New Chianti vineyards to hit UK on-trade

The Buyer on the Road: 3 Chianti wineries set to hit UK on-trade

It does not take too much of an incentive to travel to Tuscany over the summer months, but acting on a tip-off from a Master of Wine friend, Geoffrey Dean travels to the region to visit and discover three Chianti producers that he believes are well worth making a note of and even more importantly are targeting expansion in the UK on-trade.

By Geoffrey DeanAugust 25, 2017

Tasting the wines of Viticcio, Castello di Radda and Campriano – three Chianti wineries that are producing fine wines and deserve greater recognition.

Growing demand in the UK on-trade for Chianti could create a window for three producers from Italy’s most celebrated wine region, none of whom are particularly well-known but whose quality and value-for-money are self-evident.

Campriano which distributes through Haynes, Hanson & Clark, Viticcio, and Castello di Radda, which is seeing UK distribution, are looking to increase exports to these shores as The Buyer learnt on a recent visit to the wineries in Tuscany.

Viticcio: good wine for pubs and wine bars and some premium too

Viticcio, which has 30 hectares under vine just outside the delightful little town of Greve, exports the vast majority of its wines, but only 8% of these exports reach the UK, with the US taking as much as 60% through its distribution with ABC Fine Wines. The winery wants to increase the British uptake to 25%, a more than realistic target given the drinkability of the wines.

Daniele Innocenti, winemaker at Viticcio, declares that the wines “are made in the vineyard not cellar.” He prefers to employ low levels of sulphur dioxide (25ml/l of free SO2 for his reds and 35 ml/l for his whites and rosé). Nor does he like to use excessive new oak, in fact he uses none at all for his Chianti Classico, a third for his Chianti Classico Riserva and 50% for his two most expensive wines, the Prunaio Gran Selezione and the Monile, a Bordeaux blend.

Daniele Innocenti

Eighty per cent of Viticcio’s vines are Sangiovese, with the oldest being 35 years and yielding between 40-45 hl/ha. The other varietals are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Pugnitello (an indigenous grape) and Vermentino. The vineyards are situated at around 430m, helping to extend the diurnal range and preserve acidity.

The 2016 Vermentino ‘Greppico’ (sold locally for €8) is great value, being fresh and limey. Picked in the first week of September, it has vibrant acidity with a pH of 3.2 and TA 7g/l. The similarly-priced 2016 Rose ‘Massaia’ (85% Sangiovese and 15% Merlot) spent six hours on the skins and is a lovely easy-drinker. This year Innocenti plans to pick the grapes for it in August to reduce the abv of 14%.

If both those value wines are ideal for pubs and wine bars, so too is the Chianti Classico 2014 (€11), with its very approachable tannins, brisk acidity and decent length. The 2015, tasted from a tank sample, had more overt tannins but is considered by Innocenti as ‘the best vintage of the last 20 years in Chianti Classico.’

In 2013, the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico added another bracket, Gran Selezione, to the region’s quality pyramid. Produced from a single vineyard or an estate’s best grapes, it must be aged for at 30 months (six months more than the Riserva).

Viticcio’s Prunaio Gran Selezione 2013 (€25) was still quite a young wine but its tannins were starting to mesh quite well. With generous black Sangiovese fruit (blackberry and black cherry), it was complex with impressive concentration and length. The Monile 2011 (80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot) is Toscana IGT and worthy of Super Tuscan status, yet excellent value at €35. Its intensity was notable.

Castello di Rada turning its attentions to premium on-trade

Castello di Radda possesses 36 hectares under vine just outside the delectable village of Radda. These are some of the most picturesque vineyards in Tuscany, and apart from Sangiovese, feature Merlot, Canaiolo and the white grape, Colorino. The wines are only available in the UK in the off-trade at present, but the management is very keen to target the on-trade.

1500 bottles of the Castello di Radda’s Rosato 2016 (12% abv, €9), a typical Chianti rosé, were sent to the UK, and ought to be of interest to the on-trade. The same would apply to the 2014 Chianti Classico (€13) with its red cherries, soft tannins and nice length. The 2015 was bigger and more complex with more appealing fruit. The 2012 Riserva (€23) had gorgeous fruit and excellent length. The 2012 Gran Selezione (€35) was also outstanding, absorbing 80% new oak very easily.

Castello di Radda has been looking to reduce the amount of new oak it uses. Its voluptuous ‘Guss’ 2011 (100% Merlot, only made in the best vintages) was wonderfully rich, round and silky. The 2014 Guss (which saw half a much new oak – 40% – as the 2011) was a different style, being more elegant and not as big. Another cracking wine, it would be ideal for a top-end restaurant.

Campriano exporting a third of its value Chianti to the UK

Ranuccio Neri

Completing a triumvirate of superb Chianti producers which deserve greater recognition is Campriano, south of Siena, near the pretty village of Murlo. Winemaker Ranuccio Neri exports a third of his 30,000 bottles per year to the UK, where it is available through the Wineservice (Surrey) and Haynes, Hanson & Clark.

“English people really appreciate the way we make the wines,” he told me. “They must be light and elegant, and the fruit must be evident, so the cleanness is vital. There must not be too much alcohol, tannins or wood. I use only old oak.” His Chianti Colli Senesi 2014 and his Stile di Campriano Rosso 2015 (Toscana IGT) are both terrific value at €7 and €12 respectively.

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Why Franciacorta is Premier League

Why Franciacorta is Premier League material

Premium on-trade in the UK is one of the major export targets for Franciacorta, the Italian sparkling wine that is closer to Champagne in production than its popular rival Prosecco. Geoffrey Dean travels to the North Italian region and visits the top producers we should be looking out for, arguing that the wine is ‘Premier League’ compared to Prosecco’s ‘Championship’.

