Shnoodlepip by Wild Beer Co

Shnoodlepip by Wild Beer Co + Good George Brewing Co (NZ) + Burning Sky Brewery - 6.5% abv

Once upon a time, there was ale, and there was wine. And never the twain shall meet. Then a dining scene took the palates to hitherto unexplored reaches, and this shook the foundations of common or garden dining. And it shook the manner and authenticity of wine in its'  fermenting, its' ageing, the multiplicity of flavours having signatures as well as sense of place, and woe betide heavy handed manipulation. Brewcraft too explored recipes, Belgique and European heritage, and was prepared to diversify, to boldly take on flavour studding and arrive at complex, dining enhancing beers. These are, indeed, the best of times.

Shnoodlepip, sounds like a Dickensian miscreant. It isn't. It is funky, for sure, funky, sweaty fruit and feral on the nose, clean, linear palate, brettanomyces and subtle spice over a moderately carbonated Saison. Spelt grain is used to lend body, Pink Peppercorns an aromatic spice, Saison and Brettanomyces yeast strains bring a dry spicy character, and finishing with wood-ageing in French red wine barrels for 3 months before a chock load of Hibiscus Flowers complete the brew. Well-toned, this is a 1* Michelin Beer, correct, held in check, sour notes matched by full flavour and twisty windey spice notes, exotic fruit flavours of passion fruit, papaya and guava. I've heard it touted as the World's best beer. It isn't. But the brewers and their experimental edge may well ruffle feathers, garner plaudits and make for great dining beers. It's another meeting place where funky Natural Wines meet Brewcraft, where flavour spectrums inform each other. Which, I suppose, is a love-song of sorts!

Siren Bière de Gouttière, Belgian Saison

Poor man's Champagne, Siren Bière de Gouttière, Belgian Saison 4.4% abv - it's gout! I'd get oot more often if the beverages were as gout as this!

hazy, bone-dry, pin prick carbonation, delicate, refreshing, wood shavings, herbaceous (burdock root!), thyme, dryed grass, sous bois woodland. Easy brew!

Collab brew by Siren + Jon Laffler from Off Colour Brewing (formerly of Goose Island, Chicago).

F.e.S.T.i.V.a.L.

One goes to Festivals, one has been to Festivals, each one unique, each the epicentre of the extraordinary.

A mood-setting Festival Playlist is -

a very serious affair

meant to excite (oneself, if no one else)

to bamboozle

to be broader than the horizon

A mood-setting Festival Playlist -

should weird you out

and pump you up

make you wanna groove

embrace the un-familiar

A mood-setting Festival Playlist should -

mix the high-octane and the shit-hot

acknowledge one's musical heritage

know all too well that man lives not be bread alone

be a soupçon, a taster to galvanise the palate

A mood-setting Festival Playlist is -

a point in time, a pre-prandial

foreplay

a roll in the hay

an auditory buzz direct to the pleasure receptors, a kick start to the synapses

Saperavi, earthenware, and Ruby Wax

Saperavi Vita Vinea by Generation, Kakheti, Georgia 2011

Why be bothered about an ageing vessel? Buried pots, at that. When the juice is this good, this satisfying, one had better sit up straight. The spotlighted wine was aged and fermented in Qvevri (sunken clay amphorae lined with beeswax), the time-honoured tradition of winemaking from the country with the longest unbroken history of winemaking, Georgia. 

One gawps, noting a rich ruby core with a youthful garnet rim, starbright in appearance with stained tears and a medium+ viscosity. On the beak, there's compote black fruits, damsons, blackberries, some dried fig, pomegranate, tobacco leaf, herby sage leaf, Bertie Bassett candied liquorice; and quaffing, one notes an appealing sappiness, coupled with a most remarkable tannin structure. Where wood aged wines may show a long-chain tannin structure, this wine has a kind of reflex relay switch between astringent grip > juice > more grip > more juice. Cascading, and generous, there's oodles and cornucopias of primary fruit, not a hint of brett or funk, a most beguiling, satisfying glug.

Pegasus Bay, Waipara Valley - with age, the song stands the test of time.

With awareness, care, and delicacy, the Opera Singer fine tunes their instrument, their voice, ready for performance with nuance and power of expression. An aged wine also often calls for the care and aeration that decanting offers (sedimentation aside), allowing the wine to relax, spread its' wings, find its' voice.

