Gigondas: Châteauneuf’s little brother
There is a hierarchy within the family of villages that makes up the Southern Rhône. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is famous the world over, and achieves heights of excellence that make it the pride of the region. This firstborn son is prone to take itself a little seriously however, and sometimes its bullish behaviour can go unchecked: flyaway alcohol levels, excess new oak and unreasonable pricing.
To the northeast of Châteauneuf lies Gigondas, the youngest of the family. Whereas Châteauneuf sits on the flat near Avignon in a sea of rounded stones, the bohemian town of Gigondas is perched on a hillside amongst pine, oak and olive trees. The vineyards climb from the flat plains right up to the Dentelles de Montmirail, a striking ridge of limestone teeth that juts out from the top of the hill 630m above sea level. This additional altitude gives freshness to the wines. The town has a more relaxed, easy-going vibe compared to its fêted older brother, and this is reflected in the wines.
There is a strong family resemblance; both are based on Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvèdre backing it up. You can find a little rosé (and, rumour has it, soon some white) but 99% is red. The Mourvèdre and Syrah act as a frame that hold in the supple Grenache fruit; full, soft and flowing in texture with kirsch, strawberry and blackberry flavour overlaid with sun-dried Mediterranean herbs. It’s versatile with food, pairing well with pork, lamb and game.
For lovers of Châteauneuf, Gigondas is well worth exploring and often relatively good value. In exceptional vintages such as 2010 the wines can be just as powerful and the best will live for a decade or two. Gigondas may not have attained the professional success that has made Châteauneuf a household name, but like many younger siblings, it is happy quietly doing its own thing off the beaten track, and doing it with style.
Tesco Finest Gigondas 2012 (Tesco, £12.99)
An attractive and authentic Gigondas from a leading co-operative with plenty of strawberry fruit and a rub of dried herbs.
Domaine Saint Gayan Gigondas 2010 (Yapp, £16.95)
Black cherry, thyme and lavender with earthy notes. Full-bodied with a smooth texture and an exuberantly fruity burst of flavour in the mouth. Ripe and juicy.
Dauvergne Ranvier ‘Vin Rare’ Gigondas 2010 (Davy’s, £18.50)
Darkly coloured and flavoured with real impact, this is a brooding and powerful Gigondas. Keep for a few more years – this will develop into something special and should prove terrific value.
Domaine Santa Duc ‘Cuvée Tradition’ Gigondas 2010 (H2Vin, £22.50)
Beautiful aromas of violets, spiced plums, lavender and black cherry. Full-bodied but bright and fresh with supple tannins, this has bags of flavour right into the finish. Pure and expressive, a joy to drink.
First published in Living France magazine.
Decanter article: The New World of the Northern Rhône
I contributed an article to the recent Decanter Rhône Special (July 2014 issue) on Crozes-Hermitage - they've since published it online, you can read it here.
I was also on the panel judging a hundred Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages in the same issue - one wine just squeaked into the 'outstanding' category: Domaine Les Grands Bois 'Cuvée Maximilien' Cairanne 2012. Cairanne 2012s in general are well worth snapping up. The more 2012s I taste throughout the whole of the Rhône in fact, the more I like it.
Early drinking
I never thought I’d say this, but I’m beginning to miss the huge off-licence chains we had in the UK 10 years ago. Not that their ranges were that interesting, but I’m coming to realise they had a higher purpose. These thousands of wine shops across the land made wine noticeable. It implied that wine was important and worth exploring. This was backed up by a greater number of decent wine columns in national newspapers. There’s plenty of information online if you search, but offline it feels like wine is becoming less and less visible. Fortunately there are some wine lovers out there at grass roots level giving a hand up to the next generation.
Compared to beer and spirits, the wine industry has never been very good at reaching out to new drinkers. There are a number of reasons. It’s a complex topic to communicate to beginners, and it seems like many in the wine trade naively believe people will simply fall into it naturally, like gardening or Radio 4. The main issue, however, is the fragmented nature of production coupled with low margins. It’s not easy or affordable for so many small estates to reach out to new people in multiple foreign markets. But if they don’t succeed in connecting with new customers over here, the UK market will gradually become less vibrant, less varied and less interesting for all of us.
There are some companies successfully reaching out to new drinkers. E&J Gallo’s Apothic brand includes a sweeter style of red (16 g/l residual sugar) that has been hugely popular in the US and is energetically marketed to a younger audience. On a more holistic level, Naked Wines have a very inclusive approach to their business, connecting winemakers and consumers directly via social media, meaning blends can be tweaked according to customer feedback. Whether you like their wines or not, they are both doing more than most to get new drinkers into wine, and I respect them for that.
Wines created to please a specific market however often make me think of manufactured boy bands as opposed to genuine musicians. Personally speaking, the wines that have brought me a higher level of pleasure have been those that challenge; wines whose taste takes time to appreciate, rather than wines that have bent over backwards to appeal to me. Handmade wines with integrity, a sense of place and a story to tell; craft wines, in other words. It’s hard to imagine a marketing department coming up with anything to rival Manzanilla, Barolo or Savennières any time soon.
