JULY - AUGUST 2013

IN THIS ISSUE : French Wine and Food Regions . Wine-Making Takes A Plunge . Ronnie Gonzalez’s Wine Story 10 Years on Tasting Highlights Jean Claude Berrouet Consulting at Peculiarity of Bordeaux 2003 Lafon Rochet by Patrick Schmitt by Panos Kakaviatos A tasting organised by fine wine merchant stressed that 2003 was a “much better Bordeaux Index at its London offices on vintage” than 2002, which was described 21 March, comprised almost every major by him after last year’s “10 Years On” cru classé château from the left and right claret tasting as “quite difficult to enjoy”. bank, including all five first growths. Indeed, he expressed surprise at “how nicely so many of the left banks had Designed to assess the quality and mellowed… I’d be happy to drink almost character of Bordeaux’s finest wines 10 any of the firsts.” years after the harvest, such an extensive tasting was first conducted by Bordeaux He admitted that such rapid development Index four years ago with the 1999 among Bordeaux’s top tier was atypical, vintage, and first reported on by DB after and meant that many of the region’s the 2000 tasting. most famous labels weren’t capable of the extended ageing expected of a great Speaking to the Drinks Business after this vintage. year’s tasting, Bordeaux authority Michael ‘Precision’... Berrouet Schuster, who runs the wine school at the However, with 10 year’s development, the Photo source: article.joinsmsn.com merchant, said the 2003 vintage was far best of the 2003s he added had “wonderful from typical, while also noting that many bouquets”, and Margaux and Lafite he Jean Claude Berrouet – best known for his The chateau, a Saint Estephe fourth of the wines were ready to drink now – said offered the drinker “tremendous 44 years as director of Petrus in Pomerol growth, has increased percentages of somewhat prematurely for classed growth pleasure already”. – has been consulting at Chateau Lafon Cabernet Sauvignon in recent years; Bordeaux. Rochet since the 2012 vintage, but the Berrouet said that is largely due to On the other hand, drawbacks highlighted chateau made no announcement until now. climactic changes over the last 20 years. “I think it is a long way from the great by Schuster after the tasting included the vintages of the past decade – 2005, 2009 uneven quality of the wines, with, in some For Berrouet, who is so closely associated ‘Cabernet Sauvignon handles dry and hot and 2010 – and it’s clearly not a classic cases, an absence of Bordeaux’s prized with the Right Bank, to work at a Left Bank weather conditions better than Merlot,’ he vintage either, it is not like 2001, 2004 or freshness, combined with a soft, rather classified growth may seem surprising,said. ‘The trend has been towards warmer 2008,” he commented. delicate fruit core – a result of the rapid Basil Tesseron, co-owner of Chateau Lafon and dryer weather, even though there are rise in grape sugars and equally swift drop Rochet, told Decanter.com. exceptions – like 2013 so far.’ In fact, he declared the 2003 vintage “a in acidity due to the extended heat wave complete oddball” but with “some very from June to August in Bordeaux (and ‘But 50% of our soils are made up of clays Berrouet told Decanter.com that he is attractive wines” – and consequently across France) in 2003. similar to those in Pomerol,’ he said. ‘very motivated’ to work for a Left Bank château and explained that ‘working Also, Schuster identified tough tannins in Tesseron praised Berrouet – who started parcel by parcel, understanding the certain wines, which he ascribed to fruit work at Lafon Rochet with the 2012 microclimates within the vineyard as well sugars rising ahead of phenolic maturity vintage – as a ‘living encyclopedia’ and for as the percentage of grapes used’ will be – meaning some producers picked grapes his understanding of precise blending. factors for him. with sweet fruit but slightly astringent tannins. He also blamed extraction ‘We tasted the wines from vat and from Berrouet, along with his son Jean-Francois, regimes in the winery which may have barrel far more often [with Berrouet], also has consultancies in Israel, Argentina, been too brutal for the soft fruit, as well as before deciding on the final blend, and China and California, where he consults too much new oak. blending as a result is more precise; we no on Merlot production at Twomey Cellars. longer calculate in terms of 2% to 5% of Continuation on page 2... one cuvee or one grape, but more in terms of 0.1% or 0.3%.’ Source: decanter.com

