by Mary Bailey
For drinking in winter, wines have to be more than just crisp and bright. They need to be deeper, more defined. They need to work with the richer, more elemental flavours of winter—the earthy soups and stews, the braised meats, the root vegetables, the long and slow cooked dishes. They need to have flavour. And a point of view is always nice. These wines are made from organic grapes and are easy on the budget too, another key January factor.
The Gérard Bertrand 2017 806 Corbières is lovely. The Syrah in this GSM underwent carbonic maceration before being blended with traditionally fermented Grenache and Mourvèdre, then aged in small barrique for eight months. The 806 is approachable now, with loads of red berry fruit and soft-ish tannins, elegant and harmonious with a very long finish. Wonderful balanced acidity. There is tremendous diversity in Corbières, with layers of schist, limestone and pebbles depending on the vineyard. “Corbières is often called the small Châteauneuf-du-Pape due to the pebbles,” said Nicolas Galy, Gérard Bertrand’s import director, during a Zoom tasting. The new labels in the Heritage Range reflect a date which is important to the development of each particular region, in this case, the establishment of the first vineyard at Château de Peyrepertuse in 806. Wines from the south of France are generally bargains, this is a steal for organic fruit in a wine of this calibre, around $25.
Orange wines (white wines made with extended skin contact) with their deeper, bolder flavours and subtle tannins, work so well with winter food. The 2020 Orange Gold is Gérard Bertrand’s first orange wine, made as a tribute to Georgian wine. It’s a winner. The style may have originated in Georgia but these grapes are typically south of France—Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne, Mauzac and Muscat along with Chardonnay. The Mauzac and Muscat are most prominent in the highly aromatic nose—honey, orange blossom, white flowers and white pepper—while Chard and Viognier provide depth and backbone. All organic grapes, of course. It’s also not as orange (bitter and overly acidic) as some wines in this category. It’s quite delicious! Never had an orange wine? This is a good place to start, the Orange Gold is accessible in both flavour and price, around $25.
Neleman Nucli Organic wines are made by a Dutch guy, Derrick Neleman, in Valencia, Spain. Nucli means core in Catalan—these are not complicated wines, but they are refreshing and tasty. The 2019 Nucli White is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Macabeo, trade this for your summer Sauv Blanc and have with Japanese food. The 2019 Nucli Red, a blend of Tempranillo and the less well-known Bobal, both Spanish natives. Juicy, a little bit spicy, drink slightly chilled, fantastic with charcuterie, about $22.