This took place at Lord's Cricket Ground yesterday. I am always pleasantly surprised by Portuguese wines, although they have a tough time in the UK market, especially in the on-trade which often finds it hard to find a home for them. This is probably due in part to our newfound love of varietal labelling - Portugal's myriad indigenous varietals (350 apparently, of which around 50 are in regular use) are not very consumer-friendly.
One producer which is managing to make impressive headway is Casa Santos Lima, a family business from just north of Lisbon. An impressive 95% of production is exported (over 3 million bottles annually). Their Arinto, Syrah and Palha-Canas were particularly good for the money.
Other highlights were:
Luis Soares Duarte Perfil Reserva 2005 - indigenous varietals, ruby coloured with concentrated fruit from low yielding old vines (unrepresented in UK)
Wine&Soul Guru White 2007 - an oaked white, also old vines, with a lively zing to it (Corney & Barrow)
Wine & Joy (Quinta da Falorca) - whole range was good, with particularly well-priced entry-level wines (armit)
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Gambero Rosso tasting with Stephen Spurrier
This took place earlier this week as part of Gambero Rosso's 2009 'road show'. 17 wines were chosen from the GR portfolio and Stephen Spurrier spoke about them in an eloquent yet refreshingly down to earth manner.Spurrier's tasting notes were formulated off the cuff but were impressively concise. I jotted down a few examples, such as "more than a sparkling wine, a wine that happens to sparkle" (Berlucchi Cellarius Rose 2004); a "sun-filled wine" (GIV F. Candida Frascati 2007); "more Chablis than Sancerre" (Sauvignon Zuc di Volpe); and "bramble and hedgerow vigour" (Barbera in general).
Spurrier also alluded to the divide between old and new world producers regarding regions (old world) versus varietals (new) and left little doubt that he is of the old school in this respect - Chablis, not Chardonnay, and Sancerre, not Sauvignon, if you please.
My highlights from the tutored part of the tasting were:
Cavit Altemasi Brut Trento DOC 2002 - bottle-fermented fizz, 90% Chardonnay, fleshy and soft but dry, light sparkle, would be good with food
Pio Cesare Barolo DOCG 2004 - wild violets, long time in wood (large oak casks, Spurrier suggested), with a hint of Burgundian Pinot Noir
Fontanafredda Vigna La Rosa Barolo DOCG 2004 - a great example of a wine with huge natural fruit concentration, from low-yielding vines (NB 2004 was a v good year for Barolos)
Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC 2001 - classic Amarone - strong, dark, raisiny fruit with a 'sweet' edge
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Argentina's U.S. exports on a winning streak
Published on Decanter.com 16 February 2009 - click here to read.
Argentina’s 2008 wine exports to the U.S. increased by 29% in value and 13% in volume on the previous year, making Argentina the only country to significantly increase its American sales during what proved to be a challenging year for the global wine trade.
These figures, from the U.S. Department of Commerce, revealed that by contrast, Australian exports to the U.S. dropped by 10.5% in value and 8% in volume over the same period. Total wine imports by the U.S. stagnated in 2008.
James Forbes, UK Director of Wines of Argentina, paints a similar picture for Argentinian imports in the UK, which have seen 20 months of consecutive growth in both value and volume terms. He also notes that Argentinian wines are being sold increasingly in the on-trade and the specialist wine sector.
This pull to the premium end of the spectrum suits Argentina well for two reasons. Its wine market is predominantly domestic, with only 17% of wine produced being exported. Producers can therefore sell their lower-end wine at home and concentrate on quality in their export products.
Secondly, the Malbec grape is a marketeer’s dream – easy on the palate, easy to pronounce and, despite its French origins, increasingly becoming synonymous with Argentinian winemaking.
Argentina’s 2008 wine exports to the U.S. increased by 29% in value and 13% in volume on the previous year, making Argentina the only country to significantly increase its American sales during what proved to be a challenging year for the global wine trade.
These figures, from the U.S. Department of Commerce, revealed that by contrast, Australian exports to the U.S. dropped by 10.5% in value and 8% in volume over the same period. Total wine imports by the U.S. stagnated in 2008.
James Forbes, UK Director of Wines of Argentina, paints a similar picture for Argentinian imports in the UK, which have seen 20 months of consecutive growth in both value and volume terms. He also notes that Argentinian wines are being sold increasingly in the on-trade and the specialist wine sector.
This pull to the premium end of the spectrum suits Argentina well for two reasons. Its wine market is predominantly domestic, with only 17% of wine produced being exported. Producers can therefore sell their lower-end wine at home and concentrate on quality in their export products.
Secondly, the Malbec grape is a marketeer’s dream – easy on the palate, easy to pronounce and, despite its French origins, increasingly becoming synonymous with Argentinian winemaking.