Editorial Staff Directory Our Vision Directory To inspire a new generation of wine lovers. Shangri-La Plaza Mall, 633-3556 Christian Tan president EDSA Mandaluyong City We digest it for wine lovers… The Wine Story Gossips tracks all relevant wine information from key websites, magazines, Romy Sia publisher journals, wine research and studies and other credible resources. Then we summarize what is essential, for you to become a Eunice de Belen editor-in-chief more passionate and knowledgeable wine enthusiast. Serendra, Bonifacio High Street, Jesse Keisha Wenceslao production assistant 846-6310 Taguig City The Wine Story Gossips is a monthly publication of the Healthy Options Group of Companies with corporate offices located at #3 Economia Street corner Calle Patrisha Sofia Delgado layout & design Industria, Barangay Bagumbayan, Libis, Quezon City, 1110 and trunk line of (632)637-8888. For subscription inquiries, visit any of our stores. Wine Story is a Sky Printing printer One Rockwell West, 869-0932 trademark registered at the Philippine Patent Office. ENTERED AS THIRD CLASS (PM) POSTAGE PAID AT QUEZON CITY CPO Under Permit No. NCR-05-07-201 valid until December 31, 2013. Subject for Postal Inspection. Makati City

1 Issue No. 7 www.winestory.com.ph In particular, wines made using Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from lighter sandy soils had the least ripe tannins, while cooler clay soils, with a better water holding capacity, Who Invented Wine? gave more balanced results as the soil type allowed grapes to mature more evenly and slowly. by Sue Lynn Carty

However, the earlier ripening Merlot seems to have faired less Since wine goes back thousands of years, it’s really well in this early vintage, producing wines with high levels of impossible to pin point who invented wine. You can, sugar but not always full phenolic maturity. however, isolate various stories about the origins of wine. Here are a few of the key points in wine’s long Meanwhile, Cabernet Sauvignon from the northern Medoc, history: particularly Pauillac, produced the majority of the more attractive wines in this vintage – despite the free-draining The first written tale of wine is said to be in the gravel soils found in this commune. Old Testament of the Christian Bible.

Hence, Schuster said his top three wines from 2003 were Latour, Margaux and Lafite, with Pessac’s La Mission Haut Apparently, Noah planted vines and made wine. Brion and the Right Bank’s Ausone completing his top five wines of the vintage. Scientists have dated fossilized grape vines at 60 Photo source: biblicalgenealogy.kavonrueter.com million years old. Speaking to DB more generally about the merit of tasting Bordeaux 10 years on, he noted that it was a particularly The Haji Firuz Tepe wine jar, found in modern day Iran, is the oldest archaeological evidence of good time to assess the wines. winemaking. The Haji Firuz Tepe wine jar, along with a wine press, known to be a wine press due to its tartaric crystal and tannin residue, was dated to 6000 B.C. “After 10 years, many of the wines are just beginning to drink really nicely… and the market wants to know what the wines There were no written records about viticulture or winemaking for nearly 5,000 years. The craft of are like at this stage, because they want to buy something making wine was passed down for generations through families and apprenticeships. ready to drink.” Historians believe that Phoenicians were the ones who spread their winemaking knowledge to DB also took part in the tasting, and similarly rated the ancient Greece and Christian monks are credited with France’s reputation as one of the best wine first growths highly, particularly Lafite and Margaux, while making countries in the world. It was their meticulous records about grape varietals, terroir and Latour appeared the most youthful of the firsts, with dense growing methods that allowed France to perfect and develop its wine making skills. dark fruit and a tight tannin structure still evident. Source: wine.lovetoknow.com Of the right bank wines, Ausone showed immensely generous, Some Bordeaux blends, such as those from the Médoc, Pair these recipes with Bordeaux: ripe, sweet fruit, although in DB’s view Cheval Blanc showed use more Cabernet; some, like those of St-Émilion, superior structure and elegance, with chalky tannins as well as use more Merlot. The white wines are made with a cooler note perhaps from the high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc tempered with Semillon grapes. Franc. Typically, you won’t find the grape varieties listed on the labels of Bordeaux wines: look for place names and Some of the better value wines from the vintage included the names of the producers. La Gomerie 2003 the perfumed Margaux second growth Château Brane- Cantenac; Saint-Julien’s Château Talbot and Léoville-Barton, Steamed Mussels and Pauillac’s Château Pontet-Canet . Cognac Shrimp Wine Sauce for Seafood Schuster rated Château Haut-Batailley, Grand Puy Lacoste, Sun Dried Tomato and Pine Nut Stuffed Beef St Pierre, Langoa-Barton and St Emilion’s Belair for value. Tenderloin Filet with a Merlot Sauce Roast Leg of Lamb Herbed Lamb Chops Source: thedrinksbusiness.com Burgundy

