robert m . parker, jr

without angelo gaja on the artisan’s fear or faVor life | in cinema | explore+ How a lone visionary became the loire | the bottled muse | “the world’s most prized palate” designer

MoT_COVER_4OK.indd 2 23/1/14 5:34 PM 28459CARSG_PUWA1600_AMOT DPS 276x210mm 2SP OL_Eng_WTC.indd 1 1/9/14 5:44 PM 28459CARSG_PUWA1600_AMOT DPS 276x210mm 2SP OL_Eng_WTC.indd 2 1/9/14 5:45 PM TO BREAK THE RULES, YOU MUST FIRST MASTER THEM.

AN EVOLUTION OF THE RULE BREAKING AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL LUXURY SPORTS WATCH, THE ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE POSSESSES A DRAMATIC AND PURPOSEFUL AESTHETIC THAT TURNS FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS INTO ICONIC DESIGN FEATURES.

AT 44 MILLIMETRES DIAMETER, THE OFFSHORE COMMANDS A UNIQUE PRESENCE, AND IS RESOLUTELY GEARED TOWARDS POWER AND PERFORMANCE. UNIQUELY, THOSE SURFACES MOST EXPOSED TO TRAUMA ARE EXECUTED IN HIGHLY INNOVATIVE MATERIALS. HERE THE SIGNATURE OCTAGONAL BEZEL AND PUSHPIECES ARE FORMED IN HIGH-DENSITY CERAMIC – SCRATCHPROOF AND SEVEN TIMES HARDER THAN STEEL.

ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE IN PINK GOLD AND CERAMIC. CHRONOGRAPH. MATTERmatter OFof TASTEtaste | CONTENTS

7 WELCOME For e Wine Advocate’s Editor in Chief, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, and Y. C. Koh, President, Asia at American Express International, Inc., it’s all a “Matter of Taste” 10 ORIGINS From the First Drop Archaeologists believe wine was being made even before written records began 20 VITAL VESSELS 52 WINE WORLD A Glass Act Made of Stone Does the size and shape of Œ e picturesque is home glassware really impact upon to magni† cent châteaux and excellence your enjoyment of † ne wine? in 30 INTERVIEW 58 DOING FINE State of the Artisan Humble Beginnings Iconic Italian winemaker Angelo Asian wine lovers are increasingly Gaja’s principles have made him a discovering the joys of collecting. legend in the industry Œ ey share their top tips 34 THE CRAFT 62 LABEL LOGIC Top of the Barrels Surface Pleasures For the perfectionist winemaker, the Œ ey say it’s impossible with books, oak tree’s importance to character but can one judge a wine by its and Š air is immeasurable creative cover? 38 NOTED 68 BUY & CELLAR Working Wonders Accounting for Taste e Wine Advocate is globally admired A sample selection of e Wine for its practical yet entertaining Advocate’s informative reviews content. What’s its secret? from 2013

42 MAKING THE GRADE 78 ART & SOUL Team Players When Palate Meets Palette Introducing e Wine Advocate’s History’s most accomplished artists unrivalled panel of expert have always looked longingly to tasters and reviewers the bottled muse 84 ON THE MOVE II THE INDEPENDENT Hit the Spots 14A Dispassionate Affair Take your pick of the planet’s The quest for truth has brought coolest city wine bars ON THE MOVE international acclaim for The Wine California Dreaming Advocate’s dedicated founder, THE LAST WORD TOOL UP! 22 Robert M. Parker, Jr. 88 Wine has played a starring A Funny ’ ing Happened Opening Acts role on the silver screen. That’s on the Way to the Tasting! Who would46 have thought the humble especially true not so far Wine is a serious business, and could be an object of such from Hollywood occasionally it’s surprising, too beauty? Check out the best COVER PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

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Welcome to Matter of Taste magazine – a unique publication that provides a vivid glimpse into the elegantly engaging world of fine and fine-wine culture. Since 1978, renowned bi-monthly journal Robert Parker’s has been a global leader in delivering unbiased wine reviews, earning an enviable reputation as the independent consumer’s guide to fine wine. Now, laced with additional histories, profiles and colorful feature articles, Matter of Taste Robin Gary Charmaine Diana Ed goes behind the scenes to demystify The Wine Advocate’s methods, Lynam Bowerman Chan d ’Arenberg Peters bringing you that much closer to the professional critics that not only shape but make Robin Lynam is a Gary Bowerman is Charmaine Chan Diana d’Arenberg is an Ed Peters’ wine the global fine-wine market. Hong Kong-based co-founder of Scribes started her journalism collection would be art and culture writer. Readers of Matter of Taste also enjoy access to entertaining and informative features journalist specializing of the Orient, a media career 20 years ago She has contributed one of the largest in on the world’s most iconic regions, , winemakers and labels. What’s more, you’ll in travel, food and and marketing services in Sydney, to Harper’s Bazaar Asia if he hadn’t drunk drink, and arts and agency with bases in and has since worked Singapore, South China most of it. Having receive invaluable pointers from The Wine Advocate reviewer team on a number of wines culture. He contributes Hong Kong, Kuala at newspapers and Morning Post, High toured wineries in to drink, cellar and collect thanks to a sample medley of impartial recommendations to a wide variety of Lumpur and Shanghai. magazines in Tokyo Magazine, The Art Europe, China and to suit various budgets. publications, and writes Formerly the editor and Hong Kong. She Newspaper, Ocula.com Australia for research With helpful suggestions on everything from wine bars worth visiting in cities around regular columns on of Shanghai Business was literary editor purposes, he is not and other publications, the world and innovative designer corkscrews to a concise guide to how oak barrels help in wines and spirits for the Review and Shanghai at the South China as well as to her own unfamiliar with the South China Morning editor for Luxe Guides Morning Post before blog, post-ism.com. term “wrath of ,” the maturing of fine wines, there is something within these pages to suit everyone, from Post, Gafencu, Bar Talk and Zagat Survey, being appointed the She is also the former a pertinent aphorism the new wine enthusiast to the professional oenophile. and Hong Kong Golfer. he has contributed newspaper’s design editor and co-founder if not exactly original. He is also the South articles, hotel and editor eight years ago. of Framed, a Hong As a prolific writer, I hope you will find Matter of Taste to be as fun to read as it is practical. China Morning Post’s destination reviews She has also worked Kong art and culture Ed has contributed jazz columnist. In from across Asia for as deputy editor at the magazine dedicated to the Telegraph, Cheers! Matter of Taste, Robin Condé Nast Traveller, Asia Literary Review to profiling artists, Guardian, Condé Nast investigates how oak Business Traveller and and as a freelance collectors and designers. Traveller and many barrels impact upon Concierge.com. He writer for publications Here, Diana explores other publications. He fine wines (page 34). is currently writing a worldwide. In this how contemporary investigates how to book about the Chinese issue, Charmaine wineries are getting start a rewarding wine travel industry to be highlights some of the creative with their labels collection (page 58). published in late 2014. best corkscrews on the (page 62), and wine’s LISA PERROTTI-BROWN MW Here, Gary visits market (page 46). role in great art through EDITOR IN ChIEf, ThE WINE ADvOCATE superb city wine bars the centuries (page 78). worldwide (page 84).

Editor GARY JONES; Creative Director CATHERINE WONG; Graphic Designer MATTHEW TEO; Advertising Sales ANN LEE; Production Manager SIMON HO; Publisher JULIE SHERBORN

Consultant: LISA PERROTTI-BROWN MW, Editor in Chief, The Wine Advocate & eRobertParker.com

Matter of Taste is published on behalf of The Wine Advocate by Burda Singapore Pte. Ltd. (201114280C) a division of Burda International, 1008 Toa Payoh North #07-11, Singapore 318996. T: +65 6256 6201. Printed by KHL Printing Co Pte Ltd (Co. Reg. No. 197801823M). Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and participants featured in Matter of Taste do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Wine Advocate, Burda Singapore Pte. Ltd. or their employees. No payment was made to The Wine Advocate or its employees by any of the products, brands or services mentioned in Matter of Taste. Matter of Taste does not accept advertising from wineries, wine distributors or other wine-related businesses.

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At American Express, customer experience is of paramount importance. Delivering premium customer service and experience, is at the core of everything that we do. It has kept us in the forefront of the market place, enriching the lives of our customers. With more than 160 years of experience in serving Card Members around the world, American Express has deep understanding of the needs of our most premium Card Members and how fine taste enhances their lifestyle experiences. American Express has set and defined industry standards for premium cards and upmarket lifestyle experiences. We continually strive to provide our Card Members with premium access, experiential leisure and lifestyle events, from private showings, , fine dining, culinary events and golf championships. We are thrilled to partner with The Wine Advocate and present Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Grand World Tour 2014 in five Asian cities, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur in February and March 2014. Acknowledged by The Financial Times as “the world’s most prized palate,” Robert Parker is arguably one of the world’s most influential wine critics. Having the opportunity to meet up with him to engage, dine and discuss the world of wines is just one of the many exclusive experiences that we offer to our premium Card Members. The innovative spirit and deep experience in serving premium Card Members around the world have made our value proposition distinguished at a time when Asia is quickly becoming affluent. Through outstanding products and services that exceed customer expectations and distinguished customer service, the American Express brand continues to enjoy strong recognition and a unique competitive edge in the premium segment. We hope you will enjoy Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Grand World Tour 2014. As a premium Card Member-turned friend once quipped, American Express is more than just a card – it is a promise of fine taste. We delightedly agree.

Y C Ko H PRESIDEnT, ASIA A MERICAn Ex PRESS In TERnATIonAL, InC.

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From the F i r s t

i ntriguing eviD ence suggests that the proD u c t i o n o F wine preDropD ates recorD e D human history, anD archaeologists are D igging ever D eeper to uncover who got there F irst. Gary Jones investigates

The laTe RobeRT Mondavi, an of alcohol in excavated influential California operator Chinese pottery jars. who, through combining age-old “Chemical analyses of ancient techniques with cutting-edge innovation, organics absorbed, and preserved, in brought the wines of napa valley to pottery jars from the neolithic village worldwide recognition, is credited of Jiahu, in henan province, northern with stating that “wine has been with China, have revealed that a mixed civilized man since the beginning.” fermented beverage of rice, honey, Though oenophiles certainly appreciate and fruit was being produced as early the sentiment, and we could all argue as 9,000 years ago,” the university for eons on the meaning of “civilized,” declared in a statement. the findings of specialist historians The ancient tipples, the researchers suggest wine has been around for a lot said, were probably produced using longer than we might think. bacterial molds to break down rice The oldest known evidence for carbohydrates into simple sugars, and the intentional creation of something the presence of fruit was identified akin to wine points to China a head- by tartrate remains. The scientists, spinning 9,000 years ago – towards however, were unable to pinpoint the the end of the Stone age. in 2004, type of fruit. did Jiahu’s prehistoric in fact, researchers led by Patrick winemakers employ grapes, hawthorns, McGovern, the scientific director longans or a combination? if grapes had es

G of the biomolecular archaeology been used they would have been wild laboratory for Cuisine, Fermented species native to the region, and not beverages, and health at the the european varieties that were only Getty Ima o

T University of Pennsylvania Museum in introduced into China in the second

Photo Photo Pho the , found trace residues century bC via the Silk Road.

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McGovern, who is widely News in 2011, McGovern called the ancestors of the , respected as the preeminent expert discovery “important and unique, resulting in a palatable dry red. he reni-1 grape might on the subject and author of the book because it indicates large-scale wine Most interesting of all, the cave have produced something ords to the ine Ancient Wine: The Search for the production, which would imply, I also gave up a well-preserved leather hroughout history, the world’s wisest thinkers and Origins of Viniculture, among others, think, that the grape had already been moccasin from roughly the same similar to that of ancient writers have snatched up their quills or turned to their has argued that domestication of the domesticated.” He added that the period. Was -1 the world’s first eorgian varieties that wine grape and winemaking may have Areni-1 grape might have produced mass-production , where teams appear to be ancestors of the typewriters in attempts to glorify the grape originated in what is now Georgia in something similar to that of ancient of workers removed their footwear to the Caucasus region, and radiated Georgian varieties that appear to be crush grapes with their bare feet? inot oir grape, resulting geographically from there. The earliest in a palatable dry red “Quickly, bring me a beaker archaeological evidence of such wine “ine is of wine, so that I may wet my production yet found has, indeed, constant mind and say something clever” been at sites in Georgia dating back to proof that Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes 6000BC, as well as in Iran. od loves us A Neolithic excavation in Iran called VENI, VIDI, VINO! and loves to Hajji Firuz and dating back to at least 5000BC, in fact, unveiled a deposit of The all-conquering Romans took winemaking to new levels, and see us happy” “MEN ARE “enicillin their technical expertise spread far and wide with their empire United States LIKE WINE cures, but sediment in the bottom of an amphora founding father that proved to be a mix of tannin and olive oil (the Romans sometimes  SOME wine makes WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE Museum of the Pfalz, close to Benjamin Franklin tartrate crystals. Five other jars, each used oil to protect wine from the TURN TO people happy” world’s oldest bottle of wine where it was found, is made Scottish with the capacity for about nine liters, air and avoid oxidation). VINEGAR, immunologist still in existence was unearthed of green-yellow glass and its suggest volume production. A Greek For a number of years now Alexander in 1867 during excavation work handles are crafted in the shape BUT THE site, meanwhile, is notable for the experts have been debating Fleming required to construct a house in a of dolphins. One of several bottles BEST recovery of crushed-grape remnants. It whether to open the bottle, “If we sip vineyard near the town of Speyer discovered at the site, it is the only IMPROVE dates back to 4500BC. unsure of what will happen to its the wine, “Wine is one in . The bottle (pictured one with its contents preserved. WITH contents. The museum’s wine of the most There is also increasingly abundant right) was discovered inside Though closures existed we find curator believes it is extremely AGE” civilized things evidence for winemaking in one of two sarcophagi of Roman in Roman times, they were quite ope ohn  possible that the wine will still dreams in the world in the third millennium BC. A tomb nobles and dates back to about uncommon and the bottle was be micro-biologically unspoiled and one of the belonging to the so-called Scorpion 350AD, making it more than sealed with wax. The liquid inside coming (though quite unsuitable for most natural King and dating to about 3150BC was 1,650 years old. is segregated into two layers, the upon us things of the drinking, of course). “Wine makes found to contain 700 jars believed to The amphora, which is on upper portion being thick, semi- world that has It is believed that the Romans out of the every meal have been made and filled with wine permanent display at the History opaque and perhaps consisting of been brought produced the wine locally, and the an occasion, in the eastern Mediterranean and imminent every table to the greatest Pfalz is one of Germany’s premium night” more elegant, perfection, shipped to North Africa. winegrowing regions to this day. and it offers Finally, one of the most compelling English novelist every day more civilized” a greater discoveries pertaining to the origins of and playwright range for Prolific ordered and efficient winemaking was OLDEST Grape Vine? OLDEST Barrel of Wine? D.H. Lawrence writer André Simon enjoyment and appreciation made in in recent years. What A vine in the small town of The world’s oldest barrel of wine, than, possibly, has been dubbed the Areni-1 Cave was Maribor in Slovenia has been which is said to boast alluring any other found to house a sloping, platform-like growing for more than 400 years. aromas of vanilla and hazelnut, is “Give me wine to wash purely sensory wine press, fermentation vats, storage Its Zametovka grapes (one of the more than 540 years old. The 1472 me clean of the thing” jars and cups, as well as seeds and oldest known varieties) are still vintage, originally from the Alsace American weather-stains of cares” vines. The site dates to about 4000BC being harvested for wines in the region of France and considered author Ernest 21st century. Offspring of the vine to be the oldest viable wine in Essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson Hemingway during the Copper Age, and experts have been discovered flourishing existence, is stored in the cellar of believe that grapes were crushed on GETTY IMAGES in locations across the globe. a former hospital in Strasbourg. the platform and their juice then flowed THE OLDEST GRAPE VINE AT MARIBOR, SLOVENIA under gravity into the jars. BOTTLEBOTTLE PHOTO PHOTO HISTORISCHES HISTORISCHES MUSEUM MUSEUM DER DER PFALZ PFALZ SPEYER SPEYER / KURT / KURT DIEHL DIEHL PHOTO Speaking to National Geographic

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INDEPENDENT (adjective): neutral, objective, detached, impartial, just, fair, equal, open-minded, equitable, disinterested, unbiased, even-handed, nonpartisan, unprejudiced, non-discriminating – Collins Thesaurus

DISPASSIONATE

THE WINE ADVOCATEAFFAIR IS LAUDED INTERNATIONALLY FOR PROVIDING IMPARTIAL INTELLIGENCE ON THE WORLD’S FINEST WINES. FOR ITS FOUNDER, ROBERT M. PARKER, JR., THE HONEST APPROACH HAS BEEN THE KEY TO SUCCESS

