Champagne trip

"The Eurostar cuts a pastel-painted blur through the spacious rural canvass like an Impressionist on speed; it’s only really when you get to Paris that it sinks in you’ve arrived in northern France, without the more customary touchdown. At about an hour and a half’s drive from the reluctant-to-leave capital, Champagne is the nearest and easiest French wine region for us to visit. And it’s pretty, green, warm in the summer, suffused with rolling hills; and they make Champagne there, so lots of good reasons..."

Read the works at the bottom of this special Champagne page here.

Swiss wines

Written for www.therestaurantgame.com

Hidden elegance

The Swiss have kept a bit hush-hush about their wines until quite recently – a tasting in London last year organised by the Exporters’ Association proved to be an eye-opener, and they exhibited at this year’s Restaurant Show. Images of mountains, snow and great lakes don’t perhaps automatically conjure up vineyards, but wine is made in similar environments elsewhere in the world, not to mention just across the borders in France and Italy. Overall production is very small with only 15000 hectares of vines planted, and yields are quite low; in addition, a mere 1% of this is exported at the moment.

Although the different regions vary in climate, terrain and soil, the wine styles – just over half being aromatic whites – are generally elegant and lighter but also diverse. Elegance isn’t exactly fashionable in the UK right now, but the wines offer some variety in the face of full-bodied and richly fruity southern hemisphere styles, and maybe more obvious food compatibility. Annie Schwab, owner with her Swiss husband chef at 2 Star Michelin restaurant Winteringham Fields in Lincolnshire, agrees: “we serve delicate food here - and of course Rösti and dishes using Swiss cheeses - which suits Swiss wines.”

Unusual grapes

So which grape varieties are planted and where and what are the wines like? The main wine cantons are: Neuchâtel, Vaud and Geneva in the west; Valais in the south-west; Ticino in the south bordering Italy, Zürich and the small area of Schaffhausen in the north-east touching Germany. White grapes include familiar names such as Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon and Pinot Gris; and new discoveries like Chasselas (also known as Fendant) and Petite Arvine. Reds include Pinot Noir and Merlot but also Gamay, Cornalin and Humagne rouge.

The Valais is the largest wine region and at least one third of total Swiss production is sourced here from the steep slopes of the upper Rhône valley; the split is 45 - 55 white to red. Fendant/Chasselas is abundant and can be a bit dull – Charles Bonvin Fils makes a decent example at Domaine Brûlefer called ‘Fendant de Sion’ 1998, which is zesty, ‘lees-y’ and crisp.

Petite Arvine

This is a modest-yielding, ancient variety (probably originating in Italy) and can naturally attain 12 to 13% alcohol giving full-bodied wines. One of the most interesting comes from René Favre, a rich barrel aged wine with honeyed spice and long acidity called ‘St. Pierre Grande Année’, and the 1997 is listed at Ransom’s Dock in London’s Battersea for £28.00. Proprietor Martin Lam comments: “All three (Swiss wines) sell well - bought by lovers of good wine, Swiss and otherwise!” Other producers of quality Petite Arvine in Valais include Robert Gilliard and Caves Imesch; the latter’s 1997 is £35 on Winteringham Fields’ list. Obscure grapes may add quirky interest to a country and a wine list, but will people buy something they don’t recognise? Annie Schwab adds: “We list sixteen Swiss wines and you’ve got to sell them; provided the sommelier knows something about them, they can recommend with certain dishes.”

On the Dôle

The red speciality of Valais is Dôle, which can be made from 100% Pinot Noir or (more usually) blended with a smaller proportion of Gamay (the Beaujolais grape) and even a tad of other varieties such as Syrah. The style depends on the winemaker - Caves Imesch produces an attractively fruity and spicy one called ‘Soleil de Sierre’; Frédéric Varone’s ‘Valeria’ is more serious and closer to Burgundy.

Pinot Noir also makes some attractive dry rosés – Ransom’s Dock sells ’99 ‘Oeil-de-Perdrix’ made by Les Perrières (Geneva) for £16.50 and by the glass too – and is the staple grape in German Switzerland. Red wines dominate too in the Italian speaking province of Ticino, where Merlot has virtually replaced all local varieties. Tamborini Vini craft some lovely, full-flavoured and earthy (although rather expensive) Merlots such as the 1994 San Zeno Riserva listed at Winteringham Fields for £41.

Value?