There are a handful of enterprises however that are finding original ways to engage with new drinkers without dumbing down – if anything, by celebrating the esoteric, the challenging and the truly great. Wine Car Boot is one of them. Ruth Spivey has done an excellent job of convincing some of the best independents in the UK to come out of their shops to pour a selection of interesting bottles for a younger crowd in the car parks of some of the trendier neighbourhoods of London. The events take inspiration from street food festivals, with music, atmosphere and good things to eat. “Just because you’re into wine doesn’t mean you don’t have other interests or you don’t want to have fun” says Spivey. “People feel intimidated in wine shops. I wanted to do it in a place you’d want to hang out.”
Another project that gets wine out of its traditional setting to reach new people is the London Wine Sessions. The concept is a day of wine-related talks and tastings that takes place in different venues around London where you ‘never hear about an interesting wine without getting to taste it’. Wine consultant Zeren Wilson is one of the organisers alongside Emily O’Hare and Sophie Dening. He explains they aim to “repackage the fine wine experience and present it in a different way – casual, relaxed and younger, with more of a bar vibe.”
A new crop of bars is also helping introduce a younger crowd to proper wines. Sager + Wilde and Verden are spearheading the trend for modern bars in fashionable neighbourhoods that incorporate fresh design, craft wines and a cash margin pricing structure that makes top names easier to access. Michael Sager-Wilde describes his customers as largely a younger gathering that’s “very, very curious, adventurous, they want to try stuff… and they all drink wine.” Their average spend is £9.20 a glass and £58 a bottle. “I think there’s going to be lots more wine bars,” he says, “maybe we’re going to see something with wine like the cocktail explosion – maybe.” I hope he’s right.
These aren’t the only people proactively reaching out to the next generation of wine drinkers of course. Shops like Noble Fine Liquor and The Sampler have a youthful approach, as do events like Cambalache and fanzines like Noble Rot, not to mention wine blogs like Miss Bouquet and Wine Woman Song. But as an industry it still feels like these are distinctly in the minority.
Much of this activity is done primarily for the love rather than the money. As winelovers, it’s vital that we support the events, the crowdfunding campaigns and the pop-ups, even if just by spreading the word through social media. These are the incubators of the future wine scene that we will all be a part of. What we’re drinking in another 10 years’ time may depend on it.
First published on timatkin.com.
St Péray: Cut from a different cloth
A quick intro to the wines of St Péray...
Like a beauty pageant, the major wine regions of France try on many different styles in an attempt to please the masses. But they all have a weak spot. The reds of Alsace rarely excite; Burgundy seldom attempts sweet wines; and in the Rhône, it’s the sparkling wines that often disappoint.
For over a century, the little valley of St Péray in the Northern Rhône was tasked with making fizz; it has a cool microclimate which gives its wines refreshment value. Some producers made good wines, but hardly on a par with Champagne. But all along its talents lay elsewhere. More and more winemakers are now turning their hands to still wines, and some are truly world class.
They only make whites in St Péray, using either Marsanne, Roussanne, or a blend of both. As still wines, both varieties give full-bodied, rich results but with different aromatics. Marsanne offers mango, apricot, almond and honey; Roussanne gives pear, quince, acacia and spice. A touch of oak ageing can add further honeycomb and vanilla detail.
For years, St Péray was like a tailor churning out cheap sequined dresses. But it gradually became apparent that, with the right touch, the luxurious raw materials available could be crafted into something altogether more couture. The best St Péray winemakers now make broad shouldered, silky wines, but with elegance and balance.
Though the wines are often full and round, they use their acidity and minerality to retain freshness and precision. St Péray is a tiny appellation and is still discovering its new-found talents. As time goes by, it’s catching the eye of more and more wine lovers. But for now, you can enjoy Lanvin style for French Connection prices.
Paul Jaboulet Aîné St Péray ‘La Sauvagère’ 2012 (The Wine Society, £11.95)
Subtle mango and apricot aromas with a hint of spice. Full-bodied and refreshing despite the low acidity. Not an intensely flavoured wine, but a beautifully textured and balanced one.
Domaine Bernard Gripa St Péray ‘Les Pins’ 2012 (Vine Trail, £19.15)
Lime flowers and lovely pear fruit. Full-bodied, with lots of energy, freshness and vitality. Long, pure, clean, mineral finish. No excess fat – an example of just how fresh and elegant St Péray can be.
Domaine du Tunnel St Péray ‘Cuvée Prestige’ 2012 (Berry Bros & Rudd, £29.95)
Fresh cream and macadamia nuts on the nose. Lots of body and intensity of flavour, taking fruit from the Marsanne and spice from the Roussanne. Plenty of acidity, with a cleansing mineral edge on the finish. Very clean, very long, very impressive.
First published in Living France magazine.
Madiran: Blood reds
The vineyards of Madiran are hidden away in the foothills of the Pyrenees in Gascony. They stretch along four jagged ridges that creep northwards from the mountains towards Bordeaux like a skeletal hand.
This is where the locals try to tame the Tannat. It’s a furiously energetic grape variety, so the winemakers need to hack back the vines mercilessly in an attempt to control them. Bottles labelled ‘Tradition’ are generously blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc or Fer Servadou to create powerful yet fruity wines made to be gobbled up whilst young and lively.