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DeLIveRINg IN exceSS of 20,000 Back in the late 1960s, however, retailers. The initial batch of recipients with chef, author and television wine reviews every year, The Wine the concept of The Wine Advocate numbered fewer than 600. One year personality julia child in 2001 Advocate is a respected bi-monthly was merely a twinkle in Parker’s eyes later, the fledgling publication’s name publication, based in the United States that his friends and family, keen on was changed to The Wine Advocate. but referred to and enjoyed globally, him becoming a lawyer, discouraged Things progressed steadily, with that is essential reading for both wine as fanciful. Returning to Baltimore to Parker maintaining his “day job” professionals and enthusiasts alike. graduate with honors with a major in as a lawyer. The year 1983 proved offering detailed consumer advice history and a minor in art history, he significant, however, when his while declining to accept advertising, went on to the University of Maryland controversial and glowing reviews of The Wine Advocate gives its readers Law School, graduating in 1973 and the 1982 Bordeaux vintage, tasted from unadulterated facts and only the joining a local firm as a practicing barrels in the wineries, created a stir RobeRt M. PaRkeR , JR . tastes at the opinions of unbiased experts. lawyer. Parker’s professional heart, amongst many wine writers who felt celebR ated c hâteau Rayas in the southeRn Rhône Valley in 2003 In 2014, The Wine Advocate boasts however, had already been lost to wine. the vintage was too ripe and the wines more than 50,000 subscribers from During the early 1970s, when wouldn’t age. When Parker turned out every nook of the US and more than 40 Parker was considering writing his to be correct about the greatness of countries worldwide, and its founder own wine guide, he was taken with the wines in question, his reputation and president, Robert M. Parker, the work of Ralph Nader, an American and subscriber base soared. On March Jr., with his distinctive note-taking consumer advocate who sought 9, 1984, after more than 10 years as vocabulary, is praised as the most to “out” corporate malpractice by an attorney, a senior attorney, and as influential on the planet. challenging inaccurate propaganda. an assistant general counsel for the A 2012 article in The Financial Times Parker recognized that much of Farm Credit Banks of Baltimore, he cast wine consumer’s buying habits and stayed true to his ideal of delivering newspaper described Parker as “the what was then being written about aside his law career to focus on The trends not only in the US, but in France, only meaningful, comprehensive, world’s most prized palate.” wine was compromised by financial Wine Advocate and wine full-time. the United Kingdom, Switzerland, independent, accurate, critical The Wine Advocate’s history can agendas. He dreamt of a publication Thirty years later, virtually every Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Russia, commentaries and opinions on fine be traced back to decidedly humble that could be free of commercial ties knowledgeable observer agrees that , Brazil, China and every other wines and fine-wine values, and (but pleasingly romantic) beginnings to wineries and merchants – a guide The Wine Advocate exerts the most major wine market of the world. The Wine Advocate’s high standards – to 1967, in fact, when 20-year-old that would deliver wholly unbiased significant influence on the serious Through those decades, Parker has remain uncompromised to this day. Parker, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, views and that served the interests headed to france for a month during his of consumers. The concept Parker christmas vacation from the University envisaged would be funded purely by of Maryland to visit his girlfriend, who the people that buy, read and use it. was then studying at the University of Because of the paucity of reliable The Dawning of The Wine AdvocATe – a Timeline Strasbourg in Alsace. As well as getting information on wine, by 1975 Parker’s the girl on his european sojourn (the vision for an “independent, consumer’s The first issue young lady in question soon happily guide” was beginning to take shape Parker graduates of his Baltimore- accepted an invitation to become Mrs. in his mind. Again, friends and family Robert M. from the University Patricia Parker, and remains so to this advised caution. In August of 1978, Parker, Jr. is born of Maryland Law Advocate is published day as Parker’s wife of 44 years), the however, he made his bold move, in Baltimore, School, joining a and sent out to fewer seeds of what would grow into an and the first issue of his Baltimore- Maryland Baltimore law firm than 600 people 1978 1973 1947 obsession had been planted during Washington Wine Advocate was 1978 that trip – Parker had discovered and sent out free of charge to mailing developed a healthy taste for the grape. lists obtained from a number of wine Parker visits The name of Parker leaves his girlfriend in Parker’s publication his career in France, developing is changed to The law to focus a fascination with Wine Advocate full-time on his 1979 1967 1984 wine that will love of wine Through those decades, Parker has stayed true to his ideal of delivering only dictate the course meaningful, comprehensive, independent, accurate, critical commentaries and of his life opinions on fine wines and fine-wine values, and The Wine Advocate’s high standards remain uncompromised to this day paris, 1967

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was bestowed by Prime Minister Silvio Carlos at a ceremony and reception Berlusconi and President Carlo Azeglio in Madrid. In February 2013, Parker Ciampi for Parker’s contributions in became the first wine critic inducted RAVE REVIEWS! recognizing the quality of into the Culinary Institute Of America’s High praise from the world’s most and for his educational efforts in The Vintners Hall of Fame in Napa Valley. distinguished magazines and Wine Advocate. He was the first wine And despite such heady plaudits respected newspapers writer or critic in history to receive and wide acceptance by the wine Italy’s highest honor. establishment, Parker has continually In 2005, Chirac promoted Parker stated – in The Wine Advocate and in to an officer in France’s Legion of his books – that his professional advice “The man with the paragon palate… For Honor, an extremely rare distinction meets the highest ethical standards. By countless wine lovers, Robert Parker’s recognizing the extraordinary insisting upon such standards, he seeks tastes are infallible” contribution he has made to the to guarantee that his valuations are pro- quality of wine writing and the consumer and not pro-industry, making education of consumers around the him truly independent. world about French wines. Today, active as ever in the pursuit “Parker has revolutionized American wine The years, in fact, have been filled of truth in wine, Parker lives in the criticism, and… has brought the stringent with many other such challenges met countryside of northern Maryland with standards of a fanatic, the high moral and honors bestowed. In 2002, for his wife, his daughter, Maia, and his purpose of a reformer” example, Parker founded eRobertParker. English bulldogs. com, which has become the most visited website on wine according to Alexa.com, a California-based “The Wine Advocate is the best for guiding As well as writing for his labor of People, Money, The Traveler, Changing Spain, South Korea, and Russia. subsidiary of Amazon.com that provides the consumer through the labyrinth of love, Parker has been a contributing Times, Esquire, GQ, BusinessWeek, What’s more, Parker is the only commercial web-traffic data. In 2004, Burgundy and Bordeaux” editor for Food and Wine Magazine Smart Money and The Robb Report, wine writer and critic in history to the Culinary Institute of America created and respected US publication in notable newspapers such as The be awarded the highest presidential a legacy endowment for wine-education BusinessWeek. He has written Times, USA Today, The honors by two French presidents and scholarships in Parker’s name. periodically for English magazine The Boston Globe, The New York Times, an Italian president. In 1993, President In 2005, Simon & Schuster “His influence is unparalleled in the Field and has been the wine critic The Baltimore Sun, The London Sunday François Mitterrand of France made published Parker’s The World’s journalism” for France’s popular L’Express – the Times, The Sunday Telegraph, The Parker a Chevalier de l’Ordre National Greatest Wine Estates: A Modern first time a non-Frenchman has held Independent, The Financial Times, Le du Mérite. In 1999, he was decorated Perspective. That book was followed the position. He has also delivered a Journal de Dimanche, and L’Express, with the Chevalier de l’Ordre de la in 2008 by the 7th edition of Parker’s weekly column for BusinessWeek, as and in virtually all of Europe’s leading Légion d’Honneur by French President Wine Buyer’s Guide, and in 2009 by “Parker is the most influential wine writer well as for Forbes. print titles, including The Economist, Jacques Chirac at a ceremony at the Parker’s Wine Bargains: The World’s in the world today” Also along the way, Parker has Paris Match and Figaro. Elysée Palace. In bestowing the honor, Best Wines Valued Under $25.00. been profiled in such magazines as In 1999, he was profiled in a front- the president said, “Robert Parker In 2006, Parker’s alma mater, the Time, Newsweek, Atlantic Monthly, page article in the Los Angeles Times is the most followed and influential University of Maryland, bestowed upon by Pulitzer Prize-winning media critic critic of French wines in the world, him the Distinguished Alumnus Award “Widely regarded as the world’s most David Shaw. Parker has been profiled something I witnessed recently when for that year. In 2010, he became one powerful wine critic” being decorated on the CBS network’s 60 Minutes II choosing wine for [US] President of 63 graduates to be inducted into the c h e va l i er dans l’o rd r e and appears on PBS’s Charlie Rose , who automatically referred university’s Alumnae Hall of Fame. de la l égion Show. He has written 14 books on to Robert Parker as his reference for In 2011, Parker became the first d’honn eur by french President wine that have been best sellers making a proper wine-buying decision.” wine writer and critic to receive the Jacques c hirac at a glittering not only in the US, but also in their In 2002, Parker was made a Gran Cruz de la Orden del Mérito Civil, c er emon y translated versions in France, Japan, commander in Italy’s National Order Spain’s highest civilian honor, which THE WINE ADVOCATE’S FOUNDER RELAXES at the elys ée WITH A GLASS IN CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE; Palace in 1999 Germany, , Poland, China, of Merit. The country’s highest honor was awarded by His Majesty King Juan SEPTEMBER, 2004

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California

dreamingBefore making plans for your next wine-themed vaC ation, it’s well worth a visit to the dvd s t o r e . f ine wine, as Gary Jones dis C overs, sometimes travels ex C eptionally well es G Getty Ima Photo

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TRAVELING SIDEWAYS Genuine working wineries in California’s Santa Barbara County – all open for visits and tasting – played starring roles in Sideways, as did the characters’ wining and dining hangouts

IT IS ADVISABLE, IN THE RUN-UP Hilarious Sideways follows two to any vacation, to gain a thorough middle-aged men – failing writer, wine- Kalyra Winery once owned the property, Firestone Solvang Restaurant Hitching Post II understanding of your destination. aficionado and middle-school English Owned by Australian winemaker Mike Winery in the Santa Ynez Valley is A favorite breakfast spot in the area Jack and Miles spend several That certainly holds true for sojourns teacher Miles (played by Paul Giamatti) Brown, this small Santa Ynez winery is where Jack and Stephanie duck out (and where Miles and Jack take coffee evenings at the Hitching Post to wine country. In these multimedia and his soon-to be married actor friend named after the Aboriginal word for “a of a boring winemaking lecture to get while having yet another squabble in Buellton, chatting with times, however, why should we limit and college roommate, Jack Cole wild and pleasant place.” In Sideways friendlier in the barrel room, and where about how to spend their vacation), amiable bartender Gary and ourselves to books in our research? (Thomas Haden Church) – on a week- it is where Jack meets free-spirited the four newfound friends stop off for Solvang Restaurant is adored for flirting with Maya. Along with Why not movies? Wine, after all, long road trip through the verdant hills pourer Stephanie, with whom he soon an idyllic picnic amongst the vines. its traditional and delicious Danish outstanding steaks, ribs and like far-flung, exotic locales, enjoys and of Santa Ynez Valley wine becomes romantically acquainted. The The winery is perhaps best known pancakes called aebleskiver, which chicken, the Hitching Post II considerable time on the silver screen, country in Santa Barbara County. Kalyra wine portfolio is adventurous for its palatable Chardonnay. are served topped with powdered serves up smoked duck breast, and many cinematic heroes turn to a While self-deprecating Miles views and varied. The winery’s white list www.firestonewine.com sugar and raspberry jam. ostrich, homemade soups, tasty glass during moments of drama, high Jack’s bachelor week as a chance for includes , Chardonnay, www.solvangrestaurant.com pastries and more. In Sideways, tension and comedy. the two buddies to hang out together Gewürztraminer, Semillon/Verdelho, Foxen Winery Miles and Jack develop a Sherlock Holmes’ fancy for and relax, to enjoy great food, taste Pinot Bianco and Scheurebe. The Foxen Winery is where Jack and Miles Los Olivos Wine Merchant taste for the Highliner – the Château Margaux, 1858 vintage, fantastic wines and play a few rounds extensive red portfolio covers sneakily help themselves when the & Café restaurant’s own brand of Pinot was revealed in his 2009 incarnation, of golf. His gregarious sidekick is , , pourer goes to help another customer. Miles, Jack, Maya and Stephanie Noir from its Hartley Ostini for instance, and Hannibal Lecter’s determined to let loose and enjoy a , and more. This boutique winery is located on enjoy dinner and several exquisite Hitching Post Winery. thirst for “a nice ” was made last-minute romantic adventure or two www.kalyrawinery.com land once owned by William Foxen, bottles of wine at award-winning www.hitchingpost2.com terrifyingly clear in The Silence of the before his trip down the aisle. Their an English sea captain who purchased Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café, Lambs. Maverick industrialist Tony Fess Parker Winery most of what is now Foxen Canyon forming new friendships before things Stark popped the cork on a bottle Dubbed Frass Canyon in the film (and (about 9,000 acres) in the late 1800s. go terribly wrong. The Wine Merchant of Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages in not exactly portrayed in a positive Co-owner Dick Dore is the great-great- carries more than 500 wines and Iron Man III, while James Bond is light), Fess Parker Winery is the grandson of Foxen, and since 1985 has offers the best from the many never secretive about his fondness location where, on learning that his been making solid Pinot Noirs. of central California’s coast. for the grape, variously partaking of novel has been rejected, and having a www.foxenvineyard.com www.losolivoscafe.com Château Angélus (Casino Royale), Dom pourer refuse to serve him a full glass Pérignon (Dr. No, Goldfinger and The as solace, Miles guzzles greedily from Spy Who Loved Me) Taittinger Blanc the communal spit bucket. In reality, de Blancs, (From Russia With Love) Fess Parker has a solid reputation

and Bollinger (GoldenEye). for Pinot Noir and Syrah. The Wine VISIT SANTA BARBARA SINCLAIR / JAY In more than a few movies, Advocate gave its 2010 red blend The however, wine has served as far Big Easy 91 points, elaborating, “With more than a prop, is crucial to the loads of upfront appeal, the 2010 The plot and actually plays a starring role. Big Easy dishes out plenty of chocolaty

That’s certainly true of Oscar-winning dark fruits, leather, ground pepper PHOTOS COURTESY OF VISIT SANTA BARBARA SINCLAIR / JAY comedy-slash-drama Sideways (2004). and asphalt aromas to go with a full- And where better to explore the terrific bodied, voluptuously textured palate.” trinity of wine, movies and travel than www.fessparker.com the home of the “dream factory” of Hollywood itself: laid-back California. Firestone Winery PREVIOUS PAGES: FALL IN THE GLORIOUS SANTA YNEZ VALLEY. FROM TOP: THE SID EWAYS Named after the family of the legendary MOVIE POSTER; CHARACTERS STEPHANIE, JACK, MILES AND MAYA GET ACQUAINTED tire innovator Harvey Firestone, which CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: AN ALLURING VINEYARD; THE DANISH TOWN OF SOLVANG; A SANTA BARBARA WINERY’S RESERVE ROOM

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GRAPE ESCAPES An inspiring wine movie can provide ideas for your next overseas vacation. Here are just three celluloid corkers to get you in motion

