Helen’s blog

Thoughts and tastings from Helen Savage, wine writer.

Organic musings (2)

January 25th, 2011

Well, well, the Egyptian wine was really rather good – at least some of it. ‘Jardin du Nil’, grown on ancient terraces of sandy soil is a mixed bag if ever there was one: a surprisingly fresh, citrus white (Vermentino/Chardonnay) – picked on the 15 July (!) and a 2008 red that is better forgotten – though not the 09: they are learning, possibly because Denis Dubordieu’s team in giving advice. Tolerated rather than accepted by the locals, they provide a steady stream of easy drinking wine to tourists. Their rosé is terrific. ‘Take a little wine for the sake of your tummy’, as St Paul said. Look out for it on your next package tour.

Many wines here prove beyond doubt that organic is light years from the still popular perception of ‘good for you but horrible’, even if some producers are happy to be barbed about the things they don’t do: ‘Natural Wine? Half way between horrible and incomprehensible!’ For example.

Thierry Daulhiac at Chateau le Payral in Bergerac has crafted some beauties including ‘natural’ unsulphited reds, but his more conventional Sauvignon Gris/Sauvignon Blanc ‘Petite Fugue’ hit my spot big time : an explosion of fresh green plum flavours with a hint of honey and quince. Monty’s Tuscan Red 2009 is very good too, a more hands-off effort than the stuff he made in Roussillon (i.e. he seems to have turned consultant rather than winemaker – the rewards of success). Adnams will have it, and the guy who actually made it told me it ought not be too expensive.

Best of all is Montirius. Eric and Christine Saurel are not only very nice people, they make superlative wine – certainly as good as anyone in Vacqueras and Gigondas. Their reds are fabulous, but I was knocked almost sideways (and I’d been listening to speeches rather than tasting) by their Vacqueras Blanc, a blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and around 50% Bourboulenc. I tasted five vintages from 06 to 10 and was struck how delicious the young wine is and then how it re-emerged like the greatest of white Chateauneuf du Pape to show an unexpected richness and depth. I could have sworn that the 06 contained Viognier. I’ll publish full notes very soon.

Millesime Bio grows on you. The friendliest of big fairs, with small tables – all the same – and lots of happy encounters. I now know why so many folk keep coming back. Thierry Daulhiac put his finger on it. To paraphrase: ‘it’s basically a lot of fun.’

Posted in Wines - here and there | Comments Off on Organic musings (2)

Organic reflections – day 1

January 24th, 2011

I’m in Montpellier for Millesime Bio, the world’s biggest organic wine fair. There are about 500 producers, mostly French, but South Africa, Argentina and California get a look along with Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Romania, Switzerland, Poland and even Egypt. I aim to visit the stalls of the last two tomorrow.

It’s huge and frankly daunting – so much bigger than when I first came five years ago. Organic is now mainstream – but not, it seems, in the UK. Our big supermarkets aren’t bothered much (except, perhaps, Waitrose). Germany is the big market – over five time bigger than the UK. We bump along with Holland, Denmark, Belgium and Japan, all also behind the US.

A shame methinks. Organic isn’t just big now (now 6% of the French vineyard) but respectable. There aren’t many shaggy beards and sandals in the two huge halls of the Parc des Expos. The best wines are stunning – especially those from Alsace, with a superb purity of fruit flavours. OK there are wacky wines: Richard Doughty, for example, makes unashamedly oxidised dry Semillon with zero SO2 in Bergerac – but it does taste rather, strangely good.

Another update tomorrow – when I’ve slept on what I’ve tasted and probably come to no more serious conclusions.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Organic reflections – day 1

Felton Road – the best Southern Hemisphere Pinot?

January 16th, 2011

For me there were two highlights at the recent New Zealand Wine Trade tastings: a first taste of Yealands Estate (impressive, clean flavours – vibrant fruit. I’ve written up an interview with winemaker Tamra Washington for The Journal, to be published on 28 January) and the opportunity to sample the latest vintages from Felton Road. Felton Road at Bannockburn, Central Otago, uses only estate grown fruit, grown according to biodynamic principles. I love the wines and this year they seem better than ever. (The Bannockburn wines are blended from the three main blocks on the estate.)

