Bordeaux 2010 behind the prices

The campaign has come to a shuddering close, a couple of emails still slither their way into my inbox offering suspicious first tranche prices on certain allocations that are hanging around like bad smells, from negociants desperately trying to recoup some of the capital they are forced to part with in order to secure their allocations for the next year.

How long will this go on? The negociants are held to ransom - made to buy wines they know they will struggle to sell in order to also get the creme of first growths and other strong market performers, and in turn hold merchants around the world to ransom. They in turn then dump certain properties onto the market at crazily low prices completely devaluing them as happened in particular this year with poor old (fantastic) Rieussec which was bundled together with Lafite - coming from the same stable.

In the past the negociants were prepared to swallow this for the lucrative benefits of supporting the chateaux during the long months of elevage the wines went through when there was no cash flow. Which is to say the massive resale value the wines held once they were physically released (at least 2 years later).

As an acknowledgement of the act of trust the negociants placed in the chateaux by buying wines so embryonic that only a hazardous guess could be made as to its eventual quality, the wines were released at bargain prices. Everyone was happy; the chateaux got some cash into their coffers and the negociants consolidated their position of power as gatekeepers to the worlds most precious wines.

It has all started to unravel recently. Last year saw a successful campaign mainly on the basis that the previous 3 vintages were pretty ordinary and there was nothing to get excited about. So the 'vintage of the decade' was a welcome relief and provided a much needed injection of adrenaline into the system.

But with 2010 proving to be another 'vintage of the decade' some fatigue was already setting in. Added to that was the curious drip feeding on to the market of the releases in April and May before the floodgates opened in June by which time a lot of people were over it. Some notable losers included Cos d'Estournel who very sensibly lowered their price from last year but had their thunder stolen by Ducru Beaucaillou who released later in the day with an even bigger drop in price. Guess which one sold?

We have also seen calls from senior members of the wine press calling for the en primeur tastings to be held much later when the wines have at least finished their malo-lactic fermentations or even a year later - given that the release prices now don't allow for any real investment benefits in the first year. And despite a campaign by Jancis Robinson to delay the release of scores until after the prices were released, there was not enough support paricularly among American writers to carry the motion. 

Added to that was the Far Eastern thirst for fine wine, which has developed at an amazing rate and which has everyone around the wine transaction world presenting their business cards with both hands and a small bow, as I first noticed at Vinexpo in Bordeaux in June.

But the Chinese are switched on despite being widely mocked when they first joined the wine buying world for their reputation of mixing Lafite with coke. And traditional palates shuddered at the thought of their beloved first growths being sold to markets which clearly didn't deserve them. It was a triumph of new money over taste.   

Their preference for physical stock to the en primeur system must also surely have chateaux owners thinking they're missing a real trick here by releasing wines now and missing out on that market completely.

But now, first it has been reported in Decanter that a major retailer in China has turned its back on the left bank in order to concentrate on the right where prices are generally less stratospheric (let's not bring up Cheval Blanc for now) and on own labels - how sensible. They might not have a historical trade relationship with Bordeaux but they know when they're being patronised, perhaps?

And secondly there are increasing demands for wines with a far greater perceived value in terms of being able to drink. The top 35 wines no longer have the same monopoly on the imagination, and an understanding of appellations as well as requests for wines outside the 'box' are significantly higher from year to year.

As with any new market, knowledge develops quickly. We must appreciate that new markets will take less time to develop into mature ones than our market in the UK has taken - which is centuries in fact. And perhaps some resent this but it is a fact. And rather than paying lip service respect we need to appreciate the level of sophistication that other markets have despite the fact that as a commercial proposition they may still be very young. And for the sake of everyone trading there it is important not to underestimate the unknown. Value for money is something every market can relate to.

But in all this I feel the chateaux have come to the conclusion that as they are now cash rich, they no longer need the services of the negociants to assist them through the cold months of famine until the finished wine reaches the market and cannot fathom why they should release the wines at one price only to have them double or triple or quadruple in a matter of days.