THE WORLD Mondovino (2004) With its title meaning “world of wine” relationship quickly deteriorates and California, possibly more than any in Italian, American filmmaker and Jack’s off-the-leash behavior threatens other vacation destination, has starred trained Jonathan Nossiter’s to shatter their friendship forever. in its fair share of exceptional wine epic Mondovino explores globalization’s Directed by Alexander Payne movies. In the 1959 classic This Earth is impact on traditional winemaking (Election, About Schmidt) and adapted Mine, English woman Elizabeth (played regions characterized by their . from Rex Pickett’s novel of the same by Jean Simmons) comes to live with Can small, single-estate wineries, this name, Sideways features too many her wealthy winemaking aunt and uncle thought-provoking documentary asks side-splitting moments to count in the state during the 1930s. Her over more than two hours, survive in a (early on their trip, Miles attempts to relatives attempt to marry Elizabeth off FRANCE A Good Year (2006) rapidly changing world? educate Jack on the finer points of to another wine dynasty to consolidate In this heartwarming romantic comedy, Russell Shot on three continents and in wine tasting, ostentatiously describing their command over the industry. A Crowe plays unethical British investment broker five languages over a three-year period, a glass of at one small Santa Walk in the Clouds (1995) stars Keanu Max Skinner, who inherits a chateau and vineyard Mondovino whisks the armchair wine Ynez winery as boasting a “soupcon Reeves as a soldier returning from war in postcard-perfect Provence. Gradually, while the traveler to numerous locales they might like to visit – and soon, perhaps, of asparagus and just a flutter of to fall for the beautiful daughter of a hardheaded businessman attempts to renovate the before generations-old and artisanal nutty Edam cheese”). Plus, though California winemaking family. property for a quick sale, he succumbs to the slower winemaking ways of those areas something of a slow burner at the box Corked (2009) is a comical mock- pace and romantic routines of French country life. disappear forever. office, Sideways’ gradual acceptance umentary that follows four contrasting Helmed by famed director Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Gladiator), who for 15 years owned a as a cult movie had a profound effect characters as they compete to win the property in Provence, A Good Year’s French scenes on wine-buying habits across the fictional Golden Cluster trophy. The were mostly shot in locations the filmmaker United States. Miles’s vocal love of flick explores the lengths they will go described as “eight minutes from my house.” The Pinot Noir and growling antipathy for to be judged “best in show.” In Bottle restored hamlet of Le Domaine de la Coquillade Merlot (at one point he passionately Shock (also 2009), Alan Rickman (pictured above), which nestles nearby, provides declares, “If anybody orders Merlot, (Severus Snape in the Harry Potter vacation lodging in six sumptuously furnished I’m leaving”) led to dramatic increases movie series) plays real-life English residences, the oldest dating back to the 11th in sales of the former to the detriment wine merchant Steven Spurrier who, in century and all located in the center of the of the latter. The “Sideways effect” is 1976, took the best Napa Valley wines 30-hectare Aureto Vineyard. www.coquillade.fr still being felt to this day. to Paris for a blind taste test against Also impressively, Sideways made a CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: POSTER FOR this earth is mine; Corked; C a LIFORnI a’S French tipples. One reviewer noted star out of Santa Barbara wine country, WIn E COunTRy REguL a RLy PLayS a STa RRIng ROLE aT T h E CInEMa; Bottle shoCk that, though Bottle Shock might not be ITALY The Secret of and travelers to California who would absolutely accurate, it contains “some Santa Vittoria (1969) previously have plumped for the Napa of the best fly-over shots of Napa Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, and Sonoma valleys now had another Valley you’ll ever see. Your heart will The Secret of Santa Vittoria tells how, during World option. Even today, a decade after the In more than a few movies wine has served skip like a little kid, especially if you’re War II, a small Italian town’s mayor (played by two oddball pals leaped into Miles’s as far more than a prop, is crucial to the plot drinking buttery Chardonnay.” Anthony Quinn) discovers that German forces want bashed-up convertible Saab, the Visit and actually plays a starring role But, for this writer at least, to commandeer its substantial stores of wine. The Santa Barbara tourism bureau provides Sideways wins hands-down in the desperate townspeople hide a million bottles in a a free tour brochure and map that pour chick” Stephanie (Sandra Oh), quaint and Danish-styled Californian wine-movie Oscars. Its bittersweet cave before the occupying army’s arrival, offering up only a few thousand bottles, but the wily highlights 18 locations from the movie and the Hitching Post II is where community of Solvang (which even humor, gentle pacing and flawed but German commander knows there must be a lot more. A dramatic battle of wits ensues. so that visitors can follow in Miles and waitress Maya (Virginia Madsen) slowly has its own windmill), is home to more lovable characters make it a must- The Secret of Santa Vittoria was shot in the picturesque villages of Anticoli Corrado, just a Jack’s bumbling footsteps. gains shy Miles’s affections. When than 50 of the feathered critters. When see before that next grape-themed short drive east of . The real Santa Vittoria winery, which was founded 300 years ago and still Boutique wineries and fine-dining Jack escapes from one complicated Miles and Jack get into a tussle with vacation. So slide in that DVD, crack produces wines today, is actually located a few hundred miles north, in the small agricultural town of restaurants are included, of course: romantic liaison, he flees naked through a group of fellow golfers, they do so open a bottle of Miles’s favored Pinot Foiano della Chiana in beautiful eastern Tuscany (pictured). Australian-owned Kalyra Winery is an ostrich farm. The real OstrichLand on the world-class River Course of the Noir, kick back on the sofa and dream The estate boasts 35 hectares of vineyards and its vacation accommodation takes the form where Jack falls for livewire “wine- USA sanctuary, located outside the picturesque Alisal Guest Ranch Resort. of California. It’s the way forward. of five tastefully furnished apartments in a restored 18th-century farmhouse surrounded by vines, olive trees, and wheat and sunflower fields in the rolling hills of the unspoiled Chiana Valley. www.fattoriasantavittoria.net

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the patchwork landscape of northern italy’s l anghe district

Globally renowned for bringing the northern Italian wine- producing region of into the international spotlight, angelo Gaja is fondly recalling how his french grandmother introduced him to the concept of being an artisan when he was an 11-year-old boy. “She introduced quality and dedication to our family,” Gaja says. “My grandmother told me in french that the first step to being an artisan is faire [the french verb for ‘to make’ or ‘to do’]. and the second step is savior faire – to know exactly what to do; to be dedicated to a goal. but it is not enough in life to become an artisan. The third step is savoir faire faire – to teach the family. and the fourth is faire savoir – to transfer all of this into the market.” Passing through Singapore on a recent tour of asia that also took him to Japan, mainland China and Hong Kong, the man widely known as “the King of barbaresco” clearly feels the success of his Gaja winery, which is located in the region in the Italian district of langhe, owes much to the wise words of his forebear, as state well as to the ongoing endeavors of o f his kin. “when my grandmother told me this, I didn’t understand at all,” the t h e 73-year-old continues. “I had to know i conic i talian winemaker a ngelo g a j a t e l l s for myself. To explain to consumers Lisa Perrotti-Brownartisan how devotion to family, that the tannins may be hard when you back to angelo’s great-grandfather, In the history of Gaja’s development passion for excellence and no fear of personal drink this wine alone, but when you Giovanni Gaja, who established and continual improvement from match it with food it is fantastic. the winery in 1859. Since then, generation to generation, angelo, who sacrifice have made his g aja w inery one of the “elegance. what does it mean? That five generations have been the formally took over the family winery most respected in the world the wine is not dominating the palate, it cornerstone of this great label and in 1961 when he was aged just 21, is finishes clean and gives you the ability to responsible for its development into perhaps most famous for going against taste and retaste. when my father told the major global player it is today. the wishes of his father (yet another me again about being an artisan when I Gaia Gaja, angelo’s eldest daughter, Giovanni in the flourishing Gaja family was older, then I understood.” joined the family business in 2005 tree) in the 1970s. formally trained as So tightly are winemaking and and now covers export for asia. lucia, a winemaker in alba and Montpellier, family intertwined at Gaja, in fact, his wife of more than 40 years, runs well-travelled and eager to make his that it’s impossible for the patriarch the office, while second daughter mark on the family business, angelo to discuss his creations without rossana covers Italy and his 20-year- introduced ground-breaking innovations mentioning blood ties. and with good old son, also called Giovanni, is to the winery and the region, such as reason – the Gaja empire extends currently studying in Milan. replacing nebbiolo vines with Cabernet

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1980, 1992 and 2002 were all “I have two duties not bottled at Gaja. “Restaurants may say, ‘How can to my family: to set you not supply a vintage? Why don’t examples as good as you buy some wine to sell?’ We possible in life, in can’t. And I cannot say these were low quality vintages. I have to say work, in everything, specifically what went wrong. The without forcing them other quality of being an artisan is to to do the same as me. stay within a certain production size and not get too big. We don’t want to And to teach my increase the size of the winery. We children to protect have stayed the same size for 25 years. and cultivate passion” And finally, as artisans we must remain Angelo Gaja a family business. To be an artisan is to pass from one generation to the other.” As Gaja stands to wrap up our conversation (he has to prepare for a tasting he is to present), he seems varieties. So my dream has been to go reticent to let the topic drop. “Family is back to the old ways. Gaja wines have there for future generations,” he adds. not been declassified.” “I am 73 years old and I know that I Gaja adds that when he made his have to step back and give way to my move, changing the status from DOCG children. I have two duties to my family: Barbaresco and Barolo to DOC Langhe to set examples as good as possible for his top single-vineyard Barbaresco in life, in work, in everything, without and Barolo labels, its gave him the forcing them to do the same as me. The gaja family (from back): freedom to blend Nebbiolo with other And to teach my children to protect a ngelo, g aia, lucia, rossana and giovanni grape varieties. “People speculated I and cultivate passion. This is the most would introduce grapes like Cabernet important element for artisans. Through Sauvignon and Merlot to Barbaresco passion the artisan becomes stronger. and Barolo,” he says. “I did not want Passion is like windscreen wipers. to do this but just wanted to have the It doesn’t stop the rain from falling, freedom to use a small percentage but it allows you to drive on. Much of of other indigenous varieties. We use your business depends on luck and only . Just a small percentage. you need passion to get you through Gaja Wines are imported by: The curiosity of our consumers is in difficult times.” discovering these wines.” Though he may not be the Hong Kong: Altaya Wines; And five decades at the forefront of wealthiest man in the wine world, it www.altayawines.com winemaking excellence have left Gaja is tempting to believe that, with his China: ASC Fine Wines; Sauvignon at a prime location in the winemaker. This is something that In 1996, Angelo again created a stir with very passionate views on what devotion to his family and his wide- www.asc-wines.com Barbaresco, and the use of new oak can be recognized. Style is the way the by opting out of the Barbaresco and it means to be a genuine artisan. “It ranging achievements, outspoken Japan: Enoteca Wines; French barriques. wine is communicated in the market. Barolo regions’ DOCG quality control is taking control of the vineyards,” he Angelo Gaja may be among the richest, www.enoteca.co.jp “It was my father who told me our Gaja has a simple, classic, modern system, thereby necessitating removal exclaims. “It is to be available to make and with typical Italian warmth he bids Singapore: Pinnacle Wine goal is to produce wines of character, label. We have no website. This seems of the regions’ names from his labels. sacrifices. To be able not to bottle farewell, posing and answering one & Spirits; personality and style,” Gaja says. “We to be a bit crazy today. I prefer not “The artisan needs freedom,” Gaja bad vintages. To not bottle lesser of life’s most elusive questions as a www.pinnaclewinespirits.com try to make a wine that is unique. having this auto-celebrity thing. The says firmly. “DOCG was introduced in wines under second or third labels. parting gift. “Does happiness have a United States: Terlato Wines; Character is derived by the grape critics and the consumers decide what 1981 because before this the wines We must sell grapes of lesser quality secret?” he asks with a youthful glint in www.terlatowines.com variety, and that belongs to everybody. we are. Style is the way of giving these were never pure Nebbiolo. Before there or sell these wines in bulk, but not to his eye. “I think maybe it is to continue United Kingdom: Berry Brothers Personality comes from the producer, messages to the market.” was always some percentage of other put these wines under the Gaja label. to desire what we already have.” & Rudd; www.bbr.com

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The emP l O ymenT O f O ak in wine sTOr a g e a n d Barrelsageing has a P r O f O und effecT O n T he resulT . Robin Lynam invesT igaT es T he exT r e m e imPOr T ance O f T he unassuming B arrel

It’s a sImple fact of lIfe that some point, it was noticed that the good wine cannot be made without barrels had an effect on the wine’s good grapes. It’s also true of many development and, gradually over fine wines that they cannot be time, producers learned to use their created without fine oak, and the barrels as tools. cooperage today role played by the barrel maker, or is an advanced skill, but many of its cooper, in establishing the style of the fundamentals have scarcely changed world’s best wines is significant to since the middle ages. peter stuart the oenologist, affecting color, flavor, the cooper’s craft consists in tannin profile and texture. selecting good wood, splitting it into “Winemakers know the coopers staves, drying them over a period of white wines in which evidence of oak that they like, and they all have different 10 to 36 months (the process is called ageing was preposterously prominent styles,” says amanda parker, director “seasoning”), heating them over fire to led to the emergence of “Unoaked of hong Kong-based independent make them pliable, binding them with chardonnay” as a new wine category. wine consultancy IntoVino ltd. “the metal hoops, and sealing each end of What the producers of such wines tend variables include where the oak is from, the vessel with a barrel head also made not to stress is that leaving oak out of how old it is, how long it is aged for, how they season it, and the ‘toasting’ [exposure to fire during the barrel- New French oak barrels cost, on average, around making process]. there are important differences, even within a species, and US$1,000 a piece – about double the price for barrels coopers understand the trees and the made of oak from the United States or Eastern Europe planks of wood well enough to sense those differences. producers use a from oak. It’s harder than it sounds. the wine-maturation process saves range of coopers, and that adds to the Not all wines are matured in them large sums of money, particularly complexity of blending.” wood before bottling, however, and if french oak is the winemaker’s es Wooden barrels have been for some New World white wines preferred option. New french oak G employed for the transport and storage the absence of a wood influence has barrels cost, on average, around of goods since ancient times, and actually become a positive selling Us$1,000 a piece – about double the Getty Ima probably began to be used for wine point. During the 1980s and 1990s, in price for barrels made of oak from the

in about the third century aD. at fact, the prevalence of many australian United states or eastern europe. the Photos

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investment is not a one-off, however, producer of French-oak wine barrels. and the barrels are generally used more Used French oak and new oak from than once, but with use even French Eastern Europe have less influence on oak loses its ability to impart character. flavor and aroma than new French oak, david cox Partly for cost reasons, Parker but still make an important contribution. points out, few winemakers will mature “the other influence is introducing a vintage exclusively in new oak. “The “For premium wines the usual first choice is oxygen into the wine,” says Parker. “If whisky after wine better the quality of the vintage, the you’re using old barrels, or hungarian es es amanda parker more new oak you would use,” she French oak because of its tighter grain and subtler G G oak or Slovenian oak, which has a One way in which wineries can recoup some ma says. “The wine needs the structure effect on taste and aroma, but other varieties also much more neutral character, you are of the cost of expensive oak barrels is by Getty i and ability to absorb the character of Getty Ima really using it just as a vessel to provide selling them on after the wood character the oak. If you are using 100 per cent inspire winemaker loyalty” oxygen. In [French region] Alsace the Cheating with Oak HOTO useful for wine has been leached out of them. P Photo new oak, it’s a big cost. Most people barrels are very large and they are When wine takes from the wood, it Given the high cost of oak barrels, it is use a combination of new oak and hundreds of years old. they’ve allowed gives some of its own flavor back, and hardly surprising that winemakers have second-fill barrels which are still able to a layer of tartrate crystal lining to form distillers of single malt Scotch whisky like to explored other means to achieve the same impart wood character.” as the wine has rested, so you don’t age or mature the spirit in casks that have effect in cheaper receptacles. Among these So what are the options open to managing director of South-Africa age the wine and allow the slow and get any influence of the oak, but you contained wine. Sherry casks, for instance, is the use of oak chips, shavings, cubes or winemakers who are choosy about the based company Carteirra, which works controlled ‘softening’ and integration get the benefit of the oxygenation.” have been used by the industry for decades, essence. These can be used either to add origin of their barrel staves? Historically, with winemakers in its home country, of flavors,” says Stuart. “However, Barrel size, Parker adds, is another and The Macallan Distillery in particular is extra “oakiness” to a wine being matured acacia, chestnut and various fruitwoods as well as in France and California, to barrel oak also adds both aroma and factor in determining oak influence. noted for its “sherry wood” character. in a used French-oak barrel, or in a new have also been tried, but with less produce wines to private customer flavor compounds to wine during this “Generally, the bigger the barrel the In recent years, however, many American or Eastern European barrel, or satisfactory results than oak. The specifications. Clients are advised by maturation process. Fundamentally, less contact you have with the wine,” distillers have adopted the practice of to impart some oakiness to wine that is not forests that supply the world’s wineries the winemakers but choose both the oak lactones have coconut flavors and she says. “the smaller the barrel “cask finishing” – taking mature whisky and are mostly in France, North America grape variety from which their wine is aromas, and the toasting of barrels by the more contact, so there is more being exposed to wood at all. giving it an additional period of maturation and Eastern Europe, and only certain made, and the type of barrel used for either burning with fire or using heat influence with a small barrel.” French-oak chips are often added in casks that have previously contained varieties of the tree are deemed maturation themselves. “Carteirra’s radiation contributes the smoky or Wine barrels are available in many during fermentation, but the oakiness wine. Port and Madeira finishes were suitable for interaction with wine. South African winemaker, Niels charred flavors and aromas of a wine.” sizes, but typically contain 225 liters – they impart is often unbalanced, although among the first to become popular, but In botanical language, these are Verburg, is a strong advocate of Eastern Individual coopers use different the standard in Bordeaux, where they it can be corrected to some extent by experiments in using barrels that have quercus robur, also called common oak, European oak, which imparts suble, degrees of toasting on their barrels, and are called barriques. In Burgundy, a blending with unoaked wine. Wines made previously contained Bordeaux, Burgundy and quercus petraea, or the white oak nutty flavors into the Shiraz wines of some coopers offer custom toasting wine barrel is called a pièce and holds with oak chips generally have less bottle and have also proven successful. or sessile oak, both of which grow in Walker Bay,” says Stuart. “American to order. Sometimes wines matured 228 liters. Winemakers, it should be ageing potential then those that have In some respects it could be said that France, most notably in the forests of oak imparts significant flavor into a in one type of oak are blended with noted, in both Burgundy and Bordeaux matured in oak casks, but there are no legal these hard-working casks really come Allier, Limousin, Nevers, Tronçais and wine and is known to contribute flavors wines matured in a different type. embrace the influence of oak on restrictions to prevent the practice. into their own when maturing spirit rather Vosges. Quercus petraea is the more such as , coconut and vanilla.” Another option is hybrid barrels, with their wines. In Italy, by contrast, the “To me, the difference as a taster is than wine. While its influence on wine is widely used of the two, and wood from Though US winemakers tend to different used for the heads and Slovenian-oak bottes used to mature that oak needs to be one of many elements supposed to be gentle, cask conditioning the aforementioned forests commands prefer French oak, Parker points out staves respectively. Hybrid barrels and Barolo wines are neutral in character that you taste,” says Amanda Parker, is the decisive factor in determining the the highest prices. Quercus robur is that American wood is popular in Spain. customized toasting are among options and can contain anything from 500 to director of Hong Kong-based independent flavors and aromas of Scotch whisky. also found in Eastern Europe, and that “Vanillin as a chemical compound offered by US-based World Cooperage, 15,000 liters or more. wine consultancy IntoVino Ltd. “If a wine Some years ago, the Edrington Group, source has the advantage of being is more prevalent in American oak,” which has been in business since 1912 however oak is used, it plays an has been made with something like an oak which owns The Macallan, conducted significantly cheaper than France. she says. “With some traditional and in recent years has pioneered important role in the development of essence, it’s as if you have a layer of oak, research into the effect of wood on whisky, North American quercus alba is also Riojas you can really taste the vanilla computer-aided “barrel profiling” to most of the great red wines of the and then a layer of fruit. It’s not integrated, according to David Cox, Edrington’s director less expensive. character, and the sweeter character, produce barrels with definable flavor world, and many of the whites. If they and that’s the key to using oak in wine: of fine and rare whiskies. “The research For premium wines, however, of the American oak versus the more profiles. While small family cooperages were not matured in those carefully getting integration.” the usual first choice is French oak restrained character of French oak in still exist, multinational companies crafted expensive barrels they would indicated,” Cox says, “that some 60 per cent because of its tighter grain and subtler French wine.” such as the Oeneo Group, which owns be very different products. “oak really of the final character of The Macallan came effect on taste and aroma, but other So how exactly does the oak two large French cooperages, Radoux is about style,” says Parker. “From oak chips from the flavor compounds within the oak varieties also inspire winemaker loyalty, influence the wine? “Wine is stored and Seguin Moreau, now dominate a consumer point of view, it’s wood soaking into the maturing spirit over points out Peter Stuart, founder and in oak barrels primarily to naturally the business. The latter is the largest about style preferences.” the long years of maturation.”

