Despite being one of the hottest days of the year so far, there was a steady stream of people turning up for the Oddbins Wine Fair today.

Located in a cool basement near Holborn, 65 producers are showing off around 300 wines. The highlights of my 2-hour visit included a beautiful Marlborough (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc from Tupari (£15.25) - that you'd be forgiven for placing as Old World - and a Vinho Verde from Quinta de Azevedo - fantastically fresh with a slight spritz and only 11% alcohol (£7.25). Both perfect for a summer picnic.

Top: Dave Turnbull of Tupari

Bottom: Tupari's subtle Sauvignon Blanc and the Vinho Verde by Quinta de Azevedo

Other notable wines included Stone Rock (£8) - a Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux from the wonderfully charismatic Emma Sarjeant - and a Cotes du Rhone Villages from Pathier Sebastien's Domaine du Arnesque.

It's certainly got me in the mood for a crisp white once the kids are in bed.

The Tasting

On 14th March 2012, M&S had their Spring Wine Tasting. There were a lot of wines on show so I decided to concentrate on what many say is their strong point: sparkling wine. Overall, they were good, but I'm not sure that they compete with specialist wine merchants. However, if you're looking to pick up a bottle on your way home, you could do much worse.

Unexpectedly, I thought their cheaper wines were the better wines, but that might just be my preference for sparkling wine. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Here are mine...

The Wines

Prosecco Zardetto by Fabio Zardetto of Zardetto Spumanti, Veneto (Italy), NV (£11.99)

• Grapes: 100% Glera.
• Colour: pale water/green.
• Aroma: moderate/aromatic aromas; youthful; green fruit.
• Taste: dry; light body; fresh/smooth acidity; good balance; moderate/flavourful; characteristics of green fruit (esp. green apple); long length.
• Overall:  Following recent changes to regulations, wines can only be called "Prosecco" if they are (a) from a specific region in Italy, and (b) made from 100% Glera grapes (the grape formerly known as Prosecco). Given this example, I'd say that the safe-guarding of reputation is a good thing as it was great value for money and one of my favourite wines of the day.

Single Estate Chardonnay Cava by Gabriel Suberviola of San Cugat, Spain (2009), £12.99

• Grapes: 100% Chardonnay.
• Colour: pale yellow.
• Aroma: aromatic; youthful;green fruit (+ something undistinguishable).
• Taste: medium mousse; dry; medium body; fair balance; medium length.
• Overall: A fair wine, but just a bit insipid. Not something I'd buy - especially when I could buy the Prosecco above about the same money.

Organic Okhre Natur Cava by Gabriel Suberviola of Cellars Josep Pinyol, Penedes, Spain (NV), £9.99

• Grapes: 50% Xarel-lo, 30% Macabeo, 20% Parellada.
• Colour:  pale yellow/gold.
• Aroma: aromatic; apple and a slight chlorine/underipe apple characteristic.
• Taste: dry; medium-bodied; crips/tart acidity; slight inbalance (excess acidity); long length (with bitterness in the length).
• Overall: not one that I'd rush out to buy.

Mount Bluff Sauvignon Blanc Brut by Jane de Witt of Mount Bluff, Marlborough, New Zealand (NV), £10.99

• Grapes: 86% Sauvignon Blanc, 13% Chardonnay, 1% Pinot Noir.
• Colour: pale green; short-lived bubbles.
• Aroma: aromatic; tropical fruit with slight onion aroma.
• Taste: dry; medium-bodied; crisp; unbalanced (excess acidity); medium length; apple characteristics.
• Overall: not one that I'd rush out to buy.

Sparkling English Brut by Andrew Parley of Chapel Down, England (NV), £20

• Grapes: 42% Pinot Noir, 17% Pinot Meunier, 16% Chardonnay, 15% Reichensteiner, 10% Muller Thurgau.
• Colour: medium/pale gold; long-lived bubbles (mostly small/medium bubbles with some larger).
• Aroma: aromatic; aromas of cat food (?!) and small amount of green fruit.
• Taste: dry; smooth/medium mousse; light/medium body; smooth/fresh acidity; fair balance; characteristics of green apples, developing into strawberries; long length.
• Overall: this wine is much better to in the mouth than on the nose (i.e. it tastes a lot better than it smells).