It's high time for a rebuttal of the economically driven tendency to infanticide of wine releases fresh from the bottling run of the winery - the rush to market of wines just out of barrel, slurped to bottle and hoofed to bonded warehouses, ready to go, eager to be paraded, seldom to be cellared. Pinot Noir possesses about it that most graceful of ageing potentials that's anathema to the (all too New World) tendency to drink wine in its' infancy. Who pays for the cellaring is open to conjecture, but it's a given that that time and expression can be the most suitable of bedfellows, that the complete evolutionary arc may be realised, or at least glimpsed.

Visiting from New Zealand, Pegasus Bay and Ed Donaldson gifted a wonderful opportunity to showcase the ageing potential of wines from a top New Zealand producer spread over a different ranges of wines, different cultivars, and multiple vintages all the way back to 2001.

Estate Pinot Noir - showing earthy sous bois undertones, red fruits and raspberry pips, long-chain tannins are indicative of this quality range. A notch up from the Main Divide range which show great value, primary fruited but with good grip and structure.

let's get serious - served from Magnum estate Pinot Noir 2001 - still with a wonderful acidity, truffley and earthy sous bois, earl grey tea, sage and garden herbs, top medium+ length, serve alongside a village Gevrey Chambertin and take your pick.

made in only the best years, Prima Donna is the Reserve range of oldest vines selected from the best barrels in the best vintages. Bringing an extra meaty savoury dimension to fruits of the forest, there's real depth and layers, roasting meats, sage and thyme herbs, good tannic grip and retaining a marked acidity, these are masculine and flex muscle, able to stir like Pavorotti.

Auslese style Riesling with some botrytised fruit for added lusciousness and richness, honeyed citrus and a medium+ acidity make for toothsome wines with poached sweet orange and baked apple fruit, age begets wines of fine song. 

Encore, take a bow. Trockenbeerenaulese style, 200 grams/litre residual sugar juxta zippy acidity, the song never ends.

...and finally, Finale. Barrique matured Noble Semillon only produced in years nature permits, from old and new French barrels and aged for 2 years. Oxidative rancio fruit with candied fruits, barley sugar, burnt sugar and savoury nut brittle, it's a food match playground. 

'tis the season for les saisonniers

Potlatch by Omnipollo X Prairie brewed at De Proef Brouwerij, Stockholm 7% abv

A seasonally adjusted Saison, aka a Farmhouse Ale hopped exclusively with Mosaic and refermented with brettanomyces, the funky duck walk stuff.

Frothy foamy head with a cloudy body from bottle conditioning, full straw/pale amber in colour.

Earthy aromas of hay and composting grass, bready esters, bakery wafts.

Palate is dry, all fresh with a zingy moderate carbonation and forward flavours of lemon ginger punch, bergamot, creamed honey, with seasoning (saisoning) of white pepper and clove notes, medium minus bitterness, malty body carries the beer with delicacy. 

The workers will be happy and productive, loyal too.

Voodoo Chile - gazing through a glass, kaleidoscopically

De Martino Viejas Tinajas Muscat 2012 Valle del Itata

One begins, like all great adventures, noting the colour, the appearance of the wine before thee. Amber core to pale rim, translucent, cloudy. The wine in question comes from ungrafted vines aged Viejas Tinajas, in old terracotta amphorae with minimal intervention. The Romans would be most pleased to see that it's not just their roads that endure. 

From there the journey meanders, most unexpectedly, and one is reminded of that most spectacular SP68 Zibbibo from Arianna Occhipinti of Sicily, a former Top 3 of the Year circa 2012. Aromatic and fragrant with a medium+ intensity, this is a shapeshifter, a kaleidoscopic wine that reveals a panopoly of aromas. At first sweet orange blossom, jasmine, poached pear, herbs, anise, quirky notes of ready rub tobacco and cherry lips, a complex fruit basket of varying proportions.

The palate reveals texture, dry with a sweet core, there's ruffles of grip, explosions of flavour that mirror the aromas, a moderate acidity carries a wine that has a finish to infinity and beyond. One follows trails of flavour that tease and cajole, this is a wine that doesn't want to be understood, but appreciated, like a journey that doesn't end, but begins with another journey. 

