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Editorial By
Susan Hulme MW
 Welcome
to my 2nd edition as editor of the AWE newsletter. I hope you enjoyed
reading the last issue and will like this one even more. This has been a
busy few months for the AWE in what is normally a fairly quiet time,
what with Charles Metcalfe’s New Wave Portuguese tasting at our AGM, two
Spring trips to Champagne, a June trip to Bordeaux and the Brian Croser
and Anakena seminars in July. For those of you who couldn’t attend as
well as a useful reminder to those who did, most of these events are
covered in this issue of the newsletter.
There was also a CWW educational visit, a
WSET trip to Rioja/Navarra and the opening of a new Wine Centre and
Science Facility at Plumpton College (one of our two key corporate
members), all of which are reported on in this newsletter.
Aside from that, I am very keen to
encourage as many members as possible to contribute to the newsletter as
I believe we have a wealth of talent and abilities among our membership
which sometimes goes unappreciated. With that in mind I have asked Paul
Howard, one of our newer members, to take on the role of sub-editor.
I would also like our readers to have the
chance to get to know our members better and to find out about the many
different and diverse activities we get involved in. We therefore have a
feature by one of our long-standing members, Brian Wheaton MW, in which
he talks about the work he does running tastings on cruise ships. We
also have a fascinating insight into the en primeur tastings and
a typical week’s work for our new Honorary Secretary Richard Bampfield
MW.
I want to encourage as many members as
possible to write for the newsletter and in this issue we have Isabelle
Legeron (writing for the newsletter for the first time) reporting on the
Brian Croser seminar and Christopher Fielden, long-standing member and
chairman of the Circle of Wine Writers, commenting on the Chilean
seminar. We also have a wide range of articles from our more regular
contributors. This issue has a good cross-section of the membership
represented and I look forward to including contributions from many more
of you in the future.
All in all, I hope we have something for
everyone, something educational, something entertaining and something
stimulating to read until the next November issue.
PS. A huge thank-you to all those who have contributed some excellent
photographs; they help to bring the new e-newsletter format to life.
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Chairman’s Column By
Susan Hulme MW
Alcohol
- A Burning Issue
Shortly after becoming chairman of the AWE
in 2005, I went to assess a potential new member. The assessment went
well, but towards the end one or two members of the very lively group
were becoming a bit rowdy, making it difficult to hear the speaker. They
had clearly enjoyed the wines a little too much! After a discussion with
our membership secretary, we tightened up the assessment procedure so
that it included a section on displaying a responsible attitude towards
alcohol.
I was keen that potential new members made
sure the alcoholic strengths of wines were included on the tasting
sheets, that sufficient spittoons were available and that correctly
sized samples were poured. I am sure most of us do this automatically
but for someone less experienced it can sometimes get overlooked.
I remember at the time, one or two members
pulled my leg about my seeming obsession with specifying alcohol levels
on tasting sheets, but as wine professionals and experts, one of the
things we can offer,as well as our skills as presenters, over and above
the non-professional wine educator is a responsible attitude towards
consuming alcohol. Yes, we want our customers and groups to enjoy
themselves and we cannot dictate to them what they do, but I feel it is
part of our duty to encourage them to taste responsibly and to know the
difference between tasting and drinking.
If we are shown to be highly responsible
and effective in this respect, there will be even more reason for
generic organisations to chose the AWE’s professional educators to
promote their wines rather than recruiting well-meaning amateurs as with
the recent Beaujolais/WI initiative.
Furthermore, the government may be more
likely to look favourably on the idea that wine education does not need
to be a licensed activity if we are already self-policing.
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Sub-editor's column by
Paul Howard
 Welcome
to the 20th issue of AWE Inspiring News. Having proof-read the previous
issue for the first time I found the new electronic format a breath of
fresh air. For me the ability to include colour and photography adds a
whole new dimension and brings sheer readability - I hope everybody
looks forward to AWE Inspiring News landing in their in-box and then
reads it cover-to-cover!
The electronic format also means that
distribution to a wider audience is easier too, so raising the
visibility of the AWE and wine education in general, something that
seems sorely needed given the recent absence of a wine education
category from the Harpers Most Inspiring list, but I digress…
Another great
advantage is that it gives all of us as contributors more freedom to
express and share the sheer joie de vivre of communicating about
wine, whether that’s with a great article, a report on an AWE trip or an
AWEsome wine – so keep them coming.
As for my role as
sub-editor, my guess is that it’s about facilitating your contributions.
Yes, I’m here to express my pedantic gene by spotting typos, errors of
grammar and to boldy go where no cliché has been before. But just as I
believe the best wines are always unfined and unfiltered, my editorial
style is to encourage individuality and diversity - within the bounds of
good taste and the law.
I’ve been a member of the AWE now for a
couple of years or so, but living ‘oop north’ has meant that I
haven’t met fellow AWE members as frequently as I’d like. So doing this
job is also a chance for me to say hello and I hope I’ll meet more AWE
members over the months ahead. If you’re still wondering who I am look
me up on
www.wineducators.com, or
(shameless plug) take a look at my website
www.winealchemy.com – ideal to
pass a rainy day. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy reading this issue of AWE
Inspiring News as much as I’ve enjoyed tinkering with it.
Until the November
issue then,
Paul
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AWEsome News
Charles Metcalfe's Portuguese
Wine lecture by
John Ducker
A chance to sample ‘new wave’ Portuguese wines on Portuguese soil in the
very heart of Belgravia shouldn’t readily be passed up, with our AWE AGM
taking place in the Portuguese Embassy (see right for photos). We were
privileged not only to lunch with the Ambassador and with Antonio Silva,
head of ICEP, but also to taste some the fruits of our honorary
President’s year-long research for his new book ( The Wine & Food
Lover’s Guide to Portugal). Charles Metcalfe and Kathryn McWhirter’s new
‘magnum opus’ promises to take in not only the latest developments in
the country’s wine production but also some very important related
issues covering Portuguese gastronomy and tourism, their
researches having taken them across not only more familiar ‘wine
educator’ territory but as far afield as the volcanic (but surprisingly
lush) Azores, and the hinterland of Portugal’s ‘wild and woolly’ east:
Beira Interior.
Diversity
The aim of the tasting was to reveal
something of the extraordinary diversity of the Portuguese wine palette
under a new regime of growers and winemakers whose vision for their
country’s wine has been enhanced by a welcome chance to travel far and
wide whilst not losing sight of their rich cultural heritage.
Charles’ exciting
selection took us effectively from the Douro and back again to the
Douro. First, a trio of sparklers was led by a high-altitude Douro
white based principally on old vines of Gouveio, given 48 months
lees-ageing plus a smidgen of oak from old burgundy barrels, right
through to an impressive climax eight wines later: the third release of
‘Vinha Maria Teresa’ ’03 from Quinta do Crasto– founded on a classic
jumble of port grapes from vineyards originally planted in 1906 and
aged 20 months in new oak. This was a deeply fruited and developed
wine which, though speaking of heat, had expertly-judged balance and a
wild and wonderful palette of savoury flavours.
Back to the
sparklers, and top quality Portuguese tastings seem almost incomplete
without a wine from Luís Pato. His classy Espumante Baga rosé
admitted a touch of Maria Gomes and had both a charming rose petal nose
and an attractive appearance which we were told might have been the
result of a mix, rather than pure saignée elaboration. Away
from Bairrada, beyond the granite foothills of the Estrela mountains we
were introduced to a more fully-fleshed sparkling creation from the Baga
grape: a vibrantly deep-coloured ripely red wine from João Carvalho, his
Quinta dos Termos Baga Espumante in which the palate revealed not only
the naturally high acidity of the varietal but also some ripe tannins on
the finish. Not perhaps a wine for all tastes and occasions, but
noteworthy nonetheless.
It is probably
not for me to declare a favourite, but I think many of our company were
surprised to taste a wine from the Vinho Verde D.O. that completely
belied its origins: the low-yielding 100% Alvarinho ‘Deu de la Deu’ from
the co-operative at Monção. Here a typically citrussy nose
led to a subtle granite minerality on the palate underpinning the wine’s
‘shape’, but offering also an astonishing softness and silkiness.
Great poise in the glass. A blind wine to tease the palates of MW exam
candidates, perhaps? The dish of mariscos awaits!
Another face of Portugal beckoned in the Reserve
Antão Vaz ’05 from Paulo Laureano Vinus from Evora in central
Alentejo. Evora (and northwards) offers more altitude
than the baked open spaces towards the region’s south, with welcome
cooler conditions too – an attraction for growers like Richard Mayson,
no doubt, whose estate lies nearer Portalegre. Here,
however, a gently golden wine offered a nose and taste possibly
too much at the mercy of its barrel maturation. Well
structured on the palate nonetheless and, as Charles assures us, in a
style the locals prefer to drink…. I can certainly imagine it in the
context of a dish of leitão – roast sucking pig.
IVV Website
Even as a non-Portuguese speaker myself I have now
had a chance to follow up Charles’ valuable suggestion of accessing the
encyclopaedic IVV website (Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho) produced by
the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture. It offers the most
up-to-date and detailed information on every aspect of the country’s
wine production and is an extremely useful tool for educators like
ourselves. Certainly worth a try.
Notwithstanding Sir Cliff Richard’s operation ‘down
south’ let alone David Baverstock’s earlier pioneering work locally, the
Algarve might not seem promising territory for wines of great quality,
however we were assured that maritime influences come into play as far
as 50km inland, beyond which it is really scorching.
Evidence of this fact was in the glass in the pure primary fruit of the
Barranco Longo Rosé from Rui Virginia. A 50/50
Touriga/Aragonez blend which showed good fresh acidity and which had
initially had the benefit of a 48 hour pre-fermentation soak.
 The
scent of raspberries and smoke or wood ash came to mind when tasting the
Tinto ’03 from the famous Quinta do Covela Escolha which, of
course, is right up at the northern end of Portugal in Vinho Verde
territory, although the breadth of the blend: Touriga/Cab.
Sauv/Merlot/Syrah finds it under the banner of a Minho vinho regional
rather than a V.V. Elsewhere (back in the Bairrada again) a blend
principally of Touriga, Castelão Frances and Cabernet from Manuel dos
Santos Campolargo revealed the relative relaxation in the local
restrictions on cépages - not a berry of Baga in sight, and with
the ripe black fruit element of Touriga shining through. We also had
evidence of some welcome family continuity with a wine from Mateus
Nicolau de Almeida, grandson of Fernando Nicolau de Almeida,
legendary founder of Barca Velha, whose Muxagat Tinto ’04 hails from the
less schistous vineyards of the Douro Superior. A multi-cépage of
deeply rooted old vines was led by Touriga Nacional with Touriga Franca,
Tinta Cão and Tinto Roriz in attendance.
So much for the dutiful ‘list’ of wines and first
impressions – but having been excited by my own AWE visit to Portugal a
few years ago – together with more recent personal trips - I have
confirmation aplenty from this revelatory tasting that Portuguese wine
is now offering even more exceptional quality alongside its amazing
variety – and I have little doubt that the Association looks forward
keenly to the publication of Charles Metcalfe’s book in September 2007.