Marksman English Sparkling Brut Blanc de Blancs by Mike & Simon Roberts of Ridgeview Winery, England (2009), £22

• Grapes: 100% Chardonnay.
• Colour: pale/light yellow/gold.
• Aroma: low aroma; characteristics of grass, satsuma, dairy.
• Taste: dry; moderate flavours; light/medium body; fresh acidity; fair balance (slightly too much acidity); light mousse; characteristics of fireworks/sparklers/apple; long length (with acidity in the length).
• Overall: this is good, but when you can buy a bottle of Ridgeview Cuvée Merret Bloomsbury 2009 for the same price, I'm not sure why you'd choose their blanc de Blancs.

Pinot Noir Rosado Vintage Cava by Gabriel Suberviola of Mas Bernich Estate, Spain (2009), £12.99

• Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir.
• Colour: salmon/medium pink; medium/large bubbles.
• Aroma: moderate/powerful aromas; characteristics of flint and strawberries.
• Taste: full mousse; light/medium-bodied; fair balance (slightly too sweet); off dry; medium length (leading to a slight bitterness in the length).

Mount Bluff Rose by Jane de Witt of Mount Bluff, Gisborne/Hawkes Bay, New Zealand (NV), £10.99

• Grapes: 85% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir.
• Colour: light pink/copper.
• Aroma: low aromas.
• Taste: full mousse; medium-bodied; fresh acidity; fair balance; green fruit/sweet fruit; long length (with acidity in the length)

English Sparkling Rose by Andrew Parley of Chapel Down, England (NV), £22

• Grapes: 44% Pinot Noir, 16% Pinot Meunier, 15% Chardonnay, 14% Reichensteiner, 9% Muller Thurgau.
• Colour: yellow, slight copper, orange.
• Aroma: moderate aromas, slightly vegetal with yeast aromas.
• Taste: light mousse; dry; fresh acidity; fair balance; moderate aromas; green fruit and slight yeast flavours; long/very long length (leading to strong acidity in the length).

Oudinot Brut by Champagne Oudinot, France (NV), £23

• Grapes: 100% Chardonnay.
• Colour: pale yellow/green; medium bubbles.
• Aroma: low/moderate aromas; low yeast aroma.
• Taste: agressive mousse; fresh acidity; light/medium body; green fruit; fair balance; long length (leading to very powerful acidity).

Champagne Desroches by Jean Pierre Vincent of Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, France (NV), £25

• Grapes: 45% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Meunier, 25% Pinot Noir.
• Colour: pale yellow; large bubbles.
• Aroma: low aroma.
• Taste: dry; aggressive mousse; light/medium body; smooth/fresh acidity; medium/long length; good balance..
• Overall: If it wasn't for the really agressive mousse, this would be a really good wine.

De St. Gall Brut Premier Cru by Yannick Collet of Union Champagne, France (NV), £26

• Grapes: 62% Chardonnay, 38% Pinot Noir.
• Colour: light yellow/green; medium/large bubbles.
• Aroma: moderate aromas (something like muted crisps?!).
• Taste: dry; medium mousse; medium body; low acidity leading to high in the length; medium/long length.
• Overall: lacking much flavour.

Oudinot Vintage Champagne by Olivier Vigneron of Champagne Oudinot, France (2005), £28

• Grapes: 100% Chardonnay.
• Colour: light yellow (slightly green); medium bubbles.
• Aroma: moderate aromas; green fruit and yeast.
• Taste: quite aggressive mousse; medium length; light/medium body; smooth acidity; characteristics of green fruit.

Marcel Wanders Oudinot Vintage by Olivier Vigneron of Champagne Oudinot, France (2004), £39

• Grapes: 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir.
• Colour: light/medium yellow; medium bubbles.
• Aroma: moderate/aromatic aromas but quickly disperse to low/moderate aromas.
• Taste: quite aggressive mousse; medium length; medium body; fresh acidity; long length (delivering more acidity).

Oudinot Rose by Olivier Vigneron of Champagne Oudinot, France (NV), £25

• Grapes: 63% Pinot Noir, 23% Chardonnay, 14% Pinot Meunier.
• Colour: light/medium rose; medium/large bubbles.
• Aroma: low/medium aromas of yeast.
• Taste: aggressive mousse; light/medium body; smooth/flabby acidity; medium length.
• Overall: nothing really to it.

