Across my table in the last month
What Wine Director Peter Mitchell is drinking this month
June has a way of slowing things down. The evenings stretch out, meals linger a little longer, and there is more time to sit with what is in the glass, which is as good a reason as any to make sure it is worth sitting with.
This month we have been drawn to a German Riesling that sits at that perfect point between ripeness and acidity, the kind of wine that works as well with food as it does without it. Alongside it, a Langhe Rossese Bianco from the hills of Barolo, a variety that doesn't get nearly enough attention and rewards those who seek it out with something genuinely distinctive. From the Rhône we have two; a white that is all freshness and texture, and a red that is earthy and generous in the way that good Côtes du Rhône always is. Further north in Italy, a Pinot Nero that has the delicacy the variety demands in the right hands. And rounding things off, a red from Priorat, a region that produces wines of real concentration and character, and one that always justifies the attention.
2024 Brauneberger Riesling, Gunther Steinmetz
German Rieslings remain some of the finest value wines, full of complexity, intensity and so wonderfully refreshing, coupled with generally moderate alcohol. This dry style packs serious punch with notes of white peach, green apple and slate, mouthwatering acidity and a lovely hint of sweetness. Hugely versatile at the table, it also makes one of the best sundowner aperetifs.
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2022 Langhe Rossese Bianco, Amalia Cascina
Made from the super-rare Rossese di Monforte grape, found only in one village in Barolo and made by perhaps 5 estates, this has beautiful floral and peach fruits backed by subtle oak spices. Similar to Chardonnay in texture and body, but with greater aromatics and a distinct citrus flower note, this is a beautiful medium bodied wine.
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2021 Côtes du Rhône Blanc Inopia, Mounir Saouma
Not your average Côtes du Rhône, Inopia is a highly acclaimed wine and outperforms many a white Châteauneuf du Pape. Complex and rich with a fabulous texture, this is full of peach, lemon, jasmine and bruised apple, complemented by subtle oak notes and a slightly smoky finish. With a freshness and lift not readily associated with whites from the southern Rhône, this is a masterpiece.
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2024 A la Rêverie Cotes du Rhone Rouge, Chateau de Montfrin
This organic estate in the southern Rhône consistently produces some of the most joyful wines and I find myself baffled that wine from this sun kissed corner of France has fallen somewhat from fashion.. Laden with summer berry fruits and backed by a hint of spice, this is juicy and gentle and just made for grilled or barbecued food – it can even be lightly chilled if the weather demands.
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2022 Rocafosca, Costers del Priorat
Priorat, an hour from Barcelona, is one of the most unique and unforgiving places to make wine. The landscape here feels like it has been folded on itself, with precipitous slopes of crumbling slate and deep ravines, with the hilltops nestling a handful of tiny villages. Windswept and very dry, ancient bush vines cling to the hillsides and produce small bunches of some of the most extraordinary grapes. This is not a cheap or easy place to produce wine, but the results are powerful, intense and yet have amazing balance and freshness to them. The Rocafosca is crafted from ancient Grenache and Carignan vines in a 15th century Carthusian farmhouse and is a perfect introduction to this, perhaps Spain’s most exciting wine region.
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2021 Glen Pinot Nero, Castelfeder
Alpine Alto-Adige, in the North of Italy, is renowned for its bright and fresh white wines, but it is also home to some fabulous reds, that blend intense fruit with a ballerina’s elegance. Fruitier than red Burgundy, but with an elegance and lightness of touch often sadly lacking in many New World Pinots, these are fabulous wines to enjoy in the warmer months.
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