Arborina in a straight Barolo?

We've long championed Marco Marengo's beautifully Burgundian set of Barolos. Year in year out they offer style, grace and poise, serving to highlight all that is great about La Morra through their elegance, clarity of fruit and super refined tannic structures. They also remain particularly good value. Even more so given the recent revelation...

It is no secret that Elio Altare's Brunate fruit comes from Marco Marengo's vines. The arrangement has gone on for years, fruit being separated by hand in the vineyard before making its way to the individual estates. When probing this set up further at our Italian En Primeur tasting last Tuesday, something rather interesting came to light. No money changes hands for the fruit. Rather a portion of the harvest from Elio Altare's Arborina vineyard is donated as payment. Never being enough to bottle as Arborina outright, we wondered where the fruit went. “Oh, it just goes into the straight Barolo” was the answer. No wonder it’s so good...

Spain 2009 Vintage - Buying Trip Report

Spain may be a country facing all number of economic problems, but boy does it have some serious winemaking talent. Our most recent trip, a whirlwind tour that involved many hours behind the wheel, took us from Ossian's sandy, pre-phylloxera vineyards in Rueda, up to the wild west of Ribera del Duero, up and futher across to San Vicente in Rioja and then finally all the way east to Catalonia and the hot, dry hills of Priorat.

En route we encountered breathtaking countryside, big skies and huge vistas, soaring buzzards, warm people, old vines and low yields, plenty of delicious ham and even more delicious wine. In what feels like Hemmingway country there are wines being made that offer such pure, ripe, complex, silky seduction it is amazing they are not more highly sought after over here in the UK market.

Arid soils in Ribera del Duero

Three major factors crop up again and again. Old vines, warm, dry, sunny and most importantly disease inhibiting weather, and experimentation. At not a single one of the domaines that we visitied were we not shown something new; a technique, a decision, a new bottling, amphorae, a new training method, straw between the vines to keep the soil cool. Perhaps because the new wave of Spanish winemaking is a relatively recent phenomenon, there is a buzz and a can do/will do attitude to be found that is both infectious and exciting.

In Ribera and Rioja the 2009 vintage has produced silky sumptuous wines that have luscious textures but no lack of freshness. It is a highly successful vintage. Tasting the wines from Aalto, in their wonderfully modern, architectural Bodega, it was hard not to think that this vintage will see them propelled to even greater popularity. Most definitely one to buy En Primeur.

Over in Rioja the Eguren family continue to rule the roost. Held in the highest regard in Spain, yet still relatively unknown over here, they receive about as much critical acclaim as any of our growers. And for good reason. Traditional plantings, often seriously old, even pre-phylloxera, combined with a modernist outlook in the winery gives wonderful results. And as if there Rioja holdings weren't impressive enough, Marcus Eguren continues to rachet up quality levels at their Toro Estate Teso La Monja. Elegance and power combined - this is Tinto de Toro at its most exquisite.

The view from Mas Martinet's Escurcons vineyard. The highest in the region

The hills of Priorat, with their twisty roads and infuriating signage, provide the setting for what must be one of the most dramatic wine regions in the world. Grenache and old Carignan plantings dominate, coming to their absolute best on the crumbly slate "licorella" soils. You see a cross section, with less than a foot of soil before slate begins and you honestly wonder at the vines ability to carve out a life for itself here. This is extreme viticulture, hot and dry, and the results are utterly thrilling. It is also, in it's newest guise, a region of relatively little age, the new wave only beginning in the 1980s, dragging the region out of a period of low economic prosperity. Mas Martinet, Vall Llach and Mas Doix each manipulate a different part of the region. And they all manage to achieve different expressions. In 2009, again hot and dry, there is a certain power to all these priorat wines. Power and intensity. But the greatest benefit the Licorella brings is a mineral spice and freshness to carry that power. This slate, and the clean firm backbone it lends to the wines, really is the essence of Priorat.

Licorella slate heavy soils in Priorat

Excessive talk of the high alcohol content of these wines is to miss the point of their being rooted to and very much of these wild arid hills. A wine harvested prematurely at 13% potential that has not had the chance to fully ripen will never give much pleasure. These great priorats, harvested fully ripe at a degree or two more than that might be alcoholic, but they are also balanced, and profound, and unforgettable.

A look back at 96 Barolo & 01 German Riesling

Last week got off to a great start with an invitation I simply could not refuse. A tasting and dinner with friends in the cosy surrounds of the Traveller's club library, the focus of the evening was 1996 Barolo and 2001 Riesling from Germany. These areas being two of my great loves, after Burgundy, I grabbed the chance with both hands.

After a solid, reliable glass of Pol Roger Brut Reserve I attacked a flight of Kabinetts and Spatlesen. The tastebuds were well and truly tantalised, perhaps more than at any other point in the evening. Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett from JJ Prum pleased immediately with its powerful savoury and gold-flecked fruit character, the Spatlese was of course richer but even livelier and beautifully seamless, Muller's Scharzhofberg Spatlese was typically smoky and searingly intense, an electric wine, however the wine of the flight, and indeed the whole evening was Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Spatlese from Fritz Haag. Though I was not the only one, neither was it everyone's top choice. The extremely high slate content of the vineyard means it won't ever be as forthright and powerful as JJ Prum and Muller's will always be more vital than almost any other Riesling. What the Haag offered, however, was great refinement, beauty and poise. We were lucky enough to continue with the wines over our starter, and it was the only glass I kept going back to.