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IN 2014, THE WINE ADVOCATE IS the late 1970s, the publication has entire world of major wine regions, WORK ING essential reading for wine professionals, landed every two months to contain with smaller regions reviewed every wine aficionados and those who simply regionally focused reports that mainly two to three years. enjoy the occasional quality drop. The offer wine reviews of new releases, Essentially, The Wine Advocate publication’s detailed consumer advice, but also produce important vintage works, and its hard-earned reputation unbiased reports and tasting notes – all retrospectives and occasionally single for utility can be chalked up to WHAT MAKES THE WINE ADVOCATE SO HIGHLY produced by genuine experts in the label verticals and producer profiles. five core attributes: Its logical and REGARDED AMONGST THE HUNDREDS, IF NOT field – have seen its reputation soar for Occasional “Wine Value” reports focus readable FORMAT; its impartial and WONDERS practical and trustworthy opinions on on a more general range of great value meticulous REVIEWS; its detailed THOUSANDS, OF OTHER WINE PUBLICATIONS the world’s finest wines. Today, The wines, usually priced under US$25. RATING SYSTEM, which has become AND WEBSITES? PUT SIMPLY, IT DOES ITS JOB, Wine Advocate boasts an incredible The number of wine reviews the industry standard; its substantial AND DOES IT WELL 50,000 paying subscribers worldwide. published six times a year varies, INTERNET PRESENCE and embrace Consistency, no doubt, has played ranging from 2,000 to more than 4,500 of innovative app technology; and, a major role in The Wine Advocate’s depending on the issue. The goal is to perhaps most importantly of all, its success. Since its formative days in include, over the course of a year, the rigorous CODE OF ETHICS. GETTY IMAGES 0 3 8 0 3 9 PHOTO

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Simplicity crUnching Heart of extensive trusted of USage the nUmberS tHe Matter access forMula the format the rating SyStem tHe reviews tHe internet code of etHics

The Wine Advocate’s founder, Robert distinction except that it is a soundly Every The Wine Advocate review In 2002, The Wine Advocate launched Parker has unambiguously stated that M. Parker, Jr., created a new rating made. In essence, a straightforward, includes a tasting note that describes the exhaustive eRobertParker.com he believes that the role of the critic is system with the first issue. It remains innocuous wine. the style, character and personality, and website, offering readers even greater to render judgments that are reliable. unchanged to this day. Almost every quality of the wine, as well as a rating access to detailed wine reviews and They should be based on extensive wine review produced by The Wine 60 - 69: A “below average” wine and a recommended drinking window. more at a touch of a button. The experience and on a trained sensibility Advocate, therefore, carries a rating – containing noticeable deficiencies, If available, the review will also list the website archives issues of The Wine for whatever is being reviewed. In otherwise known as a score or Parker such as excessive acidity and/or tannin, suggested retail price of the wine as Advocate dating back to 1992, but practical terms, this means critics Points®. The rating is, in essence, the an absence of flavor, or possibly dirty reported by the wineries and importers. perhaps even more valuable is the should be, above and beyond all else, reviewer’s quantitative commentary on aromas or flavors. It will also name the importers. Reviews website’s database of more than independent. the relative quality of the wine at the will often also include a comment on 240,000 (and growing) tasting notes To this end, The Wine Advocate time of tasting. 50 - 59: A wine deemed to be whether or not the wine offers good that are available to search across a covers all travel, accommodation The system employs a 50-100 “unacceptable.” value in the context of the market. wide number of criteria. The database and sustenance costs associated point scale because Parker believed In short, The Wine Advocate is updated monthly with fresh with reviewing wines for its reports. – still believes – that 20-point rating It must be noted that the numeric reviews aim to convey all the relevant additions from The Wine Advocate’s Reviewers are not permitted to accept approaches could not provide enough rating given is a guide to how the information readers require in order to team of reviewers. any gifts or gifts in kind from wineries flexibility, resulting in compressed reviewer considers the wine to rate make informed purchasing decisions. Building on that cutting-edge or any person associated with the and inflated wine ratings. Since its vis-à-vis its peer group (style, region success, in 2012 the Robert Parker sale, distribution or promotion of wines. inception, Parker’s 100-point scale has or grape variety, perhaps). The score Mobile App was launched for Apple, Furthermore, The Wine Advocate become the industry standard. reflects the quality of the wine at its Android and Windows platforms, and the website eRobertParker.com The Wine Advocate claims to best. Wines from obviously corked providing subscribers with easy are purely subscriber funded and be resolutely critical in its approach, or defective bottles are disregarded access to the entire eRobertParker. supported, with no reliance on preferring to underestimate a wine’s and tasted again from a fresh bottle com database of tasting notes – advertising revenues. quality rather than to overestimate whenever possible. Many of the anytime, anywhere. Ultimately, The Wine Advocate’s it. The numerical ratings are utilized wines reviewed have been tasted Other popular features of the target audience is the wine consumer, to complement the tasting notes, multiple times, in which case the score website include an interactive bulletin not the wine trade. While this which are the primary means of represents a cumulative average of the board whereby subscribers can philosophy has, on occasion, been THE WINE ADVOCATE‘S REPORTS communicating judgment. wine’s performance in tastings to date. connect directly with Parker and other misinterpreted by some in the industry usually include an introductory article Most importantly, The Wine reviewers. A comprehensive Vintage as aloofness, such independence followed by the wine reviews. The 96-100: Denotes an “extraordinary” Advocate stresses that the written Chart rates vintages for every major ensures the publication delivers introductory article offers an in-depth wine of profound and complex commentary (the tasting note) is a region of the wine world, with many hard-hitting, candid and uninfluenced view on the recent vintages or vintage character displaying all the attributes better source of information regarding regions offering critical scores going commentary when and where it that is being reviewed. This take is expected of a classic wine of its variety. the wine’s style and personality, its all the way back to 1970. The website matters most. not copied from regional or producer- Wines of this caliber are worth a special relative quality, and its value and aging is also updated daily with entertaining created marketing collateral, and the effort to find, purchase, and consume. potential than any score could indicate. lifestyle features (including the vintage reports are reviewers’ expert Further, and adding even more detail Hedonist’s Gazette of food and wine opinions based predominately on their 90 - 95: An “outstanding” wine of to The Wine Advocate’s Rating System, articles), videos and more. tastings and taking into consideration exceptional complexity and character. a score in parentheses indicates that their regional visits and interviews with In short, these are terrific wines. the wine was tasted from barrel and winemakers and grape growers. is presented as an estimated score Such an introductory article may 80 - 89: A “barely above average to range – (90-93), for example. A plus (+) es es G also contain information about current very good” wine displaying various sign may also follow a score, indicating G trends within the region, the recent degrees of finesse and flavor, as well a wine that the reviewer believes has happenings at key producers, and the as character, with no noticeable flaws. potential to improve over a period of Getty Ima Getty Ima pricing and current state of the market time in bottle, and may warrant a higher s HOTO

for those regions’ wines. 70 - 79: An “average” wine with little score in a future tasting. Ph OTOS P

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Lisa Perrotti-Brown Editor in Chief Reviews the wines of Australia and

For many years, the only reviewer for Born and raised in rural Maine in the The Wine Advocate was Robert M. United States, Lisa Perrotti-Brown’s Parker, Jr., the publication’s founder. wine career began when, living as a He remains to this day The Wine struggling playwright in London, she Advocate’s go-to authority for the red stumbled into a job as manager of a wine and dry white wines of Bordeaux, bar more than 20 years ago. She went as well as the wines of northern on to pursue wine studies at London’s California, including the Napa Valley Wine and Spirit Education Trust and and Sonoma. Parker also acts as a work in wine sales and marketing before critic-at-large, conducting vertical relocating to Tokyo in 2002, working as tastings and horizontal tastings of a buyer for one of Japan’s top fine wine older vintages of Bordeaux, California importers and as a wine educator at and elsewhere, and reports on wines Tokyo’s Academie du Vin. he deems of exceptional value from Perrotti-Brown moved to Singapore across the globe. in 2008, working as contributing The wine world, however, has wine editor for Cuisine & Wine Asia grown massively in scope and magazine and as a wine educator for significance over recent decades, and the Sofitel Hotel Group (Southeast consequently The Wine Advocate has Asia), and began writing a column expanded to employ the expertise of for Parker’s website, eRobertParker. seven more fulltime reviewers who com. Later that year, she achieved her cover every major region globally. Master of Wine qualification and the Collectively, the team delivers more Madame Bollinger Medal for excellence than 20,000 new wine reviews a year. in tasting, as well as the prestigious Tim Derouet Award. She joined the team in 2010 and was appointed editor in chief for The Wine Advocate and eRobertParker.com in 2012. Perrotti-Brown lives in Singapore with her British husband Richard, their daughter Mia, their “mad” Border collie Who a R e behind the mo S t inci S ive and u S efuL R evieWS in and an adopted street dog. teamteam the W o RLd of W ine? i ntPLPLR oducing Thea aWine AdvocYYATe ’eeS RSRS info R med and P a SSionate R evieW e RS

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Jeb Dunnuck Monica Larner Luis Gutierrez DaviD SchilDkNecht Mark SquireS Neal MartiN Reviewer Reviewer Reviewer Reviewer Reviewer Reviewer Reviews the wines of the Rhône Valley (north Exclusively reviews the wines of Italy Responsible for the wines of Spain, Reviews the wines of Germany, Austria, Responsible for the wines of , , , Focuses on the wines of Burgundy (including and south), southern France, the Languedoc- and Argentina Champagne, Oregon, Alsace and the Loire Romania and Bulgaria, as well as the dry table Chablis), and South Africa, port and Roussillon region, Washington State, and wines of Portugal other fortified wines, and the sweet white wines central and southern California of Bordeaux

An aerospace engineer by training, A Los Angeles native based in Rome, Coming from an IT background David Schildknecht logged more than a Mark Squires was a lawyer in A graduate in management science Jeb Dunnuck grew up on a farm in Monica Larner’s family first moved to and with more than two decades decade as a wine retailer in Washington, Philadelphia, class of ’78, when he from the UK’s Warwick University, Neal Indiana where milk was the beverage the Italian capital thanks to her father’s of experience working for a large DC before moving his operations and began traveling extensively in France Martin started his working career with of choice. In 1996, when living abroad role as director of photography on the multinational company in Madrid, Luis family of six to the banks of the Ohio in 1981. His hobby of pairing good Lloyds of London before packing his and traveling through Europe, he first 1983 TV mini-series The Winds of War Gutierrez is a founder of elmundovino. River, establishing the wide-ranging wines with good food rapidly suitcase for Tokyo in 1994 to work as became interested in fine wine. She earned her undergraduate and com, the most prestigious wine wine program at Kentucky-based The became an obsession. an English teacher and explore another Having extensively explored the graduate degrees in journalism (the website published in Spanish. He Party Source in 1993. Formerly the forum leader on culture. On returning to the UK in 1996, wine regions of Europe and the US with MA with a minor in Italian studies) wrote and tasted for the publication From 1997 to 2002, he divided Prodigy’s Wine Forum, Squires has an opportunity arose within a Japanese his work, Dunnuck developed a passion from and New York since its creation in 2000, as well as his time between reporting from been teaching wine courses for more export company. He soon found himself for the wines of the Rhône Valley University respectively. After a stint for publications belonging to Spain’s El Austria, Germany and Hungary for than 15 years, and has published procuring on behalf of his client “an and the Rhône Ranger Movement in working for Italian daily La Repubblica, Mundo newspaper, and various wine Wine & Spirits and the International numerous articles in various magazines inordinate quantity of unheard of wines California and Washington. To gain a and four years as a reporter in the and gastronomy publications in his , and importing wines of and newspapers. His main form of such as ‘Latour’ and ‘Petrus.’” better understanding of the business Rome bureau of BusinessWeek, Larner home country, Portugal, Puerto Rico France for Ohio-based wine importer output became electronic in about Martin enrolled on a Wine and side of the wine industry, he took a spent two years as a staff writer with and the United Kingdom. and distributor Vintner Select. Almost 1995, when he established his own Spirit Education Trust certificate temporary retail position in 2006. Italy Daily of the International Herald Gutierrez was awarded the from the beginning of his career as a website. After a few years, Squires course, and the first dozen tutorials Dunnuck launched The Rhône Tribune, where she penned her first prestigious Cavaleiro da Confraria merchant, Schildknecht has published added a popular bulletin board, which ignited his passion for wine. Four Report publication and website wine column. do Vinho do Porto prize in 2004 and articles on wine, starting with a 1984 is now housed on eRobertParker.com. years later he achieved his diploma, in 2008 and began releasing a A certified sommelier, in 2003, contributed most Spanish entries in piece on Alsace for the long-departed His website attracted international and in 2003 he began his independent quarterly newsletter reviewing Larner became Wine Enthusiast the 2008 book 1,001 Wines You Must magazine Friends of Wine. attention, both among readers and website, wine-journal.com, that Rhône-variety wines from around the magazine’s first Italy-based Try Before You Die. He is also a co- Schildknecht has been a James other media outlets. acquired a readership of more than world. Completely independent, the correspondent. Over the course of 10 author of The Finest Wines of and Beard Award finalist for his wine Squires has been reviewing wines 100,000 within three years. Robert publication soon gained in popularity. years, her tasting responsibilities grew Northwest Spain, which won the 2011 journalism, and recipient of the Vinea professionally for approximately a Parker soon purchased the website In 2013, Dunnuck gave up to 3,000 Italian wines per year (totaling André Simon Special Commendation Wachau’s 2006 Steinfederpreis. decade, and his reviews have been and hired Martin as a reviewer. engineering and now writes full- 16,000 published reviews overall). Award in London. In 2012, Gutierrez He also authored the material on cited in major publications. He was Martin’s self-published first book, time for The Wine Advocate and Larner has been awarded the Best received the Spanish National German wines in the 3rd edition of assigned to cover Portugal’s dry wines Pomerol, received the prestigious 2012 eRobertParker.com. He resides in International Journalist Silver Grape Gastronomy Award for journalism from the Oxford Companion to Wine. In for The Wine Advocate in 2006. His André Simon John Avery Award, as Colorado, with his wife Traci and two Leaf award three times – more than any the Spanish minister for tourism. recent years, his astute observations territory of coverage has expanded well as the 2013 Louis Roederer Wine dogs, where he pretends to rock climb individual – by the prestigious Comitato Gutierrez shares his free time and opinions on wine have appeared in greatly since then. Writers Chairman’s Award. He lives in and race a bicycle. Grandi Cru d’Italia, an association of between his family and wine. He lives in The World of Fine Wine, as well as on the UK with his Japanese wife Tomoko 130 top wine producers. She joined The the Spanish capital with his British-Irish- eRobertParker.com, among others. (herself a gifted taster) and daughters Wine Advocate as its fulltime Italian Italian wife and their three children. Lily (vintage 2005) and Daisy (2007). reviewer in 2013.

