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ISSUE 193 • AUGUST 2018 ISSUE 193 • AUGUST 2018
SEAL OF APPROVAL DOES CLOSURE TYPE AFFECT HOW A WINE IS PERCEIVED? TREND SPOTTING 10 DRINKS TRENDS MAKING ARGENTINA • CLOSURES NEW ZEALAND SOUTH AFRICAN PINOTAGE • ORGANIC MASTERS UK RETAIL TRENDS • SPARKLING MASTERS A SPLASH IN UK RETAIL
NEW HEIGHTS HOW ARGENTINA’S MALBEC PRODUCERS ARE REACHING THEIR PEAK
PLUS: NZ WINES IN RESTAURANTS SOUTH AFRICAN PINOTAGE ORGANIC MASTERS
SPARKLING MASTERS • SIR IAN BOTHAM • FEVER-TREE
www.thedrinksbusiness.com xxx_db_Jul_TC Arango_Drinks Business_Layout 1 22/06/2018 11:08 Page 1 01 EditorialLS _Layout 1 02/08/2018 11:00 Page 1 editorial Argentina is fortunate that its Malbec has taken on global significance, but the nation still needs to develop its offer using this newly-popular variety
IN THE world of wine, few unions have emerged as successfully And the country is right to focus on perfecting its offer, rather in this century as Argentina + Malbec. We’ve seen Provence + than rushing to plant more. Not only is the volume growth for rosé come onto the scene pretty strongly, but other phenomena, Argentine wine exports slowing, but vineyard extensions are such as New Zealand + Sauvignon Blanc had an international now limited by water availability – licences to dig wells in places following before the start of the new millennium, as did Oregon like the Uco Valley haven’t been granted for the past five years to + Pinot Noir. What will be next is open to speculation, but preserve what’s left of the ground water. England + sparkling is one association tipped to gain a global Furthermore, Argentina should develop its regional identity to audience within the next decade – by which time supplies will prove it has a varied vinous offer. It doesn’t need to embrace have doubled (see our top story on page 4). grapes other than Malbec – however good its Cabernets may be – But for now, let’s focus on the known knowns – the power of to show the market that Argentina is far from a one-trick pony. Argentina + Malbec. It’s a combination still being cemented by It just needs to gradually introduce new styles tied to South American producers, as they were keen to explain at the particular places. And thankfully not only is Malbec almost start of the year, when I took part in a week-long tour of exclusively associated with Argentina, but it’s a grape that can Argentina with 40 other MWs. As plantings of Malbec increase clearly convey the impact of changing conditions over space worldwide, albeit from a small base, Argentina wants to prove as well as time. that its Malbec is unique. Not only that, but fine. And, crucially, Argentina is fortunate that its Malbec has taken on global stylistically diverse. significance, but the nation still needs to develop its offer using While the mainstream wine consumer may see Argentine this newly-popular variety, both to retain the interest of Malbec as synonymous with deeply-coloured, juicy red that’s consumers, and stay ahead of the competition. perfect for consuming with marbled meat, Argentine producers view this grape as a medium for conveying this nation’s varied terroir (see cover story, pages 32-44). Whether it’s due to soil type, climate, elevation, vine selection, or vineyard age and PATRICK SCHMITT MW management, as well as winemaking techniques, Argentine EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Malbec can take on many forms, from the herbal, aromatic, peppery styles to the concentrated, tannic, chocolate-laden types. However, it’s greatest expressions are yet to come, as the plantations in high quality areas such at Uco Valley GI Gualtallary are still relatively young.