De St. Gall Rose by Yannick Collet of Union Champagne, France (NV), £28

• Grapes: 51% Chardonnay, 49% Pinot Noir.
• Colour: salmon/copper/orange; medium/large bubbles.
• Aroma: moderate aromas; vegetal.
• Taste: aggressive mousse; fresh/tart acidity; dry; slightly unbalanced (excess acidity)

Fleury Pere & Fils Champagne by Jean-Pierre Fleury, Courteron, France (NV), £40

• Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir.
• Colour: copper.
• Aroma: moderate aromas; vegetal.
• Taste: dry; medium-bodied; fresh acidity; fair balance; vegetal characteristics; long length.

The Tasting

On Wednesday 7th March 2012, Oddbins held their press tasting to show off their wines. They had 108 on show; I didn't get to taste them all, but I gave it a good shot. Overall, I like what they're doing and think that they've got some decent wines. For more on this, see "Oddbins Strikes Back" on bigpinots.com

But, for now, here are my tasting notes:

The Whites

Saveroni Garganega, Italy, 2010 (£6.00)

Medium intensity aromas; light/medium body; medium fresh acidity; characteristics of green fruit developing into stone fruit; medium length. Good food accompaniment and good value at £6.

Nero Chard Malvasia Terra di Sava, Italy, 2010 (£8.00)

Powerful aromas (of sour cherry?!); slight imbalance (a touch too much acidity); slight rubbery characteristics medium/long length (with slight bitterness in the length).

Donnafugata Anthilia, Italy, 2011 (£12.00)

Pale water/yellow colour; powerful aromas of boiled sweets; well-balanced with the boiled sweets being present in the flavour too; medium length. Good value. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Falanghina de Falco, Italy, 2010 (£10.00)

Pale yellow colour, low aroma intensity, acidity in length (which grows in the length), characteristics of pear/pear drops.

Godello Alma de Blanco, Italy, 2010 (£7.50)

Pale greenish colour, low aroma, slightly cakeish aromas, good acidity, stone fruit characteristics, long length (with acidity in the length).

Domaine Condamine Viognier, France, 2010 (£9.00)

Pale greenish/yellow colour, low/medium aroma intensity, aromas of pepper and green fruit, good acidity, long length, flavours of pear drops and stone fruit.

Prinz Von Preussen Riesling, Germany, 2010 (£9.50)

Pale green, low/medium aromas, slight petillance, low/medium body, good fruit flavours of stone fruit, medium/high acidity which comes through in the long length.

Dry Furmint Mandolas Tokaj Oremus, Hungary, 2010 (17.50)

Pale green/yellow, moderate/powerful aroma intensity, interesting mixture of aromas, fruit pastilles, well balanced.

Gewurztraminer Hunawihr, Alsace, France, 2010 (£11.00)

Pale water/yellow, powerful tropical fruit aromas, full-bodied, medium sweet, medium/long length, acidity in the length. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Kuru Kuru Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand, 2011 (£11.00)

Pale green, powerful tropical and blackcurrant(?) aromas, full-bodied, flavours of tropical fruit and fruit pastilles, good acidity, well-balanced, long length. Typical NZ Sauvignon Blanc.

Tupari Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand, 2010 (£15.00)

Pale watery colour, medium intensity tropical fruit aromas, medium/full-body, good acidity, well balanced, long (with acidity in the length).

THE REDS

Il Merlonero Quotidiano, Italy, 2010 (£10.00)

Light/medium red colour, medium aroma intensity of marzipan and slight red fruit, light/medium body, medium dry tannin, good acidity, long length. Worth £10? Maybe.

Castello di Farnatella Lucilla, Italy, 2008 (£12.00)

Medium red/ruby colour, low/medium aromas of red fruit, full dry/round tannins, medium/powerful acidity, medium length. No better than the Il Merlonero Quotidiano at £2 less.

Tenuta di Castiglioni, Italy, 2009 (£20.00)

Medium red, medium intensity, slight swimming pool aromas, medium/powerful intensity, full dry/round tannins, medium body.

Castello di Ama Chianti Classico, Italy, 2007 (£30.00)

Medium red colour, flavourful aromas of freshly cut grass and vegetal, medium body, balanced, very long length, round acidity, vegetal characteristics.

Bourgogne Rouge Nuiton Beaunoy, France, 2009 (£10.00)

Light orange/red colour, low aromas, fine flavours, powerful tannins, slightly unbalanced (tannin), probably not worth £10.