© John Ducker 2007
With grateful thanks to the Portuguese
Ambassador, all those involved at ICEP and Charles Metcalfe.
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View from bottom of room
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AWE members listening to Charles
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Milling around at the embassy
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L-R: Lindsay, David & Richard
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L-R: Jayne, Andrew & Susan
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L-R: Kevin, Alison, Andrea & Wink
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L-R: John & Brett
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L-R: The Ambassador, Carol & Brian
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Lunch at the embassy
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CIVC Champagne Trips
CIVC Presentations,
Champagne Vilmart, Champagne Veuve Clicquot
Ponsardin,
Champagne Raymond Boulard,
Champagne Jacquesson, Champagne
Doquet-Jeanmaire, Champagne Bollinger,
Champagne Veuve Fourny et Fils,
Champagne Alfred Gratien
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Thursday, 12th April, 2007 - Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de
Champagne (CIVC) présentations by
Gilbert Winfield,
David Morgan and
Gareth Morgan.
L’interprofession champenoise, presented by Philippe Wibrotte.
By Gilbert Winfield &
David Morgan
This was the first of
the morning presentations by the CIVC, based in Épernay. The CIVC was
formed in 1941 by merging together two separate associations that had
each represented the Champagne growers and the Champagne houses. The
CIVC is a joint trade association representing the common interests of
growers and houses. To ensure the interests of growers and houses are
equally represented, there are two Co-Chairmen, one a grower, the other
from a house. The CIVC is funded by membership fees from individual
growers, houses and co-operatives rather than by the State, although it
is ultimately State-regulated by the Ministère d’Agriculture.
There are some 15,000
growers and they own 90% of the vineyards. 10,000 sell their grapes on
to the houses, while 5,000 make their own wine and are responsible for
20% of Champagne sales. The holdings are typically small and fragmented.
As 50% of growers own less than one hectare each, they are colloquially
known as “the gardeners of the vines”. There are also 150 co-ops, 60 of
which operate their own labels and overall represent 10% of champagne
shipments. The houses meanwhile may only own 10% of the vines, but they
account for 90% of exports and two-thirds of all sales. The largest
house is Moët et Chandon, with over 1,000 ha of vineyards.
 The
responsibilities of the CIVC are wide ranging. They include regulation,
the dissemination of data, research, and communication. It also has 14
hectares of experimental vineyards, 36 meteorological stations,
oenological laboratories, and 45 technicians in full-time employment
providing technical advice, maintaining quality standards and testing.
A major CIVC role is
also the generic promotion of Champagne around the world, and it has 13
bureaus established in order to do this. “The defence of the
Appellation” is also an important part of this, particularly given
Champagne’s reputation as a luxury brand. We saw details of high profile
court cases the CIVC have successfully fought over the years against
fraud and misuse of the name ‘Champagne’. These included Elderflower
Champagne, Champagne perfume, Champagne cigarettes and Champagne bubble
bath! With the emerging markets of China, India and Russia, the battle
goes on, with between 250 and 400 cases per year!
L’environnement, presented
by Cédric Georget/ Arnaud Descotes. By
Gilbert Winfield &
David Morgan
Cédric Georget was a bundle of enthusiasm!
He took us through a chronological report of what had been planned to
lessen the impact of Champagne production on the environment, and some
fascinating insights were gained.
First, we were
reminded that Champagne is a northern vineyard, which lends itself with
difficulty to organic viticulture. In 2001 a proposal for ‘viticulture
raisonnée’ was circulated to members, but this was voluntary, and
not audited. A telling statistic is that only 130 hectares in the whole
Champagne region are currently certified organic, which is just 0.4% of
the vineyard! It was only from 2003, however, that herbicides were
forbidden. In addition the use of chemicals and fertilisers has now been
reduced by 50%.
The CIVC (along with
the growers, houses and the co-operatives) have established
environmental goals around reducing the impact of Champagne on the
environment. They have chosen five categories to work on:
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Protection of the vignoble
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Preservation of the soil
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Management and recycling of water
waste
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Effects of carbon emissions
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Disposal of waste products such as
corks and cartons.
The overall
impression was that there has been considerable of analysis and planning
undertaken and it is hoped that this will lead to significant
environmental results. All attendees found this a fascinating lecture.
© Gilbert Winfield /
David Morgan 2007
Oenology, presented by Michel
Valade. By
Gareth Morgan.
The third of the CIVC presentations was on
the subject of Oxygen and Champagne. This was a marvellous
opportunity to have such an in-depth technical presentation from someone
who is clearly at the forefront of oenological research. Michel Valade
is Head of Oenological and Technical Services at the CIVC.
There are several
stages at which oxygen can enter Champagne after the first fermentation
is complete:
-
during secondary fermentation and
storage sur lattes
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at dégorgement
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Following final bottling and
subsequent storage before consumption.
In research terms,
little can be done about the final stage, because of the diversity of
storage and shipping conditions. But whilst intuitively one would expect
that dégorgement
would present the greatest risk for oxidation, this is not always the
case. Oxidation at dégorgement
can be limited by various technical methods and the use of SO2. However
during sur lattes, no crown cap is 100% impermeable, and because
this lasts for several years even minute levels of gas exchange between
the bottle contents and the surrounding air can be considerable. The
CIVC has been running experiments with different types of crown cap,
drawing on similar work by beer producers. They confirmed that the least
amount of oxidation arises with synthetic lined crown caps.
Michel Valade then
spoke briefly about further CIVC research on the use of wood for the
first fermentation. As in other wine regions, fermentation in wood
raises two issues. Firstly there is the effect of wood aromas entering
the wine and secondly there is micro-oxygenation through the pores of
the wooden vessel. Moreover, wood can be used for various elements in
Champagne production - for the initial fermentation of the main cuvée;
for the reserve wines; or for the liqueur de tirage.
 Dégustation,
hosted by Philippe Wibrotte (12th April) and Violaine Privé (19th
April). By Gareth Morgan.
The final element of the CIVC
presentations was a blind tasting of six Champagnes in rapid succession,
designed to illustrate a range of key styles. A full page technical
sheet was provided on each wine at the end.
The first wine was a
100% Chardonnay 1999 vintage, 50% vinified in oak from Duval-Leroy.
Next was another 100% Chardonnay from ungrafted vines also vinified in
oak, this time from Tarlant (A specific lieu-dit,
Les Sables in the Vallée du Marne). Although a non-vintage blend,
80% was from the 1999 vintage – but being NV this had been disgorged two
years earlier than the Duval-Leroy.
The third wine was a
100% Pinot Meunier, 2004 - a grower’s champagne from José Michel &
Fils
at Bouzy. This was followed by a 100% Pinot Noir by Nicholas Feuillatte
– a “monocru” champagne produced solely from Verzenay, the most
northerly Grand Cru on the Montagne de Reims. For me this had
superb depth and structure.
Fifth was a blended
Rosé – 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay from
Bruno Paillard – where interestingly the Pinot Noir had been used
in three ways – partly as a white wine, partly fermented as a Rosé, and
partly as a traditional red introduced at the blending stage. I recorded
the final colour as being on the boundaries of strawberry and orange.
Finally we tasted a 100% Pinot Noir Rosé
made by a short maceration from Drappier. This is sometimes
called a Rosé de saignée but we were reminded that strictly the
saignée method refers to a rosé wine made by bleeding a vat of red
wine to give greater concentration – which is not normally done in
Champagne as very little red wine is produced. This was produced from a
single parcel of vines “monocru et monoparcel” called Val de
Demoiselles.
Philippe Wibrotte commented that whereas
Champagne has traditionally been a blend, some growers were discovering
the value of single cru wines. There were good arguments for both
approaches.
Although this tasting was slightly
constrained because we had asked so many questions during the preceding
talks, I found it a superb introduction to some of the interesting
styles of champagne which top producers are developing.
Photo and text © Gareth Morgan 2007
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Thursday, 12th April 2007 -
Champagne Vilmart, Rilly-la-Montagne by
Lena Inger
 For
me, one of the highlights of the trip was our visit to Champagne Vilmart
in Rilly- la-Montagne. Although I had visited this house several times
before, I was eager for my AWE colleagues to see it and appreciate its
high standard. Vilmart own 11 ha of Premier Cru vineyard in and around
Rilly, in the foothills of the Montagne de Reims. We were welcomed by
the present owner, Laurent Champs.
It was Laurent’s grandfather, Renan
Vilmart, who first established the reputation of the estate. Renan’s
daughter, Nicole, married one of her father’s vineyard workers, René
Champs, and together they totally changed the nature of Champagne
Vilmart by beginning to ferment and age the wines in oak (something that
was then rare in Champagne).
Laurent took over in 1990, and introduced
the practice of ageing the top
cuvées in new oak. Since then, his continuing record of producing
top-flight RM Champagnes has won him the highest respect both at home
and abroad. Tom Stephenson has written, “Vilmart is the greatest
grower in Champagne I know” and “the Vilmart range begins at
brilliant and just keeps getting better”.
The vineyards are planted with 60%
Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir and 3% Pinot Meunier, all cultivated
organically. There is careful picking and selection followed by pressing
in a very old and beautifully maintained wooden press. There is a
24-hour natural débourbage in small (30hl) vats. The fermentation
is in pièces bourguignonnes (225l barriques) for the very top
cuvées, with the rest fermented in large (50hl) oak foudres.
Fermentation lasts 8-10 days, with light bâtonnage for the
pièces. The wines then mature in oak from October to July, and
during that time there is a blending of the grape varieties in January,
and an assemblage of the different cuvées in May.
Laurent holds back 50% of a récolte
for future years (it used to be a third) and keeps 2 or 3 years stock as
reserve wines for the non-vintage blends.
The prise de mousse begins at end
of June/beginning of July, and the wines remain on their lees: 2-3 years
in the case of the non-vintage; 5-6 years for the vintage cuvées.
Before remuage,there is a ‘poignotage’,
a hand-shaking of the bottles to circulate the dead yeasts. The
remuage itself is in a metal cage or basket - like a gyropalette,
but operated manually - in other words, hand-cranked. This might seem a
bit primitive, but is actually very simple and effective, and there are
no ‘electrics’ to go wrong. After dégorgement, the
dosage used across the range is 8-12 g/l.
At this point, I have to confess that I
failed to make notes on all the Champagnes we tasted. I blame this
dereliction of duty on my realisation that I did not have the vocabulary
to do them justice - I would simply be repeating words like ‘marvellous’
and ‘sublime’.
But I can say that all the wines we
tasted were text-book examples of ‘finesse’ and ‘elegance’,
particularly the Chardonnay-dominated cuvées such as the
Grand Cellier (70%) and the Grand Cellier d’Or (80%). Most
impressive of all was the Coeur de Cuvée 1999 (80%
Chardonnay, disgorged May 2006). This showed power along with
elegance, the complex flavours exploding on the mid-palate and
continuing through on the finish. It is drinking well now, but the
complexity and the finesse ensure that it will continue to develop.
Laurent Champs is a modest man, but with
a very proper pride in his product. A good grower to visit, he
communicates a passion for excellence which is heart-warming and to
which his Champagnes bear witness.
