Savignin Blanc

I mentioned this grape in the entry about a wine named Savarro, but I had also blogged about Chateau-Chalon a long time previously. Savignin Blanc is an ancient Swiss grape, which is for two reasons - together with Gouais Blanc and the Pinot family, they represent the three parent grape families from which most of the modern varieties are descended. Chardonnay is for example a cross between Gouais Blanc and Savignin, whilst Savignin (also named Tramin and Traminer) is also part of the big family of Traminer grapes. However, the grape is rather genetically unstable, so there are many mutations which has been reconized as separate varieties (cf Pinot Noir, Gris, Blanc and Meunier)

Apart from vin jaune and cremant de jura, savignin is also used in the vin de paille in that region. I have tasted a wine (purported a Vin de Glacier) called a Heida Getscherwein some time ago as well, though a true Vin de Glacier is not supposed to be made from Heida.

Chateau Haut-Bages-Liberal

With the previous label of the second wine of fellow 5th Growth Ch Lynch-Bages being the similar Haut Bages Averous, there is always room for confusion, and perhaps it may contribute to the relative obscurity of this estate. The estate consists of three plots of vineyards, the largest adjacent to Ch Latour, another next to Ch Pichon Lalande and another adjacent to Ch Grand Puy Lacoste. The name comes from its position on top of the Bages plateau in Pauillac with the Liberal being the family that owned it during the 18th and the first part of the 19th Century.

I tasted the 2004 vintage last week. With a purple ruby rim surrounding a dark core, the nose of the wine was sweet with cassis and wood. Sweet berry and wood dominated the palate with hints of tannins appearing mid palate to introduce an acid backbone giving sterling support.

Soumah Single Vineyard Savarro

This was served as the welcome drink in that special wine dinner the other weekend, and I wondered about the name of this grape, from which the wine was made. The back label gave it as a synonym to the Savignin Blanc, Heida, Bon Blanc ... but not Savarro. I was later told that this was not even a synonym used in the Yarra Valley, but one that Brett had conjured up, because he did not fancy to his varietal wine by the ones that were available. Now it waits to be seen if the name would be incorporated into any of the databases on grape varieties; we could well be seeing the birth of a synonym. (Further details on Savignin Blanc merits another entry.)

As for this wine (we had the 2013), it was a pale lemon, with a fresh citrussy acid nose. the palate was soft with an off-dry entry turning acid later, blending into an acid backbone with a hint of astringency. Good as a welcome drink to get the saliva going for the meal, and it matched the pan-fried prawns very well indeed.

A very special wine dinner

I went to a wine dinner organized by the KCCWS last night. The extra special twist was that the owner who presented the wines has been well known as one of us - a fellow member of the KCCWS. I recognized the name straight away, and when I saw him last night, I thought, no wonder I haven't seen him recently. But then I had been attending these dinners lately about once a year, so I am not in a position to notice.

Apparently he had owned the winery together with his brother (it says Butcher Brothers on the label) for some 10 years now and the wine goes under the name of Soumah. Some twelve months or so ago, he quit his job as a high-flying CEO here in Hong Kong and returned to the Yarra Valley to farm his grapes. His wines have started to earn medals and the dedication and passion of someone who is willing to go from Hong Kong CEO to Yarra Valley vigneron is undoubtedly going to boost its fortunes. All the best, my friend.

Leonardo on the label

I was at this Castello Banfi tasting going through their wide range of wines, when I recognized the "artwork" on this Chianti Superiore of these. At the time I could not immediately recall its name but I did remember it was a famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Now I have blogged extensively about art labels, not only of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, but also of the (Cru Bourgeoise Exceptionelle) Chateau Siran in the past. I even noted the connection between the latter and a famous French Post-Impressist painter, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, but I have so far not come across an Old Master on a wine label. The Lady with an Ermine was painted by da Vinci around 1489-1490, with the subject being the mistress of his employer, the Duke of Milan. The painting is now in Wawel Royal Castle whilst renovations are carried out at its home, the Czartoryski Museum in Krakow.

I have not found out why they put this painting on the label, but as for the wine, it was ruby with a berry nose with a hint of meatiness. There was a sweet berry palate, with and acid backbone turning a touch astringent towards the tail.