Out of many small-volume wines from Envinate, considered one of our favourite reds is the Envínate Vinos Atlánticos Migan 2020, which is a sensational expression of primarily listan negro coming from two parcels of untamed and braided 100-year-old-plus vines. It’s an intense and targeted but easy purple with a translucent ruby shade and effusive notes of tangy white pepper whose nimble, wild purple berry fruit, agave and minerality knit collectively the expressive nostril and silky palate with a twist of saline freshness. However at its core is its super drinkability – pop the cork and let it circulate.
From the white spectrum, don’t miss the Envínate Vinos Atlánticos Palo Blanco 2020. It’s a uncommon, sensible expression of listan blanco from one of the best parcel for the grape grown on previous vines at an altitude of 600 meters. If the reds of Tenerife are extra similar to the highest Etna Rosso or a cerebral mencia or gamay, then this complicated, flinty Palo Blanco with a touch of white sesame may fall someplace between a high Etna Bianco and an exquisite Puligny Montrachet.
In our Hong Kong tasting workplace, Senior Editor Zekun Shuai joined a vertical tasting of Chateau du Moulin-a-Vent, delving into the growing old potential of high quality Beaujolais. The vertical included 10 vintages from 2010 to 2019 and clearly confirmed the promise of gamay when it’s handled critically.
Zekun picked the 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2018 as his favourite vintages, adopted by 2015, a distinctively heat, dry and early classic that enhanced the commonly austere type of Chateau du Moulin-a-Vent with a bit extra flesh and further ripeness. The one minor disappointment was the 2017, which had an excessive amount of dried leaf and sweet-sour character of the fruit.
The spotlight of the tasting was the Château du Moulin-à-Vent Les Grands Savarins 2018, a critical Beaujolais exhibiting ethereal character and complexity, with an depth and focus softened by a contact of fragrance.