Switzerland’s biggest hurdle will be to convince people that their wines are worth the money. Robert Steel from specialist importer For the Love of Wine, who represents Favre, Tamborini, les Perrières and Imesch amongst others, is aware of this but upbeat. “Price is an issue but these are quality wines in an equivalent price bracket to others at the quality end of the market. Restaurants tend to be more at the top end.” Further stockists include Pont de la Tour, Hotels du Vin and Babbington House. Of course Swiss restaurants are natural outlets for the wines and should find it easier to sell them; St. Moritz in Soho imports its own from Caves Orsat and has red and white house wines for a relatively reasonable £12.95.

Awareness

Brian Walling of Beck Marketing, who’s involved in the generic promotion of Swiss wine, expands on the issues. “It’s started to take off in the on-trade but has been hampered by the fact that Swiss wines don’t have entry level price points, like for example wines in supermarkets written about by journalists which help to raise awareness with the public and restaurateurs.” This is obviously key to success – Juniper restaurant in Altrincham just south of Manchester, who list a Swiss dessert wine, agree: “we’re trying to educate people and get them to be more adventurous.” Walling continues: “It’s been a long hard slog but there are now about 30 different distributors serving the on-trade nationally or locally.”

These include For the Love of Wine (tel. 01280 822500), Harrison Vintners in the City (020 7236 7716) and St. Martin Vintners in Brighton (01273 777788). For further information contact the Swiss Wine Exporters’ Association (020 7287 6117) or Beck Marketing (020 7582 8811).

Bordeaux travel, in brief...

"I feel like a Château-tourist celebrity-spotting as the grand and famous village names stroll serenely by through the coach window: Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe... If you’re into wine and in particular Bordeaux red wine, a drive up the D2 road northwest of the city along the Gironde estuary offers a taste of the style, elegance and opulence..."

Read it HERE.

Portuguese pleasures

Published on www.everywine.co.uk

"Portugal has much to offer beyond Port," writes Richard James. Find out the low-down on the country's sun-drenched wines...

Portugal does indeed offer far more than Port. There are unfamiliar but intriguing local grapes, diverse wine-styles and warm people who actually seem to like the Brits. Portugal also offers a great range of wine-producing climates. Portuguese wine producers have benefited from grants given by the EU to modernise their wineries and improve their vineyards. So why aren’t we buying many of their wines? Is their exotic language a barrier? A fear of the unknown perhaps? Part of the problem lies in the fact that many British wine-drinkers are reluctant to explore beyond Port at Christmas and Mateus Rosé. Read the full feature at the bottom of my page on Portugal here.

Spain: CVNE and Contino old and rare Rioja

Tutored tasting of CVNE and Contino old and rare Riojas

by winemaker Jesús Madrazo Mateo

St. Stephens Club, London SW1, 21 March 2001

"I was chuffed bordering on surprised at my apparent organisation surrounding three days of events from 20 – 22 March: train ticket from Manchester purchased sufficiently in advance to get the £20 fare, several tastings slotting neatly into place around the big Spanish affair including a tutored Italian on the Wednesday morning, if I/they got my/their skates on. Then the above, last minute-ish invitation landed in my inbox (I’ll resist any facetious speculation about second-tier bums-on-seats). I thought about it for perhaps 1.6 seconds – sorry ICE (Italian trade office) but I guess I’m a tasting-slut. So, time to squeeze in the Swiss first... “I’m afraid, sir, we’re going to have a problem… you can’t wear jeans upstairs,” informs the ‘bouncer’ at the Institute of Directors. Pity they didn’t mention that on the invitation, methinks. Still, there’s nothing like some time to kill in a wet and miserable Westminster to enhance your anticipation (caught a wet and miserable cold afterwards, from memory). On to St. Stephens Club – looks a bit posh. I wonder if you can wear jeans…"

Viña Real Gran Reservas – sourced from their vineyards close to El Ciego in Rioja Alavesa in the north of the region. (E = excellent, VG = very good and G = good, according to official vintage rating by the Rioja Consejo Regulador. Approx retail prices per bottle indicated after notes.)

