Vine of the Times

Dom Perignon Vertical

2008-01-19T13:46:34+00:00

Back in Dec '07 I was lucky enough to attend a vertical tasting of Dom Perignon at Vintners Hall, organised by the Institute of Masters of Wine and hosted by DP's Chef de Cave Richard Geoffroy.

DP was minimal, I was about to embark on a trip to Champagne to visit small growers so these wines would be an excellent benchmark for my subsequent tastings.

Geoffroy was coy about yields and volume of production perhaps, because, like many of the Grands Maisons, he feels slightly embarrassed about it. Yields in Champagne are notoriously high - 80 hectolitres / hectare is common for many wines. However, he was keen to stress that all grapes for DP are estate grown and Grand Cru - which somewhat contradicts Richard Juhlin in his weighty tome '4,000 Champagnes' which states that some Chardonnay is sourced from the Union Champagne co-op in Avize.

1999 Dom Perignon
Already quite complex on the nose. Strong minerality. Rich in white flowers. Quite delicate on the palate. Minerality and green fruits linger. Acidity med - med/high. Quite a rich mouthfeel. Palate feels rather dry and builds up with a savoury finish. Seamless and elegant. Already drinking surprisingly well. 52% Pinot Noir 48% Chardonnay.

1996 Dom Perignon Rose
Delicate copper colour. Earthy nose. Minerality taking a back stage. Fruit is slightly subdued. Elegance of Chardonnay still dominates, vaguely floral, vaguely strawberry. Very subtle. Palate brings out some minerality. Lots of pear and green apple. Really appley, but not tart nor overly malic. Acidity is med high and feels more classic than the 1999. Seriously top drawer. 55% Pinot 45% Chardonnay.

1990 Dom Perignon Rose (Magnum)
Pale copper. Bouquet more developed showing more Pinot. Scents of tobacco, undergrowth with little traces of perfume. Bay and leather. Such a delicate palate, showing signs of mature, complex flavours. Crispness and delicacy of Chardonnay. Perfect balance and delicacy, crispness and a little savouriness from the Pinot with touches of redcurrants and mineral finish. Only just getting into its stride. Lovely.

1985 Dom Perignon Rose (magnum)
Colour a little more delevoped than 1990. Fruit and flowers dominate the nose which is broad and masculine. Palate is delicate and crisp with flavours of red apples tinged with cinnamon. Big mouthfeel with acidity quite high keeping the palate fresh and delicate.

1993 Dom Perignon (Disgorged 1999)
Pale colour still lively palate. Highly mineral - chalky.Feminine palate. Pears. Mouthfeel much subdued and feels almost Blancs de Blanc. 9 grams of dosage.

1993 Dom Perignon Oenotheque (disgorged 2006)
Interesting to taste this alongside the regular DP of the same vintage. Longer on the lees and less dosage at 5-6 grams/litre. Nose broader than above - hawthorn and acacia. Green apple dominates the palate with mouthfeel somewhat more generous. I don't think either of these are particularly great DPs.

1976 Dom Perignon Oenotheque (disgorged 1999)
23 years on its lees, I was looking forward to this. Good colour, just starting to go slightly gold. Nose is earthy, nutty, figgy, also candied fruits and marzipan. Rich mouthfeel, big presence on the palate and rather concentrated. Open and broad palate, long and persistent. Acidity feels more medium but this could be a result of such expansive body on the palate. Powdery finish.

1975 Dom Perignon Oenotheque (disgorged 2004)
Highly complex nose: perfume, coconut, patisserie, floral, vanilla. Has the depth and minerality of top end white Burgundy. Palate has some earthiness (woodsy). High acidity. Palate very Chardonnay, touches of hawthorn with an agreeable bitterness. Amazingly fresh considering the age. Scintillating.

1973 Dom Perignon Oenotheque (disgorged 2006)
Nose quite mature and developed, but lots of persistent fruit - edging towards marzipan, salty and chalky with some dark berries. Less fragrant than 1975. Palate feels dry and the acidity is tame. Marzipan lingers on the finish. Finish is really long and delicate and is the best thing about this wine. A mild disappointment after the '75

Parker & Chateauneuf

2007-03-21T10:03:28+00:00

Here we go again, Robert Parker doesn’t know his Chateauneuf from his Chablis.

