Review: Maison Wessman 2023 White Raven and 2020 Raven Blood
Review: Maison Wessman 2023 White Raven and 2020 Raven Blood
The pair of Raven wines we are trying today were made at the Maison Wessman winery in Limoux in southern France and are the result of a collaboration between winemaker Róbert Wessman and JJ Julius Son, lead singer and songwriter for the popular rock band Kaleo. Collaborations between celebrities and wineries aren’t new anymore, but a fun part of this one is the QR code on the bottles that opens a new track by Kaleo titled “One More Glass of Wine.” Interestingly, both Robert and JJ come from the same region of Iceland and their partnership explains their choice of the raven as the wine’s central motif. The raven is an important image in Norse mythology, which held sway in historic Iceland. Róbert and JJ also collaborated on two other wines, a “Hot Blood” red and white, but today we are trying just the Ravens. Details on each follow in the descriptions.
2023 Maison Wessman White Raven – 100% Chardonnay from Limoux, aged in wooden vats for 10 months. The nose is lemon and lime peel, followed by sweet pineapple and lightly buttered brioche. The palate is similar, offering lemon and lime custard pastry that has been lightly buttered. The citrus note is really enjoyable here because the lemon and lime notes can be appreciated individually yet come together into a more complex whole. The wine shows ample, flinty minerality and high acidity. I recommend pairing it with food to give the acid something to work on, perhaps chicken with a cream sauce or Pasta Carbonara. But altogether, this is a deep and distinctive chardonnay. A- / $27
2020 Maison Wessman Raven Blood – 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot from Périgord, aged in oak barrels for 10 months. Big aromas of plum and black currant meet the nose, along with a little black licorice and some baking spices. Solid notes for a Cab/Merlot blend. The palate follows suit with juicy plum and black currant hitting first, but they are held in check by the wine’s high acidity. Baking spices and some black olive come in midpalate and stay for the medium length finish. Gentle tannins provide a nice mouthfeel and a lightly drying conclusion. As with the White Raven, the high acidity suggests that this wine be paired with food, and it would pair beautifully with prime rib. For the price, this is worth seeking out. A- / $27
2020 Maison Wessman Raven Blood
USD27
