It costs £18 and you can buy it from The English Whisky Company's website
#241 Crap of the Week.... Norfolk Nog
It costs £18 and you can buy it from The English Whisky Company's website
#240 Napa Rocks
Even if you are a rookie when it comes to wine, you are more than likely to have heard of the Napa Valley. If not through its recent movie appearances in Sideways and Bottle Shock, but because you will no doubt have seen the word ‘Napa’ on a label in a supermarket. It will be on some £5 bottle with dubious contents, and if you ventured into buying it without thinking, you would be forgiven for thinking that all Napa wines taste horrible.
And that is this region’s biggest problem in the UK. We all know that every wine region produces horrific wine, and Napa would be no different, but because America is an English speaking country with easy to understand labels, they can’t hide behind a bundle of words that the average Joe doesn’t understand. Buy a bad wine from this region and you see two simple words – Napa Valley - and that brand stays in your memory as an unpleasant experience.
To try and rectify this problem… sorry, to take on this challenge (I forgot you aren’t allowed to use the word problem anymore, it is challenge or ‘task ahead’), Napa Valley Vintners came to Edinburgh to teach the teachers. To give wine retailers, journalists, sommeliers and wine educators the chance to meet the people, taste the wines and learn about this small (and yes, I mean small – one eighth of the size of Bordeaux) wine making region on the West Coast.
Potted History
Although termed as ‘the new world’, America’s wine making traditions go back centuries, as does the Napa Valley’s. Widely credited as the pioneer of Napa, Charles Krug established the valley’s first commercial winery in 1861, and the boom followed soon after. Then Napa went through a period of many ‘issues’! Phylloxera knocked out many producers, and then in 1920 prohibition was enacted and many vineyards were abandoned, and then there was the depression and the Second World War as well. In 1944, a group of vintners formed a group to share ideas on winemaking which was the first stepping stone towards the trade organisation, Napa Valley Vintners.
Although termed as ‘the new world’, America’s wine making traditions go back centuries, as does the Napa Valley’s. Widely credited as the pioneer of Napa, Charles Krug established the valley’s first commercial winery in 1861, and the boom followed soon after. Then Napa went through a period of many ‘issues’! Phylloxera knocked out many producers, and then in 1920 prohibition was enacted and many vineyards were abandoned, and then there was the depression and the Second World War as well. In 1944, a group of vintners formed a group to share ideas on winemaking which was the first stepping stone towards the trade organisation, Napa Valley Vintners.
What I didn’t know about the region is that 95% of Napa’s vineyards are family owned. Now immediately, you could say “yes, but Gallo is family owned and it is massive”, and you’d be right, but a more interesting statistic is that 70% of these family run wines are small producers, making less than 5000 cases of wine every year (about a third of Chateau Lafite Rothschild), so these are boutique wineries, often selling out through their popular mailing lists. A majority of these producers are not faceless corporations, they are families, and if you rock up at the cellar door it is highly likely someone with the surname on the bottle they produce will be there to greet you.
Four wineries were represented at the masterclass, and three of the four people had a surname of the company they represent. Michael Honig, who, at the age of 22 took control of his family’s vineyard and grew Honig Vineyard & Winery to it’s current successful status, some 25 years later. Peter Franus founded his winery in 1987, producing a Zinfandel, after spending numerous years as a winemaker for other companies, and Molly Kenward is the Edinburgh University educated daughter of Tor Kenward who started his self named wine company in 2001 after over a quarter of a century working at Beringer. The only family winery without a blood relative representing them was Jones Family Vineyards which was represented by Daniel Bailey, a wine collector that phoned up the company to complain about being allocated only three bottles and ended up marrying one of founder Rick Jones’ daughters!
