Marchesi di Gresy: hidden gem of Barbaresco

Marchesi di Gresy: the hidden gem of Barbaresco

Gaja might grab all the headlines when it comes to Barbaresco but near-neighbour Marchesi di Gresy is home to some stunning wines as well, as Geoffrey Dean discovers on a trip to Piedmont and also at a tasting dinner in London when he could re-acquaint himself with owner Alberto di Gresy and an awesome flight of Gaiun Martinenga, a wine that is only produced in the top vintages.

By Geoffrey DeanDecember 19, 2016

Apart from the stunning Barbaresco it produces, Marchesi di Gresy is a hidden gem in Piedmont and owns one of the DOCG’s finest vineyards.

Tucked away in the Langhe and Monferrato hills east of Alba in north-west Italy can be found, not without some difficulty, the Marchesi di Gresy winery. Or to give it its full name: Tenuta Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Gresy. It is something of a hidden gem, both physically and metaphorically, for it produces some of the best wines of Barbaresco.

The Marchesi di Gresy winery

Angelo Gaja may be the denomination’s flag-bearer but Alberto di Gresy quietly oversees an estate that is never far behind its more famous near-neighbour in terms of quality. Having visited Piedmont and Marchesi di Gresy four years ago, it was a delight to renew acquaintance with its wines when Alberto, his daughter Ludovica and son Alessandro came to London for a pre-Christmas dinner. The latter two, both involved with sales and marketing, possess matinee film star looks, no surprise given that Alberto resembles an Italian version of Michael Caine.

Like the celebrated English actor, Alberto talks a good game too, with lines such as “intensity must create a circumference.” Whether anyone knew what he meant was a moot point, but it did not matter. The wines spoke for themselves. In fact, they did better than that – they positively sang.

Ludovica, Alberto & Alessandro di Gresy

Eight vintages of Nebbiolo from the family’s Gaiun Martinenga vineyard were unfurled, the youngest being 2012, and the oldest 1998.

Gaiun is produced only in the best vintages, and is matured in French oak barrels (a third new, a third first year, and a third second year). Nebbiolo is naturally high in alcohol, acidity and tannins, rendering it something of a challenge to make. All the wines, though, possessed that key concomitant: balance.

Only two – from the years 2011 and 2008 – were above 14%abv (being 14.5%) while 2005 was 13.5%. Crucially, the tannins were integrated either very neatly (2012, 2010 & 2005), beautifully (2011, 2006 & 2001) or seamlessly (2008 & 1998).

The 2001, a classic vintage, was a personal favourite. The fruit was still so fresh and alive, with marked intensity of flavour. At the same time, it was a wonderfully elegant wine. Extremely long, the first adjective in my tasting notes is ‘fabulous’.

The 2005 was a short head behind, although with its more overt tannin structure, it needs more time. So did the 2010, a very elegant wine with stunning fruit and very persistent length.

The Martinenga site

A little more on the Martinenga site would be pertinent.

Famous in ancient Roman times when the estate was known as ‘Villa Martis’, the 11 or so hectares of Martinenga (all of it planted to Nebbiolo) is one of the Barbaresco DOCG’s greatest single vineyards.

Marchesi Di Gresy own all of it, splitting it into three sections – Gaiun (2.3ha south-facing), Camp Gros (2.6ha south-west facing) and Martinenga (6.5ha facing south/south-west).

This ideal exposure, an altitude of 250-280m and a very special soil composition of blue marl (a blueish/white mix of clay, chalk and limestone) all help combine to produce wines of exceptional class, structure and finesse. The favourable micro-climate allows high quality grapes even in difficult vintages, such as 2012.

The family have three other vineyard sites in the region at: Monte Aribaldo (where Dolcetto, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are all grown), La Serra and Monte Colombo (Moscato, Barbera and Merlot).

The 2014 Chardonnay, aged on the lees for 16-18 months and comfortably absorbing 50% new oak, showed very well. So too did the Virtus 2006, a blend of Barbera (60%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%).

Alberto di Gresy, 64, began vinifying his own wine soon after graduating but has handed the winemaking over to Matteo Sasso.

An affable New Zealander, Jeffrey Chilcott, cellar master since the new millennium, helps make up a highly capable team that is passionate about their product. Boutinot is the UK importer.

Seresin winery: London tasting

Getting under the skin of Pinot Noir with Michael Seresin

Without mentioning the distinguished film career of Michael Seresin, not even once, Geoffrey Dean explores a range of whites and Pinot Noirs from Seresin Estate in New Zealand. The biodynamic estate produces a range of quality, unfiltered and unfined Pinot Noir from everyday drinking to super-premium Sun & Moon, of which a 2007-2013 vertical is sampled.

By Geoffrey DeanOctober 17, 2016

World class Pinot Noir plus Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blancs tasted with Michael Seresin at a central London tasting dinner

Michael Seresin’s distinguished cinematographic career (collaborations with Alan Parker amongst many) always seems to get mentioned in any introduction to his outstanding wines from New Zealand.

This feature prefers to home in on the fact that Seresin Estate’s 110 hectares under vine in Marlborough’s Wairau Valley are all farmed biodynamically. It therefore makes the winery something of a rarity.

Seresin vineyards

The wines, too, are uncommonly good, as we were all reminded at a late September tasting in London, where the engaging Seresin was present along with his no less charismatic daughter, Leah, who masterminds the company’s marketing. The full range of Seresin’s wines were unfurled, including four white brands and the six different Pinot Noir labels. As a real bonus, a vertical of six vintages between 2007 and 2013 of the estate’s flagship, Sun & Moon, was presented. More on the Pinots later, but first the whites.

Seresin’s Pinot Gris 2015 showed especially well. Fermented and aged in old puncheons and barriques, it is rich, with an abv of 13.5% and residual sugar of 4.6 g/l. But a pH of 3.55 helps achieve a nice balance, complemented by some attractive fruit.

