Harvest report from Voyager Estate - Part one

Our first harvest of Chardonnay on the 3^rd of February was the earliest start to harvest we have experienced at Voyager Estate.

The Chardonnay vines have been tracking early all season and the very quick flowering in November set the scene for a potentially early start to harvest.

The ripening weather has been warm to mild with no excessive heat and, the nights have been very cool – perfect conditions for the steady ripening of the white fruit.

If the pleasant mild conditions hold, we should see our Chardonnay fruit steadily harvested over the next 10 to 14 days. This nice steady ripening allows us the luxury of handpicking small select parcels at perfect levels of ripeness.

The early flavour development at very low sugar levels has been amazing and, the grapes are retaining excellent natural acidity.

The Chardonnay fruit is all handpicked and chilled down overnight before whole bunch pressing and is then transferred to barrel for fermentation.

Early days, however I cannot recall our team being more excited by the quality of fruit we are seeing at the moment!

Vintage Report: René Rostaing’s 2012s.

Producing some of the very finest wines from the Rhône valley, René Rostaing, winemaking for 43 years has acquired star status. He very generously spent some time with us to talk about his views on the most recent vintage and gave us an insight into his wines.

What has 2012 been like in the Rhône?

- Rhône 2012 from the very beginning looked like another classic vintage. After a normal summer, without any excessive heat, we harvested around the 20th September. The ripeness was even throughout thanks to low yields (around -20%), not to mention the berries were healthy as well. We had good weather conditions with only one day of rain that didn’t impact the grapes.

What were you most pleased about in 2012?

- All the grapes enjoyed the same conditions equally and reached the optimum of their potential.

What are the characteristics of this vintage?

- The wines are at first noticeable by their fruit which is strong and round. They are tasty and generous in aromas and lead to a lovely freshness towards the end. But let’s be patient! The wine in its first two years is ‘in process’ and its evolution is sometimes hard to predict. Today, the bright fruit is the dominant characteristic.  Age will certainly bring some structure and austerity as the wine closes down after a couple of years in bottle. It’s an evolution that I have witnessed many times.

Were there any other vintages that you can compare 2012 to?

- More than any other year, 2012 has its own personality. I do not remember any vintage this pronounced in terms of fruit expression and freshness. Tasting it is currently really enjoyable and I think the balance showing now is promising.

The Great Claret Tasting at Southwold - The Turn of the Magnificent 2010s

Last week the great and the good of the wine trade (and yours truly) descended upon the picturesque seaside town of Southwold to re-examine the 2010 Bordeaux vintage. It resembled something of an MW convention – if anyone knows the collective noun for a group of Masters of Wine, send your answers on postcards… As ever, it was an honour indeed to taste in such illustrious company.

There was an enormous sense of anticipation; after all, this is the British wine trade’s favourite vintage, so expectations were exceptionally high. With this sort of reputation, it is unsurprising that the wines didn’t quite live up to their billing, but that is by no means a put down or for that matter a reason to quell our enthusiasm.

Tasting these wines from barrel was a revelation. Tasting them straight after bottling affirmed everything we thought and added to their repute. Tasting them again last spring and summer was mind-blowing. However, it appears that they have put themselves into hibernation since our last glimpse at this wonder-vintage. In general most wines are displaying their muscularity and structure at this time and appear to have concealed the grace, charm and prodigious sexy appeal on which they have built their reputation. The wines are still remarkable, if not quite as pleasurable to taste. But hey, we never said these were going to be forward, easy drinkers. To quote a member of the UK trade (and Nigel Tufnel), these have all been turned up to eleven (apologies to those not au fait with the philosophy of Spinal Tap!). These are wines of outrageous proportions. They will require long term cellaring, so if you are after immediate thrills, stick to the 2009s. If you are looking for something that will reward patience, stick some of these away…

At this early stage, the Firsts Growths and the big names from the Right Bank are perhaps the least closed. They still have flamboyance and provoke a sense of awe. Scores at Southwold are treated like state secrets, but, for those still reading, I’m allowed to reveal my own scores - WikiLeaks, eat your heart out… La Mission Haut Brion (20), Haut Brion (20), Latour (20), Petrus (19.5), Le Pin (18), Margaux (19), Cheval Blanc (19), Ausone (19), Lafleur (19), Lafite (18), Mouton (18.5). In truth, on another day, any of these wines could have taken top honours. These all display a sense of breed and exquisite exoticism that make them almost unique in my experience.