It is no different to Olympic tickets being released on allocation or Glastonbury tickets being issued through official websites and then appearing on ebay in a matter of minutes at vastly inflated prices, which everyone agrees is an outrageous affront to the artist whose work is being exploited. Except of course Olympic and Glastonbury fans are at least given the opportunity to fight it out in cyber space to get a ticket at source, which wine lovers are not. And  the negociants are merely playing their part in what has long been the dance of Bordeaux en primeur.

It just doesn't seem that relevant anymore. And I can't see why the chateaux - not the middlemen - shouldn't be the beneficiaries of the final perceived value of the wine at release - they just need to employ a sales/admin team to deal with having several hundreds of clients as opposed to a handful and away they go. At the moment they are playing two games simultaneously but it seems to me to be just a matter of time before the rules change significantly.

What happens next...? Is en primeur a juggernaut that can't be stopped or a dinosaur at the monster's ball?

Delas Freres - a Rhone Classic

One of the Big 5 producers in the Northern Rhone, this family also boasts sites in the powerful South. But I was invited, with a few other guests, to join Jacques Grange, the winemaker, for a first look at the 2009 vintage of Condrieu, St Joseph white, Cotes du Rhone, Hermitage and Cote Rotie as well as new releases from recent vintages.

We were hosted at Pierre Koffmann's eponymous restaurant (he of the legendary 'La Tante Claire') at the Berkeley Hotel where, although it did not feature at this lunch, his signature pig’s trotter with chicken mousseline, sweetbreads and morels is on the menu and well worth a visit alone.

On this occasion we were treated to a menu choice, unusual for an event where the wine is the focus of attention, from which I had 'Escabeche de Rouget en Salade' - Salad of marinated baby red mullet - followed by 'Queue de Veau Provencal' - Veal tail Provencal - and though I, chastely, tried to turn down pudding my waiter leaned over and whispered 'I have a Honey Soufflé that Madame should try' in a way that was not possible to resist. And I was so glad I didn't.

Champagne Deutz Brut Classic NV
Terrifically leesy and with plenty of cream and layered texture. Lots of green fruit too which lingers pleasantly on the tongue. Also the mousse is just right, wonderful spike without any aggression at all.

Condrieu Clos Boucher 2009
100% Viognier in 1 & 2 yr old oak. This was left in barrel longer than usual because of the rich nature of the vintage, and was bottled 2 months later than usual. The parcel is right next door to Chateau Grillet.
Very intense, deeply savoury as well as that intense apricot fruit. Lush yet brightly lit from within. Very present - demands attention. A viscous texture and powerful finish.

Saint Joseph White Les Chailleys 2009
Wonderfully restrained nose of artichokes, peaches and some flint, even a touch of gun smoke following on its heels. A lovely elegant finish which lingers playfully.

Cotes-du-Rhone Saint Esprit 2009
A blend made predominantly of Syrah.
Very floral, violet nose. Strong sense of place evident in the glass. Stony, elegant, linear, great structure. Just enough, exactly enough. Not hugely long but very satisfying. Not a hearty country wine - far too elegant for that - but with that absolute place in your repertoire.

Crozes-Hermitage Domaine des Grands Chemins 2008
A challenging vintage where they contended with 350mm of rain 1 week before harvest - aaarrrrggghhhh!!! 1-3 year old oak. Only macerated for 10 days which is very short compared to normal practice. This wine comes exclusively from Delas Freres Estates.
On the nose initially a very strong impression of lead and pencil shavings with plenty of mineral and deep bramble, autumnal aromas. Wild strawberries lead the palate with enough acidity to keep it all super fresh in spite of the density.

Hermitage Marquise de la Tourette 2007
This is a blend from 3 plots: 'l'Ermite', 'le Sabot' and the, most famous, 'Les Bressards'.
The wine is rich and complex with layers of black fruit, spiciness and black olives, but did seem to lose it's acidity quite quickly.