My brief notes:

Bannockburn Chardonnay 2009 (ambient yeast, full malo in the barrel) rrp £19

Ripe toasty bouquet, but underlying very fresh fruit; rich soft and mineral in the mouth.

Block 2 Chardonnay 2009 £22

More perfumed, maybe honeysuckle, certainly spicy, but with a lovely intergration of fruit and oak. Ripe lemon flavours, crisp and finally mineral – an almost perfect balance.

Dry Riesling 2010 (9 g/l residual sugar) £15

Ripe apple fruit, with a hint of lemon, then soft, mineral and surprisingly full in the mouth.

Bannockburn Riesling 2010 (56g/l sugar) £15

Utterly delicous: the pick of the Rieslings, with the smell of confit lemon and a delciously balanced, elegant flavour – far too easy to drink. Not massively complex – just very pure, ripe fruit.

Block 1 Riesling 2010 (65g/l sugar) £18

Much more complex and spicy, lovely fresh and tangy, but somehow, not as moorish as the simpler Bannockburn.

Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2009 £23

Perfumed, elegant fruit – a little short but very pure.

Calvert Road Pinot Noir, 2009 £27

Deeper, more perfumed, with spicy wild cherry – seductively silky texture.

Cornish Point Pinot Noir, 2009 £27

Again, deep, spicy, wild cherry fruit – even spicier in the mouth and longer than the Calvert Road.

Block 3 Pinot Noir, 2009 £34

Deep, powerful, but a bit closed with a powerful, rich, savoury palate and a distinctly mineral finish.

Block 5 Pinot Noir, 2009 £34

Powerful but focused with rich cherry and even chocolate fruit. Long, fine tannins.

Vin Gris 2008 (Pinot Noir) £15

As delicate a rosé as one could imagine – a true gris. Big, spicy nose: mineral and savoury, which continues into the palate – big, ripe and spicy.

For more information and suppliers see www.cornishpoint.com and www.feltonroad.com

Posted in New Zealand | Comments Off on Felton Road – the best Southern Hemisphere Pinot?

When wine tasted best in 2010

January 4th, 2011

I bought ‘When Wine Tastes Best: A biodynamic calendar for wine drinkers (2010)’, intrigued to see if this guide based on Maria Thun’s biodynamic would tie in with my experience – or not. I wanted to be as open minded as possible, so I decide to review the guide only in retrospect.

What did I discover? Here are a few highlights:

Christmas Day 2009 – three champagnes tasted wonderful. A leaf day.

January 14 – Burgundy tasting at Lord’s. Although I discovered the wonderful wines of Romain- Taupenot I was disappointed. I didn’t ‘click’ – and I love Burgundy. A fruit day.

January 31 – Portugal, lunch and tasting with Vasco Croft – biodynamic wines excited me hugely. Taste buds on fire. A fruit day, hallelujah!

May 19 – I held a Cahors tasting and thought it went particularly well. Fruit again!

June 1 – visited Roger Saumaize with a group of wine-lovers. Biodynamic producer. Fab wines – everyone hugely impressed. Root day – I suppose it had to be. Oh dear!

June 22 – visited Romain Taupenot and am again bowled over by the beauty of his wines. Flower Day.

August 9 – visited Catharine Wallace (in Saint Chinian). Biodynamic producer. Greatly taken by her wine (again). Leaf Day. Is that why, despite my enthusiasm I muddled Syrah and Grenache when tasting barrel samples, or is it that Catharine’s wines express their terroir so well that varietal differences seem less accentuated?

September 8 – Wines of Chile tasting. And I’m frankly disappointed. I don’t seem to click again. The day’s not even rated – so maybe it wasn’t just me?

