29th March, 2012.

New, white wine releases from the 2011 vintage,  have now started to be released by winemakers in Malta and I am bringing to your attention some of the best wines that I have tasted to date.

Some of these wines have been fine enough to make me deeply regret that I had to spit out the samples that I was tasting, but when one is tasting a number of wines together this has to be done even if it is for mere survival. Mind you, I do reserve some bottles of wines that I approve of (not the opened ones of course) for future consumption, because although most Maltese whites are produced to be drunk young, I do prefer to give them some time to settle down before pairing them with some fine food.

2010 was a good year for grape harvests in Malta, with excellent grape yields, and some fine wines were produced from that vintage.  Some of the better Maltese 2010 wines, both red and white, are already sold out, and varietals such as the 2010 Sauvignon Blancs from leading winemakers such as Camilleri Wines and Delicata Winemaker were sold out within a few months from release.

In general the 2011 Maltese grape harvest was low yielding, but as is usually the case in these circumstances, when the volume is down the quality is up, which is always good news for the consumer. Other than a few days in mid July, where temperatures exceeded 35 C, this year’s night and daytime temperatures, during the ripening period, were relatively cooler than in recent years, resulting with this year’s Malta-grown international varieties, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon,  to be more concentrated and of better quality than last year.

I had the opportunity to be present in Gozo at the Ta’ Mena winery as well as at Delicata’s on some days during the harvest and the pressing of some wines and samples of grapes tasted showed a very high percentage of brix readings therefore a very good concentration of natural sugar content which eventually would result in exceptional alcohol content. I was in Tuscany also in September, and have seen some of the Sangiovese harvests. What I can say is, that if Maltese winemakers would concentrate more on low yields from prime vines, we would be able to produce some very fine wines indeed. I have always believed and advocated the fact that quality wine can only be produced from high quality fruit. The 2011 vintage, should produce exceptional aromatics anf flavours in the new, premium wines, both red and white. Most of the red wines are still being aged in oak or stainless steel tanks. The whites which require less oak and which most are aged for not more than six months in stainless steel and partially in oak after fermentation, have now started to be placed on the market.

I don’t like overtly oaked white wine, and the white wine samples that I have tasted and am bringing to your attention here, has had very little or no new oak intervention which would intervene between the actual fermented grape flavours and my own palate. Theses white wines shall be my favourite selections with fish, shellfish, and fresh seafood dinners, as well as with that occassional suckling pig occassion, roast chicken, even pasta and pizza for this season, especially during our hot Summer months when a chilled and excellent white wine would not only quench one’s thirsts but would also enhance any Summer meal or social occassion.

Gran Cavalier Chardonnay DOK.S Barrel fermented.
Grand Vin de Hauteville Viogner 2011 DOK.
Gran Cavalier Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Maceration Pelliculaire.
The barrel fermented Chardonnay is more full bodied than the other two and pairs well with creamy sauces on fish and seafood as well as with some meats.
These wines are to be served chilled between 10 and 12 Deg. C.

The Gran Cavalier and Grand Vin de Hauteville branded wines are Emm. Delicata Winemaker premium wines offering very good value at:
Eur12 for the Gran Cavalier Chardonnay;
Eur10.60 for the Gran Cavalier Sauvignon Blanc; and Eur8.50 for the Grand Vin de Hauteville Viogner.
Prices given here are wineshop prices and not restaurant prices which would invariably be marked-up for corkage and service.

Selection from Camilleri Wines:

Pallatino Limited Edition Viogner DOK 2011.
Pallatino Sauvignon Blanc DOK 2011.
Laurenti Vermentino-Viogner DOK.S 2011 Fermented in Oak Barriques.
Laurenti Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon DOK 2009 Oak Aged.
This last wine was released in 2011 but has only been tasted by myself now, after some more bottle aging resulting in a very smooth red.
Serving temperature for the white wines should be between 10 and 12 deg.C.
The Laurenti Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon serving temperature should be 18 deg.C.

These wines are very affordable and of very good quality and value for money at:
Eur5.25 for the Pallatino and
Eur10.75 for the Laurenti.
Prices shown are wineshop prices.