The Morning Claret

Simon J Woolf & Friends on Wild and Wonderful Wines

muscat

Jose Moquillaza - Albita 2015
3 minute read

Albita – an orange wine from Peru

It’s very fitting that the first ever wine I tasted from Peru was not just anything, but rather an orange wine made in an ultra traditional style. The winemaker is José “Pepe” Moquillaza, from Lima, and Albita de Ihuanco is his skin-fermented blend of Albilla and Italia (a Muscat crossing).

Martin Lichtenburger and Adrianna Gonzalez in their cellar, March 2017
4 minute read

Muscat Ottonel, a love story

Sometimes the path of true love really does alter everything. When Austrian Martin Lichtenberger and Spaniard Adrianna Gonzalez met in 2007, during their winemaking studies in California, they might not have predicted that they’d soon be making wine together on another continent. Not to mention a skin contact Muscat Ottonel (an orange wine).

Julien Meyer - Petit Muscat de Maceration 2015
2 minute read

Julien Meyer – Petit Fleur – Muscat de Maceration 2015

Patrick Meyer is the winemaker at the family owned Julien Meyer domaine in Northerly Alsace (Nothalten to be precise). He’s been in the saddle for a while – since 1982 in fact. The domaine has been farmed biodynamically (Demeter certified) since 1985, and Patrick spurns all additives including sulphur. More on that subject later!

Strohmeier road sign
4 minute read

One year of skin contact – Strohmeier Wein der Stille 2013

Regular readers will have noticed I’ve featured a few wines in this slot that merely flirt with the orange wine category. So to end the first year of these orange segments, here’s an all-out, serious contender made with 12 months of maceration: Strohmeier’s Wein Der Stille 2013, from Southern Styria, Austria

Ca' ed Balos bottle
4 minute read

Seven reasons why I love Moscato d’Asti

Look, I’m not after anything serious. Let’s just flirt and enjoy each other’s company – we don’t have to be relationship material do we? We both know it feels good . . . oh but it does feel good. I Read more

Let’s get naked, again

Here’s a brief write-up of some of the more interesting wines I encountered at the Naked Wines tasting in London this evening. I have to say, I think the interactions with the winemakers were at least as interesting as the Read more