Funk


Funk for WINE DECODED refers to aromas and flavours that are a little more out there than fruit, oak, floral perfumes, earthiness and spice to name a few.
We use it in a positive light to refer to characters that add complexity, without dominating the wine and don’t sit in the mainstream array of aromas and flavours.

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Funk for WINE DECODED refers to aromas and flavours that are a little more out there than fruit, oak, florals, perfumes, earthiness and spice to name a few.

We use it in a positive light to refer to characters that add complexity, without dominating the wine and don’t sit in the mainstream array of aromas and flavours.

Characters that sit under funky include:

  • Wet wool or lanolin.
  • Wet dog.
  • Mushroom characters (not cork taints).
  • Characters from the use of solids in ferments and ageing, biscuity, cracked yeast notes and balanced complexing reduction.

We don’t use it to avoid reference to wine faults or off characters like moussiness or brettanomyces.

If a wine has those faults it won’t be on our list. If for some strange reason it is, we’ll declare it leaving no doubt that it is present.

 

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Feeling Thirsty?

Grenache from Châteauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhône

Domaine Pierre Usseglio Châteauneuf-du-Pape ‘Reserve des 2 Frères’ 2015

Half aged in new and used barriques, 25 percent in new and used demi-muids and the rest in concrete tanks. Opaque ruby. A complex, expansive bouquet evokes ripe dark berries, candied flowers, vanilla and woodsmoke, and a suave Indian spice nuance builds in the glass. Broad and seamless in the mouth, offering deeply concentrated blackberry, cherry cola and violet pastille flavors and a sweetening mocha flourish. Closes extremely long and sappy; smooth, sneaky tannins shape the lush dark fruit.

Vintage 2015
$290
$280ea in any 3+
$270ea in any 6+

Pinot Noir from Vosne-Romanée, Côte-de-Nuits

Domaine de l’Arlot Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru ‘Les Suchots’ 2023

The 2023 Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots ler Cru has a floral bouquet, with wilted rose petals infusing the vivacious red cherry/crushed strawberry fruit and just a touch of incense. Very poised, the palate is medium-bodied with smooth tannins. It is slightly ferrous toward the finish that lingers nicely. This is not a powerful Vosne-Romanée, but it will drink well for 12 to 15 years. Very fine.Neal Martin, Vinous 92-94 Points

Vintage 2023
$736
$716ea in any 3+
$696ea in any 6+
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Chardonnay from Chablis, Burgundy

Moreau-Naudet Petit Chablis 2022

Not all Petit Chablis is created equal! Moreau’s Petit Chablis comes from a single 2.5-hectare site between Courgis and Beine, just outside Chablis on the route to Auxerre. It has a southwest orientation and lies on Kimmeridgian soils (as opposed to the higher Portlandian soils on which most Petit is grown). Half of the plot is home to 25- to 30-year-old vines, while the other half is somewhat older at 45 to 50.The wine ferments spontaneously in large vats of 32 to 100 hectolitres. This re

Vintage 2022
$107
$103ea in any 3+
$99ea in any 6+
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Shiraz/Syrah from Cornas, Northern Rhône

Auguste Clape “Le Vin des Amis” 2021

Glimmering violet color. Mineral-accented dark berries and licorice on the pungent, incisive nose. Offers gently sweet blackberry, blueberry and bitter cherry flavors that show very good clarity and spicy lift. A floral note appears on the nicely tannic, persistent finish, which features resonating cherry and black pepper notes.Josh Raynolds, Vinous 90-91 PointsThe least expensive, but still ageworthy, wine is the Le Vin des Amis, a blend of young-vine Cornas and Syrah grown just sou

Vintage 2021
$108
$103ea in any 3+
$98ea in any 6+