Both Sauvignon Blancs also came up trumps. The 2015, which contains 9% Semillon, is an appealing example of the varietal from the country’s heartland, while the barrel-fermented, much lower-yielding Marama (100% Sauvignon Blanc) was particularly good. Saline notes on the palate, vibrant acidity, excellent length and notable intensity of flavour combine to justify an asking price of £26-7. The Chardonnay Reserve 2013, which was 100% barrel-fermented and spent 11 months in 20% new oak, also showed well.

Michael Seresin

So onto those Pinot Noirs

It is Pinot Noir, though, for which Seresin is best known.

All bottled unfiltered and unfined, the range is an impressive one, from the everyday-drinking Leah to the super-premium Sun & Moon. The Leah 2014, whose yield is six tonnes per hectare, is blended from different vineyards and has no great complexity, but has juicy red fruit and approachable tannins.

Tasting the range before dinner

All the other Pinots, bar the Rachel, are from single sites.

Beginning with the Noah 2013, produced from an alluvial, free-draining vineyard of the same name, this is a complex and intense wine (3 tonnes to the hectare). Possessing the highest total acidity of all Seresin’s Pinots (6.2 g/l), this has overt tannins and the capacity to age well. Aged in 15% new French oak for 15 months, it is also fabulously long.

Tha Raupo Creek 2013,  from a low-yielding clay-rich site in the foothills of the Omaka Valley, sees 19% new oak and has gorgeous fruit, as well as a little bit more intensity, and maybe even more length, than the Noah. The tannins are not quite as overt. According to Leah Seresin, it has the best aspect of all the estate’s sites.

The Tatou 2013 is an outstanding wine, the most intense of the three single sites. Again, yielding three tonnes to the hectare, it was more full-bodied and complex. The vineyard’s alluvial shingle soils produce very concentrated aromatic wines with structured tannins. The slightly higher-yielding Rachel 2103 (named after Leah’s grandmother) is made from fruit from Raupo Creek (81%) and Tatou (19%). Generous fruit, overt but well-integrated tannins and some complexity make this another seductive Pinot Noir.

Moving on to the Sun & Moon vertical half-dozen, the fruit always comes from Raupo Creek, with a yield of only 2 tonnes per hectare. Whereas none of the other Pinots see more than 20% new oak, four of the six Sun & Moons enjoy 35%. For the 2010 and 2013, however, the percentage drops to 14%. Interestingly, although the pH gradually falls from 3.44 in 2007 and 2008 to 3.7 in 2013, winemaker, Clive Dougall (originally from Chiswick in west London) has decreased, rather than increased, total sulphur dioxide levels from 120ppm to 72ppm. That points to a minimum interference philosophy.

The wine with the lowest acidity level (TA 5.67), the 2012, was the most vegetal, with lovely strawberry and raspberry fruit. The long and concentrated 2007, whose TA of 6.4 g/l was comfortably the highest of the six, also contained the most alcohol (14.5%). Four of the sextet have an abv of 13.5%, possibly pointing to harvesting preference.

If the 2008 was the most tannic of the collection, the much-lauded 2010 had a lovely lightness of touch, oozing elegance and minerality. Savoury, yet refreshing, this also lingered for ages on the palate. The 2009 boasted marked intensity of flavour as well as being big and rich (14% alc).

Distributed in the UK by Louis Latour Agencies in London, the Seresin Pinot Noirs vary in price from £21 to £62. All the whites are available, including the untasted Rieslings and Viognier.

Metaxa’s Adventurous New Spirit

12th October, 2016 by Geoffrey Dean

In appointing Mike Horn as its brand ambassador, Metaxa has chosen boldly for the new UK promotional campaign and repackaging of its Greek spirit brand 12 Stars. Horn, a former South African special forces soldier, makes Bear Grylls look something of a soft touch, taking exploration to even harder extremes.

Metaxa’s new brand ambassador, the adventurer Mike Horn

When the 50-year-old proclaims that “my dreams still scare me – if they don’t, they’re not big enough,” he’s hardly joking. Solo circumnavigations of the Equator and the Arctic Circle lasting 18 months and two years respectively, followed by a two-month journey in total darkness without motorised transport from Russia to the North Pole are testament to that.

Horn is as rugged and grizzled-looking as it gets. Metaxa 12 Stars, by contrast, is renowned for its smoothness, but the two opposites are a good match, as is often the case, as they are both complex and unconventional with a degree of mystery.

Just as whatever drives Horn will never be fully comprehensible to most people, so some of the precise ingredients that make up Metaxa’s 12 stars will always be a secret. It is widely mistaken for being a brandy, being 40% abv and made from distillates, but up to 25% of the blend is Muscat de Frontignan fortified wine from the Aegean island of Samos. What gives it its special aroma and character are the eight botanicals that are macerated in the blend for over a year.

Metaxa 12 Stars

Just one of these – rose petals – is public knowledge, and only because an alert German journalist noticed bundles of them on a visit to Metaxa’s Athens distillery a couple of years ago. She mentioned them in print, forcing the company to admit they were used.

None of the other seven mysterious ingredients were visible during my visit to the distillery in September, but I did manage to extract a couple of nuggets from Constantinos Raptis, Metaxa’s master blender: juniper is not one of the botanicals, and most but not all of the ingredients come from Greece.

Interestingly, Metaxa’s production method has not changed since Spyros Metaxa first made it in 1888. At first, the spirit was labelled as Cognac, but this had to be removed when the French denomination of Cognac was introduced in 1937. ‘Brandy’ likewise appeared on the label until 1987 when new regulations prevented its usage.