Starting with Honig’s wines, we had a 2008 Honig Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, it had a light grass and a slight melon sweetness on the nose. A faint oily texture on the palate, very soft and then then pithy elements with chalk flavours come through. I’m not a massive fan of Californian Sauvignon Blancs, and I really am not a fan of oaked Sauvignons, regardless of where it comes from, but this is actually quite tasty. Well balanced, a nice clean finish and well integrated alcohol. 8/10
The second wine we tasted from this producer was the 2006 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon. A cream aroma which coats cherries, strawberries and blackcurrant. A little chocolate and, almost, a warm honey element with mint on the nose. The palate has a leather and spice element up front ith some more cherry, lots of vegetal elements and sweet berry fruit. A long, dry finish with light tannin. I like this and I’d quite happily pay forty bucks for it. 9/10
Tor Kenward’s 2006 Mast Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon had a lovely sweet aroma, but with some meatier elements to it, almost baked fruit pie filling. A little bit of earthy fruit on the palate, with herbs galore and cherry stone on the finish. Not much tannin, and a little warm alcohol at the end, not spoiling things, just adding another layer. 8.5/10. The 2003 Tor Kenward Cimarossa Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon had a lot of cocoa, chocolate, and a bit of Tayberry. Lots of baked fruit pie on the nose with lots of earth, green pepper hints and a plum stone flavour and a touch of spicy heat. The palate was very good, with lots of sweet fruit on the finish. A good wine. 8/10
Peter Franus’ wines look funky, and they taste great! His 2006 Brandlin Vineyard Mount Veeder Zinfandel actually contains 8% Charbono, Mourvedre and Carignane and you get sweet cherries and raspberries on the nose, all dusted with cocoa and some powdered cinnamon. Exquisitely balanced, with stone fruit and light liquorice elements are gorgeous. 9/10. His 2005 Brandlin Vineyard Mount Veeder Mourvedre is outstanding, and so interesting. Some earthy vegetal elements come up front with some spice and then you get some cherry fruit and a bit of concentrated strawberry. The palate is rocky - almost wet sandstone - with a cabbagey element (in a good way) and a load of pepper. Then you get cherry and plum skin flavours, with just a hint of heat on the finish. I really love this wine. 9.5/10. A refreshing change to see something that isn't a Zin or a Cabernet, and his wines are funky looking, yet understated, perfection in a bottle.
Finally from Jones Family Vineyards, were a pair of outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2006 ‘Three Sisters’ had a gorgeous cherry and boot polish aroma with herbs and eucalyptus. There is some green pepper on the palate, a lovely plum and cherry stone flavour, dusted with white pepper and liquorice. This wine is Bordeaux-esque, it has structure, with subtle fruit that just begs to be drunk with food. 9/10. The second Cabernet was the 2006 Jones Family Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, a richer, sweeter aroma than the first wine, but with some more intense eucalyptus, chocolate and sweeter fruit. That isn’t to say that this is a big, porno wine, far from it, but look at it like a hotter year Bordeaux! Gorgeous leather aromas on the palate with mint, some cherry and cranberry dryness coming through. Then you get a bramble element, some spice and white pepper coating it. Simply, a great wine. 9.5/10
Meeting the producers and tasting some of their wares proved three things to me. Firstly, Napa produces truely fine wine, and it isn't just a handful of producers doing it, there are hundreds. Secondly, Napa still needs to work hard in promoting their products in the UK but getting the trade on side through events like the one I attended is a good start. And finally, tolerating the amorous couple on the train was really worth it!
With thanks to Napa Valley Vintners, Michael Honig, Molly Kenward, Peter Franus and Daniel Bailey
The event was held in Calistoga Restaurant in Edinburgh, an excellent Californian restaurant in the centre of Edinburgh.
Labels:
California,
Napa
#239 6 Questions with... Jarno Trulli
The Monaco Grand Prix is magical. Two dozen Formula 1 cars dancing around the streets of Monte Carlo, millimetres away from metal guardrails that are just waiting to take off your wheel if you hit them. It takes a special skill to win at Monaco, a 110% effort for the entire race, never making a mistake. Senna won there, as has Schumacher, Fangio and Stewart, and in 2004, Jarno Trulli joined the list of those famous names that conquered the principality’s race, by dominating the Grand Prix and cementing his name in the history of the sport.
