Happy Valentine’s Day. Would you like a unique, and sort of romantic, wild Aussie wine today, then?
I preface that rhetorical question with another one. Do you like the oxidative, flor-aged ‘sous voile’ white wines of the Jura? I like ’em, but they’re simultaneously amazing and incredibly difficult things that I don’t always love drinking (although I’ve just bought more Vin Jaune, so who am I). Crucially, this is a wine style that doesn’t taste like fruit, with a mishmash of wild richness, angular edges and weird flavours. Wines that you’re hardly going to empty bottles of in your trackies on a Wednesday in front of NCIS. But the complexity and the profound taste journeys are also addictive (hence why they’re super hyped) and a worthy wine endeavour, especially for dumb wine nerds like me.
Clearly, the Crittenden family have gone down this road enough to continue their own take on that Jura road with this Crittenden Cri de Couer Savagnin Sous Voile 2019, the latest attempt at a flor-aged Savagnin, and it’s nothing if not involving.
Crafted from Mornington Peninsula Savagnin grapes, this sits somewhere between the ‘sous voile’ wines and Vin Jaune. It spends four years untopped in barrel, under flor, with no S02 and no adds. It’s a recipe that cuts no corners, which is even more heartwarming – a put-it-all-on-the-line wine rather than just a fuck around with half-measure winemaking.
It’s golden, nutty, warm, honeyed and smooth, an aldehydic ride of mothballs and buttery caramel flavour. A Comte wine, which is right and good. The acid feels low, which tends to rob it of a bit of energy and dial up the thickness, although, again, that’s part of the schtick (even if Jura styles benefit from more acidity). Importantly, this has charisma, vinous integrity, and a special feel.
I dip my lid, even though I still don’t think I could drink much.
- Best drinking: now or in decades to come. No need to wait though
- Score (out of 20): 18
- Score (out of 100): 93
- Alcohol %: 15
- RRP (in $AUD): 95
- Winery website: https://www.crittendenwines.com.au/
- Would I buy it?: a glass is enough
THE VERDICT
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4 Comments
Good timing, just put a Lethbridge Between Five Bells Yellow in the fridge this morning. Have you tried the Savagnin from Soumah?
Have the Soumah Savagnin to go soon
Always struggled with the Crittenden expression and have tried a few vintages. Just screams grappa vibes at me tbh.
Ever checked out the Brash Higgins Bloom Andrew? Probably the first wine that made me appreciate how this style can work well. Worked for sure but delicious and complex too.
Not had a Bloom since the first one (which was interesting but not wildly convincing). Soumah next on the list!