Salon des Vins de Loire
Posted by Ray O'Connor | Filed under Out and about
A very fleeting visit to the Loire Valley has me worn out but the quality of producers at the fair was well worth it. Audrey and I managed to reach all of the producers at the fair to tell them about our collection service for samples to go to the U.K. It would be great to see more quality producers from the Loire participate. It appears that the size of these producers restricts them from approaching the UK market ,which they then believe should deter them from entering the competition. “Au Contraire Madam!” I said to the nice man behind the Bourgeuil stand, ” this is a chance to get your name and medal out there and around the world.” 
On a wine writing note, the Wine Blog Trophy awards from the Salon took place that afternoon. Aurelia Fillion won best desgin and best best blog for her site: http://busurleweb.com/
That evening Langlois Chateau hosted a large group of Germans and a smaller representation from the UK at their winery in Saumur. Elizabeth Fergusson from Mentzendorff invited myself and a few other folk from the UK wine trade to dinner there. We were introduced to their vin clairs (base wines for sparkling wine) in their amazing 5km long cellars before tasting their Quadrelle 2002 sparkling wine. This is a delicious piece of wine making only produced in good years. As the name suggests, it’s a blend of 4 grapes: Cav Sav. Cab Franc, Chenin and Chardonnay. The nose is beautifully aromatic with an complex autolytic touch. Similar complexity on the palate but then the Chenin kicks in to give a crisp green edge to the wine keeping it nicely perked. This wine is almost 8 years old and I reckon it would need at least this amount of time before drinking. We then had a lovely meal to finish off the seriously long day.
Gyropalletes underground at Langlois Chateau.
Time flies
Posted by Ray O'Connor | Filed under Trade Tasting
Well, time really caught up with me last week. Besides the regular duties of keeping the cogs oiled at the Wine Challenge, there was all the tastings to attend. Sadly I missed the Mentzendorff tasting at Somerset House due to a prior arrangement. Big shame as they have got a great portfolio. I’ll make up for it in a way by visiting Langlois-Chateau, whom they represent, when I’m in the Loire for the next two days. I’m heading out for a flying visit to the Salon de Vins de Loire. We came up with the idea of bringing the horse to water, so to speak. Loire producers at the fair can bring their samples to a specific room at the fair where we collect them and bring them back to the UK, making life a lot easier for them.
But I did make it to the Maison Marques et Domaines tasting at BAFTA where amongst many others I tasted the Mud House wines. This New Zealand winery has only been growing vines for ten years and represnts a fifth of the grapes grown in Otago. The Pinots hit the spot. Subtle, with lovely red fruits and really noticeable acidity, in a good fresh way. The wines of Domaines Schlumberger, who are celebrating 200 years and 7 generations of wine-making, were on show also. Pinot Gris “Les Princes Abbes” 2007 was complex and nutty with a brioche note to it. All this character was sustained by minerality and power.
The Louis Latour Agencies tasting was a tight fit at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, but there was quality as well as people packed in the room. I kept going back for the McHenry Hohnen wines from Margaret River. The 3 Amigos white was particularly interesting as it is made from Marsanne/Chardonnay/Rousanne. It is rich and round on the palate yet powerful. There is a nice creamy texture and evident but subtle oak. Lovely stuff.
That was Tuesday. Wednesday I headed to Great Western Wines celebration of the Languedoc Rousillon tasting at the generic body’s building on Cavendish Square. Only 6 producers present but a great offering of wines. Chateau du Donjon, Minervois, managed to offer delicious fruit at extremely good value. The rose was just perfect – totally quaffable but the fruit was particularly well balanced and easy. La Galiniere Merlot ‘08 from the same estate had lovely ripe fruit and a clean, smooth finish. I’ve known the wines of Mas du Soleilla, La Clape, since I sold them at Maze restaurant. Les Bartelles 2007 is a perfect blend of Syrah and Grenache that would give any Southern Rhone wine a serious run for its money. Great ripe fruits with some liqourice and pepper, it slides down so well. Finally, a wine which was not represented by the winery at the tasting was Domaine Marcevol, Cotes de Roussillon 2005. Grenache, Syrah and Carignan make up the blend of this wine from the Gods. It was a fantastic representation of the local terroir. Not just because it is organically made, but for the herbal, dried fruits and distinct minerality that you would imagine the Cotes de Roussillon producing. That wine is a real find.