The next course was a daunting flight of 1996 Barolos. La Serra & Brunate from Marcarini, Bric del Fiasc Scavino, Cannubi Boschis Sandrone, Monprivato G Mascarello, Barolo Falleto di Serralunga red label Giacosa and Barbaresco Santo Stefano Giacosa. 1996 is a vintage I have always loved, its sheer intensity and almost austere classicism but its not for the faint hearted. The wines proved that many 1996s are still babies, so open any you may have with caution (and hearty food!) The Falleto di Serralunga was, sadly, faulty and La Serra impossibly young, the rest, though, did all show glimpses of their excellence. The pick of the bunch for was the Bric del Fiasc, aromatic with a touch of oak and very ripe fruit, it has a sweetness to offset the structure that no other wine quite matched. It was, like the Sandrone, obviously more modern than the other wines but that not to the point of hiding its own unique character, it was just beautiofully crafted and perfectly balanced. Not far behind was the Santo Stefano from Giacosa, still very young, but loaded with fruit and savoury character, bound together by suave, noble tannins.

The (wine part of !) the evening came to a close with Auslese and Goldcap Auslese from JJ Prum and Haag. They were all clearly well crafted and had all of the necessary elements to them, but just seemed to fall a little flat. I felt they were even more adolescent than the 1996 Barolos, to my mind top Auslese only gets really interesting at 15 - 20 years of age, so I am sure more will eventually come from these....

Loire 2011 - So much quality, so much value...

Chez...guess who?

Sunday June 24th 2012. 11.30pm. Giles’ flight is delayed so I'm alone in slightly dog eared French 'Pub' watching England predictably lose to Italy on penalties. And I don't even particularly enjoy football. This is not, it would seem, the most auspicious start to a buying trip to the Loire. But fortunately, for me and our Loire offer, my lot improved straight off the bat at our very first tasting the next morning.


The mighty Loire, France's longest river, rises in the Cévennes and travels over 1000km heading first north and then west before reaching the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic at St Nazaire. It would make a very fine bike ride. As it turns north-west and then west it plays host to one of the most diverse and perhaps underappreciated of France's great "wine regions". From the Marl and Kimmeridgean clay soils of Sancerre and the flinty, Silex strewn slopes of Pouilly Fumé via the Cabernet Franc friendly regions of Chinon, Bourgeuil and Saumur Champigny through dry, sweet and sparkling Chenin Blanc in Vouvray, Montlouis Anjou and Savennieres, right the way back to Sauvignon in Touraine and finally the Oyster partnering Muscadet towards its mouth. There is much to get excited about and many stellar domaines making world class wines at eminently affordable prices.

The 2011 vintage was, across the Loire, a vintage where careful vineyard management was vital. Growers up and down the region reported early flowering, prodigious fruit set and the danger of allowing yields to creep up to levels that would have prevented ripening. As elsewhere in France, the growing season was back to front; Summer came in Spring and Spring in Summer, with rainy spells through July and August and plenty of warmth. Perfect conditions for vigorous vegetal growth and the danger of potential rot. As a result, crop thinning, leaf plucking, yield management and patience at harvest were all vital to ensure healthy and most importantly ripe grapes were picked. It really is testament to the quality and commitment of our growers that the wines they have produced are of such high quality.

In Sancerre and Pouilly the 2011 Sauvignons may not be as racy as those in 2010, but they are no less intense and just as concentrated. And they have tremendous textural elegance. Giles Crochet and Serge Dagueneau provide the benchmarks in Sancerre and Pouilly respectively with beautifully balanced and rewarding wines of great purity and finesse. Also in Sancerre, Clement and Florent Pinard continue to push the envelope at their father's domaine producing a range of red and white Sancerre that surely must be some of the regions very best. The intensity and laser like precision of their 2011s is just staggering. As we left we found ourselves comparing their top cuvees to those of Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Say. no. more....

Further west more hard work was evident with a superb range of Cabernet Franc at Jacky Blot's tirelessly run Domaine de la Butte. Amongst other things, Jacky uses a primary up lit sorting table in the actual vineyard (and a second in the winery) to help sift out any less than perfect grapes at source. Given the prices these wines command this a serious demonstration of commitment to quality. And it shows. The wines at Charles Joguet, with a new winemaker as of 2010, have become a more supple, approachable and engaging. They are silkier now, more gourmande, and in my eyes at least, all the better for it. Over in Saumur Champigny, Phillipe Vatan at Ch. de Hureau, whose 11th Century caves are cut deep into the limestone "Tuffe", has once again produced a set of eminently pure and honest wines that keep you coming back for more.

Jacky Blot's world class Chenin's from Montlouis and Vouvray have once again produced the goods in 2011, though Jacky himself was the first to admit it was a “complicated” vintage. No fewer than 100 pickers were employed to allow precise and timely picking. The resulting wines are ripe, succulent and concentrated with crystal clear flavours. I am still drinking Remus Plus 2007 at home and it is absolutely breathtaking. These really are stand out value and deserve to be shouted about.

Last and by no means least, as of this year we have a new Chenin Blanc producer to rave about alongside Jacky Blot. Young up and coming star Thibaud Boudignon seems to be friends with all the right people. With just a few hectares in Anjou and Savennieres and a zealous belief in the importance of vine health, Thibaud is producing powerful yet silky wines that we are hugely excited to be adding to our list. His philosophy is hands on in the extreme and his attention to detail extends to ordering a particular barrel from Ramonet in Chassagne year on year. The only downside; he makes such tiny quantities. We’ll be offering the 2010’s shortly so watch this space. Word will be out soon...

