We tried last night (5/8/13) Some Wines of Oliver McCrum:
1. AnnaMaria Abbona l'Alman DOC: Langhe Bianco (100% Riesling; 12.5%; www.AnnaMariaAbbona.It) Fariglianu 2010: Light
gold color; very strong mineral/Mosel valve oil that rapidly disapates to classic floral/R/pineapple steely/flinty
slight earthy almost Arneis-like very fragrant/perfumey nose; rather tart/lean steely/metallic/mineral some floral/
pineapple/R very dry somewhat tangy/grapefruit flavor; long dry/austere bright/floral/R/pineapple earthy/austere/
mineral finish; somewhat like an perfumey Arneis, some like a Mosel trocken; nice/unusual expression of R at
a good price. $20.00 (WoP)
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2. EttoreGermano Herzu DOC: Langhe (14%; www.GermanoEttore.com; RieslingRenano; www.OMWines.com) 2011: Med.light
gold color; quite floral/aromatic bit pineapple/R/mineral rather Alsace-like strongly fragrant nose; very tart/
dry/austee big floral/R/pineapple/mango some mineral/chalky fairly rich/Alsace-like slight Mosel valve oil
flavor; very long rich/R/floral/mango/pineapply slight Mosel valve oil/grassy/herbal slight mineral/chalky
finish; rather unusual R but lots of richness like an Alsace R w/o going over to the Z-H level of porkiness;
a beautiful expression of R at a more than fair price. $30.00 (WoP)
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3. Skerk Vitovska IGP: VeneziaGiulia (12.5%) Prepotto/Trieste 2010: Med.gold color; slight phenolic/cider
earthy/floral waxy/Semillon-like fragrant/perfumed talc rather complex nose; tart earthy/dusty some waxy/
Semillon-like/furniture polish some phenolic/tannic earthy flavor w/ not a lot of fruyit; long bit austere/
tannic/phenolic/cider some waxy/parafin/furniture polish slight herbal/hay mow complex finish; a rather
interesting wine that's not as tannic as some. $35.00 (WoP)
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4. Skerk Vitovska DdOC: Carso-Kras (NCeNF; 12.5%; www.Skerk.com) 2009: Med.gold color; more fragrant/perfumed
floral/carnations/spicy bit phenolic/cider slight smokey/pungent complex lovely nose; bit softer slight
smokey/charred/forest fire some waxy/floral/carnations slight phenolic/cider bit earthy/dusty flavor w/ light
tannins; very long bit floral/carnations slight phenolic/cider some earthy/dusty/waxy finish w/ light tannins;
more aromatics and less phenolic character than the '10; quite a lovely orange wine. $35.00 (WoP)
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5. Skerk Malvasia/Malvazija IGP: VeneziaGiulia (13.5%) 2010: Med.gold some cloudy color; slight phenolic/cidery quite
perfumed/Malvasia/spicy some waxy/figgy/perfumed/furniture polish bit damp leaves/damp hay slight pungent/complex
interesting nose; tart rather floral/carnations/Malvasia/muscatty slight bitter/phenolic/cidery bit perfumed/
spicy very complex flavor; very long bit phenolic/cidery/bitter somewhat perfumed/Malvasia/floral/carnations/
muscatty quite exotic/complex finish; shows the phenolic character of the other Skerks but a bit more tannic
bitterness. $40.00 (WoP)
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6. Skerk Ograde IGT: VeneziaGiulia Bianco (Vitovska/Malvasia/Sauvignon/PinotGrigio; 13.5%; 2 week skin maceration)
2009: Very orange/burnished bronze/dark gold some cloudy color; very strong phenolic/cidery slighht oxidized
very exotic waxy/parafin/floral/carnations some smokey/pungent very complex/exotic nose; tart slight phenolic/
cidery floral/carnations/orangey/orange blossoms bit waxy/parafin fairly smooth/rich/lush exotic/complex flavor
w/ light tannins; very long/lingering some cidery/phenolic some floral/carnations/waxy/parafin/orangey slight
earthy/dusty/wet hay rather smooth/lush complex finish w/ little tannins or bitterness; a stunning wine and
maybe the best (in a hedonistic sense) orange wine I've had; very exotic/complex and words don't give it
justice. $40.00 (WoP)
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7. CascinaGilli Vigna del Forno DOC: Freisa d'Asti (13.5%) GianniVergnano/Castelnuovo Don Bosco 2009: Med.color; very