One is exhilarated, and there's change in the pocket. This isn't a fine wine, this is an extraordinary wine. For that, we give thanks.

briney the coastal brew

Er Boquerón - Beer with Sea Water, hailing from Spain

Let's cut to the chase - how many lagers do you want to not end? This is a brew that ends all too soon! 

techy stuff - 

low carbonation from double fermentation, brewed with 4 malts and Mediterranea, which made its debut in 2012. Mediterranea is extracted from pure Mediterranean seawater and is designed to imbue foods with the taste of the sea, as well as to boost the nutritional profile of dishes with naturally-occurring minerals. 

Aromatically complex, beguiling. Sea salt and herb foccacia, a vapour trail that's less the much-touted iodine trail, more a malty heart, muted palate, clean, dry finish but good length. Interesting! Very interesting!

if you've got it, flaunt it, and hang'em out to dry!

Ger'onimo! Beavertown in Collaboration with Jameson Irish Whiskey

Limited Edition Imperial Stout aged in Jameson Whiskey Barrels - 9% abv

and very very pricey!

So, if beers were Superheroes, which they never will be, then this is The Incredible Hulk. Ripping at the seams and lacking in sartorial eloquence, it's a bruiser! A Weeble Wobble of gigantic proportions. Thing is, Imperial Stout, hello, this is my cookie, my deep-fried cod, my number, my personal preference - power, richness, viscosity in equal measure. All present and correct - umami, spice, black jacks, bitter sweet, a knuckle duster to the palate. 

This is an arranged marriage, someone's got the bucks. Like a drag impresario Dolly Parton, all up front, F-cup, get a load of my flavours, tottering on platform heels, either this needs time, or the beer is out of balance. 

At this expense, one needs a head-check, leaving a feeling of disappointment. 

funk is a feeling!

Rare brew with the new fangled Spiegelau IPA glass -
Magic Rock Brewing, Farmhouse IPA in collaboration with Lervig Aktiebryggeri (Norway) -

Belgian yeast and brettanomyces (brett), funky it surely is in a hugely palatable way (cutting up the dance floor of the palate), sourdough bread, spiced ginger cake/pain d'épice, funky fruity hoppy aromatics. Very tasty,!

Wonderful design technology on the glass - like the bulb at the end of a yard of ale, there's a flow into the larger part of the glass vessel, and with each sip, a wash-back that ignites the aromas. Sensory enhancement!

I wanna paint the future, paint it black...

black is the colour of my true love's hair -

Bearded Lady Imperial Brown Stout by Magic Rock Brewing 10.5%abv

like a Turkish massage with knuckle dusters on, you cannot hide. low carbonation, ultra high engine oil viscosity, black jacks, chocolate sorbet, coffee and prune cake, sous bois, savoury bouillon, umami finish. relish!

memorable, like a train ride in a foreign country.

there ought to be a law against you comin' around, you should be made to wear earphones!

Worlds End by Ilkley Brewery - whisky aged chipotle chocolate stout

this is the way the world ends, not with a whimper, but a bang! (sorry T.S. Elliott)

not for the faint-hearted, a chipotle spiced chocolate stout that spends 9 months in 15 year old whisky casks, it's freakin' Islay casks - hello! It's a marriage a la Burton and Taylor, and gives great copy. There should be a law, but imagination has no laws. And it works, like spinning plates. Like a souped up custom car, this boy is klaxon horns, cow bells and a rollicking tune. 8% abv. Aromatically complex, rich, peat smoke, malt and chocolate, low carbonation, smoked kippers washed under tides of umami tainted Cocoa. The results are imperious!

Doff your cap to imagination and it's' successes! 

Top Hat and Tails - Elegant, Old European Riesling

Think Riesling. Pause for breath. Think again. The palate salivates at the thought. The salivary glands are ignited, kick started, there's a wrestle to pull a crab from its' limbs, to unhook and fillet a fish for the catch of the day, or indeed, another rotation on the suckling pig in gustatory anticipation. Rieslings, indeed, to be cheerful (part 3). The mind roams to the thirst quenching slurp of lime and lemon fruited Riesling, razor edged acidity. a bare-knuckle fighting white... And we mentally roam the lands, geographically flanking the unspeakably pretty Alsace, cartwheeling the slopes of the Mosel, donning a sunhat for Clare and Eden Valley, maybe checking in with Washington State, Hi to our Kiwi cousins... Hello, that means a gross omission - what about Austria's other white grape? 