Perrot Minot - an exciting find in Burgundy

I am delighted and excited to finally be working with Christophe Perrot Minot. It is a Domaine I have been keeping an eye on for some time now with ever increasing interest but I was simply bowled over when tasting the final 2010 blends in Burgundy this Spring. After practising the profession of wine broker for seven years, Christophe Perrot-Minot took over his parent’s estate in 1993. As well as providing renewed vigour and a perfectionist’s approach to the winemaking, Christophe also succeeded in expanding the Domaine substantially by buying out the famous Pernin-Rossin estate in Vosne-Romanée, starting with the 2000 vintage. It took Christophe a while to find his way but in the last 5 years he seems to have settled on a style and really perfected it. The wines are ripe have a modern polish without losing their purity and combine intensity with elegance. They are far removed from the more structured Pinots of the Domaine’s early days. It seems that Burghound agrees, giving Perrot Minot some rave reviews over the last two vintages.

The greatness of a Domaine should always be judged on the quality of their wines in more “challenging” vintages. 2011 was not easy but any top Burgundian Domaine worth its salt should have made really seductive, attractive wines with enough structure to allow them to age well. I tasted Perrot Minot’s 2011s alongside the 2010s and was hugely impressed, they will no doubt rate as some of the vintage’s top wines. I can’t wait to get my hands on them!

A little overview of how Christophe goes about his work:
The viticulture is respectful to nature and terroir - no chemical fertiliser or herbicides are used. Low yields and Christophe’s eye for detail are fundamental to the great quality of the wines, in addition to the Domaine’s impressive army of old vines ranging from 40 to 100 years old. Everything is hand-picked, vine leaves and canopies are thinned during the season and sorting / grapes selections are rigorous. The grapes are, for the most part, de- stalked and after fermentation are aged in a maximum of 30-40% new oak. The wines are incredibly ripe, refined and concentrated, yet despite their almost modern intensity and polish they allow the nuances and character of terroir to come through strongly. A stellar Domaine.

2011 - An extraordinary German Riesling vintage

You have to go back to 1999 to find the last really awkward German vintage, and even then some of the top producers made some good wines. If only Bayern Munich could show such brilliance and consistency, then I would not have been commiserating on Saturday night. But like the 2011 Riesling, I am not bitter.

This run of great German vintages is quite frankly embarrassing. 2011 is yet another. However the growers I met with on my buying trip to Germany last week certainly weren't blushing, they were too delighted with what they had in front of them. Karthauserhof's Christoph Tyrell thinks this will prove to be one of the benchmark vintages in the estate's 200 year history, producing 4 different cuvees each of BA and TBA, something they have never done before. Whilst Helmut Donnhoff considered the quality and health of the grapes "some of the best I have ever seen."

More detail will follow in our German Riesling 2011 offer that will be launched later than usual, in mid September, but in short this was a season that started early and finished as usual at the end of October and beginning of November. The "hang time" was therefore very long, thanks to unseasonably cool wet weather during the summer that slowed down an early Spring. This, the hot September and an October of uninterrupted sunshine have really made the vintage. A potential spanner in the works was hail at the end of August. The stones were reportedly somewhere between golf and tennis ball size but mainly effected roof tops and car windscreens (oh and one of Prum's neighbour's cats.) In the vineyards there was less concern, the stones being big enough to wipe out entire branches or bunches rather than leave individual, rot-inducing split berries on the vines. The fact that dry fine weather immediately ensued also helped to prevent the onset of rot. The Schaefers wryly commented "we had planned to carry out a green harvest at that time, but nature did it for us in the end!"

Growers struggle to compare the wines with other years, 2009 and 2007 being the closest they can get, but I don't feel this really does the 2011s enough justice. Thanks to the hot and sunny end of season this is another "powerful" and ripe vintage like 2009 but the wines are clearly different. For despite, analytically, betraying similar lower than average acidity levels, the wines taste fresh and very mineral. Terroir and vineyard definition are as transparent in the sweeter wines as I can ever remember them being over the last 10 years. The dry, sunny end of season meant that late harvest grapes were either shrivelled without the aid of botrytis or the noble rot that did appear was a very pure dry form. There are some great dry wines, powerful Kabinetts and utterly stunning Spatlesen and Auslesen. The Auslesen and BAs ranked among my favourite wines, though. The lack of traditional noble rot means they are not clouded but heavy honeyed and dried apricot richness, rather they are pure, bright and light in colour, intense - magnified versions of Kabinett and Spatlese. This to me makes it a uniquely German late harvest vintage, where the sweeter wines mix great intensity of flavour with a sublime delicacy. As August Kesseler says, "German Riesling on slate stands for lightness, intensity and drinkability." I could not agree more.

Bordeaux 2011 - The releases thus far...

With the weekend upon us, (likely a long one in France), and Parker's scores out in the next few hours, herewith an easy to digest run down of all current Bordeaux 2011 releases of interest.

Wine	Price per case 12 bottles GBP
2011 Z, Bordeaux	50
2011 Croix Mouton, Bordeaux Superieur	75
2011 Ch Beaumont	90
2011 Château Cissac, CB Haut Medoc	90
2011 Ch Villars	90
2011 Ch la Tour de By	120
2011 Ch Teyssier	120
2011 Ch  Capbern Gasqueton	130
2011 Carmes de Rieussec	165
2011 Ch Rieussec	360
2011 Ch Poujeaux	190
2011 Chasse Spleen	195
2011 Ch Ormes de Pez	210
2011 Ch Cantemerle	220
2011 Doisy Vedrines	220
2011 Ch Haut Marbuzet	220
2011 Ch Rol Valentin	240
2011  Château Lafaurie Peyraguey	275
2011 Ch Doisy Daene	290
2011 Ch Bellevue	380
2011 Ch Coutet	450
2011 Ch Gazin	450
2011 Ch Suduiraut	480
2011 Ch Climens	750
2011 Ch Cos d'Estounel	1200
2011 Ch Lafite-Rothschild	5500

2011 Bordeaux - Wine Advocate scores

Chateau owners praying for a miracle may be disappointed. Neal Martin’s notes are trickling on to erobertparker.com, and early indications show that the notes are somewhat lukewarm. There are a few exceptions like the magnificent VCC (96-98/100), but generally scores are conservative. We will have to see what the big man does later this afternoon, but Neal’s measured reaction to the wines should be echoed. 2011 has produced lots of very good wines, but Bordeaux has come back down to earth with a bump after the outstanding 2009 and 2010 vintages. It’s time for Chateaux to price their wine correctly, i.e. cheaper than any physical vintage, and allow us to sell these wines to good old fashioned drinkers.