By Geoffrey Dean August 7, 2017

Ca’del Bosco, Ferghettina, Mosnel, Monte Rossa and Contadi Castaldi are just some of the Franciacorta producers recommended to try.

Prosecco consumption continues to climb in the UK, but another Italian sparkling wine wants a bigger piece of the action. Franciacorta, the premium bubbly from a small denomination near the Italian lakes east of Milan, currently exports only 15% of its annual production of 17.5 million bottles but wants to increase that to 30-40%.

The UK, USA and Japan are Franciacorta’s three major export markets, and the UK on-trade is seen as one of the key places to target. “We think the British restaurants, wine bars and clubs are exactly where Franciacorta can be increasingly popular,” Vittorio Moretti, president of the Franciacorta Consorzio told The Buyer on a trip to the region.

“But we need to get Franciacorta better known, grow brand awareness and make people understand the quality. We also want more wine tourism here as this is a beautiful area to visit.”

Vittorio Moretti

Make no mistake on both counts for those with limited or no experience of Franciacorta. The quality of the product is unmistakable, and the region, while small at 600 square kilometres, is a fabulous one to holiday in and take in some local producers. Midway between Milan and Verona, it lies very close to the stunning Lago d’Iseo, which has a jewel of an island in the middle of it named Monte Isola.

More on wine tourism there later, but as far as Franciacorta sparkling wine is concerned, it is, to use a footballing analogy, Premier League in quality while Prosecco is predominantly Championship or League One. For a start, Franciacorta is made using the traditional method while Prosecco employs the tank method. The latter is produced from the Glera varietal but Franciacorta from the higher quality Champagne grapes. It also gets a long time on the lees. Enough said.

The cellar door at Ca’del Bosco

One of Franciacorta’s best known producers is Ca’del Bosco (literally ‘House of the Wood’ as it has lots of chestnut trees).

The first vineyard was planted in 1968, and now the company has 207 hectares under vine (all certified organic) in nine different villages. Their altitude of over 450m encourages a wide diurnal range, while Lago d’Iseo, 4-5km away, has a moderating influence on temperatures. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the grapes used for the sparkling wines, although some Pinot Blanc is used to adjust acidity. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and even some Carménère are grown for still wines.

The state of the art grape-washing system at Ca’del Bosco

Ca’del Bosco broke new ground in 2008 when, at a cost of €2.5m, they installed a state-of-the-art washing system of all grapes. This removes any impurities, such as insecticides, as well as any insects. They are the only winery in Franciacorta to follow this practice, keen as they are to maintain the same consistency in their annual production of 800,000 bottles of non-vintage sparkling. The company is keen to stress this washing process is not sterilisation.

Ca’del Bosco also comfortably exceeds the DOCG’s minimum requirement for time spent on lees: 18 months for non-vintage (compared to Ca’del Bosco 24); 30 months for vintage (cf 48); and 60 months for reserve wines (cf 7 years). Thanks to a corking machine Ca’del Bosco patented in 2005, which injects nitrogen into the bottle, they are able to reduce the usage of sulfites, which is very much part of their philosophy.

Innovation is common in Franciacorta. Another producer, Ferghettina, has come up with square bottles for its Milledi 2013 brand (100% Chardonnay). Why I wondered? “The shape gives a larger surface area for yeasts to settle, leading to more autolysis,” explained winemaker Laura Gatti. “Within five years, all our wines bar the Brut will go into square bottles.” Fergettina’s excellent range – from its Brut (NV, 95% Chardonnay, 30 months on lees, 6g/l dosage) up to its icon Riserva 33, 2009 (100% Chardonnay, 78 months on lees) is available in the UK through Boutinot.

Another top blanc de blancs we tasted was Mosnel’s EBB (Extra Brut Millessimato 2012), which is available through Vini Italiani in London (approx £36). Kept on the lees for 36 months, this was very fresh, with a fine, persistent mousse and notable minerality. The base wine was superb, with complexity, length, intensity and very appealing fruit. Dosage was not specified but understood to be between 3-6g/l.

For a pleasing rosé, Monte Rossa’s Flamingo Brut (approx £20 at Vinitaly) fits the bill. Made up of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir, it spent 24 months on the lees and possesses considerable intensity of flavour and vibrancy of fruit. Contadi Castaldi, whose UK distributors are Liberty Wines, also make an excellent rosé, not to mention a fine blanc de blancs and a complex blanc de noirs. Uberti and Cavalleri are two other good producers, but both are seeking UK distribution.

Contadi Costaldi

Two unusual styles of Franciacorta are worth mentioning: Pas Dosé (zero dosage) and Saten. Berlucchi’s ’61 Nature 2010 (the brand being named after the first year of Franciacorta production: 1961) spent five years on the lees, and is a notable example of zero dosage, being taut and very fresh with rasping acidity, and a very flavoursome citrus base wine (80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir). Annessa Imports in Enfield stock it.

Saten (which translates as ‘silky’) was a style introduced by Moretti at his Bellavista winery, and ‘given’ to the rest of Franciacorta, whose producers embrace it. White grapes only can be used for it (predominantly Chardonnay but also Pinot Blanc), and a maximum five bar of pressure is permitted. We came across some beguiling examples of Saten, which is characterised by its creaminess. Fergettina’s straw yellow 2013 vintage (£27) had strong almond notes, seductive fruit and a lengthy finish. Ca del Bosco’s 2012 Saten was complex and long with white peach notes.

Finally, wine tourism is growing very fast in Franciacorta, and with good reason. “We have welcoming cellar doors, beautiful scenery and a rich history, with castles, monasteries and ruins,” Silvano Brescianini, vice-president of the Franciacorta Consorzio, said. “In the last two years, AirBnB bookings have increased 300%.But we would love to have more visitors.”