• Editor-in-Chief Patrick Schmitt MW • Chairman & Publisher Anthony Hawser • Editor Lucy Shaw • Deputy Chairman David Rose • Managing Editor Lauren Eads • Art Director Alan MacKenzie-Morris • Fine Wine Editor Rupert Millar • Director of Sales Spirits Bert Grant
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news & views 64 new zealand UK consumers are keen to discover New x4 top story Zealand’s wine treasures beyond Sauvignon Producers are confident that the 2018 vintage could be the best ever for English wine 72 organic masters The best of the world’s organic wines are put features to the test in our latest competition 76 uk retail trends 26 big interview We examine the 10 drinks industry trends in Former cricketer Sir Ian Botham on launching UK retail that look like having staying power his own three tier wine range in the UK cover image 82 south africa iStock.com 32 argentina Could a revived Pinotage become a flag- Argentine Malbec now offers its enthusiasts a bearer for South Africa’s wine industry? kaleidoscope of different terroir-driven styles 88 sparkling masters 46 closures Our annual fizz competition offered plenty James Lawrence finds out if different closure of spectacular sparklers from all over the world types have an effect on quality perception
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August 2018 • issue 193 OFFICIAL WATERS OF
Amcor 50 Amorim 6, 47 46 32 Ata Rangi 66 Australian Vintage 77 Barton 1792 10 Beavertown 79 Beefeater 78 Berry Bros. & Rudd 80 Bibendum 65 Bodegas Pinuaga 77 Brancott Estate 68 Bride Valley 4, 20 C&G Group 8 Camel Valley 4 Canopy Growth 14 Champagne Castelnau 22 Chapel Down 79 Château Lafite Rothschild 16 Constellation Brands 14 Conviviality 8 Cork Supply USA 58 Craggy Range 66 Curious Brewery 79 76 d’Arenberg 15 Diam 50 Discarded 80 Dog Point 66 Domaine Laroche 47 Domaine Thomson 68 Duckhorn 14 Felton Road 56, 66 Fifth Spire 79 Fourpure 12 Glenfiddich 79 Gordon’s 78 Greywacke 66 Haichang Group 12 Herti JSC 50 Hush Heath 80 Invivo 10, 68 Jacquart 16 Kirin 12 Kosta Browne 14 Labrenta 54 marketing people Lagunitas 79 Lanson 18 Lion 12 x96 campaigns 110 moves and q&a Long Pond Distillery 6 Monkey Shoulder extends New York The Benevolent announces new chairman; Majestic Wine 56, 77 Mamma Beer 24 pop-up; top French estates fight label plans Q&A with Marcos Fernández of Doña Paula MA Silva 58 McQueen 78 Nederburg 24 x98 new products 116 salud! New Zealand Winegrowers 68 Pol Roger Brut Rosé 2009; Jack Raft Lanson at Wimbledon; Chivas Masters Penfolds 14 Province Brand 14 Ammonite Craft Cider; Keir Tua Rita global champion; Bollinger at Ascot Pyros Wines 20 Rathfinny 4 Rusden Wines 47 fine wine Sacred Hill 47 Sazerac 10 Seedlip 77 104 update Seresin 66 How Pingus took on the counterfeiters Small Beer Co. 77 Stonegate 22 and helped smash a wine forgery ring Tanqueray 78 Tapì 54 The Macallan 8 106 monitor The Magnum Company 78 High prices for the 2017 en primeur The New Zealand Cellar 67 The Portuguese Cork Association54 campaign results in a sales drop The Wine Society 56 Treasury Wine Estates 14 Trefinos USA 58 Trinity Hill Homage 66 Two Paddocks 66 Vidal Estate 18 Vinolok 52 Vinventions 54 William Grant & Sons 76 Yealands Estate 12
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top story ENGLISH WINE – WILL THE 2018 BE THE BEST VINTAGE EVER?
Last year’s production levels of English sparkling amounted to around 4 million bottles (from a total English wine output of 5.9m), with supply projected to reach 6m this year, and 8m-10m bottles within the next 10 years, based on a large increase in plantations over the past three to five years, with more to come. This will make English fizz a sizeable category for a product that’s hardly cheap. Indeed, to put this in perspective, a 10m-bottle supply would represent more than one third the market for Champagne in the UK, which was 27.7m bottles in 2017.