Other stand out performances came in the shape of Troplong Mondot (19), Angelus (18), Tertre Roteboeuf (18), VCC (18.5), Eglise Clinet (18), La Conseillante (18.5), Evangile (18), Leoville Poyferre (18), St Pierre (17.5), Montrose (18), Dame de Montrose (17), Pichon Baron (19), Fort de Latour (19), Domaine de Chevalier (17.5), Haut Bailly (17.5), Rieussec (18.5) and Coutet (18).

The Petit Chateaux and lesser cru Classes will in time offer extraordinary drinking and value. On the evidence of last week, don’t go near these for some time, ideally five, maybe ten years and give the best wines even longer.

Our highlights of Burgundy 2012

Our Burgundy 2012 En Primeur campaign kicked off on Monday 13th January, with a house full of famous Burgundian names and of clients alike - it was a chance to explore the most talked about vintage.

Ghislaine Barthod

Alex and Marc Bachelet from Bachelet Monnot

Chantal and Florian from Louis Remy

Louis Michel Vicomte Liger-Belair

Burgundy 2012 Vintage Report - "Less is more"

2012 was a challenging vintage in Burgundy that has produced brilliant wines. Mother Nature threw everything at the growers: poor flowering (though this was to be a blessing in quality terms), mildew, hail (twice) and sunburn. Vitally the one thing that did not present a problem in 2012 was rot. Frank Follin is by no means alone when he says that “the grapes in 2012 were the most beautiful I have ever seen.” The red wines are intense, suave, fresh and ripe. They have the concentration of 2010 but show a little more accessibility and roundness. They will, therefore, show extremely well young, whilst also offering great ageing potential – such is their super balance. The whites are hugely concentrated but in many cases this does not seem to have resulted in too much heaviness or lack of balance, certainly as far as the wines from vineyards grown on poor, stony soils are concerned. It is specifically from these vineyards where wines should have a good long life ahead of them.

Qualitatively this seems to be a very homogenous vintage for red wine, whether its Bourgogne, Chorey Les Beaune or Chambertin. It is difficult to generalise in this vintage, there are so many brilliant examples of elegant Pinot Noir from all over the Cote, though it does seem that Chambolle-Musigny has produced its best wine for several years. That said Arnaud Mortet of Gevrey-Chambertin has produced his greatest work yet, too. Furthermore there are many outstanding Nuits and Vosnes, though be warned Nuits St Georges in particular has suffered particularly low yields. For whites, as mentioned earlier, the most outstanding wines come from the stonier vineyards in Chassagne, Puligny and Meursault. The likes of Grande Montagne, Caillerets, Garenne, Folatieres,Tillets, Perrieres (Puligny and Meursault), Luraule and Clos des Grands Charrons are all well worth seeking out.

Arnaud Mortet

This exceptional quality has come at a price: There is very little wine. The crop ranges from 20 to 90% down on 2011. Gerard Boudot of Etienne Sauzet has been making wine since 1974 and has never known such a small vintage, his Folatieres is just one example - he made 2 barrels instead of the usual 10. Don’t be surprised to see offers of 6 packs, 3 packs and even individual bottles during the 2012 releases in January. 2013 is also terribly small, and with 2011 and 2010 being short crops, too, Burgundy has effectively produced the equivalent of two decent sized vintages in 4 years. Cellars up and down the Cote d’Or look empty. Add this to furious, ever-increasing demand and we have quite a shortage on our hands and producers will inevitably have to put prices up.