fragrant/perfumed/floral/roses.lilacs bit Nebb-like slight tarry/earthy/stony nose; rather tart some floral/roses
slight tarry/earthy/stony bit coarse/rustic flavor w/ rather hard/rough tannins; long somewhat floral/lilacs/roses
slight tarry/earthy/stony bit rustic/coare finish w/ rather hard/bitey tannins; a lovely aromatic nose much like
Nebb but pretty rough/coarse/tannic on the palate. $18.00 (WoP)
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8. Cantina del Pino RenatoVacca DOC: Langhe Freisa (12.5%; EB; Sparkling) Barbaresco 2006: Med.color w/ slight
bricking; very fragrant/perfumed rather floral/lilacs bit tarry/licorice/Nebb-like slight soda pop/Lambrusco-like
nose; some frizzante/fizzy dry/austere/tannic light floral/rose/lilacs rather coarse/earthy bit soda-poppy
flavor; med.short some floral/rose/lilacs slight tarry/earthy/coarse rather austere/tannic/bitey finish; a bit
like Lambrusco but rather hard/bitey/coarse tannins; lovely nose but hurts on the palate. $19.00 (BWM)
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9. GeorgMumelter Isarcus IGT: Weinberg Dolomiten (14.5%; Vernatsch/Schiava + Lagrein) Rentsch/Bozen 2011: Med.light
color; rather earthy/dusty quite fragrant/cherry/PN-like/spicy quite aromatic nose; fairly tart rather earthy/
dusty some cherry/PN-like/floral light tannic very attractive flavor; very long earthy/dusty some PN-like/cherry/
perfumed/herbal/thyme finish w/ some light/hard tannins; needs several yrs; rather classic AltoAdige terroir-
driven Schiava; quite an interesting Schiava and more richness than most. $30.00 (WoP)
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10. Skerk Teran DOC: Carso-Kras (12.5%) 2009: Very dark color; very strong Refosk/black cherry/bing cherry/plummy/
boysenberry/spicy some licorice/pungent bit earthy/dusty beautiful/exotic nose much like a Vasciola; very sour/
hard/tannic intense blacl/bing cherry/Refosco light pungent/licorice/earthy beautiful flavor w/ rather fierce
tannins; very long intense black/bing cherry/plummy/boysenberry light earthy/pungent finish w/ hard/feirce
tannins; badly needs some age to soften the tannins; quite exotic some like a Visciola, much like a Refosk;
beautiful nose but a bit painful on the palate; harder than any Tazzalenghes I've had; will be interesting
to see how this evolves. $40.00 (WoP)
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11. TenuteSella DOC: Bramaterra (13.0%; Nebbiolo 70%/Croatina 20%/Vespolina 10%) Lessona 2008: Med.light color
w/ no bricking; strong lovely Nebb/floral/lilacs/roses slight tarry/pungent/earthy quite aromatic nose; tart
bit hard/tannic/lean very floral/lilacs/violets/roses slight earthy/pungent/tarry more elegant/lighter quite
fragrant flavor; long rather hard/tannic quite aromatic/floral/lilacs/roses/violets/Nebb slight earthy/tarry
finish w/ pretty hard/rough tannins; bit lighter & more elegant than the Lessona. $38.00 (WoP)
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12. TenuteSella DOC: Lessona (13%; 80% Nebbiolo/20% Vespolina) 2007: Med.light color w/ no bricking; beautiful
fragrant/perfumed Nebb/floral/lilacs/violets/black cherry bit pungent/licorice/tarry/dusty/earthy quite
aromatic nose; bit softer/richer/lusher strong Nebb/floral/lilacs/violets light pungent/tarry/licorice/dusty
flavor w/ some hard/scratchy tannins; very long some rich/lush strong Nebb/floral/violets light tarry/dusty/
licorice finish w/ some hard/bitey tannins; lots like the Bramaterra but a bit more aromatic and a bit
softer/lusher on the palate; needs age yet but a lovely expression of Nebb. $40.00 (WoP)
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A the usual pedantic musings from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. OliverMcCrum is an importer of Italian wines whom I've known for some 10-12 yrs. His wines used to be
distributed here in NM, but the distributor dropped them several yrs ago. Big mistake on their part.
