Wine with Leslie: What defines a modern wine? Learning from the classics

All that is old is now new in the world of wine

Fri, 11 Apr, 2025 - 02:00

Leslie Williams

Who doesn't want to be modern? I may dress in a traditional fashion (tailored jackets, overcoats and the occasional fedora), but I would hate to be thought old-fashioned, so I add colour when I can.

I do love a glass of claret with my Sunday roast, but in a wine bar I’m far more likely to order organic, no-added-sulphur zweiglet or nero d’Avola. I promise that this is not to be “down with the kids”, I just find these wines work better in social situations and for my digestion.

So what defines a modern wine? Well, oddly enough it means going back to basics and eschewing many 20th-century innovations.

A “modern” wine is a bit of a paradox; probably fermented in big old barrels, ancient clay amphora, in concrete (invented 1824), or perhaps in a modern concrete egg (where the shape aids in flavour extraction). The winemaker most likely picked by hand, farmed organically or biodynamically, and used minimum intervention winemaking, maybe just a touch of sulphur at bottling to keep the wine free from bacteria.

All that is old is now new in the world of wine, do keep up!

The wine suggestions below have what I consider modern flavours. Just one is organic, but all three focus on unadorned fruit with little artifice. A lively Austrian red and white and a fruity German pinot noir that offers Burgundian deliciousness at half the price.

Martin and Ulli Diwald’s Grüner Veltliner has appeared here before but not their Zweigelt. A visit to their website at weingut-diwald.at will gladden your heart. The worms under the soil are as important to the Diwalds as the grapes on the vines above.

I had hoped to mention the wines of similarly brilliant Dorli Muhr this week, but I’m waiting until she has a few more stockists — do watch out for her stunning Blaufränkisch in the meantime.

Martin Wassmer Spätburgunder, Baden, Germany €20-21

Anyone tired of overpriced Burgundy needs this Pinot Noir in their life. Baden is the most southerly and warmest of Germany’s wine regions and the best wines can rival village Burgundy.

This is unoaked and brisk and fruity on the palate with some earth tones and pleasing linear freshness mingling with supple blackberry and dark cherry. Complexity well beyond its price.

1601 Kinsale; O’Donovans; Vintry; Jus de Vine; Redmonds; BlackrockCellar.com

Rabl Grüner Veltliner Löss, Kamptal, Austria €14.95

Reduced from €19 in O’Brien’s Easter reductions, which are worth checking out (e.g. Frank Phelan for €35).

From a family run estate in Kamptal, north west of Vienna, along the Kamp river, which flows into the Danube.

Classic white pepper and lime aromas, taut and very dry on the palate with a pleasing citrus freshness and lingering green fruit acidity.

O’Briens; obrienswines.ie

Diwald Zweigelt, Wagram, Austria €20

Diwald have been organic since 1976 and were in the vanguard in Austria — they deserve more fame.

They have a stunning orange wine (Zündstoff), and pristine Grüner Veltliner and Rieslings but I’ve not mentioned their Zweigelt before. Minimum intervention but pristine and packed with crushed berry fruits, juicy and lively, and with fleshy vibrant freshness.

O’Donovans; Urru; Wunderkaffe; Organico; Little Green Grocer; Olive Branch; Bubble Brothers - bubblebrothers.ie; Vintry

Beer of the week: Hopfully Kickback Extra Pale Ale, 4.3% ABV, 440ml, €3.65

Waterford-based Hopfully never disappoint. This breezy fresh extra pale ale been out for a while but not featured here before.

Pouring very pale as you might expect, clean and light, but with apricot notes and lively citrus freshness from simcoe, centennial, and cascade hops. Perfect for spring or early summer days. It’s also gluten-free.