As Bordeaux embarks on an unofficial four day weekend, there is plenty of time for everyone to digest the Wine Advocate notes. We don’t expect much activity for the next few days, so time to ponder Neal’s thoughts... Please find some highlights below.

2011 Chateau Leoville Barton 93-95

The Leoville Barton has a very elegant bouquet that takes time to unfurl. There are lovely notes of blackberry, dark plum and a touch of graphite. It unfurls beautifully if you lend it five minutes. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannins, good substance, very elegant and refined with a natural, slightly earthy finish that is long in the mouth. Superb persistency – this is one of the top Saint Julien wines. Tasted April 2012.

2011 Chateau Providence 91-93
Tasted at JP Moueix, the Providence 2011 has a precocious bouquet with dark cherries, crème de cassis and a touch of fig and apricot. Complex and exuberant, this is a more modern style of Pomerol but it retains fine delineation and focus. The palate is medium bodied with rounded tannins, a sense of sumptuousness and sensuality. Very well balanced, its red fruit caress the mouth and linger long. Oh là là! Tasted April 2012.

2011 Vieux Chateau Certan 96-98
The Vieux Chateau Certan was cropped between 6th and 7th of September and from 14th until 20th September. That’s what you’ll read everywhere, although I was filming Alexandre when he was picking the final Cabernet around the 29th September! Cropped at 37hl/ha, it is a blend of 70% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and (yay!) 29% Cabernet Franc. It delivers 13.6 degrees alcohol with a total acidity of 3.5gms/L and an IPT of 83. After the Cabernet Francless 2009 and 2010, this is more what I consider to be a classic VCC nose and as Alexandre, unlike those previous vintages that gives you everything up front, this is far more intellectual and enigmatic with hints of mineral laden fruit, limestone and small dark cherries. It is beautifully defined yet distant. The palate is succinctly balanced with crisp acidity, exceptional balance and superb backbone. There is an undercurrent of masculinity, a saline tincture, crushed stone and a touch of dried herbs and yet these are just fleeting hints. It has enormous length and it is one of the very few that could be on the same ethereal plateau as the 2009 and 2010 and perhaps one day...even better. Tasted April 2012.

2011 La Chenade 90-92
The La Chenade is a blend of 80% Merlot picked between 9th and 16th September and 20% picked on 19th September aged in 30% new oak. The nose is very fresh with a Burgundy-like purity and effervescence. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a lovely core of sweet red fruit laced with new oak, leading to a dark chocolate tinged finish. This is a top class La Chenade that could be as fine as the 2010. Another great wine courtesy of Denis Durantou. Tasted April 2012.

2011 Chateau l’Eglise-Clinet 94-96
Tasted at the property, Denis Durantou cannot really do wrong these days. The l’Eglise-Clinet 2011 was cropped between 12th and 15th September and the Cabernet Franc on 24th September, a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc being aged in 80% new oak. The nose is very elegant bouquet once left to unfurl over 10 minutes. It offers dark cherry fruits with touches of cassis and minerals: all very refined and poised. The palate is very well balanced with great precision on the entry. The Merlot is very expressive this year. The tannins are supremely fine and the finish linear and strict, offering traces of briary and minerals. There is a lovely femininity and sense of drinkability about this harmonious l’Eglise-Clinet that should be a worthy follow-up to the heavenly 2010. Tasted April 2012.

2011 La Petite Eglise 89-91
The Deuxieme Vin of La Petite Eglise is pure Merlot picked on 16th September that is aged in 50% new barrels. It has a refined bouquet with pure blackberry and raspberry with well-integrated creamy new oak that does not impede upon the fruit profile. With time it offers a touch of cedar that is very attractive. The palate is medium-bodied with impressive balance and a silky smooth texture. It has some oak to subsume so it will need 3-4 years in bottle, though it does not have the tension or persistency one can find in the 2009 or 2010. Still, this is very fine and probably will be good value. Tasted April 2012.

2011 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 93-95
The 2011 Lafite-Rothschild is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot with an alcohol level of 12.6%. It has wonderful purity on the nose with blackberry, cassis, raspberry, a touch of graphite and an attractive floral note. It is feminine and beguiling. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins on the entry, crisp acidity, very harmonious and alluring with blackberry, raspberry and a saline touch towards the long caressing finish. It is a more sensual Lafite that I was expecting, with great persistency and poise. Tasted April 2012.

2011 Chateau Pichon Baron 93-95
A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot picked from 12th September until 28th or something (according to a vague Mr. Seely.) It sports a ripe, more extrovert nose than some of its neighbours, with lush blackberry, boysenberry, a touch of cherry liqueur and underneath, typical Pauillac traits of graphite and tobacco. Leaving the glass for five minutes it unwinds nicely and shows great purity. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins on the entry, good grip and weight, a 2011 with real substance and chutzpah. The more I leave this in my glass, the more I like it. Very harmonious with layers of ripe blackberry and a touch of white pepper, the finish forgetting it is 2011 and not 2009. This is an outstanding Pichon Baron for the vintage. Tasted three times with consistent notes. Tasted April 2012.

