Bordeaux-Undiscovered

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T10:47:00.004Z

If Santa is enjoying a glass of wine at the North Pole this year he definitely didn't grow his grapes there . . . However in ancient times the Vikings founded a Norse settlement at the northern tip of the island of Newfoundland and named it Vinland after the grapes that grew there, so you never know . . .

In 1001 AD, nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus set sail, Leif Ericsson sailed from Greenland to explore this new coast and called it Vinland Hit Goda, or Wine Land the Good. Today the most northerly vineyard is in Norway.

As for what Santa might like to drink – apart from Ice Wine – I hope it is a glass of claret from Bordeaux . . . which, incidentally, lies halfway between the Equator and the North Pole so it would be a good stopping off point!

I know that this particular Santa is hoping for a glass of La Fleur Morange and a mince pie once he has filled our children's stockings!

Merry Christmas!

Chardonnay's Roots

2009-12-24T10:40:00.008Z

The press is reporting that the humble Gouais Blanc grape variety – once banned in Europe because of its poor quality – is the mother of Chardonnay. The wine world has know this since 1999 but the new study (reported in the latest issue of Biology Letters) by a team from Cambridge University lead by Professor Howe has shown that Gouais Blanc was the maternal parent in crosses with Pinot Noir that produced at least nine modern grape varieties.

What is interesting is that although it is known that Chardonnay is the offspring of Gouais Blanc and Pinot Noir the study found that Gouais Blanc is the “maternal” parent, which determines the important characteristics of the offspring. Gouais Blanc was held in low esteem in the late medieval and early modern periods. Typically, varieties of this sort were grown on flat land by peasants. The name Gouais derives from the old French adjective ‘gou’, a term of derision befitting its traditional status as the grape of the peasants. Between the late 16th and the 18th centuries, several attempts were made to ban Gouais Blanc and despite once being the most planted grape variety in North Eastern France it is now practically wiped out there.

It's believed that Gouais Blanc originated in Croatia and may have been given to the Gauls by Probus (Roman Emperor 276–282), who was from Pannonia and overturned Domitian's decree banning grape growing north of the Alps. Today it is still grown in Switzerland.

As well as being the maternal parent of Chardonnay the study found that Gouais Blanc was the maternal parent of Gamay Noir (used to make Beaujolais), Aligoté (used in Burgundy), Auxerrois (used in Crémant d'Alsace), Bachet, Franc Noir, Melon (used in Muscadet), Romorantin and Sacy. Pinot Noir was the maternal parent of Aubin Vert, Knipperlé and Roublot, with Gouais Blanc the male partner.

Chardonnay has had bad press due to the over oaked style being over exposed but the grape is the same grape used to make Chablis, Mersault and Champagne. Champagne, Chablis and Burgundy account for more than three-fifths of all Chardonnay plantings in France. The next largest concentration is found in the Languedoc where it is used to make crisp refreshing wines that have not been touched by oak.

The small co-operative, Les Vignobles Montagnac, located between Beziers
and Montpellier in the Languedoc Roussillon, makes a super chardonnay: Montagnac Chardonnay (£5.37). The co-operative dates back to the 1930s and the vineyards stretch from the banks of Thau Lagoon to the foothills of the mountains on the right bank of the River Hérault where the ancient river bed stones are similar to those of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The vines are grown in small parcels on old terraces on limestone and clay slopes and are pruned using the Cordon de Royat which means that a single spur is trained along a wire allowing for plenty of sunlight to ripen the grapes and greater control over yields. The co-operative's motto is “the terroir of the sea” as the warm breezes from the Mediterranean nurture their grapes.

Montagnac Chardonnay is a pale gold in colour and has flavours of crisp apple, citrus, pear and vanilla. In the mouth it is smooth and simple with good acidity and a nice little sherbet bite on the finish. It's a great wine to sit back with and enjoy on its own but it does pair well with food, tuna, oysters, chicken, turkey and pork in particular.

Everything's Coming Up Rosé For Christmas

2009-12-22T10:29:00.008Z

Our love affair with Rosé doesn't have to end with the Winter months (and indeed as yet it shows no signs of doing so). Rosé is a versatile wine made with good food in mind and there a styles which range from light to fuller bodied. Rosés are refreshing and can wash down your turkey, bread sauce and stuffing as well as cope with dessert.

I discovered a new Rosé recently and have added it to the shelves with Christmas in mind. Montagnac Syrah Rosé 2008 (Vin de Pays d'Oc) comes from a small co-operative, Les Vignobles Montagnac, located between Beziers and Montpellier in the Languedoc Roussillon.

This is a lovely pale strawberry pink Rosé, made from 100% Syrah (otherwise known as Shiraz) and is a fresh, crisp pale wine with the aromas of raspberries and violets. The Syrah Rosé has flavours of crushed ripe red fruits, with notes of mint and chocolate and costs £5.37. It is delicious with cheese dishes, poultry, seafood and spicier dishes such as Chinese or Thai cuisine.

Chateau Roques Mauriac Rosé 2005 (£6.40) was named as one of Jonathan Ray's Top Ten Favourite Wines in the Telegraph:

“This blend of 60 percent merlot and 40 percent cabernet franc from Entre Deux Mers in Bordeaux is a beguiling rosy pink with elusive hints of wild strawberries on the nose.

Light and understanding rather then full bodied and characterful, it is crisp, dry and very refreshing when serves chilled, either as an aperitif or with simple starters of smoked salmon or parma ham.”

Roques Mauriac comes from the Entre-Deux-Mers, (between two seas if translated literally), lying between the Dordogne and the Garonne Rivers. This is a predominantly white producing Appellation typically using the famous Bordeaux white grape varieties Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. However it is also an up and coming area for Rosé produced using Merlot and Cabernet Franc grape varieties. Wines from this region are well produced with good balance, fineness and lots of fruit. This Rosé is no exception.

Produced right in the heart of the region this lovely mouth-watering, crisp, slightly dry, smooth, pale pomegranate coloured wine is a delight. On the nose it produces light, fruity aromas of soft fruits and in the mouth it is fresh, well balanced and has a long after taste. It pairs well with an array of dishes including shellfish, white fish, poultry, pork and salads.

Finally, if you are after something a little more full bodied then why not try the Chateau Lamothe Vincent Rosé 2005 (£4.94). This is an absolute steal and is one of the 3 best Bordeaux Rosés in 2006 TOP VINS, silver medal winner both at the Challenge International du Vin 2006 and Concours des Vins d'Aquitaine 2006.

Lamothe Vincent is a fabulous silky, dry, deep, dark grenadine pink coloured wine, bursting with flavours of raspberries, red gooseberries, redcurrants, crushed strawberries and citrus. It is made with two grapes - Cabernet Sauvignon which gives tannic backbone and structure. This grape is very aromatic in young wines with heady aromas of blackcurrant. Cabernet Franc is the other grape used and this provides acidity, fragrance and strawberry-like fruit qualities.

Once the fruit has hit your taste buds the dryness follows through and the wine is elegant and refreshing. Lamothe Vincent goes well with most roast and grilled meats and would be perfect with turkey!

More Supermarket Rip Offs – Champagne

2009-12-21T12:37:00.007Z

The Daily Mail is reporting that the major supermarkets are pulling a champagne 'con' and that their half-price deals are a cheat. Apparently some supermarkets inflated the price of cheap champagne earlier in the year enabling them to make their Christmas reductions look more spectacular.

For example, over seven weeks in October and November, Tesco sold a bottle of HG Martel champagne for £26.98. This has now been discounted to £13.49. Similarly a bottle of Rene Clemency champagne was priced at £30 for just five weeks ending in late November. Tesco is now promoting the champagne at £15. At Sainsbury's, a bottle of Etienne Dumont was £27.99 for eight weeks before dropping to £13.99.

Doesn't this all sound familiar to you? I wonder what the real price of these champagnes should be? Looking back over the years this hasn't been a new trick that the supermarkets have played – back in November 2005 you could buy a bottle of Etienne Dumont champagne for £9.99 from Sainsbury's . . . and in June 2006 it was £10.49.

As a wine merchant myself you may think I have a vested interest in gunning for the supermarkets but it annoys me when I see customers being deliberately misled by these tactics. It was a wine merchant (and a former wine controller for Safeway and UK sales and marketing director for Hardy's Australian Wines) who pulled the plug on their antics:

“Having worked in supermarkets myself I know what is going on. Even with these apparent price cuts they are still making a decent profit margin.

As a rule they are pretty unremarkable champagnes, to put it kindly.

To my mind, a lot of stores are simply inventing the supposedly original high price, just to then make a half price claim.

They are dressing up these champagnes as something they are not, only to bring them back down to a more appropriate price. We know these tactics work. Price cuts do grab the attention, but these days there are very few genuine bargains.”

That's another good point – are these own label and discounted champagnes any good?

My range of own label champagnes are made by the House of Edmond Barnaut and are Grand Cru champagnes from the famous vineyards at Bouzy. They start at £16.13 a bottle – a price I have managed to maintain for a couple of years despite hikes in taxes, duty and a poor pound against the euro. My margins are small I must admit but I am lucky to have loyal and enthusiastic customers who have learned to trust not only my palate but my principles.

These champagnes were awarded 90 and 91 points by Robert Parker, alongside Bollinger!

The Grand Cru Grande Réserve (£16.13) is the original cuvée, and its reserve wine comes from the batch first made by Edmond Barnaut and replenished every year. Robert Parker awarded this 90 points: “Barnaut's Grand Cru Grande Reserve reveals generous notes of apricots, honey, roasted nuts and smoke, showing outstanding persistence and a long, refined finish. This is a fairly full-bodied style of champagne that already shows nice tertiary complexity.”

The Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs (£16.13) is made entirely from Bouzy Pinot Noir, arguably the most celebrated Pinot Noir in Champagne. This was awarded 91 points by Parker: “The Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru blossoms on the palate with an expansive core of perfumed fruit. This finely textured, silky wine possesses notable clarity and delineation in an understated yet pleasing style. The long, clean finish gives the wine a touch more freshness than the Brut Grand Cru Grande Reserve. This is a highly rewarding wine to enjoy over the next few years.”

A better bargain, I think, than you can find in any supermarket!

Wine Investment – White Wines for a White Christmas

2009-12-18T09:51:00.008Z

With what looks to be the promise of a white Christmas ahead of some of us I thought it would be appropriate to take a look at the great sweet white wines of Bordeaux. The leader of the pack is the long lived Chateau d'Yquem which is the only white wine to be listed as a First Growth in the 1855 Classification, holding the status of Premier Cru Superieur.

Chateau d'Yquem is described as the greatest dessert wine in the world and is located on the highest hill in Sauternes. The Château once belonged to Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine and was brought under the English crown by her marriage to Henry Plantagenet, who became King Henry II of England in 1154. Today the Château is owned by LVMH (Louis Vitton - Moet – Hennesy) with Pierre Lurton of Château Cheval Blanc running the estate. Lurton brought changes to the release of d'Yquem so that it became available en primeur in line with the rest of Bordeaux.

The 2001 vintage of d'Yquem was a milepost as it received a 100 point score from Robert Parker and all the top Sauternes of this vintage have made significant price increases, subsequently attracting the attention of wine investors. Not all vintages have been rated by Parker and those that haven't reflect this in the price, for example the 2002 and 2004. The 2005 vintage was scored top marks (20 points) by Jancis Robinson whereas Parker scored it at 95 – 98. Back vintages of d'Yquem are worth looking at as compared to the price of the watershed 2001 they are relatively inexpensive. Given that wine is a finite product their price can only rise over the next few years.

In the next tier of Premier Cru Chateau Climens and Chateau Rieussec shine out above the rest. Chateau Climens is a Sauternes wine from the Barsac region and was purchased in 1971 by Lucien Lurton (of the same wine making dynasty as Pierre Lurton) who also owns Châteaux Brane Cantenac and Durfort Vivens. Since 1992, the château has been in the hands of his daughter, Bérénice Lurton. Bérénice has implemented many changes to improve the profile of Climens – the 2001 vintage was rated 100 points and the 2007 vintage 98 – 100 points by Parker.

One of Bérénice's innovations is to break the mould of Sauternes and Barsac as being purely dessert wines. Working with chef Michel Gautier she has organized dinners that were entirely devoted to Climens wines to show the versatility of the wine. She is the president of the classified wines of Sauternes and Barsac and they organized several dinners in Hong Kong and Shanghai. The next one will take place in New York at Vermilion with the first "Culinary Creativity Award" will take place in Quebec in March 2010. She is also promoting her wine to be served by the glass in restaurants and trendy bars and hopes to create a "nouvelle vogue." This is a clever move as the newly emerging Asian market has yet to pick up on the sweet wines from Sauternes and Barsac and they well may find that these wines suit the Asian palate and cuisine.

Chateau Rieussec was purchased by the Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Château Lafite) in 1984 who have invested in both the vineyards and the chai. Since 1985 the manager of Rieussec is Charles Chevalier who also runs Lafite-Rothschild. With Lafite being the star buy for Chinese investors and wine lovers this wine is also one to watch as the Asian market develops.

Although these white wines are somewhat overshadowed by their red sisters Liv-ex (the Fine Wine Exchange) research in 2008 showed that Sauternes is holding its own. They created an index based on Chateaux d'Yquem, Climens, Rieussec and Suduiraut and limited the data to the 6 leading vintages from 1988 onwards: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003, giving an index of 28 wines. They found that since January 2004, it was clear that the big increases that have affected other parts of the fine wine market have not totally passed Sauternes by, with the Liv-ex Sauternes Index increasing from its base level of 100 to 160.33 by the end of July 2008. And although this 60.3% return is significantly below that of the Liv-ex 100 Fine Wine Index at 163.3%, this story has reversed during 2008, with the Sauternes Index gaining 17.3%, and the Liv-ex 100 just 5.9%. Since then during the slide caused by the credit crunch Bordeaux has fallen 50 points while Sauternes is down a mere 7 points.

Time will tell whether or not these great whites are sleeping giants or not but if you are interested in investing in wine as part of your portfolio or utilising your tax benefits (see The 1855 Club) please contact me at nick.stephens@interestinwine.co.uk or ask your IFA to do so.

Wine and Colour

2009-12-17T12:09:00.007Z

German researchers led by Dr Daniel Oberfeld-Twistel of Mainz University have discovered that wine actually tastes better depending on the colour of the room you are drinking in. They found that people who sipped wine in a room with red or blue background lighting thought their wine tasted better than people who sat in rooms with white or green background lighting.

The researchers gave their test subjects a glass of Riesling in differently lit rooms and asked for their feedback. The subjects reported that the wine tasted 1.5 times sweeter in the red room compared to the white or green room, and its fruitiness was more highly rated in red light. The subjects in the red and blue rooms also said they were more likely to pay more for the bottle of wine.

"It is already known that the colour of a drink can influence the way we taste it," Dr. Daniel Oberfeld-Twistel of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz said. "The extreme lighting conditions found in some bars can undoubtedly influence the way a wine tastes, even when it doesn't affect the colour of the wine in the glass.”

Oberfeld-Twistel believes that the red- and blue-coloured rooms positively affect people's moods and thus make them enjoy the wine more. But he said more tests need to be done to determine why the colours had an effect on how people tasted the wine.

"We thought it was simply that colours that people found agreeable would put them in an agreeable mood," he said. "However early tests seem to show that it is not as simple as that. We still believe however that it is something to do with the mood they put people in. For some reason some colours put people in a more positive mood."

Colours do have effects on people – have you noticed the colours of many fast food restaurants, including McDonald's and Burger King? You'll see they all choose from the same colour scheme, which consists of browns, reds, oranges and blacks. These companies have poured money into researching the effects of colour on diners, and have found these colours to be the most conducive to buying and eating food. These colours are appetite stimulants that encourage us to eat quickly and leave.

Red is an emotionally intense, warm colour and actually increases heart-rate and breathing by activating your pituitary gland. It is traditionally the colour of love.

While blue is a popular colour in general, it is a poor choice for food-related companies and products. Blue food is rare in nature and researchers say when humans searched for food, they learned to avoid toxic objects, which were often blue, black, or purple. When food dyed blue is served to study subjects, they lose their appetite. However the right shade of blue has been shown to produce calming chemicals in the brain, making blue a popular choice for bedroom paint and furnishings. Workers have been shown to be more productive in blue rooms and weight lifters can handle heavier weights.

I wonder if the German researchers would get the same results for a red wine? I also wonder how the results would show if they tried different lights, say yellow or purple? Given the results that they have found so far I would expect wine bars to be redecorating with red and blue ambient lighting so watch out! If you spot your landlord down at your local putting some red light bulbs in you'll know what's up!

Champagne is Good for Your Heart

2009-12-15T13:44:00.006Z

A new study by British scientists at Reading University, working with scientists in France, has found that Champagne is good for your heart. The report, which is to be published in the British Journal of Nutrition, says that Champagne has the same health benefits as previously found in red wine. The health benefits come from polyphenol antioxidants, which many studies have shown can reduce the risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Jeremy Spencer said:

"We have found that a couple of glasses a day has a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels, which suggests champagne has the potential to reduce strokes and heart disease”

The polyphenol antioxidants are believed to reduce the effects of cell-damaging free radicals in the body. In particular, these antioxidants slow down the removal of nitric oxide from the blood, lowering blood pressure and therefore reducing the risk of heart problems and strokes. Polyphenols are thought to widen the blood vessels, easing the strain on your heart and brain.

Polyphenols are found in relatively high levels in red wine but not in white. Champagne, however, is most commonly made from a blend of red grape varieties pinot meunier or pinot noir and white chardonnay. "The question was: would champagne have the same impact as red wine or would it have the limited impact of white wine?" said Spencer.

"Our data suggests that a daily moderate consumption of champagne wine may improve vascular performance via the delivery of phenolic constituents," state the researchers in their paper. They have yet to test other types of fizz, such as Cava and Prosecco, but Spencer said there was "no reason" in principle that they should not perform in the same way. Presumably this would also apply to other sparkling wines such as Cremant d'Alsace and Cremant de Bordeaux.

Red wines and champagne are not the only sources of polyphenols available to consumers, the team pointed out. They are also found in high levels in cocoa beans. So you could achieve the same gains without alcohol by with a mug of cocoa at bedtime, added Spencer. "The benefit is certainly the same but it doesn't seem as much fun somehow."

Back in 2007 a study by the University of Reading and the Università degli studi di Cagliari, located in Monserrato, Italy, said that Champagne may protect your brain. The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and found that champagne protects against brain injuries that occur during a stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.

In fact, in the study's sample that contained the highest concentration of sparkling wine, brain-cell function was completely restored. The beneficial effect appears to stem from the sparkling wine's high concentration of polyphenols. Though red wine does contain more polyphenols than sparkling wine, Champagne contains certain types of beneficial phenolic compounds including tyrosol and caffeic acid. These anti-inflammatory substances may help to regulate cells' response to injury while helping to clean up and remove dangerous chemicals from your body, researchers said.

The polyphenols in sparkling wine are also able to cross the blood-brain barrier and may therefore confer benefits to the entire central nervous system.

Good news then at the beginning of the festive season for Champagne lovers!

Wines For Christmas

2009-12-14T11:27:00.006Z

Bordeaux-Undiscovered has some super wines for Christmas this year and they are already being well received. Chateau Grand Rousseau (£5.60) is a charming little claret and comes from Sauveterre de Guyenne in the Entre Deux Mers. It is one of several châteaux owned by the renowned Lumeau family who have been wine makers for 4 generations, establishing Vignobles Lumeau in 1840. Grand Rousseau is a deep ruby colour and is a round, smooth, well balanced wine with integrated tannins and a classical bouquet. It has subtle red fruit flavours with notes of blackcurrant, blueberry, tobacco, violets, earth and vanilla.