Burgundy is a storied wine region in central-eastern France French Wine known for wines made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and grapes. Food Regions

When you consider great wine and food matches, there’s no better starting place than France. It’s true, food and wine from the same region often make the best match. And why Hooray for the Bordelais! not? They grew up together!

Bordeaux Red Bordeaux wines pair famously with the beef, lamb, and ducks that are raised nearby. Fabulous foie gras and confit are made from ducks of the Bodelais. Situated in southwest France, Bordeaux is home to two The beef and lamb of the area are sometimes prepared towering giants of the wine world, Cabernet Sauvignon and à la bordelaise, in a sauce made with red wine, ham, Merlot. butter, shallots, thyme and parsley. This region is also known for its truffles and mushrooms. The Mixing it Up Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde estuary, meanwhile, provide the shellfish and seafood that are served with Arguably the most respected red wine region in the world, Bordeaux’s white wines. Bordeaux produces regal reds made primarily from blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grapes. 2 Giddy about Burgundy

The great red wines of Burgundy are made from Pinot Noir grapes, the whites from Chardonnay grapes. As with Bordeaux wines, you generally won’t find the name of these grape varietals on bottles of Burgundy--labels reflect the location where the Vieux Telegraphe CDP 2006 grapes come from. Filet Mignon with Rich Balsamic Glaze The Dish on Dijon Veal Roast Blanquette Romantic Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms Burgundy is also a major food center. The food capital of Burgundy is Dijon, situated Trout Amandine at the top of the wine-producing area. Classic dishes include Boeuf Bourguignon, Onion Quiche coq au vin and salmon in Chardonnay. Lyonnaise Potatoes Pumpkin and Sausage Soup More than Mustard Bouillabaisse French Onion Soup True Dijon mustard is prepared with unfermented juice from local wine grapes and is a classic component of many meat and vegetable dishes, particularly those prepared à la dijonnaise. The area around Burgundy is also well-known for its Alsace cherries. Duck with cherry sauce and a bottle of red Burgundy is a classic pairing. Keeping Pace with Alsace Dishes cooked à la bourguignon, meanwhile, will feature a red Burgundy wine sauce with mushrooms, onions, and bacon. German influences can be found all over Alsace, not least in the region’s cuisine and in its complementing wines. Serve these dishes with red (pinot noir) or white (Chardonnay) burgundies. Vins of the Vosges

White wines rule in Alsace, dominated by minerally Riesling, spicy Gewurtztraminer and peachy Pinot Gris, but also represented by Muscat, Pinot Blanc, and the lesser Chassagne Montrachet Niellon 2009 known Sylvaner grapes. The grapes of this region are grown in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains, which shelter the vineyards from wind and rain. Alsatian wines distinguish Gingerbread themselves among French wines by being labeled according to grape variety. Look for Beef Bourguignon the tell-tale tall green bottles that denote Alsatian wines. Steak Tips with Mushroom Sauce Escargots Vol-au-Vent Defined by Diversity Salmon with Dijon Cream Sauce Duck Breasts with Raspberry Sauce Alsatian cuisine is like none other in France. Throughout the centuries, the Alsace Mushroom Chicken Dijon region repeatedly changed hands between France and Germany. The culinary influences Dijon-Tarragon Cream Chicken of these two countries are borne out spectacularly in Alsatian cuisine. The language of Alsatian cuisine is bilingual: in the city of Strasbourg, you can sit down for langouste cardinalisées with a side of spätzle or flammenküche and choose from local wines like Lyon and the Rhone Riesling and Gewürztraminer or Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc.