Now, ‘Original Greek Spirit’ is the official descriptor on each of the ten million bottles produced every year in various sizes: 20cl for airlines, 50cl for supermarkets, 70cl typically, with the biggest being 3 litres. Brands include 3, 5, 7 and 12 Stars (one star for each year the distillates are aged in limousin oak casks).

The 12 Stars carries an RRP of £30. You can add another £100 for Metaxa’s Angels’ Treasure, which is made of distillates aged between 30 and 50 years. Intense, complex and very long, this is hugely concentrated with a honeyed nose, and dried fruits, sweet spice and toffee on the palate.

Collectors with a very large budget might like to consider Metaxa’s ultimate product, AEN, which is aged for 80 years plus and taken from more than 200 blends, which sells €1,950 per bottle, with only 1,888 made. Massively concentrated, deep mahogany in colour and 45.3% abv, Raptis hails it as it “the out-of-this-world nectar of Cask no 1”.

The 12 Stars however, offers real bang for your buck. Voluptuous, deep amber in colour with 2.5% sugar content, it is an alluring cornucopia of dark chocolate, butterscotch, orange peel, prune, dried fig and sweet spices, with subtle fragrant toasted oak notes adding to its complexity.

Its new packaging is distinctly smart – a blue box opening up to reveal an elegant bottle with Spyros Metaxa’s signature on it along with the company’s emblem, a Salamina warrior medallion. The original was discovered when foundations for the distillery in Piraeus were being dug.

While the new packaging was doubtless aimed at travel retail, Metaxa’s biggest single market, it should raise its profile in the UK and the other 60 countries where it’s exported. Sales are highest in the Czech Republic, but have been steadily climbing in Britain.

Chene Bleu's Pont des Arts partnership

Why Chêne Bleu’s Pont des Arts rosé deserves serious attention

Chêne Bleu is a winery that is always coming up with surprises and new ideas. Its ‘Super Rhône’ status is well deserved. Geoffrey Dean explains how owner Nicole Rolet has teamed up with Thibault Pontallier to create a very special rosé as part of his Pont des Arts series of wines. It is already gaining cult status, combining great terroir, winemaking and art.

 Investors who like a balanced portfolio of wines might want to consider a top-end rosé that is available in the UK from mid-August through Justerini & Brooks. “Rosé for investment purposes? Yea, right,” I hear you ask. But hold on and I will explain.

This particular rosé I’m going to highlight may be a bit of a punt but it will keep, unlike most rosés which are made to be drunk straightaway, and at £25 a bottle, it is not too heavy an outlay if you merely end up drinking it. And, having tried some myself, I can vouch for just how good it is.

Only 1,075 bottles (75cl) have been made, along with 480 magnums, so there is scarcity value.

Chêne Bleu's Limited Edition 2015 Rosé with Pont des Arts

Pont des Arts 2015 is the wine in question. It is made by Chêne Bleu, a winery which many critics have dubbed a ‘Super Rhône’ (like the Super Tuscans), and is made up of 95% Grenache and 5% Syrah. The vines of the former are old – around 65 years – and their grapes retain their acidity because of the estate’s high altitude. The yield was exceptionally low – 18 hl/ha – encouraging both complexity and a very long finish. More on the vinification later, but first the concept behind the wine.

 How it came about 

Thibault Pontallier, son of the late Paul, the Chateau Margaux supremo who tragically died of cancer earlier this year, approached the Rolet family, owners of Chêne Bleu, as he wanted to add a rosé as well as a Rhône wine to his portfolio of Pont des Arts brands. These feature a collection of stunning artwork on the labels by well-known contemporary artists.

The back-label on the Pont des Arts rosé explains the rationale succinctly. “Pont des Arts is an exclusive, limited collection of wines,” it reads. “It is a bridge between Art and Wine, East and West, and collectors and newcomers alike. It has married the best from the art world and wine world.”

Thibault Pontallier

Apart from western artists, like the renowned Spaniard Miquel Barcelo , there are an eminent duo from China – Yue Minjun and Zao Wou-Ki.

“Yue is one of the most collectible contemporary Chinese artists, while Zao is revered as a grandmaster of modern Chinese art,” Nicole Rolet said. “Barcelo is very much an art historian, and his work interacts with medieval iconography. There’s a fiery boldness to his work.”

Having seen all eight bottles of the Pont des Arts series by these three artists, I can vouch that the eight different labels are stunning. As Rolet added: “They are perfect for people who like to have things others don’t have.”

Miquel Barcelo, one of the acclaimed artists that is part of the Pont des Arts series

The label for the rosé come from Barcelo and depicts a bull fight scene, which Rolet said was a perfect way to illustrate the “fiesty” nature of the wine. Rolet told The Buyer how the wine was made: “The challenge was to make a rosé that wasn’t a pleasant crowd-pleaser, but rather a more muscular manifestation of this old-vine Grenache we have. It has a mineral finish and loads of texture with a pH of 3.5. The higher acidity we get from being higher up in the mountains – that’s our secret weapon. It gives freshness and is why the wines age well. The key to these highperformance rosés is to get as much contact with the lees as possible. The wine was on the skins for six hours and we also used ground organic pea powder as a fining agent, which is cutting edge.”

J&B have a mimimum order of £250, which means you effectively need to buy a case of Pont des Arts Rose 2015. But its allocation is a little under 200 bottles and they are all the bottles that  can be found in the UK.

With such pedigree it is likely to become a collector’s item, but given its ageability, even if it does not, it will give drinkers a lot of pleasure.

Philip Cox, and English winemaker in Rumania

From Bristol to Romania: How an Englishman became a key figure in Romania's burgeoning wine industry

By Geoffrey Dean

Published:  21 June, 2016

When Philip Cox left Bristol for Romania in the early 1990s, little did he imagine that a quarter of a century later he would be the co-owner of the most profitable winery in Romania.