Chorey Les Beaune Rouge Bichot, France, 2009 (£15.00)

Light/medium red, low aroma intensity, medium dry tannin, full acidity, sour cherry and typical Pinot Noir characteristics, long length.

Chambolle Musigny Drouhin, France, 2007 (£38.00)

Light/medium colour of pink/red, powerful Pinot Noir aromas, medium body, medium/long length, smooth medium tannin, balanced, Pinot Noir flavours.

Matahiwi Holly Pinot Noir, New Zealand, 2009 (£18.00)

Medium red, medium aroma intensity, sour cherry and typical Pinot Noir aromas, smooth medium acidity, balanced, light/medium body, long length.

Zohar Tannat, Argentina, 2009 (£10.00)

Dark purple, aromas of purple, smooth tannins, powerful fruit flavours, bitterness in the length.

WOULD NOT BUY

• Ventolera Sauvignon Blanc, Chile, 2010 (£8.00)
• Chamonix Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa, 2010 (£13.00)
• Donnafugata Sedara, Italy, 2010 (£12.00)
• Chianti San Jacopo Vicchiomaggio, Italy, 2010 (£13.00)
• Vino Nobile di Mont Innocenti, Italy, 2007 (£16.00)
• Sandrone Barbera d’Alba, Italy, 2008 (£26.00)
• Camara Alta Graciano, Spain, 2009 (£8.00)
• Gigondas Serabel, France, 2010 (14.50)
• Dom Drouhin Pinot Noir Oregon, USA, 2009 (£27.00)
• Ormadei Malbec, Argentina, 2011 (£11.00)

At the end of February, I attended a gathering in the Laithwaites Wine store at Vinopolis (Stoney Street, London) to show off their new wines from Turkey, India, Georgia and Greece.

Although I’ve tasted some wines from these countries before, I’ve not had many; and those that I’ve had weren’t anything to write about. Those wines were all being promoted by their respective generic bodies (e.g. Wines of Turkey), so I was interested in tasting wines considered worth importing by an independent party.

Please note that these wines are not yet on sale

Mantra Sauvignon Blanc by York Winery, Mumbai, India (2009), £8.99

• Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc.
• Colour: medium depth, greenish.
• Aroma: moderate aromas; youthful; aromas of rubber.
• Taste: dry; medium-bodied; fresh acidity; fair balance (slightly too much acidity); moderate flavour intensity; characteristics of citrus, green apple; long length.
• Overall: a bit too much acidity but may go well with a curry. For £9, I’d give it a shot; so far, I’d only drink lager with a curry.

Thema Assyrtiko Sauvignon Blanc by KTIMA Pavilidis SA, Greece (2011), £11.49

• Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc.
• Colour: Medium-depth yellow.
• Aroma: aromatic; youthful; aromas of citrus, tropical fruit, pineapple.
• Taste: dry; medium body; fresh acidity; fair balance; powerful; characteristics of tropical fruit; medium length.
• Overall: Typically New Zealand in its style. Good.

Vinart Kalecik Karasi Syrah by Kavaklidere Winery, Turkey (2010), £10.99

• Grapes: 100% Shiraz.
• Colour: medium purple/ruby.
• Aroma: moderate/aromatic intensity; characteristics of red fruit, sour cherry.
• Taste: dry; light/medium body; tart/crisp acidity; low and dry tannin; fair/slightly unbalanced (excess acidity); moderate/flavourful intensity; characteristics of sour cherry, rubber; medium length.
• Overall: bitter and unpleasant.
• NOTE: not yet on sale at Laithwaites.

Tbilvino Saperavi by JSC Tbilvino, Georgia (2010), £8.99

• Grapes: 100% Saperavi
• Colour: opaque red/garnet.
• Aroma: low/moderate intensity; aromas of blackberry, dried fruit.
• Taste: dry; medium body; smooth acidity; medium soft tannins; fair balance; characteristics of smoke, tobacco; medium length.
• Overall: if you don’t like smokey wines, don’t go for this. However, I liked this one. Georgia is gaining popularity in leaps and bounds.
• NOTE: not yet on sale at Laithwaites.

On Sunday 29th January 2012, we started our busy day of tasting at the Barberani winery. Only a few miles from Orvieto, overlooking Lake Corbara, their winery is in “classic” Orvieto zone – an area that has been growing vines for thousands of years.

