"Viticultural Paradise": An interview with Steve James

Having provided us with detailed harvest reports throughout February and March, and with all wines safely in the winery and beginning their elevage, Steve James joined us in London to taste a superb range of Voyager Wines. Hearing him talk about Margaret River it is hard not to be seduced by this remote corner of Australia. 3 hours south of Perth, green forests rolling down to the gravel hills and on to the white beaches, sea on three sides and a cooling breeze, good winter rainfall and a consistent, dry and warm late summer harvest period. It is a "viticultural paradise" with croups of well drained, red and brown gravel where each year the winemaking teams compete in a surf contest. It has a certain pull, does it not.

While here Steve organised a masterclass with some of London's top sommeliers, pitting Voyager's wines against the likes of Cos d'Estournel, Sassicaia, Moss Wood, Bonneau de Martray's Corton Charlemagne and Craggy Range Le Sol. Quite a line up. Quite a brave challenge. The results surprised the sommeliers, though not Steve who proved once again that at a fraction of the price his wines really can and do hold their own in exalted company.

Here we ask him how they do it:

On the Road to Chablis

As I leave the Cote d'Or the clouds part and out comes the sun. Bright blue skies see me all the way up the autoroute de soleil to junction 21, Nitry. I head, with great anticipation, into the rolling hills of Chablis' big country and its long straight roads, a spoiling programme that includes Fevre, Brocard, Moreau Naudet, Vincent Dauvissat and Laurent Tribut lying before me.

I taste the 2008s which are all in bottle, even Dauvissat's Clos at long last! Well, they are as great as they were last November, perhaps even more thrilling. They have an electric acidity, a lush ripeness, great mineral Chablis character and huge power without ever comprising finesse or balance. Any 08 from a reputable grower should be snapped up.

The 2009s will I am sure be more controversial. They are very powerful wines but just about the most easy and enjoyable to taste before bottling than any other recent vintage. No doubt their low acidities will be talked about by some, but they are intense and show very fresh, clear fruit flavours, surely owing to that kimmeridgean clay minerality, and for many the alcohols aren't too high either, between 12-13 degrees natural. They, of course, have very smooth, friendly textures but show some structure, too, it will be interesting to seem them after a summer's elevage but for now they look very seductive.