1952 (E) – still has amazing colour, browning and red brick but good intensity for its age. First bottle was very mushroomy; the cork had fungi on it. The second was totally different with smoky and balsamic tones, a bit oxidised and ‘cheesy’ but delivering nice sweet (dried) red fruits and a touch of earthiness. Silky dried red fruits in the mouth with some dry tannin on the finish coupled with light, mature liquorice flavours. Quite good length but has the fruit gone? In retrospect, not really as it did actually develop and open up after 2 hours! Paradoxically, it doesn’t taste as old as you’d expect. Jesús commented that he believes they used much more Graciano in the varietal blend than they do now (these wines are mostly Tempranillo). (£150+)

1964 (E) – showing greater depth of colour in the middle with brown/orange outside. Beautiful classic mature Rioja nose with plenty of volume of intense ‘cheesy’, leathery dried fruits; concentrated red fruits on the palate give way to liquorice with a bit of alcohol on the finish and moderate tannins still adding grip. Lovely length, the fruit is still rich and lingering. (£80-85)

1970 (VG) – not as deep in appearance as above but perhaps displaying similar age character; pungent and leathery on the nose the fruit is less obvious. Fuller in the mouth with more extract and firmer tannins on the finish, again liquoricey but perhaps it’s more closed (or less concentrated). However the flavours certainly linger with warm alcohol and higher acidity. (£72-78)

1975 (VG) – looks older and thinner with odd herbaceous asparagus aromas; this carries through to the palate but supported by some liquorice and surprisingly cooked fruit. Firm tannins rather contrast and jar with rapidly maturing fruit. (£35-45)

1981 (VG) – appears quite brown and light with some red in the middle; caramelized sweet liquorice aromas but fruit is also a bit reticent (and minty too). Smooth vanilla texture enhanced by red fruits but it’s beginning to oxidise; fading tannins manage to keep it up on the finish for the moment. (£50-60)

1982 (E) – much deeper and less advanced in colour; bit 'dusty' on the nose but rather closed although there are hints of game and spice. Rich and concentrated in the mouth, again liquorice and red fruits, with lovely length and quite firm finish; this still needs time! (£92-98)

1991 (VG) – showing just a hint of browning, the first bottle is a little more farmyard-y than you might like (we conclude it’s brettanomyces.) but full with sweet oak. The second has greater volume on the nose, rich and gamey but lots of sweet fruit too; lush and smooth, big concentrated fruit with liquoricey hints and great intensity and weight. Moderate to firm tannins but silky and good acidity too. The ’91 is made from 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha and Mazuelo, and 5% Graciano. 5 days fermentation in stainless vats controlled at below 33 degrees, followed by malo-lactic fermentation in barrel and 4 years ageing in American and French oak. (£18-25)

Comments – the winemaking is very similar between VR and Imperial; it’s a question of "source material" determining the style, although perhaps they do a slightly longer maceration with VR. Both are racked every 6 months or so. All are fermented with indigenous yeasts and the malo usually starts naturally too. 

Imperial Gran Reservas – made from 50+ year old vines yielding around 4 tonnes/ha; 85-90% Tempranillo, about 10% Graciano and a tad of Mazuelo (all Rioja Alta fruit from their high vineyards around Villalba northwest of Haro.) 

1970 – quite intense big colour but browning a touch; full and gamey nose, attractively pungent but with plenty of dried fruits too. Lively ripe red fruits in the mouth; concentrated, smoky and herby and offering quite firm tannins on its sound length. Lovely. (£65-75)

1975 – looks older than above, very perfumed with a hint of mushroom but also sweet red fruits, which carry through to the palate; rich and velvety with concentrated cherry and liquorice plus a tad earthy too, super length and quite firm but less grip than the ’70; fair acidity and alcohol complement the finish. (£35-45)

1982 – big colour and still fairly youthful, powerful nose delivering lots of wild fruits with floral and spicy nuances; getting gamey but ripe and sweet too, reasonable grip coupled with nice fruit, weight and length. Very good but perhaps lacks the elegance/class of above, then again it might develop better. (£85-95)

1987 (VG) – showing just a hint of age, surprisingly intense colour; full-on ripe fruit with vanilla wood lurking in the background and light ‘cheesiness’ too. Rich and earthy, lots of fruit to counter the oak with gamier finish, firm dry tannins and high-ish acidity. Needs time. (£32-38)

1991 – similar colour to above, perhaps a shade more orange; quite sweet fruit on the nose and oaky with it, but that sweet fruit is quite concentrated in the mouth although actually oxidising a bit too; quite firm and long with some noticeable acidity, but lacks elegance somehow. (£20-25)

1994 (E) – very deep and full, red/purple; quite closed aromas, a tad herby and minty with black cherry fruit. Fiery and rich, very concentrated with monster tannins, oak and acidity too and bold elongated finish. A long way to go yet! (£25-30)