2002 Prager Riesling Smaragd 'Klaus', Wachau - an Archduke, a European Aristocrat...

What's happening in the glass? Pale gold, still showing a tremendous medium+ acidity, haunting aromatics, baked apples, beeswax, quince, poached peach, lime, hay, lemon citrus squeezed over quartzite rocks. 

Anticipation is a strange bedfellow, and to be flirted with. Indeed, this was a blanc that was personally cellared some 10+ years. This wine comes on the back of an old listing, circa 2004, where the vivacious fruit, searing acidity and mineral purity were the heel stone.

Dish du Jour - drawing from Central European culinary traditions, a dish in the Slovak is known as Koložvárska Kapusta, and includes sauerkraut cabbage, rice, minced pork, lardons. 

 if brevity be the watchword, then - #7wordwinereview European Aristo, lemon citrus over quartzite, haunting 

http://www.weingutprager.at/english/index.php?id=2

Phoenix from the Fynbos

Circa 1993, to quote - Remember this was 1993, Mandela was still on his ‘long walk to freedom’ and free elections were still over a year away. At the time, I’d say I knew two things about the Cape wine industry: nothing and bugger all. In my ten years of wine drinking I had barely been exposed to anything South African.

To the novice drinker, what's excitable about South African wine today?

It might have taken 20 years, but the Cape is catching up on the rest of the world and, rather than looking at their Countries for benchmarks, it is finally looking at itself for inspiration. that comes in the form of old vineyards, mostly Chenin Blanc, with which it is developing identifiably South African white blends that few in the new world can replicate.  

Does South Africa offer diversity in its' regions?

Absolutely. There was a time (and some would argue that it still does) that you’d find every commercial grape variety planted within spitting distance of each other. Now, growers are identifying regions which are best adapted to certain varieties – Rhône varieties in the heat of the Swartland, Bordeaux varieties in the more maritime climes of False Bay, Elgin for Pinot Noir…

South Africa one of the best countries to 'trade up' in wine buying (on and off-trade)?

South Africa is offering the best value of any wine producing Country at the moment. This is good and bad. It also means the supermarkets are piling into the country to exploit the weak currency, which invariably means that they undermine the overall image. A five pound bottle of wine is a five pound bottle of wine regardless of where it comes from. Supermarkets add no value to the image of a Country when their sole motivation is based on sourcing at the lowest possible price. Be prepared to pay over a tenner (from any decent independent merchant) and you’ll be amazed at what’s on offer.

Does South Africa produce truly World-class Pinot Noir? Your Top 3 South African Pinot Noirs?

Five years ago I was joking that you could count the numbers of ‘world class’ South African Pinot Noir on the fingers of a mitten. I’m delighted to say that massive progress has been made this decade with my favourite examples coming from Chamonix, Newton Johnson and watch out for the first release from Kevin Grant at Ataraxia, whenever that might happen.

What's the most stunning vineyard/winery (aesthetically) you've visited in South Africa? Describe its' allure.

First you have to get there… Thirty kilometres down a dirt road to Tierhoek in the Piekenierskloof. The isolation spooks some people out (and it’s a real bugger if you run out of sugar).

Does the future of South African wine 'innovation' lie with the maverick approach - small production old-vine bottling’s from top producers, or is there strength in brands still?

All of the above. Even the biggest brands like Nederberg are a force to be reckoned with – at every level in their range.

In brief, South Africa's key strengths over other new world producers.

They have access to more old vine Chenin Blanc that the rest of the world put together.

What are the Top 3 of the World's most under-estimated white grapes (aside from Chenin Blanc).

Riesling (it still is), Muscadet/Melon de Bourgogne (yes, really) and Semillon.

Fantasy dinner table - 6 dinner guests living/deceased.

My three wine heros: Gaston Huet, Robert Mondavi, Allan Mullins. Then Paul Macca (macaroni turkey, anyone?), Joe Jackson and a token woman. Oh yes, my wife…

Describe the most memorable dining experiences in South Africa.

Invariably with friends at their homes:  pizzas on the stoep chez Fanus Bruwer (Quando, Robertson), crayfish on the braai with ‘Fast’ Eddie Haumann on the West Coast and Shelley Sandell’s malva pudding at Tierhoek

Is Fair-Trade still a valid trade route to encourage equitable trading between developed/developing nations?