When they first came here, Oliver poured them at one of the SantaFe W&C Fiesta events. I'd already had
some e-mail exchanges because I was very impressed by his Dolcetto di Dogliani, so we met at SageBakehouse
for coffee. The following night, we had dinner at TrattoriNostrani, where we were both subjected to this
rude & abusive treatment, from a restrauter who is well-known for such.
Since then, we've gotten together often when I go out to the BayArea, often over lunch w/ SteveEdmunds
out on the deck at BayWolf. A few months ago, Oliver brought in the wines of SandiSkerk, in the Karst region
of Slovenia. I dearly wanted to try these wines, as I'm a big fan of Slovene wines. So I asked Oliver if I could
put together a mixed case from his portfolio for my group to try. BrianGoehry of WinesOnPiedmont, one of my
favorite BayArea wine shops, took care of all the paperwork & shipped them off to me.
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2. Skerk: Sandi's WebSite (www.Skerk.com) has some beautiful pics of his operation....but precious little in
technical details. Oliver has a Site (www.omwines.com/OMWINES/Skerk_files/Skerkpdf.pdf) that provides much
more in the way of information. Sandi makes wine by "natural" winemaking techniques, whatever you choose
that to mean. For his whites, he makes them w/ extended skin contact ("orange" wines made in a reductive
manner). He feels the tannins from the skins allows him to use much lower, if any, added SO2.
Across the board, I thought the Skerk orange wines were some of the best of that genre that I've had.
Though they all four had a distinct phenolic/cidery character; on the palate they were not nearly as
tannic/bitey as many orange wines and the seemed to have more aromatics than most. The Ograde was one of
the most exotic orange wines I've had..very good stuff.
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3. Teran: I was very puzzled by the use of this name on the Skerk label. Terrano, somewhow related to the
Refosco/Refosk family, is the correct name for the variety in Slovenia. Teran is the name for that variety in
Croatia. In fact, the Slovenes have filed a complaint with the EEC against the use of the name Teran on
Croatian labels (how the heck can a varietal name by confiscated by a region...unless you're Prosecco??) and,
apparently the the Brussels bureaucrats meekly went along.
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4. Isarcus: This wine is, presumably, mostly SchiavaGrossa. I didn't get a lot of Lagrein (Teroldego X ??) plummy
character that I get usually from that variety, but I think it might have given it some richness I don't usually
get from straight Schiava. Pretty classic AltoAdige rustic/earthy/dusty character. Not quite sure why this
has a IGT Dolomites rather than an AltoAdige DOC. I also like his Santa Maddalena quite a bit. Good producer.
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5. Piemonte Riesling: Now why the heck would anyone go planting Riesling in the Piemonte?? Why spend $30+ for an
Italian Riesling when you can get a good BlueNun Liebfraumilch for $8.99?? Whatsa matter w/ good Cortese??
Is nothing sacred anymore?? TFIC.
The answer is...because it tastes good. I believe G.D.Vajra was the first to plant Riesling (Renano...Rhein
Riesling) in the Piemonte when he fell in love w/ it in Alsace and brought back cuttings. The Vajra LangheBianco
(not labeled as Riesling) is quite a nice wine. The only one I'd ever tried before these two. The Germano I
was mightly impressed with...rather Alsatian in style (but not of the Z-H style) in that it had a richness
that I associate w/ Alsace.