Piedmont: A feast of friends and family

Last Thursday the Justerini & Brooks sales team set out for Piedmont. The aim of the trip was to visit several of our key estates and to get a feel for the different villages, vineyards and approaches to winemaking. We spent three busy days consuming Piedmont and have come away with so much more…

To understand the wines of Piedmont one must engage with the families, both actual and extended, and with the myths, the histories and the conflicts. The story of Piedmont is one of contrasts: tradition and innovation; respect for the family and revolution. We found three generations all under one roof at Azelia, with Grannie still ruling the vineyard; a gloriously eccentric Domenico Clerico in his glossy modern winery and, at Altare, a story of such sadness that it bought several of us and Elio’s daughter Sylvia to tears. What was most striking about the story of Piedmont is how the stark financial imperatives of the 60s and 70s created and nurtured a culture of such innovation and artistry. We met many young winemakers who are striving for beauty and meaning in their wines and their communities, inspired by the revolution of their parents. There is a new tradition in Piedmont which the previous generation fought for, it is one of freedom and it is firmly focussed on quality. It is not a battle of the modern against the traditional. This battle has been fought and the future for Piedmont is open with producers embracing the best techniques for their wines, whether they be new or old. There is a sense of maturity about the approach here and we think Piedmontese wines have never been better.

Our itinerary was as follows. Please do contact your account manager if you have any specific questions or would like to hear any of the stories in more detail. There are many and they are fascinating!

FRIDAY:

Tasting: Voerzio

– We tasted a kaleidoscope of Voerzio’s wines with Davide generously treating us to a range of vintages including many of their top wines. This was one of life’s great wine experiences for so many reasons but one thing that particularly stuck with us was the meticulousness of the Voerzios, even the way Davide poured the wines was measured. This diligence shines through in the purity and precision of the wines.

Tasting: Scavino

– Scavino is one of the greats. So often erroneously classified as simply modern, in reality the Scavinos embrace the best of the old and the new to make true terroir wines. This terroir is more accessible in youth these days as they have scaled back the oak but the wines are as serious as ever. 2009 is a special vintage for Scavino with large scaled, powerful, ageworthy wines which will also be seductive in youth.

Lunch: Scavino

– The Scavinos very generously treated us to an incredible lunch with wines to match. Our two abiding memories are the 2006 Barolos and deep fried porcini in breadcrumbs. Wow!

Tasting: Azelia

– It was wonderful to visit another branch of the Scavino clan at Azelia. This is very much an understated, hands on domaine which is drenched in family history, memories and traditions. Lovely, lovely people and delicious wines which offer serious value. Margheria 2005, from the same vineyard as Gaja’s Sperss, is a real ace in the hole here. Buy it!

Tasting: Correggia + a light supper

– A relaxing jaunt through some wonderfully elegant Roero wines, which are real staff favourites. Freshness, minerality and elegance. Correggia offer distinctly un-showy yet supremely satisfying Nebbiolos and some terrific whites including an oak age Sauvignon. The style at Correggia is very relaxed and it was a lovely way to end the first day.

SATURDAY:

Tasting: Altare

– This was quite an experience. This estate is steeped in history with Elio’s father refusing to speak to him for seven years whilst living in the same house! Narrow avoidance of financial ruin and all sorts… The wines are nothing short of spectacular, Sylvia Altare served us a 1990 Barbera Larigi blind which confounded us all with its freshness and seriousness. Stunningly good Barbera, so serious that most of us thought it Nebbiolo.

Tasting: Vietti

– Like the wines, the Vietti estate comes across as elegant, sophisticated and impressive. There is very much a sense of having arrived. Vietti is one of the originals and still one of the very best.

Lunch: More e Macine in La Morra

– A terrifically indulgent, chaotic and lengthy scramble through some wonderful food. We kept trying to leave but they just wouldn’t let us. Very memorable, especially the panacotta which was so full of flavour we had to ask how they made it, the answer… some milk and something to make the milk set. Brilliant!

Tasting: Clerico

– Luciano and Domenico took us on a tour of this astonishing new winery and through these remarkable wines. Clerico continue to ease off on and adapt their use of new oak making these wines a little more accessible. However, as ever it is with age that they shine, Percristina 1998 and a delicious Ciabot Mentin Ginestra 2003 were the highlights here.

Tasting: Marengo + a light supper (a five course, highly sophisticated light supper!)

– We love Marco Marengo, so gentle, relaxed and honest and with so much Brunate! This is without doubt one of the best value domaines out there. Seamless wines with such authenticity and elegance yet with power and real ability to age. These are exactly the kind of wines we like to drink and we did! Marco and Jenny treated us to a stunning supper in their house. Proper Piedmontese cuisine and lots of Brunate. What a night! Again the 2006 Brunate sticks in the memory.

So, what did we learn?