Barberani, Castagnolo (2010)

• Grapes: Grechetto, Malvasia.
• Colour: medium yellow.
• Aroma: moderately aromatic; showing slight age; aromas of peach, strawberry and melon.
• Taste: dry, medium-bodied; fresh acidity; well-balanced; moderate flavours of grapefruit, green fruits, stone fruit; long length.
• Overall: a good wine with the fresh acidity coming through in the finish.

Barberani, Foresco (2009)

• Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese
• Colour: medium/deep red.
• Aroma: moderate intensity; youthful; aromas of raspberry with a hint (not unpleasant) of swimming pools/chlorine.
• Taste: dry; medium-bodied; crisp/fresh acidity; medium/high dry tannins; slightly unbalanced (excess tannin); flavourful intensity; characteristics of sour cherry; long length.
• Overall: sample was too cold which may have muted flavours. Needs age.
• Available from The Wine Society (£9.95).

Barberani, Polvento Villa Monticelli (2006)

• Grapes: Sangiovese blend.
• Colour: medium purple/ruby.
• Aroma: moderate intensity; showing some age; aromas of raspberry and (again, not unpleasant) swimming pool/chlorine.
• Taste: dry; medium-bodied; fresh acidity; medium/high dry tannins; slightly unbalanced (excess tannin); moderate intensity ; characteristics of sour cherry; long length with a slightly bitter finish.
• Overall: sample was served too cold which could have muted flavours. Does it need more aging?

Barberani, Calcaia (2006)

• Grapes: Trebbiano blend.
• Colour: deep gold.
• Aroma: moderate intensity; showing some age; aroma of honey.
• Taste: very sweet; full-bodied; smooth acidity; good balance; flavourful intensity; characteristics of mint and honey; long length.
• Overall: lovely. Simply lovely.

Posted 26 February 2012

“It is important to drink good wine each day” is a seemingly simple statement promoting quality over quantity, and is unsurprising coming from one of Italy’s most notable produces. But with this, Teresa Lungarotti encapsulates her family’s ethos that has spread further than just their wine business. As well as striving for success in the vineyards and winery, the Lungarottis are pushing for a better environment, to promote art and culture, and to increase the profile of Umbria and Italy.

Now led by sisters Chiara and Teresa, with their mother Maria Grazia, Lungarotti aims “to bring value to the company, but also to the land and culture at the same time.” The patriarch, Giorgio, would have been proud. Teresa told us that he always encouraged them to “look to the future… to search for something more interesting for quality” and there appears to be no stopping these three formidable ladies.

Following her degree in literature and art history at the University of Rome in the 1950s, her mother Maria Grazia worked relentless on cultural projects which first produced the Wine Museum in Torgiano (in 1974) and then a second museum dedicated to the olive in 2000. Even in her 80s she is still the director of the charitable Lungarotti Foundation and has received recognition from the President of Italian Republic for her activities in culture.

So it is little surprise that her daughters are pioneers too. Following an oenology degree from the University of Perugia, Teresa went to the University of Bordeaux where she was the only woman from Italy on the course. Upon her return to Italy in 1979, she immediately started implementing new ideas – they were one of the first wineries in Italy to introduce cold fermentation. Teresa admits that this was not popular at the time: “Imagine a young woman having to say to an old man with great experience, ‘what you have done until now is wrong; do what I want.'… but after tasting the wine they understood." Echoing her mother’s determination to bring change, Teresa holds many positions in cultural and business associations, and is the founder of the association “Le Donne del Vino” (the women of wine) which promotes female entrepreneurship in the wine industry.

Chiara Lungarotti is now the CEO of the Lungarotti Group which produces nearly three million bottles per year and has 120 staff. Despite the size of production, quality is never sacrificed. Teresa says, “Never be in a hurry… each kind of wine needs its own time... We do not sell wine when it is unbalanced, tough, rude; we give a consumer a wine when it is ready, not before”.

The company pushes technological and environmental boundaries too. In conjunction with the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, they recently started a ground-breaking biomass experiment which aims to produce energy from the waste material of the pruning process. Despite Teresa’s proud declaration that the project “saves money and we take care of the natural environment”, it is clear that the high cost of the project will take many years before they break even on the investment, and cost-saving is merely an added benefit of the project.

It’s heart-warming to see a large wine producer care for their product, care for the environment, and care for their staff and customers in equal measure. They are certainly “Umbrian pioneers” as Jane Hunt MW recently called them, but they are also pivotal to the future of Umbria. The region would certainly be a lot less of a compelling tourist destination without them.