For those of you who are looking for something special for Christmas Day for under £20 we have found the answer . . . Chateau Sansonnet 2005 (£19.95). Sansonnet is a Saint Emilion Grand Cru and is a lovely blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Frank from the fantastic 2005 vintage. Normally retailing around £25 a bottle this a fine and elegant wine. Loads of fruit, long in length, soft tannins and balanced acidity. If you have not come across this wine before it is a small estate based on the highest point of the renowned plateau of Saint Emilion and is situated just up the road Clos Fourtet. The wine is a deep crimson purple with notes of raspberries, minerals, cherries, smoke, blackcurrants and coffee.

Not only is this a bargain at the price it will be the perfect partner for the roast turkey. Having recently re tasted this wine I know it will be appearing on my Christmas table.

We also have a new Rosé from the Languedoc: Montagnac Syrah Rosé (£5.37). This wine is made by a small co-operative, Les Vignobles Montagnac, located between Beziers and Montpellier in the Languedoc Roussillon. This is a lovely Rosé, made from 100% Syrah (otherwise known as Shiraz) and is a fresh, crisp wine with the aromas of raspberries and violets. The Syrah Rosé has flavours of crushed ripe red fruits, notes of mint and chocolate.

The co-operative dates back to the 1930s and the vineyards stretch from the banks of Thau Lagoon to the foothills of the mountains on the right bank of the River Hérault where the ancient river bed stones are similar to those of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

If you are thinking of sending a case of wine as a Christmas present, or of ordering a case for your own festivities, we have the perfect solution: The Reindeer Range. These are 3 cases of specially selected wines which will suit every pocket: The Dasher Case £73.99, The Donner Case £91.99 and the Rudolph Case £129.99.

Enjoy!

Red Wine May Help With Radiation Treatment

2009-12-11T10:46:00.007Z

Reuters have reported that red wine may reduce the toxicity of radiation treatment. A study in women with breast cancer found that drinking red wine can help limit the toxic effects of radiation therapy.

Dr. Gabriella Macchia, of Catholic University, Campobasso, Italy, told Reuters Health.

"The possibility that particular dietary practices or interventions can reduce radiation-induced toxicity is very intriguing,"

It's already known that some wine components may protect against the harmful effects of radiation. These components include polyphenols in particular, and the tannins.

In the current study, Macchia and colleagues evaluated the potential protective effects of varying levels of self-reported red wine consumption in 348 women treated with radiation therapy after breast cancer surgery.

The incidence of radiation-induced skin toxicity greater was 38.4% in non-drinkers, 31.8% in women drinking only half a glass of wine daily, 13.6% in those drinking one glass daily, and 35% in those drinking two glasses daily.

Women who drank only one glass daily had a much lower risk of suffering skin effects from radiation therapy. Specifically, their risk of significant skin toxicity was about 75% less than that in non-drinkers, the researchers found.

"If wine can prevent (radiation)-induced toxicity without affecting antitumour efficacy, as we observed, it also has the potential to enhance the therapeutic benefit in cancer patients without increasing their risk of serious adverse effects,
" Macchia said.

"The possible protective effect of wine, which we assessed only in women with breast cancer, should also be evaluated in male and female patients with other types of tumours (e.g., prostate carcinoma) who are undergoing radiotherapy," she concluded.

Back in 2008 it was reported that mounting evidence shows red wine antioxidant kills cancer. Rochester researchers showed for the first time that a natural antioxidant found in grape skins and red wine can help destroy pancreatic cancer cells by reaching to the cell’s core energy source, or mitochondria, and crippling its function. The study is published in the March edition of the journal, Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology.

The study also showed that when the pancreatic cancer cells were doubly assaulted -- pre-treated with the antioxidant, resveratrol, and irradiated -- the combination induced a type of cell death called apoptosis, an important goal of cancer therapy.

This is hopeful news for many of us who have either lost loved ones or are suffering ourselves from cancer and I will keep you posted as to developments in the press.

Wine Investment – Emerging Markets and those Closer to Home

2009-12-10T21:34:00.007Z

The Hong Kong market has responded positively to the wine duty exemption with $2.71 billion in wine imports recorded in the first nine months of the year, up 41% on the same period last year according to the Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Rita Lau. She told lawmakers that many wine-related companies have set up or expanded their businesses in Hong Kong, covering trading, storage, retailing and other areas. The exemption has also brought economic benefits through the tourism, catering and hospitality, exhibitions and brand promotion industries, bringing new job opportunities.

Fourteen wine auctions have been held in the city so far this year, with aggregate sales amounting to $496 million. The Government is helping the industry develop, in partnership with the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency, a certification scheme whereby wine storage facilities meeting certain required standards will be accredited.

"The scheme is expected to be launched before the end of the year. It will first cover wine storage facilities, with possible extension to other logistics facilities such as vehicles later," Mrs Lau said, adding the Government is working on various fronts to enhance the further development of Hong Kong as a regional hub for wine trading and distribution.

Hong Kong and China are not the only emerging markets for fine wines in the East - there is a growing level of interest by Japanese and Filipino investors in a market that has historically been reserved for European and US connoisseurs of wine and specialist and knowledgeable investors, interested in the broad ‘alternative investment’ arena. In the light of the economic downturn, wine had rapidly moved from a status symbol to a serious asset opportunity. The Philippines – the third largest wine drinking nation in Asia – has launched the world’s second largest multi-million dollar wine storage warehouse, and the wine investment market has taken off.

India has emerged as one of the fastest growing markets for wine. Despite the country’s vast population of over 1.1 billion, the consumption of wine remains extremely low, indicating huge potential for growth in the coming years. Various factors such as favourable government policies, increasing disposable income, amplified wine marketing and influence of western culture are helping to drive India’s wine consumption. The Indian Wine Industry Forecast to 201, forecasts that wine consumption in India is expected to grow by 25-30% annually between 2009 and 2012.

Closer to home Liv-ex (the Fine Wine Exchange) has been named one of the UK's fastest growing companies. It is the UK’s 59th fastest-growing private company in the 2009 edition of the Sunday Times Fast Track 100. The survey, now in its 13th year, ranks non-listed UK companies by their compound annual sales growth over a three year period (in most cases up to Dec 2008). Liv-ex achieved its ranking by recording per annum growth of 76%.

This is the second time in three years that Liv-ex has appeared in the top 100, with this year’s position 40 places higher than in 2007. With some 260 merchants in 22 countries and demand from China driving up prices, sales have grown 76% a year from £5m in 2005 to £27.1m in 2008.

Original Féret Wine Guide Plates on Sale

2009-12-08T11:13:00.007Z

The original plates used to illustrate various 19th century editions of the renowned Cocks & Féret Bordeaux et Ses Vins guide go on sale in Paris later this month. The set of 588 copper plates will be auctioned by Artcurial in Paris on 18 December. Cocks & Féret's guide is often referred to as 'the Bible of Bordeaux' and is considered to be the most comprehensive volume on Bordeaux and its vineyards. The individual copper plates, made between 1850 and 1908, have pre-sale estimates of €150-2500. The whole collection is expected to fetch €300,000.

Laurie Matheson from auctioneers Artcurial, told decanter.com that initial interest “has been huge. The Féret guides revealed the past glory of Bordeaux. We're selling the memoirs of Bordeaux. 'We're expecting all sorts of bidders – from people who own castles, and historians, to wine producers and collectors. It's French viticultural history.”

Bordeaux et Ses Vins was created by Charles Cocks and Michel-Édouard Féret in 1846, which was published under the name Bordeaux, its Wines and the Claret Country. It was translated into French in 1850 and published as the first edition of Bordeaux et Ses Vins. It is regarded as the classic reference work on Bordeaux wines, and is to date considered the most comprehensive information source on Bordeaux wineries.

Jean-Baptiste Féret founded the publishing house La Librairie Féret in Bordeaux in 1812, which became Féret et fils in 1841. In 1846 Michel-Édouard Féret approached Charles Cocks, an English schoolmaster and wine enthusiast living in Bordeaux since 1840, to publish a directory of wine aimed at his compatriots.

Charles Cocks died in 1854, while the second edition, Bordeaux et Ses Vins 2ème édition, appeared in 1868, and the succession of publications provide a useful historical record of the evolution of different properties' and districts' reputations. Revisions are published to date, usually referred to as "Le Féret", most recently with the 2007 edition of Bordeaux et ses Vins 18ème édition. The publishing house has a wonderful array of titles and can be found at www.editions-feret.fr.

The 1846 edition is dedicated to Monsieur le Comte T Ductatel, Minister of the Interior and owner of Chateau Lagrange in Saint Julien. It is stuffed with interesting information and has chapters on the best species of vines (red and white) to grow in Bordeaux, the wine making process and the best vineyards in Bordeaux – often with snippets on the small properties and villages. I find it fascinating when reading the descriptions of the wines from regions back then and being able to compare them to those of today . . .

“Saint Estephe produces a great quantity of good wines of a flavour somewhat different from that of the produce from other good communes: they are light, agreeable, flavoury, highly perfumed and may be bottled at the end of three or four years.”

The list of recommended grape varieties includes some that I have never heard of and others that are charming synonyms of grapes that are allowed in the blend for Bordeaux today. Pied de Perdix (partridge's foot) for example is none other than Malbec and Carmenet is actually Cabernet Franc. However I have never heard of the Cioutat grape which according to Cocks & Féret is a grape that is remarkable only in respect of its parsley shaped leaves.