The biography on Jarno Trulli’s webite states the he “admits he is not a 'typical Italian'. He arrives early for appointments, does not care for football… and even has a Finnish name”. But this Formula One driver, driving for the revived Lotus team in 2010, has one passion that makes him a true Italian. He loves wine!
Jarno Trulli is one of five partners in Podere Castorani, a winery in his native Abruzzo. Resisting all urges to ask him about motor racing, I asked him six questions…
Who or what got you interested in wine?
Wine has always been a passion of mine and has been in my family for generations and both my father and grand father made wine. So in 2000 my father, manager and I decided to invest in a winery in my native region of Abruzzo in a place called Alanno, 20 minutes from Pescara where I was born.
Our castle is on top of the propriety and from there we have a beautiful view of the region with the sea on one side and the mountains on the other. When I am home between races I love to ride my bicycle from my house to the winery and back. I spend most of my free time working with Lucio Cavuto my Formula One manager and partner in the winery on the development of new wines and the expansion and promotion of our winery. I am very fortunate to be travelling the world with F1 and use the time in other countries to talk about my wines and have as many people as possible interested in my wines.
Outside of Abruzzo, what are your favourite wine regions?
This is a difficult question because I love wines from Italy and with the winery and my winemaker, we have worked hard to produce wines from other regions outside of Abruzzo. I produce wines from Piemonte, Puglia and Sicily. I like the richness of the different soils and climates and what it brings to wines and I love the stories behind the regions of my country.
What is the best wine you have ever drunk, when and where did you drink it?My favourite wine is not specifically from one producer. I am an Amarone fan and when I started the winery my winemaker was always making me try different wines and I liked them but nothing resembled Amarone. One day he asked me what I would like and I said I like Amarone and this is when we started producing the wine you now know as Jarno. It is made with 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo but made Amarone style with the drying of the grapes. Being in Formula one I was fortunate to be able to use the School of La Tuscia of Viterbo and engineers from Toyota and we developed a special room to dry the grapes with humidity control and avoid any boytritis. When the first vintage was produced we had no idea how to name the wine. My friends all said we should call it Jarno since it was made to please my taste.
What is next for Podere Castorani?
Podere Castorani is a young winery and we are still everyday trying to make better wines and expand to meet our markets demands. We have yet to finish building the offices and restoring the castle that dates back to 1793. We recently finished building the winery all underground. We have been producing our local wines all certified organic and the winery is also certified organic. We try to improve on every level and with wine it comes over time and patience and respect of the land.
Will you retire to the vineyards after Formula 1?
I have a few more years of Formula 1 in me before I retire but the winery is definitely the place I will continue spending a lot of time devoted to continuing the dream and passion my father, manager and I have worked so hard over the last 10 years.
Name three people, real or fictional, living or dead, that would be guests at your dream dinner party, and what would you be drinking?
They would be my wife Barbara and my two sons Enzo and Marco. The wine is easy Jarno for me and Barbara and mineral water for the boys.
Photographs supplied by Podere Castorani & Lotus Racing
With thanks to Lucio Cavuto
#238 A strong contender for Worst Wine Content on a website
I’m putting on ‘Mr Nasty’ hat now, and I apologise to Kelli McCarty and Desiree Anderson in advance, but Celebrity Wine Review has to be a serious contender for the worst wine web content on earth.
Not for one second am I considering myself to be even remotely at the top of this field, hell, I’m quite happy to admit that I’m occupying somewhere in the lower ranks of the wine critic hierarchy, but what I do is actually review stuff and give an opinion based on a bit of knowledge and experience. The couple in this video review website, well, they haven’t a clue what they are doing.
I stumbled across Celebrity Wine Review and found a woman who looks like an ageing porn star reviewing wine. It is clear from the off that she knows nothing about her subject, except what she likes, and it appears to be cheap, $5.99 Pinot Noir from France. Episode 1 starts off with tasting notes such as “super nice” but she gets more excited about a soft drink from San Diego that apparently cleans your palate saying “love it – I don’t have to spit in a bucket”.