© Lena Inger 2007
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Thursday, 12th April 2007 -
Champagne Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Reims by
Lindsay Oram
Our last visit of the day was to one of
the Champagne houses of the LVMH stable. This was a very orange
visit - chairs, the cellar door, the cellar tiles and even the pansies
in the garden carrying the distinctive orange colour of the Veuve
Clicquot Ponsardin label. You certainly get the idea that money is not
short here, they even have their own traffic light controlled pedestrian
crossing on the road linking the office to the cellar.
We all know the
history of the widow Clicquot, which confirms, yet again, the strong
influence of women in Champagne, but perhaps it is less well known that
in her day the finished product contained 200 g/l residual sugar, and it
was apparently the British that have influenced the move to drier
styles.
So, a few basics. 30% of the grapes come
from their own vineyards, chaptalisation is required to get the base
wine to 10% abv, the first fermentation is in stainless steel and all
wines go through malolactic fermentation. The non-vintage is a blend of
up to 250 wines including 30% reserve wines, (which are kept on fine
lees) of up to 8 years old. They are then sealed with a silicone lined
crown cap and stored in the cellars at 80% humidity for 3 years.
We then tasted base
wines from the 2006 vintage with winemaker and tasting panel member
François Chirumberro. The Pinot Meunier Saint Thierry
was an explosion of fleshy fruit but short on the finish. The Pinot Noir
Bouzy Grand Cru was mineral and much longer whilst the Chardonnay
Villers Marmery Premier Cru had a lighter texture with good
persistence and length. When we went on to taste reserve wines from 2002
and 2000 it was fascinating to see how they had lost their raw edge,
becoming more honeyed and oily and with a drop in perceived acidity.
Then it was on to an excellent dinner
including crayfish, foie gras and duck matched with magnums of 1988,
then 1985 Rosé, (which was incredibly youthful), finishing with our
first Demi-Sec. This proved again what an excellent match Champagne and
food can be.
© Lindsay Oram 2007
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Friday 13th April, 2007 -
Champagne Raymond Boulard, Cauroy les Hermonville by
Vivienne Franks
Our first visit of the day was to meet
Francis Boulard, fifth generation Récoltant-Manipulant of the
family business, which started in 1792. Following our arrival, Francis
apologized for the fact that his daughter Delphine was unable to welcome
us, as she was currently on maternity leave as a result of the recent
birth of a seventh generation family member.
Sadly for us and Francis, our tight
schedule did not afford us time to visit any of the Raymond Boulard
vineyards. Francis has 10.25 hectares spread around the region:
-
Marne (Marne Valley) - 4.45 ha,
comprising 75% Pinot Meunier, 20% Pinot Noir and 5% Chardonnay
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Aisne (Marne Valley) – 1 ha,
comprising 75% Pinot Meunier and 25% Pinot Noir
-
Mailly-Champagne Grand Cru (Montagne
de Reims) - 1.65 ha, comprising 85% Pinot Noir and 15%
Chardonnay
-
Vesle
Valley (Saint Thierry Massif) - 3.15 ha, comprising 60%
Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier
2 ha are currently biodynamic and all
fruit is vinified separately. The winery contains a mix of oak
barrels and stainless steel tanks; the vins clairs sit
alongside reserve wines. Assemblage is completed during the month of
February. In 2006 Francis produced 94,520 bottles, of which 60% was
exported. Francis said that during harvest, fruit is pressed at
night. The fermentation is critical, and he feels like a doctor who
visits his patients on a daily ward round to check on his barrels’
health and progress.
Unfortunately we had to rush our tasting,
starting with the
Cuvée Reserve Brut NV, a blend of 50% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot
Noir and 20% Chardonnay. This was a very classic toasty, aromatic and
citrus-styled champagne. Our next wine was the Cuvée Reserve Brut
Nature NV, the same blend but with no dosage, which demonstrated
fresher, crisper and mineral notes. We then tried a pair of Blanc de
Blancs with and without dosage, and again we noted discernable
differences between the two styles.
The most interesting wine for me (in fact
I bought a bottle, carried it home and drank it shortly after my
return) was the Cuvée Petraea XCVII -MMIII
(1997– 2003). This wine is named after the oak Quercus
Petraea. The wine is aged in oak in a Solera-style method;
vintages 97, 98, and 99 were vinified separately in oak and the
blend was 20% Pinot Meunier, 60% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay.
After those initial years, in each subsequent year 25% is drawn off
and bottled, and then the barrels are filled with new wines from the
latest harvest. The wine is rich yet elegant with a lovely honeyed
complexity and beautiful balance.
We then tasted the 2002 Vintage, 20%
Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot noir and 50% Chardonnay, still very young
and crisp, followed by the 2001 Les Rachais, a biodynamic
Blanc de Blancs. This latter wine is vinified in small barrels,
the wine spends over 3 years on the lees and there is no fining or
filtering. This is a most unusual wine. Only 2,600 bottles were
produced and it has incredible chalky minerality on the nose and
palate. One for keeping!
Sadly our time was up and we continued on
to Champagne Jacquesson…
© Vivienne Franks 2007
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Friday 13th April, 2007
- Champagne Jacquesson, Dizy by
Martin Ward
The final visit of our brief sojourn in
the Champagne region was to the house of Jacquesson. Founded by the
Jacquesson family, the house itself dates back to 1798 although
today it is owned by the Chiquet brothers, Laurent and Jean-Hervé.
We were hosted by the determined figure
of Jean-Hervé Chiquet, who is something of a maverick and an
outspoken critic of some of the activities and recent developments
in Champagne.
Describing themselves as ‘a large
grower rather than small house’ they produce 350,000 bottles
from 42 ha of vines – 31 ha of which they own. The grapes come from
six villages, including three rated Premier Cru, and the ‘buying in’
is only from neighbours in the villages where Jacquesson have vines.
Cordon pruning is employed in the vineyards and buds are suppressed
to reduce foliage, increase ventilation and prevent rot. 12 tonnes
per ha is usually achieved.
The winery is fitted with stunning and
atmospheric old presses but unusually they are square shaped. Today,
they are linked to a tailored computer programme to control the
pressing. The taille is sold off along with the first 50
litres of the free run juice. Two-thirds of the wine is oak vinified
and, until last year’s harvest, no filtration had been made since
1999.
Another unique factor at Jacquesson is
that they do not produce a ‘Non-Vintage’ per se. Instead they
use the cuvée numbers of their wines as the ‘NV’ equivalent.
The tasting comprised:
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Cuvée 734 (a pre-bottle sample)
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Cuvée 732 (a pre-release, 2004
based wine)
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Cuvée 731 (a pre-release, 2003
based wine)
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Avize Grand Cru 1997
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Dizy Corne Bautray 2000
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Dizy Rosé Terres Rouges
The Rosé is their first ever made by the
saignée method, with 100% Pinot Meunier.
Personally, I found some of these wines
quite hard to understand at first taste. I would suggest they need
time to develop and are also a ‘taste to acquire’.
My thanks go to Jean-Hervé for the
excellent tasting and the paysan lunch that followed.
© Martin Ward 2007
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Thursday 19th April,
2007
- Champagne Doquet-Jeanmaire, Vertus by
Patricia Green
After a morning in the CIVC classroom it
was good to get out into the vineyards at our first producer visit.
We arrived in the fortified town of Vertus (rated Premier Cru).
This is Chardonnay country though only since the end of the 19th
century. Previously the area was 80% planted with Pinot Noir but
this changed as higher prices were paid for Chardonnay, especially
close to Le Mesnil Grand Cru, where Pascal Doquet’s great
grandfather once owned vines.
Domaine Doquet
owns 3.5 ha and leases a further 6.5 ha. Next year this will be reduced
to 8ha as leasing is prohibitively expensive. During this trip we
were constantly reminded of the extraordinary cost of vineyard land
in Champagne – €1 million per hectare! Even though the CIVC no
longer set the price for grapes, the difference in cost between
premium quality and the cheapest grapes is only around €1. This
surprises all of us – it seems hardly any incentive to strive for
excellence!
Pascal Doquet, who in looks reminded me of
the rather dashing actor Robert Powell, joined us on the bus for a short
ride to some of his vineyards, where he explained his conversion to
sustainable viticulture (agriculture raisonnée), an approach that
had also been discussed in detail at the CIVC that morning.
Pascal contrasted his own biologique
(organically grown) vines to his neighbours who have not adopted the
same philosophy. This adjacent vineyard was strewn with the Déchets
de Paris – rubbish comprising of glass, plastic and cardboard from
Paris and elsewhere, though this practice is now outlawed. Here the
ground was also very hard and compacted. Another neighbouring vineyard
was growing grass between rows to prevent erosion and applies limited
treatments.
In contrast,
Pascal’s vineyard was rich in cover crops including grass and wild
garlic, and much less compacted and with a more open texture. He
mentioned that his neighbour’s vines are approximately two weeks in
advance of an average year and three weeks ahead of last year. In
contrast, his vines were noticeably less developed. This is due to his
philosophy of late winter pruning of the last remaining cane in
mid-April to guard against early frost attack.
Although Pascal practices sustainable
methods, the neighbours do not. His vines could be contaminated during
spraying that takes place without negotiation or agreement - a potential
concern for someone who takes such great care with his vines.
Back at the cave we enjoyed a tasting of
selected of
vins clairs. This was much more enjoyable than anticipated and
was followed by a tasting of selected finished wines.
Pascal encourages malolactic fermentation,
lees contact and vinifies one third of his wine in wood, even
experimenting with new oak. He uses a mix of 225 and 300 litre casks,
but would prefer to use 3,000 litre foudres if he could afford them!
We tasted both a
vin clair and a non-vintage Champagne from the middle slope of his
biologique vineyard – the latter being one of my favourites. The
vin clair showed ripe white fruits, fresh lemon and grapefruit, was
intense and persistent with high but not aggressive acidity, and no oak.
Tasting the finished vintage and non-vintage wines it was evident (as I
have always believed) that Chardonnay dominated Champagnes do need more
time to evolve.
One of my favourites was the non-vintage
Vertus Premier Cru. All that hard work in the vineyard is paying
off – this had great intensity and minerality (that seems to be typical
of Vertus) and it was well-balanced. It tastes good now but will be
great in a few years time.
Unfortunately for us Champagne Doquet is
not yet available in the UK, despite a number of his wines having won
awards at the International Wine Challenge – the certificates are
proudly displayed at the cave.
© Patricia Green 2007
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Daniel Lorson (CIVC). © Brett Jones 2007
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Champagne Doquet-Jeanmaire. © Brett Jones 2007
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Doquet-Jeanmaire - soils recovering. © Alison Moller 2007
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Thursday 19th April, 2007 -
Champagne Bollinger, Aÿ by
Wink Lorch
 Bollinger
are generous hosts. Indeed, at our dinner in the late Madame Lily
Bollinger’s own home, host and roving Bollinger PR man Christian Dennis
said that he regularly hosted three dinners a week there! If he was
bored, it certainly didn’t show and the food for me was the best we had
on the trip. And not just because of the AWE-inspiring experience of
eating in that house and drinking those
Champagnes. But, I’m starting at the end, not at the beginning.
