Chinon: Word to the wise
Chinon straddles the Vienne, a small tributary to the south of the Loire between Saumur and Tours. It’s pretty in parts; rolling wooded hills, sunflowers, birdsong. The unassuming landscape doesn’t declare its potential like the more dramatic wine regions of France. However to notice a bottle of Chinon in a friend’s wine rack is to spot some Miles Davis in their CD collection. It suggests a path travelled, perseverance rewarded. It’s not a charismatic entertainer that wows the audience; it is discreet, contemplative, and all the more satisfying for it.
Though some white can be found, the grape that defines Chinon is Cabernet Franc. It is a parent of the handsome Cabernet Sauvignon, and the family resemblance is evident. Drier, stricter, more challenging than its offspring, Cabernet Franc gives medium-bodied, bonier red wines. They also age well, but the wines glide on their acidity and tannin rather than relying on sheer heft of flavour. Like a weathered older marathon runner, it relies on sinew and character over muscle.
It is a wine lover’s wine because it instructs as it refreshes. The lighter wines will have been grown on sand near the river; the fuller ones on the limestone slopes and plateaux. The aroma is as unmistakable as the gait of an old friend; bright blackcurrants and pencil shavings to start with, then gradually cigar tobacco and leather-bound books. It also demonstrates the challenges and rewards of making red wines in cool climates; the risk of green, unripe flavours in cooler years but profound complexity and longevity in top vintages.
This is not a famous wine; supply and demand are easy bedfellows, so the prices remain sensible. Those in the know buy from top producers in a warmer year like 2009 and leave it for ten years or so. The impatient can pay a little extra for wines ready matured. Either way, having some Chinon in your wine rack is a wise move.
The Co-operative Truly Irresistible Chinon 2012 (Co-op, £9.99)
A good value Chinon made by up-and-coming producer Domaine de la Noblaie. Earthy aromas alongside ripe blackberry fruit and a dry, savoury finish.
Domaine Olga Raffault ‘Les Barnabés’ 2012 (Wine Utopia, £13.95)
The entry-level Chinon from a top domaine, this has plenty of lively, bright berry fruits and no lack of intensity. Refreshing and highly drinkable.
Domaine Charles Joguet ‘Clos du Chêne Vert’ 2008 (Justerini & Brooks, £23.46)
A top single-vineyard wine from a leading producer with six years in bottle – and still under £25. Seriously refined and beautifully balanced. Flows like a red silk scarf.
First published in Living France magazine.
South Africa: Vote Yes
Sometimes it takes events like the Scottish Referendum to make you realise that however ancient and permanent the old order appears, the status quo could suddenly change. It’s no different in the world of wine: in fact, there’s one anomaly that I’ve been increasingly aware of recently. South Africa has always been considered part of the New World, but I think the tipping point has been reached. It’s time for us to move South Africa from New World to Old World.
Château Mouton-Rothschild could lobby the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux to move from Second Growth to First, but there's no official body to petition in order to right this particular wrong. But if there were a referendum in the next few years, I'd be voting Yes to South Africa notionally joining the Old World, and I want you to join me.
South Africa has been described in the past as lying between the Old World and the New World, but the wine scene in South Africa has been changing of late – and changing fast. Catherine Marshall makes some of the best Pinot Noirs in the cool climate region of Elgin and she agrees “we have a foot in both”. But if she had to choose? “Old World for sure… classic, restrained, food friendly. I’m Old World trained, that’s what I want to make, that’s why I’m in Elgin.” Gunter Schultz at Kleinood in Stellenbosch adds “the drinkability of the wine is an important factor… most of us practice an Old World style.”
Classic, restrained, food friendly and drinkable are all typically Old World characteristics; to this perhaps we could add savoury, middle-weight and terroir-focussed. These are all terms that describe the more exciting stuff coming out of South Africa today. Ten years ago, much of the wine produced in South Africa was decidedly fruit-forward in character, but a new generation of well-travelled young winemakers are pulling in a different direction. John Seccombe trained at Plumpton College in the UK, then subsequently worked in France, California and Australia before returning to his native South Africa to set up his Thorne & Daughters label by renting space in his friend Chris Alheit’s cellar. He has just released his very promising first vintages and explains “all of us are talking to each other, all of us are helping each other out.”