Moving on to social issues, she says “we are trying to save trees… and the really cool, on the cutting edge wineries have a screwtop because… we are not killing a tree. Metal (pointing to the screwcap) – not killing a tree” Also, “I love Pinot Noir, because they don’t get all murky like the Merlot’s and the Cabs”… I really give up!
In a later episode, she is joined by her younger friend and, I’m not kidding, it looked as though they were waiting for a man to knock on the door to, ahem, fix their dishwasher. Ms Anderson does a review on an anonymous wine from a market in Spain and then says that there is a great “poultry market with lots of Salami and meats”, as the camera pans round to show a deli counter with not a bird in sight!
Please don’t visit their website if you like wine, it will only depress you.
Postscript: I read what I had just written and thought I was being mean, so I decided to look up these two women to see who they are. Both are models with McCarty being a former Miss USA, and has also appeared on the NBC soap opera Passions as a “sexy-psycho-Orangutan-employing-schemer” called Beth Wallace. Oh, and she is now doing porn! And she was worried about spitting in a bucket?
Labels:
celebrity wine review,
Desiree Anderson,
Kelli McCarty,
porn
#237 Guinness - tasted (not drunk, TASTED!)
Guinness Draught (from a pub)
Smells dirty, with a very light bitter element and hints of dark toffee and malt. The aroma is pretty thin. The palate tastes Guinnessy – simple, slightly bitter with some slight hops and a bit of used teabags! It is Guinness, nice, pleasant, but just pub Guinness!
Guinnes Draught Can (4.1%) £1.40
A traditional creamy head with the faint hint of red through the core of the glass.
A dark, liquorice and hoppy aroma with some bonfire toffee. A barbecued pork aroma, almost barbecued flavoured crisp aromas. The palate is actually pretty weak, you get the bitter elements, but it really is quite watery. Soft hints of malt creep through the palate. It is Guinnesss, but slightly cleaner (purer?) than the draught from a tap.
Guinness Special Export (8%) £3.00
A darker head, less ‘Guinness’ like in appearance than the draught can. But sticking your nose in the glass and you find it is a much more intense, sweet, liquid toffee and honey aroma. You get dark, dried fruit, some prunes and treacle. The palate is a lot more flavourful, with raisins, some intense dark toffee, bitter hops and a lot of liquorice. You feel a very slight sparkle on the tongue as well, with nice clean, sightly oily, texture. A proper beer!
Simple – if you are in the pub and you want a pint of Guinness, you are going to have the stuff on tap (don’t buy the Extra cold – GUINNESS SHOULD NOT BE COLD!), but if you are drinking at home buy the Special Export. It is twice the price, twice the alcohol, the bottle is half the size but it is many times better.
Guinness Website
Labels:
Guinness,
St Patrick's Day
#236 Chateau La Tour de By
Anyway, the end result is that I liked their wines and sold them by the bucket load. We were making profit on them, the customer was getting a good deal, and everyone wins. But since then two things have happened. Firstly, we ran out of stock of the 2000 vintage, and secondly, I still didn’t know a damn thing about Chateau La Tour de By!