The latest Wine Advocate rather denigrates the Chateauneuf du Pape 2004 of Domaine Mathieu stating “This is an estate making more Pinot Noir like Chateauneuf du Pape” “perhaps over –aggressive fining or filtration.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. I tasted the wine out of bottle at the domaine back in September and was impressed. A further tasting was done this week and the wine revealed, a dark colour, fresh sensuous bouquet of dark fruits with a touch of wood smoke, fresh fruit on the palate with a lovely supple texture and good concentration. What the wine doesn’t have is excessive new oak, alcohol to burn, and the texture of porridge, and amen to that.

Dear Mr. Parker, when are you going to appreciate wines which are meant to accompany food not bludgeon it into submission?

Peter

Ballantynes Wines Now at Casanova Italian Restaurant

2007-02-06T14:47:01+00:00

One of Cardiff’s best eateries now has Ballantynes wines on special and as part of a special menu which has been launched this month. Casanova, run by brothers Luca and Angelo Montuori, originally from Naples have developed a special menu of two courses entitled ‘Specilita della Casa’ which represents the best of the house, and we have chosen two wines to complement.

The menu for February is a choice of starters: Grilled Scallops, or Antipasto Misto and for main courses: Tuscan Fish Stew, or Roast Guinea Fowl.

To match these dishes we have chosen Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva 2003 from Guicciardini Strozzi for the seafood and Morellino di Scansano 2004 Moris Farms for the meat.

Prices are £40 per head including wine, but reservation is essential as the produce is purchased fresh daily.

To reserve a table please contact Luca on 029 2034 4044 or email luca@casanovaitalianrestaurant.com

Ballantynes' Christmas Wine Tasting 29th November

2006-11-27T15:25:22+00:00

Yes, it's that time of year again! Save yourself from the traffic and queues and do all of your xmas shopping in one store - ours!

The tasting is at our Cardiff shop 211/217 Cathedral Road and will run from 12pm - 9pm.

We have a range of 16 wines which have been hand selected for your delight. No real theme here except that most of the wines are new to the range and there is a Champagne to start, and fortifieds to finish. This is not a formal tasting and there is no tutorial, just come along and taste some really interesting wines, many of which are exclusive to us.

We'd love to see you here, but please RSVP richard@ballantynes.co.uk

To make it really interesting, we are offering extra case discount (10%) for orders placed on the day.

The list of wines follows.

Champagne

Ballantynes Special Cuvee N.V. GEORGES GARDET
Our ‘house’ Champagne which is excellent value for money. Recently beat Bollinger and many other illustrious names in a Wine Spectator blind tasting of top non-vintage Champagnes.

White Wines

Costieres de Nimes Galets Dorés 2005 CHATEAU MOURGUES DU GRES
This is a light, fresh, vibrant white from the Rhone. Made from Grenache Blanc and Roussanne.

Pouilly Fume Les Croqloups 2005 DOMAINE CHAUVEAU
Our new Pouilly Fumé producer. This is excellent value for money and shows the typical ‘gunflint’ and nettle aromas particular to this region.

Sauvignon Blanc 2004 GEOFF WEAVER
Weaver makes some zippy Sauvignon from cool, high altitude vineyards in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia. Like New Zealand Sauvignon, but drier and more body.

Vouvray Sec 2004 DOMAINE DU CLOS NAUDIN
A recent discovery of ours, the Vouvrays from Clos Naudin are out of this world. This is the dry version which shows citrus and subtle floral hints with lemony acidity and a full palate.

Viognier 2005 CHATEAU LA CANORGUE
This is an organic/biodynamic estate in the stunningly beautiful Cotes de Luberon in Provence and used as the location for the recent Ridley Scott film A Good Year. The Viognier produced here is rich, but not heavy and has peach and apricot palate with just a touch of honeysuckle.

Red Wines

Bordeaux Superieur 2003 CHATEAU MOULIN D'ISSAN
This is a basic Bordeaux Superieur, but it is made from vines at Chateau d’Issan, a Cru Classé in Margaux. The wine shows all the Margaux finesse and aromas of blackcurrants.

Sancerre Rouge ‘Vincengetorix’ 2005 VINCENT GAUDRY
This is the first time we have listed a Sancerre Rouge as it is the first one we have ever liked. Gaudry uses organic/biodynamic principles and his Sancerre Rouge which is 100% Pinot Noir is rich and full with aromas of black, forest fruits.