Complete biographies of The Wine Advocate’s Review Team can be viewed at eRobertParker.com

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OPENING ACTS SO, YOU’VE SPLASHED OUT ON THE FINE WINES AND The stepson of venerated Danish designer Arne Jacobsen, Peter Holmblad has a creative pedigree THE SPARKLING RIEDEL GLASSES, BUT IT CAN PROVE A that shows in his simply beautiful wine opener. The satin-polished stainless steel corkscrew, first PRICEY BLUNDER TO NEGLECT THE HUMBLE CORKSCREW. created in 1974, is part of Stelton’s classic line of FROM THE SLEEK AND SIMPLE TO THE HIGH-TECH products. www.stelton.com AND THE ZANY, CHARMAINE CHAN SUGGESTS 10 TOP DESIGNS GUARANTEED TO POP YOUR CORKS

Trust the Swedes to come up with the Sagaform Bar Penguin corkscrew, the elegance of which far surpasses that of the waddling bird that inspired the design. A replacement spiral is included. www.sagaform.com

Can’t finish that second bottle? Then plug it with the rubber handle of Eva Solo’s manual corkscrew. www.evasolo.com

Fifteen years of development went into the making of Sveid’s corkscrew, often cited as the world’s most expensive. Constructed from aviation titanium, with a fingertip lever of 18-carat gold, one will set you back €50,000 or more. www.sveid.com

Pierce. Twist. Keep twisting. Drink. Peugeot’s Salma Basalte corkscrew features not only an “endless” mechanism to remove the cork but also a foil cutter to strip off the bottle’s adornment. www.peugeot-saveurs.com

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Invest in one of these wall-mounted corkscrews and upending kitchen drawers to find your tools will be a The utility of Brabantia’s Quickpulls will not surprise. thing of the past. Made by French Designed to handle small and large bottle necks, company L’Atelier du Vin, the these corkscrews also feature a centering ring to 32cm-tall utensil needs only two prevent those irritating wide-of-the-mark bores. actions: lever down to penetrate the www.brabantia.com cork, and up to extract it. www.conranshop.co.uk

We wouldn’t mind having Chateau Laguiole’s olivewood corkscrew peeping out from our back pocket. Advantages are the warmth of the wooden handle and the brand’s history, which dates back to 1829 with the birth of the iconic Laguiole knife. www.laguiole.com

Like other tools in its Blade wine series created with Danish brand Menu, DesignWright’s Waiter’s corkscrew features a cylindrical body that flattens at one end to form a bottle opener, a pouring spout, or twist or pull handles. www.designwright.co.uk

Turn Anna G’s bobbed head to insert the screw and watch her pliant arms rise. Alessandro Mendini’s playful corkscrew, named after a friend, has been such a hit since its release in 1994 that it is now part of an extended family of smiling kitchen objects. www.alessi.com

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Made of

The soil and rock of T he beauT iful l oire Valley, noT a b l e for iT s M agnificenT châT eaux, haV e exerT ed profound influence on iT s wines. DaviD SchilD knecht ponders T h e sTgrandiosiT y andone inT i M acy of T he region

The Loire’s magnificenT 0 5 0 0 5 1 c hâT eau de c hambord

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the medieval Château de Chinon onC e s erv ed as a residenC e of frenC h and english kings

The Loire’s wines are anything but grandiose, loud or ostentatious. In their many ways, they all seem to express an intimacy matched by the openness of the people who grow them

And the Loire’s wines are anything length grow red and white, still and but grandiose, loud or ostentatious. sparking, lightweight and (occasionally) In their many ways, they all seem dense wines from an enormous array to express an intimacy matched by of grape varieties. But what’s more the openness of the people who amazing is the frequency with which grow them. What’s more, with scant a single sector of the Loire can harbor exceptions, the Loire’s vinous gems are such distinctively delicious diversity. among the world’s great wine bargains, grown near Tours sometimes sold at prices dangerously – specifically in the appellations of low for the well-being of their growers and Montlouis – is rendered or the future of their appellations, but sparkling as well as still, and ranging certainly at levels designed to keep any from bone dryness through nectarous vigneron modest, however rightfully sweetness, but especially in-between: proud he or she may be of the wines. from the luscious, food-friendly Given that it traverses a large part of “hidden sweetness” of what’s locally one of the world’s most densely planted termed sec tendre through semi-dry, wine-growing nations, it is perhaps not to richness with balanced sweetness hugely surprising that along the Loire’s known thereabouts as moelleux (with

The bell Tower of vouvray’s 13T h-cenT ury church rises above T he area’s rolling vineyards

ThE LoIrE rIvEr fLowS for aLmoST often, it seems, than any other place everywhere along the Loire wine is 700 miles, in the process draining more on planet Earth) rainbow-filled. grown, and much of it is justly famed. than a quarter of france, and much To travel the Loire’s length is to Yet the Loire is not just characterized of that stretch is justly celebrated for be awed by all of this, as well as by places that evoke awe and its magnificence. Immense stone by the vistas that open up in those superlatives. If anything, more typical châteaux dot much of the landscape relatively few places along its length are the stretches in which this great and monumental bridges thrust or characterized by massive bluffs – like river has divided itself into many smaller mages i

arch their way across broad stretches those around Savennières – or high streams. Sheltered eddies, enveloping y TT e

of shimmering water under a sky that hills like those of . It’s no bowers, and bucolic fields are g

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is vast and open, whether luminous, coincidence that those two villages are commonplace here, as are tiny villages T

cumulous, darkly frowning or (more sources of renowned wines. Nearly whose beauty lies in their details. Pho

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the same root and connotations as on plant metabolism to results in such “marrow”). A few establishments in the formidable differences of taste. But Touraine cultivate the rare, often (but not there are at least a few scientifically always) delicate and florally perfumed sound hypotheses, and even as you black variant of Chenin, known more marvel at the scenery and the often commonly as Pineau d’Aunis. Yet very magnificent edifices along the Loire, nearby are villages – notably Bourgueil you will – oenophile that you are – and Chinon – that grow some of the pick-up some striking hints about just world’s most imposing and age-worthy how this might work. Cabernet Franc. Buildings rendered from the classic, The diversity of the Loire’s wines nearly 100 million-year-old Loire marine has cultural as well as geographical sediment known as tuffeaux seem origins. Successive waves of viticultural almost to radiate a glow of their own migration are what deposited, among over and beyond reflecting the sun’s V Ineyards of CHInon Grow some Loire reds for examples, the Cabernets rays. As not only this region’s handsome of tH e world’s most ImpressIVe better known from Bordeaux, above-ground structures but also its C abernet franC Burgundy’s Pinot, but also , thousands of miles of cellars and its familiar from Beaujolais. troglodytic villages literally carved from a tradI t Ional stone-and-brICk In the wine appellation of Cheverny stone testify, tuffeaux is amazingly easy w Ine C ellar of tH e loIre – home to the eponymous stone- to carve – just take a sharp fingernail to built château that is among France’s some – yet capable of structural support most famous – is bottled oenophiles, let alone in fashion. on that lasts for centuries. What’s more, using any or all the above. The culture the contrary, talk of terroir is now so spend just a little time down in one of of countries that over the centuries frequent and so loose that it threatens those cellars or cliff-hanging dwellings have been the Loire wine growers’ to become trivial or vacuous. But the and it will dawn on you that the walls customers have also left strong marks. Loire’s growers will see to it that the are breathing. Afterward, the experience It was Dutch traders beginning in notion of terroir gets put back down- of a “normal” cellar or house will feel the late 16th century whose interest to-earth where it belongs. like you shed cotton for polyester. This and wealth prompted many vinous The Loire is a great laboratory for stone, for all of its strength, is amazingly developments whose results we testing terroir not just because the low-density and micro-porous. still enjoy today, including the nobly grapes grown here can give such In some places, though, you’ll sweet wines from Chenin that are now different results in nearby sites but encounter buildings and cellars of among the Loire’s gems. because these differences are what so schiste: walls from great gray slabs of Loire vineyards and cellars are many Loire vignerons revel in, and they it, with matching slate-like roof tiles. the ideal places to be introduced to are keen to communicate that pleasure Château in the Loire’s schiste belt – in the mysteries of terroir. The notion as well as to watch tasters’ faces light- complete contrast with their more that taste – and not just that of wines up as they have an “aha!” experience. famous and glamorous not to mention – varies profoundly according to the of course, this approach is also good luminous tuffeaux relatives – have the exposure and soil of the place where business sense. Can’t decide which look of foreboding castles no matter a crop is grown nowadays permeates single-vineyard wine you prefer? Then what you do to brighten them, and Western food culture. Skepticism about buy some of each. Want to perform regardless of when they were built. heft es es G G the influence of location and geological this same magic show for your friends it, tap it, scratch it, walk-around inside underpinnings on the aromas, flavors, at home? Same answer. a cellar or room built from it, and you’ll and textures of wine is no longer the Nobody knows in any detail what recognize that schiste is tuffeaux’s alter- Getty Ima Getty Ima oS

T intellectual default position among it is about the soil and its geological ego, not just in its darkness and density

PhotoS Pho “New World” wine growers and origins or precisely how these impinge but in the way it seems to suck up and

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Buildings rendered from the classic, nearly 100 million-year-old Loire marine sediment known as tuffeaux seem almost to radiate a glow of their own SecretS of the over and beyond reflecting the sun’s rays terroir revealed

At the Loire Valley’s Domaine de l’Ecu The imposing yeT eleganT ChâT e au d e (www.domaine-ecu.com), owner Guy ChaumonT was founded as early Bossard has for many years labeled as T he 10T h C enT ury his top Muscadets according to the type of soil in which they grow, adding a little photo-inset on the label to help convey a vivid impression of gneiss, orthogneiss and granite in whose finely weathered remnants his vines root. The taste differences are at least as striking. At Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin (www.domaineluneaupapin.com), various wines are labeled for their vineyards of origin. In fact, in some sub-regions of the Loire it’s hard to find any serious grower who does not bottle numerous site-specific wines from a single appellation. Classic locations at which to experience arrestingly delicious terroir differences are Domaine François

The disT incT ive spiral sTon e Chidaine (www.francois-chidaine.com) sTaircase of c hâT eau de Blois for Montlouis and Vouvray, or Domaine Huet (www.huet-echansonne.com) in Vouvray. With Cabernet Franc, winemakers Yannick Amirault (www. yannickamirault.fr) in Bourgueil, or Bernard and Matthieu Baudry, will refuse to give back the sun’s light. And guide you through multiple bottlings with appropriate soil samples. that’s a huge hint as to how these two In Sancerre, visit Domaine ancient compressions of sediment Vacheron, and winemakers Stéphane function in a vineyard. Riffault and Gérard Boulay. And Tuffeaux acts in perfect balance as lest there be any doubt that soil is a sponge to slake the thirst of vines, efficacious in the realm of nobly yet drains readily so that their feet will sweet nectars, too, check-in with never get wet. Its luminosity projects Philippe Cady in the little Layon the sun’s rays back up into the village of Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné, and its grape clusters. Schiste resists whose Coteaux du Layon Saint-Aubin rain and holds heat, which gives it is grown on schiste while Chaume is different advantages – and liabilities grown in chalky soil. from tuffeaux, depending on the Many of the above-mentioned vintage. And just such opportunities wineries and growers have tasting

mages rooms but an appointment should i and limitations – conferred on the y always be made or a call placed in TT builders of the Loire’s grand châteaux e g advance before any visit. Have fun and on winemakers by the site in which exploring the Loire! their vines grew – are what constitute Photos the area’s influential terroir.

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Wine has inspired more than a few aphorisms in the Western “Recent reports acknowledge growth world, from polymath Benjamin in the Asian market in terms of Franklin’s much-quoted insistence wine investment, appreciation and that “the discovery of a wine is of greater moment than the discovery consumption, and it is predicted of a constellation – the universe is that Asian wine imports will reach too full of stars” to author robert US$1.5 billion by 2017” Louis stevenson’s pithy observation Loi pok Yen, Ceo of CWt Limited that “wine is bottled poetry.” recent trends in asia, however – first to drinking wine, then to appreciating fine wine and most recently to collecting – may indicate that the dictionary of expected to grow by 40 per cent. drinking pleasure, or with an eye on quotations needs editing. on what might be described as the taking advantages of shifting prices in “increasingly, asian investors are frontline of wine appreciation, hotel the future, should first turn to a reliable appreciating the value of fine wine,” , restaurant managers source of advice. “as wines are made says Loi pok Yen, Ceo of CWt Limited, and wine merchants have found to be drunk, i would advise to collect who will be opening a six-level, themselves in a unique position to them primarily for enjoyment and to 10-million-bottle wine vault aimed observe the paradigm shift from share with friends who share the same specifically at collectors in singapore customers whose prime concern was passion,” says hubert Li, a former in the spring of 2014. “recent reports once the choice between red and white actuary who started collecting wine in acknowledge growth in the asian to the drinkers of 2014 who display 2007 and who now runs the hong Kong market in terms of wine investment, an intimate knowledge of even quite Wine Vault in a classic case of turning a appreciation and consumption, and it is obscure vintages. hobby into a full-time job. predicted that asian wine imports will “in the three years that i have “of course, there are opportunities reach Us$1.5 billion by 2017.” been in hong Kong, i have certainly where investment gains on wines can Loi is not the only voice trumpeting seen a huge trend in the interest of be rewarding over the medium or long wine’s burgeoning popularity in the both locals and expatriates towards term, but i would treat that as a little region. robert Beynat, former Ceo Burgundy wines, both red and white,” bonus for earning your free drinks.” humble of Vinexpo overseas, notes, “asia says hubert Chabot, head sommelier not unexpectedly, Li advises that is growing four times faster than the at the internationally famous mandarin before starting out, wine collectors rest of the world in terms of increased oriental hotel. “however, before should ensure they have a good consumption in volume and value, and Burgundy wines, everyone was environment to store the fruits of their China grows faster than the rest of asia.” excited about Bordeaux wines, as avid new passion, especially given asia’s begIn only a matterI of nndecades, a s I an IafI cngsI onados have the amount of money that collectors actively purchased them. often humid conditions. “this could embraced wI ne wholeheartedly and now drI v e t h e collectors are laying out on both this subsequently resulted in a drastic be a wine cabinet or a wine cellar,” collectable market. b ut how does one start out I n wines for laying down and for more increase in price to be able to sustain the he says. “Wines are fairly delicate accumulatI ng fI ne wI nes? Ed PE t E rs explores the optI ons immediate enjoyment is substantial. in market. this price increase meant that and ideally should be stored between 2012 in hong Kong, collectors spent collectors and clients moved towards 11C-17C, with minimal temperature Us$425 million on wine, with about wines from Burgundy that are now more fluctuations. this is the natural es es

G G Us$232m of it at auction. research competitively priced. time will only tell temperature range for underground from Vinexpo and the international if these wines can sustain their present cellars in the old wine regions, which Wine and spirit Competition has price due to their demand.” over the centuries have proven to be Getty Getty Ima Ima shown that between 2012 and anyone thinking of establishing the ideal condition for aging wines.” hoto

Photo p 2016, wine consumption in China is their own cellar, whether for sheer Unfortunately, Li says room or office

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SIMON TAM

HAMMER TIME Wine collectors are increasingly turning to major auction houses to boost their cellars, and the gavel has been coming down on some increasingly pricey lots