The more Tannat in the blend, the more intense and uncompromising the wine. Its name gives a clue to its nature; Tannat imbues its wines with prodigious levels of tannin, the substance that gives body and texture to red wines. The best examples back up this bulk with rapier-like acidity, and top it off with a splatter of blackberry juice. Drinking it young is like fighting a werewolf.
They also make a small amount of sturdy white wine, mostly from the little known but highly characterful Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng and Petit Courbu grapes. Rather than simply calling it Madiran Blanc, it’s known under the altogether more mysterious ‘Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh’. Whether it’s sweet or dry should be clear from the label – both can be excellent.
When young, Madiran deserves its fearsome reputation and the wines can be a thrill to tackle. The best option is to pit them against rich, flavoursome dishes like roast duck or grilled red meats. But they mellow with age, and the best take on incredible depth and complexity with time. Buy a wooden case in a good vintage, then lock it in a cellar for a decade until it’s ready; you’ll be pleased you did. It might be worth hammering in some extra nails to the lid to keep it safely closed in the meantime. Just in case...
Reserve des Tuguets 2010 (Tesco, £11.99)
Earthy, brambly fruits with a touch of liquorice. Relatively friendly tannins, so a gentle introduction to the style. Buy when on promotion.
Château Viella ‘Prestige’ 2010 (Judith Hardy Wines, £15.00)
Vibrant acidity, a slick of ripe tannin and intense damson fruit flavour all in balance to create a rampantly delicious and wild Madiran.
Château Montus 2007 (The Wine Society, £19.00)
Bright, perfumed black berry fruit aromas belie the concentrated mass of flavour in the glass. Very long and powerful, but polished and refined. Montus is an estate of indisputable greatness.
First published in Living France magazine.
Newcomers on the scene
They wouldn’t have got past the elevator pitch in Dragons’ Den. “So you want to sell premium Austrian wines from a transport container in the East End of London?” summarises a puzzled Duncan Bannatyne; “I’m ooot.” But after just four months, Newcomer Wines is nearly breaking even already. What makes this all the more impressive is that co-owner Peter Honegger is just 22 years old and manages the store while studying for a university degree. Age and business experience clearly needn’t be barriers to getting involved in the London wine scene – creativity and a willingness to embrace your local market are much more important.
It’s unusual to meet wine entrepreneurs in their early twenties in the UK, but Honegger had a head start. He attended a vocational high school in Vienna that focussed on tourism, where he took a youth sommelier course as a teenager. On completing his studies, he moved to London with his girlfriend Daniela Pillhofer to go to university (Peter at Cass, Daniela at LSE) with no intention of starting a wine business. Seeing how poorly represented Austrian wine was in the UK, he saw an opportunity, but thought to himself “maybe this niche needs a new approach... If you think about Austrian wine in London – you think of nothing. There is no image attached. So we can define the image.”
Newcomer Wines inhabits one of the forty or so stripped and refitted shipping containers that make up Boxpark Shoreditch, a ‘pop-up mall’ in one the trendier parts of London. Living nearby, they thought it would make an interesting and convenient place to start out that offered low overheads. “We decided for sure to work on this concept in June 2013” says Honegger. The only challenge was securing an alcohol licence in a part of London that already has more than its fair share of pubs, bars and convenience stores. They opened shortly after, in January 2014; “opening a company takes only half an hour online... and shipping the wine is pretty easy.”
Shoreditch has long been known for its nightlife and is now a hub for London’s creative, tech and online start-up community. Most of the other Boxpark units however are rented by small independent fashion brands. In the same way that larger fashion stores group together individual designers’ collections, the wines at Newcomer are displayed by producer rather than region or grape variety.
Honegger and Pillhofer started with a shortlist of 30 wineries, but after a series of blind tastings with a panel consisting of both experts and casual drinkers, they reduced this down to 10. As you walk around the fairly cramped space, what immediately strikes you is the creativity and originality of the labels. It was part of the selection criteria to appeal to local drinkers. “The quality has to be there, it’s a prerequisite” Honegger says of the wine, “but we needed something else to make people curious, to want to learn more.” Two labels were made specifically for the company, inspired by local graffiti. As for the rest, “it’s just how the winemakers present themselves... after all, people buy on the label.”
Each producer section has a tablet that plays a short video of around a minute that presents the winery, but prioritises the winemaker’s story over the wines themselves. “I think people can relate more to a wine if they know where it comes from” says Honegger. “But essentially the winemakers are just pretty normal people. We want to change the way people think about wine. Some people still think it’s a bit snobby and posh, but it's really about coming together with friends... it’s a social thing.”
In addition to each tablet, there is a huge central touchscreen set in a wine barrel with suggestions on how to match the wines with the right food, the right occasion or even the right company. The rest of the store has a DIY approach – “everything you see was made by us; we cut the shelves, we printed the wallpaper.” Rather than a wine shop, Honegger presents Newcomer Wines as a platform to help small Austrian winemakers reach winelovers here in the UK, and vice-versa. The unit is ‘showroom’ to introduce local drinkers to the winemakers, their stories, and of course their wines.