Christian Dennis has
worked in the Champagne business for 25 years. The last five have been
at Bollinger, the ten before at Roederer and before that Veuve Clicquot.
He shared many insightful, educational, and amusing stories with us. For
more detail, readers should consult Susan Hulme’s Bollinger report in
AWE Inspiring News July 2006. While not attempting to duplicate
that, one of the first things that Christian pointed out that does bear
repeating was the fact that Bollinger owns vineyards that supply 70% of
its needs.
These vineyards
include the famous tiny plots of pre-phylloxera vines that we were able
to admire. A few unusual facts about these ancient plants: the grapes
were once used to make table wines for the family before Madame
Bollinger decided to make something better with them; only six people
are allowed to work on them (the work is hard so they don’t fight over
it); the vines look young because of the renewal system of growing,
still practiced as it was in the 19th Century, the root system is
estimated to be about 250 years old.
Whilst on the subject
of Bollinger vines, a new development is a demonstration mini-vineyard,
created close to the old vines in the garden of the main house. This
includes past and present varieties used in Champagne, with oddities
including Petit Meslier, Arbane, Pinot Tenturier and Gamay.
Walking through Aÿ it
is clear that Bollinger dominates the village, even though there are
several other important Houses there. Today 130 people work at
Bollinger, but years ago there were 300 employees and a much smaller
production than today. This just goes to show how mechanisation has
changed much, even at a traditional House.
In a couple of
Bollinger buildings, we visited a fascinating museum and then went down
to the barrel room, dubbed by Christian as ‘the heart of the winery’.
Bollinger is the largest user of barrels in Champagne with over 3,000,
and is the only House employing their own Cooper. We admired the layers
of barrels, each one marked with the provenance of the wine, such as Aÿ,
Mareuil and Bouzy. Then we went on to the bottle cellar, to see row upon
row of reserve wines stored in magnums – most impressive. Brett Jones,
as the last to leave the bottle cellar, was charged with closing and
locking the door behind us, saving the AWE from being potentially
responsible for the theft of 11 million bottles.
It was just warm
enough to enjoy a drink of the
Special Cuvée in the pretty garden, and then it was into the
house for dinner, which started with foie gras. Grilled turbot
followed, accompanied by a wonderful construction of macaroni stuffed
with morel mushrooms and a walnut jus. Amazingly this dish went superbly
well with the delicate Grande Année 1999. The mouth-filling
1996 RD followed with cheese – very dry with less than 4 g/l
dosage, disgorged last December. We just kept going back to these
last two gorgeous wines with the apple and tarragon dessert.
On arrival a few
hours earlier, Christian Dennis emphasised two things that made
Bollinger different. Firstly, as described above, the vineyard holdings.
Secondly Bollinger’s relationship with Mentzendorff, (the UK agent), has
now been established for 150 years and hence Bollinger is most highly
rated in the UK. In contrast, UK agency relationships with Champagne
Houses last on average 20 years.
I loved this Champagne before I arrived,
and like so many, revered and quoted the late Madame Lily Bollinger many
times. With this, my first visit to the House plus a wonderful dinner, I
was comblée, as the French like to say. Bowled over is perhaps
the closest translation. I would certainly be happy to continue a
relationship with Bollinger for 150 years if I could.
© Wink Lorch 2007
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Restaurant Le Théâtre, Epernay. © Brett Jones 2007
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Bollinger. © Brett Jones 2007
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Bollinger © Wink Lorch 2007
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Bollinger. © Brett Jones 2007
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Bollinger dinner. © Brett Jones 2007
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Chaude Terres © Alison Moller 2007
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Bollinger © Wink Lorch 2007
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Bollinger © Wink Lorch 2007
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Bollinger. © Brett Jones 2007
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Clos St-Jacques © Alison Moller 2007
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Bollinger cooperage © Alison Moller 2007
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Friday 20th April , 2007 -
Champagne Veuve Fourny et Fils, Vertus by
Brett Jones &
Alison Moller
 
We left after
breakfast on a bright Friday morning to travel again to Vertus and were
met by one of the fils of Veuve Fourny, Charles-Henry Fourny. He
welcomed us in excellent English, with a fine rendition of a northern
English accent and took us straight to the vineyard adjoining the house.
Enclosed by a wall it is called the Clos du Faubourg Notre-Dame because
there used to be an Abbey on the site. “Faubourg” means “outside the
town”.
Charles and his
brother Emmanuel are the fifth generation of the Fourny family to be
involved in wine. Veuve was added to the name because their
widowed mother (Monique) ran the business alone for 15 years until she
was joined by her sons after they had completed their wine studies. This
small Champagne house is run with style and panache - which shows in the
quality of their wines. It was a pleasure to visit and enjoy the
sincerity and eagerness of these hard-working, hospitable brothers.
In the Clos with its backdrop of Vertus
vineyards, Charles emphasised the importance of soils. Having tried
organic wine growing they now practice their own version of lutte
raisonnée. They studied their soils - 8 ha of their Premier Cru
Vertus vineyards plus a further 6 ha, much owned by cousins, from
which they source their grapes. This identified 40 different plots,
ranging from deep chalk in the subsoil (at les Fournis) to very
light topsoil with chalk close to the surface (at
les Barrylliers). Atop the slopes near the woods there is more
clay.
 Because
Monique was so busy running the vineyards most of the vines, planted in
1951, were never replaced. This has proved to be advantageous as they
are now very mature, providing complexity. The vineyards are on slopes
facing SE for Chardonnay and SSE and East for Pinot Noir. These
differences in soil, slope and aspect provide a terrific portfolio from
which to make their wines.
The chai is just down the road from
the house as the cellar under the house is very small. Inside is their
pressoir, only two years old. Settling of the must is then carried
out in small 50 hl tanks, part-filled to only 15 hl, giving better
sedimentation. After a cool fermentation weight is given to the wine by
leaving it on its lees.
Half the wine is destined for Vintage
Champagne, of which 20-30% is then aged in oak barrels. Already used,
these barrels are sourced from Michelot in Burgundy and are kept a
further ten years. Bâtonnage is usually carried out, although the
super-ripe 2003 vintage was an exception to this.
Charles and Emmanuel are experimenting
with using cork instead of crown caps for this fermentation. So far the
results show that maturation is faster for the first five years before
slowing and falling behind. They are also experimenting with
conglomerate corks. This is partly because they have had some problems
with anisole taint and partly also to monitor different oxidation rates.
Annual production is
140,000 bottles. Disgorging and bottling are both done by hiring a
mobile degorgement and bottling machine as the small quantities
produced doesn’t merit ownership The dosage is made from grape
concentrate rather than sugar as fructose is more powerful than sucrose
- less is used as a result.
Tasting Notes - Alison
Moller
A personal favourite was the Grand
Réserve with 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. A classic Champagne
nose with a rounded palate, possibly due to the high percentage of
Reserve wine (40%-50%).
Perhaps the most
interesting wine was one from the family’s personal cellar made by
Monique. A pure Chardonnay, Blanc de Blancs 1989
has no oak influence; it had been disgorged by hand only an hour before
we arrived so had no dosage. It was fantastically long with a developed
toasty nose and a really honeyed palate – goes well with truffles.
Tasting
Notes - Brett Jones
Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV.
Zero dosage. Gorgeous pear nose, dry with fine elegant concentration.
Where are the oysters?
Blanc de Blancs
Brut Vintage 2000: Made with Chardonnay grown in les Barrylliers
and disgorged in January 2007 (three months previously). Bright
redcurrants on the nose with a hint of brioche and a fine mousse. Dry
with a good balancing acidity, well rounded in the mouth and a long
finish.
Cuvée R Extra Brut NV: This
prestige cuvée is a blend of 95% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Meunier,
grown in the Clos Notre-Dame vineyard and made in honour of their
father, Roger. Golden yellow in colour with a bouquet of biscuity, nutty
fruit. Dry with a delicious acidity and very voluptuous in the mouth. A
delightful wine.© Brett Jones /
Alison Moller 2007
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Charles Fourny. © Brett Jones 2007
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Veuve Fourny. © Brett Jones 2007
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Fourny Clos Notre-Dame and Côte de Blancs. © Alison Moller 2007
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Sexual confusion © Alison Moller 2007
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Veuve Fourny. © Brett Jones 2007
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Friday 20th April , 2007
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Champagne Alfred Gratien, Épernay by
Christos Ioannou
The house of Alfred Gratien, which was
founded in 1864, carries huge respect amongst champagne aficionados,
not least because they have supplied the Wine Society for 100 years!
So it was astonishing to learn that their total production in 2007
will be a mere 300,000 bottles. As this is a tiny fraction of what
some of the well known big brands produce, we knew that there had to
be something rather special to account for their reputation.
The current winemaker Nicolas Jaeger, who
took over the reigns this year when his father finally retired, is the
third generation of winemakers. Having spent 15 years learning the
ropes, Nicolas is now in the proud position to carry on the long
traditions handed down to him. He explained that there are a number of
factors which make Alfred Gratien special:
All of the wines we tasted had
freshness, elegance and subtlety. For me the most impressive by far
was the Vintage 1996. My notes read “A rich nose of nuts, custard
creams and brioche; on the palate dry, wonderful balance, lovely
finesse but at the same time powerful, perfectly integrated and very
long. Really fabulous”.
Alfred Gratien was recently bought by a
large German sparkling wine producer, hence there was some concern
amongst the family that this would mean a shift in philosophy. But to
date it would seem that the new owners have had the sense to appreciate
the value of the jewel that they now possess. And so Nicolas Jaeger and
his staff are able to continue making Champagne to the same high
standards that their forefathers would have wanted and connoisseurs can
continue to appreciate the unique qualities of Alfred Gratien
Champagnes.
© Christos Ioannou 2007
The AWE is extremely grateful to the CIVC and Peretti Communications
for their support and organisation of these very worthwhile trips.
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Alfred Gratien - débourbage and chaptalisation tanks © Alison Moller 2007
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Alfred Gratien - sugar solution for 2nd fermentation © Alison Moller 2007
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Alfred Gratien - sugar solution for 2nd fermentation © Alison Moller 2007
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Nicolas Jaeger (Alfred Gratien) & Christos. © Brett Jones 2007
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Life on the Ocean Wave by
Brian Wheaton MW
Running a series of wine talks on a cruise
liner starts when your agent tells you that you’ve got the job – often
the year before. The first thing to do is to send him (and your contact
in Head Office) a list of what you are going to talk about, which must
of course relate to where the ship is actually going! This may sound
obvious, but shipping lines sometimes change their routes and forget to
tell the wretched speakers, so it pays to be on their regular mailing
list as well.
