Liberty Wines portfolio tasting, Dublin
Posted on February 24th, 2010
Saved in Red wine, Sour Grapes recommends, Wine
The annual Liberty Wines portfolio tasting took place today. Below, a highlight video with my picks of the day.
Who are Liberty Wines?
Liberty Wines are a wine importer/distributor who set up in 1997 in the UK and opened their Irish office in 2002. Their reputation was built initially on their range of Italian wines but their portfolio has since expanded and today there were wines on show today from Australia, France, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy, Chile, the US and Canada.
So, what impressed?
In my very short time there and inbetween interviewing the folks in the video below I focused on reds – Pinot Noirs from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Canada and a few very respectable Italians from the Veneto, Tuscany and Piedmont.
Consensus was that the Italians came out on top and from the ones I sampled, you I tend to agree.
The Pinot Noirs
For my Sideways moment, I started with some the Pinot Noirs. From New Zealand, different regions with their varying styles. From South Australia, the cool Adelaide Hills and from Walker Bay in South Africa, a new wine in Liberty’s portfolio to mathc the best of Hamilton Russell and indeed, Burgundy. Lastly, a very decent one from Canada. My first dry Canadian wine, I believe.
Canada – Le Clos Jordanne Village Reserve Pinot Noir, Niagara – 2006 (RRP €27)
And Canada is as good a place to start as any with their smooth, elegant and creamy Pinot Noir, the Le Clos Jordanne Village Reserve. Gorgeous red berries and a mineral vein running through a very classic Pinot style. It’s no surprise, with the respected Burgundian, Boisset involved in this venture in the Niagara region of Ontario.
South Africa – Crystallum Peter Max Pinot Noir, Walker Bay 2008 (RRP €22)
A neighbour of Hamilton Russell, producer of exquisite Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this is another very similar Burgundian style – farmyard on the nose, cherries, dusty minerality, good high acidity and a very long finish.
New Zealand – Tinpot Hut Pinot Noir Marlborough 2008 (RRP €18)
Meaty, almost like steak juices (in a good way) with lovely minerality in it. My first sampling of Tinpot Hut in a few years and I wasn’t disappointed.
New Zealand – Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir Marlborough 2008 (RRP €20)
Intense red berry flavours, lovely balance, acidity and complexity.
New Zealand – Delta Vineyard “Hatter’s Hill” Pinot Noir Marlborough 2007 (RRP €26)
Similar to the above, but with even more elegance and very very clean. And to that a layer of creaminess and some earthy mushroom tones.
New Zealand – Wild Earth Pinot Noir, Central Otago (RRP €28)
A fuller more rounded style to its Marlborough cousins. There seems to be less acidity and a bit of a smoky edge to it. Different, but no less satisfying.
Australia – Shaw and Smith Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2008 (RRP €30)
Who said the Aussies couldn’t make good Pinot? Light coloured, but intensely flavoured with a very pure, precise mineral texture. Fabulous stuff.
The Italians
Liberty first established their reputation for their selection of Italian wines and it’s easy to see why. Some of the wines were absolutely outstanding and a few at amazing value. Here’s my pick of the best of the best:
Corte Giara Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore 2008 (RRP €16)
Gorgeous rich dark cherries and dark chocolate. Intensely scented and full of flavour.
Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico (RRP €67)
An amazing intensity and richness to this wine but with poise and balance. Cherries, coffee, spice, complexity. A heavyweight with poise. If this was a boxer, you’d call him Muhammed Ali. Though who can afford ringside seats these days?
Poggio San Polo Rosso di Montalcino (RRP €22)
Brunello’s baby brother, ultra smooth and silky, intense flavours of cherries and cinnamon.
Tenuta di Capezzana Barco Reale de Carmignano 2007 (RRP €18)
Made from Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo. This is beautfully perfumed with good acidity and a finely balanced . Rich and rewarding.
Tenuta Fontodi Chianti Classico 2007 (RRP €25)
From grapes grown in a perfect south facing amphitheatre near Panzano in central Chianti. A rich, full bodied Chianti.
Cantina di Montalcino Poggio del Sasso Sangiovese di Toscana (RRP €13)
This is a co-operative production where grapes are brought in from a number of growers to make the wine. Great rich mouthfeel. Humble pricetag and arguably the value find of the day.
Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino (RRP €53)
Rich, elegant, balanced, yet complex. Intense red fruits, spices with a savoury edge. Winemaking perfection
A South African White Burgundy (at half the price, €28)
The one white I tried was was on the back of a recommendation from the illustrious Martin Moran, MW. It was Crystallum 2008 Clay Shales Chardonnay. The same producer as the South African Pinot Noirs I tried and truly a wine to restore anyone’s faith in much maligned Chardonnay. These guys are neighbours of Hamilton Russell, also producers of exquisite Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Walker Bay seems to produce as close to top-end Burgundy as you can get anywhere.
Were you there today?
What were your favourites?
I agree that the Italian portfolio was excellent, but the one wine that really impressed me was the Tinpot Hut 2007 Hawkes Bay Syrah – subtle nose and and lovely fruit with a long, warm, finish.
Great Tasting and glad to see you have some of my wines on your list Lar. That Cantina di Montalcino Poggio del Sasso Sangiovese di Toscana is a great seller for me. I agree about the value. I heard from a few people raving about the Canadian Pinot but i thought it was great on the nose and early palate, but i did think it died away too quickly ( for that price ).
I put my list of stars on my blog https://www.rednosewine.com/blog
PS: The teeth look black enough in the video, and i had not started on the big reds yet…
It goes without saying I’m disappointed to have missed the tasting, both personally and professionally.
But what struck me about the post was the quality of the video, Lar. I know I don’t exactly keep up to date with what’s happening in Irish wine blogging, and I’m no cinematography buff – but what’s above looks to me like as polished and tightly edited a clip as you could wish to see in any field of journalism, on- or off-line. Just saying.
Crikey, thanks Julian. If I was nearer to Cork I’d come over and kiss ye!
Camera, tripod (which I shift to different angles) and relative familiarity with a beautiful piece of software for the Mac called iMovie.
Ah go ‘way.
I was doing time in the Apple State Penitentiary when iMovie was newish, and remember the general giddiness at how easy it was to get what you’d filmed on to the screen more or less immediately, with music! with titles! &c. We were all pretty much impressed.
I still think you’re more than partly to blame for the quality of the finished article, though.
Probably the finest lineup of quality Italian coming into this here country. Isole E Olena, Fontodi, Allegrini, Poggio al Tesoro, Massolino…. Have to say that the stars of the day for me were the “Cantina di Montalcino Poggio del Sasso Sangiovese di Toscana” for it’s excellent price-quality ratio and the “Conti Costanti Brunello” which is simply a work of art. Well worth the beans…
The NZ pinots were great, as were the Shaw & Smith Pinot & Shiraz from Oz. I managed to glug a Loimer “Lois” Gruner on the way out the door which was bang on the money. Ultra light and lively on the tongue… Good work Liberty!
RE: Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
I have to agree with Colly in that Liberty Wines has a great Italian range of wines. I really liked the Allegrini, it’s super fresh, complex and like velvet. I tried it with a roast the other night and it was a perfect compliment! Nice one Liberty!
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