Hermitage Les  Bessards 2007
Limited to 500 cases every year.
Wonderfully complex and tight with fresh, elegant tannins and just there acidity. Decent alcohol, but a bit too noticeable? Big sweet spot, though, right in the middle. Fantastic actually, stays refreshing 'til the end.

Hermitage Les Bessards 2009
Fantastically ripe and ready, it's a bit forward but still feels fresh. Racy with a rich structure. The tannins are there but not obvious or intrusive at all. Really well-handled.

Cote-Rotie La Ladonne 2009
This is only made in exceptional years, and never exceeds 200 cases/year.
Deep, sumptuous, elegant, this is very special. And beautiful with the cheese...!

Fish, Chips, Wine. Good.

I was asked by the lovely people at Market Kitchen if I would do a piece for them on matching fish and chips with wine. Now after the rather dubious horror, I mean honour, of representing India in the 'World Wine Cup', (I mean how convincing can I be that I would rather be drinking Chardonnay from the Nasik Valley than Riesling from the Mosel?), I was a little concerned about their motive.

For you see far from thinking this is comedic, I think it widely pertinent as well as fun. After all, shouldn't a food that gives so much pleasure to so many people on such a regular basis be treated with some respect when it comes to the drink that goes with it?

And though it may be humble in cost, it can definitely be noble in execution - as a student I lived not far from Anstruther Fish Bar in Fife, an education in the art that can be Fish & Chips. There are good examples here in London, and I particularly love Faulkners on the Kingsland Road, my local and traditional to a tee. Ah yes.. tea.

There are those who would swear that the only valid accompaniment is a cuppa char and while I would not dispute its charm (although I would cock my little finger and say Earl Grey is a finer and more delicate match for the white flesh of the fish than Builders) it is an entirely different experience to fine wine as foil. No less valid, but no more either.

There is a time for whelks out of a polystyrene cup as your hair is being whipped into a frenzy by a howling gale on Brighton beach in February and there is a time for the sumptuous finery of Scott's of Mayfair with the most courteous waiters I have ever encountered.

So what were my matches?

First up an old favourite of mine. Tio Pepe Fino Sherry, one of the finest drinks known to me. A salty, savoury, nutty character with the cleanest driest sea air palate. It is the perfect match in my opinion and replaces entirely the salt and vinegar component, perfectly blending the rich and savoury whole.

Next up was Ken Forresters Chenin Blanc from South Africa. The vibrant, juicy fruit giving more crowd pleasing flavour but still that acidity cutting through the fried richness while at the same time really accentuating the creamy and bold texture of the fish.

And finally...

A treat! Krug Grand Cuvée. What can I say, this is a magnificent wine and all of the tasters stopped for a moment just to savour it by itself because really even in a room full of people who love to talk, it silenced everyone and made us all smile at each other in a goofy I-should-be-more-professional-about-this kind of way, because it really is that good.

And this, my friends, was all about the batter. It was serious, rich, savoury, mealy, masculine, bold and batter-like. It is predominantly Pinot Noir based and that characteristic really comes through and yet... and yet it retains a finesse that elicits something between a sigh and a moan after almost every sip. It was a glorious match.

And there is something noble about the combination of Krug and Fish & Chips, especially if you're eating on your own with a half bottle next to you. It just feels like something really special happened to you.

But whatever you choose to drink remember, this is not just fast food, this could be the most romantic night of your life...!

Wine Relief

Well it has been a few weeks since my last entry and although I could tell you all about   the Rhône and Burgundy en primeur campaigns, the New Wave Spanish wines I've    been trying, or the South African Reds to match the last entry of South African Whites that my father has been religiously clicking on to, only to discover nothing of what his daughter has been up to in the Big Smoke, I won't.

I am very tempted to tell you about having to pay an Australian, let's say friend, in wine for a lost - no, thoroughly thrashed - bet over the Ashes (this was his first return to England since that sorry episode). A fairly painful experience for both wallet and liver BUT let's move on to the future.