Cramele Recas, which currently produces 13 million litres of wine a year, hides the tale of an adventurous Englishman who quickly mastered Romanian, married a Bucharest girl and became one of the key figures in the country's burgeoning wine industry.

One of his highest vineyards is around 300 metres above sea-level near Timisoara in western Romania, where Recas' Selene Feteasca Negra is produced.

"It's meant to be the most famous Romanian variety, being 2,000 years old, " Cox said. "It's available for around £14 in the UK, but is the equivalent of £25 in Romania, as wine is more expensive here."

Philip Cox

Although domestic demand in Romania is very high, Recas export about 50% of their wine. They do so to 27 different markets and have a staggering 320 different labels. Examples include Dreamfish Chardonnay and Wolf House Pinot Noir, which head for the US and UK respectively. The company's "I Love" label (featuring a heart) sells 8 million bottles per annum.

It is no surprise then that Recas are the most profitable winery in Romania. They employ four winemakers - two Australians, a Spaniard and a Romanian - and hope to increase production to 15 million litres this year. Two-thirds of the fruit needed comes from their 955 hectares under vine.

Thirty brand new 75,000-litre stainless steel tanks have just been installed to meet new demand, along with a new bottling facility, as part of a 35m Euro investment in state-of-the-art equipment. Lest anyone think Recas' watchword is volume, it is worth pointing out that they have many premium labels.

Cox says that the majority of Romania's estates are now focussing on premium wines. There has been an explosion of new wineries in the last six years - with around 100 established in that time, according to Cox.

One of these is Avincis in the southern central part of the country near Dragasani, which produces around 150,000 bottles per year (15% being exported). Vines had always been on the property - since Roman times, the co-owners Cristiana and Valeriu Stoica revealed - but the family lost it to the communist state after the Second World War and only got it back in 1997. They had to grub up the hybrids and high-yielding grapes that had been planted, and replace them with a mixture of quality Romanian and international varieties.

The Avincis winery

Avincis, which produces around 150,000 bottles per year (15% being exported), is undoubtedly a winery with a bright future, focussing on mid-market and premium wines. A talented young French winemaker, Ghislain Moritz, from Alsace, has been recruited by the Stoicas, who have invested heavily in the latest equipment as well as delightful guest cottages. The winery, built from local limestone, occupies a panoramic position near the homestead, with beautiful views over the nearby River Olt, a tributary of the River Danube. The vineyards are at 350 to 400 metres.

Some 40-year old Muscat Ottonel and Sauvignonasse vines have been preserved but the rest were planted in 2007-8. The indigenous ones include Cramposie, a naturally acidic white grape with apple and pear notes; and Negru de Dragasani, of which there are only 15 hectares planted in Romania (three being at Avincis).  The 2012 vintage showed especially well with its spicy black fruit and silky tannins. No less enticing was a blend of Feteasca Regala and Pinot Gris, a rich, medium-bodied food wine. An off-dry white blend of Tamaiosca Romana and Muscat Ottonel went well with local cheeses.

A few kilometres from Avincis lies the Prince Stirbey winery, whose owners, Baron and Baroness Kripp also regained the property after the Romanian Revolution in 1989. Oliver Bauer, the German winemaker there since 2003, crafts a fine range, much of which is available through the Wine Society. This includes the Novac 2013, the only single variety version made in Romania (others blend it). A light-coloured red-fruited wine with smooth tannins and vibrant acidity (low pH of 3.2 and 13% abv), it was elegant and harmonious with spicy peppery notes. An equally impressive wine was the Stirbey Feteasca Regala 2013, a complex white with lovely texture and richness.

Baron & Baronness Kripp

Another of Romania’s best-known appellations, that of Dealu Mare (an hour’s drive north of Bucharest), houses two wineries of real standing. One is known by its initials, S.E.R.V.E. (which translates as the European-Romanian Society for Exquisite Wines) and was established in 1994 by a Corsican, Guy Tyrel de Poix. Making 700,000 bottles per year, the winery has two ranges - Vinul Cavalerului and Terra Romana, the latter being the higher quality. Aurel Rotarescu, winemaker since the beginning, fashions some top-class labels, notably his Cuvee Guy de Poix, a big, rich complex red made from Feteasca Negra.

A short drive from SERVE takes you to Halewood winery, which the late British entrepreneur, John Halewood, founded in the 1997 with Dan Muntean. Halewood had won the Grand National in 1994 with his horse, Amberleigh House, and his winery has been no less of a success, with head winemaker Lorena Deaconu capably overseeing its plethora of labels. Half the annual five million bottle production is exported to as many as forty countries. Grapes come from not just Dealu Mare but also Transylvania and Murfatlar, by the Black Sea.

Louis Jadot's Oregon Résonance 2013

Louis Jadot’s Résonance from Oregon set to make waves

For such a landmark event, Louis Jadot’s Résonance, their first wine made outside France, Jacques Lardiere, Jadot’s much-respected head winemaker in Burgundy since the 1970s was coaxed out of retirement. Geoffrey Dean went to sample and give his buying recommendations.

By Geoffrey Dean May 14, 2016

Louis Jadot’s Résonance, the first wine made by Jadot outside France, their Oregon Pinot Noir from the Résonance Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, showed outstandingly well at a pre-release tasting in London in early April. Priced at £30 per bottle in-bond, it represents value when compared against many premier crus from Burgundy, whose quality level it comfortably mirrors. More on the wine later, but first a little about Oregon and why the Burgundy negociant house invested there.

Louis Jadot’s team shows Résonance at a trade lunch

In 2008, Jadot made a decision to buy a vineyard in the New World. Australia, New Zealand, Chile and South Africa were all considered, but after a five-year search, a 32-acre site in Oregon’s Willamette Valley was identified and bought from Kevin Chambers. Nineteen acres of Pinot Noir (as well as one and a half of Gewurztraminer) had originally been planted in 1981, yielding some wonderful fruit that was sought after by many of the top producers in the region.  “That Pinot Noir was really special,” Peter Rosback of the Sineann Winery, who used the grapes for his wine, said of the Résonance fruit.

