- Adelaide Hills, SA - $22 (500ml)
- Cork (Diam)
- 14.0%alc
There's been a lot of discussion surrounding 'natural' wines lately, from both positive and not so positive standpoints. If I must draw a personal criticism of both Jauma and Domaine Lucci's current offerings, then it's with the 500ml bottles used for their whites. Yes, the long, narrow bottles are aesthetically spectacular, but I'd hate to see the trend of downsizing catch on. It's a drinker's thing.
Before anyone gets too excited, let it be known grauburgunder is a German synonym for pinot gris. Jauma's 2010 immediately reflects this, with its pale-bronze appearance indicating skin contact, but its aroma, devoid of basic pears, apples or citrus, is something else. It's somewhat sweet yet bright smelling, revealing an unusual, essentially nail polish remover-like scent, which, optimistically, might tip towards a more agreeable honeyed sweetness. In the mouth it straddles a fine line between rich and zippy, yet is neither one nor the other, as its ill-defined palate is hurried along by a punchy sweetness, before ending with a loose formation of bitter, crunchy green apple-like acids and a note of varnish.
X I'd say there's something not quite right here - one for the chemical analysis course perhaps? It's more funky than complex. Honestly, I would've preferred a straight and simple, cleanly flavoured gris or grigio style. Drink now.
83 points
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI've only tried 3 of the reds, they are interesting and thought provoking, beautifully packaged, but ultimately I remain unconvinced.
Ed,
ReplyDeleteUnconvinced sums it up pretty well for me here as well.
There's an optimistic voice inside me saying that this might've been a bad bottle, or a one off, but as I'm not familiar with the label and/or its actual style when it comes to whites, I won't be parting with my cash again to find out.
Nail polish remover = ethyl acetate = wine fault. Therein lies the problem. Ethyl acetate is caused by acetobacter and other bacteria, all of which are typically killed by a little sulphur.
ReplyDeleteI can hack a little ethyl acetate in natural wines, heck I sort of expect a little bit of it really, but that still doesn't excuse what is still a wine fault....
Thanks AG, I'd say you're right :)
ReplyDeleteAs you say a little bit can be okay but this was just poking its head out too much to be of any genuine satisfaction. Having said that, we did manage to finish the (small) bottle off (no mean feat at my place), so it could've been worse.
I think it's ironic that for all its 'natural' ambitions and 'minimal' sulphur additions, this wine seems to of come out being a poster child for why sulphur in wine is important.
I do have a new respect for the DL/Lucy Margaux pinots I've enjoyed now though :)
Cheers,
Chris P