Hahndorf Rise Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2003 ABBEY ROCK
A recent addition to our range, and in our opinion this is the best value Pinot Noir from the southern hemisphere. It comes from the cool Adelaide Hills and is made in a fresh, savoury but complex style. Delicious.

Dolcetto di Dogliani ‘Vigna Tecc’ 2003 PODERI LUIGI EINAUDI
Dolcetto is normally light and fruity, but Einaudi has its vines in top sites in the fog shrouded hills of the Langhe in NW Italy. Deeply coloured, and crammed with scents of woodlands and ripe black fruits.

Cahors ‘Cedre Heritage’ 2004 CHATEAU DU CEDRE
Cahors’ best producer. This wine is made from 90% Malbec and 10% Merlot made using the best modern techniques to extract the best from these characterful grapes.

Pomerol ‘Cadet de Gombaude’ 2004 CHATEAU GOMBAUDE GUILLOT
Gombaude Guillot is the only organic/biodynamic estate in Pomerol. The vineyards are located on the best clay/gravel soils next to many of the region’s top sites. The wine is perhaps a little young but it shows a breed and class well beyond its price.

Ribera del Duero Tinto Joven 2004 BODEGAS MONTEVANNOS
This is an unoaked Tempranillo from high altitude vineyards in Spain’s Ribera del Duero region. This region produces high quality reds which normally sell for high prices, but this producer which we discovered 2 years ago, sells its wines at exceptionally low prices. The wine is rich and dark and offers generous plum and ripe blackcurrant flavours, combined with peppery spice.

Bandol 2003 DOMAINE DE LA TOUR DU BON
Bandol is, in our opinion, the best appellation on France’s Mediterranean coast, and this up-and-coming producer is making some superb reds (and a rosé) which are rich and concentrated, but also have a great style about them. A cross between Claret and Chateauneuf in style.

Fortifieds

Late Bottled Vintage Port 2000 NIEPOORT
Niepoort is our favourite producer of everyday Ports and this LBV is rich and concentrated and very satisfying.

San Emilio PX N.V. EMILIO LUSTAU
Pedro Ximenez (or PX for short) is a grape which produces incredibly rich, sweet wine and is normally added to Sherry to sweeten it. This is 100% PX which is pure indulgence, simply delicious when poured over good quality vanilla ice cream, or can stand up to the booziest of Christmas puddings.

Ballantynes' Champagne Beats Bollinger in 'Wine Spectator' Blind Tasting

2006-11-20T14:56:02+00:00

The Wine Spectator, America's leading wine magazine, has held a blind tasting of non-vintage Champagnes in which Gardet Cuvee St Flavy, the same cuvee as our 'Special Selection', beat Bollinger at nearly twice the price. Also receiving the same score as Billecart Salmon, Taittinger, Perrier Jouet and Heidsieck Monopole Diamant Blanc which retails in the States for $100.The tasting note is on the subscribers section of the site, but here it is below.

"Firm and harmonious, featuring peach, apple, honey and spice notes. Picks up some citrus accents toward the long, mouthwatering finish. Drink now. 2,000 cases imported. 91pts"

The wine is made from a blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 45% Pinot Meunier and 10% Chardonnay, and 20% is composed of reserve wine which adds richness and complexity to the blend. This wine has been our 'house' Champagne for 12 years, and it is consistent in quality.

This is one of Champagne's outstanding bargains and we offer it at £16.99 per bottle or £14.75 when you buy 12.

Beaujolais Nouveau Est Arrivee

2006-11-16T17:19:17+00:00

Yes, our Nouveau has arrived and now on our shelves for sale. As long as you don't take it too seriously, Beaujolais Nouveau can be an enjoyable drink - fruity, easy going and a bit of fun, ideal for drinks parties, as long as you drink it soon, i.e. before Christmas.

Most Nouveau that comes to these shores is from the famous producer Georges Duboeuf, but his reputation has been tarnished of late, with a prosecution for blending ordinary AC Beaujolais into his Fleurie. Fortunately, the authorities were alerted early and the wine never made it to market. However, the damage has been done.