David Lowe visited the Lungarotti Winery as part of the International Wine Tourism Conference 2012

You can hear more of David’s thoughts on wine and technology at bigpinots.com and on Twitter @bigpinots

Photos by Andrew Barrow of spittoon.com

Posted 3 February 2012

En Primeur tastings are strange. You’re given wines that aren’t even bottled yet, and you have to make a judgement on whether they’re good value or not… in x number of years. There is certainly a skill to it; one which I don’t possess. For more information on en primeur, see Matt Walls’ great article on mattwalls.co.uk .

But they’re good fun. Bibendum has to put on some of my favourite tasting events: Monday’s (9th January 2012) was at RIBA (London). It’s not plush or fancy, but it’s well organised and the Bibendum guys are good company. However, due to it being quite busy (it’s open to their customers too), I skipped the first half of the tasting – so all the wines I tasted are reds.

The other Burgundy tasting I made this year was Corney & Barrow’s. I’ve bought Bordeaux en primeur through them before, but never Burgundy, nor have I been to their Burgundy tasting. In terms of venue, this won: it was at the Tower of London. It’s quite a venue. Unfortunately, I was clock watching, so had to pick and choose a few wines to taste.

The 2010 vintage is described by Bibendum as “in complete contrast to the flamboyant fruit in 2009” and “quietly outstanding”. 2010 certainly has acidity present (apparently the winemaker’s have described this as “beautiful freshness”) which, along with the fruit, gives it balance.

As these wines aren’t yet bottled (the liquid is still in Burgundy), they are sold “in bond”. In short, this means that the duty payable at the point of entry to the UK is not included in the price published. This is a flat fee (£1.81 per bottle for the wines listed here) which you will be liable to pay before you take delivery. They also exclude VAT. So, on a case you need to add £21.71 + any delivery/storage or other fees the seller may charge + 20% VAT. So, make sure you check out all the costs before you decide to buy any of these wines.

Note: All prices are for 12 bottles, In Bond, exc VAT (unless otherwise stated)

Bibendum red

• Domaine Jean Chauvenet, Nuits-St-Georges, 1er Cru Les Damodes 2010 (£350): medium aromas, with medium tannins and crisp acidity. Drink 2014-2025.
• BARGAIN OF THE DAY: Domaine Hudelot-Noellat, Bourgogne Rouge 2010 (£58 for 6 bottles): very fruity aromas (could that be peach?!), powerful acidity and medium tannins, long length. Drink from 2014.
• Domaine Hudelot-Noellat, Chambolle-Musigny 2010 (£145 for 6 bottles): lots more fruit in the aromas than the Bourgogne Rouge from the same producer (see above), and much smoother tannins. Good to drink from now.
• Maison Roche de Bellene (Nicolas Potel), Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2010 (£425 for 6 bottles): slightly maderised (in a pleasant way), good fruit and high acidity so should be great in a few years. Drink from 2018?
• Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, Echezeaux Grand Cru 2010 (£650 for 6 bottles): herbaceous aromas which disappear quite quickly leaving red fruit aromas, medium tannin, short/medium length. I’m not sure that I’d buy this at the high price, but it is a good wine.
• Domaine Dupont-Tisserandot, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers 2010 (£185 for 6 bottles): sweet tasting initially leading to a wine with good fruit and acidity, medium tannins and long length. Drink from 2015/16+
• Domain Dupont-Tisserandot, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2010 (£300 for 6 bottles): a lovely sticker gum aromas and a lot more rounded than the Gevrey-Chambertin from the same producer (see above). Typical Pinot Noir flavours, low/medium tannins (leading to medium/high tannins in the length). Medium length.

Corney & Barrow white

• Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay 1er Cru (£360): a well-balanced wine, with decent fruit aromas and long length.

Corney & Barrow red

• Domaine Gilles Jourdan Bourgogne Pinot Noir Vieilles Vignes (£110): typical Pinot Noir fruit aromas, sufficient power of the fruit and acidity. Less tannin than other wines. Good value.
• Domain Gilles Jouran Cote de Nuits-Villages (£165): low fruit aromas, but initial fruit in the mouth and good length.

Posted 26 January 2012

Although my Twitter name was devised from 100% double-entendre (see @bigpinots), I have gradually come to the decision that I am quite a fan of Pinot Noir. Not over-jammy hot climate versions at 15% , but subtle Burgundy-style wines. So, it is not a total shock that I’ve also got quite a taste for Malbec. Although completely separate grapes, as Hugh Johnson says, “the flavours of Malbec are not so far away, and the structure is similar, too: acidity, firmness, some silky flesh.”