Cocks & Féret also produced a classification of Bordeaux wine nearly a decade before the Classification of 1855, assessing Châteaux Lafite, Latour, Margaux and Haut-Brion as First Growths. The Second Growths were Chateaux Mouton, Léoville (present day Léoville-Las Cases, Léoville-Poyferré and Léoville Barton) Rauzan (present day Rauzan-Ségla and Rauzan-Gassies), Durfort, Gruaud-Larose, Lascombes and Gorse (present day Brane-Cantenac). It does not seem that much has changed in over 150 years!

Don't Bother with the Booze Cruise

2009-12-07T12:33:00.006Z

The Daily Express is reporting that cheaper prices in the UK have put paid to the traditional cross-Channel shopping trip. Eurotunnel says the day-trip market has slumped and many of the car parks outside the French wine and beer warehouses were half empty last week.

When the fall in the value of sterling is factored in, the savings from buying abroad shrink further. A Eurotunnel spokesman said:

“The day-trip market is definitely tailing off but it has been over a number of years. Booze cruises were based on buying duty free and were big 10 years ago but since that ended the market has been fading away. Travel habits are changing and passengers are more likely to stay overnight.”

The rising cost of fuel is another element that you have to calculate into the travel and this is now becoming prohibitive. When you consider the general palaver of actually getting there it makes me wonder why people still do it when you can find bargains at home.

In January this year Vinexpo reported that Britain has become the world's biggest wine importer, overtaking Germany for the first time. Wine drinking in Britain has increased more than 12% in the five years from 2003 to 2007 and is forecast to continue growing over the next five years, albeit at a slower rate of just over 6%, the research shows. The boom in wine drinking has come at the same time as pubs report terrible trading, with sales of beer falling heavily, as drinkers' tastes become increasingly continental.

Consumers are also choosing to do more of their drinking at home, than at the pub – partly to cut down on the cost of going out. This trend has also encouraged more wine drinking. Britons got through 720 million bottles of red wine in 2008, but this is expected to fall to 687 million by 2012. However, white wine will increase in popularity from an estimated 764 million bottles last year to 823 million by 2012. Rose producers could be in the pink again as sales are expected to rise by 70 million bottles to 220 million by 2012.

Online wine sales are also bucking the economic downturn and in April figures showed that the continued growth of web shopping despite the recession has been confirmed once again as sales via the internet during February increased by 13% on 2008 figures. According to the latest IMRG Capgemini e-retail sales index, sales of beer, wine and spirits had a monthly increase of 30%. The year-on-year growth for e-retail continues in stark contrast to the high street. Consumers are still turning to the internet to make their purchase decisions and ensure their disposable income goes further.

Buying wine online is the direct opposite to your Booze Cruise and I can understand why consumers prefer it: it is less hassle, cheaper, more convenient and you can find a superior product delivered to your doorstep within 48 hours. Buying from independent wine merchants also has its advantages in that you can find a treasure trove of excellent wines at pocket pleasing prices. Suzy Atkins writing in the Telegraph (It’s a fine time to buy wine from independent merchants) has said:

“We in Britain are blessed with some truly great indies, and I favour them, above all, for their sheer range and variety. Turned off by piled-high big brands, cut-price own-labels, cream liqueur ’n’ chocs festive gift-packs? I know the feeling. Turn, then, to a good mail-order wine merchant and stock up on something from a somewhat different league.”

So if you are stocking up for Christmas why not check out www.bordeaux-undiscovered.co.uk? We have some super wines available and offer free delivery on your purchases till after the New Year!

Wine Investment - Wine Outperforms Gold

2009-12-04T09:27:00.008Z

Wine has outperformed gold since reliable monthly records began in 1993 with fine wine prices rising more than ten fold compared to the price of gold which has only doubled in price over the same period. According to Liv-ex (the Fine Wine Index) prices for the world’s leading wines have risen 974%, giving an annual return of 15%. In contrast, gold has risen by 218% – an annual rate of 7%, using gold prices from www.kitco.com.

Even with the recent rise in the price of gold to around £706.54 an ounce, wine has shown greater long-term price appreciation than gold and this out-performance has not come at the price of greater volatility. Fine wine has shown lower volatility during most of the period.

Fine wine has benefited from the emergence of Hong Kong as the wine hub of the east and Christie's auction in Hong Kong last week was its most valuable sale in the region since it returned one year ago. Notable sales successes included 50 case lots of Château La Mission Haut-Brion 1995 and 1998, each selling for over £65,000. The total sold was 27% more than this time last year, amounting to £3,126,989.

Impressive sales also included a lot of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1999, which fetched more than £110,000; six bottles of Mouton-Rothschild, and a 12 bottle case of Pétrus, which each realised over £35,000.

The results show a growing sophistication of the market and a collector base that is becoming evermore discerning and rapidly learning how to select wines that are truly rare and are worth competing for.

The Guardian looked at how a variety of investments have performed over the past decade in How Alternative Investments H ave Performed Since 2000, with Chateau Lafite 1982's 876% return beating all others.

The data the Guardian used was the Liv-ex Mid Price for a 12x75cl case of Lafite on 31st December 1999 (£2,613) compared to its value on 31st October 2009 (£25,500). Of course, no other wine has done quite as well as Lafite. The Liv-ex Fine Wine Investables Index, which tracks the price of top vintages from 24 leading Bordeaux chateaux, is up 'just' 176% over the same period - which equates to around 11% compound annual growth.

The value of the index as of 30th November 2009 was 235.13, a rise of 0.4% on the previous month. The index is up 14.7% year to date, and up 12.2% year on year. Liv-ex director James Miles is quoted as saying:

”The economic case for investing in wine is compelling: supply is static; quality conscious producers have even cut production in recent years. More-over, fine wine cannot be replenished. Every time a bottle of Lafite Rothschild 1982 is opened, there is one less for the world to enjoy. Add to this rising demand from new markets, such as Asia, and the case for rising prices is a powerful one. Wine has also been a useful tool for portfolio diversification with a history of high returns, low volatility and negligible correlation to mainstream assets."

So it seems that all that glitters is not gold after all!

Syrah in Bordeaux?

2009-12-03T11:16:00.009Z

Jane Anson (New Bordeaux Blog) has written an interesting article for Decanter titled Merlot 'impossible' in Bergerac. She has reported that one of Bergerac's most renowned winemakers, Hugh Ryman of Chateau de la Jaubertie, has claimed that global warming is making Merlot impossible in the region. He said he had not planted a Merlot vine since 2000, and he was replacing all his existing Merlot with Cabernet Franc or Malbec. He is also using vinification methods such as colder temperatures and shorter maceration times which are used to make wine in hotter climates.

The problem wine makers are finding with the Merlot grape is the difficulty in reaching full tannin maturity before alcohol levels get too high: “The wine has good mouthfeel but loses the fruit character. And what's the point of Merlot at 15 or 16 degrees?”

Merlot is one of the 6 grape varieties permissible in the blending of Bordeaux red wines and adds body and softness to the wine. It ripens earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon, has a thin skin and contains fewer tannins. Also compared to Cabernet, Merlot grapes tend to have a higher sugar content and lower malic acid. Merlot thrives in cold soil, particularly ferrous clay.

As Merlot tends to bud early it encounters some risk to frost and its thin skin increases its susceptibility to rot. A characteristic of Merlot is the propensity to quickly over ripen once it hits its initial ripeness level, sometimes in a matter of a few days. Merlot is favoured on the Right Bank of the Gironde in the regions of Pomerol and Saint-Emilion where it will commonly comprises the majority of the blend. One of the most famous and rare wines in the world, Château Pétrus, is almost all Merlot. In Pomerol, where Merlot usually accounts for around 80% of the blend, the iron-clay soils of the region give Merlot more a tannic backbone than what is found in other Bordeaux regions. It was in Pomerol that the garagiste movement began with small scale production of highly sought after Merlot based wines.

In the sandy, clay-limestone based soils of Saint-Emilion, Merlot accounts for around 60% of the blend and is usually blended with Cabernet Franc. In limestone, Merlot tends to develop more perfume notes while in sandy soils the wines are generally softer than Merlot grown in clay dominant soils.

Jane reports that Alain Reynaud, owner of Chateau Le Croix de Gay in Pomerol and consultant for over 10 properties in the region has said: “As long as I have clay soils, I will plant Merlot. But temperatures do seem to be rising, and if I had more gravel, I would love the right to plant Syrah in Bordeaux.”

In the early 1900s Bordeaux winemakers often added small percentages of Northern Rhône Syrah to their wines if they had a difficult vintage and in 2004 Chateau Palmer revived this 19th century practice by making an experimental cuvée (only 100 cases), called Historical 19th Century Wine L2004. It's a blend of 85% 2004 estate fruit from Palmer and 15% Syrah from Hermitage.

Thomas Duroux, winemaker at Palmer, explained that "Most of the great names of Bordeaux used to have a little bit of wine from the north of the Rhône to improve the colour and depth of the wine. They had to do this sometimes since they had difficult vintages. We now know how to deal with difficult vintages. But I was very curious to understand what would happen if we did [this] with the wine we have today."

The wine was only available in select restaurants in the United States and as the wine was made outside the regional rules it can only be classified as the lowest French designation, "vin de table." Duroux even had to take the drawing of Château Palmer off his front label, since vin de table cannot, by law, have an illustration of a particular place on the label.

Back in January this year I reported that the Syndicat des Vins de Bordeaux (Bordeaux Wines Union) has asked the INAO for permission to plant experimental trials of grapes that are not part of the official Bordeaux grape varieties allowed to make wine - Whatever Next! Bordeaux Chardonnay and Zinfandel?

Hervé Lalau, Secretary General of the Fédération Internationale des Journalistes et Ecrivains du Vin said that the new grapes are 3 new white varietals: Chardonnay, Petit Manseng and Liliorila, 4 reds: Syrah, Marselan, Arinarnoa and Zinfandel and Chenin Blanc for the sparkling wines. The suggestion is that they would in the future be allowed up to 10% in the blend. If the regional and national committees of INAO agree to this, then 4 estates will vinify each new variety (150 hectolitres minimum) for 5 years. Then, if the tests are satisfactory, the use of the new grapes will be permitted in the Bordeaux regulations.

