I've been slow in getting around to reviewing this wine. (SPOILERS: it was worth the wait. The wine, I mean.) I don't have any excuse, really, other than having had to cut back of late. But, anyway, on with the show, so to speak.
Glass: Crystal clear, but not crystalline; faint, ghostly yellow with a greenish, grassy tint. It was more like a super-fine, very refined oil. I could imagine this being used to anoint young Greek gods before they entered the ceremonial wrestling ring, or something [1]. It had a weight to it, a certain gravitas, a degree of self-possessed confidence. I had the impression this wine didn't care whether or not I liked it, because it was 100% certain someone -- quite a lot of someones -- would.
Nose: A tantalising, beckoning aroma of shortbread and nutty, toasty, sweet-savouriness. A hint of melon -- gala rather than water -- and a fruity tang rather like the tartness of raspberries substituted for the acidity of a lemon in an outrageously clever genetic engineering experiment. Clean and citrussy, without sourness. Also, a woody note, as of a freshly peeled sapling, and something akin to a broken aloe vera leaf.
Taste: Smooth, creamy, wonderful mouthfeel. It's definitely confident, almost a suave, well-educated but still exuberant young man arriving at a party without a partner, sure he will quickly make new friends. The soft!sharp citrus carries through on a silky, sultry bed that has the merest hint of soft whipped ice cream (I was thinking Mr Whippy, but other brands are probably available). There was a grassy minerality, and it packed a lot of flavour without being ill-mannered.
You would definitely take this home to meet your mum, unless you were concerned about having to share.
What I love is when Naked Wines (or, more accurately, one of their winemakers) changes my mind about a grape or a wine. I am not a fan of Vermentino, finding much of it heading too far to oily and smarmy; the kind that sits too close at the bar and uses dubious hair products and anti-perspirants named after apex predators or power tools. This, however, I would be happy to engage in conversation about the best version of Bach's Cello Concerto, for instance. I might even offer my number with a view to taking him home to meet my mother.
Naked Shake: No
Sediment: No
Decant: No
Cold: Yes. Not too cold! I think 10-12 deg C would be good.
Food: Light cheeses, fish, shellfish (they're different!), saffron rice, savoury custard, chicken, spring lamb, new potatoes, asparagus (I am practically salivating thinking of pairing this with griddled, asparagus, poached duck eggs and smoked salmon).
It has some bold but relatively neutral flavours -- nothing outlandish or overly dominating -- and would work well with a lot of things, including aromatic spice such as smoked paprika (with the exception of cinnamon, so perhaps avoid Moroccan).
This is a new favourite, both as a cheeky mid-week tipple that's deeply pleasurable and easy company, and as an emergency, good-friends-staying-for-dinner-unexpectedly winerack staple. It's a couple of quid more than your average supermarket offering, but you get a lot more than a couple of quid extra quality.
Well done, Mauricio. Pleased to meet you.
[1] For anyone new to my reviews, I'm topologically synaesthetic for scent and taste, and I write speculative fiction. When I really like a wine it fires my imagination and I can become rather over-abundant in the prose department.
I really liked this one.