Take it from me: Franciacorta should be on every wine lover’s must-visit list.

Leading Grandes Pagos estates

The Buyer on the road: top Spanish Grandes Pagos estates

When Grandes Pagos de España was established 17 years ago it was to recognise high quality individual Spanish wineries that were outside of the boundaries of traditional appellations. We decided to visit six of them to see if the original criteria were still being applied and taste the standard of the 19 Grandes Pagos wineries that are represented in the UK.

By Geoffrey DeanJuly 5, 2017

The six Grandes Pagos de España wineries we visited are Mustiguillo (DO Valencia), Enrique Mendoza (Alicante), Mas Doix (Priorat), Cervoles (Costers del Segre), Chivite and Arinzano (both Navarra). 

It is now 17 years since Grandes Pagos de España was founded, an association of some of Spain’s smaller single estates that produce premium wines with their own grapes. If it remains something of a mystery why the grouping, which now numbers 28 wineries, is not better known among UK consumers, Grandes Pagos are firmly intent on spreading their word only to the British on-trade.

Mas Doix owner, Valenti Llagostera

Make no mistake, their word – together with their produce – is worth paying attention to. UK importers currently stock 18 of the estates’ wines, and a 19th, Mas Doix, are looking for representation after parting company with OW Loeb.

The association is at pains to point out that it is not a commercial one. The central aim is to promote the vino de ‘pago’ (Spanish for ‘estate’) as well as the excellence of its wines. Twice a year, all 28 winemakers try and get together for technical knowledge sharing.

Every winemaking region in Spain is represented in Grandes Pagos apart from the Balearic islands. The association hopes an estate from there will join, but any aspiring winery must pass rigorous test conditions, including exhaustive tastings.

Once enrolled, member estates producing 40-100,000 bottles per year pay an annual subscription of €1500 plus a small amount per bottle. 90% of members make under 250,000 bottles and none more than half a million. Anyone producing less than 40,000 pays no sub. Subscriptions finance a Madrid-based marketing operation headed by Beatriz Hernandez.

And so we travelled to six of the best Grandes Pagos wineries

The Buyer recently visited six member estates: Mustiguillo (DO Valencia), Enrique Mendoza (Alicante), Mas Doix (Priorat), Cervoles (Costers del Segre), Chivite and Arinzano (both Navarra). We also tasted wines from all other 22 members, and were hugely impressed both by the quality and sense of place.

The old Bobal vines at Mustiguillo

Toni Sarrion champions the Bobal varietal at Mustiguillo, and inventively fashions outstanding examples of it. Bobal is the second most planted red grape in Spain, and while most of it produces bulk wine, his versions are high quality. The Finca Terrerazo 2015, made from old vines on glacial soils, showed superbly and is available through Berry Bros and FMV.

“The grape has so many virtues – colour, freshness, long life and personality,” he said. His top Quincha Corral label received 95 points for the 2001 vintage from Robert Parker, and the 2006 which we tasted was fabulous, and in no way over-extracted. Sarrion’s personally-designed 900l concrete fermentation tanks are made from sand off the property.

Cervoles barrels

Cervoles, like Mustiguillo, is certified organic, and is also distributed by Berry Bros. Its 31 hectares under vine lie just outside Priorat, but on very different soils (grey limestone) at an altitude of 700-800m. The fact a jersey in the evening there is necessary points to a wide diurnal range, and with it notable acidity retention and a low pH: 3.12 in Les Garrigues 2015, a Garnacha with seductive fruit, some spice and neatly integrated tannins.

The red ‘Colors’ 2014 (available through the Wine Society) is a very quaffable blend of Grenache, Tempranillo, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, with very attractive fruit and soft tannins. Cervoles also make a nice expression of Macabeo and Chardonnay, which are blended 50:50.

Some of Chivite’s extensive vineyards

Chivite, whose UK distributor is Enotria & Coe, is another estate whose vineyards are found at altitude (600-800m). Its outstanding Coleccion 125 from 2011, made up of 100% Tempranillo, has red cherry notes and notable concentration. Twelve months in 50% new French oak give it structure too.

“I love the 2011, which was very hot and dry,” winemaker Javier Izquierdo told The Buyer. At 13.5% abv, it is a well-balanced wine, its tannins being overt but well integrated.

Chivite’s single vineyard Chardonnay from 2014 is something of a Spanish classic. Barrel-fermented, and aged for nine months in 100% new oak, it has wonderful length and very fresh acidity (with a pH of 3.3 and malolactic fermentation prevented).

Julian Chivite

Another brilliant Chardonnay, one of the best white wines from Spain, is made by Arinzano, whose new UK distributors are Cellar Trends. This beautiful estate, with historic buildings at its heart, is very much one worth keeping an eye on.

Portuguese winemaker, Manuel Louzada, also crafts a superb single varietal Merlot from vines that have been certified organic. The wine comfortably absorbs the 100% new French oak in which it is aged for 10-11 months.

The Enrique Mendoza winery

The Enrique Mendoza winery sells around 4,000 bottles per annum through C&D Wines in London. Pepe Mendoza, whose father founded the estate, is a renowned viticulturalist who also makes the wines. Especially impressive was his ‘Estrecho’ label, made from 70-year old Monastrell vines.

“When we bought this vineyard in 2000, it was nearly dead,” Mendoza said. “But I believed in it, and after a lot of attention, it now produces wonderful fruit. A strong breeze helps add freshness.” The 2014, a terrific vintage, possesses minerality, real intensity of flavour and a long finish.