Because the site is small, the range is restricted to around 40 wines, but it still manages to cover eight different regions and a relatively wide selection of grape varieties and styles. Among the whites (which on tasting were more consistent than the reds) there is plenty of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, but also curiosities like Rotgipfler, Neuberger and Traminer; reds are mostly Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt and Pinot Noir; he also stocks a smattering of rosé, sweet and sparkling wines. Each producer has two or three ‘everyday’ wines between £9 and £19 and one or two ‘flagship’ wines above £20; only a handful top the £50 mark. Character and individuality sometimes take precedence over technical precision or traditional classicism in some of the selection, but this suits the style of the store.
London’s position as one of the most exciting and varied cities in the world to enjoy wines is strengthening all the time. “The concept wouldn’t work in Vienna,” says Honegger, “but in London people are really open-minded.” He proves that it doesn’t take a huge investment in time or money to get started; creativity and a desire to help new people get into good wine are more important. That wine has traditionally been such a conservative business means there is plenty of room for new and original approaches – even for leftfield concepts like Newcomer.
Newcomer Wines
Boxpark Shoreditch
2-10 Bethnal Green Road
London E1 6GY
+44 7447 512 061
www.newcomerwines.com
@austrianwinerev
Opening hours
Monday - Saturday 11am - 7pm
Thursday 11am - 8pm
Sunday 12pm - 6pm
For more of the best places to enjoy wine in London, download The London Wine Guide iPhone app.
10 wines worth trying
Whites
Christoph Edelbauer Grüner Veltliner 2012 (Kamptal, Austria, 12.5%; £11.90)
Green apple, citrus, fresh celery and cucumber. Medium-bodied with plenty of fruit and apply acidity on the palate. Classic stuff. 88 points, good value.
Groszer Wein ‘Germichter Satz’ 2013 (Südburgendland, Austria, 12.5%; £14.90 for 1l bottle)
Field blend of Welschriesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Muskateller, Pinot Blanc and Grüner Veltliner. Fresh and floral with white peach and satsuma on the nose. Soft and balanced with good freshness and lovely acidity. Very intense, surging finish and good length. 89 points, good value.
Erwin Poller 'Vom Loess' 2013 (Weinviertel, Austria, 12.5%; £14.90)
60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Muskateller. Softly perfumed nose, roses and lychees, but not in your face like Gewurz – more subtle than that. Soft and plump but nicely balanced acidity. Not hugely complex, but nicely judged – fruit and perfume in equal measure, nothing overdone. 88 points, fair value.
Ewald Zweytick ‘WB’ Weissburgunder 2012 (Südsteiermark, Austria, 13.0%; £14.90)
A ripe and rich style of Pinot Blanc, lots of apricot fruit dispersing from the glass, with a touch of fresh cream. Lovely texture, with good minerality and lively acidity keeping things tucked in. A very good example of Austrian Pinot Blanc, intense in flavour with good length. 90 points, good value.
Erwin Poller 'Ms Mayer' Grüner Veltliner 2012 (Weinviertel, Austria, 13.0%; £19.90)
Celery, white pepper and a touch of apricot on the nose. Medium to full-bodied with red apple fruit, a soft texture and a firm, dry mineral finish. Long, savoury, lots of intense extract and a lovely texture. Serious stuff behind a curious label, firm and balanced. 91 points, fair value.
Davis Weszeli 'Purus' Grüner Veltliner 2011 (Kamptal, Austria, 13.0%; £26.90)
Pure and clean nose, smells like pine needles. Lovely full body, intense and ripe. Bags of flavour, a very ripe style, just dry. Long and fruity. Waves of flavour. 92 points, fair value.
Clemens Strobl 'Fumberg' Riesling 2012 (Wagram, Austria, 13.0%; £29.90)
Incredibly floral, rose petals. Satsuma, honeysuckle and white pepper notes too. Full-bodied, very rich and just off dry. Alcohol is balanced. Like Gewürztraminer in style, but delicious, clean, rich and balanced. No botrytis apparently, just late picked. Acid perhaps just a little on the low side, but very characterful. Worth a premium for the bonkers bottle – wax capsule, the biggest punt I’ve ever seen and an etched ‘Acid smiley face goes on holiday’ motif. I’ll be calling the winemaker ‘Clemens Strobelighting’ from now onwards. 90 points, just about fair value.
Ewald Zweytick ‘Don’t Cry’ Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (Südsteiermark, Austria, 14.5%; £49.90)
One third new oak, 2 thirds used. Single vineyard. 1,000 bottles only. Winemaker is a massive Guns ‘n’ Roses fan, and names his wines after them. This is something else – immediately a compellingly interesting nose. Full-bodied and intense on the palate with a vibrant burst of flavour. Some aged characteristics; really interesting. Very mineral, very long and lots of texture to keep the mouth interested. Lemon, lime, lychee – clearly late picked. Unique and delicious, tasting this made my day. 93 points, just about fair value.
Reds
Claus Preisinger Zweigelt 2012 (Burgunland, Austria, 13.0%; £12.90)
Blueberry, raspberry, black cherry. Medium bodied, balanced alcohol, high acidity, but it's met along the way by powerful, juicy dark fruits. Quite long, not terribly complex, but intense and zingy without being overly acidic. A delicious, sensitively oaked and powerfully flavoured dynamic wine. Very good. 90 points, good value.