Now, it’s off to the Loire to slurp my way round the fair. Bring it on!
Vinderella – The Panto
Posted by Ray O'Connor | Filed under IWC, Out and about
Watch the 2 minutes highlights from the show on the video player to your right.
What a rip roaring success the Benevolent pantomime, Vinderella, was last week. A fantastic turn out brought in over £10,000 for the charity which was a great contribution on behalf of all those who attended. But the greatest effort came from the cast and crew of the panto who gave up their evenings and weekends to entertain us over a 4 night stint in West London.
The show itself was hilarious with plenty of clever play on words to entertain the wine trade. Walk on parts from big wigs attending the IWC Ball such as Michael Broadbent, Jancis Robinson MW and Hugh Johnson, over various nights added to the buzz of the event. See if you recognise any familiar faces, with or without make up, in the video player.
Guess who?
Congratulations again to all who worked on the pantomime including the front of house staff and the Benevolent office team.
Tags: Benevolent, IWC Ball, Vinderella
Liberty Wines Annual tatsing
Posted by Ray O'Connor | Filed under Trade Tasting
Watch the interview with Paolo de Marchi of Isiole e Olena (Tuscany) & Proprieta Sperino (Piedmonte) on the video player to your right.
The International Wine Challenge Italian Specialist Merchant of the Year and On-Trade Specialist Merchant of the Year, Liberty Wines, hosted their massive annual portfolio tasting at the Oval cricket ground on Tuesday. These guys don’t do things by halves. A fantastic presence of winemakers and representative from each of the wineries on show gave the crowds plenty of information if they wanted to get furher down on the nitty gritty of the wine making. The star in Liberty’s crown is their Italian portfolio. Covering the length and breath of the country, David Gleave MW has cherry-picked the smartest producers on offer.
But the talent doesn’t stop there. Liberty picked up a string of trophies at last years competition including the New Zealand Chardonnay trophy for Ata Rangi amongst many others. Personally, I’m a sucker for the immacutely pure fruit of the Biodynamic wines from Cullen in Western Australia. If you’re ever in need of a wine to woo over a dinner party the ‘Diana Madeline’ is just the ticket. Compact with delcious balck fruits it has oodles of class and great structure, promising a long life.
As you will learn from the video on the right, Paolo de Marchi of Isole e Olena is now making wine in Lessona DOC in Piedmonte. The 2006 Costa della Sesis ‘Uvaggio’ was the best value wine on show on the day. Uvaggio, Paolo tells me, means blend and in this wine he has put 2/3 Nebbiolo with Vespolina and Croatina. The very light colour can be desciptive to the powerful punch of acidity and secondary fruit character you find on the palatte. Lovely notes of underwood and leather with light tannins. Delish!
Tags: Italy, Liberty wines, Paolo de Marchi
Japanese Koshu tasting
Posted by Ray O'Connor | Filed under Grape varieties, Trade Tasting, Uncategorized
Running a little behind on updating tastings posts due to heavy workload at the IWC but I thought it is important to mention the Koshu tasting I attended last Friday. Fifteen wine-makers had travelled to London to show their wines which are produced in the the Yamanashi Prefecture.
The wine growing regions benefit from volcanic soils and although temperatures can reach very high the diurnal variation ensures freshness is maintained in the Koshu grapes. I found the better wines to be similar to the fresh white wines of Rueda, Spain. They were light and crisp with lovely crunchy green apple fruits. The Katsunuma Jyozo Co.Ltd winery was particularly good. Their wine, Arugabranca Isehara 2009, had lovely aromatics with greengage and floral notes and some grapefruit. The palates was fresh, light and crisp.
Ayana Misawa is the winemaker and viticulturist of Grace Wine. She informed me that the grapes can be naturally reductive and this is something the wineries try and manage, considering most wines are produced in stainless steel tanks. Those that had lees stirring in barrel managed to boost the body somewhat and were similar to the styles found in Muscadet sur Lie wines that are raised in oak.
Japanese sommlier and MW student Yuka Ogasawara suggested Asian cuisine best accompanied these wines. I would also look to shell fish and pomelo salads to enhance the vibrant fruit found in some of these wines. These wines should be considered in UK restaurants, not for the niche factor but because, some of them at least, stand up to many good quality European wines currently being served today.
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