FINE Wine & Champagne India - Winter 2018

Tasting Notes
FINE Event
Jacquart Brut Mosaique
Region: Reims, Champagne, France.
Varietal: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot
Meunier.
Appearance: Pale gold with flashes of jade.
Delicate and fine bubbles.
Nose: Rich stonefruit aromas. Hints
of honey and brioche.
Palate: Fresh and Full. Honeysuckle
and spices with a touch of
nuts.
Finish: Fruity, rounded, long. Creamy
evolution. Lingering.
Inside Information: Maison Jacquart is a
dynamic 50 something year old amongst history
steeped peers in the region. The flagship of
the cooperative, Alliance, that owns around
2,400 hectares across about 60 crus, which is
a significant individual holding in this delimited
region. The young and innovative Chef de Cave,
Floriane Eznack, joined the house in 2011. She
manipulates the resources at her command in
the new facilities on Boulevard Lundy to create
an impression of a mosaic. This lends the cuvée
its name – Brut Mosaique.
In a nutshell: Generously in harmony.
O'Leary Walker Riesling 2016
Region: Polish Hill River, Clare Valley,
South Australia, Australia.
Varietal: Riesling.
Appearance: Pale straw with subtle green
hues.
Nose: Classic petroleum. Perfumed
“bath salts” and musk sticks.
Palate: Clean. Fruit forward with fine
minerality.
Finish: Dry. Vibrant and wellintegrated.
Inside Information: Since the vineyard was
planted in the 1970s, the grapes were grown
organically even though the certification of
Australia’s Organic could only be secured in
2012. The winemakers have a strong diplomat
connect and one with India. The father of one
of the winemakers, David O’Leary, was a very
prominent and senior Australian diplomat who
had many ambassadorial positions before he
retired in the 1990s. Between 1981-1983, he
was Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner to
New Delhi. The great Australian wine industry
is a melting pot of many cultures, and many,
many different backgrounds.
In a nutshell: A diplomat’s treat.
Manns Wines Solaris Koshu
Old Vintage 2005
Region: Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.
Varietal: Koshu.
Appearance: Bright yellow with silver tints.
Nose: Complex aromas that range
from dried apricots to prunes.
Low alcohol.
Palate: Lively, velvety and pleasant.
Very ripe pears and nuts.
Finish: Multi-dimensional balance
between sweetness and
acidity with a nice aftertaste
and lingering finish.
Inside Information: Owned by Kikkoman,
the very famous makers of soy sauces, Manns
Wines Katsunuma Winery is one of the largest
in the Yamanashi Prefecture, the region that has
the longest history and tradition of making wine
in Japan. This Solaris Old Vintage wine is made
in years of good harvest. It is matured in glasslined
stainless-steel tanks that allow it to attain
a maturity as it ages for over 10 years during
which the fermentation is suspended by intense
refrigeration.
In a nutshell: Has a presence of its own.
Alexandrovic Varijanta 2014
Region: Oplenecko, Šumadija, Serbia.
Varietal: Muscat Hamburg.
Appearance: Very light brick red.
Nose: Powerful aromas of roses and
strawberries with a hint of
forest floor and spices.
Palate: Very fruity. Red berries leaping
out of the glass. Refreshing.
Finish: Mild structured with a long
aromatic finish.
Inside Information: Family Aleksandrović has
been one of the founders of Vinča Winegrowers
Cooperative back in 1903. Trijumf was one
the most sought after wines in European royal
courts before World War II. In 1991, Živan
Tadić, a famous royal cellarmaster who had
migrated to Canada following the World
Wars, learnt about the attempts of the family
Aleksandrović to revive Serbian winemaking
traditions and shared some original recipes.
This marked a new chapter in Trijumf’s long
history – which today have a place of pride at
La Cité du Vin, Bordeaux.
In a nutshell: Handiwork of handwork and
hardwork.
FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA
29