Christoph Edelbauer Pinot Noir 2011 (Langenlois, Niederosterreich, Austria, 13.0%; £29.90)
Fresh and vivid raspberry and wild strawberry. Some high toned black cherry, a hint of volatility. Some oak spicing - cinnamon. Light- to medium-bodied. High acidity, low in tannin, just a slight squeeze on finish. A sweet side to the fruit and a touch of cherry coke from the oak. Fairly long, slightly bitter finish. Pure, drinkable, if just a little touch of syrupiness to the fruit. 89 points, not great value.
First published on timatkin.com.
Tavel: Don’t judge a wine by its colour
A quick intro to the wines of Tavel...
Of all the colours of the rainbow, the colour pink has some unfortunate connotations. Often associated with cupcake icing and little girls’ toys, it’s a weak, frivolous colour. It’s rarely the sign of a serious wine either – how many truly great rosés can you name? Yes there are some, but compared to white and red wines they are few and far between.
Tavel, however, is something special. It’s a small appellation just over the river from Châteauneuf-du-Pape and uniquely for the Côtes-du-Rhône, this region only produces dry rosé. And there is no other rosé like it. Expect assertive red berry flavours, herbal undertones and an intense impression once in your mouth. It has the bright bite and cleansing sensation of a ripe redcurrant. It refreshes like the red flesh of a watermelon. It has the clean, mineral edge of neon pink coral.
Over a dozen different grape varieties can be included by the winemaker, but Grenache and Cinsault form the bulk of the blend. The vines need to be strong enough to push their way through the rounded stones that litter the vineyards. It makes for a muscular rosé – full-bodied and weighty, but light on its feet. It is the antidote to so many insipid, anaemic, wan pinks. It can easily stand up to flavoursome dishes like fish soup or grilled red snapper, and is a good all-rounder for tackling a Chinese takeaway.
Though it can be a brilliant wine, Tavel is often overlooked, and though not cheap it’s often undervalued for the heights of quality the best can attain. Like the eponymous American rockstar, this is a Pink that has talent and attitude. It proves that pink can be powerful.
Domaine Maby ‘Prima Donna’ Tavel Rosé 2012 (The Wine Society, £9.95)
Vibrant pinky red. Raspberry, strawberry, some red cherry aromas. Full-bodied, rounded with a silky texture. Intensely flavoursome, with great purity and freshness. Dry, textured finish.
Château d’Aqueria Tavel Rosé 2012 (winedirect.com, £13.75)
The colour of a ripe redcurrant. Fruity strawberry and redcurrant aromas. Medium to full-bodied for a rosé. Fresh, well balanced, with lovely fruitiness right into the long finish.
Domaine de la Mordorée 'La Dame Rousse' Tavel Rosé 2012 (Berry Brothers & Rudd, £16.95)
Deep rose petal pink. Cherry, raspberry, strawberry and tarragon on the nose. Round and smooth, with good concentration of flavour and a cleansing mineral finish. Well balanced, long and delicious.
First published in Living France magazine.
Chapoutier's class of 2013
If the majority of the press surrounding the 2013 vintage in Bordeaux is to be believed, most en primeur samples should have been gathered up, put in a sack and drowned in the Gironde like so many sickly, malformed kittens. Bordeaux is always the earliest serious wine style to land on the market, and the character of its vintage often imprints itself on the minds of drinkers as speaking for the entirety of France. But a disappointing vintage in Bordeaux can be exceptional elsewhere.
It’s around this time every year that Rhône ringmaster Michel Chapoutier travels the globe presenting the new vintage of his top single vineyard wines or Sélections Parcellaires as he calls them – on this occasion it’s the 2013s. His first stop is always London. He releases his wines a good six to twelve months before most other Rhône producers, so it provides a tantalising early glimpse of what we might expect from the vintage. It would appear that ‘13 isn’t unlucky for everyone.
Chapoutier owns around a third of the hill of Hermitage, and his top wines are often amongst the most profoundly delicious to be found in the Rhône. But this year his opening gambit felt like a veiled apology. “There are some vintages that are judged very highly when they when they are young,” he said, “and some that are judged more severely. When I was in school I always remember who was first in the class and who was last. If we would have decided at this time who will be a president and who will be a tramp, we would be wrong quite a lot of the time. It’s probably the same thing for wine.”
Compared to previous vintages, this line up did indeed feel relatively gawky and immature; there was acne and awkwardness. Young, unfinished wines are never easy to taste, but this selection was going through a particularly difficult phase. Underneath the dodgy haircuts and moodiness, however, some of the wines had real potential.
Exam conditions
The weather was infuriating in 2013. The winter was very wet. It was so cold in spring that vegetation was three to four weeks late to start. This led to coulure (when flowers fail to turn into grapes). Up to 35% of some of his plots in the north were affected, and, since Grenache is particularly susceptible, up to 80% of others in the south. This led to low yields. Chapoutier’s Châteauneufs are 100% Grenache, but since it is the major constituent in many producers’ blends, we are likely to see a good number of wines bulked out with Syrah and Mourvèdre this year, which will lead to some atypical wines.
Coulure wasn’t the last of Chapoutier’s problems. “After that, we had secondary buds... but these buds are not interesting. We were obliged to take off these second generation grapes. That was hard work.” Thankfully the weather picked up towards the end of the growing season. But the harvest was still very late, into October for some appellations, which was “what we were used to 25 years ago”. Fermentations were thankfully straightforward, and the wines are now quietly maturing in barrel.