Thibault Gagey, deputy general manager of Jadot, explained the decision to buy. “The quality of the wines made by some different winemakers from this site, the quality of the property and the feel of the place were just right,” he told The Buyer. “We felt we had a sense of place.” Significantly, the French liked the fact the vines were unirrigated and on their own rootstock, not grafted onto American rootstock (like 99%+ of the world’s vines, to resist phylloxera).

Jadot were not, of course, the first Gallic investors in Oregon, where vineyard land sells for around a sixth of the price of Napa, and does not have the same drought problem. Robert Drouhin bought 225 acres in the Dundee Hills in 1987. Jadot is understood to have paid a record per-acre price for the region – between US$45-60,000 per acre (the amount being undisclosed). Jacques Lardiere, Jadot’s much-respected head winemaker in Burgundy since the 1970s, was persuaded out of retirement to oversee the Résonance project.

Jacques Lardiere

Demand for Oregon’s wines has been showing strong consumer growth, notably in the UK. The high quality of its Pinot Noir, as well as its white wines made with Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, have appealed to drinkers attracted by prices that are more competitive than many Californian counterparts. The consensus in the trade at the tasting was that Résonance is going to be generally a hand-sell to connoisseurs by independent merchants, with interest in the on-trade being centred on top-end restaurants with a varied wine-list.

Résonance 2013 Pinot Noir tasting note:

Sumptuous red fruit with mineral notes; medium body; vibrant acidity; overt but well-integrated tannins with silky texture; notable intensity of flavour and long finish; elegant, multi-layered wine that is complex; approachable enough now but needs more time to be seen at its best; structure will allow it to keep for 10-15 years, maybe longer if cellared well.

 What we learned:

• Impressive first Oregon vintage by Jacques Lardiere, Jadot’s leading winemaker for four decades

• Fairly-priced wine with potential in both on and off-trade.

• Further evidence that Oregon is at forefront of New World Pinot Noir production.

Western Cape's top wine hotels

Although South Africa is experiencing its most challenging vintage for years following the worst drought there since the early twentieth century, the country is entering a golden period not just for winemaking but also wine tourism. Geoffrey Dean travelled widely around the Western Cape, and picks out some of the most appealing places to stay.

Boschendal

International visitors are flocking to the winelands of the western Cape, with the Stellenbosch Wine Route reporting that visitor numbers to its wineries have doubled in the last year – a fifth consecutive year-on-year rise. While the growing global profile of South Africa’s wines continues unabated, the opening of new world-class accommodation in the last year in the western Cape has enhanced the region’s claims to be the number one wine tourism destination in the world.

New additions include Boschendal’s exquisite guest cottages, the charming Leeu Hotel in Franschhoek, and Tintswalo Atlantic, near Cape Town, which was reconstructed after being burnt down. Tintswalo’s magical, secluded location by the ocean at the bottom of Chapman’s Peak is the key to its appeal. Featuring a dozen lavishly furnished rooms built into the hillside, it has an outstanding wine list to complement its haute cuisine. Tintswalo is perfectly situated to explore the wineries of Constantia, making it an ideal starting point for a Cape wine tour.

Tintswalo

Stellenbosch, the logical next stop, offers both the most wineries and the most diverse accommodation. The Spier Hotel is a comfortable, convenient option a few kilometres west of the university town, while the Majeka House is a luxurious boutique hotel in a delightful spot near the centre.

For one of the greatest locations in the western Cape, Boschendal’s cottages to the east of Stellenbosch rank very high. Spectacular views of the Drakenstein Mountain are around every corner, whether you are exploring the 2,000-hectare estate by foot, bike or horse.

In keeping with its £15m revamp under new ownership, Boschendal’s wines have improved considerably, while an estate restaurant serves delicious fare, much of it sourced from the farm. A few kilometres from Boschendal on the road to Paarl is another very old estate, Vrede en Lust, which has likewise benefited from major refurbishment.

Meaning ‘rest and delight’ in Afrikaans, it is aptly named, for this could hardly be a more relaxing place to lay your head, whether in the 1688 manor house or the vineyard suites with fabulous views of the Simonsberg Mountain. The bistro is first-class, and winemaker Susan Erasmus has presided over a clear improvement in wine quality.

Making up a triumvirate of magnificent 300-year old estates to stay at is Doolhof. Tucked away under the picturesque Limietburg Mountains east of Wellington, it’s not the easiest place to find but well worth the effort. Appropriately, the stunning manor house, ‘Grande Dedale’, built by Huguenot settlers, is French for ‘labyrinth’. The vines, replanted in 1995, yield some of South Africa’s best Malbec.

Among South Africa’s best Syrahs are those from Mullineux Family Wines, in which Indian billionaire Analjit Singh recently bought a 47% stake. The range can be tasted at his new Leeu Hotel in Franschhoek. A traditional Cape Dutch style building with a thatched roof, this tastefully furnished elegant abode has been fully booked since opening last autumn. A worthy alternative is the The Last Word, a small boutique hotel on the high street.

Leeu Hotel in Franschoek

All these hotels have good South African wine lists, but none can compete with that of Grootbos, east of Hermanus. Set in a nature reserve with dramatic views towards the Cape Peninsula, the lodge is ideally situated to visit the wineries of Elim and the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.

What makes its wine list so remarkable is not just the availability of virtually every top South African drop but also Cape Winemakers Guild wines going back to the mid-‘90s. CWG member, Dewaldt Heyns, crafts one of the country’s best Rhône-style blends, Saronsberg’s Full Circle. Saronsberg, near Tulbagh, has stunning mountain backdrops and its well-appointed cottages are a delightful place to stay. The cellar door also contains one of the best private art collections in the region, lovingly assembled by owners, Nick and Mariette van Huyssteen.