Syrah and Grenache are star players of the Rhone wine region, a long river valley Sauerkraut, French? Oui, Bien Sûr that stretches from just below Lyon down to Avignon. When sauerkraut steps across the Rhine into Alsace, it is known as choucroute and Regional Differences is typically cooked with Riesling, juniper berries and caraway seeds. Recipes vary, but when choucroute is prepared with potatoes, a variety of Alsatian sausages, ham and The Rhone wine region stretches 125 miles along the Rhone river valley and other salted meats, it is called choucroute garni. It is a one-pot feast that is particularly comprises two very distinct grape-growing areas. The vineyards of the steep northern delicious washed down with dry Alsatian Riesling. Rhone valley produce Syrah-based wines characterized by pepper, sturdy fruit and somewhat exotic tar and smoke flavors. Production is small--but the recognition is Here are recipes that are representative of Alsatian cooking. Consider serving them with large. The wider, warmer southern Rhone produces wines based primarily on fruity Alsatian whites like Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Blanc. Grenache blended with Syrah and other red grapes. Sensational rosé is also grown in the southern Rhone.

The Hearty and the Haute

The city of Lyon is a gastronomic capital that is second to none. Its reputation as Hugel Guwerztraminer 2011 a culinary center extends back to antiquity, when it served as a wine supply center for Roman soldiers stationed on the frontier. Two proud culinary traditions have Plum Custard Kuchen emerged side by side in Lyon: one encompasses refined, elegant cuisine, while the Kevin’s Cherry Tart other is typified by rustic, hearty dishes of the country hearth. Cherry Chambord Butter German Spaetzle Dumplings Lyon(ion) Pork Chops and Sauerkraut Sauerkraut a la France In Lyon, the lowly onion rises to Onion Tart remarkable heights. Dishes prepared Quiche Lorraine à la lyonnaise will feature onions in some incarnation, whether in a sauce or as garnish. In Lyon, potato and meat dishes, soups and omelets are primed for onion preparations. The classic Lyonnaise sauce is made from sautéed onions cooked with white wine or vinegar and demi-glace. You can’t go wrong pairing Lyon-inspired dishes with wines of the Rhone, whether southern--like Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Tavel and Gigondas--or northern, such as Hermitage, Cote Rotie and St. Joseph. Source: allrecipes.com

3 Issue No. 7 www.winestory.com.ph Thomas Jefferson’s communion on Holy Thursday. Undeterred, he went to Leghorn (now Livorno) and established a successful medical practice. Love Affair With Wine But ever restless, Mazzei left for Smyrna, Turkey, where he continued the by: James M. Gabler practice of medicine for two and a half years. Bored with life in Smyrna and a rmed with a supply of Turkish opium and some other local products, he sailed for England in December 1755. In London he sold his Turkish goods for a sizable profit, rejected offers to resume his medical practice and made a living giving Italian-language lessons to the British gentry. With the profits from the sale of the Turkish goods, Mazzei opened a shop specializing in wines, silks, olive oils, anchovies, parmesan cheese and other Italian products that were almost impossible to buy in London.

Although born on the Virginia frontier, Thomas Jefferson became the most knowledgeable wine connoisseur of his age, and his tastes in wine covered the world: France, Italy, Germany, Madeira, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Hungary and, of course, America.

His interests in wine developed early as indicated by his 1769 Shadwell wine inventory: 83 bottles of rum, 15 bottles of Madeira, four bottles of “Lisbon wine for common use,” and 54 bottles of cider, an inventory that would change radically with the passage of time. Exactly when Jefferson decided to design and build his own house is not recorded, but the first mention of Monticello (which means “little mountain”) is noted in his Garden Book Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello Photosource: Monticello.org on Aug. 3, 1767. A wine cellar, 17 1/2 feet long, 15 feet wide and 10 feet high, was laid Source: forbes.com out near a cider room. The 28-year-old Jefferson and a 23-year-old widow, Martha Wales Skelton, were married on New Year’s Day, 1772, at the home of her father, John Wayles, and two weeks later they arrived at Monticello on horseback in a snowstorm. Winemaking Takes a Plunge By: Suzanne Mustacich It is perhaps apocryphal but Jefferson’s great-granddaughter, Sarah N. Randolph, reports that they found a bottle of wine “on a shelf behind some books” that they shared before retiring on their Monticello honeymoon night. It was the first of many bottles that he would enjoy at home with family and friends. In his account book of Sept. 15, 1772, he records liquors and bottles on hand, including “about three gallons of rum and a half hogshead [271/2 gallons] Madeira, 72 bottles of Madeira, 37 bottles of Lisbon wine, 29 bottles small beer, 10 bottles of port and 31 bottles of miscellaneous in the closet.” The year earlier he had recorded ten dozen bottles of port, so in the intervening year, 110 bottles of port had been consumed.

