MAGIC FROM MASCARELLO + MOORAK 🪄

Hi, Fionn Today.

Our Big Beaujolais Bash is ONE week away! 2024 is set to be the biggest and best yet. For those who aren’t aware, we’ll be pouring almost unlimited booze all night long. Yes, you read that right. It’s gonna be free-flowing. Whilst everyone else will be pouring novelty nouveau on the Third Thursday we’ll be celebrating the only way we know how with the very best. I mean no shade to a fruity, fun glass of nouveau but let’s be honest it’s a bit of novelty. For those, like me, who are serious about drinkin’ both in quantity and quality, this is where you want to be.

No Cru will be left behind and this year’s starting lineup is looking particularly strong. It boasts a range of youthful talent alongside some older vintages of stone-cold veterans. We’ll also have the wonderful Val from Domaine Valma in attendance to run through her thought-provoking bottles from the very best sites in Fleurie.

To soak it all up there will be cheesy goodness in the form of stomach lining raclette from our good pals Jumi. Tickets are running very low. Cancel your plans, and get booked in now to avoid any disappointment. Say no to nouveau.

Outside of France, I’ve just had a wee taste of this new Moorak gear. F*** it’s good. When the benevolent boss of mine began bringin’ in stuff from back in Aus I was hoping (praying) to see these land. A few mates down under gave these a glowin’ review, I now see why. To my surprise, these are also stupidly well priced all things considered. Lucky us.

The Pinot is 100% whole bunch perfection. What’s that? Well, it’s a technique where grapes get fermented in their entire bunches, stems included. Essentially it gives us a pale, pretty, and perfumed expression AKA all the things I like. High on drinkability but with a serious, smokey, savouriness from the stems. This is pound-for-pound one of the best Pinot’s you’ll find.

The Chardonnay is equally as exceptional. There is so much electric acidity driving us through layers and layers of fruit. Blind, I’d be over in somewhere beginning with B. Half the price though lol.

Finally, we’ve got a delicious, albeit atypical, Riesling that goes through full malo (short for molatictic fermentation). Apologies for the wine jargon this week. Essentially this is where the acid changes from malic to lactic. I like to imagine that the acidity in the wine has gone from puckering like a squeeze of fresh lemon to something more creamy and tangy like yogurt. Expect the latter here atop plenty of zest, florals, and a long mineral finish. Reckon you Chenin heads might like this.

Back to Europe we go for some elite arrivals from the masterful Mascarello estate. This is Piedmonte without the excess pomp. No fancy winemaking, no added yeast, no lashings of oak, no cru’s, no BS. Just good fruit and good, old-school traditional winemaking. Humble yet delicious. IFYKYK.

Langhe Freisa here from back in ‘14.  About as traditional as it comes in that this is bottled with a little spritz, a nod to the ways of old. With age, this has settled into the wine but a short decant will sort this out if you’re not about that, then just marvel at the tertiary charm on show. Sweet and sour fruit with tannins that are just starting to melt away. Pasta please.

Dolcetto here that is beautifully brambly and blue-fruited. The finish is all about those bitter herbs. Food friendly for sure. I’m so into these. WOW.

No email from me next week as I celebrate another year around the sun! Catch you in a couple of weeks.

LYSM
Fionn
XOXO