However, on the whole, I’ve found Malbec to be more fuller-bodied than Burgundy, which is why many put it as a perfect match to steak. [ed. See "Food and wine matching? What a load of rubbish!"] for a further discussion on this]. This is also the reason that quite a few people might not like Malbec: it’s not for the faint-hearted.

And then there’s Septima. Going against my standard view of what a Malbec tastes like, this is subtle, almost Burgundian. Made from 100% Malbec, it is medium-bodied with a smooth acidity and round tannins. Aromas and flavours are of red fruit (raspberries, red cherries), with a hint of vanilla from the six months it spent in American oak. It is available at Wine Rack and Booths for around £7.65 and is well worth a try. It's a great alternative match for that turkey.

Tasting Note

• Septima Malbec (2010)
  • Colour: Medium depth. Red.
  • Nose: Youthful. Aromatic. Red fruit/raspberry, red cherry, hint of vanilla from oak
  • Mouth: Medium-bodied. Smooth acidity. Medium, round, tannins. Good balance. Flavourful: red fruit, sour cherry, strawberry, black fruit, slightly smoky. Long length.

Posted 23 December 2011

Chateau Musar. That’s about as much as I knew about Lebanese wines.

Lying in the Northern Hemisphere, at the hotter end of the 30-50 degrees latitude spectrum which is optimal for wine making, Lebanon is positioned similar to Cape Town or Santiago in the Southern Hemisphere. In other words, it’s hot and wine-makers have to work hard not to produce a wine that is like Ribena.

The tasting at l’atelier des Chefs in November 2011 gave me a few examples of wines that are definitely worth experiencing in order to expand your knowledge.

Domaine des Tourelles (available through Lebanese Fine Wines).

• Red 2008: a 50/50 split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, this was over-tannic with the Cabernet over-powering the Syrah.
• Red 2010: another 50/50 Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah blend, using 1/3 of new barrels, 1/3 old barrels, 1/3 older barrels. It was more balanced than the ’08, more integrated, but needs more aging.
• Syrah du Liban 2007: 100% Syrah from 30 year old vines, using new US oak barrels. Overpowering acidity and slightly cloying. Bitterness in the length. Needs age.

Ixsir (seeking UK distributor)

• Altitude Red 2009: blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Caladoc, Tempranillo. Well integrated, balanced, good acidity.
• IXSIR Grande Reserve Red 2009: blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Caladoc,  Tempranillo. Good for drinking now; uncomplicated.

Karam Winery (available through Kingswood Wines)

• Maison 2010: this needs something (maybe age?). Rough tannins; needs time to integrate.
• Syrah de Nicolas 2005: aromas of cheese wax & rubber(?). Smooth, balanced, moderate/smooth tannins.
• Thouraya 2006: low aromas, slightly unbalanced (excessive tannins), long length.
• St. John 2006: slight acidity in length. Powerful dry tannins.
• Corpus Christi 2007: balanced good length, good acidity. Alcohol in the length.

Chateau Ka (available through Alliance Wines)

• Chateau Ka Cadet de Ka 2007: blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Syrah. Sweet, good entry level, good flavour, low aromas (burnt wood?), good acidity, med/long length. 6 months in oak barrels,
• Chateau Ka Source de Rouge 2008: same blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Good aromas, medium length, tannic in the length (and builds with time). 12 months oak.
• Fleur de Ka 2005: same blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Completely different aromas: immediate hit of powerful tannin that builds to excessive. Alcohol in the length too. 18 months in oak.

Posted 19 December 2011

McGuigan wines: “Fancy lunch with Winemaker of the Year?”
David: “Er… yep.”

Before the lunch, McGuigan wines evoked thoughts of mass-produced trolley-fillers, made to deliver a fruity punch to the everyday drinker. So I thought that ‘Winemaker of the Year’ would be an award voted by the XFactor-voting public whose main criterion was being able to get three bottles for £10.

But I was wrong on two counts. Firstly, the honour was awarded by a panel of experts (for example, @grapefan). Secondly, McGuigan Wines is intent on not only satisfying as many people as possible, but also on paving the way for their customers’ next step in wine discovery. I like their philosophy: they see themselves as “the wine drinker’s partner, helping them explore and enjoy the wonderful world of wine by making it both affordable and accessible.”