Vrede en Lust near Paarl

Tulbagh, 125km northeast of Cape Town, is one of those off-the-beaten-track wine regions that lacks the bling of Stellenbosch or Franschhoek, but it is well worth a visit, as is the quaint little town of Montagu, 215km due east of Cape Town, an ideal base to visit the wineries around Robertson.

The Montagu Hotel is a hidden gem with its large bedrooms, Art Deco furniture and laid-back atmosphere. Owner Gert Lubbe even takes guests for rides in his two classic cars, both from the 1950s.

Finally, no discourse on South Africa’s winelands would be complete without reference to its superb eating places, all highly affordable thanks to the weak rand.

If you want sumptuous cuisine and views-to-die-for, Tokara and Delaire Graff, neighbouring wineries at the top of the Helshoogte Pass overlooking Stellenbosch, are in a league of their own. A short drive from them, two wineries with growing reputations, Bartinney and Oldenburg, offer upmarket cottage accommodation in the most beautiful of settings.

For lunches only, the restaurant at Ken Forrester’s excellent winery deserves a mention, as does the Dalla Cia family’s wine bar at Bosman’s Crossing. For the best pasta (and grappa) in South Africa, go there. Not far away at Stellenbosch Hills is one of South Africa’s most beguiling fortifieds, made from Muscat de Hambourg and seven-year old potstill brandy.

Blaauwklippen, a cult lunch spot place in Stellenbosch with its sprawling grounds, makes the country’s best premium gin. One of the three oldest farms in the western Cape, having been founded in 1682 (the other two being Muratie and Groot Constantia), Blaauwklippen is a brand that grows ever stronger. As such, it mirrors both the wine industry and wine tourism in South Africa.



Bordeaux 2015 - best vintage since 2010?

6th October, 2015

The rain that fell over much of the Bordeaux region last weekend appears to have been too little and too late to spoil what is being predicted by many Bordelais to be the best vintage since 2010, writes Geoffrey Dean.

It is still too early to make a definitive assessment, and parts of the Médoc received unwanted heavy rain in the second week of September, but weather conditions have been near-perfect elsewhere, notably on the Right Bank, where Cheval Blanc have already finished picking all their grapes. Their technical director, Pierre-Olivier Clouet told the drinks business on a visit to the château last Thursday that he regards this as an “incredible” vintage.

“We have had outstanding climactic conditions in St-Emilion in 2015,” he said. “After nice flowering, water status was perfect. It was very warm from mid-June till the end of July when the vines needed some rain, and we got 10mm, exactly the right quantity. August was also hot and we had another 10mm in the middle of the month at the right time. Never forget that in Bordeaux, late season weather is the key, and we had a lovely September without any rain.”

A wide diurnal range has also been highly beneficial this year, with cool nights, even in August, ensuring that pH levels are low. Small berries have brought “amazing concentration”, in Clouet’s words. Overt tannins (‘croquant’ or crispy ones), deep colour, fragrant aromas, vivid acidity and around 14% abv have helped provide ‘everything you need’ in Clouet’s view. Cheval Blanc’s yield of 38.7hl/ha for their Merlot and 36.1 for their Cabernet Franc is also up on their average.

Saint-Emilion

The winemaker of another Premier Grand Cru Classé A estate in St-Emilion, Emmanuelle Fulchi of Angelus, declared that “you can’t take the smile off my face”, while cellar master, Jean Dugos, said flowering had been exceptional – ‘the best I’ve seen in 16 years.’ No wonder, then, that Peter Shakeshaft, the head of wine investment company Vin-X, who was in Bordeaux last week, is priming his clients to buy Right Bank wines en-primeur, as long as prices are right.

Selective buying will be advisable after the 150mm rain that fell in Pauillac and St Estephe over the weekend of 11/12 September. Some dilution of concentration can be expected here, but Margaux and St Julien escaped the deluge as did Graves. Christian Seely, managing director of second-growth, Pichon Baron, admitted that excitement is “high” on his estate about the vintage.

“I’m always reluctant to say it’s a great year before the wines are made, but at this stage, everything points to it being outstanding,” he told the drinks business. “It looks like a very beautiful work in progress. The bit of rain we got in July and August was very positive after some very hot weather. The wonderful August has given a fullness of palate, and we’ve had very good conditions for harvesting.”

In Graves, too, optimism was palpable. Olivier Bernard, owner of pre-eminent white wine producer, Domaine de Chevalier, reported unusually high acidity for what were high alcohol levels for his Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc (13.2% and 13.9% respectively). Balance, therefore, should not be an issue. Paulin Calvet, owner of Château Picque-Caillou, 95% of whose production is red wine, also pointed to encouragingly low pH levels, and declared that this would ‘definitely’ be the best vintage since 2010. “We have small berries and strong skins, with deep colours, quite strong tannins and wonderful concentration,” he said.

At Château Paloumey, the cru bourgeois estate in Haut-Médoc, Pierre Cazeneuve, the vineyard manager, also predicted a stellar vintage.

“I know everyone wants to hear this, but this has the potential to be as good a year as 2010,” he said. “The quality of the fruit is exceptionally high. It’s the first time our Cabernet Franc has reached 13 degrees in 25 years, but the pH is low due to the cold nights.”

Further south in Cadillac, in the Cotes de Bordeaux AOC, Youmna Asseilly, co-owner of leading boutique producer, Château Biac, revealed she had never experienced such heat in June and July, but said the vines coped due to the notable temperature drop at night.

“We are very, very happy with both the quality and quantity of our dry and sweet wines,” she said.