Mas Doix

One of the most prestigious wineries in Spain, Mas Doix, is seeking new distribution in the UK, although OW Loeb still has some stock. Sandra Doix, one of a number of talented female Spanish winemakers, produces a top-notch range of wines. At the lower end is Les Crestes 2015 (80% Grenache), a great value lower premium wine available at £19, and, at the top end, the icon ‘1902’ label (£165).

The latter is made from ultra low-yielding bush vines planted in 1902 on very steep, slate-based slopes at 500m. We tasted the 2006, 2010 and 2013 vintages, all of which were marked by vibrant acidity, beautifully integrated tannins, stunning fresh red fruit and layers of complexity. The 2010 was the pick, a ‘textbook’ vintage in the view of owner, Valenti Llagostera.

The Chivite wines are distributed by Enotria & Coe who are an official sponsor of The Buyer. Read more about them here. 

Testing CA Grands Crus' Bordeaux estates

The wines of the CA Grands Crus’ Bordeaux estates – Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, Château Meyney and Château La Tour de Mons – potentially offer UK buyers great value for money, especially after the financial impact of Brexit. Geoffrey Dean tastes a ten year vertical of the wines from these estates and picks the ones he feels delivers the most.

By Geoffrey DeanMay 16, 2017

Anne Le Naour, the technical director for all three CA Grands Crus’ Bordeaux estates, singles out 2014 as a great vintage to buy, preferring it over the more lauded vintage of 2015

A recent vertical tasting in London of the vintages between 2006 and 2016 from the CA (Credit Agricole) Grands Crus’ triumvirate of Medoc estates – Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, Château Meyney and Château La Tour de Mons – threw up some pleasant surprises. Not from the more celebrated vintages of 2009 and 2010, or 2015 and 2016, but from the less heralded years of 2011, 2012 and 2014.

Meyney, the St-Estephe cru bourgeois, invariably punches above its weight to offer genuine value-for-money, and its 2014 showed superbly. Made up of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 15% Petit Verdot, it boasted fabulous fruit.

Anne Le Naour, technical director (r) for all three CA Grands Crus’ Bordeaux estates

“I love it, the 2014, with its mass of fresh fruit,” purred Anne Le Naour, the technical director for all three chateaux. “It’s an affordable vintage, and it’s like a blend of 2009 and 2010 in my view.”

Interestingly, Le Naour actually prefers the 2014 vintage to 2015.

“We are lucky to have 2014, 2015 and 2016, which are three vintages that all have real quality,” she told The Buyer. “For me, 2014 is higher than 2015 in general, not just at Meyney. As for 2016, it was huge and an extraordinary surprise. We only discovered how good it was when people from outside came in and tasted and said ‘wow’. We said ‘are you sure?’ We lived it from the inside and couldn’t realise the quality potential of it.”

The tannins in the 2016 grand vin of Grand-Puy Ducasse, the Pauillac fifth growth, were certainly very overt but its structure and power were as apparent. The same applied to the Margaux estate, La Tour du Mons, from that same vintage. No Meyney 2016 samples were available for tasting but, by way of compensation, its 2006 (60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot) drank delectably, with black truffles giving it a beguiling nose.

The engaging Le Naour believes that important changes made at the start of the decade in the vineyards at both Meyney and Grand-Puy Ducasse have raised the quality bar.

“The canopies were very very low on those two properties, so we had to raise them by increasing the height of the trellising,” she revealed. “It was a good idea, even if very expensive as you have to change all equipment including tractors. It was done in three different years as result, although not at Tour de Mons where it was not necessary. The cost was close to 1 million Euros.”

One important change in vinification that Le Naour instigated the year after her arrival in 2010 was management of extraction. She brought in a longer, more gentle maceration period of 30 days (from 21 previously) with lower extraction. The tannins in the Grand-Puy Ducasse 2012 were resultingly softer and more approachable.

La Tour de Mons, once a cru superieur until the classification was annulled in 2007, contrasts nicely with the other two CA Grands Crus estates. Whereas both those have a preponderance of Cabernet Sauvignon, 55% of Tour de Mons’ vineyards are planted to Merlot.

The chateau also has some Cabernet Franc, unlike the other two. Its 2009 is drinking well already, while the voluptuous 2015, its tannins neatly integrated, had a long finish. Definite value there.

None of the three CA Grands Crus Bordeaux estates are certified organic, but Le Naour talks of the ‘lower environmental impact’ the company aims to have in those and at Blaignan, its fourth Medoc estate. “In general, we want to preserve biodiversity, and that means using less chemical products,” she said. “It’s not a strategic choice right now but we are working on a concept of what we call more reasonable farming.”

Under the considered guidance of Le Naour and long-time managing director, Thierry Budin, CA Grands Crus’ stable of Medoc chateaux, is producing top-notch wines that continue to improve. For British buyers mindful of currency fluctuations, these are likely to become increasingly attractive given their high quality at very fair prices.

Making History in Kent

Domaine Evremond and Simpsons making history in Kent

As Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger plants the first of 20 hectares of vines in Kent, so he makes history by being the first French Champagne house to plant vines in England. The farm at Chilham has been re-named Domaine Evremond after Pierre-Emmanuel’s Eighteenth Century ancestor and Pierre-Emmanuel explains to Geoffrey Dean what the company plans to do in the UK and his love of English sparkling wine. On the same day, Simpsons wine estate was also making a bit of history of its own by undergoing massive expansion.

By Geoffrey Dean May 9, 2017

We will have to wait until 2023 for the first of bottles of Domaine Evremond to be ready to drink. Taittinger plans to produce 300,000 bottles a year with the estate doubling in size over the next two to three years. Simpsons, meanwhile, are targeting 250,000 bottles of English sparkling wine per annum.