At the time I thought that this idea was half baked (and got quoted on it) as the grapes that go into Bordeaux are acclimatised to the terroir and reflect this in the wine. I wondered if adding other grapes to the blend from different regions would mean that the Syndicat des Vins de Bordeaux are attempting to change the character of Bordeaux wines to that of their New World cousins? Would we be drinking Zinfandel from Bordeaux in the future? I hope not. However I am now wondering if Bordeaux will have to deal with half baked Merlot in the future and if so, would a return to old practices be necessary? I suppose only time will tell.

More Wine Stolen to Order

2009-12-01T11:52:00.008Z

Hot on the heels of my recent Blog on Counterfeit wines two instances of theft have been reported in the Press. The trade is being warned to be on the lookout for stolen wine after the theft of 57 cases en route to Berry Bros & Rudd and more than 3,000 bottles of red wine and pink champagne, worth £32,000, have been stolen in a burglary at Nutbourne Vineyards.

The theft of wine from Berry Bros & Rudd involved the wine being stolen from a lorry in transit from Italy to the UK. A total of 342 bottles of Rosso di Montalcino 2007, Az. Agr. San Giuseppe, were stolen overnight on November 24 from a secure pound used by the shipping company. Berrys’ wine director, Alun Griffiths MW, said: “We would just like to warn anyone that is offered this wine from an unfamiliar supplier that it may be stolen goods”.

The theft at Nutbourne Vineyards occurred when burglars forced their way through the entrance gates and into a storage barn, where specifically red wine and pink champagne were chosen. Twenty cases (240 bottles) of French Lagashe Rose Champagne were stolen, and Nutbourne Vineyards is apparently the only importer of this particular pink champagne in the country. The following quality red wine was also stolen: 110 cases (1,320 bottles) of Lagashe Brute, 77 cases (924 bottles) of Chateau Tour St Bonnet, 60 cases (720 bottles) of Chateau La Barronne and 40 cases (480 bottles) of Chateau D'avigny.

PC Lara Simpson said: "A large amount of wine and champagne has been stolen, which would have taken some time to load on to a vehicle or vehicles. Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 0845 60 70 999 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

Nowadays more wine is being stolen to order as thieves realise the value of fine wine. I have blogged about this in the past (see Wine Stolen to Order and Great Wine Robberies). However I am more concerned about the trend in burglaries from private cellars – there have been a number of thefts recently – between 200 and 300 bottles were stolen from a cellar in Hadleigh and back in the Spring wine thieves snatched rare and valuable bottles worth almost £4,000 from a Lincolnshire pub.

This haul of French wine was stolen from the private collection of a Landlord who had bought it as an investment and was going to sell it at auction. The 7 cases of stolen wine were stored in an outhouse attached to the pub and were not insured, resulting in the Landlord having to bear the cost of the loss himself.

I must admit to being quite taken aback by this particular story as although the Landlord has my sympathies he should have been keeping his fine wine correctly cellared – preferably in a specialist warehouse – and had it insured! Correct cellaring is vitally important, especially if you are intending to sell your wine . . . put it this way if you are a potential customer intending to spend thousands of pounds on your purchase would you buy your wine from a chap who had stored it in a shed? Not only could the contents of the bottle have been compromised by irregular temperatures but the provenance of the wine is also put at risk.

I have been hammering home the point that provenance is a must when purchasing your fine wine for some time now and without it you may find that your wine is worthless as there is no proof that it is genuine or that it has been cellared or kept in storage correctly.

If you would like to know more about how to insure your wine check out Protecting Your Investment and Storing Your Fine Wines.

I am not into scare mongering but if you do have fine wines stored at home please ensure that they are stored securely and insured at current market value. As the scarcity of fine wines becomes more evident, coupled with the poor economic climate, I am sure this will not be last time we hear of burglaries of such items so please do take the required precautions.

Global Warming and French Wine

2009-11-30T10:59:00.012Z

There has been speculation that as the world warms, French wine growers could find themselves in a hotspot. The Associated Press is reporting that Global Warming is giving French vintners a new potential headache: in a few years, Champagne could be going head-to-head with British bubbly. Climate change has sped up harvests in Burgundy, altered the taste of Alsatian wines and disrupted hydration patterns of grapes grown along France's Mediterranean coast according to Michel Issaly, president of Vigneron Independent:

"For those consumers who like consistency, if things go too far and the taste fundamentally changes, then we risk losing big chunks of market share," he told reporters at a Paris wine fair.

Areas where wine can be cultivated are moving northward in Europe. Four or five decades ago, it was "absolutely absurd" to think wines could be grown significantly in Britain, Mr. Issaly said. "Alas, and this is a crying example of the consequences of global warming. Because of increasing temperatures, they are able to grow in Britain."

To be sure, higher temperatures doesn't necessarily mean bad news for all wine makers. Warmer temperatures and dry conditions can make grapes sweeter, and reduce the need to add sugar to wine.

"To be really honest, we benefit from global warming because we don't have to chaptalize our wines any more," said Jacky Martinon, a winemaker in Burgundy, referring to a process of injecting sugar into wine.

Recently Greenpeace France, along with some 50 winemakers and chefs, penned an open letter that was published in the highly influential French newspaper “Le Monde”. Calling French wines the jewels of France’s common national heritage, the letter said the wines were vulnerable to climate change. The letter further warned that summer heat waves,the recent hailstorms in the Bordeaux region, combined with new grape diseases from the South, could cripple the wine industry.

The letter, signed by the owners of 35 vineyards from across the major wine regions of France, claimed that failure to control greenhouse gases could see vineyards displaced by about 1000 kilometres by the end of the century. What that means is that at the turn of the 21st century, the north of France would be experiencing weather that would be similar to today’s south of France. Up until now, global warming has been beneficial for the wine industry as rising temperatures have resulted in wines with higher sugar and alcohol levels, and lower acids.

In response to this challenge Bordeaux is aiming to reduce Carbon Emissions by 20% by 2020. Going green usually requires investments by wine producers, but the changes can translate to savings in the long run. Saint Julien's Château Lagrange is among the forerunners in Bordeaux, having taken steps to reduce its level of emissions since 2005.

"Our employees are taking lessons to learn the best way to drive vineyard machinery so as to no longer needlessly waste fuel, and we encourage carpooling," said Lagrange's quality manager, Gervaise Ruton. The château is also recycling its vine shoots into compost for the vineyard. In the cellar, its winemakers seek to eliminate the use of heated vats.

Bordeaux châteaux are also returning to horse power: Chateau La Lagune in the Haut Médoc, Chateau Pape Clement in Pessac Leognan and Chateau Pontet Canet in Pauillac use horse power to plough between the vines to lessen their carbon footprint.

There is to be a UN Summit on climate change in Helsinki in December where the issues will be discussed – it will be interesting to see what recommendations they make!

Wine Investment - Counterfeit Wine

2009-11-27T09:55:00.011Z

The trafficking of fake wine is on the rise according to the news in the press and Petrus, Romanée-Conti, Chateau d'Yquem are among the wines coveted by connoisseurs and targeted by counterfeiters. The Telegraph is reporting that “according to French wine professionals, a handful of rare and fine wines face the same threat from fraud as designer handbags and designer sunglasses.”

Sylvain Boivert, Director of the Conseil des Grands Crus Classes en 1855 is quoted as saying that counterfeit wine trafficking has "always existed a little, but it's definitely amplified with the rising prices of fine wines". Bernard Magrez owner of 35 vineyards, several of which are in Bordeaux, has also said that the counterfeiting "touches five to six of the very top wine estates in Bordeaux where there is a real potential to make a capital gain and where there is a world-wide demand because the products are rare."

It's not just Bordeaux - Romanée-Conti, one of the world's scarcest and most expensive wines has been targeted by counterfeiters as well. Jeroboams of Romanée-Conti (the equivalent of four bottles) of the 1945 vintage have recently been sold in auctions, according to Laurent Ponsot, a renowned Burgundy producer. But – and there is a big but - Romanée-Conti did not bottle their 1945 in Jeroboams.

In addition to export markets and Internet marketplaces, fake wines slip into circulation through the auctions. "The auction houses are not always as demanding as they should be," noted David Ridgeway, chief sommelier at legendary Paris restaurant La Tour d'Argent.

At a sale in New York in 2008, the vintner was shocked to discover that "106 bottles out of 107" were fakes. The catalogue listed "a sale of Clos Saint Denis 1945 and other old vintages when we didn't even begin producing this particular appellation until 1982," he recounted.

I know it is sometimes hard to spot a fake (please see my Blog How to Spot A Fake for a more in depth analysis) but surely Auction Houses should check their sources and their facts before a sale? This is why knowing the Provenance (history and source of your wine) is so important. (see Why Provenance is a Must in Wine Investment). The best kind of Provenance you can have is a wine that has been bought direct from the chateaux and held in a specialist, bonded warehouse – as all my wines are at www.interestinwine.co.uk. In some cases the price you pay at Auction is more to do with obtaining a wine with sound Provenance than to do with the contents of the bottle!

However as fine wine continues to be a sought after investment cases of wine are trading hands all over the world. The counterfeiters responsible for the fake wines use all sorts of tricks to fool the buyers from photocopied labels to topping up an authentic bottle with another wine by using a syringe. There is a black market in Guangzhou for empty Bordeaux bottles which counterfeiters refilling bottles and passing them off as genuine.

As new markets emerge, fraudsters seize the opportunity to cash in. According to Magrez, counterfeiting increased "when Russians began consuming after the fall of the Wall". Add to that the immense Chinese market and you end up with the incredible situation of more Chateau Lafite circulating in Asia than the chateau ever produced!