October 19 – very well-received tasting of Rasteau, though the VDN fails to shine. Flower Day. Why did the VDN not show well – I had one the other day and it was great?

November 9 – another visit to Romain Taupenot. I’m feeling stressed and out of sorts, but the wines are still stunning. A fruit day!

December 1 – my most successful tasting in the Vine Visit year. Sherry. A knockout. Everyone seemed to be thrilled by the wines . And a root day …

So what can we conclude? Nothing much. I can’t detect a pattern or any meaningful correspondence.

I suspect that how I felt had far more effect than whether it as a fruit or flower day (best) or a leaf and root day (avoid). Odd, isn’t it, that there’s nothing in the middle? There was the day, for example, when I tried to lead s seminar on Burgundy wine, with so thick a cold that I couldn’t tell the difference between wine and Dettol.

Will I buy the 2011 edition? Maybe – but for life of me I can’t think why.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on When wine tasted best in 2010

Beronia Gran Reserva: 1973 to 2001

November 19th, 2010

Bodegas Beronia was founded in 1973 and makes wine mainly from grapes grown in Rioja Alta. It was bought by Gonzalez Byass in 1982. I posted notes on some of their wines on October 21 and, as promised, here are my notes on their top wines – a remarkable flight of Gran Reservas shown in London by chief winemaker, Matias Celleja on 29 September. More information on the estate can also be found my article in today’s Journal.

http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/helen-savage/2010/11/19/savour-the-taste-of-spain-61634-27675057/

2001 Gran Reserva

Deep and young with good, tight, plummy, spicy fruit, with hints of coffee and chocolate. Soft at first then quite grippy with fine, lingering tannins and a touch of minerality.

1995 Gran Reserva (a dry, cold winter and a short vegetative cycle of 192 days and harvest 6 days earlier than expected, nevertheless rated ‘Excellent’ by the Consejo Regulador)

More evolved colour. A big, almost meaty nose, then rich, powerful and savoury in the mouth, with soft, ripe tannins.

1994 Gran Reserva (A vegetative cycle of 195 days. A ‘slight inbalance between sugar levels and phenolic ripeness’ was restored by September rains. rated ‘Excellent’)

Quite deep, with big, rich, raisiny fruit with red fruits and spice in the mouth: focused and concentrated with a good structure – juicy acidity and slightly dusty tannins.

1987 Gran Reserva (Classed ‘Very Good’ – a more normal 200 day vegetative cycle and a slight reduction volume because of frosts in May after a cold winter)

Now quite garnet at the rim. The oak shows through rather – dusty and spicy. Quite a gentle wine with high acidity and rather drying fruit.

1985 Gran Reserva (Rated ‘Excellent’ – a hot, dry vintage following a 198 day vegetative cycle)

A similar colour, perhaps a shade deeper. a gentle, raisiny nose with the flavour of cherries in alcohol – sweet and a bit jammy. Just a shade rustic, but a very nice drink.

1982 Gran Reserva (a ‘practically perfect’ growing cycle – the best vintage of the 80s, giving wines of structure, balance and elegance)

A lovely old garnet. A gentle, balanced aroma of slightly fading red fruits and subtle spice. Still sweet, long and fine with good acidity. A super wine that seems younger and finer than 1987!

1981 Gran Reserva (a cold, wet winter, early spring and a long, mild season – a growing cycle of 228 days)

Deeper than 82. Perfumed (dried flowers), less fruit and more spice than 82. Still a little chewy with quite high acidity. tannins now beginning to dry and becoming just a little astringent. It would show better with food.

1978 Gran Reserva (Classed ‘Very Good’, but more successful than that in Beronia’s vineyards)

Garnet. Nose a wee bit volatile and fading – old raspberry jam. Still quite sweet, but not without elegance and definitely still worth drinking.

1973 Gran Reserva (Cold, dry winter, a relatively short growing cycle and a hot, dry vintage)

A lovely old garnet. A sweet aroma of chocolate and coffee, less volatile than the 78. A bit tart and drying (a dry finish), but certainly alive and kicking.

