Let’s go ‘Crazy’!
Ningxia winery Kanaan presented six vintages of “Crazy Fang“, its top label, in Beijing this week.
That included the 2019, 2018, 2016, 2013, 2012 and 2011 vintages, the last originally bottled as “Black Beauty” before being rebranded.
Crazy Fang doubles as the nickname of Kanaan owner Wang Fang, who returned to Germany from Ningxia some 15 years ago and launched the winery. Her father was already well-known as a co-founder of neighboring winery Helan Qingxue.
That German connection matters given Fang was determined to make Riesling in Ningxia. I was surprised at how well the 2014 was drinking yesterday, with fresh ripe apple character and tingly acidity plus a lingering tart finish with a touch of white pepper.
The main focus of yesterday’s tasting, co-organized by ASC Fine Wines, was those reds. Fang and educator Xing Wei presented the wines, made by Zhou Shuzhen, who has been with Kanaan since the start and making wine in Ningxia for over 30 years.
My favorite was the 2011, which still has vibrancy, with a pleasant sense of fruit sweetness and chewy tannins. There is some pronounced oak influence, quite common with wines of that time.
A key issue is vintage variation. This can be tricky in Ningxia if you do not have the full context. For example, Fang says 2011 and 2012 used fruit from the vineyards of what is now known as Legacy Peak, which planted in 1997, a project in which Fang’s father was involved. Kanaan’s own plantings came online in 2013.
That 2013 is more playful and delicate than the 2011 and 2012. And the three most recent vintages were juicier and more complex. The 2016, for example, was floral (roses) and fruity (hawthorn and dark cherry) with menthol, baking spices and vanilla notes. A vibrant wine with a lingering finish offering hints of chocolate.
Making things more fun, part of the event was done as a blind tasting. And everyone got a small platter of snacks with which to test pairings–or simply enjoy them with the wine.
For more about Kanaan, check out this Q&8 with Wang Fang and this post about winemaker Zhou Shuzhen.
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