Increased quaity Nevertheless, the producers of English sparkling wine are optimistic, citing the increased quality of the product, particularly the potential brilliance of the 2018 harvest; the strength of the brands in the market – unlike Champagne there is no ‘generic’ or ‘private-label’ business to speak of – With unusually warm and sunny conditions in During a telephone interview with db, he said the growing interest in English fizz from UK the UK throughout June and July, producers are he was a “happy bunny”, noting that the consumers, and, finally, the possibility of a on course to produce what some are calling their conditions this year were so good that he was healthy export business. best and biggest vintage ever. considering planting a further two hectares at his Frazer Thompson, CEO at Chapel Down, said Speaking to the drinks business last month, estate, as well as making a barrel-fermented red the brand had planted a further 40ha, and Stephen Skelton MW, consultant viticulturist for a and white wine from the harvest. “Six weeks ago sources from 215ha, noting that because of an number of English wine producers, said that the we had hardly any bud burst, but now the injection of funds into the Kent-based business start to the growing season has been flowering is just about over, and it looks last year, he was keen to “accelerate”. unprecedented in terms of quality. In terms of sales, he said: “We are selling “It’s the best I’ve ever known it… the size of roughly 800,000 bottles annually, of which the flowers was very good, so we will have big around half is sparkling.” bunches and an early harvest, maybe up to two ‘It’s the best start to the While he said that 97% of Chapel Down is weeks early for some varieties, and disease year I’ve ever known. We sold domestically, he said: “We see growth pressure is very low at the moment,” he said. opportunities elsewhere. We started to develop will have big bunches the US rapidly in the past year because it is a Producer reaction and an early harvest’ very Anglophile market and it is receptive to Similarly, Bob Lindo at Camel Valley, in the far new stuff, and for American consumers to a get south west of the UK, told db that he has wine as good as a vintage Champagne for the never seen such a good start to a vintage, and same price as a non-vintage grand marque is a he’s been making wines in Cornwall for almost fantastic, it is just what the Bride Valley wants, compelling proposition.” 30 years. and, indeed, all the English wine industry.” For Mark Driver, co-owner of Sussex wine “There’s a way to go, but it’s probably the best Henry Laithwaite, owner and winemaker at estate Rathfinny, the potential market for start to a year I’ve known,” he said. “We’ve had Marlow-based Harrow and Hope, said that this increased English fizz supply is strong in the UK, no frost and 100% fruit set and we are early – year has been “quite an incredible season”. but global in nature. Having told db that he’s we are expecting to start harvesting in “It is unprecedented and we’re way ahead of “about to plant 80ha” and plans to take his September,” he said. He added that his only where we should be. If it carries on at this rate vineyard area close to 140ha in the near future, concerns were drought and possible hail, mainly we’ll be picking in mid-September. We really he said that the opportunity for sales was for their affect on yields. couldn’t ask for more.” significant domestically. Meanwhile, Steven Spurrier, who has the Bride However, he stressed the need for caution “After Germany, we are the largest sparkling Valley vineyard in Dorset, and has previously about making predictions for the best vintage wine market in the world, we love it in the UK, expressed his concerns over the quantity of on record. “There’s still a while to go, and we and we [the entire English sparkling wine grapes he has been able to harvest in recent could have rain throughout August. I’m not going industry] only bottled around 4m bottles last vintages, was notably upbeat. to start making predictions just yet,” he said. year,” he said.
