WineWriting.com by Richard James

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Winewriting.com
by
Richard James

Mendoza - winesofargentina.org

Rasteau: old vine Grenache, seriously stoney and chalky

Welcome to the wild wine web. On winewriting.com, you'll find tastings and features from all over the planet and opinions on the fascinating and sometimes funny wine world. Discover an ever-increasing number of reviews and winery profiles, particularly from the south of France, by clicking on the highlighted links below and on the right (I'm slowly restoring these by the way). Go to wine words for a collection of my articles published, and unpublished, by various magazines and websites. This website is also guaranteed not to mention the Romans ("what did they ever do for us..?"). NB: Since the demise of the original developer and host, I'm (still) in the process of rebuilding the site myself. So please bear with me if things are temporarily missing, such as wads of tasting notes, articles or page links, or look a bit odd. It'll be grand cru when complete.

Richard's wines of the moment
Updated regularly or occasionally as fits the mood, these everyday wines, new releases and sporadic superstars caught my attention for one reason or another. Not exactly a wine of the week or month but could be, hopefully more spontaneous than that. Click on the hottest finds: 2007 Trémoine de Rasiguères "quintessential serious Roussillon foodie rosé..."

Winery snapshots: A variety of flavoursome producers featured as and when they come my way. Spain - Australia - New Zealand - South Africa - Provence - Austria - Gascony - Chile - Portugal - California - latest: Heritage, Lebanon - Quinta do Portal, Douro: coming soon...

Winery snapshots: Languedoc - a logical progression to provide these visited and/or sampled Domaines & Châteaux with their very own five minutes of fame. Corbières - Limoux - Minervois - Saint-Chinian - Fitou - La Clape - Pays d'Oc - Pic Saint Loup - Pézenas - Terrasses de Larzac - Grés de Montpellier - Cabardès - Malepère... an on-going chapter. Latest: Mas (including vertical of Ch. Paul Mas), Brau, Pennautier-Lorgeril, Cabrol, Escourrou, Guilhem.

Winery snapshots: Roussillon/French Catalonia - personal guide to over 60 estates and co-ops across the region from Maury to Rivesaltes, Perpignan to Banyuls via Les Aspres. Including my favourites from the Fenouillèdes wine show 2007, Millésime Bio 2008 and Vinisud 2008. Click here: page 1 A to L or here: page 2 M to Z.

Wine press
Check out this page for a random selection of news and events from around the globe: click on the title above or links below. For the latest stories from Decanter.com: read the news-feed on the blue column, right. Waitrose plants English vineyard - Armagnac and curry? - Climate Change and Wine Barcelona - Wine Travel Guides.com updated - Previous wine press

Tasting features 2008
Long hours and fresh incentives are required to keep this site alive and up-to-date (subtle hint potential sponsors!) But remember: "These things take time..." as the poet Morrissey once sang. As well as eventually recreating all tastings from the old site, the following new features are in the pipeline (also browse below and right-hand columns, 2005-2007 now up-to-date): Millésime Bio - highlights from this year's organic wine show, held in Perpignan, are/will be profiled (watch out for FBI serial killers) under Languedoc & Roussillon 'winery snaps' above. Vinisud Montpellier - err, ditto. Alimentaria Barcelona - spotted the pattern here? Check in to winery snaps above and Cava guide below, interfrastically...

Cava guide: creative Catalan bubbles
This mini-guide is more about bringing your attention to a few lesser-known sparkling gems I've enjoyed personally (in moderation of course)... and hopefully to encourage you to visit and explore beyond Barcelona and the region's nice beaches and coastal towns, out into real Cava country: head for those green hills... Isn't it time that the better quality and more unusual Cavas, which you find everywhere in Catalunya, got more of a look-in...? Click on the big bottle to read my complete rant plus fizzy reviews and recommendations.

1907 Winegrowers' Revolt: the Roussillon 100 years on!
Eyebrow-raising title perhaps: this evening event was orchestrated by Vins du Roussillon and the Mayor of Saint-Estève, the host, in November 2007. It was both informative and commemorative, as we shouldn't forget that people died in that tragic historic year. To find out more, read the feature I wrote for Decanter magazine, which summarises what happened and discusses its lingering relevance today. They screened a fascinating film about the 1907 crisis called 'Vendanges Amères' (bitter harvest) followed by commentary from a panel of specialists on the subject: Jean-Louis Roure, Jean Sagnes, Pierre Dauga, Thérèse Tarrieux and Jean Clavel (actually he couldn't make it but was a great source for my article). Afterwards we were treated to a tasting of award-winning wines selected for the annual Saint-Bacchus competition from 1997-2007; enhanced by delicious tit-bits created by leading caterer Christian Segui and other locally starred chefs (called Les Toques Blanches du Roussillon). Click on the picture to view my notes and comments on a few of these wines, some of them now quite rare I'd imagine. I focused on reds and sweet Vins Doux Naturels; not sure why they decided to put ten year-old rosés out for tasting...

