Massolino 2016 Moscato d’Asti DOCG

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Massolino 2016 Moscato d’Asti DOCG ($25.99) with Gateau Basque

From the beautiful and historic Asti region in Piedmont, northern Italy, comes this lightly sparkling and sweet wine from the “grape of the bees”, so-called by the ancient Romans because of its inherently floral, honeyed quality. For a variety of reasons, this style has fallen out of favour with serious wine nerds, but Massolino is not exactly the industrial moscato operation down the road: this comes from a single, 4 hectare site; yields are quite low; only about 3000 cases are made each vintage – a fraction of what the ‘big producers’ churn out. A delicate style bursting with aromas and flavours of orange, honeysuckle, pear and sage leaf. Serve at 9-10 C, and it is recommended that it be uncorked just prior to serving to fully appreciate the vibrant aromas and slight effervescence.

TonyK

Guicciardini Strozzi Cusona Brut nv Spumante di Vernaccia di San Gimingnano, Italia

The Strozzi family are the 15th generation of descendants of Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo, otherwise known as La Gioconda, painted by Leonardo da Vinci and also count themselves as ancestors of Sir Winston Churchill.

The Cusona estate spreads over 530 hectares and is situated amongst the green Tuscan hills, close to the medieval town of San Gimignano (known as the medieval Manhattan).  It's here, back in 994, that the earliest wines were produced.

The Vernaccia grapes used in the production of this wine were harvested early to capture the vibrant acidity necessary to produce a well-made sparkling wine.  The bubbles are produced using the Charmat method and the wine is allowed to develop in contact with the yeast lees for several months.  

This wine is delicately fruity with hints of pear, apple and citrus fruits, complimented by brioche notes.  An excellent aperitif, that pairs well with an assortment of canapés.

Some Young Punks 2014 Sauvignon Blanc Adelaide Hills, Australia

Some Young Punks' texture-rich, zingy Clare Riesling is sourced from 3 sites in the Valley (from north to south): Gully View and Milburn in Watervale and Mocandunda (next to Hanlin Hill), each lying around 440 metres above sea level with a vine age of 14-26 years. 

The winemaking takes in a mixture of whole bunch pressing (80%) and destemming and crushing prior to pressing, before fermentation in a mixture of stainless and neutral oak. A quarter of the wine is fermented with indigenous yeast. The finished wine is a refreshing Kabinett style with only 10.8% alcohol, a gentle 25g of residual and mouth-watering, crunchy acidity. Peach flesh with strong lime and lemon zest on the nose; the palate is saturated with clear, textured fruit - think the mouthwatering flesh of a ripe, cold Feijoa pear - and 2014's incisive, cleaning acidity draws the wine to a succinct close, making it seem a good deal drier than the figures suggest.

October 2015 paired with Green Beans

Chateau Megyer 2012 Tokaji Furmint, Hungary

Situated in the picturesque region of Tokaji-Hegyalja in northeastern Hungary, the  Megyer estate was classified as “First Growth” in 1772 by Royal decree. In 2002,  UNESCO classified the wine region of Tokaj as a ‘Historic Cultural Landscape’. Soils in the region are largely composed of igneous and sedimentary soils. Vines are  situated on exposed southwest facing slopes and the area enjoys a Continental  climate with cool mornings and hot days during the ripening season.The dry furmint  is aged for 8 months in stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness of the wine  and to allow full mineral expression. Approximately 125,000 bottles are produced  each year. This wine is notable for its aromatic intensity. Fresh aromas and flavors of white flowers combine with pear, white peach, litchi and soft aromatic pepper.

October 2015 Event - Paired with Spanakopitakia

Callegaro Francesca 2013 Antichi Reassi Pinello Colli Euganei DOC, Italy

From a very small producer in Italy's Colli Euganei, this delightful wine is perfect for summer sipping. Made from the rare, indigenous Pinello grape, the Antichi Reassi is  full of apple, pear and white peach flavours. The gentle sparkling quality of this just  off-dry wine makes it a refreshing choice as an apertif or with lighter fare.

October 2015 Welcome Wine

Pelee Island Winery - “Secco” $16

Light and frothy with flavours of green apple and pear. Ideal as an aperitif or with a delicate fish such as sole.