China is "the principal counterfeiter," according to Renaud Gaillard, deputy director of the French export trade body, Federation des Exportateurs de Vins et Spiritueux de France (FEVS). While the main targets are champagne and cognac, according to Gaillard, "one can find Petrus and Margaux in some little stores" in China.

So the old adage still applies: “Watch Out, There's a Thief About” still applies – when buying fine wine double check its Provenance!

Good Champagne by Another Name

2009-11-26T16:46:00.028Z

Champagne is one of those wines that we all adore but think is beyond our pocket. There are many Champagne Houses but it is only the big names that seem to reach the shelves - and at premium prices . . . which is a shame as more often than not the smaller producer makes a better wine. I was not surprised to find that Philippe Secondé's Champagnes were awarded 90 and 91 points by Robert Parker, alongside Bollinger by the way – which will doubtless gain it a wider audience. I have been buying Philippe's Champagnes for a number of years now and have them at the Wine Shop under our own label which is why you may not have spotted that the are actually from the renowned Champagne House of Edmond Barnaut. I am also able to offer them from £16.13 a bottle as they are our own label.

Edmond Barnaut was one of the first pioneers in Champagne to create his own brand outside of the controlling centres of Epernay and Reims. In 1874 he set up shop in Bouzy, cellars were dug as deep as 15 meters underground, and the first cuvée made of two-thirds Pinot Noir and one-third Chardonnay was launched. And it’s still made today, under the Grande Réserve label, with its reserve wine coming from a solera system begun by Edmond himself and maintained through five generations of Barnaut descendants.

Philippe Secondé is the current descendant and arguably one of the more important ones. After earning a degree in oenology, he took over the family firm in 1985 and went on to significantly increase the house’s vineyards, modernize its cellar, expand production, and move its viticulture footing to the quasi-organic lutte raisonnée structure (ploughing between rows, using only organic composts, and minimalizing fungicide applications). Today Champagne Barnaut's vines cover 30 acres in the Grand Cru vineyards of Bouzy and 13 acres in the Marne Valley.

The Bouzy vineyards are composed of 12% Chardonnay and 88% Pinot Noir, and are divided into 22 parcels. With its sister village of Ambonnay, Bouzy lays claim to having the finest vineyard sites for Pinot Noir in the appellation of Champagne. Its 833 acres of vines grow up the rolling foothills of the Montagne de Reims and face due south, ensuring the best possibility for ripening every year - the result is Champagne’s richest and fullest-bodied wines.

The Grand Cru Grande Réserve (£16.13) is the original cuvée, and its reserve wine comes from the batch first made by Edmond Barnaut and replenished every year. Parker awarded this 90 points: “Barnaut's Grand Cru Grande Reserve reveals generous notes of apricots, honey, roasted nuts and smoke, showing outstanding persistence and a long, refined finish. This is a fairly full-bodied style of champagne that already shows nice tertiary complexity.”

The Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs (£16.13) is made entirely from Bouzy Pinot Noir, arguably the most celebrated Pinot Noir in Champagne. This was awarded 91 points by Parker: “The Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru blossoms on the palate with an expansive core of perfumed fruit. This finely textured, silky wine possesses notable clarity and delineation in an understated yet pleasing style. The long, clean finish gives the wine a touch more freshness than the Brut Grand Cru Grande Reserve. This is a highly rewarding wine to enjoy over the next few years.”

The Grand Cru Rosé Authentique (£18.10) is made by the Saignée method (leaving the wine on the lees) from 50% Pinot Noir, with 50% Bouzy Chardonnay added for freshness. This a rosé Champagne made unapologetically for the table. Bettane & Desseauve, authors of Le Grande Guide des Vins de France have hailed it as “an extraordinary success, exquisitely fruity, great length, full of the spirit of the soil and a superlative harmony.”

There is also a superb vintage champagne: Champagne Vintage Brut Millesimes 1998 (£26.42). When a Champagne maker has an exceptional harvest a millesime is declared and this champagne is simply divine. It oozes quality with loads of small bubbles exploding refreshingly in the mouth leaving a clean fruity and long after taste.

So if you are looking for some quality fizz this Christmas you will not have to pay a fortune to get a quality product.

Cheers!

Braille Wine Labels

2009-11-24T12:47:00.007Z

Wine labelling is somewhat of a nightmare when you consider what they should and should not put on the label but one area where they really fall down is that they do not cater for the blind. It is very rare to find a wine label in Braille. In 1996 Michel Chapoutier pioneered the labelling of wine labels in Braille and since then only a handful of other producers have done so.

Michel Chapoutier is the renowned wine maker from the Rhone valley in south eastern France and he invented the first Braille label for wine bottles on his ageing printing press. Chapoutier took over a vineyard in Hermitage which had been formerly owned by Monier de La Sizeranne who was President of the Association of the Blind in France, and was blind himself. Monier was responsible for creating the first abbreviated version of Braille. When the vineyards holding passed to Michel Chapoutier family, he named the wine Sizeranne, and in tribute to Monier, he put Braille on all of the labels all of his wines to reach out to and include all people with sight-impairments who were lovers of good wines.

Chapoutier did some research and found that it was very easy to use old printing machines that are no longer used for normal print for the Braille instead. The cost is very low, about six centimes (less than 1p) per label. He decided to use his 40-year-old printing machine to make every one of the 2.5 million bottles of wine he produces each year (including appellations like Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Condrieu, St.-Joseph, Cote Rotie and Chateauneuf-du-Pape.) The technique is the same as printing visible labels: an iron Braille negative is pressed onto the back of the paper label to make the Braille bumps. Little did he know that his invention would later win an award from campaigners for sight-impaired people in the UK.

Reading the Braille, customers can learn the type and name of the wine, the vintage date, the name of the winery, the town where the wine was made and the colour of the wine, a vital piece of information, since some of the appellations come in both red and white.

Since then a handful of other wine producers have taken the initiative to produce wine labels in Braille. Lazarus Wine is made in Spain by people who are blind and uses the Braille alphabet. The Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin now provide Braille labels. 2004 saw the arrival of Braille labels on bottles from the South African organic producer Bon Cap.

In 2005 an Irish label company, Designerwine stepped up. As did the Czech wine producer Galant in 2006. And in a new development, Pyrotech has begun producing wine bottles in Braille. Fox Creek Wines in Australia has released Braille and large print wine bottle labels, with assistance from the Royal Society for the Blind. Azienda Ciavolich in Abruzzo, South Central Italy also make their wine labels in Braille.

Meanwhile Chapoutier has his own suggestion. "With the widespread use of bar-codes in shops, it could be easy for such codes to hold information for blind people. They could use special pens to decode the information and then hear about the product through a speaker."

Lets hope that labelling in Braille starts to make some headway and that more wine producers follow Chapoutier's example.

Wine Investment – Empress Joséphine and the First Growths

2009-11-20T09:33:00.006Z

The wife of Napoléon Bonaparte, the Empress Joséphine (1763 – 1814) appeared to know a thing or two about fine wines. France's first Empress had a vast cellar of First Growth Bordeaux at her residence Malmaison. The entire inventory of her cellar, handwritten in 1814, is on display at a new exhibit in the Paris suburb of Rueil-Malmaison, along with a host of 18th and 19th century bottles, crystal glasses and punch bowls. The greatest surprise in the 13,286-bottle wine list was the clear predominance of Bordeaux, as Parisian high society usually drank Burgundies at the time.

Amaury Lefebure, the director of the National Museum of the Chateaux of Malmaison and Bois-Preau said:

"Under the ancient regime, the English were the greatest drinkers of Bordeaux while Louis XVI didn't have a single bottle in his cellar. So we can say that Josephine launched the post-Napoleon fashion for Bordeaux in France,"

"Until now we had very little information about what people were drinking at the time and the wine served,"

"This very precise inventory of Josephine's cellar, which includes a number of Grands Crus that still exist to our day, gives us a wonderful glimpse of what was served at the empress' table."

The First Growths that the Empress had in her cellars were Chateaux Lafite, Margaux, Latour and Haut Brion but she also had Sauternes (Château Suduiraut), Burgundies, Bordeaux (in particular wines from Pauillac), Languedoc Roussillon, the Côtes de Rhone (Chateau Grillet), Italy (Marsala), Spain, Greece, Portugal, the Canaries, Africa and the Rhine. The Empress also kept hundreds of bottles of rum from her native Martinique and had wines from Oporto (port), Maderia, Tokaj, Jerez (sherry), Vins Liquoreux and Champagne.

The exhibition attempts to show the evolution of wine production and marketing during the Empire. It was boosted by progress in the glass making industry, which was particularly noticeable in the shape of the bottles. Elegant ice buckets, glass coolers, crystal and metal punch bowls illustrate the refinement and prestige of the tableware at Malmaison and stand alongside the most brilliant pieces of glassware, some bearing the monograms the sovereigns from Josephine to Louis-Philippe.

More than one hundred and fifty objects, documents and account books belonging to Josephine's suppliers retrace the history of Malmaison's wine cellar, and the "art of living" in all its finery. The Exhibition runs from 18th November to 8th March 2010 in Paris and then moves on to the Musée Napoléon Thurgovie, Château et Parc d’Arenenberg, in Salenstein, Switzerland, from 10th April to 10th October 2010, then at the Museo Napoleonico in Rome, from October 2010 to 28th February 2011.

It's interesting that 41 years before the Emperor Napoleon III ordered the Classification system for France's best Bordeaux wines for the Exposition Universelle de Paris in 1855 the First Growth line up was the same. Excepting, of course, the omission of Chateau Mouton which gained First Growth status in 1973.

What is more interesting is that the quantities of the First Growths that the Empress had in her cellar reflect the popularity of them today . . . with nearly the same ranking in preference.

From the Inventory I counted 857 bottles of Lafite, 609 of Latour, 463 of Margaux and 122 of Haut Brion! I wonder if Mouton had been included back then where it would have been placed? It is certainly moving up the ranks today.