Posted in Spain | Comments Off on Beronia Gran Reserva: 1973 to 2001

Burgundy 2010: ‘a challenging vintage’

November 11th, 2010

Romain Taupenot’s verdict on 2010 is that it has been ‘a challenging vintage’. I talked to him at his domain, Tapuenot-Merme in Morey Saint Denis on Tuesday. ‘ Even before the season began there were problems. On 22 December 2009 a frost of -22C, without wind, killed many old vines, especially on the plain at Vosne Romanee. The first real problems of the growing season came in June during flowering. It rained in the second week of June, which resulted in both coulure and millerandage.

Yields were reduced more heavily in the generic and village appellations than the Premiers or Grands Crus – 30 to 50% down in the village wines, around 20% down for the Premiers Crus and 10 to 15% for the Grands Crus, which had flowered earlier and escaped the worst of the cold wet snap.

Rain in September, even during harvest for the first time in a decade ( which began on September 23 at Taupenot-Merme), led to some problems with rot, even though the berries in 2010 were quite thick skinned. Unusually, even some of the tiny berries produced as a result of millerandage were subject to rot and bunches were not consistently ripe. Careful selection was essential.

The Cote de Beaune saw lower sugar levels than the Cote de Nuits. The level of potential alcohol at Saint Romain was 11.4/11.5, that of the Premiers Crus in the Cote de Nuits was a respectable 13% and 13.25 for the Grands Crus. Corton was the glorious exception in the Cote de Beaune with 13.9% – higher even than in 2009.

Fruit flavours, said Romain, were generally very good indeed, but acidity is high, especially, as in 2008, the level of malic acid.

Further north, in Chablis, Thomas Pico told me that 2010 had been a little less challenging although the rain in September also made careful selection necessary to remove rotten grapes. Yields, at around 40 hl/ha are good. The harvest was relatively late in comparison with recent years, finishing around 10 October which lowered acid levels. These, Thomas assured me are ‘correct’. Sugar levels are not especially high, but as Thomas says, ‘we don’t want very alcoholic wines here.’ Herve Tucki of Blason de Bourgogne told me that some of the Chablisienne growers even encountered a little noble rot.

The Cote Chalonnaise suffered greater problems according to Rene Bourgeon at Jambles. Although the season started promisingly, a lot of water, he said, meant a lot of rot developed. Overall the quality is a little disappointing, but, he thinks, the wines may resemble those of 2007, which is certainly no disater: they are already giving a lot of pleasure.

Posted in Burgundy | Comments Off on Burgundy 2010: ‘a challenging vintage’

Gonzalez Byass – but not sherry

October 21st, 2010

Gonzalez Byass, famous for their fine sherries, have assembled an impressive portfolio of wine estates from other parts of Spain. Here are notes on wines from three of them.

The Gonzales family bought top quality Cava producer, Vilarnau in 1982. The wines are very good indeed – as they ought to be at prices well above the average for Cava.

Vilarnau Brut Nature (rrp £9.99). A blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Chardonnay, with 24 months age and just 3 g/l sugar: fine and yeasty with considerable complexity on the nose, fresh and dry in the mouth with a bready finish.

Vilarnau Brut (rrp £9.99) – a similar blend but a dosage of 10 g/l and 12 months aging: more floral and fruity, and though still yeasty, it has a soft, slightly earthy flavour.

Vilarnau Gran Reserva Brut Vintage 2006 (rrp £16.99) – the same three grapes, with 26 months aging and again, just 3 g/l sugar: lovely and delicate, creamy and long with almost peachy fruit.

Vilarnau Demi-Sec (rrp £9.99) – a blens of Parellada and Macabeo with 30 g/l dosage is a big wine with lemon curd-like fruit, soft and slightly earthy.

Vilarnau Brut Rosado (rrp £9.99) – a blend of Trepat and Pinot Noir, aged for 12 months is extremely attractive – a big, full-bodied, soft fizz with abundant flavours of red fruit.

