Red fizz and Riesling

S

Saina Nieminen

Saina Nieminen
For our NY fizz this year I opened up a Čotar Črna Penina klasična metoda ekstra brut 2006 which is a sparkling red wine from Teran (Refosco). It was closed with a crown cork and is unfiltered and undisgorged. Opening it was a bit scary because there is some sort of capsule that shoots out after the crown top is opened (can someone explain how this method differs from more conventional disgorgement methods? - I am a bit shaky on this sort of technical aspects). But we managed it without any eye-injuries and without too much of the wine being wasted.

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The wine, as expected from Čotar, was wonderful. It had earthy aromas, lactic/sour, tangy. Just 11,5% abv yet wonderfully deep aromas and well structured. It was very much like the still Teran I recently wrote about: very dry, very acidic yet not hardcore or difficult despite being out of the mainstream. Lovely wine.

A.J. Adam Dhron Hofberg Riesling Kabinett 2009 - Mosel; 8% abv; 65 g/l RS; 9,8 g/l acidity
Delicious. I am afraid of these riper years, but even I have to admit that this was pretty special. Slight tropical/passionfruit aromas and Spätlese+ weight hint at a hot year, but otherwise it is delightfully mineral, acidic, lively, light and sweet. An antidepressant if down; will cause bouts of giddy happiness if not.
 
The Čotar Črna Penina klasična metoda ekstra (love that it's "extra", not just regular) sounds like a great wine to keep around for backup when the sparkling Shiraz runs out.

-Eden (as if it would ever run out)
 
Eden, I've never had a good Sparkling Shiraz - are there any made? But the ekstra refers to the brut certainly, not the klasična metoda.
 
Otto...is it a Methode Ancestrale-type process?

Usually cool ferments until the alcohol hits around 6 degrees, light filtration leaving most of the active yeast in the wine....the wine is then bottled and the secondary fermentation kicks off before finishing around 7-8% alcohol....no disgorgement.

The only thing I can think of is the liner in the crowm seal was loose?? and came flying out with the change of pressure at opening.

Crown seals work well (and are the most sensible) seal for this type of wine....I spent half the day yesterday disgorging a sparkling shiraz and we sealed it using a crown seal.
 
Dave, no, it wasn't a fault with the crown cap; it was the "bidule", a device for trapping the sediment of secondary fermentation, that shot out. It was meant to do so.
 
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