Mixed Bag Vol. 19
Eclectic wines, grateful hearts, and drones for defenders - a charity tasting built on generosity
By Boris · Hosted by Boris Buliga
Some tastings have a theme. Others have a vibe. This one? It's got gratitude and a bit of beautiful chaos.
The constant remains: we gather, we open bottles, we pool resources, and Mr Oleksandr turns that into drones and equipment that our defenders actually need. The maths is simple - wine in, tech out, lives protected. Everything else is just the pleasant scaffolding around that core mission.
As for the lineup - let me be honest. There's no grand narrative arc here. What there is: a fascinating accident of geography and generosity. Because here's the thing - several of these bottles were donated specifically for this cause. Massive thanks to Andrii S and Julie B, whose contribution made this tasting possible. And to Lo for hosting us - without a proper venue, we'd just be standing around someone's kitchen, which has its charm but lacks a certain gravitas.
So what are we drinking? English Chardonnay from Cambridge's only winery. Jura Savagnin that does its own peculiar thing. A powerful Friulian orange wine. Slovenian Pinot Noir. Tom Lubbe's newly renamed light red from Roussillon (RIP Brutal Rouge, long live Tommy Ferriol). Loire Chenin Blanc. And because every good story needs a proper ending - a 2000 Amarone that's been patiently waiting for exactly this kind of moment.
It's eclectic. It spans styles, regions, and philosophies. But that's sort of the point, isn't it? We take what we have, what's been generously given, and we make something meaningful happen. The wines will speak for themselves. The drones will do the rest.
Let's drink.
Il Carpino Exordium 2008
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Join to read it and the restMatassa Tommy Ferriol 2023
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Join to read it and the restPeter Lehmann Margaret Barossa Semillon 2012
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Join to read it and the restGutter&Stars Star 69 Long-player Chardonnay 2022
Hand-picked in early October from a small block of Chardonnay (clone FR155), the grapes were whole-bunch pressed and cold-settled in tank for 48 hours before being transferred to French oak barrels - ex-Burgundy, third and fourth fill.
Both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation happened simultaneously in barrel within Gutter&Stars' cool cellar, taking 48 days to complete. The barrels were topped up, and the wine matured on its gross lees without bâtonnage until September 2024, when it was blended and bottled. In total, this Chardonnay spent 23 months in oak.
Bottled on 12th September 2024, with 600 bottles produced.
Artwork: 'Blurred 260523' by Chris Wilson/Ed Wright (2024)
Wine name: Both REM and Fatboy Slim recorded tracks called Star 69. There was a English rock band in the mid-90s called Star 69. It's also the American and Canadian version of '1471' on a landline phone.
- Gutter&Stars
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Join to read it and the restDomaine de la Taille Aux Loups Venise Cuvée Parcellaire Monopole 2022
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Join to read it and the restBuronfosse L'Hopital Les 3 Savagnins Floraux 2022
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Join to read it and the restRaumland Cuvée Katharina 2019
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Join to read it and the restBurja Žorž: 2020
Unfortunately, this one was corked.
Dario Prinčič Bianco Trebež 2020
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Join to read it and the restMasi Serego Alighieri Vaio Armaron Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2000
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