“One of the most exciting moments of Christie’s Hong temperatures during Asian summers Kong Fine and Rare Wine can be too hot and cause wines to age Autumn Auction 2013 was too quickly, losing fruitiness as a result. the sale of a case of 1978 “A protruded cork or a rubbery smell Romanée-Conti, which often indicates the wine has suffered achieved US$476,280 – a from heat damage,” he says. “Wines es world auction record for should also be stored sideways on at G Romanée-Conti and a world humidity between 60 and 80 per cent auction record for a case to keep the corks moist, and should be Getty Ima O of wine of 12 bottles,” says kept out of sunlight.” t HO Simon Tam, head of wine for Wine storage has proved a P successful business for Li, and his Christie’s China. Significantly, Tam adds vault has expanded greatly in recent that while bidders included aficionados years. And there has been no shortage from Europe and the , the of oenophiles keen to store their would age over time and it is fun to to drink, like 2011, 2007, 2004 and Finally, many nascent wine top 10 lots were all bought by Asian simple truths collections somewhere reliable. “The revisit the wine once every few years 2001, or the greater vintages that collectors find an organized wine private buyers. “Rather than trading or Seasoned wine collectors, majority of our customers are bankers to see how it has evolved; two, wines have mellowed down or have gained tour makes for a great way to pick investment, they are buying for pure having learned from experience, and professionals like lawyers and by the case are easier to sell.” complexity with age, like 2003, 1998 up in-depth knowledge about their enjoyment,” he says. are quick to point out a few doctors aged between 30 and 50, and One of the chief pleasures of and 1996. I would also add some new pastime. Based in England, While classics such as the finest things to take heed of while we also have some very successful collecting wine is not necessarily being as the perfect aperitif, as Arblaster & Clarke run tours to both Bordeaux and Burgundy are still very building up a healthy collection entrepreneurs,” he says. dictated to by prevailing trends, argues well as Burgundy white wines to the the old and new worlds, and catering popular with Asian collectors, they are also A major question facing fledgling Li, and indulging personal whim and collection to match seafood.” to both old and new wine fans. buying wines from the legendary terroir wine collectors is how much to invest? penchants. “The preference on wines is Li’s Hong Kong Wine Vault will “Asia is one our major overseas * The temptation to hoard is great, but of Champagne, Spain, Barolo in Italy and While personal net worth is obviously indeed very much a personal taste, but be mirrored in Singapore this spring markets and primarily our top-level there will always be more wine, so crack Australia, showing the diversifying tastes the deciding factor, a solid “starter if you are planning to collect wines that with the opening of Loi’s Singapore wine tours of Bordeaux and Burgundy of the market. And given the increasing pack” from around the world doesn’t can age for a decade or more, I would go Wine Vault. Located along Fishery Port appeal the most, though our wine open a bottle or two if you feel like it. wealth of its middle class, the term “red have to involve forking out sums that for wines from the ‘Old World’ regions, Road in West Singapore, the facility cruises and opera and wine tours have * Buy wine that suits your personal China” now has an entirely new meaning. look like international phone numbers. especially France, Italy and Spain,” he is set to be one of the largest wine also been popular,” says Emma Pike, lifestyle and not necessarily always what “The number of wine bidders from “We have had customers starting says. “In particular, I would start with red storage facilities in Southeast Asia. the company’s marketing manager. the experts recommended. China from 2008 to 2012 grew by 1,550 their collection with US$40,000- wines from Bordeaux classified growths, Once completed, the US$159m vault Seeing and understanding the * There will be disappointments. Just per cent at Christie’s,” says Tam. “We US$65,000, and this is a very good as it is a region that is relatively easy to will cover 750,000 square feet. It will actual locations where wine is made, as you can’t judge a book by its cover, a also achieved strong results for wines at budget to obtain a full range of wines understand, easy to appreciate and also also feature state-of-the-art security and talking to guides, growers and like- bottle’s label isn’t always a 100 per cent Christie’s inaugural Shanghai auction last for regular parties and dinners, as well well recognized. It is also rather easy for systems, individual temperature- minded drinkers, lays the foundation guarantee of perfection. September. All the lots, including Château as rare gems for special occasions and matching Chinese food. controlled cellars and be designed to for laying down a great collection, * While there is a tendency in Asia to go Latour, Château Lafite, Château Mouton investment, too,” says Li. “I would “However, some younger restrict any light penetration. Such a Pike adds. And while undoubtedly of for reds, also pay attention to whites. and Château Margaux, were sold above strongly recommend buying wines Bordeaux vintages can be quite tannic, major investment is a sure indicator practical use, the information gleaned German , Australian Semillon our estimates, indicating great potential for by the case of six or 12 bottles where and therefore, I would recommend that wine collecting is more than a is surely also a whole library’s worth of and fine white Burgundy are the wine market in China.” possible for two reasons: one, wines vintages that are relatively ready passing fad In Asia. bottled poetry. all well worth investigating.

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surface Killibinbin The Killibinbin range of wines, produced by the Brothers in Arms winery in the Langhorne Creek region of South Australia, pleasuresThe wine world is someT imes accused of includes a Cabernet Sauvignon and a so-called “Scream haughT iness, buT creaT ive wineries are Shiraz,” as well as wines exploding T haT myT h wiT h quirky labels mysteriously dubbed “The Shadow” and “Scaredy Cat.” T haT draw upon pop culT ure, legends, cinema The labels are every bit as and humor. Diana D ’ a renberg selecT s s o m e intriguing as their monikers, featuring terrified damsels, of T he mosT amusing hardboiled private eyes, frights aplenty and more than a touch of noir that classic-movie buffs You dart into a wine shop with and sensibilities. what’s more, long will adore. The company behind only minutes to spare before heading after the bottle has been drained, a the Killibinbin labels, Adelaide- based branding and graphics to a dinner party. Frantically you dash striking label is a memento of pleasures outfit Mash Design, has come around the aisles, desperately trying enjoyed. “the labels articulate the role up with some of the most to find something nice, but you’re of the merchant,” says willis, “to be the innovative wine labels on the market today. overwhelmed by an endless selection closest link between those who make of Cabernet sauvignons, pinots, the wine and those who drink it.” Bordeaux, Burgundies, Chardonnays... so many wineries have savvied what vintage to buy? From which up to the potential of an arresting Two Blind Mice winery? Much last-minute handwringing label, in fact, that you could call it a Two Blind Mice Wines of Australia’s Yarra Valley and handset Googling ensues. trend. as in any type of branding, wine desired a label that was Let’s be honest here. For the wine labels differentiate a product from the contemporary, cool, “even a connoisseur it’s relatively easy to make competition. But, adds willis, “the onus little edgy” and memorable for its 2011 Shiraz, and a smart purchasing decision. For the is on the designer to create a product put the job out to the less enlightened of us, the label plays a or label that is desirable and seductive, public in a label-design significant role. after all, if the wine isn’t that lives up to the wine within.” competition. Melbourne- that great, at least you have something with this in mind, based Dezignstore’s left-field Matter of Taste interpretation was based on to look at that’s a conversation starter. scoured the shelves to unearth the most an optician’s eye chart, which and if you, like this writer, fall into that eye-catching and impressive labels out might have been lots of fun category you are certainly not alone. there. those that follow raised smiles, after a couple of glasses. The eventual winner, however, according to Geordie willis, brand and the occasional eyebrow. was a clever label by director at venerable wine merchant Dizziness Design of France Berry Bros. & rudd, ”wine consumers, that incorporated braille. particularly those with limited wine knowledge, buy with their eyes.” Strait Jacket Judging a wine by its label is not strait Jacket wines of western australia opted for eccentric labels for its Chardonnay, an entirely superficial and misguided sauvignon Blanc semillon and shiraz wines. the endeavor, however. that small piece of frenziedly scrawled labels are intended to reflect Pont des Arts paper should convey much you need the “barking mad” and “obsessive” nature of Pont des Arts is the labor of love of two young Frenchmen – Chateau Margaux’s the winemakers, not – as one might initially to know about a wine: the vintage, China brand ambassador, Thibault Pontallier, and Arthur de Villepin (the son suspect – the creative mind of a designer after of former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, no less). The brand’s grape and region. But for a number having sampled one too many in the name of tipples fuse the two Hong Kong-based friends’ passions for art and wine with of vineyards in the modern day, it has research. according to strait Jacket wines: “at an East-meets-West aesthetic, perhaps most notably by commissioning Paris- also become a space on which to our winery, during vintage time the winery can based Chinese modern-art master, the late Zou Wou-Ki, who was a friend of De often reflect a madhouse and the strait Jacket Villepin’s family, to design six labels. If you missed out on the artist’s work before convey the character of the wine, as series of wines are inspired by the essence of the auction market got too hot, you can at least enjoy his distinctive and vibrant well as the winemaker’s philosophy our unhinged winemakers.” abstract shapes and daubs splashed across Pont des Arts’ bottles instead.

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Matsu Linnaea The sustainable Matsu Winery in Spain’s Featuring detailed illustrations that fuse Toro region wanted visually to link its fauna and flora with modern-day people, products to its history and so adopted the offbeat labels of Australia’s Linnaea a personal approach to labeling. Three Vineyards reflect the founders’ desire portraits were taken by Barcelona-based to make “intelligent wines from some fashion and advertising photography team of the world’s most interesting wine Bèla Adler and Salvador Fresneda to adorn regions.” The husband-and-wife team the winery’s products and convey three of winemaker Michelle Edwards (creator generations of experience. The resulting of wines for wineries in Australia, Italy, label trilogy conveys tradition while also France and the United States) and appearing effortlessly contemporary. The agricultural scientist Daniel Fischl (who wines, by the way, are called El Pícaro has spent nearly 20 years researching (which translates from the Spanish as grapes and as a consultant in “The Rogue” or “The Rascal,” with the Australia, China, Italy, the US and Israel) wine having been described as like a clearly wear their love of science and young man – “valiant, impertinent, and natural history on the sleeves. Linnaea uncontrollable”), El Recio (essentially “The Vineyards’ labels are lovely enough to Tough Guy) and El Viejo (“The Old Man”). peel off and collect.

Francis Coppola Veteran Hollywood movie director Francis Ford Coppola (perhaps most famous for his Vietnam War epic Apocalypse Now and his sprawling The Godfather trilogy) has channeled his seemingly boundless creativity over recent decades into winemaking. Bottles of Francis Coppola Reserve organic wines from the auteur’s Francis Ford Coppola Winery in California feature distinctive artworks created by film production designer Dean Tavoularis. The pair met during the making of The Godfather in the early 1970s and have continued to collaborate over the years.

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Vinos de los Muertos From Southwest Wines of New Mexico in the US come blends with unique packaging that has, rather bizarrely, been inspired by the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos – the “Day of the Dead” – that takes place every November when friends and family gather to remember and pray for loved ones that have passed away. The garish labels for the Vinos de los Muertos (“Wines of the Dead”) draw on the traditions and tattoo culture of the festival. According to the winemakers, “We all share an undeniably mortal life-cycle. Some also similarly say wine is a living, breathing entity.” If that to-die-for bottle needed in a hurry is for a Halloween party, look no further.

Boarding Pass Shiraz The bottle of the Boarding Pass Shiraz by South Australian-based but now defunct R Wines was decorated with exactly that – a tongue-in-cheek label reminiscent of an imaginary airline’s travel pass, with all the wine information replacing the flight details. Pleasingly, while not quite a no-frills budget deal, the Boarding Pass Shiraz was affordably priced, and The Wine Advocate’s founder Robert M. Parker, Jr. rated the 2007 vintage at 91 points. The perfect duty free airport purchase, perhaps.

Sine Qua Non Cult winery Sine Qua Non of California is known for its limited-production wines that go by such kooky names as Queen of Spades, Twisted & Bent, Imposter McCoy, The Bride, Poker Face and Red Handed. So coveted are Sine Qua Non’s wines, in fact, that there’s a waiting list to obtain them. The wines arrive in uncommonly shaped bottles with distinctive labels featuring founder Manfred Krankl’s own artwork. The Wine Advocate’s Parker has described Krankl as “one of Burn Cottage the most creative and multi- Also by Mash Design, the gothic-inspired imagery that adorns labels for biodynamic New Zealand vineyard Burn Cottage reflects both the aesthetic dimensional winemakers on sensibility and philosophy of the vineyard’s owners. The labels draw on the fairy tale The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily (published 1795) by German Planet Earth.” More than just writer and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which explores how the life of the senses and the aspirations of the human can meet. The story, it is said, a pretty label, then. informed the work of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, who was an early advocate of biodynamic and sustainable agriculture. Steiner’s convictions, in turn, have influenced Burn Cottage’s approach to winemaking.

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O U N T REVIEWER I Robert M. Parker, Jr. C N The Wine Advocate’s founder and critic-at-large

C G A

Beausejour Duffau Turnbull Wine Cellars Peter Michael 2010 PRICE* PRICE PRICE $305-$999 2010 St.-Emilion $100 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon $120 Chardonnay Cuvée The 2010 is a more Fortuna Vineyard Oakville Indigène Knights Valley TYPE TYPE TYPE RED structured, masculine RED The 2010 Cabernet WHITE In 2010, the Chardonnay and steely version of Sauvignon Fortuna Cuvée Indigene stands RATING RATING RATING 100 the utterly compelling 100 Vineyard is perfection! This 95 out for its exotic bouquet. 2009. Tasting like black extraordinary wine offers Passion fruit, lychee, raspberry confiture with subtle notes up notes of crème de cassis, graphite, nectarine, wild flowers and peaches FF of graphite and crushed chalk along truffles, blueberries and blackberries are some of many notes that come EE with enormous floral notes, the wine as well as a colossal mouth-feel with alive in the glass. Surprisingly OO displays a slightly smoky character but no sense of heaviness, layer upon weightless for a Peter Michael TT a voluptuous attack, mid-palate and layer of fruit and glycerin, astonishing Chardonnay, the Cuvée Indigène RR SS finish. It is full-bodied and massively purity and a finish that lasts 50 impresses for its balance and superb TT AA endowed, with every component seconds. A magnificent effort that sense of proportion. In 2010 the perfectly etched in this extraordinary should turn out to be one of the great Cuvée Indigène is a model of purity wine, which should be drinkable after modern classics of Napa Valley, it and elegance. Even better, it should seven-eight years of bottle age and should age effortlessly for two to enjoy a broad window of drinkability. last for a half-century or more. This is three decades. Drink 2013-2043. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2022. brilliant stuff. Composed of 73 per cent Merlot, 23 per cent Cabernet Franc and 4 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon from VETERAN VINES OF NAPA VALLEY yields of 21 hectoliters per hectare, the alcohol is the highest ever registered at THE WINE ADVOCATE REVIEWS AS MANY AS 20,000 WINES EVERY Beausejour-Duffau, coming in at 15 per cent, but remarkably, the pH is modest YEAR, AND EACH MEMBER OF ITS EIGHT-PERSON REVIEW TEAM and the acids relatively elevated, giving BOASTS CLEAR AREAS OF EXPERTISE, PREDOMINANTLY DEFINED the wine an astonishing freshness BY COUNTRY OR GEOGRAPHICAL REGION. A SAMPLE SELECTION OF and precision that is hard to believe in CURRENT-RELEASE WINE REVIEWS FOLLOWS, HIGHLIGHTING JUST A view of its power, density and length. FEW SCENE-STEALING BOTTLES FROM 2013. THE DETAILED REVIEWS Anticipated maturity: 2025-2055+. REPEATED HERE FIRST APPEARED ON THE WINE ADVOCATE’ S PA G E S

AND THE EROBERTPARKER.COM WEBSITE. THESE WINES WOULD MAKE GETTY IMAGES

EXCELLENT ADDITIONS TO ANY WELL-STOCKED CELLAR. ENJOY! PHOTO GETTY IMAGES

* All quoted prices are in US$ LISA PERROTTI-BROWNPHOTO PHOTO

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RevieweR RevieweR Lisa Perrotti-Brown Neal Martin Australia and New Zealand Burgundy, Beaujolais and South Africa, port and other fortified wines, and the sweet white wines of Bordeaux

Kumeu River 2011 Giaconda 2010 Rippon Vineyard 2011 Château Climens Port wonderful backbone. A slight Quinta Do Noval 2011 PRICE PRICE PRICE PRICE PRICE $33-$37 Hunting Hill Chardonnay $105-$159 Chardonnay $106 Tinker’s Field Pinot Noir $110-$177 2011 Barsac viscosity on the finish lacquers the $719-$2k Vintage Port Nacional Kumeu / Auckland Beechworth Central Otago Tasting through tongue and indicates a core of sweet Douro TYPE TYPE TYPE TYPE TYPE white Wow! The 2011 Hunting white The 2010 Chardonnay Red Pale to medium ruby purple- sweet individual lots, I was fruit is ticking away underneath that foRtified The Quinta do Noval Hill Chardonnay shows off is intensely scented colored, the 2011 Tinker’s struck by their purity and will surely explode several years after Nacional 2011 is one of RaTIng RaTIng RaTIng wine RaTIng an incredible nose of exotic of apricots, pineapple Field Pinot Noir is intensely tautness, developing bottling. A tincture of salted licorice on the most breathtaking, 95 97+ 94+ RaTIng 98-100 fruits, spices and savories paste, crushed scented of red currant jelly, 95-97 engaging floral aromas the aftertaste is very attractive. This nascent Vintage Ports including mango, guava, pineapple cashews and lightly buttered toast cherry compote and black cherries with with aeration, with will turn out to become an outstanding that I have ever met. The label should paste and yeast extract over touches with suggestions of preserved ginger, nuances of violets, smoked bacon, occasional notes of yellow plum and Fonseca, the growing season taming state a health warning: – “Sensory of brioche, cashews, fresh ginger, mandarin peel, struck match and meal. charcoal and underbrush. Light to ginger. On the palate, once again its exuberance with spectacular Overload” – since the bouquet is cinnamon toast and seed The palate packs stone fruit and citrus medium-bodied and elegantly fruited in there is a common theme of purity results. So much potential, but just endowed with copious dark berry with a whiff of honeysuckle. Medium flavors into a medium-bodied package the mouth, at this stage the flavor layers and crisp acidity, although they 6,000 cases were produced. Tasted fruit, minerals, bay leaf and cloves to full-bodied, rich and seductive in that has a lovely, silken texture and are tightly wound around the frame of alternated between a lighter and a May 2013. that manifests like a slow-motion the mouth, this Chardonnay is one for a crisp acid line. It finishes with layer medium to firm, grainy tannins with just more mellifluous style. One or two explosion from the glass. The palate the hedonists as it offers an array of after layer of nutty and toasty richness. enough acidity before finishing with significant lots demonstrated enticing Cape Point Vineyards is velvety-smooth on the entry, but do PRICE tropical fruit and spice flavors balanced Delicious now, it will certainly reward great length. Drink it 2015 to 2022+. spicy notes that define great Climens. $47 2012 Sauvignon Blanc not let that kid you. Wave after wave by racy acidity and a finish with great patience and drink to 2019+. There is certainly enormous potential Reserve South Africa of intense ripe black fruit lap along TYPE length. Drink it now to 2021+. here, one that beckons an intense, white The 2012 Sauvignon Blanc your sensory shoreline – indescribably vivacious Barsac underpinned by Reserve still feels a little harmonious with extremely well- RaTIng Jim Barry 2010 Shiraz rippon vineyard, central otago freshness and focus. reticent and tightly wound judged acidity. There is a crescendo of PRICE 93 $199 The Armagh Clare Valley on the nose, although the flavors that build towards a sensual, Deep garnet-purple in Fonseca 2011 Vintage definition and minerality has certainly date and raisin-tinged, magisterial TYPE PRICE Red color, the 2010 The Armagh $42-$200 Port Douro been carried over from the superb finish that I can only analogize to the Shiraz flaunts a gorgeous The Fonseca 2011 2011. The palate is intriguing: very dramatic E-major chord that concludes RaTIng TYPE 99+ aromatic red and black foRtified is typically more complex with subtle peach and apricot The Beatles’ A Day In The Life. In fact, fruit core intermingled with forthcoming on the nose notes that are perfectly intertwined Lennon and McCartney’s magnum RaTIng clove, chocolate box, and eucalyptus 97-99 compared to the bashful with the tense citric backbone. This opus probably sums up the 2011 aromas that are still very primary. Croft: a strident bouquet reminds me of tasting the Dog Point Nacional better than any descriptor I Bottled under , it has a with lifted scents of freshly picked Section 94: New Zealand’s finest can think of. Tasted May 2013. really fine palate that is very elegant blackberries, kirsch, crushed stone and Sauvignon Blanc. This is right up there yet powerful. With vibrant acid, firm a dash of Hoi Sin and oyster sauce. but will have even more to offer with and very fine tannins, the flavors are It is very well-defined, very focused another 12 months in bottle. Drink rich and layered with spices coming and direct. The palate is silky smooth 2014-2020. through on the long finish. Drink it from with not a rough edge in sight, though 2015 to 2030+. not a typically voluptuous Fonseca o lisa perrotti-brown