A change of course
Only last year, I got a polite reminder
before one voyage that I had to stick to countries on the ship’s
schedule, which happened to be ports in the Western Med., starting at
Barcelona and including several up the western coast of Italy. This
puzzled and annoyed me, as I knew that I had sent in a short list of
talks weeks ago which covered these very places. Soon afterwards, the
latest brochure came through, and surprise, surprise – we were also
calling in at Carthage in North Africa, then Sardinia, Corsica and Monte
Carlo as well!! Apparently, we were picking up a very large French
contingent who had their own lecturer, and who had insisted on changes
to the programme. In the event, all was well, as they had also insisted
on free red and white wine for every lunch and dinner, and this included
everybody else too – so the Brits were well content, having free
Châteauneuf du Pape and Muscatel for a solid fortnight. As for me, like
all of us in the AWE I had lectures to cover virtually every country, so
I simply ‘shuffled the pack’, not forgetting to add in a couple of extra
talks (which the Company asks for anyway) in case I had to cover for
another speaker who for various reasons couldn’t appear on that
particular day – the most common reason being ‘mal de mer.’
Introductions
 When
you actually board the ship, you find a letter in your cabin, inviting
you to have drinks and meet all the other entertainers, and specifically
to meet the most important person on board, from your point of view, the
Cruise Director. He (or very often these days, she) will tell you what
days and times you will have to appear, what the form is regarding
tastings (some shipping lines charge for tastings, others don’t), and
introduce you to the stage manager and the stage engineer. He will also
introduce you to the head wine waiter, who will also double as
cellarman. This vital person will also produce as many glasses as you
want (I normally settle for two, as passengers generally aren’t used to
tastings) and also provide pouring staff – very necessary when, as is
the norm, you are only allotted three quarters of an hour to put
everything across, and then have to make way for line-dancing or
whatever.
Back to basics
Audience numbers vary, but 50 to 60 is
about usual. The level of knowledge is generally very low, so the thing
to do is to confine the talk to basics (always remembering that what is
basic to you isn’t necessarily basic to a layman), keep it light, and
work in as many personal experiences as possible. People also like to
feel that they are in on the ground floor of something (eg: North
American Pinot Noir, or the growing popularity of wines from La Mancha),
and they also, of course, like to know what you would recommend from the
ship’s wine list. You must be capable of using either a hand
microphone or a head-mike, as you will normally be videoed to appear
later in the evening on the ship’s TV channel. This is for the benefit
of those interested passengers who couldn’t make it to your particular
talk, often again because of sea-sickness, and who can watch you again
in the privacy of their own cabins.
I have found, incidentally, that if the
ship is moving about a bit (as it generally does when crossing the Bay
of Biscay, for example), it pays to wear rubber-soled shoes whilst
performing – I still have vivid memories of our last trip, when we woke
up to 16-foot waves (according to the Captain, not me) thumping against
our cabin portholes in great walls of dark green, and later that morning
I found myself clutching the lectern for support as the two of us slid
gracefully across the dance floor, not once, but several times. Oh, well
– it was certainly different.
Events are well publicised in the ship’s
daily newspaper, so everybody knows when you are ‘on’, and there is
never a problem finding an interested audience. The thing to remember is
to entertain first, and instruct second, and always have notes ready for
distribution immediately after your talk. I take mine on a memory stick,
and simply plug it in to one of the ship’s computers. Everything is
PowerPoint these days, as we all know, but I never forget that I am on a
ship, and that things can and do go wrong. Accordingly, I always take
acetates as back-up.
The perks of the job
Finally, as a lecturer you are given
senior status, an outside cabin, various other perks (including a
discount on drinks and purchases from the shops on board), and some
shipping lines even throw in a few free trips ashore – although I always
make a point of going on any tour that includes a visit to a winery, as
people do ask questions. I don’t get paid, but food and accommodation
are free, and I can, and always do, take my wife with me as well. We’ve
seen some wonderful places, and I can’t think of anything better to do
in retirement!
Brian onshore in Chile.
Photo & text © Brian Wheaton MW 2007
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Plumpton open their new Wine
Centre by
Wink Lorch
A sign of getting old (surely not?), is
that it seems only the day before yesterday that Plumpton College first
started running wine production courses, opening a section within the
Horticultural department. It was in fact nearly 20 years ago. A good
friend (Gabrielle Beamish, now of Gentilini Wines in Cephalonia,
Greece), who had been working for several English vineyards, went there
to lecture on Horticulture and help Chris Foss with the wine lectures
too.
It was all very
primitive back then and remained so for several years, as any AWE member
who made the journey down to Sussex to attend one of their informative
hands-on one day courses would confirm – Nissan huts come to mind.
Gradually things improved and by the time I was lecturing at Plumpton a
few years ago for WSET on their Diploma Course, there were the
beginnings of a new dedicated building, with teaching rooms and a small
winery to the side.
A corporate member of
the AWE for some years, with a team of highly qualified lecturers,
Plumpton College has really come of age with the opening of its new Wine
Centre and Science Facility on 29th June 2007. Jancis Robinson MW OBE
cut the ribbon to inaugurate the building and the room was filled to the
brim with students past and present, many of these being local English
wine producers (with Julia Trustram Eve in support as ever). There were
also English wine and food industry officials plus a handful of
journalists and a mixture of enthusiastic supporters.
The modern building
impressed with its trendy wavy roof (reminiscent to me of a winery in
Rioja or somewhere in the New World) and includes a tiered lecture
theatre, two laboratories, an expanded 50-tonne winery, the Vintners
Room - a bright, flexible area for presentations- and a professional
tasting room which will house proper professional tasting booths, each
one sponsored. The whole building is to form a Centre of Excellence for
Wine in the UK.
Photos © Brett Jones 2007
Guests at the opening
were able to taste Plumpton students’ wines, with the winemaker of each
present to explain how they matched with local food produce, and a
buffet followed with a selection of Alumni Wines. With the audience cut
to half, but still a decent number remaining, there followed a
mini-conference on ‘The impact of climate change on wine production’.
© Wink Lorch 2007
Climate Change Conference by
Wink Lorch &
Brett Jones
Professor
Joel Rochard is an agricultural engineer, oenologist and leader of the
OIV’s (Office International de la Vigne et du Vin) Sustainable
Viticulture Team based in Champagne. He gave the first paper on ‘Climate
change and sustainable viticulture’. The professor first outlined
the three concepts for sustainable development, which involve the
environment, economic effects and the effects on society. His department
is mainly involved in the environmental issues.
The problem of the impact on the planet of
the ‘human footprint’ has only been considered as important to the wine
industry since the 1990s, he maintained. In the 1970s, the environmental
concerns were at vineyard level, when resistance to chemicals and the
problems of residue were first discussed. In the 1980s, the concerns
were at a regional or national level and included the impact of
landscape, water usage and general ecosystems. By the 1990s natural
resources, biodiversity and the Greenhouse Effect on the planet were
addressed. This culminated in the OIV Resolution in 2004 on Development
of Sustainable Vitiviniculture (for full details visit
http://news.reseau-concept.net/images/oiv_uk/Client/Resolution_CST_%20EN_2004_01.pdf).
Professor Rochard’s presentation then went
into detail of how this resolution is being addressed at various levels.
He finished his presentation with the important Climate Change
discussion, citing various projects and data that have shown the
correlation between rises in CO2 emissions and temperature increases in
the growing season, leading to increasingly early harvests. He believes
that new strategies for the implementation of environmental management
systems will provide a basis to form a network for international
collaboration on these issues.
Professor Richard C. Selley, Senior
Research Fellow at Imperial College, continued the theme of the
conference with a presentation entitled: ‘The effect of climate
change on British viticulture over the last two millennia provides a
paradigm of the future’. The Professor is a geologist specialising
in oil exploration who realised that there was a similarity in the study
of the geology of vineyards, providing a ‘collateral conviviality’.
Through
the study of more than 500 ancient
and modern British vineyards he found that there was no correlation
between rock type and its age, rather that it was the climate that
allowed vines to be grown. "Wild vines have grown in Britain for over
50 million years. Only in the Ice Age of the last 2 million years have
they retreated, returning during warmer phases such as the present one.
The use of vines as a marker for climate change was first suggested some
2,000 years ago by the Roman writer Saserna."
Here is the paradigm:
the past is the key to the future. As vines require a temperature
range from 10°C to 20°C in order to thrive, the extent of their planting
in Britain has fluctuated. During the Roman occupation of Britain there
were vineyards planted as far north as Lincoln, in medieval times (the
Saxon Sag) the northerly limit of vineyards moved south, from South
Wales to the Wash. They then retreated again in the Little Ice Age
(during the 15th to 19th Centuries) to the south east corner of England
before returning, in the present Industrial Revolution warm phase, to
the northerly limits of the medieval times. In 1900 the 10°C minimum
temperature covered just the coastal areas of southern Britain; indeed
in 1875 the Marquess of Bute planted a vineyard in South Wales, near
Cardiff, which survived until 1920. By 2000, however, all the lower half
of England was now in the temperature range for successful grape
growing.
As it is predicted
that the average temperature will increase by approximately 5°C during
this century, Professor Selley suggests that by 2050 the northerly vine
limits could extend east from Liverpool, then by 2100 north-east from
Carlisle. Indeed a little later the conditions would be propitious for ‘Côtes
d’Ecosse’ from vineyards planted on the south east facing slopes
overlooking Loch Ness, on the north of the Great Glen, where the geology
is very similar to the Cape winelands of South Africa. So Pinotage could
be grown north of the border, and dependent on the soils in the
particular areas, all the world’s grape varieties could be successfully
planted the length and breadth of Britain.
Completing his very
interesting hypothesis, presented in an entertaining and informal style,
Professor Selley gloomily predicted that with the increase of global
warming by the beginning of the next century the only habitable land
would be far to the south in Patagonia, and the northern parts of Canada
and Russia. He concluded by stating: “Plant vineyards for your
children and your grandchildren, but not for your great grandchildren”.
Afterwards at question time, Wink asked
Professor Rochard if in view of the climate evidence presented by both
himself and Professor Selley, and the discussion on the need to adapt
grape varieties to plant in the UK in the future, whether France and the
INAO (Institut National des Appellations d’Origine) had any plans
for change in Champagne? For example, they might want to plant Syrah for
a sparkling Shiraz. The Professor confirmed that they had no plans and
he could not envisage this happening.
Professor Selley’s book, The Winelands
of Britain: Past present & prospective, (published 2004) is
available from Amazon at (www.amazon.co.uk/Winelands-Britain-Past-Present-Prospective/dp/0954741900/ref=sr_1_1/026-7194940-0225219?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184003805&sr=1-1)
© Wink Lorch / Brett Jones 2007
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AWEsome Visit
Champagne Billecart-Salmon by Paul
Howard
Billecart-Salmon
are perhaps best known in the UK for their Rosé Champagnes, which
unusually account for a very high 25% of production. However this
quality-obsessed grand marque has a superb and diverse range of
Champagne styles. Billecart are based in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in the Montagne
de Reims, conveniently central to the heart of the Champagne region,
where they make some rather special Champagnes down on the rue Carnot.
As their labels
proudly state, the House was founded in1818 by Nicolas-François
Billecart and seven generations later it is still family owned – one of
the few prestige Champagne houses to remain so today – with the current
head of the family being François Roland-Billecart.
Their reputation is
not founded on marketing spin or happy accident. Billecart’s wines are
rarely discounted and you won’t find them in supermarkets featuring in
loss-leading promotions. Their reputation instead rests with the quality
of the bottle contents. Their Champagnes have the charm and elegance to
appeal to novice and connoisseur alike. The goal of the House style is
finesse and balance, with all the wines being capable of great ageing
potential.