In November 1773, Philip Mazzei, one of the most interesting men to enter Jefferson’s life, landed in Virginia from England with his wife-to-be, her 12-year-old daughter, and ten Italian vignerons. Mazzei arrived with a plan to cultivate European grapes, olive trees and the egg of silk worms to make silk. Traveling with Virginia merchant Thomas Adams to Adams’ home in Augusta County, where Mazzei expected to establish his vineyard, they stopped along the way at Monticello to visit Jefferson. Is the secret to great wine under the sea?

Early the next morning, Mazzei and Jefferson went for a walk through Monticello’s Many winemakers are experimenting with aging wine underwater. Is there a hillsides, and Mazzei found the vineyard land he was looking for, a 400-acre tract benefit, or is the idea all wet? adjoining Monticello to the east. He named it “Colle.” Jefferson described the land that Mazzei selected as “having a southeast aspect and an abundance of lean and meager spots Winemaking doesn’t normally require a snorkel, but experiments in underwater of stony and red soil, without sand, resembling extremely the Côte of Burgundy from winemaking in France, Italy, Spain and Greece may have vintners reassessing their Chambertin to Montrachet where the famous wines of Burgundy are made.” gear. By playing with the parameters of how wine is fermented and aged—oxygen exposure, temperature, darkness, pressure and agitation—winemakers are using What Mazzei and Jefferson talked about on this early-morning stroll was not recorded, the sea to rethink how we make great wine. but it sparked a lifetime friendship and caused Jefferson to become a partner in Mazzei’s vineyard project, the first commercial vineyard venture in America. As Mazzei remembered “Of course, if people want to put all the wine in the world underwater, it’s going in his autobiography, “By the time we returned home, everyone was up.” to get complicated,” said winemaking consultant Michel Rolland. “But is there an effect from submerging the wine? Certainly.” Looking at Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Adams said: ‘I see by your expression that you have taken him away from me. I knew you would do that.’ Jefferson smiled, and without looking at him, In June 2011, Bruno Lemoine, director of Château Larrivet Haut-Brion, chained but staring at the table, said: ‘Let’s have breakfast first and then we’ll see what we can do.’ ” a 56-liter new oak barrel filled with his 2009 Merlot-Cabernet blend to an oyster bed owned by his friend Joel Dupuch, an actor and seventh-generation oyster Whether on that morning walk or later, Jefferson learned that Mazzei had grown up in a farmer. “I didn’t know what to expect. I was afraid it was complete nonsense, but mountain village in Tuscany, Italy. As a young man, he studied medicine at the Santa Maria we were very, very pleasantly surprised,” said Lemoine. Nuova Hospital in Florence, but was dismissed for drinking wine before taking To be continued on page 5.. 4 The oyster-bed barrel, dubbed Neptune, spent six months immersed in Arcachon bottles of cava a year. This spring, Bujan’s team will work with a diving company Bay, partially exposed to air for an hour a day at low tide. High tide put the barrel 20 to submerge 500 bottles of cava at 80 to 100 feet under the sea to collect their own feet under. The wine also weathered the bay’s legendary current. data on underwater secondary fermentation and aging. Half of the bottles will use crown caps, and half will use natural cork. “Our aim is to see the evolution of the “Twice a day there is this enormous mass of water—800 million cubic meters—that wine,” Bujan told Wine Spectator. “There are many opinions, but nothing has been comes and goes to the Atlantic,” said Dupuch. Meanwhile, a similar 56-liter new oak done as a real test.” barrel, named Tellus, aged the usual way in the cellar in Leognan. Gerard Liger-Belair, a Reims University-based bubble expert, says that cool In January 2012, the barrels were reunited on land and analyzed by Rolland’s lab. temperatures slow secondary fermentation, which may have an effect. “I have heard Tellus had a more youthful color and better polymerization of tannins due to the micro- that slow secondary fermentation produces fine bubbles, but nothing has been oxygenation in the cellar, while osmosis between the sea and the wine gave Neptune a proven yet scientifically. We will need several years to analyze the data.”The tidal touch of salt that masked bitterness and heightened flavors, a slightly lower degree of stirring of the lees could also lead to a more homogenous repartition of yeast, and alcohol and rounder tannins. thus a more homogenous dissolution of carbon dioxide. “I really would be delighted to get samples of wine fermented underwater with the same level of sugar as those “The wine that was in the submerged barrel was clearly better—more complex, more fermented in traditional cellars, in order to scientifically compare the bubble size intense than the wine that was aged in the château’s cellar. It was inarguably a between them,” said Liger-Belair. completely different wine,” said Rolland. “We have a more approachable-tasting wine, Source: winespectator.com and the tannins are much softer, they seem older.” Intrigued by the sea, Rolland is also consulting on a deep-sea cellar, 124 miles off the Atlantic coast at a depth of 3,280 feet. A Bitter Night for Château d’Yquem One of the first to take the underwater wine plunge was Emmanuel Poirmeur, owner of Egiategia in the French Basque region, who in 2007 began putting his sparkling wine underwater during secondary fermentation. Piero Lugano, owner of Bisson winery on Italy’s Ligurian coast, began making spumante underwater in 2009 because he didn’t have adequate cellar space. “My imagination led me to the idea of the seabed as a perfect wine cellar,” said Lugano. He loaded 6,500 bottles into a metal cage and lowered it 196 feet into the sea off the Portofino Marine Park, where it rested for 16 months.