Touring Crozes-Hermitage country
"Crozes-Hermitage literally stands in the imposing shadow of the Hermitage hillside vineyard, but do the wines lag far behind in its awesome wake? The busy little town of Tain l’Hermitage, on the Rhone’s right bank north of Valence, forms the heart of the appellation and where the eponymous hill starts to rise steeply, immediately behind the station, adorned with placards carrying those oh-so famous names (Chapoutier, Jaboulet…) and the landmark Chapelle revered by wine lovers around the globe..." Click here to read the full wine touring feature plus Completely Crozes tasting A to Z: my recommendations & notes.

Languedoc & Roussillon: top reds over €10
Difficult to turn down author and journalist Michel Smith's invitation to taste "over 50 of the region's best red wines." Michel writes for numerous wine and food publications and his latest book, 'Les Grands Crus du Languedoc et du Roussillon' is the culmination of 20 years' travelling around southern France's vineyards. But were all the wines in the tasting worth the money and deserve their reputation? Click on the title above for reviews and further comments. My 'top reds' were, in no particular order: Clavel, Singla, Bizeul, Rouaud, Ollieux Romanis, Mazelet, Rimbert, Borie Blanche, Tour Boisée, Lignon, Amiel, Liquière, Silène, Henry, Etoile Matin, Balmettes, Prés-Lasses, Sylva Plana, St Antonin, Alezon, Grandes Costes, Aussières, Lacroix-Vanel, Augustins and Bagatelle. By the way, a few of these cost less than €10, just to throw the cat among the pigeons...

Austria: Grüner Veltliner galore
More than thirty of Austria's signature grape variety tasted and reviewed, "so you don't have to." Most of the Grüner Veltliners featured (click on the bunch, left) are grown in the regions of Weinviertel, Kamptal, Kremstal and Wachau, to the north and west of Vienna (bordering Slovakia and the Czech Republic). GV broadly falls into two style categories: racy zesty and peppery or richer creamier and concentrated (but still with fresh acidity), the latter usually from the best sites and/or old vines (alte Reben in German). It might not necessarily be Austria's greatest variety or wine - arguably the country's Rieslings or sweet wines could claim that trophy, although certain GVs and occasionally red wines come awfully close. But GV is often attractive, modern, full of character and gives Austrian growers a 'unique point of difference', to lapse into marketing babble. Which, in a world of samey grapes and wines, has to be a good thing. These wines were tasted at the www.austrian.wine.co.at annual London bash in 2007 (report posted July 07). Stars of the show include Prager, Angerer, Graf Hardegg, Wieninger, Bründlmayer and Gritsch Mauritiushof.

Spain: Rioja free zone!
That's probably a good way of making sure I don't get invited to Rioja. Not that I have anything against them - far from it, there are some outstanding wineries in the region making lovely wines. But, when faced with an enormous amount of bottles up for tasting at the Wines from Spain annual bash in London (Feb 2007), I decided to shun Spain's best known area in search of a few different things. Something newer or sexier perhaps. So in this report, you'll find around 25 red and rosé wines - or rather rosado, or rosat from Catalonia - made mostly from the Garnacha, Monastrell and Tempranillo varieties (with a few French grapes thrown in) coming from regions such as Toro, Jumilla, Yecla, Alicante, Ribera del Duero, Campo de Borja, Navarra and Terra Alta. Click on the groovy bodega, right.

Clare Valley Riesling report
Fifteen 2006 vintage Rieslings from "Planet Clare" (as Freddie and his B52s almost said), one of Australia's premium regions for a variety I seem to be getting a bit obsessed with (must be the "pink air" and "red trees"...) Plus a trio of sublime 'Bordeaux' blend reds that proved difficult to leave out. Including Grosset, Annies Lane, Jeanneret, Jim Barry, Kilikanoon, Knappstein, Koonowla, Leasingham, Mitchell's, Mount Horrocks, Neagles Rock, Olssens, Petaluma, Sevenhill, Skillogalee, Wakefield and Tim Adams. 2006 appears to be a successful, well-balanced vintage for Riesling in the Clare Valley judging by these wines, which are mostly very zingy with tight framework needing a few months in bottle to express themselves... Click on Hanlin Hill Vineyard (left) for further comments and ratings.