Rigorous quality is
pursued during every stage in the already lengthy and costly Champagne
process, and that begins in the vineyard – you can’t make great wine
from inferior grapes!
Billecart owns 30
hectares of its own vineyards, including the staggering Le Clos Saint
Hilaire (of which more later). In addition it sources a further 140
hectares of grapes from 35 different sites from the three major
Champagne areas, all of which are either Grand Cru or Premier
Cru quality. Pinot Noir comes from the Montagne de Reims, Chardonnay
is from the Côtes de Blancs and the Pinot Meunier from the Marne Valley.
Payment to growers is based on quality rather than quantity, so high
yields of flavourless grapes are avoided.
As with all Champagne
grapes, harvesting is done by hand. However, unlike many Champagne
Houses, there is a pre-sorting and selection of the grapes prior to
pressing, rejecting substandard bunches or any signs of rot to ensure no
inferior juice enters the process. At pressing, only the first pressing
wine is used – that’s the first 2,050 litres from a traditional vertical
press. The second press wine, a further 500 litres, is never included in
any of Billecart-Salmon’s Champagnes and is instead sold off.
The juice then
undergoes a very cool fermentation (using either stainless steel or oak
barrels, depending on the style) over a fairly long period of 3-4 weeks.
This helps retain aromatics and freshness. At the end of this the
resultant still wines (vin clairs) go through the malolactic
fermentation to soften their acidity. The blending, or assemblage,
is then undertaken. For the non-vintage styles a high percentage of
reserve wines from previous years are used in the blend, which have been
kept on their lees to pick up extra finesse and complexity. The second
fermentation in bottle adds the bubbles and a lot more besides. Ageing
on the lees brings the Champagne flavours and aromas, derived from
complex reactions between the wine and the spent yeast cells. The
minimum ageing time under the law for an NV is 15 months, but
Billecart-Salmon age theirs for 36 months. Meanwhile the vintages are
aged for many years. Finally, the dosage of sugar to balance the
wine’s acidity is generally low, allowing the character of the wine to
sing out.
But what of the wines
themselves? I had the great honour and privilege of tasting the range at
Billecart-Salmon with viticulturalist Denis Blée and Claudia Meigneux. A
great opportunity to taste and learn! Afterwards I researched some
representative UK stockists and prices for each wine.
The Billecart-Salmon range is essentially
divided into the non-vintage (“Collection”) and the vintage-dated
(“Cuvées”).
Click here for tasting notes.
© Paul Howard 2007
With grateful thanks to the CIVC and Peretti Communications.
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Bordeaux – The Primeur tastings, April 2007
by Richard
Bampfield MW
Depending on whom you talk to, attending
the annual primeur tastings in Bordeaux is a privilege, a tannic
marathon, an unwelcome duty, a nightmare or just another date in the
social calendar. For me, in case you wonder, it provides an ideal
opportunity to train for a future career as a travel agent,
international peace-maker or chauffeur.
A brief reminder...
The primeur tastings are held in April
each year and give between 3 and 6 thousand of the world’s wine press,
importers, négociants, brokers, sommeliers and assorted down and outs
the opportunity to taste the wines of the previous vintage. So, in
April 2007, we were tasting the wines from 2006, all cask samples and in
varying stages of turbidity, barrel ageing, integration and evolution.
Most of the wines will subsequently be released for sale en primeur, and
the idea is that the visitors can form a sufficient impression of each
wine to be able to make a note, give a score and / or make a commercial
decision. Not easy, especially as cask samples are notoriously
inconsistent and the same wine might taste differently if tasted at
different venues in the course of the week. Personally, I have
nothing but admiration for the people who can taste these wines, write a
coherent note and reach what is invariably an accurate conclusion about
the wine’s quality and ageing potential. One of my guests, Tom
Cannavan, was actually posting his notes on his website,
www.wine-pages.com, each night, despite what was already a very
heavy schedule. For some, Tasting Buddy is becoming a useful
companion.
Book early
The principal tastings are held over three
days in the course of one busy week, although the serious critics
(Schuster, Beckett, Robinson, Spurrier and the like) will normally spend
up to 10 days over there to get around everything. The wines of
each major appellation are gathered for tasting in one local château, so
that most of the wines can be tasted in perhaps 9 or 10 visits. In
fact the whole thing is very well organised by the Union des Grands
Crus. If you are a journalist, they will even arrange for you to
taste an appellation’s wines blind, if you wish. As ever in
Bordeaux, certain estates consider themselves above the collective
tastings, so, if you want to taste the first growths, super seconds and
top right bank wines like Cheval Blanc, Petrus and Le Pin, you have to
arrange individual appointments at the estates. Not surprisingly
there is high demand for these, so early booking is necessary and even
the most important visitors can find themselves barred if they miss
their appointment.
The Buzz
Over three days, one can taste most of the
principal wines and gain a pretty good idea of the style and quality of
the vintage. The best bit, though, is the buzz, fuelled by chat,
gossip, deal-making and unlimited amounts of the red stuff. I do
get a certain excitement when we bump into a group who say that we have
to taste, say, the Palmer and, one phone call later, we are winging our
way round there so as not to miss out. I reckon the best way to
plan the programme is to organise to go to a particular region each day,
take in the collective tastings and leave sufficient slack to try to
visit a few others on spec. They will hate me for saying this, but
sometimes one is more likely to get an appointment at an hour’s notice
than by booking a month earlier.
Overall advice?
Plan ahead, don’t undersell yourself when making appointments, use
useful contacts to the maximum, don’t brush your teeth between tastings,
make time for lunch, beers and cups of tea, book flights early, chill
out in the evenings, make friends with a nice négociant like Yvon Mau,
give your chauffeur a huge tip and…… just do it!
© Richard Bampfield MW 2007
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Anakena Chilean
Wine Seminar & Tasting by
Christopher Fielden
 A
little-known American once wrote, “A critic is a bundle of biases
held loosely together by a sense of taste.” Sometimes I doubt my
sense of taste, but I am always ready to recognise my biases and two of
these are trade tastings where no tasting sheets are available and where
any information sheets are distributed just when you are about to leave.
The latter means that either everything that you have studiously written
down is now duplicated or that you have little of the information that
you want to preserve. Sadly at the talk on Anakena Chilean wines and
subsequent tasting both my biases were fed raw meat.
The Chilean scene is
one that is changing rapidly and Anakena describes itself as a
“third-generation winery” with its first vines having been planted in
1998. It now has an estate with almost 400 hectares of vines planted on
four separate sites, two in the Cachapoal Valley, another at Ninquén in
Colchagua and the fourth in the cool-climate region, just ten kilometres
from the Pacific at Leyda in the San Antonio Valley. Sadly, because of
the youth of their vines, no wines were shown from this last region,
which is becoming renowned for its outstanding Sauvignon Blancs and
Pinot Noirs.
Of the six wines that
we did taste, I preferred the three white wines to the three red. These
were 2004 Riesling from Rapel, which showed classic varietal
characteristics, a full-blooded Viognier 2004, also from Rapel, which
lasted long in the mouth and the intriguing Ona 2006 blend of Viognier,
Riesling and Chardonnay in which the first variety dominated.
The three reds were
the Ona 2005 Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and Viognier, which credited
Casablanca as its birthplace, but which faded quickly on the palate an
appealing Carmenère 2006, which I would have placed as a very ripe
Cabernet Franc (there goes my sense of taste!) and a concentrated
extract of Cabernet Sauvignon 2005.
The wines to me
represented good value for money, with the top Ona range retailing
around £8.99 and their packaging is striking featuring native Indian art
symbols. This is obviously a winery with ambitions and I will watch
their progress closely. Many thanks are due to Gonzalo Pérez, the chief
oenologist (about whom full background notes were provided) and
Commercial Manager Raúl Beckdorf (whose history remains a secret) for
telling us about their company and its wines.
© Christopher Fielden 2007
With many thanks to Westbury Communications and Anakena Winery for
organising this event.
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Anakena Seminar with AWE members & guests. Photo © Christos Ioannou 2007
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L-R: James Jones (Westbury Communications, Gonzalo Pérez, (chief oenologist), Raúl Beckdorf (Commercial Manager). Photo © Christos Ioannou 2007
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Vivienne & Christopher. Photo © Christos Ioannou 2007
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WSET visit to
Rioja and Navarra with ICEX, June 2007 by
Vivienne Franks
My last visit to Rioja was in October 2004
with a group from AWE, and I had never visited Navarra, so I was
intrigued to see what had changed in Rioja and what had made Navarra
unique. Our first stop was at the offices of the Consejo
Regulador in Rioja, where we had a very interesting session with Tom
Perry of the Rioja Wine Exporters Association.
In Rioja there are about 63,000 ha of
vines and 120,000 individual vineyards; the average vineyard is about
0.5 ha. There are 19,000 growers, of which 41% are members of
co-operatives, each grower controlling about 3 ha. There are now around
600 wineries in Rioja, mainly family owned (there were 40 wineries in
1983). Rioja wineries own
about 15% of the vineyard area in Rioja and have access to a staggering
1.2 million oak casks.
Sales of Rioja wine in 2006 amounted to
348 million bottles of which 30% were exported. The UK is still Rioja’s
largest export market (35% of exports), followed by Germany (17%) and
the USA (9%).
Rioja is widely regarded as a ‘food wine’,
the on-trade is more important that the off-trade and wine making
decisions are significantly influenced by the requirements of the
on-trade. Within Spain the biggest regional market for Rioja wine is on
the north coast, where large amounts of fish are consumed. The ripe
tannin and high acidity of the wine matches well with the local food,
and the move towards a more modern international wine style has been
particularly successful.
White Rioja has already undergone
significant change and more is to come. There has been a swing away from
traditional barrel-fermented and oak aged varietal whites to
cold-fermented fruitier styles from new varieties. In addition to Viura
and Malvasia, almost extinct varieties such as Maturana Blanca,
Tempranillo Blanco and Turruntes are being replanted, as well as
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo.
Red Rioja is also going through a
metamorphosis. Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano are being
joined by Maturana Tinta, Maturana Parda and Monastrell. There is now
more use of new oak and more French oak within the cellars in Rioja.
Following the changes to the wine laws in 2003, Crianza wines may
now be released after 6 months in oak, rather than after 1 year in oak.
The top quality Vino de Pago
wines are slowly entering the marketplace.
During our trip we visited 4 bodegas in
the region:
Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri, a well established family
owned producer; Juan Alcorta, owned by Pernod Ricard, a
mega-sized winery with around 70,000 barrels in their cellar; Bodegas
Muga, one of the older producers in the region; and Viñedos de
Aldeanueva, a very well run co-operative.
The messages conveyed from the various
producers we met in Rioja were that Rioja wine sales were increasing and
quality was consistently good. There is a conscious effort being made by
producers to work together, to continue to build on recent successes and
focus on making wines from indigenous grapes with higher acidity and
lower alcohol levels.
In Navarra we visited Bodegas Nekeas,
owned by a consortium of eight families, Bodegas Ochoa, a family
producer and Bodegas Senorio de Arinzano, owned by another old
established family, Julián Chivite.