I’ll keep my views to myself on this one.

Advice to the Chancellor on Wine taxation?

There is no justifiable reason why sparkling wine should be taxed at a higher rate than table wine. Parity, please.

One word - is Cape Town the hippest city in the world?

After Harrogate, probably

Favourite Wine movies?

Butch and the Sunrise Kid – a special edition ‘Liberator’ for the Wine Society, now on release…

Richard Kelley MW shares his vision for South African Wine - ?

Finally, just finally, after 20 years, South Africa is getting the recognition for its wines. First the trade and now the press. Next stop - widespread consumer recognition. The best wines are still to come.

Gamay Sans Tra-La-La

Domaine de la Garrelière’s, Gamay Sans Tra-La-La, Touraine 2012

What's good? Biodynamic wines on the money are good! Gluggable Vin de Soif is also good. Wrap them up in one little package and it's doubly good. Unfined, unfiltered, this is an earthy toned and up-front fragrant Gamay - cherries, rosehips, bramble fruits, red liquorice, white pepper, anise and herbs jostle for primacy, with rosemary and marjoram scenting the red fruits. Utterly, utterly gluggable, a lip-smacker that leaves a ferrous-lite tone on the finish and a hankering for more. 

Please Sir, can I have some more? 

More? More? 

Ommegang - subtlety with a Midas touch

After trumping all quaffed craft ales in 2013 with what I felt was the most astounding and memorable ale of the year, an opportunity to snaffle another from the Ommegang range was met with thinly disguised dilation of the pupils. Ommegang are a New York brewhouse from Cooperstown founded in 1997 that falls under the Duvel empire, and the pedigree shows, but Ommegang take tradition and work it in new and adventurous ways. And are serious about their presence on the dining table. 

A Dubbel weighing in at 8.2%, the ale proves a base for the exploration of flavour that seems to be the cornerstone of Ommegang philosophy. A sum of its' parts, the ale is brewed with liqorice root, star anise, sweet orange peel, coriander and cumin. The palate sings with fruitcake and a malty richness, with a moderate viscosity and a low carbonation, this is top grade cuisine ale, finely garbed, subtley twisted with the spiked spice notes, finishing with the clean liqorice tones. A brief olfactory memory flash of Fisherman's Friend pops into awareness... 

Cullen - Biodynamic trailblazers of Margaret River

1. how does Cullen maintain poll position in the premium wine market?

Our mantra is Quality, Integrity and Sustainability. We strive to make the best wines in the most sustainable way. Many of our customers have been with us on the journey from minimal chemical input, to organics and finally to biodynamics. I feel like there is an appreciation of our story and what we are striving to achieve, both for the wines and for the environment. At the same time, consistency in the quality of our wines over the last four decades has been a big part of our success.  

2. tell us about Margaret River

Margaret River is one of the most isolated wine growing regions in the world. We are situated 300kms south of Perth in Western Australia, between picturesque Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste. The environment is clean and pure. Our close proximity to the Indian Ocean means we benefit from a temperate climate. The soils are made up of clay, sand and gravelly loam – ideal for growing Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Our vineyard site was chosen by my grandparents due to its suitability for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. 

3. what do you miss most about Australia (weather exempt)?

I would not give up being in the UK for the world right now.  Having said that, I miss sitting on the veranda of our beach house, feeling all salty and exhausted after a surf, with a cool glass of Chardonnay in hand. I miss driving across the farm at sunset with kangaroos bounding across the paddocks and the grey Aussie bush stretched out behind me. I miss eating fresh abalone (a mussel-like shellfish) that has just been chipped off the rocks and thrown on a hot barbecue. I miss diving into the ocean to cure a hangover.

4. desert island wines - a. Australian b. European c. summon the genie.

a. Mt Horrocks Watervale Riesling

b. Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru

c. Château d’Yquem (1811 would be good, if the Genie was feeling generous). 

5. perceptions of the British palate

British consumers are sophisticated wine drinkers with a window into every wine growing region in the world. The classic Bordelaise varieties seem popular here, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. I also feel like there has been a swing back towards Australian wines among British consumers in the last 6 months, which is very exciting.  

6. what do you love most about British culture?