His wines are a good example of the broader contemporary scene. Rather than pandering to visiting buyers’ assessments of what will sell, winemakers are increasingly searching out the best terroirs and working with the most appropriate varieties for the site to make the best wines possible. “I want to make wines with South African identity”, says Seccombe, “I don’t want to emulate another region.” As winemakers look to the relative permanence of terroir rather than the fleeting whims of the market, more uniquely South African wines are the result.
Even the vineyards are starting to look more French than Australian. Keermont in Stellenbosch grow Syrah on stakes in their steeper vineyards like in Côte-Rotie. Swartland, however, looks more like Châteauneuf-du-Pape; 70% of Lammershoek’s 70 hectare estate for example is dry-farmed bush vines. Even the Chardonnay. Irrigation is out, cooler site selection is in. They’ll be harvesting in bonnets and clogs next.
The trend in the cellar is very much back-to-basics, minimising sulphur, reducing use of new oak and eschewing additives. I’ve never heard so many winemakers preaching the benefits of wild yeasts. Some winemakers such as Adi Badenhorst are even successfully experimenting with determinedly Old World oddities such as vin jaune and vermouth. And instead of bottling that archetypically New World creature, the varietal wine, many of the most exciting reds and whites are blends. Of course there are still plenty of well-established estates pumping out Bordeaux blends and punchy Pinotage. If you’re a fan of polished, bright, fruit-forward varietal wines, there are still plenty to be found, but compared to the new school, they are beginning to look decidedly old-fashioned.
There is one side of the South African wine scene that is resolutely New World, and that is the feeling on the ground amongst the best producers. This pace of change, and the sense of excitement and experimentation feels more New World in energy, but the resulting wine styles are often more Old World in signature.
The funny thing about the Old World is that the countries it groups together have relatively little in common; each country has a strong identity of its own. And as time goes on, South Africa too is beginning to develop its own unique voice. For a country that has been making wine for over 350 years, this has been a long time coming. How much more practice does South Africa need before it can join its North African cousins that have always been considered Old World?
We’re not used to things moving this fast in wine, so when they do, we need to make a fundamental shift in our world wine view to accommodate it. So next time you’re in the wine shop looking for a middle-weight, food friendly, drinkable wine to go with dinner, don’t just stick to France and Italy – consider South Africa. And when the forms come in the post, join me and Vote Yes.
A selection of Old World style South African wines to try
Graham Beck Brut Blanc de Blanc 2009 (Robertson, 12%)
Slurp.co.uk, £14.50
Gorgeous blanc de blanc nose, fresh green apple, lemon juice and blossom. Some weight on the palate, keen acidity, good length and some biscuity flavour coming through. Very convincing bottle fermented fizz of great finesse and balance. Don’t drink Prosecco, drink this. 94 points, good value.
Iona Chardonnay 2013 (Elgin, 13%)
Marks & Spencer, £14.99
Clear and defined melon, lemon and grapefruit alongside some marine/seashell aromas. Light, balanced and refreshing. Lovely mineral impression on the finish. A very drinkable, fresh, zesty chardonnay with subtle, seamlessly integrated oak. 92 points, fair value.
Mullineux White Blend 2013 (Swartland, 13.5%)
Oddbins, £17.00
A blend of Chenin Blanc, Viognier and Clairette. Subtle pear nose with some honeysuckle and jasmine florality. Full in body, but subtle in fruit. Very much about texture; long, mineral, crystalline. 93 points, fair value.
Constantia Uitsig White 2013 (Constantia, 14%)
The Good Wine Shop, £18.50 for the 2012
Two thirds Semillon, one third Sauvignon Blanc. Silver coloured. Fresh grassy nose. Medium-bodied, lovely finesse and fruit expression. Good balance, just enough acid and some soft, yielding ripe fruit flavours, but nothing too loud. Lovely siky texture. 93 points, fair value.
Klein Contantia Metis 2013 (Constantia, 14%)
sawinesonline.co.uk, £19.99
A collaboration with Pascal Jolivet of Sancerre, so perhaps unsurprisingly this Sauvignon is a fairly mineral style, but backed up with concentrated, tangy lime and kiwi juice. Intense and long. 91 points, just about fair value.
Botanica Chenin Blanc 2013 (Devon Valley, Stellenbosch; 14%)
Harrogate Fine Wines, £19.99 for the 2012
Light, fresh, fruity and floral style of Chenin with pear, quince and apple. Top notes of honeysuckle. Lovely fresh impression with a touch of crème brulée richness on the finish. Has a natural, authentic feel to it. 94 points, good value.