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6. Freisa: This is a variety found primarily in the Piemonte and a Nebbiolo X ?? cross, the other parent probably
being extinct. It is much more common in the AltoPiemonte, especially in the vicinity of Torino and near the Alps,
where its resistance to disease and poor growing conditions makes it favored. It is oftentimes made as a frizzante
wine, oft w/ a little bit of RS. RandallGrahm once had Freisa planted in his Soledad vnyd and made a wonderful
sparkling version. Alas, he pulled those vines. It's a variety, like Brachetto, that can show wonderful aromatics...
not too different from Nebbiolo. We need more of this planted in Calif. I liked the aromatics on these two
Freisas (Freisi???), but found them pretty hard/tannic on the palate. Not sure what age will do for either.
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7. Vitovska: This is a variety apparently indigenous to Friuli/Slovenia. It is a cross of Prosecco Tondo X
Malvasia Bianca Lunga. These two are about the 5 & 6'th Vitovskas I've had. Only one (Primosic) has been
made in a conventional/non-skin-contact style. It had very attractive aromatics a bit like a Riesling. All
the rest have been skin contact wines...which destroys the varietal character...at least as I recognize it.
So I guess I don't really know what Vitovska really is.
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8. OrangeWines: This is a genre that continues to perplex and intrigue me. "Orange" wines are not a well-defined
category in my mind. They are usually white/gris grapes that are given some degree of skin contact during
fermentation. For the gris grapes (like PinotGrigio/GWT/Ribolla/etc), this usually gives the wine some degree
of orange color. After fermmentation, the orange wine can be made in an oxidative or a reductive style, again
to varying degrees. Those made in an oxidative style (Radikon/Gravnner/Cornelissen/etc) tend to have a murky/
brownish color not unlike Madeira/Sherry.
Most of the ones I've been trying (the others are frightfully expensive..so I try them only occasionally)
are like the Skerks; made in a reductive style. A few observations: The use of (extended) skin maceration
during fermentation seems to give the wines a distinct character that I can only describe as "phenolic". It
seems to most resemble apple cider w/o the apple aroma. It also seems to pretty much obliterate varietal
character. At least any varietal character as I recognize it. In the four Skerks, I really had to struggle
to pick up that Muscat/Malvasia perfume in that wine. In some cases, it can give the wine a pretty hard/bitey
tannic edge on the palate. It's always weird to taste a white wine and find it tannic as hell. These four
Skerks did not have a particularly strong tannic character on the palate to me. For these wines, it is
important to serve them at a cool room temperature to ameliorate that tannic bite.
I'm not sure what role these orange wines play in the wine world. When we taste them in my group, they
often draw a pretty mixed reaction.."interesting", "exotic", "weird" is the common remark. But they don't
seemed to be particularly jazzed by them or feel compelled to buy any. So the wines are "interesting" to taste;
buut I find them much more pleasurable when I'm having them w/ food. I had the leftover Skerks over a period of
several days w/ a variety of foods and enjoyed them a lot. I really liked them w/ a simple arugula salad w/
a pretty assertive blue chees dressing.
Most of the orange wines I've had have been from Friuli/Slovenia. Not had any from France yet. There is
apparently a German winemaker experimenting w/ the technique. I've had a number from Calif I've liked quite
a lot. The CowanCllrs Isa, made from LakeCnty SauvBlanc is one of the best. Others include ForlornHope GWT,
Ryme Ribolla, Ambyth GrenacheBlanc, ChanningDaughters (Clones/Ramato/Meditazione). Probably a few I'm
forgetting.
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9. NCeNF: Unfined/Unfiltered
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10. TenuteSella: This was my first experience w/ the these wines. I was quite favorably impressed. I think that many/
most of the Nebbiolos from the AltoPiemontte are way more interesting than those from Barolo/Barbaresco.
Gattinara/Carema/Bramaterra/Lessona/Coste della Sesia...these folks really know what to do w/ Nebbiolo...namely..
blend it w/ Vespolina/Croatian/UvaRara. Blending Nebbiolo is abhorrent to the B/B purists. Sometimes the purists
are wrong.
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11. Ograde: This is the Slovene name for the limestone rock walls that surround some of the vnyds to thwart the
marauding local horses & cows from damaging the vnyds. SandiSkerk has one of those vnyds on his property.
Tom