I am obsessed with all BBC period dramas, so I love castles, villages and the wealth of history at every turn. I also love going to the theatre, festivals and oh so many art galleries! Of course, I just can’t walk past a good British afternoon tea or a classic pub lunch.

7. top 3 wine movies?

Red Obsession, Sideways, and A Good Year 

8. soundtrack to a vintage?

Kylie Minogue – will forever remind me of the 2003 harvest

9. favourite European wine region?

Alsace

10. what key things have you leant about the British wine market?

It is very competitive, very dynamic and sophisticated. You have to keep your finger on the pulse.

11. how do you find English wines?

I love the sparkling wines and was blown away by the quality when I first tried them. I tip my hat to them, knowing how tough it must be with some shocking weather.

12. who's going to be in the final for the FIFA World Cup 2014?

I have to confess I don’t follow football, but the guys in Sales Admin tell me no team outside South America has ever won where the World Cup has been held in South America. So, with no knowledge at all, I’ll go with Argentina.

Grolleau - a different shade of versatility

Grolleau, Clau de Nell, Anne Claude Leflaive VdP du Val de Loire 2011 - 12.5% abv (Demeter)

Personally, I've tasted through as much Grolleau as I have Kopi Luwak coffee. Never! Or perhaps unwittingly... Most blurb is dismissive of the grape to the point of it only being fit for grubbing up, or finger-points to the other more famed guise, Rosé d'Anjou. Can one make a silk purse from a sow's ear? One only has to look at the creativity of the one donning the Chef's toque. In this case winemaker Sylvain Potin under the ownership of Anne Claude Leflaive and Christian Jacques. 

Clau de Nell Grolleau is a) low cropping at 30hl/ha b) made of 60-90 year old vines c) Demeter (bio) certified d) spends 12 months in 5 year old Burgundy barrels e) comes from grit and red silex over tufa soils f) is a delicious match for game birds, white meats, beetroot and goats cheese tatin (to give a drift).

Unfined and unfiltered, the wine is opaque with a garnet core to a pink rim, has a moderate viscosity with a surprising staining of tears. A youthful aromatic nose is redolent of blackberries, wild strawberries, red liquorice, violets, heather and wet soil. 

Medium bodied with a moderate acidity, the primary fruit shows a touch of hollow in the mid-palate, lean and linear, the tannins reveal good ripeness and form a good chain strung with bramble and red fruit, more Gamay-like than possessed of Pinots' subtle charms. Point of note - worthy of decanting at least an hour before gustation, the wine comes around and reveals greater generosity with ferrous notes. 

I'd regard this as a touchstone to the wonderfully versatile rouge of the Loire, from an estate that is only going to up its' game. Point of difference includes the fact that it's a lesser-known grape, is highly cuisine friendly with a malleable medium body, and is a leading example of the varietal from a top producer at a price that rewards. 

http://www.claudenell.fr/eng/chap1_m_eng.php

a magic flautist

Chardonnay is what is done to it, or isn't done to it, goes the winemakers mantra. Probably the most malleable and chameleon of all grapes, Chardonnay in Jura is a most extraordinary fish. If Alsatian blanc is the Trickster with residual sugar up its sleeve, Chardonnay in Jura is a portal into a Hall of Mirrors. 

From Arbois AC, this Pamina Chardonnay 2010 from Domaine de l'Octavin is a) Demeter certified b) unfined and unfiltered d) from the 'La Mailloche' lieu dit d) a match to the most challenging cuisine e) a nod to the lovers Pamina and Tamino who hail from Mozart's rationalist enlightenment opera 'The Magic Flute' f) vinified whole-cluster, macerating on the skins for 3 months, racked and aged for 2 years in 1-4 year-old barrels. 

In appearance the wine is opaque and dull (such a negative and prejudicial word), with a fine sediment. The nose reveals oxidative winemaking with apples, fresh shelled nuts and baked bread. The palate cartwheels with boldness and assertion, apple strudel, quince and a citrus tang with stoney minerality and a medium+ acidity, the nutty tone of fresh shelled almonds and hazelnuts, the wine threads a fine length of fresh baked bread and cream crackers with a finish until tomorrow. 

Such classicism is a silent whisper to those who fashion their Chardonnay with healthy dollops of new oak. Such regionality is a calling card of distinction.