Wine Relief is upon us www.rednoseday.com/partners/wine-relief/ and there are several different bottles widely available to buy from which retailers are donating some of the profit to      Comic Relief. How easy is it to open a bottle of wine and make a difference?

For my part I have been enthusiastically working my way through the offerings and on March 3rd, this Saturday in fact, I will be a guest panellist on the Virtual Wine online tasting of the 6 best on offer. The team at Virtual Wine have also studiously tasted and deliberated to come up with the finalists which will be tasted by a select (!) panel live from 7.30 pm.

The idea is that you at home can order the taster packs of 6 wines from Virtual Wine (10% still going to Comic Relief) or buy them from the various retailers, and taste the wines at the same time. You can then send belligerent, loving or simply drunken messages to us via email and your concerns will be addressed immediately. What a laugh...

So get some friends round, you must have some, put on some nibbles and sharpen your tongues. Take a look here www.virtualwine.co.uk to download instructions and tasting notes.

These people like wine and have a laugh with it, their contribution to the cork vs screwcap debate was to race bottles down river to see which was fastest, the loser then wrestled the winner to the ground in an unscripted, but thrilling, finale.

   

New Wave South African Whites

At a recent tasting of South African Great Whites I was really excited by the wines I tried.

In the past I have sometimes been disappointed that in general the wines could seem out of balance, either too acidic or flabby, the fruit almost a cariacature of itself and even in the worst cases just dirty.

These wines however showed exuberant fruit, great balance of refreshing acidity with richness and depth and really distinctive character. I thought they showed very well and certainly will lead me to the South African shelves when I want good value white.

My favourites from each section as follows, full tasting notes seem to a bit of a dream at the moment but one day I hope to get them all up!

Jan Daneel Chenin Blanc 2005 Napier: Very simple but stylish label would have great shelf presence. Pretty, sunny apricot nose. The broad oak at the front palate is a touch too heavy but underneath is gorgeous fruit. Well-rounded, almost heavy, weight in the middle with enough crisp acidity to take you back for another sip. The fruit pushes right through to the end and lingers for ages. Lovely. 17  Stockist -Jeroboams £15

Tokara Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Stellenbosch: Fresh, flower petals delicacy on nose followed by vibrant, exciting fruit on the palate. Well-handled oak comes pouring through on its tail but is integrated and adds complexity. Balanced and fine with a crisp, juicy finish. 18 Stockist - Wimbledon Wine Cellars £17.99

Other very good Sauvignon Blancs - Quoin Rock 2005 Stellenbosch £9.49 Andrew Chapman Wines; Cape Point Vineyards 2005 Cape Point £14 Jeroboams; Neil Ellis Groenekloof 2005 Stellenbosch £9.99 Christopher Piper Wines,  Villeneuve Wines, SA Wines Online

Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay 2005 Stellenbosch: Up front fruit balanced with a sure and light touch. Fine and nutty with integrated oak tannins backing it up. Silky mouth feel kept frech with tangy acidity. 17 Stockist Laytons; SA Wines Online £17.25

Other recommended chardonnays - Glen Carlou Quartz Stone Chardonnay 2005 Paarl £11.99-12.49 Oddbins, Christopher Piper, SA Wines Online, Genesis Wines; Quoin Rock Chardonnay 2002 sent by mistake but very high scoring, see previous info for stockist leads.

Fairview Viognier 2006 Paarl :Very aromatic nose but avoids parody. Crystallised fruit, nice levels of acidity. Not just floral but lively and fresh. 17 Stockists Harrods; Noel Young Wines; Valvona & Crolla £9.95

Also very good was the Bellingham Maverick Viognier 2005 Wellington £8.49 Majestic, SA Wines Online.

I recommend the Villiera Inspiration 2006 Stellenbosch £9.99 Tesco This desert wine has an unctuous, lovely texture, a nose of marmalade ice cream, very fresh and fine. Rich and great value.