I could waffle on about their Semillon (Bin 9000) range that has won loads of awards for McGuigan Wines (see below for tasting notes), but the two wines that really interested me were the McGuigan Semillon Blanc (Tesco & Sainsbury’s, £7,79) and the McGuigan Semillon Blanc Brut NV (Sainsbury’s, £10.49).

Did I just make a typo? Did I mean to write Sauvignon Blanc? No, I meant Semillon Blanc.

Noting that "consumers love an aromatic, flavoursome and crisp white wine" (i.e. New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs), McGuigan set out to find a grape in Australia that would appeal to that market. So, they played around with the Semillon grape variety and came out with a wine that is "the new millennium white Burgundy style": it's softer than Burgundian whites (to make it more approachable), aromatic, full-flavoured (citrus) and full-bodied. Unlike Sauvignon Blanc, it will also age well. Neil McGuigan says that they are giving customers a wine that moves them on from Sauvignon Blanc: “they are for the evolution of the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc drinker.”

And they are good. My tasting companions agreed that they have great potential. Neil McGuigan reckons they could compete with decent NZ Sauvignon Blancs. So, to see what the general public think, I’ll be opening a few bottles over Christmas alongside some NZ Sauvignons. I’ll let you know how that goes...

Tasting Notes

• McGuigan S Semillon Blanc 2011. Apparently now out-selling many other categories. I found it approachable and drinkable.
  • Colour: Pale with green hint
  • Nose: Aromatic. Citrus, floral.
  • Mouth: Fresh/crisp acidity. Citrus (esp. lemon) flavours. Medium/long finish.

• McGuigan S Semillon Blanc Brut NV: I’m afraid I’ve lost most of my notes for this apart from that the flavours led from toast, to marmalade, to hay. I’ll just have to buy another bottle to make a proper tasting note. Shame :)

• McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 1997 (Gold medal, Best in Class):
  • Colour: Medium depth. Green/yellow.
  • Nose: Aromatic. Grapefruit, lemon, lime, apricot.
  • Mouth: Medium-bodied. Fresh acidity. Powerful flavour intensity. Citrus (grapefruit, lemon). Very long length.

• McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2003 (Gold medal, Best in Class):
  • Colour: Medium depth. Yellow.
  • Nose: Aromatic. Showing some age. Aromas of citrus (esp. lemon) and stone fruit.
  • Mouth: Light/medium body. Crisp/fresh acidity. Flavours of citrus (lemon, lime) and hay. Long/very long length.

• McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2004 (Gold medal, Best in Class): McGuigan says this was a “difficult year” and gives a “fatter wine”.
  • Colour: Medium depth. Yellow/straw yellow.
  • Nose: Moderate aromas. Citrus still prominent. Some age.
  • Mouth: Light body. Crisp acidity. Moderate flavour intensity. Lemon flavours dominant. Medium length. Agree with @grapefan [https://twitter.com/grapefan] that this is muted compared to ’97 & ‘03.

• McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2005 (Gold medal, Best in Class): McGuigan says this was a relatively warm vintage and that the wine “can go on for years”. But, they’re not sure where the “toastiness” is coming from; it’s not the barrels. Overall this wine has more acidity than the previous ones, but is a step back from the 04.
  • Colour: Medium depth.
  • Nose: Moderate aromas. Showing some age.
  • Mouth: Moderate/flavourful flavour intensity: citrus. Fresh acidity.

• McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2006 (Gold medal, Best in Class, International Semillon Trophy): This year’s top Semillon, but I didn’t think went as well with food as some of the others. 
  
  • Colour: Yellow with a hint of green.
  • Nose: Moderate aromas. Citrus (esp. grapefruit), gooseberry, floral/blossom.
  • Mouth: Medium body. Fresh acidity. Citrus (lime, grapefruit). Long finish. Slight petillance.

• McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2007: McGuigan says that this wine is going through “a phase” and will be an outstanding wine in 5 years.
  
  • Nose: Zesty. Less aromatic.
  • Mouth: Good length.

• McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2011:
  
  • Colour: Watery/almost colourless with slight green tint.
  • Nose: Moderate/aromatic aroma intensity. Youthful in development with aromas of fruit, stone fruit and talc.

Published 8 December 2011