Alsace Riesling, Corsica and Tuscany
A little eclectic, I realise: these were my three main themes to stay organically focused at the Millésime Bio 2007 showcase, held in Narbonne (Languedoc) in January. Why Riesling? Apart from being a personal favourite, this taxing variety can excel in parts of Alsace. But the key to success isn't as simple as turn and open; more like a multi-toothed double lock... Comte Abbatucci is recognised as one of the best producers in Corsica...Domaine Granajolo perhaps exemplifies the disappointment I've felt before...when will Corsica as a whole fulfil what appears to be such great potential? Some of the Tuscan estates were typical of everything you'd want from an attractive, made-for-food red wine shaped by seductive Sangiovese... Click on the title above for my complete editorial and notes.

Previously on winewriting.com:
Tokaj and Budapest: "beware of vampires and satanic fungus when entering the musty shadowy cellars of Tokaj country..." Disznókő, Royal Tokaji, Szepsy, Dereszla, Degenfeld, Hétszőlő, Pajzos-Megyer, Oremus, Béres; plus other Tokay Renaissance wineries and a few restaurants.
Signature Bio: "I was Judge Dredd at this organic wine competition... Provence, southern Rhône, Languedoc and Roussillon."
6th Fenouillèdes wine fair: "Winegrowers in Fenouillèdes, draped across a dramatic elevated valley landscape bridging Corbières and French Catalonia..." Pertuisane, Edre, Origine, Karolina, Terre Rousse, Duran, Balmière, Rivaton, Serrelongue, Fou, Perdus, Lavail, Oum, Jouret, St. Roch, Semper, Caramany, Schistes, Tourdelles, Soulanes.
Return to Terroir: biodynamic growers worldwide: "Biodynamic viticulture is slowly moving from obscure homeopathy-cum-astrology to hippy mainstream..." Josmeyer, Falfas, Derain, Leroy, Abbatucci, Gauby, Breton, Trévallon, Montirius, Chapoutier, Nikolaihof, Geyerhof, Heyl Herrnsheim, Sander, Eymann, Pepe, San Giuseppe, Dodon, Castellina, Trevvalle, Valgiano, Lezaun, Estela, Benziger, Bonterra, Emiliana, Antiyal, Castagna, Coulée de Serrant.
Wines of Chile Awards Gold & Trophy winners: "The third inevitable instalment of this yearly competition was held in Santiago... convincingly proves Chile is making some excellent wines..." Don Max, Cono Sur, Arboleda, Leyda, Falernia, Matetic, San Pedro, Terramater, Lurton, Santa Rita Casa Real, Viu Manent, Errázuriz, Viñeda Chadwick.
South African Chenin Blanc: "One of my favourite things" (as Julie Andrews might have uttered) Chenin Blanc really excels in coastal wine areas in the Cape..." Swartland, Perdeberg, Cederberg, Avenir, Rijks, Rudera, Simonsig, Spice Route, Kleine Zalze, Bellingham, Good Hope, Spier.
Australia: 'Passionate about Pinot': "Continuing the country/grape variety theme, this Pinot Noir tasting was led by two leading Oz winemakers: Steve Webber, De Bortoli and Peter Leske, Nepenthe..." Plus Grosset, Stonier, Scotchmans Hill, Plantagenet, Fonty's Pool, Pipers Brook, Giant Steps, Pirie. No "******* Merlot" here!
Nebbiolo Grape Symposium: "The focus was on northwest Italy, but producers from elsewhere were there too with their wines made from this schizophrenic variety..." Elvio Cogno, Sandrone, Ghiomo, Burlotto, Oddero, Viberti, Fontanafredda... "Marathon walk-around tasting of Barolo, Barbaresco, Ghemme, Valtellina... the most impressive vintages were 2001 and 1997..."
Lots more tasting features: cruise the links on the right-hand columns.

Some more wine words
The Roussillon, present and future: Master of Wine or master of methodology? A flawed mini-thesis...
Climate Change and Wine, Barcelona: “If average temperatures increase by over 2°C, we’re not sure what will happen..." (Dud dudder derr derr, Stingray Stingray...)
"Crozes-Hermitage literally stands in the imposing shadow of the Hermitage hillside vineyard, but do the wines lag far behind in its awesome wake?..."
'CRAV - 100 years of protest': “We’re at the point of no return. Be the worthy successors of the 1907 revolt, when some died to allow future generations to live off their land...”

Wine translations / traductions viti-vinicoles: I offer a professional translation service from French into English on all aspects of wine (and more) from viticulture, technical, business to lifestyle... Je propose des prestations de traduction professionnelles et diverses du français en anglais sur tous les sujets viti-vinicoles (et plus): viticulture, technologie, business, mode de vie...

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