Historic moment: Pierre Emmanuel Taittinger and Patrick McGrath MW of Hatch Mansfield plant their first vines at Domaine Evremond

A little bit of history was written in Kent this week when Taittinger became the first Grande Marque Champagne house to plant vines in the UK with a view to making premium English sparkling wine.

The five-day planting sessions, which began to great fanfare last Wednesday, saw the first of 100,000 vines go into English terra firm over some 20 hectares. These comprised 9.7 ha of Pinot Noir, 7.3 ha of Chardonnay and 3 ha of Pinot Meunier.

Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger and his family, along with members of his Champenois technical team, were joined by members of the British wine trade and associates on what used to be Stone Stile Farm, an East Kent property near the village of Chilham.

A former fruit farm, it was bought from Mark Gaskain, one of a group of private investors who have collaborated with Taittinger and their UK distributors, Hatch Mansfield, to make the venture possible. Taittinger have a controlling 55% stake, and have renamed the farm Domaine Evremond after the Champagne-loving Frenchman, who was exiled to England and eventually buried in Westminster Abbey in 1703.

The flamboyant Pierre-Emmanuel spoke of his ‘great affection’ for Kent and England.

“My father twinned Canterbury with Reims when he was mayor of the latter in the 1950s,” he said. “We have been very impressed by the quality of English sparkling wine, and we believe the combination of chalk soils, climate and topography of our site in Kent are very similar to our terroir in Champagne.”

Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger

Addressing a dozen or so Kent producers who attended the planting, he added: “Be sure, we will try to be at your level with Evremond. We are all here to develop a signature of excellency, and we are going to do something very nice in this beautiful part of the world. We are going to reinforce the human project of our two teams – this human factor for me is absolutely essential. The Brexit does not exist in our hearts. I put Evremond under the protection of the Queen.”

Taittinger plan to increase the Chilham vineyards to a total of 40 hectares over the next two to three years. The first premium English sparkling wine from Domaine Evremond should be released in 2023, after three years of lees ageing. The goal eventually is to produce 300,000 bottles per annum, although the company are keen to buy or rent another site in Kent. It must, however, be below 100 metres, south-facing, on chalk and sheltered.

Simpsons also planted 40,000 new vines on the same day in Kent

Fifteen miles or so East of Chilham, at Barham on the other side of Canterbury, can be found Simpsons, an English wine estate which itself planted 40,000 new vines on the same day as Evremond.

Charles & Ruth Simpson

This takes its total area under vine to 90 acres after prior plantings in 2014 and 2016 in their Roman Road vineyard.

Owned by Charles and Ruth Simpson, who started making wine in the Languedoc at Domaine Sainte Rose in the early millennium, the winery produced its first wine last year –  680 bottles of a still Chardonnay from 100% estate-grown fruit. The ambitious Simpsons want, however, to concentrate their efforts on premium sparkling wine made from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, with 250,000 bottles per year the target.

The first release of their sparkling wine will be in December 2018. Naked Wines has already pre-sold around 80% of it.

“We wanted to set aside a small quantity of Chardonnay to make our first still wine from the estate, and we are very happy with the result,” Charles Simpson told The Buyer. “Primary and malolactic fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks in our new winery, before the wine spent three months in French oak barrels. If the weather allows, we hope to be able to continue to produce a small amount of the Roman Road Chardonnay in future years.”

KWV: a great South African institution

KWV: Preparing itself for another century of proud history

As KWV prepares to celebrate one century of being in business, Geoffrey Dean profiles this South African company that has always prided itself on being a grape grower, grape buyer and wine blender.

By Geoffrey Dean April 26, 2017

The Mentors range of wines are picked out from the hundred products made by KWV as being of particularly good value for the UK on-trade. 

Now in its 100th year, KWV – Ko-operatiewe Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid-Afrika (Winegrowers Cooperative Association of South Africa) – has embarked on yet another chapter in its long history.

KWV ceased functioning as a cooperative 20 years ago when it became a private company. That same year it was presented with the President’s Award for export achievement by Nelson Mandela just seven years after sanctions against South Africa were lifted and international markets reopened.

Under the new ownership of Vivian Imerman’s Vasari Group, which acquired it last October for 1.15 billion Rand (around £700m), it is aiming to increase exports of its wide-ranging array of wines whose premium label, The Mentors, offers exceptional value at a uniform RRP of £14.99. More on that later.

While no longer a cooperative, the company still plays an important part in buying fruit from scores of growers in the western Cape. The number varies, but as The Buyer learnt on a recent visit to KWV headquarters in Paarl, grapes from the latest harvest were supplied by as many as 44 growers.

This is KWV’s great strength: it is able to acquire fruit from multiple districts and wards in the western Cape, allowing it to make wine from many different terroirs and micro-climates.

Established in 1918 as a regulatory body for the South African wine industry, KWV now makes over 100 products, including brandies and both still and fortified wines, that are sold in more than 100 countries. When it comes to establishing successful brands, KWV has proved to be highly proficient.

A good example is the mid-market Cathedral Cellar label that is selling well in the Co-op in the UK at an £11.99 price point. KWV have long specialised in skilful blending, and their 2015 Chardonnay is an amalgam of fruit from five districts: Elgin, Swartland, Stellenbosch, Walker Bay and Wellington.Premium representation can be found in The Mentors range, which includes five single varietals – Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Chenin Blanc – as well as a Bordeaux blend called The Orchestra.

These are all impressive wines, with the reds possessing both intensity of flavour and well-integrated tannins. The complex and long Orchestra 2013 won an IWSC Gold.

North South Wines in West Drayton are the UK distributors, and have increased British sales since KWV appointed them just over a year ago. Good representation in restaurants is evident, with High Timber, Savanna, Cheshire Smokehouse, The Bingham, The Cavendish, The Laughing Gravy, The Ralston and The Yellowhouse all stocking these wines.