2011 Chateau Pontet Canet 94-96
A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2011 Pontet Canet has a voluptuous bouquet with saturated dark cherry fruit, crème de cassis and a touch of blueberry with underlying minerality. It is exuberant, almost ostentatious at first, but it begins to calm down with time. The palate is medium-bodied with firm structured cloaked by layers of ripe black fruit infused with minerals and graphite. It is a quite a strict Pontet Canet underneath what is a hell of a lot of fruit for a 2011. The finish is composed with a touch of citrus fruit towards the finish. Amazing that such a good wine comes from 90% of the crop. Tasted April 2012.

2011 Chateau Haut-Brion 94-96
The Haut Brion is a blend of 34.8% Merlot, 18.9% Cabernet Franc and 46.3% Cabernet Sauvignon. The bouquet has a little more thrust than the La Mission with a little more opulence, although perhaps not the same degree of clarity and showing slightly more alcohol (but nothing to get concerned about.) It has good weight, firm rigid tannins and a weightier framework than La Mission. It is concentrated and generous with very good focus, a crescendo of flavours towards the finish and very good grip. A masterful Haut-Brion that is more voluminous than La Mission at present. Tasted April 2012.

2011 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 92-94
The Smith Haut Lafitte is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc aged in 60% new oak. The harvest (for the red) was between 15th September and finishing with the Cabernet Sauvignon and 30th September and it represents 39% of the crop. It has a lifted bouquet with ripe blackberry, cassis, black olive and fruits de mer with fine delineation. With continued aeration there is just a hint of violet. The palate is beautiful, very dense and concentrated with superb delineation and wonderful purity and minerality towards the finish. It is very long in the mouth. Excellent. N.B. This does not include the full vin de presse. Tasted April 2012.

All notes by Neal Martin for erobertparker.com

The latest on the 2012 harvest

..... from New Zealand. Our friends at Foxes Island in Awatere, Marlborough, reported recently:

"We are fully into vintage. Fortunately the Indian summer has saved the day and the quality is looking good. Vintage is short and furious this year – it started about 2.5 weeks late however the end game hasn’t changed as the vines are done and this morning it was a cool 3 degrees. Riesling looks fantastic – with the really cool vintage, Kelly Brown and John Belsham feel like they are back in Germany again. Foxes Riesling comes in this week.

Marlborough Pinot Noir volumes will be down. Too early to tell exactly by how much overall but producers initially reporting as high as 35-40% decline in volume. Quality however looks very good and as always those on top of their viticulture should stand out."

Owner and winemaker John Belsham also added " Its been rather fabulous, the fruit is beautiful and clean and yields are down. It's been the easiest vintage in many, many years."

Can't wait to taste!!

IN THE PRESS: Bordeaux 2011 – “What works for Lafite may not work for others”

"With the 2011 en primeur campaign poised to begin in earnest, Justerini & Brooks’ Bordeaux Buyer Tom Jenkins told the drinks business that “what works for Lafite may not work for others”.

Jenkins said that for customers to buy this vintage, it was essential that the wines were “correctly priced”.

With a cut of 30% to €420 p/b, Lafite still released over 200% above its 2008 release price but Jenkins noted that Lafite was able to operate on a very different level to its neighbours.

He thought that the château’s price was “sensible” and was glad that prices had come down but warned that other growths would have to be looking at below €300 a bottle to find buyers.

He said: “I applaud Lafite for its price but it is almost unfortunate that it has come out first. Hopefully ego will not get in the way of common sense. If other châteaux release at that price it could put a stop to the campaign.

“The other classed growths shouldn’t feel that they can price against Lafite. If Mouton comes out at over €400 a bottle for example I can’t see people buying it. “Customers will buy this vintage if it’s priced correctly. The châteaux need to slash their prices. There are lots of very good wines from 2011 but for us to recommend them to our clients they have to offer good value.”

Article Source: The Drinks Business, by Rupert Millar

A sumptuous R Voerzio Rocche Torriglione 07 Barolo

I had a bottle of this at home on the weekend, despite it seeming young, on paper, it was actually drinking beautifully well. A really intense, fragrant but suave wine with an incredibly long echoing finish. A very enjoyable drop already but it has the intensity to age well. It has 96 RP points and see below my tasting note from the original offer. We have 120 bottles in stock, retail price is £1400 per case 12 ib

"Even fruitier and more perfumed than the Cerequio, if less structured. A total charmer, a Barolo for hedonists, sweet perfumed red fruit flavours of Alpine strawberry, fresh violet and rose notes with touches of kirsch. Simply wonderful. A blend of 50- to 60-year-old vines from Torriglione and 30-year-old vines from Rocche; both have very similar soils and southern exposures. Voerzio’s parcels in both are very small and, as the style of wine is very similar, they blend them together"

The Portfolio Tasting - 18th April. Last few tickets remaining

With just a few days to go before our Portfolio Tasting at Somerset House on Wednesday 18th April we have now checked in all the wines. The list runs to over 240 wines including some top level Bordeaux 2009s (La Conseillante, Grand Puy Lacoste, Providence to name but a few), cru Burgundies from some of the Cote d’Or’s finest including Domaine Grivot, a flight of top-growers’ Châteauneuf, a delightful line-up of Champagne including Pommery’s Louise, comparative tastings of some of New Zealand and Australia’s best Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir and plenty more from across the very best regions of the world.

We are also delighted to showcase masterclass tastings with Catherine Faller from Domaine Weinbach, Mathilde Grivot from Domaine Grivot and Elisa Scavino from Paolo Scavino. Other winemakers and winery representatives will also be there on the night (Bouvet-Ladubay, Lucien Crochet, Eguren & Teso La Monja, Chateaux Valade and Grande Maye , and Martelet de Cherisey).
This is a tasting not to be missed.

Bordeaux 2011 - Video interview with Jean-Michel Laporte at La Conseillante

Jean-Michel Laporte talks us through the topsy turvy vintage conditions experienced in 2011, and the effect these conditions had on the final wines.