So when I got a chance to revisit the wines from this Chateau, I jumpted at the chance. Starting with the 2001 vintage, I found it to have lovely light raspberries, some polished wood and cinnamon aromas too. The palate had lovely green peppers and then a spicy, almost chilli chocolate flavour, with gorgous stone fruit flavours. Subtle tannins, gently coating your mouth, and this wine is perfect now. 7.5/10
The 2004 vintage had mint up front, with nice raspberry and cocoa. The palate was surprisingly fruit driven for its youth, a good balance, a bit of leather and lots of chocolate on the finish. Seriously, lots! I like it, but it just tastes as though it is trying to get points! 7/10 A complete contrast to the 2005 which was a lot more herbal, with some stony elements, a lot of dried fruit which was hidden by the dark, leathery aromas. Very closed, with firm tannin, a lot of rustic, dark secondary flavours masking the fruit. One to put aside, but a well made wine. 8/10
The 2006, though still young, was showing signs of opening up. Some cherry and cranberries on the nose, with a palate of liquorice, dark chocolate, some cherry creeping through, and tannins that were like licking a leather jacket! 7/10. Finally, the 2009 vintage. Still an unfinished product, but you get a concentrated mass of fruit and insane tannin! Some dark flavours, very concentrated and tight. Still an impressive wine, and one that I will be buying a case of! 8/10
These wines are exactly how I remember the chateau, honestly priced claret at a good price. I still don’t know a damn thing about the producer though…
All Chateau La Tour de By are available through independent retailers, and Thorman Hunt & Co. They retail at between £16 and £19 per bottle
Labels:
chateau la tour de by
#235 Wine Web Watch... Basic Instinct Whisky
OK, so you are going to sign a celebrity to advertise your Scotch Whisky. Who do you get? Sean Connery? Nope, he only promotes Japanese whisky. Billy Connolly? Doesn't drink any more. David Tennent? Again, no as being drunk in charge of a Tardis is not a good idea. So instead, get Sharon Stone!
Labels:
advert,
sharon stone,
whisky
#234 Williams & Humbert Sherries
Sherry is too cheap! The quality of wine you get from a half decent sherry producer for the money you spend is so much higher than any other wine region in the world. It used to be joined with Madeira, but the prices of quality Madeira has been creeping up over the past couple of years. Sherry however remains firmly under the shadow of Harvey’s Bristol Cream and Croft Original, and as a result, prices are stupidly low!
And trying four sherries from Williams & Humbert at Gleneagles proved that these wines are insanely cheap! First up was the Jalifa Amontillado 30 Year Old. This sherry had a gorgeous nutty and dried fruit aroma. Citrus peel came through on the nose too. The palate was burnt orange peel, very dry, with the alcohol creeping in and rising to a peak just before you swallow. The finish was then long, with Earl Grey tea flavours slowly dissolving in your mouth. OK, so the wine would be about £25 for a half bottle, but this is really fine wine! 9/10
Moving on to the 15 year old Dry Sack Oloroso I saw loads of tea, starting with a hint of sweet toffee and yet with some dried flowers. There was sweet honey on the palate, with a bundle of citrus peel, some candied and some fresh. An interesting wine as it leads you up one path so you think you know what to expect next, but then it says “nope, come this way on a different path”! I liked this, and at around £18 for a half bottle, it is cracking stuff. 8.5/10
The 20 Year old Dos Cortado Palo Cortado was very subtle, with gentle aromatics with citrus, pineapple skin and, for some reason, apple seeds! A lovely texture, very soft and gentle. A nice wine with a yeasty element on the finish. 8/10 and £20. Finally, the 20 year old Don Guido Pedro Ximinez. When I’m tasting PX I’m always overloaded by a bundle of sweet, prune flavours which are so insane you really can’t enjoy the wine without a huge slice of chocolate cake. This wine from Williams & Humbert was no different, a lot of dried fruit, and sticky prune flavours, treacle galore and toffee. The palate was very sweet, with liquorice, chocolate and dates. It was all I expected – massive and sweet – but then it cleaned the palate on the finish. 8/10 £20
These aren’t cheap, I’ll grant you that, but they are fine wines, and fine wine is never cheap. Compare them to other fine wines and you’ll realise that these sherries are very good value for money. Treat them as a wine rather than as a spirit, as is so often done by bad barmen and older people, and put a bit of food with them and you’ll appreciate how glorious sherry can be.