T because of the keen thread of acidity

PH o and the structure that lends this mighty

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reviewer RevieweR David Schildknecht Mark Squires Germany, Austria, Champagne, Oregon, Alsace and the Loire Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Romania and Bulgaria, as well as the dry table wines of Portugal

Markus Molitor 2011 Domaine Dublère (Blair Comte Abbatucci 2011 Soalheiro 2012 Alvarinho in alcohol less than the 2007, too. What Clos De Gat 2006 PRICE PRICE PRICE PRICE PRICE $90 Wehlener Sonnenuhr $70 Pethel) 2010 Chablis $90 Cuvée Collection: $24 Vinho Verde makes this a bit different in general is its $50 Sycra Judean Hills Riesling Auslese Three Preuses Ministre Impérial If you haven’t caught up to earthiness. It has less of the sweet fruit, Upon re-tasting this, I TYPE TYPE TYPE TYPE TYPE white Star Mosel white I’ve had a few even-more red Jacques-Pierre-Charles white what modern Vinho Verde more steel and earth, all of which gave it sweet was thinking that this When you occasionally profound young Chablis over Abbatucci Corsica can do, try this. (Anselmo more character and complexity early on. might be my favorite RaTIng RaTIng RaTIng RaTIng RaTIng 100 write “100 points” beside 96 the past decade – though 97 I singled-out Jean-Charles 93 Mendes provides a fine You can drink this now, but as with the 94 of all time. the name of some wine not that many. What sets Abbatucci’s red from alternative.) Relatively 2007, I would suggest waiting another Alas, and as expected, it – signifying that you can’t imagine this one apart is not only its sheer diverse, obscure Corsican grape cheap for wine (if not for Vinho couple of years for better results. Drink is made in small quantities and might fermented grape juice more profoundly quality but two of the heartening things varieties among last year’s most Verde), and it ages. Crisp, focused and now-2030. be a one-off to boot. The 2006 Muscat delicious – it might seem practically it demonstrates: Even among the exciting vinous experiences, but it’s pure, with just a bit of a lemony note Sycra is a blend, only 85 per cent self-contradictory to deny it pride of finest wines from top-rated vineyards impossible to resist doing so again this early on, it is a beautifully wrought, Domaine Sigalas with 15 per cent PRICE place in a year’s end best-list. But in renowned wine growing regions year and vintage, especially in hope that very precise and very concentrated $30 2007 Barrel blended in, all aged for four the context of this release – over and there are still bargains. And there are – for around the same $90 as would Alvarinho. It is intense, yet transparent Fermented Santorini years in French oak. It is fortified and TYPE beyond what I tried to capture in a almost always wine growing talents have bought you a bottle of Molitor’s and expressive. It lingers wonderfully white I tend to like my whites and hits 14 per cent alcohol (versus initial breathless tasting note and a numerical flying under the radar (for a time at 2011 Wehlener Sonnenuhr “three star” on the finish, showing more and more my Assyrtiko un-oaked, but labeling at 16 per cent; the winery told RaTIng score – is a vital part of what renders least) in such places. It was hard to Auslese – more readers will test my grip as it goes along. Drink now-2022. 92 I’m tired of hearing how me recently that was erroneous). It it so exciting. It doesn’t represent a decide, among examples from Chablis, claim that “until you experience this oak destroys Assyrtiko. certainly is demonstrating its class and miniscule amount of Riesling off-the- between this Preuses from a U.S. cuvée for yourself, you will be missing Lemos and Van Zeller The 2007 Santorini Barrel Fermented general age-worthiness. Rather tightly PRICE charts in must weight and residual ex-pat and Canadian Patrick Pieuze’s out on [things] you didn’t realize red $90 2008 “CV” Douro is another example – as much as some wound and beautifully focused, it is sugar, and only attainable by a wealthy 2012 Blanchot. And Australian Chablis- wine could deliver.” This was part of a vertical of us sometimes hate to admit it – of penetrating on the finish with some few; but rather, roughly 1,400 bottles vintner Marc Cameron could easily TYPE and had been seen very fine, oaked (six months) Assyrtiko. grip, a little tannic pop and intensity of Red (as measured in 750 ml. units) that have taken honors in a category for before, but it remains It is aging gracefully and developing flavor. It is well-balanced, not sloppy retailed for less than $100, and whose greatest pioneering ventures tasted, RaTIng one of my favorites of well. While the wood certainly gives sweet, but fresh and delicious, with contents blow you away with subtlety, with his 2012 Bourgogne Épineuil, a 95 this specialty bottling. this a different aromatic – no cream or that delightfully exotic medley of flavors not exaggeration. Pinot from outside Tonnerre, ten miles The 2008 CV is another vanilla here, though – it does not keep that I noted the first time around. Drink west of Chablis. (And yes, the 2010 example of a fine performance in a the Assyrtiko down. The acidity easily now-2023. Dublère Preuses is still for sale – I very somewhat inconsistent vintage. It is an cuts through the wood. This maintained recently bought some.) outstanding 2008 – one of the wines of a surprisingly fresh feel and sunny the vintage. It will be a sleeper no one demeanor for as long as I tasted it (over picks on paper, but it seems awfully a couple of hours). It does add very fine to me and I’d still give it the nod fine depth, however, and some pure over the more obvious 2007. With time, power on the gripping finish. It should in fact, this 2008 has fleshed out. It be a great wine to match with stronger shows more depth and fullness than foods. Drink now-2018. it originally seemed to display, along with the beautiful structure it originally displayed. It is nice that it is a full point

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RevieweR RevieweR Jeb Dunnuck Monica Larner Rhône Valley, southern France, the Languedoc-Roussillon Italy region, Washington State and central and southern California

Quilceda Creek 2010 that spent 22 months in new PRICE Torrin 2010 Akasha Aldo Conterno 2009 cent French oak. The bouquet opens texture and inner fabric is rich, velvety PRICE PRICE $199-$368 Cabernet Sauvignon and used French oak. Inky purple in $62 James Berry Vineyard $140 Barolo Colonnello Barolo in slow motion. Tones of chocolate, and firm. There’s a brilliant spot of Columbia Valley color and gorgeously rich and pure, TYPE Paso Robles The 2009 Barolo Colonnello hickory smoke, prune, cinnamon cake, acidity that hits you at the back of the TYPE TYPE Red Rich, backwards, it slowly gives up notions of smoked Red My favorite of the lineup Red is destined to occupy a prune, black plum, root , crushed mouth and helps the wine from feeling structured and massively black currants, espresso, liquid flower, RaTIng and a totally knockout effort special place in my heart granite and licorice have the bright too heavy or dense. In fact, outstanding RaTIng RaTIng 98+ concentrated, the 2010 licorice and graphite that flow to 98 that will stand toe-to-toe 95+ as it turned out to be the intensity of primary colors on a painter’s elegance is what ultimately sets it apart. Cabernet Sauvignon a full-bodied, concentrated, plush with the best wines of the first sample in my opening wheel. The mouth-feel is solid, thickly The temptation to drink it now is huge, comes mostly from the Champoux and seamless 2010 that is perfectly vintage, the 2010 Akasha is 95 per cent blind flight as Italian reviewer with The concentrated and delightfully sweet. but those still young tannins definitely Vineyard (also from Galitzine, Klipsun, balanced, has no hard edges and an Syrah and 5 per cent that Wine Advocate. Darkly concentrated The most magical aspect of the wine is need a few more years to unwind. Palengat and Tapteil) and is comprised incredible finish. It’s a monumental spent 18 months in 60 per cent new and rich, it sets the stage beautifully how that sweetness hits your senses. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035. It is all of 99 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon bottle of wine that will drink well at an French oak. Offering up incredibly pure for 2009 Barolo thanks to its enormous It’s as if you don’t expect it: It creeps up beauty and balance. and 1 per cent Merlot that spent 22 early age, yet age effortlessly for two crème de cassis, tobacco, chocolate, grace, power and elegance. Where on you suddenly. There is a tight tannic months in all new French oak. Offering decades or more. Drink now-2030. crushed flowers and hints of scorched it really wins praise, however, is in backbone that keeps the wine stitched FONTODI vINeyarD IN TuscaN y up plenty of crème de cassis, coffee earth, it flows seamlessly onto the the mouth. It shows solid grip and firmly together. Almost indestructible,

bean, toasted spice, pencil shavings PRICE Alban Vineyards 2009 palate with a full-bodied, massively firm tannic tenacity that is bold and a wine like this will age longer than and violet-like qualities on the nose, $145 Syrah Lorraine Edna concentrated, yet oh so fine and muscular without going over the top. most. Drink 2015-2045. This wine is it has palate staining levels of extract TYPE Valley focused texture that’s hard to beat. It moves steadily over the palate in impenetrable, indestructible. and tannin that come through on the Red Also totally brilliant, the Still tannic and youthful, give it another an exceptional manner. The bouquet

mid-palate and finish. Gorgeously 2009 Syrah Lorraine’s handful of years in the cellar and enjoy opens to wild cherry, black licorice and Fontodi 2010 N RaTIng

PRICE w full-bodied, layered and textured, 97 Vineyard possesses over the following decade or longer. drying notes of crushed white pepper. $90-$140 Flaccianello Della Pieve O with perfect balance, this awesome incredible purity and Drink 2015-2030. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2030. Vino Da Tavola Tuscany -br TYPE OTTI Cabernet needs to be forgotten for focus with its crème de cassis, black Red Now to a superstar of five-six years and will have two to three raspberry, vanilla, spice box and licorice- Dal Forno Romano Italian enology: The 2010 PRICE sa perr

RaTIng I decades of longevity. Drink 2018-2030. styled bouquet flowing to a full-bodied, 1997 Recioto Della Flaccianello della Pieve

$258-$695 o l

97+ T seamless wine that has no hard edges, will take your breath away. TYPE ho Leonetti 2010 Cellar building tannin and an overall perfect The magnum 1997 This is a seriously beautiful Sangiovese- P PRICE Red Reserve Walla Walla blend of richness and elegance. It’s Recioto della Valpolicella based wine with the kind of intensity $144-$300 RaTIng Valley approachable now, but given the overall is a tremendous wine and aromatic purity you only experience TYPE 98 Red Even better than the density, will also age effortlessly for that catapults you to a every 1,000 wines or so. There’s a lot straight Cabernet 15+ years. Drink 2015-2024. whole new level of intensity and is, to say here. First, the wine’s beautiful RaTIng 100 Sauvignon, with honestly, unlike anything you will ever appearance shows dark garnet colors additional richness and taste. It pours out of the bottle with with highlights of ruby and purple texture, yet without any added weight inky, impenetrable blackness and the gemstone. The bouquet delivers a or heaviness, the perfect 2010 Reserve thick consistency of olive oil. , steady and seductive evolution with is comprised of 52 per cent Cabernet Rondinella and Molinara grapes are dark cherry, chocolate, spice, tobacco Sauvignon, 30 per cent Merlot, 9 per harvested and air-dried for up to half and sweet almond all seamlessly cent Cabernet Franc and 9 per cent a year, then aged carefully in 100 per balanced one against the other. Its

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reviewer Luis Gutierrez Spain, Chile and Argentina SUBSCRIBE TO

THE WINEAnd benefit ADVOCATE from more than 20,000 unbiased González-Byass NV Fino and leather, with elegant rusticity. Rafael Palacios 2011 PRICE PRICE reviews of the world’s finest wines every year $137 Cuatro Palmas Jerez Medium-bodied palate, laced texture, $131 Sorte O Soro Valdeorras The name is a little pure, clean, delineated. A wine that A pure Godello white from There are various easy ways for you to gain enjoyment, TYPE TYPE fortified misleading here as this shows the true elegance Monastrell white Valdeorras sourced from knowledge and practical advice from The Wine Advocate. is so old that it is really is capable of, and in my opinion one a single vineyard that is You can subscribe to the bi-monthly printed journal, or sign RaTIng RaTIng up for complete access to the extensive eRobertParker.com 97 an aged Amontillado. of the great red wines from Spain. 95 a breakthrough wine for The whole Palmas It seems to have reached a plateau Spain’s table whites. The website. You can even send a Gift Subscription to a friend line-up (and the Tío Pepe en Rama) where all elements are balanced but 2011 O Soro is a demanding wine. It or loved one. from González-Byass is outstanding, will probably have a very long and slow has a reticent nose that needs time but the Cuatro Palmas is otherworldly! evolution. It seems to be the perfect and air. Yellow, bright straw-colored. THE WINE ADVOCATE JOURNAL To get your hands on the printed journal, simply visit the Averaging 40 years of age it is really an moment to drink this wine, but I’m Delineated, pure, precise, with a sharp, Wine Advocate store at eRobertParker.com/WAStore or Amontillado, and a superb one. Bright sure it will last. Drink 2013-2023. straight nose, it takes time to start send an email to [email protected] with amber-colored with a powerful nose showing some notes of almonds. It’s your contact and mailing details. of hazelnuts intermixed with some aged on the fine lees so it’s very smoky sweet-fruity notes of peaches and and mineral, with aromatic herbs, star ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION cherries that make it very attractive. anise, and other balsamic notes. The Alternatively, opt for the electronic-media version. Just select The medium-bodied palate reveals the palate is sharp, with clean acidity and a Subscribe on the upper navigation bar at eRobertParker.com sharp flavor of mushrooms and damp Rafael Palacios at his velvety texture, reminiscent of a white and click on “Purchase a Personal Subscription.” albero in a rare balance between bitter o so Ro vineyaRd Burgundy, mineral laden and powerful. and salty. A really great Amontillado. It has some tactile sensations that Access is almost immediate once you have completed the Drink 2013- 2022. remind me of a top-class Chablis. It’s online application form. impeccably made, with great acidity. Casa Castillo 2006 Pie Drink 2014-2020. GIFT SUBSCRIPTION PRICE Subscription to eRobertParker.com makes a fantastic gift $50 Franco Jumilla Pure Monastrell from for anyone who wants to learn more about fine wines. Gift TYPE Jumilla, from un-grafted Subscriptions are available for durations of 30 days, 90 days red or for a whole year. vines planted in 1942, RaTIng that combines power and 97 Simply select “Purchase a Gift Subscription” at elegance but at the same eRobertParker.com/subscriptions/GiftSubscriptions. time remains truly Mediterranean- ez aspx. Once you have provided us with your gift recipient’s style. The 2006 Pie Franco is RR details, an email notification will be sent to them with your a monumental wine. It has the personalized message. complexity of a bottle-aged wine, some gameness, smoky, notes of luis gutie OTO h cured meats, iron, blood, P Please contact our sales team ([email protected]) should you require more details.