“The result was amazing, beyond my expectations! It shows a very intense color. The bubbles are fine and persistent. The aromas are very clean and delicate. The flavor is dry, clean, very savory and long.” Four vintages and 26,000 bottles of Abissi (Italian for abyss) later, Lugano believes the absence of oxygen and slight cradle effect, created by strong currents, encourage the optimal development of aromas.

He may be on to something, said Denis Sergent, Ph.D., technical manager for synthetic cork maker Nomacorc. The question is how wine handles a reductive environment— Sergent describes it as nano-oxygen rather than zero-oxygen. “It’s crazy, but in fact, it’s really interesting,” said Sergent about the underwater experiments. “Oxygen is the most significant factor in these trials, followed by steady, low temperatures and no light.” On April 30, Bordeaux’s Château d’Yquem tweeted: “Today, the first cases of 2010 #Yquem are leaving our cellar.” Alas, not all 2010 Yquem left in the usual way. At Sergent spends his time worrying about oxygen—specifically, how much oxygen a 3 a.m. this past Monday, an alarm rang at the estate, but the gendarmes speeding wine needs, over how much time, in order to achieve aromas, flavors and structure. down the long gravel drive shortly thereafter were too late. Nomacorc got involved in underwater wine when Laurent Maynadier, owner of Château Champs des Soeurs in Fitou, asked Sergent to taste two of his Corbieres blancs. Thieves had broken into the cellars, stolen 380 half-bottles of Château d’Yquem One was a control sample from his cellar, and the second had spent three months 33 feet 2010, and disappeared into the Sauternes countryside. Yquem 2010 sells for $375 down tied to an oyster bed in the Mediterranean. per half-bottle, making the loot worth $142,500. The wines were labeled, boxed and ready for shipment, though not all the boxes were sealed. The château’s cellars “It was amazing. I thought the guy was showing me two completely different wines,” are currently under renovation, but the first-growth insists the construction work is said Sergent. “The white wine that had spent three months underwater was clearly not connected to the crime. “The investigation is under way,” a spokesperson for the better. It had these yellow-green glints and a nose of citrus and grapefruit. The wine Langon police told Unfiltered. Yquem has not had an easy time of late. that had stayed in the cellar had none of that.” Maynadier conducted a second trial with both red and white wines at a depth of 65 feet for six months. “It was too long for his The 2012 vintage failed the in-house tasting test white wine. There were more reductive aromas, which are swampy and cabbage-like,” following a difficult growing season, and CEO said Sergent. “But the red wine aged under water for six months was fresher, more Pierre Lurton decided against releasing a 2012 complex [than the land-aged sample] and very, very beautiful. The tannins weren’t as vintage. At present, the barrels are being emptied mature, but the aromas were fresh.” into vats, in preparation for selling it off in bulk to négociants. And the week before, the local The implication for Sergent is that Maynadier’s white wine improved with a short, cool, Bordeaux newspaper caught online wine retailer reductive aging, but it was a delicate balance. The red wine, however, thrived in an 1855.com, currently under attack for alleged environment with less oxygen than it currently gets in the cellar. “What this shows is non-delivery of future orders, proposing to sell that the role of oxygen is crucial,” said Sergent. Varying