Williams & Humbert
Labels:
gleneagles,
jerez,
sherry,
spain,
williams and humbert
#233 SWiG.co.uk selling stonking wines
The first wines we tried were from AA Badenhorst from South Africa. We were guided through this quartet of wines by Adi Badenhorst, a colourful, effing and blinding dude who should have been in South Africa harvesting but instead was in Manchester in a scruffy T-Shirt. Starting with the 2009 Secateurs White, a wine that Jancis Robinson rates highly, we found it to be fresh, with lots of honey, melon and then a tropical fruit skin element. This would only be £9 and it is severely good for that money. 9/10 (£9)
The 2007 AA Badenhorst Family White is a good wine too, with yeasty aromas, nice balance and a pithy element. It is a combination of Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, and I found myself agreeing with Jancis again, in that the cheaper wine is far more appealing. 8/10 (£22) Moving onto the reds, the 2009 Secateurs Red has a perfumed nose with sweet cranberries, and then lovely cherry and green pepper flavours, very clean with a hint of charcoal. 8.5/10 (£9)
Finally was the 2006 Family Red, which was all rich, aniseed, liquorice and sour cherry aromas, leading on to a gorgeous palate of cranberries, fresh raspberries and cocoa. Another cracker. 8.5/10 (£22)
I really liked these wines... yes, I know, I am saying that I really liked these South African wines. Treasure this moment, for I may not say such glowing words about any producer from that nation again!
There were some interesting wines from a company called Red Claw from Mornington in Australia, a sweet fruit, yet with a bit of earthy backbone Pinot Noir and an interesting, but quite oaky Chardonnay – both around the £15 mark, and a mixed bag of New Zealand wines, some of which were quite expensive. The next stand out was the 2006 Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve from Oregon. This had aromas of chocolate covered toffees, strawberries, mint and pepper. Then a soft, very balanced palate with lush fruit, chocolate and a little leather. There was a bit of spice and a small alcoholic nudge, but this wine, at £15 per bottle, was gorgeous. 9/10.
Then there was a trio of wines from Bulgaria. Yep, Bulgaria! A 2007 Pinot Nero from Edoardo Miroglio from the Thracian Valley (I have no idea where that is!) showed soft, simple fruit on the nicely fresh nose. The palate was very gentle and elegant, showing raspberry and plum fruit with a vegetal savoury element. The finish was flavoursome, but the acid cleaned your mouth out nicely. At £14 for a bottle, this is a really good wine for the money. 8.5/10
Next was the 2005 Zagreus Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. Firstly, it did not taste of Cabernet Sauvignon. So technically, this was a big failure as it didn’t taste like the grape it was supposed to. However, it was great! It had very rich, dried fruit on the nose, with menthol and prunes. The palate had dried fruit, a lot of sour, slightly under ripe berries with a good savoury finish. This was a lovely wine, and for £10 it was a bargain! 8.5/10
The last of the wines from the Thracian Valley in Bulgaria was the 2007 Zagreus Vinica Mavrud at £13. Made from air dried grapes, this was Amarone-esque in style – rich, sweet fruit with a lot of liquorice and spice. It just lacked a little bit of body to match the heftier flavours, but it is a fraction of what Amarone is, and a lot better than some other Amarone-esque wines from Italy! 7/10
Talking of Amarone, the Amarone producer Carlo Ferragu had two wines on show, and they were really good! The 2007 Valpolicella Superiore, with vineyards next to Dal Forno, was very soft, with stunning cherry and tobacco flavours. A very pretty, and very drinkable wine. 8/10, £29 per bottle. Finally, the £85 2005 Amarone from Carlo Ferragu. Wet tar, lots of liquorice, cherry and dried cranberries on the nose, with a lush, sweet palate, nice tobacco and leathery tannins mixed with intense fruit, and gentle aniseed and a bit of spice. A gorgeous wine and worth every penny! 9/10
I’m really glad to have discovered these wines, and some of the others that I’ve not put here, from SWiG. They have a collection of outstanding, but more of all, interesting wines that over deliver at their price point.
SWiG Website
Labels:
badenhorst,
bulgaria,
carlo ferragu,
red claw,
serene evenstad,
swig
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)