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news & views MILLIONS OF BOTTLES OF SPANISH ROSÉ SOLD AS FRENCH
French authorities have uncovered millions of bottles of practice” two years in prison and fines of €300,000, rosé imported in bulk from Spain being passed off as which can be increased to 10% of the annual average French, with at least one producer facing prison and fines turnover in proportion to the benefits gained from the of up to €300,000 (£266,840). breach. “A total of 179 establishments were audited in It follows a two-year investigation by the Directorate- 2016 and 564 in 2017, specifically on the subject of General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud foreign wines,” the DGCCRF said. Controls (DGCCRF) to check that wines being imported into The authority said 22% of the places visited in 2016 and France, mainly from Spain, were being properly labelled. 15% in 2017 had problems, inlcuding ‘Francisation’ – non- Announcing its findings last month, the DGCCRF said it French wines being passed off as French, which is a had detected numerous instances of fraud in relation to criminal offence. Most of the wines checked were labelled around 34,000 hectolitres of wine – the equivalent of correctly, but several cases involving the Francisation of around five million bottles. Nearly 17,000 bottles have wine were uncovered, with volumes ranging from 2,000 hl already been removed from the shelves of one retailer, to 34,500hl, the equivalent of 4.6m bottles. while commercial fraud charges have been lodged with the Such wines were found to have been sold in bulk as maximum penalty for charges of “deceptive commercial “French wine”, or having been passed off as a French IGP. JAPAN AND EU ELIMINATE TARIFFS ON WINE AND SPIRITS
Japan and the EU have signed what the EU is calling “the largest bilateral In 2016, Scotch whisky exports trade deal ever” – one that will eliminate nearly all tariffs on products traded to Japan reached £82 million by between the two sides, including wine and spirits, ushering in more customs value in 2016 – an 8% opportunities for wineries and distilleries in the Asian country. increase on 2015 – with Japan The trade pact would eliminate about 99% of the tariffs on Japanese the 13th-largest export market by products sold in the EU, while 94% of tariffs on European exports to Japan value for Scotch, as previously will be scrapped initially, before expanding to 99%, reported according to reported by db. The Associated Press. The measures will not take This would mean that the Japanese will be able to buy cheaper cheese, effect immediately, and are still wine and other alcoholic drinks from the EU. At the moment, the tariff on subject to legislative approval. wine is 15%, and on cheese it varies from 30% to 40%. This trade agreement is in sharp Japan is already the EU’s second-biggest trading partner in Asia after contrast to the tit-for-tat trade China, and wine is among the trade bloc’s most important exports to war initiated by the Trump the country. administration towards the EU and China. Last year, the EU exported about 1.7 million hectolitres of wine valued at Japan signed a Free Trade Agreement with Chile in 2007, which helped to €798 million (£710m) to Japan, according to figures from the EU. make Chile its biggest wine importer.
FUKUSHIMA DISASTER LEAVES TRACE ON CALIFORNIAN WINES
Researchers at Bordeaux University have France in the 1980s, and thus the distance over no public health concern from traced the impact of the 2011 Fukushima which such a disaster’s impact could spread. food produced around the nuclear disaster to the Californian wine industry, “The Fukushima incident, which took place on world, including from California, identifying a trace spike in radiation levels in March 11, 2011, resulted in a radioactive cloud due to the Fukushima nuclear wines from the 2012 vintage onward, which that crossed the Pacific Ocean to reach the west power plant incident in 2011. nevertheless remain within a normal threshold. coast of the United States,” the research stated. “Alarm was raised from The A paper revealed levels of cesium-137 in the “In Northern California, there is Napa Valley. The University of Bordeaux’s recent atmosphere rose after the level-7 nuclear idea was then to see if, as was the case in report on levels of Cesium-137 reactor accident. Europe following the Chernobyl accident, if we in a set of California wines. This study’s aim was to determine if the could detect a variation in the cesium-137 level However, based on the university’s published Fukushima incident affected the level of natural in these wines.” measurements, the California wines contain and artificial radioactivity found in Californian Responding to the report, the Californian Wine 100 times less than the World Health wines in the same way that the Chernobyl Institute stated: “The World Health Organization Organization guidance level for Cesium-137 in incident had affected wines from southwest and United Nations have confirmed that there is drinking water.”