Albert de Vilarnau Chardonnay Brut Nature (rrp £25) includes a fair dollop of Pinot Noir and is aged for 36 months. Big and fruity, it’s stylish and buttery, with good freshness, length and minerality.

Albert de Vilarnau Barrel Fermented Chardonnay (rrp £25) includes some Macabeo and Parellada. Very big and rich, with lemony fruit, it’s powerful, complex, slightly earthy and nuanced by creamy oak.

Vinas de Vero, the Somontano winery bought in 2008, has been a pioneer in this exciting region in the Pyrenean foothills. There is a wide range of grape varieties and of wines, but I was especially struck by two:

La Miranda de Secastilla Garnacha Blanca 2009 (rrp £9.99) is big and spicy, with peachy fruit and a soft, fruity flavour with a a mineral finish.

Secastilla Old Vines Garnacha 2005 (rrp 19.99) is a real discovery. It is complex and long with great depth of spicy red and black fruit aromas, with very ripe juicy red fruit in the mouth. I like it very much.

Bodegas Beronia, founded in 1973 became part of the Gonzalez portfolio since 1982. I recently tasted and much enjoyed their rosado and was keen to try other wines in an extensive an innovative range of Rioja. I also hope that they will soon prove a little easier to find.

Beronia Viura 2009 (rrp £7.99). A fresh, clean, quite soft but appley dry white, with a spicy finish.

Beronia Crianza 2007 (rrp £8.99). Nicely done – balanced with plenty of juicy, plummy fruit and good integration of oak.

Beronia Reserva 2005 (rrp£12.99). Good freshness – an elegant wine, with plummy, slightly raisined fruit.

Beronia Reserva 2005 (rrp£12.99). Quite eveloved and spicy, richer, softer and more chocolatey than the 05.

Beronia Colleccion Viura Frementado in Barrica 2007 (rrp £10.99) – 5 months in oak. Rich, buttery dry white, with crisper acidity than the simple 09 – a surprise.

Beronia Colleccion Graciano 2007 (rrp £12.49). Quite vinous and chunky; big and grippy with plummy fruit. A bit rustic. A bit of a disappointment.

Beronia Colleccion Tempranillo Elaboracion Especial 2008 (rrp £10.99). Utterly true to the variety, with spicy, plummy fruit and though soft, quite chewy.

Beronia Colleccion Mazuelo Reserva 2004 (rrp £17.99). Open and rich, with lots of raisiny fruit – powerful, strong, herby and a little earthy.

Beronia IIIAC 2004 (rrp £65) 15 months in French, Hungarian and US oak, a blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo. Deep and spicy wih plummy fruit – huge in the mouth, oaky, soft, and I couldn’t help feeling a tiny bit stewed.

The most remarkable wines from Bodegas Beronia are their Gran Reservas – a style that is far less popular than it used to be, but when as done as well as it under the skillful guidance of Matias Calleja, who treated us to a brilliant master class/tasting with vintages of Gran Reserva from 2001 back to 1973. I’ll report on this separately, soon – probably in The Journal.

Posted in Spain | Comments Off on Gonzalez Byass – but not sherry

A gem from Chile

October 7th, 2010

I’ve had the pleasure of tasting De Martino El Léon, single vineyard Carignan 2006 three times now over the past four or five months. Each time it has impressed me enormously. It has a a huge spicy smell of black cherry with a hint of herbs and a deep, chewy, hugely satisfying flavour of damsons, black cherries, with the rich fruit lifted by juicy acidity and rounded off by firm, ripe tannins.

It was made in the Maule Valley, quite near the coast, from unirrigated vines planted after the catastrophic earthquake of 1939 in an attempt to rebuild the economy by providing the local growers with something more interesting than Pais. The full story was told by Chilean journalist Eduardo Brethauer at a seminar for members of the Circle of Wine Writers in London in May. Unfortunately these vines all but forgotten until in 1995 the quality of the fruit was spotted by a local winery. There are now around fourteen Maule wineries producing high-end Carignan. It is, I think, one of the most exciting flavours to have come out of Chile in recent years, and a fascinating counterpoint to the elegance of some of the wines emerging from the newer cool climate sites.