Bordeaux 2011 - Video Interview with Jacques Thienpont

Atop his brand new winery at Le Pin, Jacques Thienpont talks to us about the 2011 vintage and foot crushing, a technique carried out "en plein air" (where this video was shot), and inaugurated this year.

Voyager Estate - Harvest Update pt.5

Tuesday 10th April 2012

After our earliest ever start to harvest on the 2nd of February, our final harvest of Cabernet Sauvignon was completed on the 4th of April - a nearly 10 week long vintage period.

The ripening period for the reds was exceptional. The late summer heat gave way to classic autumn conditions, with warm dry days and cool nights, which ensured optimum tannin ripeness and flavour development of the grapes.

The yields were slightly higher than our targets, which in a warmer season was no problem, and may have helped avoid accumulation of sugars too quickly. This has resulted in grapes with moderate sugar levels at harvest, producing wines with great elegance and balance. The Cabernet Sauvignon looks outstanding at this early stage and, displays perfectly ripe tannins and fruit with great concentration of flavour and color. The grape skins are thick and leathery, which will stand them in good stead for three to four weeks of extended contact post fermentation.

We are really excited by all of the wines from 2012, however, the reds look to have great promise and the quality is extremely strong across all our vineyard blocks.

The blending components for our Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot are also very strong, with both the Merlot and Petit Verdot again showing layers of fine ripe tannins and great concentration.

Many of the Shiraz blocks have been pressed off and are being transferred to barrel for their maturation phase, and again the quality looks very good. The wines are showing a wonderful purity of fruit with added layers of earthy complexity, which I am sure is a sign of vineyard maturity and careful viticulture practices.

Margaret River has continued to deliver very high quality harvests for the past six seasons, which is exceptional even by our lucky standards. Where 2012 sits - time will tell - however to have such a plentiful harvest with such outstanding quality across the board at this early stage, makes me think it could be near the top!.

Cheers,

Steve James.

Bordeaux 2011 - Day 4

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Our final day in Bordeaux and a chance to fill in one or two gaps and re-taste and re-affirm. First stop Calon Segur. This is the first vintage we have tasted without the formidable gaze of Madame Gasqueton, but the new regime seems to have found their feet. Despite the well publicised hails that affected St Estephe, Capbern Gasqueton and Calon Segur have produced very handsome, classical, delicately perfumed wines, which charmed us all.
 
Crossing the Pauillac quayside for the umpteenth and last time, we headed for the Pichons. Baron displayed even more depth and sweet fruit than the sample at the UGC tasting. This is a very attractive, seductive Pauillac with just a hint of Pomerol exuberance. It's also worth mentioning Suduiraut, another AXA property, which has excelled in 2011. Pichon Lalande is the polar opposite to Baron - this is pure classicism, fine Pauillac fruit and handsome structure - we left impressed!
 
Our upbeat mood was short lived as we headed to the Margaux UGC. A delightful Rauzan Segla towered above the others; I'm not sure it's proper wine terminology, but there were many ‘dogs’ from this commune. What a shame, they should have consulted Luc Thienpont and Jacques Boissenot... Back up the D2 to Latour - and what a Latour. Deep and elemental, brooding, complex, intense, magical and vivid - an extraordinary wine. Sadly yields are similar to 2010, so there will be around 9000 cases produced, and only a fraction of those will be released.
 
Next, a visit to our charming friends at Ulysse Cazabonne. This was a great opportunity to re-taste many samples and enjoy a glass or two of Rauzan Segla and Montrose with luncheon. Petit Chateau that stood out included: Haut Marbuzet - charming and seductive, La Chenade - impressive Lalande de Pomerol and our old friend Chateau Teyssier. Re-sampling the cru classes re-confirmed our positive notes on Rauzan Segla, Leoville Barton, Canon, Domaine de Chevalier and Haut Bailly, whilst we were wowed by a much more impressive sample of Figeac.
 
The rest of the afternoon was spent tasting at the Haut Medoc, Moulis and Listrac and the Sauternes and Barsac UGCs. Already being billed as a vintage to rival 2001 and 2007, the sweet wines are impressive, but on this evidence not all successes. Rieussec is massive and will reward lengthy cellaring, Nairac was the surprise package and Doisy Vedrines stole the show - bravo Olivier Castéja, the 2011 is spellbindingly vivid and is a must buy come the campaign. To say that Haut Medoc was patchy is something of an understatement. One or two wines like Chasse Spleen, Cantemerle and La Lagune shone, whilst many were failures. Careful consideration will be required when buying from the less fashionable appellations.
 
So, in summary, the wines exceeded our expectations. Given the unusual growing season, 2011 will go down as a triumph of modern viticultural techniques and a challenge to winemakers. It was also a vintage for the optical sorting tables. Those with the means and technology had a better chance of success, but gentle extractions were also key. This is no 2009 or 2010, but the best wines are really interesting and if, and it is a big IF, they are priced correctly, these will prove worthwhile additions to collectors’ cellars. We keep our fingers crossed for a quick campaign and leadership and prudence from the First Growths.

Bordeaux 2011 - Day 3

Day three and our focus turns to the Medoc. Pauillac cuts rather a drab presence next to a brown Gironde and under threatening skies - not ideal tasting conditions, but we have a job to do, so we head to Montrose for our first appointment. 2011 was something of a challenge for Chateaux in St Estephe; aside from summer and spring swapping seasons, Montrose had to contend with snow, drought, heat waves and hail. On the evidence of the Grand Vin, they have coped manfully. This has wonderful extract and lots of substance - if it fleshes out it will be a great Montrose.