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GERMAN WINERIES LAUNCH NEW CLASSIFICATION FOR SEKT
An association representing Germany’s top wine estates These maturation periods, according to VDP are “modelled has established a new classification for Sekt, the country’s after Champagne”. All grapes have to be picked early, by sparkling wine. Verband Deutscher Prädikats (VDP) is an hand, and must be derived from vineyards that belong to the organisation of which most (195 wineries) of Germany’s VDP and are cultivated specifically for Sekt production best-known and most highly regarded wine producers Regulations are also set for the alcohol content of the base are members. wine and the maximal volume of juice crushed from grapes. The VDP established its first Sekt classification at its general All of the strict VDP regulations are applied to the Sekt base assembly in June. The VDP. Sekt classification mirrors the wine and described in the specification guidelines. VDP.Origin pyramid for wine classification in Germany. Wine writer Anne Krebiehl MW, who has supported the Traditional bottle fermentation is compulsory for all four VDP ideological process of the VDP.Sekt Classification, said: origin categories for Sekt. Two of these – VDP. Gutssekt and “Sekt produced as an independent category under the same VDP. Ortssekt must remain on the lees for at least 15 months. uncompromising quality aspects as single vineyard wines is The single vineyard categories VDP. Erste Lage and VDP. quite thought provoking. This will inspire sparkling wine Grosse Lage Sekt, and all single-vintage Sekt expressions, drinkers and enthusiasts to discover and redefine this must spend a minimum of 36 months on the lees. category for themselves.”
FIRE AT JAMAICAN DISTILLERY DESTROYS 65,000 LITRES OF RUM
Jamaica’s Long Pond Distillery has Government, Maison Ferrand and Demerara lost 65,000 litres of rum housed in 72 wooden Distillers Ltd,” Winston Harrison, CEO of National vats in a fire that tore through the producer’s sugar Rums of Jamaica, said. cane fields. “We are all committed for Long Pond to distill The fire started at midday on 16 July and spread again this one of a kind rum as soon as possible.” to parts of the fermentation room and the fresh In an update released on 27 July the distillery rum stocks. The distillery itself and the stills were added that the muck pit that provides “local yeasts unaffected, and no staff members were injured in and bacteria vital for fermentations” was saved the fire. from the blaze. Maison Ferrand acquired West Indies Rum, a Seagram CEO Samuel Bronfman purchased Long Barbados distillery that became co-owner of Pond distillery from the Jamaican government in National Rums of Jamaica, which owns Long Pond the 1940s and the rum project was used as a Distillery, in 2017. launchpad to establish the Captain Morgan brand. “In the middle of this difficulty, I know I can count Lond Pond Distillers Ltd is now part of the state- on my team as well as our owners, the Jamaican owned National rums of Jamaica Ltd.
AMORIM VOWS TO TO ERADICATE TCA BY 2020
The head of he world’s largest cork producer, game-changer” according to Amorim, it is an Antonio Amorim, says that his company will have expensive solution for a relatively small number achieved the total eradication of TCA in the of stoppers, and it works to remove any tainted billions of corks it produces by 2020. corks from the system, rather than getting rid of “We will have a non-detectible TCA guarantee the TCA in the first place. for everything – it’s in our company strategy Consequently, he is financing research and for 2020; we are working as fast as ever,” he development that will eradicate TCA for all told db during an interview in Portugal. Amorim natural cork stoppers. Such comments were prompted by a “We don’t want to segregate corks that are discussion about the advent two years ago of contaminated, we want to eliminate TCA – that’s the end of July 2018. “It is much easier to clean NDTech – a pioneering screening system for what we are planning with our new technology, the granules for an agglomerated stopper than it natural cork – which tests each stopper for TCA, and we believe it is possible,” he said. Amorim is for a whole piece natural cork, but we will and offers customers a ‘non-detectable TCA has been testing such technology over the past have an individual guarantee for all the corks we guarantee’. Although the new technology is “a 12 months, and promised two new prototypes by put in the market by 2020,” he promised.