Piedmont is in so many ways like Burgundy, in fact many of the producers we visited had as much Burgundy in the cellar as they did Nebbiolo. We found the sense of terroir, delicacy, etherealness and elegance that is so striking in Burgundy here in Piedmont and these guys have white truffles too! Like Burgundy, volumes are small and it feels like Piedmont is starting to take off in the same way that Burgundy has done over the last 10 years.

Buy more 2006 and 2008 Barolo: two different sides of the classical coin. Buy 2007s and 2005s to drink in the meantime. 2005s are delivering way above expectations!

Regardless of points, reviews and investment potential, in some parts of the world wine is still all about families.

In Piedmont, the hazelnuts are almost as good as the wines, especially at Altare. Oh, and Elio’s Coppa Ham is pretty special too!

- Martin Buchanan, Private Clients Sales Account Manager

Enfin! We waited as long as we dared ..

A few words from Charles Blagden, vine grower and courtier in the Rhone valley, completes harvest at Le Bois Pointu in Chateauneuf ...

Le Bois Pointu 2013. Vendanges Saturday 19th October.

Enfin! We waited as long as we dared (the heavens opened yesterday) & it was all over in just under 4 hours.

One of the latest harvests in the southern Rhone from memory (albeit my feeble one) since 1984 & the smallest that anyone I've spoken to can remember- we'll be lucky to have made 13hl, ie 9hl/Ha!!

At least the grapes were ripe...

Here are a few snaps of the day: 

Bordeaux 2011 in bottle

Following 2010 was never going to be an easy act. Following 2009 and 2010 was going to be an impossible act. Arguably, no-one really wanted a vintage that could live up to these immense years. Could anyone handle another ‘vintage of a lifetime’? I for one had already encountered four, which was making me feel quite old; our poor Chairman must be feeling positively ancient!

It was immediately obvious to all that 2011 was not a rival to 2009 and 2010, but this should not in itself be a reason to condemn it. Aside from the small wines, 2009s really aren’t ready for drinking. 2010s will take longer still, so either we rely on our vast reserves of ‘61s and ‘82s until our 2009s and 2010s hit their straps, or we’re going to need a few vintages to fill in. I for one have been thoroughly enjoying some 2007s recently, so much so, that I feel inspired to write a blog on them. ‘Less-good vintages’ definitely have a place. But before anyone starts reading too much between the lines, 2011 and 2007 don’t have that much in common.

Inside the packed Opera House we found a relatively consistent group of wines. Sure there were ups and downs, but this is a big tasting – there were plenty of turkeys at the corresponding 2009 and 2010 tastings. Starting with the Pessac reds, we found plenty of sweet fruit. In fact we were quite surprised by how ripe and generous some of these wines were. The usual stars, Domaine de Chevalier, Smith Haut Lafitte and Haut Bailly were all delicious, but those who like the exotic would be advised to go for Malartic Lagraviere. Bravo to the Bonnies – a terrific wine that I’d very much like to have in my cellar!

St Emilion is a region I approach with trepidation. Much to my surprise, this flight provided some of the most exciting and polished wines at the tasting. John Kolasa at Canon continues his good work, Troplong Mondot was massive yet quite seductive and Canon la Gaffelière was a complete surprise package – either my palate has completely changed or their 2011 is demonstrating a refinement and elegance I don’t normally associate with this estate. This is without doubt the smartest Canon la Gaffelière I can remember. The standout wine though was Clos Fourtet. Their 2009 and 2010 received high praise from Parker and this is a very worthy successor.

In Pomerol, Gazin has firmed up; this is one of the few wines at the tasting that had real structure. This may require a few years, but will be a stunner. La Conseillante was as understated and distinguished as usual. In the Medoc, some little wines such as Beaumont, Chasse Spleen and Poujeaux all showed well. The soft, approachable tannins and ample sweetness of the vintage make these wines more accessible than ever. Brane Cantenac and Rauzan Segla were the stars of Margaux – no surprises here then… St Julien and Pauillac were not as consistent as we remembered them. There are some real highs: Leoville Poyferre, St Pierre, Gloria, Gruaud Larose, Pichon Lalande, Grand Puy Lacoste and Pichon Baron, but there were a few question marks over Lynch Bages and Leoville Barton. Both showed brilliantly from barrel, so maybe they are just in a difficult adolescent stage.