We also had a seminar at the office of the
Consejo Regulador in Navarra. This was introduced by the new
President of the Consejo, winemaker, Pilar Garcia Granero. There are
18,800 hectares under vine in Navarra, representing 18% of all DO wines
and 1.5% of total wine production in Spain.
There are a large number of different
grape varieties grown here, white varieties include Viura, Moscatel and
Chardonnay, red varieties include Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and
Mazuelo as well as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The challenge that has
been set for the wine producers is to maintain the unique Navarra
character for the wines produced while developing a modern style
particularly for ‘joven’ styles. Single varietals are being
developed as well as blends and the characteristics of each grape used
to best effect. Here there is much more emphasis placed on international
varietals for both white and red wines and rosés still dominate
production.
Overall I felt that the producers in Rioja
seemed to be working well together, and have a strategic vision for the
future of Riojan wines in the world arena. In contrast the producers of
Navarran wine, although focused as individual companies, did not appear
to have the cohesive energy to enable them to work together in moving
forward as a region and sell their wines to an international market.
Hopefully this will develop as the wines from Navarra certainly offer
good quality for the price.
© Vivienne Franks 2007
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The Biodynamic Directory by
Paul Howard
In
any wine-based conversation it isn’t long before I admit to a specialist
interest of mine – Biodynamics. It’s a fascinating
environmentally-friendly agricultural philosophy gradually gaining
ground among many of the world’s top wine producers. Whenever I run a
wine course or a presentation I like to show a BD wine. Whether or not
you believe that Biodynamics works, there’s no doubt in my mind that the
wines themselves are frequently some of the best examples around. Today
it’s perfectly possible to stage events that consist solely of
Biodynamic wines with a wide range of price points – something hard to
envisage only 5 years ago.
Since 2001 I’ve
attempted to keep track of every Biodynamic winemaker or grower by
keeping a Biodynamic Directory. It reminds me of what’s available from
any wine region, whether I’m planning a show, going to a tasting, making
a vineyard visit or just buying wine for my own enjoyment.
The Directory
currently has 375 producers listed from around the world, with website
links where they exist. With new Biodynamic conversions and trials
happening constantly it is a labour of love to keep it updated. I try to
verify every entry, even if this is only possible by email. For me, the
criterion for inclusion is more about a state of mind than rigid
adherence to a recognised certifying body, but of course Biodynamic
methods must be employed in some part.
I won’t pretend this
Directory is complete; with the pace of change how could that ever be?
However I do think it’s the single most complete listing available. It
is based on a wide number of sources including Biodyvin, Demeter and
even that arch-BD promoter himself - Nicolas Joly. The Biodynamic
community is still small and often closely-knit, regardless of the
sometimes disparate views and attitudes held.
On a recent visit at
Josmeyer in Alsace, winemaker Christophe Erhart told me unbidden that he
had recently used the Directory while travelling to help track down
fellow-minded BD winemakers! These days I’m sometimes contacted by the
producers themselves, mostly pointing out errors and omissions but
occasionally asking if they can be added to the list.
As part of a
continuing attempt to promote knowledge of Biodynamics as part of wine
education I keep the Directory in electronic form. There is a
downloadable and printable pdf on my website,
www.winealchemy.com. It is a free resource for anyone wanting to
find out more about biodynamic wines.
I’d be pleased if AWE members found it
interesting and honoured if it proved useful. Best of all I’d be really
happy if you can add to it – new entries welcome!
© Paul Howard 2007
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A
tutored tasting by Brian Croser, 11th July 2007, by
Isabelle Legeron
 Spending
a couple of hours with terroir-ist Brian Croser is one of those
opportunities in the wine trade not to be missed. Not only is he is a
phenomenal resource when it comes to the Australian wine industry but
his casual delivery, full of anecdotes and bite-size knowledge, made his
seminar a great learning experience.
Brian Croser put Adelaide Hills on the
fine wine map when he planted his vineyard, Petaluma, in the Piccadilly
Valley in 1978. He has been an innovator in the Australian wine scene
ever since and a firm believer in making wine as naturally as possible -
without using gadgetry like reverse osmosis or spinning cones - so that
the wines reflect a sense of place and vintage.
His comeback on the wine scene with his
new venture Tapanappa, developed after the hostile take-over of Petaluma
by the brewer Lion Nathan, was the background for his talk on terroir
and what make his three vineyards, Whalebone, The Tiers and Foggy Hill
so special.
“For the past 30 years the path for me
has been the identification of "distinguished vineyard sites"; matching
the climate, soil and geology of the site to the right variety and then
fastidiously managing the vineyard to maximise quality. That is the
philosophy on which I founded Petaluma and with Tapanappa we are firmly
sticking to that path.”
And I’m sure 30 years of hands-on
winemaking practice helps!
All hand-harvested, Brian Croser’s
vineyards are essentially dry-farmed and planted in maritime cool sites
within proximity of the Great Southern Ocean and Brian believes these
sites are perfectly matched to the grape varieties planted. Things I
learned included:
-
I was reminded how cool Australia can
be around its south eastern and south western shores
-
Piccadilly Valley was the coolest,
wettest place in Australia until Brian discovered his that his Foggy
Hill vineyard superseded it
-
For optimum phenolic ripeness, colour
concentration and less sugar formation, Brian believes it is better
to have cool days and warm nights (around 15° C). This way the berry
benefits from a 24 hour ripening period as opposed to 12 hours,
since below 15° C the vine does not function.
Questions asked of Brian Croser by
Isabelle Legeron:
Q: “Why did you choose to bottle your
wines under cork as opposed to screwcap?”
A: Brian claimed he has no preference for
either closure but he prefers the way wine develops under cork. He has
been collecting old library examples of wines since the 1970’s under
both Stelvin and cork. He is finding that whilst the wine under Stelvin
is in better condition (by a ratio of 2 to 1 compared with corks); he
prefers the more complex evolution of the wine under cork.
Q: “How are you preparing for global
warming?”
A: Brian believes that the water problem
experienced in Australia has nothing to do with global warming. His
bullet-proof way of ensuring good water supply is to plant his vines
with close proximity to the coolest sea in the world, the Great Southern
Ocean, and to stay clear of vineyards with less than a metre of rainfall
per year.
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During the seminar
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Brian Croser
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Susan & David Lindsay (Lindsay May PR)
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The tasting
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© Isabelle Legeron 2007
Photos © Christos Ioannou 2007
Huge thanks go to Brian Croser and all
at Lindsay May PR and Mentzendorff for their generous sponsorship of
this event.
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CWW Trip to
the Roussillon by
Susan Hulme MW
The
recent excellent three day CWW trip to the Roussillon made me appreciate
the undervalued quality of Grenache Gris and Grenache Blanc and the
amazingly good quality of the relatively unknown white wines of the
Roussillon, and Calce in particular. It also revealed how good Grenache
Noir can be when treated as special.
Our first visit involved driving west from
Rivesaltes for about an hour to Corneilla-la-Rivière and to the
intriguingly named Domaine Boucabeille (bee’s mouth) where we sampled
one of the most elegant and purest examples of Grenache I have tasted
for a long time.
The Domaine Boucabeille vineyards in Força
Real are referred to as Monte Nero (black mountain) as they lie
predominately on a steep hill of black schist soil, so high that it is
visible from all around; in the past sailors used it to guide them home
when lost at sea. Our coach driver, the smiley Jean Luc, could not take
us all the way to our destination, so we had the pleasure of a 20
minutes walk through the garrigue to our rendezvous at the top,
accompanied by Eric Arcil, our host from CIVR. Along the way, he picked
wild herbs and plants from the garrique for us to smell - broom, wild
lavender, tarragon, rosemary, and wild, white fennel provided an
intriguing array of aromas, many of which I later found reflected in the
wines.
At the top we were met by a very sprightly
looking M. Regis Boucabeille, sporting a bright fuchsia pink t-shirt
extolling the virtues of rosé and his son Jean who was dressed more
demurely.
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Jean-Luc & Susan
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Eric Arcil (CDR) picks herbs from the garrigue.
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M. Régis Boucabeille (in pink) and his son Jean (in white).
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The vineyards were planted 30 years ago on
south east-facing slopes. They were planted in the old way, that is, in
10 terraces spread among the garrigue. We were thankful for a cool
overcast day as this side of the mountain was sheltered from the winds;
with the ‘hot’ schist soil it can be a roasting little amphitheatre when
the sun shines. Here they have 12ha of mostly Grenache but some
Mourvèdre, some Carignan and a little Maccabeo and Grenache Blanc.
Jean talked about why each variety was
planted where it was, taking account of its own particular needs. Syrah
needs to be planted near water and Mourvèdre is planted on the slopes
facing directly south-east as it needs more heat and sunshine to ripen
etc.
Tasting
We then moved on to a little clearing with
a shady terrace with some tables and benches where the tasting had been
set up for us. Domaine Boucabeille are small-scale producers, producing
only 15,000 bottles and their average yield is very low (20-30 hl/ha).
Of their wines, ‘Les Terraces’ is a blend and ‘Monte Nero’ is Grenache
Noir grown on the schist soils.
Côtes de Roussillon Villages (CDRV) -
Monte Nero 2005
Predominately Grenache Noir grown on
schist. Good colour for Grenache - blue toned and quite deep.
Sweet light Garrique note, with white fennel and spice followed by cream
and smoke notes. On the palate, it had fine white and black pepper and
spice notes. Medium bodied but quite firm, upright tannins for Grenache
yet well-integrated with the warm, spicy flavours.
I thought this one of the purest and most
refined Grenache wines I had tasted in a long time. It was an excellent
reflection of its terroir – spice and fennel from the garrique and
tannic structure from the schist but with great purity and delicacy of
flavour.
More tasting notes...
It was a joy to try a range of vintages
like this in this wonderful setting. My favourites were the first two
Monte Neros. I loved the purity of expression. It just shows what pure
Grenache wines can do with very low yields and when grown on the schist
soils here.
The rest of our day we were to focus on
several producers around the town of Calce, named after the calcerous,
chalky-limestone soils. On the bus Eric explained that he had decided to
focus on this specific area for the day instead of spending hours on the
bus, careering from one end of Roussillon to the other. He made a great
choice I felt as the day progressed, because not only did we not spend
hours on the bus but by the end of the day I had a real feel for Calce
and what was happening there and it is a pretty exciting area for white
wines especially.
Domaine Pithon and the special quality
of Calce white wines
This visit was a real eye opener for me
because some of the white wines were truly exceptional. These wines are
made predominately with Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc and sometimes
Maccabeo, producing rich, full, creamy whites with a distinctive
minerality and a lively backbone of acidity.
Our young host, Olivier Pithon was waiting
for us by the cellar door. He is one of a few young winemakers who had
come to Calce over the last few years; he visited Domaine Gauby, tasted
the wines and never left. In 2001 there was only one estate here, namely
Domaine Gauby but now there are five estates and lots of interest in
biodynamic cultivation. Olivier said the camaraderie among the local
producers was very good and this included mutual respect for the co-ops
as well.
Olivier comes originally from the Loire.