Crystallum Clay Shales Chardonnay 2013 (Hemel en Aarde, Walker Bay; 13.5%)
Slurp.co.uk, £23.95
Single vineyard in the Hemel en Aarde Valley, Chardonnay grown on clay and shale, 17% new oak. Rich nose with apricot and honeysuckle. Medium-bodied, with a rounded mouthfeel and sweet fruits, leading to a touch of honeycomb on the finish. All very well judged and balanced, with great length – it really sails on into the distance. 94 points, good value.
Sadie Family Palladius 2012 (Swartland, 14.5%)
AG Wines, £34.99
Mostly Chenin Blanc, with Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Viognier, Verdelho, Roussanne, Semillon Gris, Semillon Blanc and Palomino from 17 vineyards across Swartland. Pear, mirabelle plum and honeysuckle aromatics. This medium-bodied yet powerful white has a fine thread of bright acidity running through it, all ending with honeyed yet dry, lightly toasty finish. Perfectly balanced, long and satisfying, this is brilliant winemaking. 96 points, fair value.
Cathy Marshall Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir 2012 (Elgin; 14%)
Waples, £16.75
Pale in colour, with pure, fragrant red berry aromatics. Silky mouthfeel, with fine, gentle tannins and a juicy finish. Long, elegant, with burgeoning complexity. 92 points, good value.
Keermont Syrah 2012 (Upper Blaauwklippen Valley, Stellenbosch; 14%)
Swig, £29.50
95% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre. 5% new oak. Clean, relaxed, authentic blackberry aromatics, just-ripe fruit. Some bacon fat and a whiff of tar add complexity. Wonderfully smooth mouthfeel with exceptionally fine tannins, all backed up with balanced acids. Medium-bodied, with a natural feel and a long, mineral finish. Exceptional South African Syrah. 96 points, fair value.
Boekenhoutskloof Syrah 2012 (Franschhoek, 14.5%)
Swig, £35.00
Syrah grown on one block of southeast-facing granite. 20% stems included, 100% 2nd use oak. Beautiful dark berry fruits on the nose, fresh, slightly floral and faintly peppery. Mouth-coating tannins and extract, intense, bright and zingy. Integrated oak, long, very pure, with a wonderful texture. Has the brooding, deep, dark nature of Syrah grown on granite. Extremely good. 95 points, fair value.
First published on timatkin.com.
Cornas: Elemental force
Syrah is a versatile grape. At one end of the scale, it can make light, fresh, quaffable tonics, bright purple, scented with violets and tasting of blackberries. Cornas, however, lies at the other extreme. These are mightily powerful, black wines of thunderous intensity. It’s a storm surge in a bottle.
This tiny appellation lies at the hot southern limit of the Northern Rhône Valley and consists of a scorched, south-facing granite hillside. The rumpled terrain looks like it’s been picked up, pummelled and thrown back down. Its vertiginous, corrugated terraces are worked by dozens of smallholders. No-one owns much land here; it’s too punishing to work. Tractors quickly become useless on these steep slopes. Horses can help, up to a point. But eventually the only way to plough is by attaching winches to the summit and dragging them up, leaving jagged fissures in their wake.
The vines thrive on the physical effort of the winegrowers. You can taste it in the wines; a tang of dried blood when young, becoming more like roasted meat jus as the wine ages. As they develop, more flavours are drawn out of the wine; dried herbs, hung game and wildfire smoke. Unsurprisingly for wines of this thickset tannic intensity, they can last for decades.
These elemental wines can be overpowering to drink by themselves when young. The best way to tackle them is with a plate of charred rare beef. It’s the wine meat was invented for. Though there are some newer producers opting for a more approachable, fruitier direction, the more traditional contingent still opt for a very dry, savoury style. Either way, Cornas is a force of nature.
Vincent Paris Cornas ‘Granit 30’ 2012 (Bordeaux Index, £19.96)
Aromas of fresh blackberries, liquorice and butchers' shops over thick black fruit flavours. Powerful savoury texture, all balanced with lively acidity and brimming with energy.
Colombo & Fille Cornas 2011 (Marks & Spencer, £23.00)
Blackberry, blueberry, charcoal and smoke. Full-bodied for sure, but this is nonetheless a lighter, fresher, more perfumed style of Cornas that is a great introduction to the style.