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BREXIT WHITE PAPER: WHAT IS THE INDUSTRY SAYING?
A white paper on Brexit was published last month, setting out System upon leaving the EU, which will make selling European Prime Minister Theresa May’s vision for the UK’s future beer in pubs easier. relationship with the EU. According to the document, the UK will Miles Beale of the Wine and Spirits Trade Association said that leave the single market and the customs union and will instead the paper is “as welcome as it is overdue,” but noted that it create a “facilitated customs arrangement” to remove the need does not do much to provide real clarity over what will happen to for customs checks and controls at the borders. trade regulations. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) approves of May’s However, Beale supported the PM’s call for a free trade desire to maintain current systems for excise and VAT practices, agreement with zero tariffs and quotas, and praised her focus on which will make the transition smoother, and welcomed some of Australia, New Zealand and the US as key export markets for the specifics on trade, which should benefit the pub sector. ratifying new trade deals after Brexit. “It is encouraging that the Government is making progress in “Australian wine is the most popular wine drunk in Britain, and setting out its proposals for Brexit,” it said. “While there is still growth of New Zealand wine sales outpaces all others,” he said. much detail to be thrashed out in key areas, such as immigration, “Australia and New Zealand import more spirits from Britain than there are a number of specific positive developments.” The BBPA any other country, and the opportunities for British exports of wants the government to seek the Excise Control and Movement British gin and English wine to the US are huge.”
MACALLAN MINIATURE SELLS FOR £3,000
A miniature bottle of 1937 The Macallan single rebottled in 2002, has never come to auction before malt has been sold for £3,300 at an auction in so we knew it would attract a lot of interest. It was Glasgow; three times its pre-sale high estimate. an extremely lively auction, and after some fierce The 32-year-old Macallan was distilled in 1937 bidding the lot was eventually sold online to a and bottled in 1969. Sold at auctioneer McTear’s collector in Italy.” sale in Glasgow on 6 July, it had been expected to As reported previously by the drinks business, the fetch £800-£1,000. rare whisky auction market in the UK is booming, The auctioneer reported that as bidding started on and has exceeded the £25 million mark as value the miniature it became clear there were collectors sales grew by a staggering 76% last year. from around the world keen to get their hands on it. Some 83,713 bottles of whisky were sold at Graeme Maxwell, whisky expert for McTear’s, said: auction in Britain last year, achieving an average “We are delighted with price achieved for the bottle. bottle price of £299, though the top lots sold for a The Macallan 1937 Fine & Rare, which was much higher amount.
WATCHDOG INVESTIGATES KPMG’S AUDIT OF CONVIVIALITY
UK accountancy watchdog The Financial Clark, Bibendum, Bargain Booze and Wine Rack, Reporting Council has launched an investigation went into administration on 5 April after filing its into KPMG’s audit of former drinks wholesaler intention to do so, should the situation remain Conviviality after the latter’s collapse and division unchanged, on 29 March. in April. Since then its wholesale business was bought The FRC will be reviewing Conviviality’s by the makers of Magner’s Cider, C&G Group, financial statements for the 52 weeks to 30 April while its retail division was taken on by UK 2017 and investigating KPMG’s handling of their grocery retailer and wholesaler Bestway. preparation and approval. A KPMG spokesperson said: “We believe we requirement. Our audit of the company’s In its latest audit quality review in June, the conducted our audit appropriately and will co- financial statements for the year ended 30 April watchdog had reported “an unacceptable operate fully with the investigation. 2018 had not yet commenced at the point which deterioration” in the quality of KPMG’s audits, “As reported by the company, it experienced administrators were appointed”. with 50% of the firm’s FTSE 350 audits requiring margin weakness at the start of 2018 and also a In June, the FRC accused KPMG of more than just limited improvements, compared significant payment to HMRC, which had not “misconduct” in its handling of the audit of with 35% in the previous year. Conviviality, the been included within its short-term cash flow insurance software firm Quindell, fining the firm former owner of companies including Matthew projections, creating a short-term funding £3.2 million.