Next the Justerini cavalcade headed to neighbour and second growth rival, Cos d'Estournel. In truth, this wine proved controversial, splitting the group in two. Some felt that during vinification, Cos had pushed too hard, creating a monster lacking freshness and boasting OTT tannins, whilst others thought there was sufficient sweet cabernet fruit for this to work - time will tell.

Bruno Borie and his charming entourage greeted us at Ducru Beaucaillou. Following a 100 points in 2009 and an even better wine in 2010 was always going to be tough, but Ducru 2011 is one of the undeniable stars of the vintage. He described it as 'Nicole Kidman' - we thought it was sensational, deep, concentrated, exotic, aristocratic, yet with a sweetness and decadence and sumptuous texture - bravo.

Highlights of the afternoon included a stunning range at Mouton - as sumptuous, pretty and accessible as we have seen there for some time. Herve Beland's farewell vintage is a great success.

Pontet Canet impressed us all for its purity, clarity and vibrancy - it is a truly beautiful wine and Alfred, Melanie and the team have every reason to be proud.

Jean-Charles Cazes at Lynch admitted it was "a more challenging year", the threat of sunburn loomed large at the end of June and weather conditions at the end of August and beginning of September were highly conducive to the onset of grey rot, which was checked by thinning and de-leafing carried out earlier in the summer. The hard work paid off, with a number of our team putting it amongst the very finest wines of the vintage.

The Pauillac, St Estephe, St Julien UGC was inconsistent with too many Chateau over extracting and over working their wines. Those that were good though, were very good indeed. Highlights included, Leoville Poyferre, Grand Puy Lacoste, both Pichons, Gruaud Larose, Gloria, Leoville Barton and Ormes de Pez.
Lafite next, and what a range. Tasting Carruades free from preconceptions surrounding its market value can be tough. Be that as it may, the wine is superb. Sweet pure fruit and fine stony tannins - chapeau. Duhart too has its emotional baggage but it was also a great success. A more brooding wine, deliciously classical, mid weight but very intense all the way through, it ably carried the flame lit by Carruades to deliver us to the grand vin. Stylistically this is all Lafite. While closed and initially reticent the team fell in love with its precision, were wowed by its sheer length and seduced by the vivid, floral finish. This is certainly one of the left bank wines of the vintage.

We popped in on Leoville Poyferre to see if it was as good as at the UGC tasting, if anything it proved even better. Next door neighbour Leoville Las Cases have produced a fine range, the best Nenin they have made, whilst Petit Lion, Clos du Marquis and Las Cases itself were an impressive and surprisingly open trio.

Day 4 Medoc follows tomorrow.

Bordeaux 2011 - Day 2

Our day started with what is always a challenging early morning tasting Chez Monsieur Perse at Chateau Pavie. There is a continued insistence in aggressive extraction here that sadly seems to scrub out any semblance of place and whilst the wines are decently made, in their style, we left hoping the 10 minute drive to Cheval Blanc would be enough for our palates to recover from the tannic sucker punch they had just received.

And recover they did. Helped by one of the most elegant, refined and downright delicious Cheval Blancs we've tried in recent years. What it lacked in 10 intenssity and concentration it made up for in straight up class. Tour de Pin also impressed and will offer a value alternative to Cheval.

The view from inside Cheval Blanc's new winery

UGC Pomerol was frankly something of a disappointment. The team variously liked both Gazin and Clinet, but found too many of the others over extracted, chewy and hard work.

UGC St Emilion on the other hand, often itself very hard work, had plenty to commend. Lesser known names like Balestard la Tonelle & Couspaude have produced pleasant and most importantly drinkable wines that should show nicely 6-8 years down the line. The likes of Canon La Gaffelliere, Clos Fourtet, Grande Mayne all impressed for their combination of sweet fruit, well managed tannins and freshness - while some of these are still unashamedly modern, the vintage seems to have forced a more restrained style on these wines and we think it suits them. Once again Nicholas Thienpont has produced a sumptuous range of wines, with Pavie Macquin stealing the show for us. Sweet, bright, refined and utterly seductive.

Our next stop took us across the river to the gravel suburbs of Pessac. The ever changing portfolio from Clarence Dillon now incorporates a new St Emilion. The two grand vins were undeniably smart and less gargantuan than in recent years, parading the best traits of this vintage; taut dense fruit, tannic finesse and perfumed aromatics. The whites were sensational, combining power, minerality, complex hightoned aromatics and freshness. If only there were more affordable.

Pessac UGC followed. The reds as usual were a mixed bag, the highlight for us was Domaine de Chevalier; pure, honest and beautifully balanced. The real story here is the whites. Those that shone, and shone they did, were Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, La Louviere Blanc, Malartic Blanc and Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc. Intense, vibrant, mineral, saline and fresh. Everything you could want in a white Bordeaux vintage.

Narrowly avoiding the worst of the Bordeaux rush hour we made a beeline for Chateau Margaux. Paul Pontallier was thrilled with the "greatest" Pavillon Blanc of all time and when asked for his thoughts on the red stated simply that "the only disappointment was quantity". Margaux, so we were told was the driest appellation in Bordeaux, and furthermore they had the earliest harvest since 1893. "Maturity, density and freshness" were the trois mots proffered, Paul going to describe the 2011 as "a denser 2008, and even perhaps a denser 1996". Soundbites to one side, Margaux 2011 is undeniably classy, refined, beautifully textured and floral. Classic Margaux.

Neighbours Palmer also had a tiny crop - but the results are sensational. This is a truly exceptional Palmer, sexy, vivid, pure haunting and knocking at the door of their first growth neighbour for quality. There are only 5000 cases to be had this year. Those lucky enough to get hold of one will not be disappointed.