The results
For Chapoutier “it was a vintage with a good level of acidity, with not a high level of alcohol. In certain terms in made me think of the vintage ’91.” Looking forward to how the wines will age, he said “there is large enough structure – it reminds me of ‘83”. In other words, the tannins could be “quite hard” and would take time to soften.
In producing a new vintage, Chapoutier described himself as a parent behind a child that is learning to ride a bicycle; he doesn’t hold the child, he just helps push it off then follows along behind. 2013 is off to a shaky start, but some of the class is showing unexpectedly strong characters – at least in the Northern Rhône. I’ll be visiting the region this summer and autumn for a full report on this unusual vintage.
The wines
All tasted at The Westbury Hotel, London, 31st April 2014. They were at a particularly difficult stage in their development, so scores are given in a range. I intend to retaste later in the year when the wines have had more time to develop.
2013 Chapoutier Saint-Joseph Blanc ‘Les Granits’ 2 ha, 100% Marsanne, very old vines south of Tournon grown on steep granite slopes. Flinty nose, with a touch of honey and white pepper. Full bodied, with balanced alcohol and acidity. Some appealing mango flavours, and medium in length. 90-92 points.
2013 Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc ‘Le Méal’ 2 ha, 100% Marsanne, 50+ year old vines on alluvial deposits and large stones. Deeper gold, with some struck match oak and celery on the nose. Michel’s note of “tomato leaf” aroma is spot on. Very full and rich, with tons of glycerol and body. Intense, and mineral. Good pure fruits on the finish and balanced acidity. Firm finish, with a touch of honey. Lacks a bit of thrust at present, but will no doubt take on bulk as it develops. Just 13.7% alcohol. 93-95 points.
2013 Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc ‘De L’Orée’ 3.5 ha, 100% Marsanne, from Les Murets. 70 year old vines on pebbles and sand. Uniform gold colour, with plenty of apricot and peach on the nose. Very full bodied, with a slow-moving opulence. Seems a little fat on the mid-palate, then its acidity, alcohol, and some classic Marsanne bitterness all come in on the finish to hold it up. Some marzipan on the long finish. 94-96 points.
2013 Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc ‘L’Ermite’ 0.5 ha, 100% Marsanne, 100+ year old vines on the top of the hill of Hermitage behind the chapel on granitic soils. Deep gold, with an assertive earthy nose. Very full bodied, very concentrated, with a firm mineral finish which holds the palate down. Keen, straight, very long. Great purity and intensity, with extraordinary length – it seems to block out your other senses when you taste it. Serious stuff. 96-98 points.
2013 Chapoutier Condrieu ‘Coteau de Chéry’ 100% Viognier, old vines grown on granitic soils and mica-schists. Lovely nose, with lifted and perfumed peach aromatics. Very full in body with just about balanced acidity. Rich, with some mineral glints on the finish. Lots of extract, and just a tiny bit of alcohol currently showing on the finish. Pure and long. 93-95 points.
2013 Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape ‘Croix de Bois’ 5 ha, 100% Grenache from Bédarrides, 45 year old vines grown on large pebbles and sandy red clay. A staggeringly low 9 hl/ha in 2013. Clear transparent ruby colour. Pure strawberry fruits and a hint of cocoa. Full, flowing and juicy; just a little hard on the savoury finish. Good acidity. A little lacking in charm, and not terribly long, but with an agreeable lightness of touch. 89-91 points.
2013 Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape ‘Barbe Rac’ 4 ha, 100% Grenache grown on galets over red clay and sand, 90 year old vines. Hilltop vineyard west of Châteauneuf. More fullness and intensity than the Croix de Bois. Fuller, riper and sweeter with a lovely smooth texture. Balanced acidity, decent length and pure, juicy strawberry and blackberry fruits. Darker fruits than the Croix de Bois, and better balanced. Some alcohol peeps through on the finish. 91-93 points.
2013 Chapoutier Crozes-Ermitage ‘Les Varonniers’ 3.2 ha, 100% Syrah, 60+ year old vines grown on granite slopes. Deeply coloured and full bodied. Slightly lacking in fragrance, and seems a little heavy. Tannins are quite unfriendly. Not showing well at present. 88-90? points.
2013 Chapoutier Saint-Joseph ‘Les Granits’ 2.5 ha, 100% Syrah, very old vines on stony granitic soil. Distinctly spicy, full bodied with ripe, full tannins and plenty of them. Good freshness and acidity, with juicy fruit and reasonably long. Forthright, fairly dry tannins. 91-93 points.
2013 Chapoutier Saint-Joseph ‘Le Clos’ <1 ha, 100% Syrah, 15 year old vines on granitic soil. Dense, deep and intense. Very full, with coating tannins but good freshness. Some lovely expressive peppery Rhône syrah fragrance on the nose, backed up by serious intensity on the palate. Very long, rich and ripe. 92-94 points.
2013 Chapoutier Côte-Rôtie ‘La Mordorée’ 3 ha, 100% Syrah, 70 year old vines on steep terraces of mica-schist in loess on the border of the Côte Blonde. Perfumed red fruits and liquorice. Good lift and purity of expression with some distinctly savoury black olive notes. Peppery. Nicely balanced, but tannins on the dry side. A bit clunky at the time of tasting, but time should help focus all the elements. 91-93 points.
