzenay; Chardonnay from Avize, Chouilly and Mesnil-sur-Oger; with 5% of red wine contributed by Cote aux Enfants wine. 95% Grand crus and 5% Premier crus used. Aged for more than twice the time required by appellation production rules.

Bollinger R.D. 2002 Blend consist of: 60% Pinot noir and 40% chardonnay. Grapes come from 23 crus; 71% Grand crus and 29% Premiers crus. Only the very est amog vintage champagnes become Bollinger R.D. Very long maturation, more than three times the time required by appellation production rules.

Launch of BY.OTT rose wine in Singapore

 ... if you fancy something light, fresh and delicate.

The launch of a new rose wine in Singapore. The wine is BY.OTT, Cotes de Provence 2015 (its first vintage and release to wine consuming folks around the world). The local representative (and organizer of this tasting) Grand Vin Pte Ltd, chose Capella (Singapore) for this event. Held on a hot afternoon at an open air spot overlooking the pool and sea, the introduction of a new rose wine seemed a welcoming proposition and certainly a treat.

 

BY.OTT Rose 2015

Christophe Renard (Director des Ventes) from Domaines OTT* was at hand to share about this latest rose wine and the Company that produces it..

Christophe Renard of Domaines OTT*

A little background on this Domaine and its estates

Marcel Ott founded this Domaine back in 1912 with the purchase of Chateau de Selle in Tarandeau (near Draguignan, Provence). It being a post-phylloxera period, Marcel made it a point to replant the vines to ensure the quality of grapes for his wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault varietals are grown here and used for its rose and red wines.

The second estate, Clos Mirelle, was bought and replanted in 1930s. Located along the Mediterranean sea at La Londe Les Maures, Provence, it was bought in the 1930s and the vines were replanted as well. Grenache, Cinsault ad Syrah varietals are used to produce its rose wines; while Semillon and Rolle varietals are used for white wines.

The third estate, Chateau Romassan, was acquired in 1956. Its located in the Bandol commune, found in the west of the Var department. The vines here were replanted as well. Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah varietals are used for its rose wines; while Mouvedre, Grenache and Cinsualt varietals for its red wines.

In 2004 Domaines OTT* joined the prominent Champagne House, Louis Roederer. At present it’s co-managed by Christian and Jean-Francois Ott (both cousins). In relation to this part of the world, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia are it’s important markets.

The BY.OTT rose wine

The BY.OTT rose wine is the latest addition to the wines of Domaines OTT*. It’s made in Chateau de Selle estate; however, it is not a product of this estate alone. The ‘blends’ for this rose comes from Chateau de Selle, Clos Mirelle and 2 other selected growers form Provence as well.

The aim, highlighted Christophe Renard, is to produce a rose which expresses fruit and freshness with finesse and elegance. The varietals chosen to aid this endeavour are Grenache (the main component) together with Cinsault and Syrah.

This rose showed a clear wine in a light pink robe. Aromas of fresh cherry and hint of peach reveal on the nose. Palate was fresh and the first sip certainly refreshing. The delicate, light-plus body displayed youthful exuberance and flavours of red berries, citrus highlights and a hint of spice. Crisp acidity keeps the body playful and alife. It provided a pleasant, fresh finish; one much appreciated during the hot afternoon.

A few more Domaines OTT* wines

Apart from this rose wine, we had the opportunity to taste a few other wines from this Domaine as well:
2014 Domaines OTT Clos Mirelle, Rose Coeur de Grain
2014 Domaines OTT Clos Mirelle, Blanc de Blancs
2011 Domaines OTT Chateau Romassan, Rouge Bandol

While all wines stood well on their own, I must say the 2014 Blanc de Blanc did well when paired with the tapas served during the afternoon. It was a youthful, lively sip with good flavours to enjoy, possessed a good structure to pair with food, offered balance in body, a smooth texture with a suppleness to add. Vibrant in palate, it possessed lively acidity which kept this wine fresh from first attack to finish.