Our final stop of the day was at Clos de Quatre Vents with Maxime Thienpont. From little Z, up to CD4V the 2011s on show here are utterly seductive with tannins as fine and silky as we've encountered on this trip. This must surely be one of Bordeaux's finest little known wines, and year after year we wonder just what an upset would be caused were a bottle to be shown blind at the Margaux UGC. We finished with another look at the exceptional 2010s. Darker in profile and bigger in stature than the 2011s they retain the silkiness of structures and aromatic complexity fans of this estate are used to. As a value buy they are unlikely to be bettered.

Bordeaux 2011 - Day 1

With the wine trade’s equivalent to the Ashes safely secured by the Poms, we started the real work on the Right Bank. First appointment - the all new Le Pin. Jacques Thienpont gave us the full guided tour of his new winery; and very impressive it is too. We were marched up the tower to the extraordinary foot press come infinity pool on the top, which also enjoys the most wonderful panoramic views over Pomerol. This traditional Douro technique avoids splitting pips and extracting harsh tannins, not something that Le Pin ever suffered from! The 2011 is the first vintage to be produced at the new facility, and superb it is too. Fragrant, intense, with oodles of perfumed fruit – as profound and as seductive as ever.

Next stop, Jacques’ cousin Alexandre’s Chateau, VCC. Vieux Chateau Certan is always a joy to taste and 2011 does not disappoint. At about a tenth of the price of Le Pin, one might expect it to be overwhelmed, but VCC is a true heavyweight in 2011. Alexandre explained that `11 was a ‘return to classic VCC’ after two vintages dominated by Merlot. 29% of the blend is from Alexandre’s old vine Cabernet Franc plots. If anything, this has more concentration than Le Pin. We loved the noble, regal flavours – a very sophisticated, grown up VCC.

You’d think that things might start to head down hill after such a strong start, but quick stops at Lafleur and Petrus kept the bar high. Lafleur as one would expect is brooding and masculine, but has a sweet, playful, fun-side too in ‘11. Criss-crossing the plateau, we met with the dynamic Denis Durantou at Eglise Clinet. Denis’ range is spectacular. I personally think that the 2011 is the best cuvee of La Chenade is the best I have tasted. Petite Eglise and Eglise Clinet are nothing short of spectacular.

After a brief battle through the streets of Libourne, we were greeted by Christian and Edouard Moueix at their quayside offices. To be honest, the whole range was a highlight, but Providence, Belair Monange, La Fleur Petrus, Hosanna and Trotanoy stood out. All possess ample concentration, plenty of structure and are built for the long haul – a really impressive range of wines.

After lunch, we ventured deep in to Lalande de Pomerol to Hubert de Bouard’s Fleur de Bouard. Angelus is massive and impressive, but didn’t necessarily charm us. Bellevue on the other hand was rather seductive, packed with sweet, decadent Merlot fruit and wrapped in a sumptuous structure.

To complete the Pomerols we just had Evangile and Conseillante to go. The former was utterly regal and as grand as ever, but will require patience. Initially rather demure, with aeration this opened up into a spectacular Evangile – think the structure and precision of the 2008, but with a little more puppy fat. Charles Chevalier, a devotee of statistics is delighted with an IPT reading of 76 and a pH of 4 – a really impressive wine. Jean-Michel Laporte has crafted another smart wine at La Conseillante, but sadly nothing close to the epic 2009 and 2010. Pretty, precise and bright, this is lacking a bit of oomph at the time of tasting. If it puts on a little mid palate weight it could be up amongst the best wines in the commune.

Just three appointments to go, so we bid farewell to Pomerol and we say ‘hello’ St Emilion. Ausone, Chapelle d’Ausone, Moulin St Georges and Fonbel are hit the mark: intense, perfumed, enticing, and with the Ausone - profound. The fruit is quite exotic and wild, with lots of crème de mûre, but there is also that seductive Ausone minerality. Along the Cote to Francois Mitjavile’s Tertre Roteboeuf for our penultimate tasting. Domaine de Cambes is spectacular and could be one of the ‘best value’ buys from 2011. Tertre Roteboeuf is extraordinary; super-ripe fruit content, silky texture, complex, thrilling – one quite easily gets carried away when tasting in this cellar. Roc de Cambes was tasted after Tertre Roteboeuf and certainly didn’t disappoint. At about a third of the price, this is a match for its grander stable mate.

And so to the last degustation of day one. Paul and Cedric Valade greeted us to their Castillon estate, Grande Maye. This father and son team are creating great wines from Castillon and St Emilion. We firmly believe that the eponymous Chateau Valade would make a mockery of many of the grand names in the region. Delightful, charming, intense, enjoyable and well priced wines.

Voyager Estate - Harvest News pt.4

Tuesday 27th March 2012

It has been a busy couple of weeks with all of our Shiraz harvested, and we are presently picking Merlot and some Cabernet Sauvignon.

The weather conditions have been absolutely perfect for finishing off the reds - sunny warm days around 26 degrees celsius with cool nights around 11 degrees.

The quality of the reds appears exceptional, with excellent early tannin ripeness and beautiful freshness in the fruit flavours. The Cabernet Sauvignon particularly looks outstanding, with nice small berries and thick skins, which will enable a long period of skin contact post fermentation. This helps to build complexity and structure into the wine.

A recent tasting of the whites from 2012 also revealed a very high quality harvest. The Chardonnay is nearly all through fermentation and is showing lovely balance with the trademark tight citrus fruit elements we look for. The early batches of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon have been blended and are also displaying crisp citrus and white stonefruit flavours with lovely structure and balance.

If this perfect weather continues we will go close to completing harvest in the next couple of weeks.

The team is really happy with the overall quality and the yields have also been on target or slightly above, which all points to another great vintage in Margaret River - provided the yields were managed carefully.

Cheers,

Steve James.