Domaine Eric & Joël Durand Cornas ‘Empreintes’ 2012 (Berry Bros & Rudd, £32.95)
If you’re looking to push the boat out for a celebration, this is an extraordinary full-throttle Cornas. Very full-bodied, thick with lithe tannin, but still retains freshness and balance. Powerful, very long, and impressively uncompromising, this can’t fail to impress lovers of big wines.
First published in Living France magazine.
2013 Rhône Report - out now
I spend one month every year compiling my annual Rhône Report, so it's always a great feeling when it's finished and ready to read. I hope it's fair to say that it's the most useful and most readable guide to the new vintage that money can buy. You can download a copy here: http://www.timatkin.com/reports/2013-rhone-special-report
Since I spend so long working on it, I have to charge - it's £10 per download. It's 50 pages long, packed full of original colour photography and professionally designed, so I hope that's reasonable. If you scroll to the bottom of that link, however, you can download the 2012 edition free of charge.
There is still so much value to be found in the Rhône - I hope it helps lead wine lovers to some savvy purchases.
Picpoul vs. Muscadet: When life gives you Melons
Like a weathered George Michael cynically observing a shiny young Justin Bieber, Muscadet must be thinking to itself 'been there, done that'. After its 1980s heyday of wild success, Muscadet has seen some hard times, but young upstart Picpoul de Pinet seems to have everything going for it. In many ways, however, they are very similar; vineyards by the sea, growing a grape variety unique to them, making cheap, zesty, fresh whites that work well with seafood… so much so that Picpoul is sometimes referred to as ‘the Muscadet of the South’. It’s a phrase that must chill Picpoul to the bone. Should it worry about suffering the same fate as Muscadet?
The vineyards of Muscadet lie mostly southeast of Nantes, close to where the silvery Loire drains into the Atlantic at Saint-Nazaire. The cool, northerly climate helps their Melon de Bourgogne grapes retain their acidity, but the cold weather can also prove perilous. Its generous crops of a fairly neutral yet refreshing wine made it the Pinot Grigio of the 1980s.
Production was ramped up by any means necessary to meet demand; high yields, chemical fertilisers, planting on unsuitable land. In 1987 alone 103m bottles were produced (that’s half the amount the whole of Burgundy produces today). But in 1991 it was struck by a fierce frost; just 28m bottles were mustered that year. There wasn’t enough to go around, and short-sighted producers raised their prices. As Muscadet lost listings with retailers around the world, there were plenty of exciting New World wines to take their place. The following year resulted in a massive crop, and prices crashed. With Muscadet’s image in tatters, exports withered. Vineyards were abandoned. Like a stoned George Michael stumbling out of a crashed car, by 2010 Muscadet was all washed up.
Overlooking the Mediterranean, Picpoul doesn’t rely on a cool climate for its acidity; it’s a natural characteristic of the grape. As Muscadet has shown, there seems to be an unquenchable thirst for inexpensive, fresh, saline whites in the UK. Now it’s Picpoul’s turn in the limelight: from 1995 to 2013 production has steadily increased from 4m bottles to 9m bottles. Its seductive connection with the relaxed south of France has no doubt added to its appeal.
The UK is now Picpoul de Pinet’s biggest market. You can find it in shops and restaurants across the land, but Tesco has been the driving force behind its success, alone selling over 1m bottles a year. Anne Burchett, Managing Director of marketing agency Sopexa UK, points out that Picpoul de Pinet is “immediately enjoyable, but not immediately easy to place in terms of price” for the average supermarket shopper; “who would know the price of a Picpoul?” Muscadet, however, now represents a ‘cheap’ wine for many, meaning prices are held permanently low; crucially, this means there is no room for price promotions to drive sales like there is with Picpoul. Hence the Tesco bear hug.
The principal difference between Picpoul de Pinet and Muscadet is size. Picpoul de Pinet may be the largest white wine appellation in the south of France but it’s only one fifth the size of the titanic Muscadet, and there is plenty more land on which to plant. As Muscadet discovered, having massive volumes to sell might elevate you to a household name, but it can also create complications that end up putting the power in the hands of distributors. This restricted size, coupled with a warmer, more consistent climate might save Picpoul from going the same way as Muscadet.
Picpoul de Pinet still has room to grow for now but demand is strengthening all the time. It’s even stealing ground from more famous French regions; Morrisons recently replaced a Mâcon-Villages with a Picpoul when it couldn’t source the Burgundy at the right price. Naked Wines has already started increasing prices. Wine Director Ray O’Connor explains that “Picpoul was at one point our best-selling white wine. We decided to invest more money in the wine, paying more for quality. This obviously had a knock-on effect on price, and hence a reduction in volume, but regardless of this is it now in our top 5 white wines.” Across the appellation, official figures show that average prices have risen by 10% in the past 5 years.