2013 Chapoutier Ermitage ‘Les Greffieux’ 3.5 ha, 100% Syrah, 50 year old vines at the foot of the hill grown on alluvial deposits, shingle and clay. Olive, herb oils and smokiness on the nose. Savoury on the palate too, but laced with some ripe blackberry fruits. Mouth-coating, chunky, slightly grainy tannins and good acidity. Very full, intense and long. Very good, but slightly lacking in charm for now. 92-94 points.
2013 Chapoutier Ermitage ‘Le Méal’ 2.2 ha, 100% Syrah, 50+ year old vines on high terraces of shingle and clay. More intense fruitiness on the nose than the Greffieux, richer, with a vein of rosemary running through it. Full, smooth, lovely texture. Lots of blackberry and bacon fat. Long, intense, fresh and fine. 94-96 points.
2013 Chapoutier Ermitage ‘L’Ermite’ 3 ha, 100% Syrah, 80+ year old vines at the top of the hill around the chapel on loess over granite. Very closed, but all the elements are there swirling round like a whirlwind at night. Some lighter fragrance can be coaxed out along with crispy bacon and dark berry fruits. Full but not massive, but with layer upon layer of extract and a sharp, high toned spiciness. Very savoury on the palate, very long. Tannins coat the mouth, but young and raw still – a bit more time in oak will soften the edges. 96-98 points.
2013 Chapoutier Ermitage ‘Le Pavillon’ 4 ha, 100% Syrah, 65 year old vines on granite from Les Bessards. Dark, deep, inky, blackcurrant nose. Very full bodied, beautifully fine tannins here. Bright and fresh with a lovely texture. Long, pure and straight, wonderfully fruity and showing refreshingly low alcohol. Top of the class. 96-98 points.
First published on timatkin.com.
Gascogne: Of coops and co-ops
A quick intro to the wines of Gascogne...
The Côtes de Gascogne, south of Bordeaux, is a sprawling region. There are no main roads, so it’s easy to get lost; this really is La France profonde. Driving from one winery to the next, I reach for the music selection, dithering between Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony and the soundtrack to Deliverance. Either would be fitting, especially if played on the accordion.
The hills roll like the uneven pastry lid of a homemade apple pie. There is a rich gastronomic tradition here: truffles, duck, foie gras. It can feel more like a season than a place, a fifth phase between summer and autumn. The traditional drink of choice is Armagnac, the flavoursome local brandy. Over the past few decades, however, sales have been declining, so many growers now divert their grapes into wine production instead. There is a smattering of small independent producers, but a handful of huge estates and co-operative wineries rule the roost.
They use a gaggle of white grape varieties, such as the rather plain old Armagnac grapes Colombard, Folle Blanche and Ugni Blanc; the flavoursome Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng; and the more recognisable Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. For the little red and rosé they produce, it’s usually Tannat alongside Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. For a refreshing aperitif, try local speciality Floc de Gascogne, a bottled blend of Armagnac and fresh grape juice. They make some good sweet wines too.
Grape vines prefer poor, infertile soils. This fecund corner of France makes for rather cosseted grapes, so don’t expect anything too grand or serious. Both whites and reds are light in style, low in alcohol, and best drunk as young as possible. The best offer thirst-quenching freshness and good value for money. If you’re looking for well-made, authentic wines for less than £10 a bottle, Côtes de Gascogne is a smart place to look.
La Chapelle Rouge 2012 (From Vineyards Direct, £7.65)
Black cherry and plum aromas. Light to medium-bodied with a gentle, soft texture and low alcohol. Simple stuff, but authentic and balanced.
Plaimont Producteurs ‘Grand Héron’ 2013 (Majestic, £7.99, or £6.79 for 2 at the time of writing)
Light to medium-bodied with fresh grapefruit and cut grass flavours. Zingy, balanced and thirst quenching. Like a leaner version of a Sauvignon Blanc.
Domaine de Pellehaut ‘Ampelomeryx’ 2011 (Booths, £9.39)
Zingy grapefruit aroma with a toasty edge. Concentrated, tangy citrus flavour that ends rich, full and rounded. Very drinkable, with a long lasting finish.
First published in Living France magazine.
Madeira quake
I always find it strange how fortified wines – Sherry, Port and Madeira – are so often portrayed as drinks for vicars and old ladies. The reality is these are drinks for hardcore hedonists. Not because they have (slightly) elevated levels of alcohol, but because the best possess an uncompromising intensity, a thrillingly unique spectrum of flavours and mind-bending levels of complexity. This is particularly true of madeira (madeira is a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of Madeira – a brief intro here). If I gave my ageing granny a glass of 1971 D’Oliveiras Sercial Madeira it would probably kill her. But what a way to go. It’s so good she might even thank me.
Due in part to its unfashionable image, the antiquated Madeira industry is dying. If sales continue at the current rate, this historic wine will be gone in little over 100 years. Only eight producers remain; between them, they now sell just 350,000 cases a year. But newcomer Paulo Mendes is doing the commercially unthinkable. He has established a new producer, Madeira Vintners. Thankfully he has some radical ideas that might help turn madeira’s fortunes around.
