Fire, fieriness, grapes, wines, winemakers and tastings in Finland

October is right time to stop and survey how time has gone with wines so far. Main thing with the wines is to taste. Only tasting reveals the secrets about terroir, grapes, aromas and substance that are involved with the wines. With wineman there has been different kinds of meetings, tastings and happenings with the wines and winemakers. For better or worse the key thing is charing experiencies all together and trusting you own feelings. Below are some highlights involved with the wines.

Juha Luukkonen, hunter and preparer, flambèing fillets of wild duck. Juha was leading winecourse in Kuopio to prepare different kinds of food with game; crêpes with vendance roam, wild duck, moose and cranberry.

Wines with game:

Garzón Tannat.

Pongrácz Méthode Cap Classique Rosé Brut.

Perelada Cuvée Especial Cava Brut Nature.

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir.

Huntyard Appassimento.

Marques de Arienzo Gran Reserva.

Ontañon Reserva.

Dubonnet.

Braastad Pineau des Charentes.

In Juankoski persons attending a wine course were having a ”green” evening with vegetables and their wines. Bloody Mary gave a fiery start for the evening, continuing with cauliflower, funnel chanterelle, zucchini, roots, beetroot and cowberry. Evening was finished with Kalinka coffee drink.

Wines with vege:

Stolichnaya Vodka.

Santa Helena Varietal White Blend.

Plan B Riesling.

Perelada Cuvée Especial Cava Brut Nature.

Gooseberry wine.

Passi-Reali.

Frame Pinot Noir.

Dubonnet.

Stolichnaya Salted Karamel.

Café kahvilikööri.

Winepeople in Kuopio were involving themselves deeply with grapes; first with Pinot Noir

Gisselbrecht Cremant Blanc de Noirs. Ranska, Alsace.

Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Les Baronnes Rouge. Ranska, Loire 2012.

Logan Weemala Pinot Noir. Australia, New South Wales 2015

Clos Henri Pinot Noir. Uusi-Seelanti, Marlborough 2012.

Jekel Pinot Noir. USA, California, Monterey 2014.

Maycas de Limari Pinot Noir. Chile Limari 2013.

Iona Mr P Pinot Noir. Etelä-Afrikka, Elgin 2015.

Meyer-Näkel Spätburgunder. Saksa, Ahr 2012.

Syrah/Shiraz was the second grape in Kuopio:

Gabriel Meffre Côte Rôtie. France, Rhône 2012.

Montes Alpha Syrah. Chile, Colchagua Valley 2014.

Chateau Ste Michelle Syrah. USA, Columbia Valley 2012.

Wyndham Estate Shiraz. South Eastern Australia 2014.

Dôna Paula Syrah. Argentina, Mendoza,

Habla. Spain, Extremadura 2011.

Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Shiraz. Etelä-Afrikka, Western Cape 2014.

Big Buckle Shiraz. Italia 2013.

Enguera was one of the white wines that took by surprise about wines in Valencia.

Christian Wylie revealed the secrets of Garzôn’s Tannat; terroir, grapes, sustainability and know how in winemaking.

Anthony Taylor from Gabriel Meffre gave a deep dive with wines from Rhone in two tastings in Kuopio. Anthony’s theme was terroirs of the Northern and the Southern Rhône – their soils and climates. Wines tasted were Laurus Crozes Hermitage, Laurus Côte Rôtie, Laurus Côte du Rhône Villages and Laurus Gigondas.

Joan Cusine from Pares Palta carried out a Cava tasting in Helsinki. Blanca Cusine Cava gave a clear indication how two wines can differentiate with different vintages.

Mark Barth from Rheingau Germany came to Anniversary tasting in Helsinki. His organic Barth Fructus Riesling gave crispy experience what VDP Riesling is like at its best.

Winetastings give surprises many times. That was also the case when Ladies in Helsinki went after the tasting to meet Australian Elizabeth Schoen from Yalumba. Liz proved them how good Viognier wine is after all.