The Great Wine Swindle – How Snobs are Ruining Your Wine

2009-11-19T12:26:00.008Z

The Great Wine Swindle – How Snobs are Ruining Your Wine by Malcolm Gluck came out on sale 18th November, timed to coincide with the release of Beaujolais Nouveau, and I was sent a copy by the Publisher to read. I am in favour of a chap who calls a spade a spade and before I tell you about the book – which I thoroughly enjoyed – I want to tell you a bit about Malcolm Gluck.

Malcolm Gluck is one of the better known wine writer's in the UK having over 30 years worth of experience behind him. He was wine correspondent for The Guardian for 16 years and a contributor to Harpers Magazine. He is the current wine critic of The Oldie and the author of 36 books about wine. Among his titles are Superplonk, Streetplonk, Brave New World and The Great Wine Swindle, the latter declared to become his final book due to the anticipated negative reaction of people in the wine industry – which indeed he has incurred. He also featured in the BBC programme Gluck, Gluck, Gluck.

He has been described as a "self-styled champion of the ordinary wine drinker, fighting against the perceived snobbery and stuffiness of the wine world" and is renowned for his down to earth and controversial opinions. I don't agree with some of his arguments but that doesn't mean that I don't appreciate a lot of what he says. For instance Gluck says terroir is “rubbish” , is anti cork, has a right old pop at wine writers and suggests that wine critics should take a DNA test to see if their taste buds qualify them to judge wine. You all know by now if you are regular readers of my Blog that I am pro cork and believe passionately in terroir – but I liked Gluck's “no holds barred” attitude, he's a man on a mission and he doesn't care who he offends.

His exposé on Supermarket Bogof deals and sharp buying practices is bang on in my eyes – I'd recommend you buy the book and read it just for that alone.

Having read this far you probably won't be surprised that the opening sentence of The Great Wine Swindle reads “The world of wine is populated by liars, scroungers and cheats. It is administered by mountebanks. It runs on misrepresentation and ritualised fraud. Wine drinkers are duped by wine producers, wine merchants, wine waiters and wine writers.” Well, Gluck certainly knows how to catch our attention doesn't he?

What I found valuable in his book were the revelations of dubious practices in the wine trade, those of labelling deceptions i.e. using grapes in the blend which are not declared on the label. For example Gluck cites (amongst many many others) Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve Pinot Noir 2005 as having 9% syrah, 6% merlot and 4% zinfandel in it – why label it as a single varietal wine then?

Gluck says that all sorts of grapes that aren't on the label could easily have found their way into bottles of wine - a practice which depending on the degree of substitution may or may not be illegal; others may even be from entirely different regions; even countries. You'll find plenty of these kind of statements in his book – which can be somewhat alarmist - for example: “The Australian Wine Research Institute's Analytical Service, as a guide to exporters, publishes a list with 40 or so chemicals that are okay, including bentonite, also used in cat litter.” Bentonite is what we know as Fuller's Earth and is a form of clay – it's used as a fining material in wine . . . calling it cat litter is a much better headline though, isn't it?

I think Gluck's book will both appeal and repel in the wine world - his sensationalism of various practices is going to rub a lot of people's backs up. Is this a bad thing? Not really. You are either going to love him or hate him but he will definitely leave you thinking!

The Great Wine Swindle is £8.99 and I reckon it's a good investment if you enjoy wine – it's an eye opener, a conversation piece and an entertaining read. It would be a great Christmas gift for the wine enthusiast in the family.

Discovering Montagnac Syrah Rosé

2009-11-17T10:57:00.014Z

Montagnac Syrah Rosé (£5.37) is made by a small co-operative, Les Vignobles Montagnac, located between Beziers and Montpellier in the Languedoc Roussillon. This is a lovely Rosé, made from 100% Syrah (otherwise known as Shiraz) and is a fresh, crisp wine with the aromas of raspberries and violets. The Syrah Rosé has flavours of crushed ripe red fruits, notes of mint and chocolate.

The co-operative dates back to the 1930s and the vineyards stretch from the banks of Thau Lagoon to the foothills of the mountains on the right bank of the River Hérault where the ancient river bed stones are similar to those of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The vines are grown in small parcels on old terraces on limestone and clay slopes and are pruned using the Cordon de Royat which means that a single spur is trained along a wire allowing for plenty of sunlight to ripen the grapes and greater control over yields. The co-operative's motto is “the terroir of the sea” as the warm breezes from the Mediterranean nurture their grapes.

The vineyards of the Languedoc are the oldest in France, planted by the early Greeks in the 5th century BC, and had a high reputation right through the centuries. The region stretches 150 miles from the Banyuls AOC at the Spanish border and Pyrenees in the west, along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to the Rhone River and Provence in the east. The northern boundaries of the region sit on the Massif Central with the Cévennes mountain ranges and valleys dominating the area. Many vineyards are located along the Hérault River. In the 14th century wines from the Languedoc were prescribed in hospitals in Paris for their "healing powers" and during both World Wars the Languedoc was responsible for providing the daily wine rations given to French soldiers. Today the Languedoc is one of the most dynamic wine growing regions in the World.

Syrah is an interesting blue purple grape with legends attached as to its origins. It is also known as Shiraz and makes wines which are are often quite powerfully flavoured and full bodied with aromas of chocolate, violets, truffles, leather, coffee and black pepper. For many years it was thought that Syrah came from the Persian city of Shiraz and was brought to the Rhone by the Phocaeans when they founded their colony around Marseilles around 600BC.

The Crusader Gaspard de Sterimberg is also credited with bringing Syrah to France when he founded his chapel at Hermitage. Another legend of Syrah's origin is that it was brought from Syracuse by the legions of Roman Emperor Probus sometime after AD 280. However in 1999 the University of California, Davis and the Viticultural Research Station in Montpellier, France used DNA to find Syrah's true origin. It showed that Syrah originated in France and was the offspring of Dureza – a dark skinned grape from the Ardeche and Mondeuse Blanche – a white grape cultivated in Savoy.

Dureza is a dark-skinned grape variety from the Ardèche region in France that has all but disappeared from the vineyards, and the preservation of such varieties is a speciality of Montpellier. Mondeuse Blanche is a white grape variety cultivated in the Savoy region, and is still found in very small amounts in that region's vineyards today. Thus, both Syrah's parents come from a limited area in southeastern France, very close to northern Rhône. Based on these findings, the researchers have concluded that Syrah originated from northern Rhône.

Syrah was once used as a blending component in Bordeaux wines in the 18th century. In those days clarets were less powerful than today, and Bordeaux châteaux would use Syrah from Hermitage in the Northern Rhone to improve their wines, especially in weaker vintages.

The Montagnac Syrah Rosé is a versatile wine and can be paired with cheese dishes, poultry, seafood and spicier dishes such as Chinese or Thai cuisine. I have found a recipe from the Languedoc which would be great with the Syrah Rosé. This recipe uses Pineau des Charantes which is a regional French aperitif, made in the Charente. It is a fortified wine, made from a blend of lightly-fermented grape must and Cognac eau-de-vie. A good alternative would be a splash of Tawny Port or medium sweet Sherry.

Chicken Breast with Four Spices (Blancs de Volailles aux Quatre Epices)

2 whole breasts of chicken
1 tsp ground white pepper, ginger, nutmeg, cloves
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp plum jam (Confiture de Mirabelles if you can get it)
½ cup Rosé wine
2 tbsp
¼ cup Pineau des Charentes (or Tawny Port or a medium sweet Sherry)
1 tbsp fresh thyme
2 tbsp virgin olive oil
1 onion
4 sticks celery
2 carrots

Remove skin from the chicken breasts and cut into four long strips (two from each half of the breast). Dust strips with 4 spice powder and salt - allow to stand and come to room temperature before cooking. Heat pan to medium high - put oil in pan - lightly brown on all sides the chicken strips - set aside on warm plate. Sauté onion, celery and carrot in the pan - when softened but not browned add wine and liqueur to deglaze pan. Dissolve the plum jam in the stock and add to the pan - raise heat to reduce the total liquid by ½. Return the chicken strips to the pan to cook them through. Remove them to heated dish while reducing the liquid to a thick glaze over high heat. When sauce is thickened to desired degree, pour over resting chicken strips and serve.

Enjoy!

Vertical Tasting of Chateau La Fleur Morange at Amicitia Per Vinum

2009-11-16T12:19:00.008Z

Last week I had the pleasure of conducting a Vertical Tasting of both Chateau La Fleur Morange and the Second Wine Mathilde for the ‘Amicitia Per Vimum’ wine society at the Wig and Mitre in Lincoln. They had not come across these lovely wines before and having seen the scores and notes from Robert Parker and Jancis Robinson they were really looking forward to the tasting and certainly weren't disappointed.
‘Amicitia Per Vinum’ are a group of professionals living in and around Lincoln who are extremely interested in wine. They pay so much each month into a kitty and get together every other month to taste a variety of wines from around the world. They are a great friendly bunch who take their wines seriously but have a good laugh together. They made me very welcome and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them.

They tasted the 2000, 2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 La Fleur Morange and the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Mathilde. The stars of the show proved to be the La Fleur Morange 2005 and Mathilde 2008 (which came as a surprise for such a young wine) and they are now looking at organising a visit to the Chateau next Spring to meet the Juliens'.

The consensus of opinion that both wines were excellent, great value for money and they marked them out of a hundred points. Having chatted to them they thought there wasn’t many points between them and the marks were well into the 90’s. Most of them had their preferences but really enjoyed the chance of a vertical tasting.

I was delighted to receive the following email from them:

“Nick many thanks for taking the time to come over to Lincoln to conduct a vertical tasting of both La Fleur Morange and Mathilde. Your knowledge and enthusiasm was infectious and it was great to hear all the little nuances of the Chateau, the terroir and the owners. As wine enthusiasts, this was our first experience of such a tasting which none of the members wanted to miss and we were not disappointed. All the wines were superb with different members having their own favourite vintages of each wine.