Both Cabernets are being sold by Slurp, SH Jones and Ocado. The latter also has the wonderfully concentrated Petit Verdot 2014, which has effortlessly absorbed 70% new oak.

KWV head winemaker Wim Truter

If the reputation of KWV’s wines has been enhanced lately, its stature as a great brandy producer has never been in doubt.

KWV made its first brandy in Paarl in 1926, and its distillery in Worcester is unique in that it has as many as 120 pot stills under one roof.  Ilse du Toit, the company’s master blender, presides over a big range of outstanding brandies, including the excellent ten-year old which North South stock. The rare 30-year retails in South Africa at R20,000 per bottle (around £1200).

When KWV celebrates its 100th anniversary next year, it can, in cricketing parlance, take guard again and look forward with real optimism to the start of its second century.

UK consumers, in particular, should have increasing opportunities to buy more of its labels, and enjoy wines that are superbly priced.

Robertson: gaining notoriety in the Cape

Why Robertson is gaining influence in the Western Cape

Once the Western Cape’s hidden gem, Robertson is fast becoming an important wine region both for wine production and wine tourism. Geoffrey Dean travelled there and found world class quality wines, dramatic scenery and plenty of intriguing characters, none less than Pieter ‘Bubbles’ Ferreira of Graham Beck whose sparkling wines have won international awards as well as having advocates in the shape of Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama.

By Geoffrey Dean March 8, 2017

Graham Beck, De Wetshof, Springfield, Zandvliet, Excelsior Estate, Esona, Wolfkloof and Kranskop are the wineries highlighted during the Buyer’s visit to Robertson, an area that still bears the hallmarks of its early Scottish influence.

Although it may not possess the bling of Stellenbosch or the Franschhoek Valley, another wine district in the western Cape, Robertson, is enjoying a major rise in its profile. If its erstwhile reputation for bulk wine production deflected attention from its premium sparkling and white wines, stellar wineries like Graham Beck, De Wetshof and Springfield are attracting ever increasing numbers to their cellar doors. Throw in a whole host of quality boutique wineries, the beautiful scenery of the Breede River Valley and the Langeberg Mountain range, as well as the delightful art deco Montagu Hotel, and you have all the ingredients for another premier wine tourism destination. Only two hours’ drive from Cape Town, it is very accessible.

Leading Robertson’s charge has been Graham Beck, not just South Africa’s sparkling wine champion but also winner of the Tri Nations bubbly challenge organised by The Buyer’s Roger Jones. Cellar master Pieter ‘Bubbles’ Ferreira is in no doubt as to the basis of Robertson’s success.

“Limestone is the big secret here,” he revealed. “We have the richest natural limestone deposits in the western Cape. All our peers and competitors in the Cap Classique  [sparkling] category are buying Robertson fruit, which is more forgiving and has more flavour than elsewhere. “So we most probably have proven a point. Limestone stone ensures low pH and natural acidity, so it’s ideal for bubblies.”

Pieter Ferreira, winemaker at Graham Beck

Robertson’s other great natural asset is its diurnal range, one of the widest in the western Cape. Most afternoons, a cooling breeze comes in to offset the morning heat.

“I love talking about it because we can have a 38-40 degree day but at night need to put on a jersey,” Ferreira continued. “Show me another area that’s got this. This diurnal shift is a big quality factor.”

Bibendum, Graham Beck’s UK distributor for the past 14 years, reports that demand for the winery’s bubbly in the UK is rising by 27% per annum. In the USA, the annual increase is even higher at 32%, helped no doubt by Barack Obama’s public endorsement of Graham Beck sparklings when he was President. Nelson Mandela did the same in South Africa.

Vineyards at Graham Beck

To satisfy this new demand, the winery’s owner, Anthony Beck, who lives in Kentucky, wants to increase annual production from the current level of 1.2m bottles to two million. Two years ago, output was 800,000 bottles and ten years ago 500,000.

“Our average take per hectare is 12 tons,” Ferreira said. “In Champagne, who are feeling the pressure as Prosecco gives them a run for their money, the average yield over the last four years is 14.5 to 15 tons per hectare. We produce 2200 tons in Robertson and need another 800 from other geographical areas.  We have a reserve wine programme so that we can keep the consistency and continuity going.”

De Wetshof’s cellar door

Robertson is not just about the sparkling wines

No less consistently good a producer is De Wetshof, which arguably makes South Africa’s best and widest range of Chardonnay. The de Wet family crafts five different versions of the varietal from the unoaked Limestone Hill label to the flagship Bateleur, which sees 100% new oak and comes from 30-year old, ultra low-yielding vines. Ellis of Richmond distributes these along with a promising Pinot Noir.

Just down the road from De Wetshof can be found the welcoming cellar door of Springfield, whose ‘Life from Stone’ label is one of South Africa’s most appealing Sauvignon Blancs.

Just released is their Methode Ancienne Cabernet Sauvignon 1997, which was aged for three and half years 18 metres under water in galvanised cages in the Indian Ocean off Cape Agulhas. It showed superbly.

Springfield

So too did Zandvliet’s Hill of Enon ‘Small Berry Pick’ Shiraz 2015. One of the oldest estates in Robertson, with a lovely old Cape Dutch manor house that is being converted into a top-end guesthouse, it comprises 800 hectares, of which only 60 are now under vine.

As much as 340 hectares are citrus-planted, the new owners opting for apple production that can be three times more profitable than grapes in South Africa.

The Zandvliet manor house

Adjacent to Zandvliet is the Excelsior Estate, the number one South African brand in the USA to which it exports 85,000 cases per year. Its entry-level wines also go to the UK, as does its mid-market San Luis Shiraz 2013. That label takes its name from an Excelsior racehorse (the estate also being a renowned thoroughbred stud), which won the Cape’s 2000 Guineas in 1981 and, with it, the then considerable prize money of 100,000 Rand. The sum bailed out the winery that year when all of its vines were washed away by floods.