His grandfather had vines in Anjou and his brother produces wines in the
Coteaux du Layon. His background came through loud and clear in his
wines as he had a natural gift for making white wines in particular. I
have a feeling that most winemakers are instinctively either naturally
talented at white or red winemaking but very rarely both. I liked his
red wines too, but the whites were really something special.
Loire–influenced Olivier likes to keep plenty of acidity in his whites
but this produces a great counterfoil to the big, creamy, mouth-filling
wines of substance produced by the local varieties. We then began the
tasting with two white wines. These were both outstanding.
Domaine Pithon 2006 Cuvée Laïs 13%,
15 hl/ha yield .This wine is named after a cow or more specifically
‘Laïs’ - a Catalan word for a Jersey cow. This was a great description
of the wine as it is full of creamy richness and texture but it is also
balanced by a northern steeliness - a reflection of the winemaker’s
natural love of acidity. Quite deep golden colour, honeyed, soft, almost
Burgudian hay-like, oatmeal nose. Very rich, silky texture, big
mouthfeel and concentration on the mid palate, creamy, lanolin, oatmeal
and biscuit flavours but with tangy, very lively acidity giving lemony
freshness and vivacity to the rich texture. Intriguing minerality gives
great length on the finish. Great wine.
Domaine Pithon 2006 'La D18' 2004
13% 10 hl/ha (close to Ch. d’ Yquem yields at 9hl/ha!)
Named after the DA 18 road (in true wild
west style) that runs between Calce and Le Col de la Dona,. 100%
Grenache Gris and Blanc. Good colour paler white/gold. Nose initially
cream and varnish, oily notes followed by honey, pear and oatmeal then
finally settling to a distinctive minerally, apple note. On the palate,
very bright, vivid fruit, yellow apple with a nervy minerallity. This
wine was much more tightly structured with very vivacious acidity and
long, concentrated minerally flavours. Also very Burgundian but much
more highly strung, tightly wrought style. Also a great wine but in a
very different style.
Having for many years been taught that
Macebeu, the Viura of white Rioja, gives fairly neutral white wines but
with high acidity I was intrigued to hear Olivier say he feels Maccabeo
gives floral, white-flower notes and finesse to the blend but only if
picked at 12 –12.5 % , otherwise it loses acidity fast. He cultivates
his vines organically, commenting that “good wine cannot be made with
chemicals”. He also uses biodynamic plant preparations based on plants,
herbs, and flowers such as nettle, garlic, fennel and heather and works
when possible with the cycles of the moon. Like most of the producers
here in Calce he likes many of the practices of biodynamic viticulture
but doesn’t want to be tied down by certification. In any case we were
told biodynamic certification takes 5 years after receiving organic
certification.
We
then moved on to the Pithon reds...
Domaine Matassa & Chinese symbols
We drove up higher into the hills to our
next visit. We were welcomed at Domaine Matassa by Tom Lubbe (a South
African who grew up in New Zealand) at his little stone hut, sheltered
by three big trees on the top of the highest hill, amidst the undulating
surrounding vineyards. The logo on his wines, a Chinese character which
consists of three strokes is inspired by these trees and the name of the
wines from the largest forest nearby. Something of the beauty and
simplicity of the Chinese language comes across; as fellow CWW member,
Miyoko from Japan explained, one downward stroke = tree, two downward
strokes = wood, three downward stokes = forest.
By now we were almost getting to used to
tasting some excellent white wines and here again the white wines also
stole the show for me, starting with a beautifully fragrant Viognier
blend Domaine Matassa 2006 (50% Viognier, 50% Muscat & Pinot Girs)
and followed by a creamy mouth-filling white, Matassa Blanc 2004 (30%
Muscat, 70% Grenache Gris (from vines more than 80 years old) served in
magnum. We also tasted two reds. Matassa 2005 Cuvée Romania, and Matassa
Rouge 2005 aged in 50% new oak.
We had the most delightful and delicious
gourmet tapas lunch here sitting around the little stone ruin on top of
the hill, prepared by a local chef and restaurateur in Calce who already
has a big reputation for himself. His version of Catalan meatballs in a
rich tomato sauce was really delicious and memorable. This site where we
had lunch will become the new visitors’ room, if Tom can resist the
temptation to buy up more old vines vineyards as they become available.
Domaine Matassa is owned by three partners; Tom, his wife Nathalie (the
daughter of Gérard Gauby whom Tom used to work for at Domaine Gauby) and
Sam Harrop MW who was at school with Tom and became a partner in the
venture in 2001/2002.
Domaine Gauby - Barrel samples
and big dogs
After lunch we visited the godfather of
the Calce movement and the point of reference for the newer estates
here, Domaine Gauby. We had an exceptional visit with father Gérard
Gauby and son Lionel, involving an extended tasting of barrel samples
which make up the parts of their Grand Vin. Here it was the reds that we
concentrated on a little more and once again the very vibrant quality of
the Grenache stood out but this time it was the Grenache Noir. There was
something almost joyful about the vibrancy and vivid expression of the
fruit. Every barrel sample was nothing less than very good, some were
excellent, but enjoyable though it is, I do always feel reluctant to
judge wines on barrel samples as they are so different when the whole
thing comes together.
I had been warned about the slightly
formidable impression created by our host surrounded by his several
slightly intimidating big dogs, but I love dogs of all sizes and I very
much warmed to M Gauby’s taciturn but perspicacious approach. Why speak
when you can let your wines speak for you? In fact he said quite a lot
once he warmed to his audience and perhaps felt we were worthy of his
time. This was yet another wonderful visit; we ran late but for all the
right reasons.
Best of the rest - food and wine
matching
Apart from this brilliant first day there
were so many highlights to this brief but incisive trip to the
Roussillon. Among them was a visit to Domaine de la Rectorie in Banyuls
where we tasted several red and white wines that were outstanding. Again
the complexity of the Grenache Gris and Blanc came through in two
excellent white wines:
Domaine de La Recorie 2006 - AOC
Collioure (Grenache Gris is allowed in AOC Collioure) - Côte Mer;
Côte du Roussillon 2005 Coume Marie
Préceptorie de Centernach – Côte Mountain.
This last wine I had the chance to enjoy
at lunch in a one star Michelin restaurant that we found by chance, a
few days later, having stayed on for a few days holiday. It was even
more exceptional with ‘La Daurade du Pays en filet au beurre blanc’.
This dish was like a little painting of the sea on the plate and tasted
delicious. The firm white flesh of the fish and creamy butter sauce was
complemented exquisitely by the rich, creamy texture of the wine and
contrasted by the steely core of acidity and minerality adding
refreshment, length and interest.
Mas Amiel
Another exceptional visit was to Mas Amiel
in Maury. This visit provided the perfect template of how a visit should
be structured: we had a great little tour of vineyards with a host who
was very knowledgeable but who only gave the salient points; this was
followed by a brief but interesting tour of the winery focussing on the
one or two unusual things going on there; we finished with a tasting of
some excellent wines.
Château de Jau
Another highlight was a visit to Ch de Jau
which offered a wonderful oasis of calm beneath the shade of the oldest
Mulberry tree in the Roussillon, left over from the days of the silk
route trade. This visit was sheer enjoyment as we first visited a small
exhibition of modern art in the gallery that used to be a silk factory
and then tasted their range of wines over a leisurely lunch in an
idyllic setting. Throughout the whole three day trip the range and
contrast of visits was varied and stimulating thanks to the excellent
organisational skills of our affable host, Eric Arcil.
With grateful thanks to Eric Arcil at
CIVR and CWW.
© Susan Hulme MW 2007
All photos © Miyoko Stevenson 2007
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Olivier Pithon & CWW group.
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Tom Lubbe (Domaine Matassa)
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Susan & M. Gérard Gauby (Domaine Gauby)
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Maury ageing outdoors at Mas Amiel.
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AWEsome Internet
Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho (IVV)
by
Charles Metcalfe
Although it’s all in Portuguese, a
lot of this website (http://www.ivv.min-agricultura.pt)
is pretty obvious. Of the various headings that are presented
when you enter, the one I use most often is Vinhos (wines), as
that gives you virtually all you need to know on DOCs, VRs and
Castas (grape varieties). I have also used the Estatistica
(Statistics), Regulamentação (regulations) and Contactos (links)
sections as well, from time to time.
If you’re unfamiliar with it,
Portuguese is much easier to penetrate through the written word
than the spoken! The Contactos section gives you links to all
sorts of other sites, including all the different DOC CVRs
(Comissão Vitivinícola Regional – the local Portuguese
commissions that run individual DOC wine areas) and all sorts of
other more or less useful bodies, such as wine shops (lojas do
vinho), universities, museums and Confrarias (if you’re into
long, boozy dinners and dressing up in medieval frocks). Some of
the links don’t work and many of the websites are ‘under
development’ (I know the feeling).
Even despite the linguistic
challenge, it is a fantastically useful site, slightly better
than the Spanish equivalent, and streets ahead of those from
France, Germany - anywhere, really. I shall certainly be giving
the link in my forthcoming book, for people who want to know
more.
© Charles Metcalfe 2007
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AWEsome Wine
Sauvignon del Veneto, Azienda Agricola
Inama, “Vulcaia”, IGT Veneto, 2005
by
Paul Howard
Pale gold, a few bubbles add a slight spritz. Grass
and herb nose, hints of almond. Soft acidity, high enough for
refreshment and balance, plus an attractive waxy texture. Subtle
citrus and thyme fruit underpinned by minerality and leesiness. A
clean dry finish features that Italianate almond note and there’s no
oak to get in the way. A sophisticated and subtle wine - cool crisp
elegance with an Italian twist.
Playford Ros, Thirsk £12.87
© Paul Howard 2007
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AWE Member Updates
Please update your Directory of
Members with the following changes:
New member - Claire Blackler
Case Studies Wine School, Kalessin,
Auchinstarry Basin, Glasgow, G65 9SG
Phone: 01236 829920 Mobile: 07884 028306
E-mail:
claire@casestudieswineschool.co.uk
Websites:
www.casestudieswineschool.co.uk
Patricia Green has moved to
4 Pleasaunce Mansions, Halstow Road,
Greenwich, London, SE10 0LZ
Phone: 020 8858 6991
Mobile & email address remain unchanged.
Mobile: 07971 480038
E-mail:
pattymgreen@aol.com
Anyone interested in becoming a member of
the AWE should contact our membership secretary Lena Inger:
Email -
lena@farnellplace.co.uk
Tel: 020 8993 0226
Address: 1 Farnell Place, London, W3 9EG
Prospective members should hold the WSET
Diploma or equivalent.
Please note the administrative office
telephone number has changed to 01753 882320. See below for full
details.
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AWE Inspiring News
This is the newsletter of the Association of Wine Educators. Opinions
expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Association.
Editor: Susan Hulme MW
Sub-editor / Proof-reader: Paul Howard
AWE Administrative Office:
Andrea Warren
Scots Firs, 70 Joiners Lane,
Chalfont St Peter,
Bucks, SL9 0AU
Tel/Fax:
01753 882320
E-mail: admin@wineeducators.com
Web Site: www.wineeducators.com
© AWE Inspiring News 2007
No part of this newsletter may be reproduced without permission.
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