Our view of the Sauternes and Barsacs has not really changed. The wines are big and rich, but are not overly complex. In our view, those who declared 2011 to be an excellent year for sweeties slightly missed the mark. Some wines have definitely improved in barrel, but this is not another 2001. Our pick again was the wonderful Doisy Vedrines. Olivier’s wine has real tension and complexity. The bouquet is a melting pot of tropical fruit; the palate is awash with noble flavours and the acidity is remarkable. This is a Barsac I really want to drink!

In summary, there is much to like about this group of reds. There are good colours, lots of sweet, seductive, mid-palate fruit, soft tannins and freshness. They remind me of how 2001s started showing after a few years. It isn’t a vintage to lay down for decades, but the wines will give lots of pleasure. In the current, subdued market, it is difficult to make a compelling case to buy these, however, as they become available, they will be some of the best priced examples of physical stock, and they will drink well young. So while people wait for 2009s and 2010s to come around, the 2011s could be the answer.

Loire 2013 Preliminary Harvest Report

Loire specialist Charles Sydney recently sent us the following 2013 vintage report.  Charles and Philippa are not only stationed permanently in Chinon but also very close to many Loire growers. Their intel is therefore excellent….

The note of cautious optimism is a welcome relief. It seems 2013 in the Loire will go down as another tricky, but ultimately successful vintage (for those that put the work in)… 

Jean-Philippe from Domaine de la Taille aux Loups was even carrying the hotte! 

Apologies in advance for the long message - there's too much panic out there and we wanted to put some perspective on things.

Looking out the window at the moment, Phil and I are wondering whether to wander down to the Anjou to watch the picking today, or to leave it till tomorrow. It's misty, there was some rain yesterday (sunshine too) but the forecast is fine. Which sort of sums up the 4 weeks since harvest started here. That's obviously not perfect - but it's also nothing new.

2013 looks to be a perfectly normal (if slightly stressed-out) vintage.

Muscadet : started end September, the guys got hit by some rain beforehand, but in some sectors they needed it. Combined with warm weather, that meant a risk of rot, so it was time to pick.

Where the vines had been properly looked after, that was fine, even if we'd have liked slightly higher degrees. Better still in vineyards that had been grassed through, as the moisture went to the grass and the grapes were clearly riper and healthier.

By the end, the guys were happy to finish, fining some vats to eliminate any potential off flavours. In general, after a good cold settling the juice was tasting fine and the wines should be pretty good!

Sauvignon : started right at the beginning of October, with the same sort of conditions as in Muscadet - basically, if the grower looked after his vines, the harvest is fine, with reasonable degrees and balanced acidity. Again, there's more ripeness with growers prepared to grass through their vines or to cut out (as chez Jacky Marteau) any unripe or rotten bunches.

Also as in Muscadet, there was some rot so producers had to be particularly careful with the juice (inerting vats, fining the juice), but we've tasted enough grapes and enough vats of juice to be happy that the wines will be classically fresh and grassy.

Up in Sancerre and Pouilly, picking generally started a week later - around the 7th - and we're not

convinced they would gain anything by waiting.

Here you'll really see the difference between growers, with special benefits coming with growers who grassed through their vines and who were prepared to 'tri' the grapes either in the vineyards or in the cellar. 

Chinon and the reds : Some people have started picking, harvesting machines were out yesterday. They run the vineyards to get the best possible ripeness in a late vintage - grassed through vines, de-budding to keep bunches apart, high foliage for maximum photosynthesis, de-leafing around the bunches.... we've been there before!

Chenin starting to concentrate 

These growers have no need to panic - the grapes are healthy and ripening gently. This won't be a hyper-ripe 2009, but, well, more anon!!!

Chenin blanc : No idea yet - apart from seeing some first pickings to bring in some 'baby' moelleux with a potential of 18° and others to clean up the harvest to let the grapes ripen more.

With a bit of luck, we should see some pretty good dry chenins and maybe some moelleux, but that's guess work. we're off to see the grapes now (the mist has lifted) and we're off to Vouvray and Montlouis tomorrow.

More anon!!!

Best!

Charles and Phil

PS cliché time.... looks like this is (yet another) année de vigneron...