Her views were echoed by Herve Grandeau, owner of Château Lauduc and president of the Bordeaux Superieur appellation, which accounts for 46% of all wine produced in the region. “We’ve had incredible September weather,” he said, “and I think it will be an exceptional year for red Bordeaux Superieur and a very good one for the whites.”

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Tasmania: wine tourism

TASMANIA NOW AUSTRALIA’S TOP WINE TOURISM REGION

by Geoffrey Dean

Tasmania has long been the butt of jokes from the ‘mainlanders’, as Tasmanians refer to other Australians, but this rugged little island that started out as a prominent penal colony is fast becoming Australia’s premier wine tourism region.

A field of canary yellow canola near Launceston

This has come about thanks to outstanding wines that keep getting better and better, enchanting cellar doors, stunning scenery, excellent hotels and restaurants, as well as a fine road network and zero pollution. Throw in one of the most interesting museums in the southern hemisphere in MONA, as well as Australia’s top golf links course in Barnbougle, and you have all the ingredients for a memorable visit.

Tasmania is some 10,000 square kilometres smaller than Scotland, which it is often compared to on account of its mountainous terrain. Although the wilderness national park area in the southwest of Tasmania receives Scottish-like rainfall, Hobart, in the southeast of the island, has actually been the driest state capital in Australia in the last few years.

It is a common misconception that the populated parts of Tasmania are plagued by wet weather – indeed the east coast often suffers from drought – for it enjoys sunny summers, if not as hot on the mainland.

So much so that Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon even ripen in pockets of the island, which has multiple microclimates, although global warming has played a part in that.

Tasmania is still a cool-climate region, of course, and its most successful varieties remain Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, all blessed with natural high acidity thanks to cool nights and a wide diurnal range.

While Tasmanian Riesling remains relatively unsung on the world stage, despite its quality, its sparkling wines made from the traditional Champagne grapes have received deserved acclaim.

Your correspondent was fortunate enough to sample the gold medal winners in Hobart at the annual Tasmanian Wine Show in late January. Prominent among these was the House of Arras Grand Vintage 2007, made by the king of Australian bubbly, Ed Carr, from 75% Chardonnay.

Arguably Australia’s top sparkling wine

While that had enjoyed eight years on the lees, his Arras Blanc de Blancs 2004 had spent eleven. Carr’s masterly sparklers can be tasted at the attractive Bay of Fires cellar door in northern Tasmania, half an hour’s drive from Launceston.

A few kilometres away is the Jansz Tasting Room, nestled in a gorgeous location overlooking their vineyards and lake.

Jansz makes only sparkling wine, and does so superbly under the overall direction of Louisa Rose, the Yalumba winemaker in South Australia, for Jansz is owned by Hill-Smith Family Vineyards. Next door is Pipers Brook Vineyard, whose Kreglinger label is another top-class fizz.

On the other side of the Tamar Estuary lies the Tamar Ridge winery, close to the settlement of Grindelwald. Both the cellar door and comfortable guest apartments have dramatic views of the river below.

Winemaker Tom Wallace crafts some excellent Riesling and Pinot Noir, while the sparklers, whose labels are named after his celebrated predecessor, Andrew Pirie, picked up three golds at the Tasmanian Wine Show.

Two winery restaurants deserve a special mention in despatches: Josef Chromy Restaurant, just south of Launceston, and ‘Osteria’, at Stefano Lubiana, just outside Hobart. The cellar door at Josef Chromy Wines has been named one of Australia’s top ten, and attracts 55,000 visitors a year. The wines are excellent (the 2016 Gewürztraminer having won gold at the Tasmanian Wine Show), while top Kiwi chef Nick Raitt, who was lured down from Sydney in September, has raised restaurant standards to a new level via the likes of kangaroo bolognaise.

Steve Lubiana is one of Tasmania’s most talented winemakers, and the only one whose vineyards are certified biodynamic. He is best known for his Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, although his sparkling wines are also top-notch. Wife Monique presides over Osteria, which has lovely views over the Derwent. All fruit and vegetables come from their biodynamic kitchen garden, while they only serve humanely-farmed meat and line caught fish, resulting in first-class cuisine.

Tribal art at Mona

From Osteria, it’s a short drive to the Moorilla Estate, where MONA (Museum of Old & New Art) is situated. Part of a £90m development, they are a must-visit. If Moorilla’s most interesting wine is its Syrah from the St. Matthias vineyard, a rare spot in Tasmania where this grape will ripen, MONA’s attractions are manifold.

Housing antiquities and modern art collected by Moorilla’s owner, David Walsh, who describes the windowless museum as a “subversive adult Disneyland”, MONA is largely built underground into cliffs on the Berriedale Peninsula.

MONA is linked by ferries from Hobart, seven miles away. Two hotels with an ideal central location in the capital are The Old Woolstore and Hadley’s Orient.

The former specialises in modern apartment-style accommodation while the latter, which was built by convict labour, offers comfortable heritage-style rooms. Both have fine views over the harbour.

The quaint town of Richmond, half an hour’s drive northeast of Hobart, is home to the attractive cellar door of Pooley Wines. Three generations of the Pooley family have been involved in the business, with the latest, Anna, currently crafting a superbly elegant range that includes Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Not far away in Cambridge, the Riversdale Estate winery offers accommodation as well as a French bistro. Up the road near Campania, Domaine A manages to ripen some high-grade Cabernet Sauvignon.

Windmill near Cataract George

Other wineries worth a visit include Holm Oak and Goaty Hill near Launceston, as well as Home Hill and Derwent Estate near Hobart. Finally, no trip to Tasmania’s wine regions would be complete without a stop-off at Freycinet Vineyard near Bicheno on the scenic east coast.

There, Claudio Radenti fashions some of the island’s best Pinot Noir, also crafting Riesling, Chardonnay and sparkling wine of the highest quality.