Excelsior’s manor house is a delightful place to stay after its conversion to a B&B; likewise the Montagu Hotel in the beautiful little town of Montagu fifteen miles east of Robertson. The actual wine district of Robertson has as many as nine wards (or sub-appellations), more than any other in the western Cape.

Montagu Hotel owner, Gert Lubbe’s classic American cars

Two of these wards are Bonnievale and McGregor, names that point to early Scottish influence. One Scottish descendant, Rowan Beattie, owns Esona, a promising boutique winery that exports to the UK through The Real Wine Company.

Other winemakers to watch out for in the region

Despite its name, though, Robertson is predominantly Afrikaans. Jan Kannenmeyer at the splendidly-named Wolfkloof makes some interesting wine, while Newald Marais, the former Nederburg winemaker, is crafting some superb single varietals, including Viognier and Tannat, at Kranskop.

The view from the Viljoensdrift winery

A visit to this stunningly appointed winery is a must, for Marais is a charming host and the views spectacular. Viljoensdrift’s cellar door, too, is worth seeking out, being right by the Breede River and offering cruises up and down it.

It is easy to see, therefore, why Robertson has become one of the fastest growing wine destinations in the western Cape. The wines have the requisite quality, the district is full of characters, the locals friendly and the scenery dramatic.  Once the western Cape’s hidden gem, it is now thrusting itself into the limelight.

Mudgee NSW: a region of great potential

On the road: we visit Mudgee, an Aussie region worth re-appraising

While sommeliers and wine buyers flock to the various Australia Day tastings that are occurring this week in the UK, Geoffrey Dean reports from Mudgee, New South Wales, a region that has been producing wine since 1822 and, he argues, deserves much greater recognition for the unique quality of its wines.

By Geoffrey Dean January 24, 2017

The white wines from Mudgee have an umami-like sweetness in the mid palate and the reds have a soy sauce acidity – characters of the wines due to the 500+ metre elevation.

The Hunter Valley may the best known wine region in New South Wales, but it is not quite the oldest. For, as long ago as 1822, wine was first produced in Mudgee by the Cox family, who had emigrated from Britain. Although mainly sheep and cattle farmers, the Cox family planted vines, which were augmented by German emigres in the ensuing decades.

Robert Oatley chose Mudgee for its HQ

Descendants of theirs, the Steins, are among the best contemporary winemakers in Mudgee,  although much the biggest and best-known producer in the region is Robert Oatley Vineyards, whose wines are widely available internationally, with Hatch Mansfield distributing in the UK. The fact that the Robert Oatley brand picked Mudgee for its home base says much about the region.

The pretty but unprepossessing town, a three-hour drive north-west of Sydney, has only 22,000 inhabitants but its surrounding altitude of 450-550 metres means its vineyard sites have a wide diurnal range and therefore preserve acidity better than warmer regions like the Hunter Valley. Indeed, Mudgee makes some outstanding Rieslings and Chardonnays, as well as some fine red wines from a number of varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Grenache and even Zinfandel.

The view of the Mudgee area taken from Logan Wines

The Oatley family, with Sandy the new chairman of the company after Bob’s death last year, have 150 hectares under vine in Mudgee, with a whole host of quality levels right up to super-premium.

The massive new facility they have at Mudgee allows them to bottle half a million bottles per month there, making it one of Australia’s most important concerns.

Juice in refrigerated trucks comes in from Oatley-owned vineyards all over the country, most notably from Western Australia, three days drive away. As much as 1.5 million litres from that state alone makes its way to the Mudgee winery every year. Rob Merrick, the head winemaker, crafts some notable examples from Mudgee fruit.

Rob Merrick, head winemaker at Robert Oately

The Montrose Black Mudgee Shiraz 2014, from the two best blocks for that varietal, showed particularly well, its tannins being beautifully integrated. Matured in 40% new oak, it had a mixture of appealing red and black fruit. The Pennant Chardonnay 2013, made from Mudgee vines planted in 1961, was a superb wine, being elegant and very long.

Jacob Stein, whose ancestor of the same name emigrated to New South Wales from Germany in 1838, is another talented winemaker, producing some of the best Riesling from the region. The Robert Stein Vineyard, named after his grandfather who established the site, has some 42-year old Riesling vines on gravel and schist that yield a reserve label of exceptional quality – very long with the most vibrant acidity. Jacob’s father, Andrew, handles marketing and sales, and set up one of Mudgee’s most celebrated winery restaurants, the splendidly-named Pipeclay Pumphouse. Its corrugated iron exterior would not be out of place on the set of a Mad Max film, but the cuisine is world-class. Chef Andy Crestani worked at many of Sydney’s top restaurants before settling in Mudgee.

Stein Vineyard’s restaurant wouldn’t look out of place in Mad Max

Trying to pin down what makes Mudgee wines unique

Mudgee actually has a number of excellent places to eat for those who want to visit the region for two or three days. In town, the Wineglass in Market Street serves some tasty fare, while another winery, Lowe Wines, does delicious lunches in what is a delightful setting.

The winemaker there, David Lowe, is an engaging character, who produces top-class Riesling, Shiraz and Zinfandel. Having made wine in the Hunter Valley for the late Len Evans, a legend of the Australian wine industry, Lowe returned to the town of his birth at the start of the millennium. Lowe succinctly pinpointed what Mudgee wine is all about. “Len used to tell me that you have got to find the common thread in a region’s wine,” Lowe said. “When I first came here, I got a couple of serious wine tasters together over lunch, Max Allen and Robert Paul, and lined up a case of Mudgee wine from a dozen different producers.