As more interest is focused on Picpoul, premium styles are starting to emerge. Sally Holloway buys French wines for wine distributor Boutinot, and works with the Cave de l’Ormarine. She says “Picpoul has become a premium house wine and there is no reason to expect that the popularity will not continue… We have listed a sparkling Picpoul this year which has proved successful.” At around £14 a bottle, it’s one of the most expensive Picpouls on the market. Jean-Claude Mas at Domaines Paul Mas also produces a sparkling version; furthermore he’s “venturing into some reserve Picpouls”.
Picpoul de Pinet is one of the few French appellations to include the grape variety in its name. In some ways it’s an advantage as Picpoul de Pinet is easy to pronounce for English speakers. In fact, most people just refer to it as Picpoul. And this could be its downfall. As it increases in price and popularity there’s nothing to stop speculators growing Picpoul outside the appellation on unsuitable land, using chemical fertilisers, cropping it high and selling it cheap on the back of Picpoul de Pinet… A fatal scenario similar to basic Muscadet tarnishing the name of superior Muscadet Sèvre et Maine.
This might not make for much of a moneymaking scheme for now, but as prices rise the threat will become more real. At least stating ‘AOC Muscadet’ on a label requires a certain basic level of wine quality; no so with the word Picpoul. The Picpoul de Pinet appellation is trying to protect and restrict usage of the word, but it’s the name of a grape variety so there’s little they can do about it. The best option open to them is to differentiate their Picpoul as much as possible from others.
Ironically, looking towards Muscadet could give them some pointers of how to achieve this. With the dead wood being cleared away over the past few years, Muscadet is experiencing something of a renaissance thanks to a push towards better quality; lower yields, picking at full maturity, hand harvesting, better attention to parcels and soils – all things that help underline its unique character and put the spotlight on terroir. Top estates such as Domaine de l’Ecu, Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin and Domaine Joseph Landron are producing some exceptional wines, higher in quality than what Picpoul de Pinet can currently muster. And while its reputation is yet to catch up, you can still pick them up for less than £20 a bottle.
So as it stands, it would appear that Picpoul has little to worry about when referred to as ‘the Muscadet of the South’. In fact, increasingly it should be flattered. Doug Wregg of importer Les Caves de Pyrène goes as far as proclaiming “Muscadet for us has become the Chablis of the Loire.” So, Picpoul de Pinet, how does ‘The Chablis of the South’ sound? Now there’s something to aspire to.
Image © Sud de France. That's right, it's a Picpoul!
First published on timatkin.com.
Saumur: Precious stone
Fruits, herbs and spices are fairly common, but can you detect minerals in a wine? Certain individuals pick up aromas associated with rocks like struck flint or chalk dust; others, the smell of seashells. Some drinkers perceive a kind of saltiness on the tongue. It appears to be a more widespread phenomenon in cooler climates, such as the Loire Valley.
Saumur sits on either side of the river, thirty miles upstream of Angers. It looks like the town has been conjured out of the surrounding limestone hills, dragged out and thrown upwards with the flick of a magic wand. It’s not just the grander buildings that are built from this off-white tuffeau, it’s the entire town; from modest houses to the turreted fairy tale castles that overlook them. It has a soft, grainy surface that’s easy to scratch; it looks as if a pebble might dissolve in water like an aspirin.
The local winemakers have a close relationship with this stone. They make a huge variety of wines here, and vines grow in it quite happily, the vineyards littered with angular ivory pebbles. White wines are based on the assertive, apple and honey scented Chenin Blanc grape. Reds and rosés derive from the medium-weight, berry flavoured Cabernet Franc, a particularly fine expression of which is found in the enclave of Saumur-Champigny. Saumur is also an excellent source of inexpensive bottle-fermented sparkling wines that come in all three colours.
For medium-bodied wines, the best age remarkably well. Millions of bottles are slowly maturing in the hundreds of miles of natural cellars left behind when the inhabitants mined the stone to build the town. Whether you can taste the minerals or not is debateable, but Saumur and its vineyards owe a debt of gratitude to their chalky bedrock.