As Louisa Rose put it succinctly, “Tasmania is just starting to realise its potential, with regional diversity there increasing. For a long time, contract winemakers were making the wine. Now vineyards are expressing themselves, and local winemakers are doing the same, with intricacies of wines becoming apparent.”

The latest Nielsen figures speak for themselves. While 93% of Australian wine sells nationally for under $AUD15 (nearly £10), 100% of Tasmanian wines sell for $15 or more.

New Cape Vintner Classification

Up to 40 wineries look to be granted the new Cape Vintner Classification in South Africa

By Geoffrey Dean

Published:  11 March, 2014

Between 30 and 40 South African wineries are expected to be granted the prestigious new Cape Vintner Classification, launched last December, after the disbandment of the old Cape Wine Producers' Association. Between 30 and 40 South African wineries are expected to be granted the prestigious new Cape Vintner Classification, launched last December, after the disbandment of the old Cape Wine Producers' Association.

That is the prediction of one of the seven founder members, Schalk Burger, owner of the Welbedacht Estate in the Wellington ward. The first application window closes this month, and those wineries who meet the criteria will display on their labels the eye-catching CVC logo (embossed with the year 1659 when wine was first made commercially in South Africa).  The other six founder estates are Anthonij Rupert, De Wetshof, Kanonkop, Neil Ellis, Rust en Vrede and Vergelegen.

Burger, the former South Africa rugby player whose son Schalk Jnr is a current Springbok, believes that the CVC will mirror Bordeaux's classed growths in helping international consumers to identify top Cape producers.  "The future of hand-crafted wines is being able to tell a story and we haven't been telling that story," he told Harpers.co.uk.

Schalk Burger Sr

"Nowhere in South Africa was a body that was doing that. The CVC is about people who are serious about wine and want to say we've created a wonderful principle, we've got wonderful wines and terroir and that South Africa is not about just bulk wine sales. It's important that the CVC is recognised for the role it's going to play. That is preserving good winemaking principles and becoming the superior endorsement of wines that are made in the vineyards, rather than in the cellar, which we believe is the right way of looking at it. When we travel around the world, everyone talks about big brands and bulk prices but not about the vintage or about our unique sites."

For example, decomposed granite on layers of clay underpin Welbedacht's extraordinary number of varietals, 19 in all, providing the terroir for an excellent range and some of South Africa's very best Syrah. The four main criteria for CVC accreditation will be strictly enforced to prevent a "farce" according to Burger. These are that fruit must be grown and vinified on the estate; that a cellar door is open to the public six days a week; that ethical labour  and environmental practices are observed; and that  wines are subject to technical and quality audits by an independent committee.  Another requirement of a minimum 20 hectares under vine and 100 tons of fruit may be reduced to allow smaller estates to qualify.

Bartinney, Helshoogte Pass Stellenbosch

Bartinney, whose wines have been improving dramatically despite relatively young vines, is applying for CVC recognition. Situated in the Helshoogte Pass high above Stellenbosch,  its Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are particularly worth watching.

So too is the 2013 Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir, yet to be bottled but which Harpers tasted ex barrel last week. It could be the Hemel en Aarde producer's best yet in the view of owner Anthony Hamilton Russell, whose Chardonnay continues to set the benchmark for South Africa. His main export market, the US, will, however, find it difficult to get hold of the 2013 Chardonnay after 600 cases, half the country's allocation, froze on a New Jersey dock in January. 

Anthony Hamilton Russell and wife Olive

Two delectable Chardonnays have also been produced by Sumaridge, in Walker Bay, and by Richard Kershaw, a British Master of Wine now resident in Elgin.  Both are available in the UK. Sumaridge's Gavin Patterson, is a rising star in the African firmament of winemakers, and his two reds, the Pinot Noir and the Epitome (a blend of Syrah and Pinotage) are well worth the outlay.

Also worth sourcing are the wines of boutique producer, Scali, whose owners Willie and Tania de Waal craft elegant and beautifully balanced medium-bodied Syrah and Pinotage in a cooler area of the hot region of Paardeberg. Willie's great-great grandfather bought the farm with a 45-carat diamond in 1877, and they have named their alluring sparkling Chenin Blanc, Ancestor, after him. Unusually, it is made the methode ancestrale, a single fermentation in bottle rather than two as per the traditional method.

Niels Verburg

Unconventional methods, but high quality wine, can likewise be found in a couple of estates in the isolated and beautiful ward of Bot River, near Hermanus. Niels Verburg did not choose to name his winery Luddite for nothing, eschewing intervention wherever possible. He does not irrigate any of his vines, mostly 40-60 years old, uses wild yeasts wherever possible and applies minimal sulphur. His Chenin Blanc and Syrah are superb examples, while just down the road, Sebastian Beaumont makes some of the best Chenin in South Africa from low-yielding old vines.

In an even remoter wine 'region', the hilly Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, Ian Smorthwaite makes some highly drinkable Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah from vines thought to be the highest in South Africa - 1140m - like Abingdon. 

Last but not least as they come two of the oldest estates in Stellenbosch, both dating back to the 17th century,  the wines of Muratie and Spier must be mentioned. Tragically, the former's winemaker, Francois Conradie died of cancer in January in his mid-thirties, but Francois Haasbroek has stepped ably into his shoes according to owner, Rijk Melck.

The harvest has gone well with the Cabernet looking especially promising. Spier's hugely experienced and capable winemaker, Frans Smit, something of a Stellenbosch legend, continues to craft a wide range of quality reds and whites at a competitive price. His Creative Block no 2, a Sauvignon Blanc-dominated blend, won best white wine of the year in late 2013 at the SAA awards, while his Creative Block no 5 2009, a Bordeaux blend, received rare praise from Hugh Johnson for a New World wine and is available through Laithwaites.