Until recently the wines have been hard to find, but this gem is now available in Marks and Spencer at just £10.99 – a gift.

Posted in Chile | Comments Off on A gem from Chile

Bordeaux 2010

September 24th, 2010

Bordeaux 2010 looks pretty promising. When I was in the region last week harvest was about to start. Some of the sugar levels for Merlot are very high, one plot at Haut Brion is reported to have already shown a potential alcohol of 16 by the end of August. The Cabernet is generally less ripe, though it looks very healthy. The main problems are millerandage in some places (small and large berries on the same bunch), but also whole bunches at different stages of ripeness. More particularly, after a summer of very low rainfall (no more than 15mm in August in many places) berries are small, with rather thick skins. Care will be needed to avoid over-extraction. Tannin levels may be high and acids look like being fairly low (especially malic acid). Another worry is that the dry weather has caused premature leaf drop, especially in Pomerol. Some growers there may be forced to pick a little earlier than they may have ideally wished. Other crops received just enough light rain at the start of September to ensure that the leaves stayed green and healthy.

If the if the weather holds, generally speaking, we might be able to look forward to a smallish crop of concentrated, powerful red wines. Sémillon also looks good, but as yet shows little sign of botyrtis. Give it time.

It looks like a trickier vintage to manage than 2009, but some growers are not afraid to talk about it in the same breath – including Mélanie Tesseron of Ponet Canet.

Posted in Bordeaux | Comments Off on Bordeaux 2010

Chablis from William Fevre

September 17th, 2010

I wrote about William Fevre Chablis in today’s Journal. It’s one of the four big producers of Chablis and has made some terrific wines over the years, though the style has changed. Once famous for rather rich wine aged in oak, the house now uses oak sparingly and as often one of the first to harvest, produces wines with juicy acidity – lean, clean, classic Chablis.

2007 and 2008 are vintages that express this character well. In some ways they look back a generation with a certain austerity, keen acidity and marked minerality. 2009 with its rich fruit and low acidity is very different.

Here are a few tasting notes I made on a visit to the domaine earlier this summer on some of Fevre’s top wines in 2008 and a couple of the 2007 Grands Crus.

Chablis 2008

Clean and fresh, with mouth-watering crisp, green apple fruit and a subtle minerality.

Chablis Premier Cru, Montmains 2008

Distinctly green tinged , with a floral perfume and a hint of white peach. Clean and quite light with some minerality, but not especially long.

Chablis Premier Cru, Vaillons 2008

Also quite green, but with much more pronounced minerality and a ripe apple flavour and crisp, piercing acidity. More finesse and length.

Chablis Premier Cru, Fourchaume, Vignoble de Vollorent 2008

Exotic and even spicy (nutmeg and cinnamon), with a lovely, steely minerality and a very long spicy finish.

Chablis Grand Cru, Les Preuses 2008

Very spicy again, but with richer fruit. Big and powerful, but also elegant, complex and mineral.

Chablis Grand Cru, Bougros 2008

Concentrated and very mineral, almost stony – gunflint and water on warm stones – fresh, powerful and long. A wine to delight geologists.

Chablis Grand Cru, Les Clos 2008

Big and ripe, with lime and an inherent softness not present in the other wines that leads into a lingering minerality. Very fine.

Chablis Grand Cru, Bougros 2007

Big stony wine, with spice, green herbs and a certain austerity. Strong, savoury, mineral and structured, with a creamy texture at the end.

Chablis Grand Cru, Les Preuses 2007

Great concentration of green apple fruit, but with a hint of white peach. Crunchily fresh, fine and long.

Posted in Burgundy | Comments Off on Chablis from William Fevre