Bouvet Saumur Brut ‘Saphir’ 2011 (Spirited Wines, £13.86)
A very fresh and lively dry fizz with aromas of green apple, leafy herbs, a touch of brioche and hint of honey. Enjoyable and invigorating.
Langlois-Chateau Saumur Blanc Vieilles Vignes 2005 (thedrinkshop.com, £15.41)
Complex nose offers a lattice of hazelnut, quince, dried pear and honey. Full-bodied, intense and very dry. Lush and rich but balanced with a saline finish. A remarkably serious and powerful wine for the money.
Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny Vieilles Vignes 2011 (Davis Bell McCraith, £18.99)
Dark brambly fruits, blackcurrant and liquorice. Very fine tannins, and intensely flavoured for a Loire red but without sacrificing freshness, balance or finesse.
First published in Living France magazine.
Split infinity
What do you feel like drinking tonight? Red or white? Still or sparkling? Dry or sweet? With an endless number of wines in countless styles to choose from, it's necessary to segment this unwieldy mass to help yourself (or someone else) make a choice. But as the world of wine constantly grows and develops, the way in which we classify wines also needs to change. Categories such as New World vs. Old World, modern vs. traditional and natural vs. conventional are becoming increasingly outdated and irrelevant. It’s time to update our approach.
Tried and tested
When talking about wine, the most immediate way we can categorise it is by the properties we can detect with our senses. Is it still or sparkling, dry or sweet, oaked or unoaked? All of these examples, like so many others, are two ends of a scale rather than distinct styles. Nonetheless, most of us can broadly come to an agreement on whereabouts a wine sits on each. Interestingly, we rarely use aromatics when specifying wine styles; I’ve rarely been asked to suggest wines that smell like blackberries or peaches. Aromatic descriptors like these are frequently used in written tasting notes, but much less it seems when we talk about wine.
The other two most common methods of categorising wine are either by region or by grape variety. Both ways of dividing up the world of wine remain relevant and useful, as most regions and varieties are slow to change so offer fixed and objective stylistic parameters. Compared to some other fields, they are pretty clear-cut. Arguing with a music lover about whether a track is jungle or drum & bass, chillwave or shoegaze can remain stubbornly inconclusive. It’s when it comes to stylistic categories within regions or grape varieties that things get tricky.
Cool climate vs. warm climate
New World vs. Old World was once a valid division. If a wine was grown in the traditional wine growing regions of Europe or the Near East, it was Old World; in one of the newer countries to commercial production such as the Americas, Australasia or South Africa it was New World. The warmer climates enjoyed by New World countries could produce riper styles of wine, with more body and alcohol than many of their Old World counterparts, and common usage of this division has gradually become more stylistic than geographical.
But the wine world has moved on. Just because a wine is made in Chile, South Africa or the US doesn’t mean the wine is necessarily big, boozy and powerful. The prevailing wind is in the opposite direction, towards medium-bodied wines with more finesse, and increasingly winemakers are looking towards cooler sites, near the coast or at higher altitudes, to achieve it. I’d argue that instead of using the increasingly outdated New World vs. Old World stylistic division, it would be more useful to use cool climate vs. warm climate instead. Often the cool climate Chardonnays of Limarí and Walker Bay have more in common with the Chardonnays of Burgundy than fellow Old World examples from Navarra or even the Languedoc.
Restrained vs. flamboyant
Another commonly used stylistic division within wine regions is traditional vs. modern. What the ‘modern’ here denotes is a richer, riper style than the ‘traditional’ example from the region in question, whether it be Bordeaux or Barolo. It suggests higher levels of alcohol, extraction and perhaps some discernible sweetness, and usually aged in small new oak barrels. Now I don’t know about you, but this doesn’t sound very modern to me; it sounds like the depths of some 1990s Parkerised hell.
Using the word ‘modern’ in an attempt to describe the current era is rarely a good idea. When styles change and you enter a new era, there’s always ‘post-modern’ to describe it, but what then? It’s not the prerogative of anyone that lives through a particular era to give it a name; it can only be bestowed by subsequent generations when enough time has passed to distance it from the current day. An ever-present ‘contemporary’ is the best you can hope for. So it’s time to stop using modern vs. traditional when talking about wine; ‘modern’ is no longer modern. Let’s replace it with restrained vs. flamboyant and move on.