1995 (E) Real de Asúa Reserva – pretty youthful looking but less intense than above, perfumed toasty vanilla oak and up-front black cherry fruit followed by more wood, extracted and fruity. Attractive now but lacks elegance (nearly 14% too). Fermented in barrel and left for 5 weeks in total, then transferred to (more) French oak for malo. (£40-50)

Contino Reservas – the first single-estate Rioja they produced, the grapes come from a 62 ha property near Laserna in the Alavesa, which is owned 50/50 by the family and CVNE. The old (11th Century) farmhouse and cellars were renovated in 1974 and a new winery fitted in situ to re-create a ‘Chateau’ concept. Vintage is usually earlier here than elsewhere in Rioja due to the "special microclimate" formed by proximity to the river and vineyard aspect; combine this with old vines (some 70 years) and low yields and the result is higher fruit extract, acidity and alcohol, we were told. The wines are matured for 2 years in a mix of French and American oak.

1974 (G) – quite orangey/brown in colour; gamey nose, lightly herbaceous too, with mature liquoricey notes; smooth and mature, a little dried out actually but there’s some red fruit there blended with dried herbs, then finishing with overly dry tannins. (n/a)

1982 – deep dark red gives way to a shade of brown/orange; pretty farmy and rustic on the nose, warm and pruney with big fruit concentration balanced by maturing earthy tones; quite high alcohol, firm tannins, fair acidity, great structure and length with lingering liquorice fruit. Fantastic, needs more time as it’s just beginning to open up. (£92-98)

1985 (G) – (1st bottle) similar colour to above but perhaps less intense and appearing a tad ‘older’, rather closed with light leathery aromas. The fruit is resiny followed by chunky tannins and grip with liquorice undertones, not sure if it has the concentration to survive those tannins.

2nd bottle is more open and gamey on the nose, it’s not as hard on the palate with richer fruit to balance those tannins; still attractively resiny and liquorice but perhaps fades quickly in the end compared to the alcohol and firmness of tannins. (£45-55)

1994 – quite youthful complexion with maybe less depth than the Imperial; rich dark cherry fruit reveals itself, quite peppery and leathery too but distinctly fruity (although with baked edge); firm but ripe tannins, hot-ish alcohol and long finish. (£25-30)

1996 (VG) – deep purple (“…smoke on the water”… sorry, couldn’t resist it), chocolatey oak and damsons on the nose; lots of sweet fruit, ripe and concentrated and also juicy with dry but ripe tannins to balance, finishing quite smoothly with reasonable length. Very nice now, maybe lacks finesse to go long term. (£18-25)

1996 Viña del Olivo Reserva (a ‘special project’ experiment using 60% French oak, 39% American and 1% Hungarian, medium-toast) – purpley black colour, pretty toasty aromas but fruit is rich underneath. Ripe and sweet, the spicy oak is softened by attractive fruit; moderate grip with quite high acidity and alcohol but good length. Lacks subtlety perhaps but style is towards in-your-face ‘modern’; some bitterness from the oak (?) on the finish (must be the 1% Hungarian!) (£40-50)

Oddball finale – 1939 (a ‘standard’ vintage apparently) white Rioja (made from Malvasia and Viura late harvested in December, re-corked in 1970 with 15% of wine from that vintage added): It’s mushroom-y, lightly oxidised, showing coconut oak and alcohol / volatile notes on the nose, quite intense with a touch of botrytis rot character too! Oxidised undertones in the mouth but also plenty of citrus fruits and dried apricots, just a bit of sweetness with quite high acidity giving back some freshness, plus actually a little wood tannin too! Weird but wonderful.

Further tit-bits of info:

CVNE farms 530 ha of vineyards making it one of the biggest vineyard owners in Rioja; the highest yields are around 6 tonnes/ha (so what? Yields huh...). A new winery was finished for the ’91 harvest at the original bodega in Haro, extending capacity to enable them to vinify separately by grape variety, vineyard and quality. Just to show off, they’re building another one at Assa close to the Ebro not far from Logroño, where production will start from this year’s vintage. Fruit from the river vineyards close to Torremontalbo are used for CVNE Reservas. Jesús Madrazo Mateo is a fifth generation descendant of the Real de Asúa brothers, joint founders of CVNE in 1879.

UK stockists include La Vigneronne (London SW7), Lay & Wheeler (Colchester), Berry Bros & Rudd, selected branches of Bottoms Up, William Morton (Glasgow), SWIG (NW3) and Nickolls & Perks (Stourbridge).