All our Beaujolais, including Nouveau come from the negociant firm of Trenel Fils who have been a quality producer since 1928. They have been our sole Beaujolais producer since 1994.Beaujolais Nouveau is not fermented in a traditional manner, instead it is made by a method called maceration carbonique, which is essentially a fermentation without the use of oxygen. The resulting wines are low in tannins and ready for drinking sooner.

For our local clients, the Nouveau will be on tasting all week, or until it's all gone, whichever the sooner.

Beaujolais Nouveau 2006 Trenel Fils £6.99
Beaujolais Villages Nouveau 2006 Trenel Fils £7.49
Macon Villages Blanc Nouveau 2006 Trenel Fils £8.99

Buy any 3 and save £3

What Would You Pay For A Bottle Of Champagne?

2006-11-09T14:16:01+00:00

Ever since the gaff made by Frederic Rouzaud of Champagne Louis Roederer whose ambivalence towards the success of his company's top brand 'Cristal' with African-American rappers was construed as racism by Jay-Z (quite famous rapper, apparently), and has been compared to 'doing a Ratner', other Champagne houses have been jostling for the top slot following the subsequent tarnishing of said Champagne. In the last few months we have seen a new release from Champagne Cattier called 'Armand de Brignac' which comes in gold bottle and solid pewter label and retails for $300 in the States and already endorsed by the rap elite, and just posted on the BBC's website is news of Perrier Jouet's plans to release a Super Cuvee which is set to retail at €1,000 per bottle.

The cynics amongst us are having a little sneer at this vinous machismo, but both are set to be huge successes. However, if you are interested in wine and not just the 'bling' we have in stock the new releases from 'Billecart-Salmon' and the incredibly rare 'Salon Le Mesnil'.

Further Evidence of Health Benefits of Wine

2006-11-02T16:08:29+00:00

Those lucky mice which have been subjected to vats of Vintage Claret and foie gras have apparently proved that a diet high in red wine counteracts the effects of over-eating high calorie food. This is all down to a molecule called resveratrol which is found in black grapes. Great news for anyone, like us, who binges on large amounts of wine and food.

My advice, sell your exercise bike and buy a case of Rampolla Chianti it's organic too!

The full article can found on the Beeb's website.

Wine and Champagne Dinner at the Felin Fach Griffin

2006-10-23T18:23:49+01:00

We are pleased to imform about a Billecart Salmon and Chateau Vignelaure themed dinner which will be taking place this Friday (27th October) at the Felin Fach Griffin near Brecon. This esteemed Good Food Guide Rated restaurant with rooms has a great wine pricing policy and the food is top notch, hearty fare sourcing much of their produce locally.

The evening will be hosted by John Atkinson MW, sales director of Billecart Salmon UK and Catherine O'Brien, co-proprietor of Chateau Vignelaure in Provence.

These are both highly respected producers and combined with Ricardo Van Ede's expertise in the kitchen, this is likely to be an evening to remember.

Tickets are priced at £60 per head including food and drink. Please contact Edmund Inkin for availability on 01874 620111 or enquiries@eatdrinksleep.ltd.uk

Hope to see you there.

Wine Myths and the Perils of Being a Retailer

2006-10-23T15:44:38+01:00

Having been in wine retail for 13 years, I am quite often entertained, and sometimes stupified by myths which have grown around wine. A memorable one was 'white wine never tastes the same when you dye it red'. Admittedly, that was a long time ago. Here are some more which amuse our tiny minds.

'The Germans Keep All Their Best Red Wines For Themselves': If there are indeed, any 'good' Germans reds at all, then I am pretty sure there is not some vast consipracy to conserve them for the domestic market.

'Greek Wines Don't Travel Well': I must confess, that I myself have enjoyed the vinous delights of the Greek Islands 'in situ', and upon bringing bottles back to the grey damp of the UK, have found them only fit for the drains. It is not the distance the wine has travelled, it was bad to start with. It is a combination of the sun, long evenings and thirst which makes them palatable.

'Cloudy Bay Is Very Limited And Very Hard To Get': No, this simply isn't true. They make ship loads of it. It is allocated as a 'reward' to supporters of Moet-Hennessey's (Cloudy Bay's parent company) other products, the vast majority of which do not appeal to fine wine buyers.

Any Of The Following Do Not Automatically Make You A Wine Expert

Being French
Owing a house in France
Being a member of the Wine Society

Richard