Mass market vs. craft vs. prestige
Finally there’s the vexed division of natural vs. conventional wines. On the one hand, I love that members of the natural wine movement refuse to define its meaning. If its definition is changeable, it gives the movement wriggle room to grow and change through its dynamic early stages of development. That it has no definition does create discussion, but it also makes genuine communication difficult, and breeds ill-feeling. And what is the definition of ‘conventional wine’ anyway? There's lots of energy and excitement in this area of wine right now, but if this current can’t be transmitted, it could fizzle out. Although the term natural wine is in essence technical as it refers to how the wine is made, because of the lack of definition it has become more of a stylistic term for many drinkers.
To describe one wine style as ‘natural’ doesn’t mean that all others are ‘conventional’ or ‘unnatural’; there can be more than two categories. And categories can be fuzzy; that’s to say they needn’t be mutually exclusive. Perhaps it would be helpful to employ three categories instead; mass market, craft and prestige.
Mass market wines are made in huge volumes by large corporate wineries, co-ops or negociants. They are usually sold in supermarkets, in wine shop chains or by large mail order/internet retailers, either under their own brands or those of the manufacturer. Low prices and price promotion are key selling points. They seldom suffer from serious winemaking faults, but rarely is there much of interest to say about them. They are the Nescafé Original or the Carling Black Label of the wine world.
Craft wines are made in small quantities by independent or family-owned producers and often sold under the name of the estate or winemaker. Prices are higher than mass market wines, and they are usually sold in independent wine shops, wine bars or restaurants. The quality of the wine is its main selling point, which is often in the context of its region of production. Producers prioritise high quality over ease of production, often opting for low yields, organic or biodynamic farming, hand harvesting, the reduction or omission of additives such as enzymes, acid, sugar, tannin, colour, cultured yeasts or sulphur dioxide.
Craft wines have the broadest palette of flavours. A minority of winemakers experiment with unusual or challenging styles. An even smaller minority, particularly those with a philosophy of minimal intervention and/or zero added sulphur, create extreme styles. Some craft wines flirt with winemaking faults, to the extent that some drinkers find them unpalatable. But what they have shown us is that many so-called winemaking faults are not simply black or white. Like levels of sweetness or acidity, they too are on a scale, and some winelovers find that a palatable degree can add interest and complexity.
The third segment is prestige wines. These wines are very expensive, and are sold in top-end independent merchants, fine dining restaurants, at auction or via brokers. They are drunk rarely even by dedicated wine lovers and some are used as investment vehicles. They can be made in small or large volumes, but rarely on the same scale as mass market wines. What this category shares with mass market wines is that some are household names. In terms of production, they have more in common with craft wines, and will strive for quality at any cost – quality is usually very high. Their price is not always dictated by quality alone however, it could also be down to rarity or fashion. What these wines don’t share with craft wines is that wilder, more challenging fringe; and unlike most natural wines, they are usually produced with some ability to age in mind.
Fresh segments
Both the wine world and the usage of words is in continual flux, so it’s hardly surprising that it’s often hard for people to agree on stylistic terms, especially in so subjective a topic as wine. What start as sharply defined geographic or technical terms gradually turn into stylistic ones, which further creates confusion. Wine is never black or white; it's a three dimensional colour wheel riddled with wormholes. But without defining styles or categories it's impossible to talk about it; “wine needs words”, as Hugh Johnson rightly said. The best we can hope for is to keep our common categories up to date when they start to lose their meaning.
First published on timatkin.com.
Cafe Below: my latest wine list
After drinking it and writing about it, my next favourite wine-based pursuit is producing wine lists. Cafe Below is a restaurant in the crypt of St Mary-le-Bow Church in the heart of the City. Apparently if you're born within earshot of the church bells, that means you're a true Cockney, and when the building was burned down in the Great Fire of London, it was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren. I love working in London.
When the current owner, Anthony Middleton, decided to move from serving lunches only to dinner service as well, he decided it was time to upgrade the wine list, and commissioned me to put something together. You can take a look at it here: Cafe Below Wine List
The menu is seasonal modern British with the occasional Mediterranean influence, which means there were few restrictions in terms of style or country of origin. Instead, I've tried to reflect the values of the kitchen in the wine list; mostly organic, biodynamic or natural wines from small producers who care about reflecting their land and their heritage.
To begin with, dinner is only being served on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. If you book online for dinner during the month of October you'll get 50% off the food.
The menu changes daily, but here's an example from a few days ago. It's unlike most of the chains and swankier restaurants in the area;it has a bit of heart and soul. If you pay them a visit, let me know what you think!