It started with a leg of lamb…

I’ve recently noticed the shape of wine bottles in our recycling bin changing – a seasonal shift perhaps. As the nights draw in and espadrilles have been replaced by wellingtons, my wine consumption has taken an Autumnal turn. The afternoons enjoying German Riesling and evenings sampling the delights of the Cote d’Or have given way to Sunday roasts and evenings in front of the fire getting reacquainted with some old friends.

As collectors have had their sights firmly on the best domaines in Burgundy, a once revered region has been languishing in relative obscurity. Bordeaux’s dominance and influence in the UK market has been rocked. Perceived overpricing and a weakening of demand from the Chinese market have hurt the reputation of this great wine growing region.

But when my father pulled out a bottle of d’Armailhac 2004 the other weekend to accompany a leg of lamb, my love affair with Claret was reignited. The 2004s are wonderful to drink right now. Domaine de Chevalier, Leoville Poyferre, even Haut Brion; all recent tastings have shown that this is a charming, accessible vintage to enjoy right now. But while the First Growths will dominate headlines and ensure the perception is that Bordeaux is still expensive, my recent forays into the cellar have proved quite the contrary. Bordeaux is producing some of the best value wines you can find anywhere in the world. Last week Mrs J and I drank four ‘little’ 2009s. Little in price perhaps, but certainly not in quality. Capbern Gasqueton is freshness personified, Calon Seguresque indeed. Chateau Villars is a big, impressive, Merlot dominated Fronsac, with bags of personality and ageing potential. While Villa des QuatreSoeurs is a classic, floral Margaux, so elegant and polished for a wine at this price level. My final encounter (for the time being) was the excellent Petit Bocq. This has real St Estephe minerality, lots of crushed stones, cooked meats and sweet berry fruit. One feels that this has a lot more to come, but that shouldn’t stop anyone popping open a bottle today. A feature of all these wines is their cashmere texture – the 2009s are decadent at every level. You can have so much fun with wines in this price bracket; if you have been wavering; these are guaranteed to restore your faith in the wines of Bordeaux.

Krug - A Tasting to Remember

Quality is something that Krug know a fair bit about, having made nothing but Prestige Cuvees every single year since 1843. Olivier Krug is at the helm of this great house and is committed to driving quality to ever greater heights.

We had the pleasure of Olivier’s company last Thursday. He kindly hosted a tasting in our cellar and a lunch for a few very lucky clients. We had the good fortune to learn all about the complexity of Krug’s Grand Cuvee, the Rose and the latest vintage, Krug 2000. They are fascinating Champagnes and ones to be enjoyed for the unique, complex styles they portray.

The Grand Cuvee is a blend of 10 vintages and over 120 different wines from numerous parcels and villages. Between 30 to 50% is produced from the most recent year and the rest a blend of up to nine vintages from the previous 15 years. We had examples of the Krug Grand Cuvee from the 2005 vintage, 2001 vintage and the 2000 vintage (as the base). Each was beautiful and individual. Since 2012, every bottle has a unique ID code, which allows the owner to learn about the cépage of their wine. Please click here to learn more.

Their superior and sophisticated rose is a rich blend of three different grape varieties and a wide range of vintages. It is remarkably versatile and is probably at its best accompanying food, allowing the structure, texture and beauty of the Cuvee to stand out. The Pinot really shows though giving plenty of red fruit character and spice; the Chardonnay the elegance.

Our final wine was the latest Vintage release, the 2000. This is already remarkably approachable, showing richness and intensity on the nose, the palate is indulgent, complex and precise. It is known by the Krug family as the, ‘stormy Indulgence’, due to the unusual climatic conditions the vintage experienced. You get the tell-tale biscuit and toasted brioche notes, with hints of smoke and oak on the pallet. It is rich and powerful, but is still young and tightly wound. This is underpinned with chalky minerality and citrus fruits making for a lively lift out of the brooding complex richness. The fresh but balanced acidity and fruit will let this age very gracefully and leaves a haunting, long finish.

Olivier spoke passionately about his wines and Krug’s heritage. Each wine is an individual and should be embraced and enjoyed to the full. It was a great pleasure to listen and learn from such an inspirational man. We look forward to organising more events with this wonderful house and enjoying their fabulous wines together in the future!