levels of nano-oxygenation may Yquem 2012 on futures. No price was given, but help winemakers find the best expression of their terroir. the château tweeted: “Reminder for scatterbrains: We are not producing Yquem 2012. Thus it’s use- Few winemakers have the research-and-development resources of Josep Bujan, head less to try to buy it or sell it.” Or steal it, we might winemaker at Freixenet, the Spanish sparkling wine giant, which produces 200 million add. Source: winespectator.com 5 Issue No. 7 www.winestory.com.ph Food & Wine: Luxury Events at Better When Wine Story We’re Together With their esteemed clients, Wine Story recently held a back Pairing wine and food is equivalent to back event at their to matrimony; both were meant for flagship store at Edsa each other. Both boost your whole wine Shangri-La Mall. & dine experience and it should not be a daunting task. Upon entering Wine Story Shangri-La, the To further enhance the enjoyment of guests were wowed your wine experience, Wine Story with the interior art recently added new platters to our and ambience of the place. The guests, then, were enthralled with a menu. Aside from our tasty Nuts & classic Rose Champagne as their welcome drink while a red, La Parde Cheese Platter & scrumptious Plateau de Haut Bailly 2005 from Pessac Leognan, & a white, Les Monts de Charcuterie, that features salami Damnes 2010 from Sancerre, were kept flowing throughout the milano, cocktail hungarian, pfeffer event. The corporate event had a delectable buffet that were paired salami, bread sticks wrapped in flawlessly with the special wines. prosciutto, dried apricots, green olives with pimiento, generous selection of An enlightening talk about wine and assorted cold cuts plus the blockbuster combination of vintage cheddar, food pairing was held by Wine Story’s honey and coffee, 3 French Pâté Platters were included in our delightful Carla Santos, Wines & Spirit Education set of dishes; each served with a fresh French baguette. Trust (WSET) Advanced-Certified.

Our Chicken Liver Pâté, served with Throughout the night more, and more pickles, has a fine texture, almost attendees expressed their enjoyment creamy, French-Style with an earthy with their entire wine experience. chicken liver flavour and a clear Surprised by a chic gift box wherein a Chicken-based jelly topping will customized crystal wine glass, a drop- definitely go well with a bubbly. Our stopper and a bottle of Les Caleches Pork Rillettes and Pâté de Campagne de Lanessan 2009 were enclosed, the are served with French mustard & guests felt more delighted. pickles; the former is a spectacular make-ahead starter that would be a An event as fine as a First Growth is only suitable; a product launch, nice pair with wines that have good conference, meeting with team-building activities or a celebration of tannins while the latter is a humble your life’s milestone will undeniably be more memorable with Wine but delicious dish made from cuts of Story as your event partner. Breathtaking wines to surprise your meat while our Pâté de Campagne is guests, differentiating service, exciting wine talks and individualized a great match to richer, darker & full themes. Let the Wine Story team be a part bodied reds. The pairing possibili- of the entire process, considering all your ties are almost endless! ideas, concerns, needs and desires. Email [email protected] or visit our stores Make sure to try our fine wine with these new additions and let yourself at Shangri-La (633-3556), Serendra (846- be swooned away by your own pairing choices. 6310) and One Rockwell West (869-0932) for bookings and inquiries.

