Some Clarete for 2019

We’ve had a break, we’re reasonably well-rested, and ready to get back to work. What’s in store for 2019? More of the same as 2018 – searching out and tasting more new wines (and beer) and making sure the people of Highams Park get to experience it!

We often get asked if we will expand / serve food / provide outdoor seating / serve xyz wine by the glass – I’m afraid the answer is still “probably not”. The plan is to stay small and to keep pouring wines that excite us. So we will try keep surprising you in 2019 with wine regions and grapes that you may have never heard of, from some of the most amazing wine makers in the world. We also hope to bring the gap between winemaker and customer ever closer, with several winemaker-led events planned.

We also have a few tickets left for some of our “taste like a pro” courses in February and March, so hope to see some of you there.

Cheers!

What have we been drinking over the break…

I’ve never been one to drastically change my lifestyle – dietary or otherwise – at any particular time of the year, not least in January. Having said that, “making every bottle count” is a mantra that I try to follow all year. Just before the holidays I picked a few of our more unusual wines, often the last bottle or two of the vintage, to drink with family over January. Interestingly they were all wines made from predominantly white grapes – showing that winter is certainly not just for red wines….

2008 Champagne Moutard “6 Cepages”

Ahh Moutard, proof that good Champagne with a bit of age is up there with some of the best of Burgundy. Moutard's "6 Cépages" (a rare example of all 6 of the permitted Champagne varieties, I’m sure you can all name them??) is from the Côte des Bars, the most southerly region in Champagne, which can produce amazingly rich, mineral driven wines. François also ferments each variety in old White Burgundy barrels where they spend a minimum of three years.

This was the last 2008 in the shop, but the 2009 - current vintage - is even richer if anything. Complex, structured fizz that's great with food, or while stoking up a fire in the garden of course.

2014 Lismore Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc, Greyton, South Africa

This was the last bottle of 2014 Lismore Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc. A wine that sometimes gets overlooked in favour of Samatha's other wines - hence a little more bottle age than usual - but I'll definitely be pouring this is the shop more in 2019.

It's from one of her cooler South-East facing vineyard sites, meaning longer, slower ripening and a far more European style of Sauvignon. Natural ferment, 11 months *I think* in mostly older oak and no MLF, producing a wine with real complexity yet beautifully fresh mouthfeel. I expect this would keep for several more years too. A wine to try for those that might not normally go for Sauvignon Blanc.

We still have stock of the 2015 which I'm looking forward to opening in the shop later in January.

2017 Nibiru “Grundstein” Gruner Veltliner, Kamptal, Austria

At just 23 years old, Josef must be one of the youngest winemakers represented in the shop, although having decided to go into winemaking at the age of 15 he seems to know his business!

This really complements our list well – the “Grundstein” comes from the older parcels of vines that give a balance of body and texture vs. a real taut, mineral character. One of our growing number of unfiltered, unfined wines with a touch of skin contact, this wine had the perfect texture to compliment the other night’s stir-fry, especially with its healthy dose of ginger and chilli.

2013 Gulfi Carjcanti, Etna, Sicily

We actually discovered this wine when a couple offered us a glass when we were staying in Etna a few years ago, and tasting is this evening it’s even better than I remembered.

This is a blend of 95% Carricante and 5% Albanello. For me, Carricante from Etna makes some of the most incredible, structured, age-worthy white wines in the world. When drinking it you’re struck by the amazing fruit and structure of Riesling, the acidity and honeyed texture of great Loire Valley Chenin Blanc and the weight and mouthfeel of good Chablis.

Anyway, the important thing is that there is one bottle of the 2013 left in the shop for the Vinoramica indoors.

2016 Torres Clarete, La Palma, Canary Islands

"Clarete" is a field blend of red and white grapes all vinified together, with a little skin contact in this case, giving the wine this pale tawny colour. Victoria Torres has done virtually everything herself here since 2015, working lots of small volcanic plots ranging up to 1200m. One of the few wineries in La Palma to export.

Her wines are a great example of terroir, with a clean, almost salty texture that was spot-on with last night's paella.

2017 Safran Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, Piedmont, Italy

An unusual wine that is picked in November then slowly fermented over a year in a single 500l cask, meaning only 1000 bottles produced.

Unfiltered, unfined and unsulphured, this was decent enough on day 1, but absolutely singing by days 2 and 3, by which time it was a lot darker in colour, although did require a little improvised filtration. Made in a slightly oxidative style - feels like there's some Sherry-style flor contact there too - it was a brilliant alternative to Port for this time of year. Really great with some hard, blue, farmhouse goats' cheese called Cornish Nanny.