Snacks
Focaccia & Olives: Nella di Cerignola & Nyons £5
Butternut pate, flatbread, Basra date syrup £4.50
Finochiona; Tuscan salami with fennel £4
Salame della Rosa; Piemontese salami seasoned with Barbera wine £4
A plate of charcuterie, rillettes & pickles to share £12
Plates
We recommend two or three plates per person to share, one as a starter
Salmon cured pastrami style, soda bread, horseradish cream £7
Braised fennel £5.50
Smoked eel, crisp pancetta, crepe parmentier £7.50
Beetroot, red onion, red cabbage, crème fraiche £7
House salt cod brandade, bread £9
Seven spice lamb sausage, braised chick peas, saffron aioli £10.50
Pearl barley risotto, pumpkin, chestnuts £9.50
Courgettes, puy lentils, buffalo mozzarella £10
Ox cheek in red wine, butterbeans £9.50
Mains
Scrag end of lamb, rosemary dumpling, swede £18
Sea bream, clams, borlotti beans £16.50
Desserts
St Clement’s Cream, candied clementine, sable biscuit £5.50
Yorkshire parkin, spiced treacle, honeycomb parfait £7
Chocolate tart, salted caramel, clotted cream £7
Brebis Fermier cheese, pickled quince £6
Bandol: Here be giants
The classic seaside town of Bandol, 20 miles to the east of Marseille, is a peaceful if touristy destination. But the terraced vineyards on the wooded hillsides behind the town are home to some fearsome beasts. When certain local grape varieties are grown in this crucible under the scorching Mediterranean sun the results can be staggering. This is the land of giants.
Over half the production here is red, based on the headstrong Mourvèdre grape. It creates towering red dragons of wines, rarely equalled in power and stature, thick with sinewy blackberry fruit, liquorice and earth. They can be drunk young, but the best last for 30 years or more. Drink them with red meat, preferably blackened and smoking.
A third of Bandol’s output is pink, built on a base of Mourvèdre, Grenache and Cinsault. Provence is renowned for its fine rosés, as pretty and gentle as songbirds. Bandol’s however are majestic flamingos – less delicate perhaps, but altogether more impressive. Though it retains an aromatic fruitiness, this is a full-bodied, delicious, statuesque rosé that can match powerful foods, even grilled red meats.
White Bandol is like the Yeti; rarely seen outside these pine-covered hills but an interesting creature if you can track it down. It gets its outsized proportions mostly from Clairette and Bourboulenc grapes, but the wine is more muscular than plump. Totally dry, it typically has aromas of citrus fruits, herbs and flowers, coupled with a weighty, flowing texture. It’s perfect with richer fish dishes.
As local land prices increase, these fabulous beasts are seeing their habitat gradually destroyed by housing developments. It’s a shame, as Bandol is home to some of the most characterful and intriguing wines of the South. They may not be the most subtle or refined, but they certainly make an impact.
Domaine La Suffrène Bandol Blanc 2013 (A&B Vintners, £13.95)
Big, broad and soft in texture, this silky white has subtle lemon, grapefruit pith and blossom aromas and a long, surprisingly powerful finish.
Domaine Lafran-Veyrolles Bandol Rosé 2013 (Waitrose, £14.99)
Scented fruits like strawberry, pear and peaches and cream for the nose, then full-bodied and rounded in the mouth. Big but not heavy and retains a sense of freshness.
Château Pibarnon Bandol Rouge 2008 (Caves de Pyrène, £32.49)
Rich, thick and full of explosive, powerful flavours of berry fruits and meat. Packs a punch but retains a piercing brightness. Long, surging finish. An impressive, fiery monster of a wine.
First published in Living France magazine.
London wine bars - what you need to know
Decanter asked me to write a piece on London wine bars, it's in the current issue (November 2014), available now. It lists the ten bars that define the contemporary scene (and five excellent bars from the rest of the UK). You can download it using the link below.
Decanter London Wine Bars Nov 2014 issue
I've also produced an iPhone app in conjunction with the wonderful Blue Crow Media called The London Wine Guide. It includes interactive maps, detailed listings, over 150 reviews of restaurants, bars and shops, and up-to-date news to help you explore London’s wonderful wine scene. If you have an iPhone or an iPad you can download it from the Apple App Store here. Alternatively, you can buy a smaller paper version here.
The London wine scene is getting more and more exciting and diverse all the time - hopefully all this will help you make the most of it.