David Lowe, winemaker at Lowe Wines

They both said the common thread the white wines have is this thickness and texture in the middle palate, which is seen as sugar but isn’t. It’s a non-fermentable sugar. This was way before umami was talked about. It was probably more to do with phenolic compounds than anything else.

“In the red wines, it was a soya sauce acidity, a middle palate acidity. They reckoned that’s why Mudgee wines don’t taste too alcoholic or get that hotness. If you look at McLaren Vale wines of similar alcohol, there’s a hotness or a sweetness, a slight jamminess. Here, because we’re continental, with 500-metre elevation, we’ve got acidity which can hide that level of alcohol.”

This certainly applied to a leading red Mudgee producer, Huntington Estate, whose Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz is superb. The Vinifera winery, which is certified organic, is another good example, its fruit being vinified by Jacob Stein on behalf of owner, Tony McKendry.

Stein makes wine for 22 local growers, who have no equipment to do so. Nearly 180 years after his ancestors arrived in Australia, Stein is helping to fly the flag for Mudgee along with the region’s big daddy, Robert Oatley Vineyards.

How Vinho Verde is targeting UK growth

The UK is currently seventh most important international market for Vinho Verde exports from northern Portugal, but that looks set to change if the top producers there have anything to do about it. Geoffrey Dean travelled through the region for The Buyer to discover some wines that deliver top quality and excellent value for money – by catering for a traditional and new Vinho Verde consumer.

Read the full article on The Buyer - Dec 2016

The fairytale of Chateau Biac

The fairytale of Château Biac: putting Cadillac on the map

Geoffrey Dean attends a pre-Christmas tasting held by Sheldon’s to showcase two reds and a stickie produced by Château Biac, a property that has ex-Mouton Patrick Leon as a consultant and a stunning aspect in Cadillac, 20k south of Bordeaux.

By Geoffrey DeanDecember 23, 2016

The past decade has seen Château Biac transformed under the hands of the Lebanese family headed up by Tony Asseily.

Tony Asseily, owner of Château Biac in Bordeaux tells a lovely story of a dinner party conversation he had in France soon after he and his wife Youmna bought the estate in 2006.

“That evening, I met the celebrated oenologist Patrick Leon, and by chance he was talking about wineries in the Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux appellation,” Asseily recalled.

“And Patrick said: ‘There’s just one property there with the terroir and aspect to make truly great wine, and that’s a place called Biac.’

When I chipped in ‘I’ve just bought it,’ we fell about laughing.”

Chateau Biac, with the Garonne river in the background

Leon had just retired after two decades as managing director of Château Mouton-Rothschild, where he oversaw technical operations, but Asseily used all his powers of persuasion to lure him into becoming a consultant for Biac. The rest, as they say, is history, for the winery, which Asseily admits was in ‘terrible shape’ when he bought it, has had a massive facelift and is back to producing wines of outstanding quality.

They showed beautifully at a pre-Christmas dinner organised by Biac’s UK importers, Sheldon’s, in their 1840s cellars in Shipston-on-Stour, south Warwickshire.

Where exactly is Château Biac?

It lies some 20km south of the city of Bordeaux, on the hills above the pretty village of Langoiran. With wonderful views from the 1755 château over the Garonne River, the 9.8 hectares of vineyards lie in one of the most stunning spots in the region. More importantly, the estate has both a superb terroir, with a richly varied soil make-up, as well as ideal topography.

The steep incline of the slopes provides not just excellent drainage but also optimises south/south-west sun exposure. Good ventilation and humidity, provided by the Garonne below, protect the vines from spring frost and excessive summer heat.

The predominantly gravel upper slopes are perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon, while the clay-limestone soil further down suits Cabernet Franc and Merlot very well. Adjoining silt and sand plots are also ideal for Merlot, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.

Biac’s range features three reds and a sweet white

Chateau Biac’s Grand Vin

The Grand Vin, the Château Biac 2010 was very dark, a dollop of Petit Verdot adding colour to the other three traditional Bordeaux varietals. Black fruit, together with liquorice and chocolate notes, was apparent.

Hugely concentrated, this is a complex wine with good balance and a very long finish. 40% new oak gave it added structure. The 2009 was very perfumed, with less overt tannins, and another stunning offering. It retails at £38.

‘B de Biac’

Around half the price is the ‘B de Biac’ 2011 (81% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon). Interestingly, the 2012 had 57% Merlot with 43% Cabernet Sauvignon.The soft tannins, juicy red fruit and lively acidity of 2011 made this very appealing, and enough to persuade both The Shard Restaurant and 67, Pall Mall in London to list it. Andy Murray’s hotel near Dunblane, the Cromlix, also has it. Sheldons took 100 cases.

“Secret de Biac’

The ‘Cuvée Felix de Biac’, the chateau’s third wine, was not available for tasting, but the botrytised ‘Secret de Château de Biac’ underlined how good sweet Cadillac can be. The 2009 was 100% Semillon (although more recent vintages contain some Sauvignon Blanc after that was replanted) with residual sugar of 86 g/l. Apricot notes and a gorgeous texture, allied to vibrant acidity and a lovely long, lingering finish, make this an absolute delight to drink.

Yasmina Asseily with father Tony

Biac currently exports 90% of their production to seven countries, with Asseily’s daughter, Yasmina, leading the sales and marketing drive. The Asseily family once lived in London, where Yasmina’s sister, Antonia, and brother, Gabriel, can still be found.

Like so many of their Lebanese forbears, they have made a major impact elsewhere in the world, and their success with Château Biac is a splendid case in point. They make you most welcome when staying in their estate cottages, which are proving very popular.