Friday, 6 February 2009
Australia Day Tasting
My first trip to the Emirates Stadium, a dramatic setting in which to taste wine whilst watching the groundsmen mow the hallowed turf. There were good 'Spotlight Rooms' focusing on Aromatics, Cab Sauv, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and something called "Alternative Variteals & Blends". My picks (in no particular order) were:
1. Scorpo Pinot Gris 2007, Victoria - vanilla, oak, with a petrolly nose
2. Ten Minutes by Tractor McCutcheon Chardonnay 2006, Victoria - delicate tropical fruit
3. Hollick Wines Hollaia Sangiovese Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Coonawarra SA
4. Domaine A Coal River Valley Pinot Noir 2005, Tasmania
5. Kay Brothers Amery Vineyards Block 6 Shiraz 2006, SA - 114 year-old vines, great spice and pepper
1. Scorpo Pinot Gris 2007, Victoria - vanilla, oak, with a petrolly nose
2. Ten Minutes by Tractor McCutcheon Chardonnay 2006, Victoria - delicate tropical fruit
3. Hollick Wines Hollaia Sangiovese Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Coonawarra SA
4. Domaine A Coal River Valley Pinot Noir 2005, Tasmania
5. Kay Brothers Amery Vineyards Block 6 Shiraz 2006, SA - 114 year-old vines, great spice and pepper
Friday, 30 January 2009
Metzendorff Tasting
This took place at Somerset House and was a good-sized tasting - not an overwhelming number of wines but enough to be interesting. The highlights for me were:
Ayala Blanc de Blancs 2000 - Ayala has been around since the 19th century but was recently bought by Bollinger (who, incidentally, owns 80% or so of Metzendorff). It is a good - and cheaper - alternative to the big Champagne brands and this vintage Blanc de Blancs was my pick of the range, with just the right amount of autolytic creamy yeastiness. I find that Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) Champagnes tend to be bigger and more 'foody' than those blended with Pinots Noir and Meunier.
Roda Cirsion 2006 - this wine is towards the top of the range of this Rioja producer. Great red fruitiness, although more rounded and elegant than the Roda 2004 and Roda I 2004 which were also on show.
Turkey Flat Grenache 2005 and Mouvedre 2006 - these are both at the cheaper end of this Barossa producer's range and represent great value for money - if, that is, you like big, fruit-driven wines. The Grenache especially was a fruit explosion, with raisins and dark cherries. They also make a luxurious, viscous PX.
Henriques & Henriques - I think the whole range from this Madeira producer is lovely but again would single out the lower-end wines as they provide such good value for money. The 3 Year Old Full Rich and the 5 Year Old Finest Medium Rich were both serious bottles of Madeira for astonishingly low prices (due in part to lack of demand in the modern world, as is also the case for much Sherry and Port).
Taylor's - speaking of Port, I must mention Taylor's (the minority owner of Metzendorff by the way). The 20 Year Old Tawny was my favourite, although the 10 Year is also very good and is nearly half the price.
Ayala Blanc de Blancs 2000 - Ayala has been around since the 19th century but was recently bought by Bollinger (who, incidentally, owns 80% or so of Metzendorff). It is a good - and cheaper - alternative to the big Champagne brands and this vintage Blanc de Blancs was my pick of the range, with just the right amount of autolytic creamy yeastiness. I find that Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) Champagnes tend to be bigger and more 'foody' than those blended with Pinots Noir and Meunier.
Roda Cirsion 2006 - this wine is towards the top of the range of this Rioja producer. Great red fruitiness, although more rounded and elegant than the Roda 2004 and Roda I 2004 which were also on show.
Turkey Flat Grenache 2005 and Mouvedre 2006 - these are both at the cheaper end of this Barossa producer's range and represent great value for money - if, that is, you like big, fruit-driven wines. The Grenache especially was a fruit explosion, with raisins and dark cherries. They also make a luxurious, viscous PX.
Henriques & Henriques - I think the whole range from this Madeira producer is lovely but again would single out the lower-end wines as they provide such good value for money. The 3 Year Old Full Rich and the 5 Year Old Finest Medium Rich were both serious bottles of Madeira for astonishingly low prices (due in part to lack of demand in the modern world, as is also the case for much Sherry and Port).
Taylor's - speaking of Port, I must mention Taylor's (the minority owner of Metzendorff by the way). The 20 Year Old Tawny was my favourite, although the 10 Year is also very good and is nearly half the price.
Friday, 23 January 2009
Oregon and Washington Tasting
This took place yesterday at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. Despite majestic views across St James' Park to the Houses of Parliament, the grey drizzly weather was appropriate for a tasting which completely failed to excite.
As is usual at trade tastings, the wines were classified into retail price brackets, of which the cheapest (A) was £5 - £7 and the most expensive (E) was £20+. Flicking through my notes, the only wines which impressed at all were in category E (apart from a couple of dessert wines, but they came in half bottles). If money is no object, Oregon and Washington are undoubtedly capable of making some lovely wines, but the rank and file were too often bland and predictable, and at worst were overly alcoholic and/or downright horrible.
