Blind Tasting Buddies, by Medium Plus

Apr 19/20, Skin-Contact White Wines

Wine Tasting, April 19th and 20th, 2018

An exploration of wines made with white/pink grapes, fermented/aged on the skins. 

Countries represented: Italy, Greece, Spain, Austria, Germany, France, Australia, United States.

Wines (Thursday pouring order):

1. 2015 Azienda Agricola COS, Pithos Bianco, Sicily, IT – ?
   • Apricot, saline, sardine, orange rind, aggressive palate, sour, high tannin, nori, earthy, lean, hard-edged.
   • Pinot Noir style tannins, chalky tannins, dried apricot.
2. 2015 A.D. Beckham, Amphora Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon, US – ?
   • Suede, nectarine, red apple, blood orange juice, strawberry, floral, rose petal.
   • Chunky appearance, cranberry sauce, plums, ‘taste of amphorae’, mud dust.
   • Pair with Hum Bao, Chinese roast pork and pineapple, Bouillabaisse.
3. 2015 Stéphane Tissot, Savagnin Amphora, Jura, FR – ?
   • Banana, funk, mushroom, white wine vinegar, carnitas, pork fat.
   • Animal, peaches, ginseng, dried squids, dried mushroom, Chinese herb shop.
4. 2016 Lucy Margaux, White Blend, Adelaide Hills, AU – ?
   • Aromatic, sour, high vinegar, passion fruit, cider-y, lychee, sharp, lemongrass.
   • VA off the charts, too sour, yeasty finish. Pair with Al Pastor tacos and sour things.
5. 2012 La Stoppa, Ageno, Emilia-Romagna IGT, IT – ?
   • • Sharp, rubber, VA, sour, peppermint, lemon verbena, beeswax, high tannin, old sneakers, wood smoke, lemon oil, wood sorrel, root beer, menthol, pepto bismol, goat/sheep cheese. Extreme. High Brettanomyces.
     • Lite spritz, CO2, hard tannin, strange tannins, Mezcal smoke, burnt rubber, wet hay.
     • Wet tennis shoes which were left out in the rain.
     • This wine had the most 4EP character caused by Brett, encountered on any wine in recent memory, white or otherwise. The aroma increased in the glass over time and as the wine warmed up – theorized that active Brett cultures were aerobically active, and producing 4EP as a result of their oxygenation.
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