Tough beginnings
The wines of Madeira were the height of fashion 200 years ago, but the industry took a series of viticultural and commercial blows during the 19th and 20th centuries from which it has never really recovered. Decades of declining sales has led to a somewhat paranoid industry where newcomers are eyed with suspicion. Rather than working together, “people in Madeira look at their neighbour as their competitor” says Mendes. One rather curious law states that you must already have stocks of at least 120,000 litres of wine before you can register as a producer. Undaunted, Mendes produced his first vintage in 2012 by renting equipment from local government and friendly competitor Barbeito. Barbeito is the second youngest exporting producer after Madeira Vintners; it was founded in 1946. Things don’t change much around here.
Though born in Madeira, Mendes was previously an electrical engineer, then a business consultant based in the US. Wine is “the most difficult business I’ve seen by far” he says. When I met up with him last week I was expecting an idealistic dreamer, but Mendes is a sharp albeit good humoured businessman, which makes his venture all the more curious. “I always love a challenge,” he says with a grin. But he hasn’t tried selling any yet.
If Madeira is famous for anything, it’s the wine’s ability to age; the best are seemingly indestructible and can last for centuries. But being a brand new company, Madeira Vintners doesn’t have any older stocks. Theoretically it’s possible to buy aged wines from partidistas, companies that mature barrels of wine then sell it on to other traders (similar to Sherry almancenistas), but again, Mendes met with resistance. “I wrote to all of them, all of them without exception” he says, but not a single one would sell him any wine. He has no choice but to concentrate on younger wines. But it’s at this most basic level where he has discovered the potential for innovation and improvement.
Rough edges
Madeira’s commercial situation isn’t helped by the fact that many of the younger, more affordable, entry level wines can be vicious little acid bombs, offering all of the pain but none of the gain of the older wines. They can scare off curious drinkers before they reach the more exalted styles. Mendes is aiming to produce a more approachable and enjoyable wine whilst staying true to Madeira’s unique character. “We need wines that reflect madeira, but are more balanced” he says.
Less acidity means less residual sugar is needed to give the wines balance; 80% of Madeira is sweet, but often “the sugar is there to mask the acidity” he believes. By bringing down the levels of sugar and acidity he feels that in turn he can reduce the level of alcohol to 17% (the legal minimum), making the wines more approachable and drinkable, especially when young. He is also cutting down on the use of colour and sweeteners (widely used in the industry) with a view to removing them altogether.
He hopes that all this will equal an affordable but high quality entry-level Madeira that will be more appealing to younger drinkers. “The only way to go is to work hard and have a different approach. If I release a bad wine, I’m dead. I only have one shot. The first wines need to be above the current threshold – otherwise this is a stupid exercise.”
Raw materials
The global trend towards increased care in the vineyards and a lighter touch in the cellar has been slow to reach Madeira. Due to the concentration on aged wines and the heating and fortification processes, the focus has long been on the cellar, not the vineyard. Mendes believes that directing his efforts towards the quality of the grapes will be the key to creating his modern new style; “it will be a transformation” he enthusiastically asserts.
Grape production on the island lies in the hands of nearly 1,500 small growers rather than the big houses; few own vineyards themselves as the land is so expensive. The large houses buy grapes from hundreds of such growers, which makes quality control very difficult. “If you looked at the grapes, you wouldn’t be impressed” says Mendes. He claims Madeira Vintners is the only producer to use sorting tables, rejecting 5-10% of the crop on average. He also insists on small 30kg picking baskets and pressing on the day of harvest, both of which are uncommon on the island.
Instead of working with hundreds of growers, Madeira Vintners has long term contracts with fewer than 30. The so-called ‘noble varieties’ of Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malmsey “are in such short supply, you have to accept poor quality” says Mendes; but not so with Tinta Negra, which accounts for 90% of production. “We believe there is lots of potential in Tinta Negra,” he says. Different plots from individual producers are vinified one by one so growers can taste wines made from their own grapes. “The grape growers don’t get the recognition they deserve; we don’t talk about the growers, it feels like no-one cares about them.” Being able to taste their own wines, sometimes for the first time, inspires them to improve quality.
According to Mendes, grey rot (botrytis) is “by far the biggest problem in Madeira.” This means that growers pick early to avoid the threat of a ruined crop. They are also keen to pick early to be sure they can sell their grapes while there is still seasonal demand from the big houses. Early picking means high acidity. Mendes guarantees his growers that he will buy their entire production, so there is no rush to harvest. He hopes that this new viticultural approach will lead to higher quality fruit with lower levels of acidity – which will enable him to produce the new style of young madeira he is aiming for.
“I’m not suicidal”
After the legal minimum of three years ageing, Madeira Vintners’ first wines will be available for sale in early 2016. Their first releases will necessarily be the most basic category, 3 Year Old. At this point Mendes faces a new challenge; getting his wines to market and converting an indifferent public. His next job is finding an importer “who is brave enough to work with us.” But he’s convinced he’ll be successful: “You can call me crazy,” he says, “but I’m not suicidal.”
New producers don’t come along often on the island; considering the current state of the industry, Madeira Vintners might be the last. Rather than trying to exclude this radical newcomer, other local producers would do better to welcome him; he might be just what the industry needs to reverse its fortunes.