It is always interesting to see where the crushes of tasters form at these events, as - like Land Rovers on safari - they act as beacons for the best action. Here, the tasting density was highest around the category E (i.e. most expensive) Pinot Noirs.
For the record, my favourites were:
DeLille Semillon Sauvignon - crisp, with mild petrolly aroma
K Vintners Viognier - one of only 2 Viogniers on show, impressive
Domaine Serene Coeur Blanc - white Pinot Noir, in an enormous bottle, gorgeous viscous stone-fruit
Alder Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon - Bordeaux-ish old world, delicate but good tannins
One final observation is that the alcohol levels were in general too high for my liking and many wines felt 'hot', leaving an uncomfortable alcohol burn in the back of the throat. This is a global phenomenon (see my notes of last week's New Zealand tasting), which some say is a result of global warming (hotter, sunnier ripening periods leading to more sugar in the grape and higher alcohol content), whilst others blame it on the increasing Robert Parker-isation of the global palate. While there may be some truth in the former, I suspect the influence of the Parker empire may well extend up the US west coast to these two regions.
As is usual at trade tastings, the wines were classified into retail price brackets, of which the cheapest (A) was £5 - £7 and the most expensive (E) was £20+. Flicking through my notes, the only wines which impressed at all were in category E (apart from a couple of dessert wines, but they came in half bottles). If money is no object, Oregon and Washington are undoubtedly capable of making some lovely wines, but the rank and file were too often bland and predictable, and at worst were overly alcoholic and/or downright horrible.
It is always interesting to see where the crushes of tasters form at these events, as - like Land Rovers on safari - they act as beacons for the best action. Here, the tasting density was highest around the category E (i.e. most expensive) Pinot Noirs.
For the record, my favourites were:
DeLille Semillon Sauvignon - crisp, with mild petrolly aroma
K Vintners Viognier - one of only 2 Viogniers on show, impressive
Domaine Serene Coeur Blanc - white Pinot Noir, in an enormous bottle, gorgeous viscous stone-fruit
Alder Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon - Bordeaux-ish old world, delicate but good tannins
One final observation is that the alcohol levels were in general too high for my liking and many wines felt 'hot', leaving an uncomfortable alcohol burn in the back of the throat. This is a global phenomenon (see my notes of last week's New Zealand tasting), which some say is a result of global warming (hotter, sunnier ripening periods leading to more sugar in the grape and higher alcohol content), whilst others blame it on the increasing Robert Parker-isation of the global palate. While there may be some truth in the former, I suspect the influence of the Parker empire may well extend up the US west coast to these two regions.
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
New phylloxera outbreak in Yarra
Published on Decanter.com 19 January 2009. Click here to see the article on the Decanter website or on the image below for a larger version.
A new outbreak of phylloxera was declared in Australia's Yarra Valley last month.
According to Victoria's Department of Primary Industries, 'a detection of the grapevine pest phylloxera has been made in an existing control area in the Yarra Valley, north east of Melbourne'.
The so-called Maroondah Phylloxera Infested Zone (PIZ) was declared after phylloxera was detected in the region in December 2006.
The declaration restricts the movement of grapevine materials, machinery and equipment out of the PIZ.
Senior DPI plant standard officer Greg King said that following a recent notification of poor vigour in a number of vines, 'samples were taken from the affected vines and DPI's reference entomologist confirmed the presence of the pest'.
The Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board of South Australia is the only body of its type in the world established specifically to deal with phylloxera. It publishes information on recognising phylloxera and warns that detections tend to be made up to several years after the initial occurrence of the infestation.
Grape growers in other regions, especially those who have had regular contact with the Yarra Valley or with high volumes of wine tourism, have been advised to be particularly vigilant in looking for signs of phylloxera.
Phylloxera is a small yellow root-feeding aphid. It only targets grapevines, which it kills by attacking their roots.
A new outbreak of phylloxera was declared in Australia's Yarra Valley last month.
According to Victoria's Department of Primary Industries, 'a detection of the grapevine pest phylloxera has been made in an existing control area in the Yarra Valley, north east of Melbourne'.
The so-called Maroondah Phylloxera Infested Zone (PIZ) was declared after phylloxera was detected in the region in December 2006.
The declaration restricts the movement of grapevine materials, machinery and equipment out of the PIZ.
Senior DPI plant standard officer Greg King said that following a recent notification of poor vigour in a number of vines, 'samples were taken from the affected vines and DPI's reference entomologist confirmed the presence of the pest'.
The Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board of South Australia is the only body of its type in the world established specifically to deal with phylloxera. It publishes information on recognising phylloxera and warns that detections tend to be made up to several years after the initial occurrence of the infestation.
Grape growers in other regions, especially those who have had regular contact with the Yarra Valley or with high volumes of wine tourism, have been advised to be particularly vigilant in looking for signs of phylloxera.
Phylloxera is a small yellow root-feeding aphid. It only targets grapevines, which it kills by attacking their roots.
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