This is one of those distinctive skin contact white wines that I think I liked quite a lot. But I wasn’t totally sure. If you’ve never tried Brettanomyces in white wine, this might be a wine to check out, because I think it has quite high levels. Why wasn’t I sure about it? It’s just so extreme and full-on, a bit like a stinky cheese. Has it gone too far? Well, if you are looking for some casual sipping in front of the TV, yes. But with the right food, this could be a remarkable wine. On balance, I like my orange wines (the name for white wines fermented on their skins like red wines) with less extreme flavours, and a little more prettiness. UK agent is Les Caves de Pyrene.
La Stoppa Ageno 2009 IGT Emilia, Italy
13.5% alcohol. This is a blend of Malvasia di Candia Aromatico and Trebbiano. Orange/bronze colour. Amazing nose of tea, ripe peaches, spice and medicine. There’s lovely rich ripe peach fruit but also structure: it’s very grippy, with a phenolic TCP edge as well as floral complexity. Drying finish. Such a challenging wine, but it has lots of interest, and works best with food. Not for everyone. 91/100 (£25.99 Toast.ED, East Dulwich http://toastdulwich.co.uk/, Ottolenghi, The Arches)