6 What’s Your Wine Story? Ronnie Gonzales A B.S. Architecture degree holder from UST, he worked with international architectural firms as a CAD 2D & 3D designer. He eventually shifted careers and became a successful businessman. His passion is to research, learn and do his best on whatever catches his interest. When he was into the sport of practical shooting, he joined Rizal Shooters Club and later trained to be a Range Officer accredited by the National Ranger Officers Institute (NROI). He is currently into diving. PADI certified in 2007 for open water scuba diver, now a PADI Technical Diver (Tec Sidemount and Tec 50). Aside from diving he is also a wine enthusiast.

Q: How did you get into wine? Q: What is your favorite food and wine pairing? A. I’m a steak lover and I had read once that red wine is a good compliment to A. Angus Ribeye and red wine. My steak. So I started trying the everyday choice of red wine depends on the sauce wines commonly sold in groceries. When of the steak. I also cook my own steak and I found the red wine that I liked, I was sometimes make my own red wine sauce. hooked. Q: What are the wines that you drink Q: What is wine for you? now? A. One of the reasons why I got into red A. wines is because of its health benefits, Medium to full bodied reds like particularly its antioxidant properties. Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa and Aside from its health benefits, I found Coonawarra) and Bordeaux (St. Emilion) out that a love for red wine is one of the and the Tempranillo (Rioja). things that my close friends and I have in common. Now we usually have a “steak Q: What are your dream wines (those date with wine” as our time for bonding you would like to acquire/drink and catching up with each other. someday soon)?

Q: What was your first favorite wine? A. The Screaming Eagle and Petrus. I also can’t wait to open my Harlan Estate and A. When I decided to try red wines, I Angelus already. Elegant wine evenings with delectable accompaniments are set to take place started with the ones that were commonly this August as Wine Story launches their exceptional monthly-themed wine available in grocery stores. I did my Q: Have you had any formal training tastings. research and started paying attention to in wine? If yes, where and what courses particular wines or winery for reviews, are these? Wine Story will bring you to St. Emilion, the oldest viticultural area in the tasting notes, points, top vintages, Bordeaux region. Not only is the town renowned for its wine but it’s well premium or flagship wines, the regions’ known for its stunning buildings and scenery. Together with the iconic 13th A. None at all. Someone once mentioned famed grape varietals, etc. This led me to century Tour du Roy tower, which reminds everyone of the town’s long to me that when I get interested with my first favorite, the Wyndham Estate history, its Romanesque church overlooks the town’s steep, narrow & cobbled something, my interest borders on Bin 555 Shiraz. streets. Responsible for some of the most prominent, long-lived and obsession. With wines, I just think that luxurious wines in the world, the town had vineyards since Roman times. Q: What was the wine that changed I prefer to learn what I can through my your life? own research, and my palate will do the From a line-up that includes La Forge 2002, Moulin Saint Georges 2009, rest. Virginie de Valandraud 2008, Figeac 2003, Clos Badon 2007, Le Carre A. It was the Katnook Estate Odyssey 2006, Fonplegade 2005 and Beausejour Duffau 2000, these wines will surely Cabernet Sauvignon. Long before I got Q: What’s the most valuable wine blow you away. Come and raise a glass with us and experience St. Emilion into wines, a shooter friend of mine who lesson you’ve learnt as a wine lover/ from a selection of predominantly Merlot wines on: is also a wine merchant told me that the enthusiast? Cab Sauv is the most delicious red wine. Saturday, August 3 at Wine Story Serendra It was a long and frustrating journey for A. Although a lot of fine or great wines Monday, August 5 at Wine Story Shangri-La Tuesday, August 6 at Wine Story Rockwell me to like Cabernet Sauvignon, since I are usually expensive, it doesn’t always hate tannic wines. I ended up with Shiraz mean that the more expensive the wine, Time: 6:00PM and St. Emilion as my favorites. Then I the better it is. It really depends on the came across a wine merchant from whom person’s taste that will drink it. I tend to Php 2,700 per person I bought the Katnook Estate Odyssey agree with one critic (I’m sorry I can’t and loved it so much. The long search remember his name) saying, “If you like To reserve a seat/s, e-mail [email protected] or visit Wine Story at: was over. the wine, then it’s a good wine”. Shangri-La (633-3556); Serendra (846-6310); Rockwell (869-0938)

7 Issue No. 7 www.winestory.com.ph