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mattermatter ofof tastetaste || artart && soulsoul

when pAlAte meets

A glA ss or two of wine hA s provided creA tive lubricA tion to A rtists throughout history, A nd on occA sion feA tured in their ppendeAAavors. Dianall D ’ a renbergee nominttA tes eighttt mA s t eee r p i e c e s thA t celebrA te the bottled muse in pA int

Art And Alcohol hAve long commission artists to design wine- enjoyed a tense relationship that has bottle labels. An art collector himself, inspired creativity but also, sadly, rothschild commissioned some of the sometimes destroyed it. there are greatest modern and contemporary songs dedicated to wine, poems artists, including Pablo Picasso, Marc written under its influence and chagall, Jean cocteau, Salvador dali, countless paintings inspired by its Francis Bacon and lucien Freud. loosening of the creative cogs. But Just last year, in fact, neo pop while wine has fuelled the imaginations artist Jeff Koons’ design for the 2010 of many accomplished artists, it has vintage was unveiled. currently, this also been the actual subject, or played is the most expensive of the Pauillac es

a significant role, in several works of first-growth château’s last 10 vintages, G art, from religious images in chapels recently trading at more than US$9,000 and churches to contemporary pieces for a 12-bottle case. Getty Ima o commanding top prices at auction. And once you’ve filled the cellar with T

Alcohol, in fact, defined an entire such fine tipples, perhaps it’s time to Pho era of painting in the late 19th century, adorn its bare walls. Matter of Taste’s Bacchus (1595) – Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio when the bohemian demimonde of money-no-object wish list of eight Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, is depicted – in typical Caravaggio fashion – as less an immortal, godlike figure and all too unashamedly Paris ran fast and loose (remember wine-friendly paintings from history human and flawed in this 16th-century painting. The artist had a habit of using street urchins, tavern dwellers and friends as models, and the hollow-eyed faces of excess follows, taking in everything from he painted figures as they were, warts and all, introducing an element of gritty realism that earlier artists might have glossed over. staring out at us in works by henri de the creative innovations of the 15th Bacchus here is represented as a seductive and tipsy youth – his fingernails dirty, his skin flushed pink and in a state of disheveled undress. A large glass of red is held out almost as an invitation to the viewer to join him, but it is an invitation to a party long over. toulouse-lautrec). the happy marriage and 16th century renaissance to the The crown of wilting leaves that decorates his head and the basket of seen-better-days fruit allude to both the transience and of art and wine, however, was perhaps experimentally cubist and the boldly impermanence of life and beauty, but also hint at the excess of the night before. best celebrated in 1945, when Baron expressionist to the gloriously irreverent Caravaggio not only painted one of the most cited and recognized dedications to Bacchus and the sacred vine, but also imbibed more than his fair share, leading to a life plagued by bar brawls, debt and evasion of the authorities. Philippe de rothschild began to pop art of the 1960s and ’70s.

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While wine has fuelled the imaginations of many accomplished artists, it has also been the actual subject, or played a significant role, in several works of art, from religious images in chapels and churches to Grapes D.D. (1979) – Andy Warhol contemporary pieces commanding top the undisputed king of pop art, Andy Warhol was “ masterful at fusing art with just about everything, prices at auction from celebrity and rock’n’roll to royalty, media and, pleasingly, wine. he paid tribute to the tipple with his series Grapes D.D – a set of six screen-prints in multiple color combinations – that features varieties of merlot and chardonnay grapes. Warhol also designed the 1975 Mouton Rothschild label.

The Last Supper (late 15th century) – Leonardo da Vinci

The Last Supper was a commission from renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci’s patron, Ludovico Sforza, the duke of Milan, as part of renovations to that city’s Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. the mural shows Jesus and his disciples seated on one side of a long table littered with wine glasses, plates and bread, and the figures are in animated discussion as Jesus announces that” one of them will betray him. The Last Supper has attracted much historical and theosophical debate over the years, giving rise to many holy Grail theories centered on the famed chalice that is notable by its absence in the painting.

Self Portrait With a Bottle of Wine (1906) – Edvard Munch Norwegian expressionist painter Edvard Munch was known for painting intense psychological tension and drama. His iconic composition The Scream – created in four distinct versions in both oils and pastels – is one of the most instantly es es G recognizable images in art history. In May 2012, a pastel version sold for US$119.9 million at auction. G Like many of Munch’s works, this self-portrait is a representation of the artist’s psyche. A solitary man sits at a table in an almost empty restaurant, conveying a feeling of loneliness and uncertainty. Frantic almost vertiginous brush

strokes, and the clash of dull greens and blues with the warmer tones of yellow and red, serve to create a mood of Getty Ima Getty Ima Getty Ima oppression. Across from the despondent figure sit a bottle of wine and a glass – his only companions and his solace. oto H Photo P Photo

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La Bouteille de Vin (1926) – Pablo Picasso A great innovator and a prolific painter, printer, sculptor and draughtsman, Spaniard Pablo Picasso contributed to several artistic movements during his lifetime. As a pioneer of cubism, he attempted to reconcile the two-dimensional with the three dimensional, resulting in many fragmented and spatially rearranged paintings. His La Bouteille de Vin is a textbook example. A still life that draws inspiration from Dutch artworks of the 17th century, the painting features a bottle of wine at its center, while fruit, food, glasses and sheet music are arranged on the table. A bon vivant himself, Picasso passed away in 1973 while he and his wife Jacqueline entertained friends with dinner in the south of France. His final words were, “Drink to me, drink to my health, you know I can’t drink any more.”

The Hangover (1889) – Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Celebrated for his vibrant depictions of the bohemian cabarets, decadent dancers and heady nightlife of Paris at the close of the 19th century, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is quoted as saying, “Of course one should not drink much, but often.” With a style influenced by Japanese woodblock prints but also indebted to impressionists Édouard Manet and Edgar Degas, he produced anbody of work reflective of the times and world in which he was immersed. Perhaps there is no more apt a title for a painting depicting the morning after a great party than The Hangover. Also known as Portrait of Suzanne Valadon (an artist in her own right – Valadon was first woman elected to the prestigious Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts), the painting depicts the subject sitting in profile and looking resignedly, a half-empty bottle of red wine and a glass before her.

Still Life with (1904) – Alexej von Jawlensky

A leading figure in modern art, The Drinkers (1890) – Vincent van Gogh Russian expressionist painter Alexej von Jawlensky was greatly Troubled Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh struggled admired for his lush and boldly with this colorful oil-on-canvas adaptation of Honoré colored paintings in the opening Daumier’s black-and-white woodblock print Physiology years of the 20th century. This of the Drinker: The Four Ages. Like the original work, elegant composition is, as the title the painting depicts weathered figures, this time suggests, a still life depicting the peasants in the field rather than laborers in a tavern, two necessities of the sacrament The deliberate clash of nature and drinking after a hard day’s work, both to sate their thirst and the most basic of needs (for and to drown their sorrows. In the background, the some) – wine and bread. Two industry creates tension and dissonance chimneys of industry can be seen smoking, a reference glasses of red sit on the table in a to the industrial context of Daumier’s original work. state of abandon, as symbolized by enhanced further by Van Gogh’s The deliberate clash of nature and industry creates the crumpled napkin lying beside tension and dissonance enhanced further by Van the bottle and the chair pushed swirling brush strokes Gogh’s swirling brush strokes, distortion of form and away from the table. Strangely, bright colors. The painting was one of many created though the glasses are full, the in the artist’s manically productive year before he bottle appears to be untouched. “ tragically ended his own life.

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A glAss of wine pAired with a cheese or cold-cut platter is the perfect way to relax after a city sightseeing tour, overseas business meeting or upon an evening arrival in a new destination. to help you prepare for your next trip, Matter of Taste’s selection of the world’s 12 savviest wine spots takes a journey through Asia, europe, north and south America, with stops in Australia, south Africa and dubai. Bon voyage!

Barcelona Monvínic impressively once described as a “temple to connoisseurship,” Monvínic opened in 2008 near the landmark plaza Catalunya at the north end of las ramblas. the daily changing menu features up to 50 global wines by the glass or half-glass from the impressive cellar, and a team of sommeliers assists guests on the best pairings with award-winning chef sergi de Meià’s modern Catalan dishes that include wild duck fricassee with stuffed pumpkin and veal tail served with artichokes. Monvínic also offers a wine reference library, a venue for wine tastings, and a shop featuring HIThit THEthe thousands of bottles from across the globe. www.monvinic.com

San Francisco The hidden vine originally opened in a small hotel near Union station in 2005, the hidden Vine relocated to the city’s financial district Wherever W e find ourselves, the call in 2011 and has been a favored haunt of the grape enhances almost all for san franciscan oenophiles ever SPOTSspotstravel experiences. Gary Bowerman since. located in a subtly-lit red-brick searches out a “dazzling dozen” of the space with a homely farmhouse feel, W orld’s premier city W ine bars the hidden Vine boasts a wine list that features around 180 wines, with 40 available by the glass, and is particularly Monvínic strong on Cabernets from the local

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wine-producing areas. The menu of Cape Town polished wood floors, exposed brick and called The Fox and the Grapes, its menu cheese plates, flatbread pizzas and oBlivion walls made of wine bottles, features offers 40 or so wines by the glass from charcuterie is embellished with organic Popular for its youthful crowd, weekend materials salvaged from local demolition across Italy, plus a Chablis, Bordeaux ingredients from the nearby Ferry Plaza breakfasts, leather couches and sites. Downstairs, a mixed clientele of and Südtiroler Sauvignon, which can Farmers’ Market. The Hidden Vine warming open fire in winter, Oblivion locals and expats gathers around the be paired with aged cheeses from also has a wine club, and hosts tasting aims to make serious wine drinking rectangular wooden bar counter and France and Italy and cured meats from evenings focused on wine regions. fun and accessible. An extensive list in comfy leather armchairs to sip an Tuscany. The horseshoe-shaped bar is www.thehiddenvine.com of locally grown and global wines affordably priced selection of global a great place to sip a hearty Italian red aside, it boasts seriously photogenic wines, though with a distinctive French and garner some “off the beaten track” Buenos Aires views of Table Mountain from the bias, and up to six brands of Champagne. Florence tips from amiable residents. Gran Bar Danzon rooftop terrace, which was made for Upstairs, the moodily lit bistro serves www.levolpieluva.com Wine and steak are two of the sundowner sipping. The menu ranges cold-cut platters, pizzas and shucked Argentinian capital’s famed culinary from gourmet pizzas and burgers to oysters. No website. 177 Fumin Lu, Velluto Champagne New York tastings attractions, and Gran Bar Danzon main plates like slow roasted lamb Jing’an District. Tel: +86 21 5403 5717. & Wine Bar aBV specializes in both for a packed house shank with creamy mashed potatoes, This warehouse-chic Upper East Side each night. Choose a table or sit at the honey roasted vegetables and red London wine bar and craft brewery draws a hip long bar with wine and food specials wine jus, while free Wi-Fi is offered terroirs dishes including Alsacian sausage in Louise Cuvée, with five pours by the crowd from across Manhattan. Raw marked on chalkboards, and peruse for laptop-wielding imbibers. Oblivion Paying homage to Parisian wine bar lentil broth, while heartier cellar servings glass. The eclectic wine menu charts brick walls, leather banquettes and the fine selection of Champagnes, hosts a free Fall Wine Festival each culture, Terroirs is located between range from grilled Orkney scallop to an intriguing journey from boutique giant chalkboards create an informal Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons, March, showcasing a carefully curated Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden Aberdeen Angus beef T-bone, roasted wineries in the Loire and lower Austria ambience, while more than 50 labels although locals tend to tuck into the selection of in the heart of London’s West End. bone marrow and fried pommes anna. to Mendoza, New South Wales and showcase lesser-known global wineries excellent Argentinian and growers. www.oblivion.co.za This split-level bar offers a carefully www.terroirswinebar.com Marlborough, and an inventive cocktail from around the globe. Served by Pinot Noirs. When hunger strikes, the cultivated list featuring wines from menu for non-wine drinkers adds to the glass are six European and North kitchen will prepare exquisite tenderloin Shanghai small organic and biodynamic Paris the appeal. www.velluto.com.au American reds and whites, plus carpaccio over parmesan cheese le Bistro Du Dr Wine vineyards, mostly in France and Italy, O Chateau sparkling wines from the Loire, New brisée pastry with truffle vinaigrette This rustic-chic, French-owned wine but also Spain, Lebanon and Georgia. A five-minute walk from the Louvre, O Dubai Mexico and California. An extra boon is grilled portobellos, or grilled rib-eye bar and bistro occupies a revamped Also offered are eight Champagnes, Chateau is an equally essential Parisian CaVe Bar the culinary menu, which is as eloquent steak with and chorizo cake, two-floor townhouse in Shanghai’s plus Jerez and ciders from experience as the Eiffel Tower or Smart and slinky, this mezzanine-level as it is appealing. Signature dishes range string beans and salad. soulful former French concession. Normandy. At the ground-floor bar, the Champs-Élysées. The wine list runs wine bar at Conrad Dubai attracts a from yellowfin tuna crudo with spicy www.granbardanzon.com.ar The unpretentious interior décor, with cooking is distinctively French, with to around 500 labels, with 50 wines well-heeled clientele of “see and be ginger-scallion, cucumber and black served in 15 different shaped Riedel seen” Dubai drinkers. Designed as a cumin seeds to fish Tacos with roasted glasses. Bilingual sommeliers assist contemporary take on a stone cave, it poblano, guacamole, kimchi slaw and guests with their wine choices and features an open-door cellar housing queso fresco. www.abvny.com food pairing, which is an alluring part about 500 international wines, lounge of any visit. A cordon bleu-trained head beds, fireside armchairs and leather- Hong Kong chef creates everything from cheese padded private coves. The self-styled tastings and charcuterie platters to prix fixe “Parisian soul food” cuisine offers In a city renowned for its cocktail menus. Best of all, the low-slung, half- foie gras macaroons, duck prosciutto lounges rather than its wine-bar culture, oval bar is a gloriously informal place to and a pork charcuterie, and there’s Tastings has upped the viticulture enjoy a glass of fine wine or perfectly also a popular weekend wine brunch. appreciation quotient since opening in chilled bubbles. www.o-chateau.com Dubai’s rising cachet with global wine 2008. Offering more than 150 labels producers means Cave is also able from both Europe and the New World, Sydney to host regular wine tastings with it serves around 40 by the glass, VellutO Champagne & big-brand winemakers and critics. half-glass or 25-millimeter “taster.” Wine Bar www.conraddubai.com Technology plays a prominent part in Few neighborhood wine bars are the experience thanks to an Enomatic dressed to impress quite as decadently Florence wine dispenser that protects opened as Velluto. Directly opposite Fitzroy le VOlpi e l’uVa bottles from oxidation. The food is fun, Gardens in Potts Point, Velluto’s Invitingly situated between the too, with sharing plates of wine-glazed interiors reside somewhere between Ponte Vecchio and Pitti Palace, this chicken drumsticks and zucchini fries a boutique hotel and a period movie atmospheric enoteca with a floor- with a honey mustard dip. True to its set, with antique furnishings, gilded to-ceiling display of wine bottles name, regular tastings are also hosted mirrors and dark velvet drapes. The has satisfied the wine cravings of to introduce new wines to Hong Kong’s Champagne cellar features up to 15 Florentines and visiting sightseers resident and visiting oenophiles. the hidden vine labels, including a 1999 Pommery for nearly 20 years. Named after a fable www.tastings.hk

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A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE TASTING! ANECDOTES FROM THE WINE ADVOCATE’S REVIEWERS ON THE ROAD

has resulted in some comical raised his hand and asked, ‘So misunderstandings. Once I was does this fault only affect wines at a trade fair in China and I that are discounted in stores?’“ walked up to a Chinese winery’s booth requesting to taste their wine. The representative told me they had no wine to taste. I pointed to a bottle of their wine on the stand and asked, ‘What about that one?’ I was told it was just for display. Patiently I explained I was a critic and needed to taste a wine to review it. The rep then seemed to understand and went way, returning minutes later with a full glass. Sampling the wine I said suspiciously, ‘This smells and tastes like KING OF Australian Shiraz,’ to which the THE CASTLE rep retorted, ‘It’s a wine!’ with Luis Gutierrez “Another time I was teaching WHEN IN ROME LOST IN a class in Japan on wine faults “I asked the Consejo Regulador with Monica Larner TRANSLATION and had just finished a very (Regulatory Council) of the Monterrei appellation in Spain’s with Lisa Perrotti-Brown technical explanation of the “A box of wine samples was common problem of ‘reduction’ Galicia to help me set up a mistakenly delivered to my “Travelling around some of the or ‘reduced wines.’ When I tasting of the wines from their neighbor in Rome. He dresses far-flung wine markets and enquired if there were any wineries. They have offices up as a gladiator each morning producing regions questions, one student, and they usually have a tasting to pose for photos with tourists of Asia, with me who had been room but unfortunately they in front of the Forum. The speaking just a tapping madly had just opened a brand new incarnation of Spartacus – hairy smattering of the on his electronic restaurant in their building, legs, strappy leather sandals, local languages, translating device, and their tasting room had metallic chest plate and helmet a permanent smell from the with nose guard – showed kitchen. So they told me not up unexpectedly at my front to worry – they had another door. ‘Do these belong to you?’ place, which ended up being he asked, handing over the the tower of the 12th-century missing package. And with a Monterrei Castle! Of course, flip of his red velvet cape, he there was no double-glazing, was on his way.” air conditioning or central heating when they built the ancient structure, so I really experienced tasting the wines at room temperature – the room temperature of a medieval castle!” ILLUSTRATIONS BY HARRY HARRISON

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