Grande Finale – memorable winetastings in Kuopio

 

There is a law of action and reaction. It is common fallacy that due to centralizion wines are associated and monipolized with people predominantly/mainly in capitol areas. But there is as a reaction, ”Gallian villages” outside capitol areas where wines exit and do fine. In Kuopio area participants in wine-food courses in Community College in Kuopio had their last evenings of this seson. So they enjoyed and reved with the wines and tasty, fancy small dished. The settings brought out their special knowledge and exert!

 

During this season wine gatherings had their start with normal prosedure - blindtasting and wines for the cookery.

Three wine-food courses hade their own Grande Finales. Participants had chosen their own wines for blindtastings, and this time folded were Gusbourne (Gusbourne, England). Santa Digna Rose (Torres, Chile), Tribidrag (Rizman, Croatia),

Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs Brut. England, Kent 2017.
Light yellow, light green apple, brut (9 g/l), tartric acidic (10,7 g/l), mineral, fresh, nuanced&structured, elegant.
Torres Santa Digna Carbernet Sauvignon Rosé. Chile, Central Valley 2017.
Light red, currant leaf notes, dry (5 g/l) taste, tartric acidity (7,2 g/l) rasperry, herbal notes. Vegan and Fair for Life.
Rizman Tribidrag. Croatia, Dalmatia, Neretva 2014.
Dark red, fruity, medium-bodied, balanced tannins. spicy and soft bite.

Spring and Easter were the decoration issues on the table with flowers and colour,
 

During the cookings there were allways some wine, new or challenging, to be tasted. One was Inception Irresistible White as a metafora to incite winelovers to carry on and dive deeper with the secrets of wines. Botter by Aino&Jussi were displayed as a wines for becoming Lapinlahti Cheese-Wine Festival at the beginning of August. Piedemonte Cuatro Tierras stepped up as a winner from the Wines of the Year 2019 -competition in Finland.

Inception Irresistible White. South-Africa 2017. Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Viognier.
Light white, citric, flowery aromas, taste dry (12 g/l), exotic, tartric acidity (6,2 g/l), mild and fresh. Malolactic.
Aino by Botter. Italy, Salento 2017. Malvasia, Fiano, Chardonnay.
Light greenish. fruity aromas, taste semidry (9 g/l), tartric acidity (5,3 g/l) and herbal.
Jussi by Botter Organic Zinfandel. Italy, Apulia 2018. Organic.
Dark red, aromas of dark berries, and taste medium bodied, cafe and jammy.
Cuatro Tierras. Spain, Navarra 2015. Merlot, Tempranillo, CS, Garnacha.
Dark red, dark berry aromas and taste of full-bodied with tannins, spicy and herbal.

Italian wines from Umbria were the first wineset to be tasted. Carmine winery served slightly different and interesting wines, white made of Trebbiano grape, rose made of Sangiovese and red made of Sangiovese, Sagratino and Merlot.

Chiesa Carmine Trebbiano Spoletino Bianco. Italy, Umbria 2017.
Straw yellow colour, a manifold bouquet of floral scents and fruity aromas such as pear, lime, grapefruit on the nose.
Chiesa Carmine Rosa Della. Italy, Umbria 2017. Sangiovese. Sangiovese 80%, Sagratino 15% and Merlot 5%.
Rose from Umbria. Organic. Delicate strawberry & raspberry aromas. Fruity palate. Creamy texture. Lively acidity.
Chiesa Carmine Il Campanile. Italy, Umbria 2016. Sangiovese 80%, Sagratino 15%, Merlot 5%.
Vivid ruby red colour with purple hints and a fine, complex bouquet, medium-bodied , intense, fresh, persistent and versatile.

Pasta from Liquria had greenish, herbal aromas and springlike attitude, so it gave opportunities to seek best match with fruity and well balanced Carmine wines. 

 

Second set of wines came from Australia. Jacob’s Creek’s wines started the new set of Double Barrel Wines.
Normally made wines, fermented in oak barrels, were matured second time in old, used Whisky Barrels. Through this method Double Barrel wines got extra aromas and softness.

Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Chardonnay. Australia. 1ST VINTAGE.
Yellow, citrus notes, dry (3 g/l).tartric acidic (6,1 g/l), fruity, toasted, roasted, baked, oaky, generous.
Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Shiraz. Australia. 2015. 5TH VINTAGE.
Crimson red, cherry notes, full-bodied, medium tannic, Black berry, light vanilla, toasted, baked and lucious.
Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon. Australia. 4TH VINTAGE.
Dark red, blackcurrant notes, full-bodied, medium tannic, ripe plum notes, roasted. lucious and jammy.
                         

Laplander’s soup made of reindeer and Finnish squeaky cheese was special Saami dish from Lapland and gave counterbalance to vivid and appetizing Australian wines.
http://www.viinimies.com/2011/11/porokeitto-maistuu-syksyn-viileydessa.html                                                    

Depending of the menu there was sometimes time for a sidedish. Concerning with one Grande Finale group the dish was wine, how could it be otherwise. But not just any wine, namely Carmin de Peumo, of the Chilean iconic wines coming from Peumo and made of Carmenére (90%), Cabernet Sauvignon (5%9 and Cabernet Franc (5%) grapes.

Carmín de Peumo. Chile, Cachapoal Valley, Peumo 2008.
Dark red, aromas of blackcurrant, full-bodied taste, ripe tannins, spicy, oak flawours, long after taste and stylish,
http://www.viinimies.com/2013/12/carmin-de-peumo-on-chilen.html

Grande Finale offered genuine French experience to third winegroup, where first was tasting with Bordeaux blend wines and continuing food match with confit de canard with potateo dish.

Rouge de Carsin. France, Bordeaux 2015. Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon.
Red, wild berry notes, full-bodied, medium tannic, sour cherry, spicy , jammy with oak notes.
Calliterra Genit. Chile, Colchagua Valley 2008. Cabernet S. /34%, Malbec/34%, Petit Verdot/21%, Carmenere 15%.
Deep, dark and dense color, intence and aromatic on the nose, taste of ripe, red, dried fruits, mocha, vanilla, long taste.
Château Calon-Ségur. Ranska, Bordeaux, Saint-Estèphe 1995, an excellent vintage.
Red, ripe cherry notes, dry, velvet tannins, leather and pencil led notes, spicy, smoky and nuancen&developed.

Having final evening of the season, it was expexted, even desirable, that something special was set on the table. Rare and expensive Calon-Segur vintage 1995 was the highlight with its velvet and aged touch. What could be better choice to taste with Bordeaux wine that traditional Confit de Canard .
http://www.viinimies.com/2013/04/ankankoipi-confit-on-vivahteikas-ja.html

Fourth challenging tasting was set when it was time to have some desserts. This time champagne was served at the end of the meny to point out its uniqueness and elegance.

Laurent Lequart Pur Meunier Prestige Champagne Extra Brut. France, Champagne. Pinot Meunier.
Light yellow, lemon and apple pie notes, brut (7 g/l ), tartric acidic (8,6 g/l), minera, rich, generous and long after taste.
Drappier Rosé de Saignée Champagne Brut. France Champagne. Pinot Noir.
Light red, rasberry and jasmin notes, dry (7 g/l), tartric acidic (5,9 g/l), cherry notes, mineral, rich, and nuanced.
Mumm Blanc de Blancs de Cramant Champagne Brut. France, Champagne. Chardonnay.
Light yellow, citrus notes, brut (6 g/l), tartric acidic (6,7 g/l), mineral, crisp, fruity and elegant.
http://www.viinimies.com/2016/05/samppanjassa-on-laatua-ja-luksusta.html

Foie gras alike, olives coated with cheese and ryechip coved with cold smoked salmon combined with the setting of champagnes, made of varietal grapes.

After the memorable champagne tasting it was time to have the last desserts. Actually two, because there were two different implementations, manly and feminine!

Manly opinion and touch of Tiramisu.

Feminine realisation about punnet of rye pudding. All entity eatable!.

Sol de Malaga. Spain, Malaga. Pedro Ximenez, Muscat de Alejandria. Perfect choice with cheesy chocolate desserts.
Dark brown, dried plun notes, sweet (210 g/l), fruity, chocolate, fortified and hearty.
http://www.viinimies.com/2015/04/malaga-maistuu-paasiaisena.html

Altogether very tasteful, competent and hich-class achievements as a final sittings with wine&food people in Kuopio’s Community College.

Text and photos: Heikki Remes, viinimies
www.viinimies.com