A great evening, which resulted in us finding two superb relatively unknown wines which were high in quality and both very affordable - especially when you compare them with other wines we have sampled in our little society from higher classified growths!”

I also took along two superb whites for them to try: Chateau Laures 2006 (£6.60) and M de Malle, (£11.73) both of which they really enjoyed and assured me would find their way on to their everyday drinking lists.

The Wig and Mitre proved to be a brilliant choice of venue – it is on part of the Pilgrim Way in the upper part of Medieval Lincoln at the top of Steep Hill, located between the Castle and the Cathedral. The building is a mix of 14th and 16th century and the ambience is lovely. It is open from 8.30 in the morning continuously, with food in perpetual motion, until around midnight, all day, every day, each week, all year. It is well worth a visit if you are in the area! The menus are excellent and each dish is paired with a wine suggestion – which I thought was a super idea.

Lincoln is a beautiful city to visit – it was once among the wealthiest towns in England, exporting cloth and wool to Flanders; dyed 'scarlet and green, the reputation of which was later enhanced by Robin Hood wearing woollens of Lincoln green. Steep Hill is part of the old quarter which houses Bailgate and the High Bridge which bears half-timbered housing, with the upper storeys jutting out over the river, as London Bridge once had. You can find specialist shops there and there is a Christmas market held in the Castle grounds!

If you are interested in trying Chateau La Fleur Morange or Mathilde they are available from www.interestinwine.co.uk. If you are a member of a wine society and would like to invite me along for a similar tasting please get in touch.

Wine Investment, Mouton Rothschild and China

2009-11-13T12:31:00.008Z

Mouton Rothschild has enjoyed significant price increases during the month of October according to Liv-ex (the Fine wine Exchange) whereas Lafite Rothschild's performance has plateaued. Over a 5 week period from the start of October, according to the Liv-ex Claret Chip Index, Mouton has increased in price by 5.3%, the highest rise among the First Growths. Up until October Mouton has had to play second fiddle to Lafite but growing interest from Asia has shown itself in Mouton’s 64% increase in activity in the first half of 2009 in comparison to 2008.

There is speculation that perhaps Mouton is about to realise its brand potential in Asia and that if this is the case then Mouton could provide a good investment opportunity in the Fine Wine market in the next 12 months. Perhaps when we are into the New Year we will have a more concise picture on whether Mouton can sustain its position.

There are a few of reasons why it seems that Mouton has started to eclipse its prodigious cousin: Lafite is expensive and high demand is putting pressure on availability, Asian fine wine consumer’s tastes are starting to broaden and mature as buyers in the East look beyond Lafite Rothschild (Chateau Latour has also shown an upwards movement recently and in some cases has over taken Lafite) and the fact that they both share the name Rothschild.

Both Lafite and Mouton are successful at branding (see Which is the Biggest Rothschild Brand?) but Lafite has been more successful in China until now. Lafite was, of course, swift to translate its website into Chinese and has clearly been visiting China from early on (1992). Lafite is also developing a vineyard in China in partnership with CITIC, China's largest state-owned investment company, on over 60 acres of vines on the peninsula of Penglai in Shandong province.

Much has been made of the fact that “Lafite” is easy for Chinese consumers to pronounce and is therefore one of the reasons for its popularity - but so is “Margaux”! Apparently the Chinese version of Lafite is 'Lai-fat' which means “come get rich”. Interestingly, one of the unofficial Chinese names for Mouton Rothschild is ‘Wu Tang King'. Wu Tang is the Hubei Province Daoist martial arts sect particularly renowned for its swordsmanship.

The Chinese translation for Chateau Beychevelle (Longchuan, meaning ‘dragon boat’) has helped that property’s wines do particularly well there. Chateau La Lagune is known as LangLihu (the beautiful lake) which also seems a smart move. The Chinese Bordeaux Guide announced in 2008 that the 10th Edition of Chinese Bordeaux Guide 2009 will publish the official Chinese names of the 1855 Medoc Classification, it was with a view to standardizing the Chinese names of the 61 châteaux.

While every château has the same name in French and English, it has an average five to 10 different Chinese names. This is because a journalist in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan or China will translate, for example, Chateau Mouton Rothschild differently. However the Chinese Bordeaux Guide is dependent on the châteaux re co-operation in this and only 14 châteaux have confirmed their official Chinese names. Chateau Latour and Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou have also confirmed they will only use their original names. It will be interesting to see how this situation develops and whether a brand name in Chinese will affect the wine's visibility and it's price.

Discovering Chateau Grand Rousseau

2009-11-12T12:12:00.013Z

Chateau Grand Rousseau lies near Sauveterre de Guyenne in the Entre Deux Mers and is one of several chateaux owned by the renowned Lumeau family who have been wine makers for 4 generations, establishing Vignobles Lumeau in 1840. Grand Rousseau is a charming deep ruby coloured claret which is a round, smooth, well balanced wine with integrated tannins and a classical bouquet. It has subtle red fruit flavours with notes of blackcurrant, blueberry, tobacco, violets, earth and vanilla.

The Entre Deux Mers is sandwiched between the tidal waters of the Rivers Dordogne and Garonne and the land is bordered by the vineyards of Saint Emilion in the north and by those of the sweet wines of Sauternes to the south. The landscape is softened by limestone valleys, with small hills above crowned with pine or oak and their slopes cultivated with vines.

Sauveterre de Guyenne is a medieval Bastide town and was actually built by the English, in the time of Edward I. It still has part of its fortifications with its typical arcaded central square and four gates to the town. The shops radiate out from the centre of town, and it is a pleasure to browse, taking refuge from the midday sun under the age old arches that form the arcades.

The vineyards of Grand Rousseau cover 275 acres and are 21 miles from Saint Emilion and lie on clay and limestone. The grape varieties planted are 40% Merlot which makes a full bodied and round wine. It ripens early so it is the first variety gathered. Cabernet Sauvignon makes up 45% of the estate. It brings the wine its structure from tannins but also a delicate and refined flavour profile. It grows well here but it ripens very slowly, so it is the last variety harvested. It needs years to reach its full maturation. The remainder of vines are 15% Cabernet Franc which makes a supple and fine wine, less colour than the Cabernet Sauvignon but with a more intense bouquet. Its ageing is more rapid. Grand Rousseau id the result of a skilful combination of these varieties of grapes, with ancestral traditions of wine-making and the techniques of modern oenology.

The 2004 vintage is a blend of 52% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Cabernet Franc and is fermented in stainless steel tanks and is thermo-regulated to maintain a constant temperature during the fermentation. This wine will age very well for several years to come and will pair well with roasted fowl, red meat or game and hard cheeses. The recommended temperature of serving is 14 to 16ºC.

This is a super claret to enjoy with your Christmas turkey and Dindes aux Truffes is an old recipe that was a favourite of the epicurean French statesman Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838) – and one time owner of the First Growth Chateau Haut Brion. Talleyrand employed Mariè-Antoine Câreme, one of the first celebrity chefs who was an early practitioner of haute cuisine. Carême created dishes for Napoléon and also served as chef de cuisine in London to the Prince Regent, later George IV. He was invited by Tsar Alexander I to come to St. Petersburg, where he lived so briefly he never prepared a meal for the Tsar before returning to Paris, where he was chef to banker James Mayer Rothschild. Talleyrand has another link to Turkey – albeit not a culinary one. His wife, Catherine Worlée Grand's child-like beauty did not totally make up for the naivety of her public utterances. She tried to tell someone she was born in India and (instead of “Je suis des Indes”) replied “Je suis d’Inde”, which sounds like “Je suis dinde” (I am a turkey).

Dindes Aux Truffes

2 1-inch-diameter black truffles
1 16 lb turkey, neck reserved
8 fresh thyme sprigs
4 fresh parsley sprigs
6 bay leaves
12 large shallots, peeled, cut in half
3 cups (or more) chicken stock
½ cup Cognac
3 tbsp flour
3 jars whole roasted peeled chestnuts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Coarsely chop 1 ½ truffles; place in a food processor. Add the butter; process mixture until well blended and truffles are finely chopped. Season the truffle butter with salt and pepper. Thinly slice the remaining ½ truffle; cover and chill.

Sprinkle the main cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Starting at the neck end, carefully slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen the skin. Rub the truffle butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, over breast meat under skin. Rub any truffle butter that remains on your hands all over outside of turkey. Place turkey on small rack set in large roasting pan. Using kitchen string, tie 4 thyme sprigs, 2 parsley sprigs, and 3 bay leaves together. Repeat with remaining 4 thyme sprigs, 2 parsley sprigs, and 3 bay leaves. Place 1 herb bouquet in the main cavity of turkey and 1 in the neck cavity. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Cover turkey with cling film and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Tuck turkey wings under. Place shallots and turkey neck around turkey in the pan. Sprinkle turkey, shallots, and neck with salt and pepper. Roast until turkey and shallots are golden brown. Gently stir shallots. Pour 1 cup of stock over the turkey. Roast for 30 minutes. Pour 1 cup of stock over the turkey. Cover turkey breast and legs loosely with foil. Roast for about an hour, basting with pan drippings and adding 1 cup of stock if necessary. Transfer turkey to platter; tent loosely with foil. Let stand 30 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer shallots to bowl. Discard turkey neck.

Pour pan juices into a jug. Spoon off fat from top of pan juices, reserving 6 tablespoons fat. Discard remaining fat. Pour Cognac into roasting pan; place over low heat and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add to pan juices. Melt 2 tablespoons reserved turkey fat in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Boil until sauce thickens very slightly, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes (gravy will be thin). Stir reserved sliced ½ truffle into gravy. Season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Melt 4 tablespoons fat in frying pan and add chestnuts and sauté until heated through. Add roasted shallots and chopped parsley; sauté until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Surround turkey with chestnut-shallot mixture. Serve with gravy.

Enjoy!