- Georgina Crawley, Private Client Sales Manager

Rhone: Topsy Turvy 2013 and Brilliant 2012

As I arrived in the Southern Rhone last week growers were debating anxiously with each other as to when to start their 2013 grenache harvest, what little of it there was to pick. Poor flowering or Coulure, has literally left just a few berries per vine. The weather last week was positively balmy in Chateauneuf and predicted to continue, but ripening was not complete in all vineyards and the process starts to slow down at this time of year. Picking was predicted to continue this week. This makes 2013 one of the latest in memory, certainly for Jean Abeille of Chateau Mont Redon who has 40 vintages under his belt. Curiously when I travelled to the Northern Rhone a few days later, the harvest had all but finished... A topsy turvy vintage.

2012, however, is a vintage that vignerons are certain of. It is a great year, most notably of all, but not exclusive to, the South. It is not a big crop, but it is qualitatively excellent, and this appears to be the case right across the Southern Rhone, particularly Chateauneuf du Pape. This appears to be a vintage of very ripe but notably fresh flavours, incredibly silky tannins and great intensity. The summer experienced heat spikes but the weather cooled down towards the end of season, so acidities are present but don't seem as high as that other recent great, 2010, and conditions were less dry so that tannins in 2012 are much more pliable. The resulting wines are seductive already but they are deceptively powerful and persistent. Above all the Southern Rhones, particularly in Chateauneuf, offer something very rare, elegance. This seems to me one of the most even-keeled and balanced vintages I have tasted. 

Up north there is a little less homogeneity perhaps, but there are plenty of excellent wines too. There are some wines that may not have been picked at optimum ripeness but the top estates have made, ripe fresh, classically structured Northern Rhones that offer an elegance similar to 2004 but with greater intensity and a little more stuffing. I found the Cornas of Domaine du Coulet and the Cote Rotie of Rene Rostaing to be absolutely outstanding.

For those looking at older vintages, in the south 1999s are drinking well as are 2001s. The excellent 2004s and 2000s are only just starting to come round. In the North the vintages that are drinking beautifully are 2000, 2001, and 2004.

Duemani - the harvest continues!

On 3rd October we mad the second passage of the Cabernet Franc harvest and completed the Syrah.

It was a lovely sunny day and we had sixteen people helping to be sure we could harvest all the grapes on time, ensuring only quality grapes were picked. Bad bunches were directly cut away.

When the grapes arrived at the cellar, they were placed on the belt up to the “destemming” machine and the berries were cleaned on the selection table. 

Then they went directly into the vats, this time oak tanks for the Cab Franc and barrique or tonneaux for the Syrah. We do not add any sulfites or yeast as all the fermentation will go on naturally even if under controlled temperature.  With two pump-overs per day we will stop at the end of maceration, which is usually after two - three weeks.  In the vats the berries arrive completely in tact and undamaged to allow a very slow extractions from the skins.  This way we do not extract dry tannins.

Now all is done and we just wait for the fermentation to go on and for the last round of harvest where only the Duemani Cabernet Franc selection has remained in the vineyard! 

Elena - Duemani

Uccelliera - a view of the 2013 harvest through film

Dear friends - Cari amici!

We have started the harvest with good dry and sunny weather.  Andrea is looking forward to bringing  healthy grapes in the Uccelliera cellar to produce on other fantastic vintage.

Annarita is already involved and is checking the ripe berries!

Andrea, Paola, Annarita, Dina and Agnes from Uccelliera

Duemani: A quick update on the 2013 harvest

We started on Monday 23^rd September with all of the Merlot grapes and also proceeded with the first harvest of Cabernet Franc until Tuesday, then we stopped.

We say the first harvest, for the Cabernet Franc because we took only the weak plants and those part of the vineyards for the CiFRA and Altrovino wines.

At the moment we keep all the different grapes and parts of the vineyards divided that are fermenting in separate cement vats. Even some small quantities are fermenting in very tiny plastic vats where we can push down the cap by hand. It is very funny! 

It's been a great harvest so far that's started with sun and warm temperatures. The grapes are rich in sugars and flavors, with good aromas and acidity thanks to the fresh temperatures of the nights.

We had some rain during the past weekend so we will wait a few more days to start picking the Syrah grapes, but it will be sometime this week!

Elena, Duemani