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news & views
GRAHAM NORTON FOLLOWS WINE BRAND WITH GIN LABEL
TV presenter, winemaker and national treasure Graham Norton is served in Qantas launching his own gin label with the same New Zealand company that Business class. produces his wine range. Invivo aims to raise Working with Invivo, Norton released a teaser video on Vimeo that reveals NZ$6.5 million that GN Gin will be hitting supermarket shelves soon. (£3.37m) through The news comes shortly after Norton met Invivo’s founders and crowdfunding in its home winemakers, Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron, to finish the blending country, with plans to process for the team’s 2018 GN Pinot rosé, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc expand its Graham wines, which make up the GN range. Norton wine brand and Norton teamed up with New Zealand wine producer Invivo to launch the launch a “new celebrity brand in 2014, and is personally involved in selecting the blend from tank collaboration” in the US. samples alongside Lightbourne and Cameron, who say their wines are Since 2015, Invivo sales have increased from NZ$3.7m to a projected made from “grapes, time and two maxed-out credit cards”. NZ$13.9m this financial year, achieving a 374% bottle sales growth since The GN Sauvignon Blanc 2017 won a Gold medal at The Drinks Business their 2015 crowdfunding campaign. From 50,000 bottles in 2015, this year Global Sauvignon Masters last year, and the wine was also chosen to be the team is expected to produce more than three million bottles. SOAVE WINEMAKERS ELECT NEW GOVERNING BOARD
An association that regulates Italy’s Soave wine-growing region winegrower to the winemaker, in a has elected enologist Sandro Gini as its new president and sworn in a dynamic and constructive way, through a new governing board as the area undergoes “major changes” to its continuous dialogue, to reaffirm production rules. Soave as one the great white wines of The Consortium for the Protection of Soave represents roughly 2,500 the world for breadth of styles and estates spread over 7,000 hectares in northern Italy, encompassing the ageing capacity.“ Soave DOC and DOCG appellations. Both zones are further subdivided into a Aldo Lorenzoni, the Consortium’s general and classico designation for the wines produced around the sloping director, said that Soave’s winemakers vineyards of Verona. have agreed on “several key initiatives” Gini – who owns family-run estate Gini Sandro and Claudio – will work with to raise the standard of wine grown in vice presidents Maria Patrizia Niero and Massimino Stizzoli to implement the denomination, a move that has tighter production guidelines to raise the profile of the region’s wines. already “renewed interest in influential The new board is expected to enforce a number of new winemaking markets such as the UK, the United regulations in Soave, including a passed motion that all wines must be States and Japan. bottled within the region of production in order to carry DOC and DOCG “We will be redefining and developing our communications programs in status. Gini said: “I want to involve the whole supply chain, from the those markets,” Lorenzoni said.
18,000 BOURBON BARRELS AT RISK AFTER WAREHOUSE FALLS
A Bourbon warehouse owned by Kentucky and contributing to the death of around 800 fish. According to Preske, distiller Barton 1792 containing around In a statement released after the first incident, plans are under way to 18,000 barrels has completely collapsed, almost Amy Preske, a spokeswoman for parent construct a new two weeks after half of the building came company, Sazerac, said that following the warehouse to house crashing down. first spill, the distillery was prepared with the salvaged barrels. The incident occurred on 4 July at around equipment should the rest of the structure “The remaining barrel 2:20pm local time, with the barrels once housed become unstable. warehouses at Barton in the seven-storey warehouse subsequently “As a result of the Barton 1792 Distillery 1792 Distillery have heaped in a massive pile. Half of the warehouse, team’s preparation and quick action, no run-off been inspected since which was built in the 1940s, collapsed on 22 from the second collapse entered any 22 June by third-party experts and are deemed June, with an estimated 9,000 barrels affected. waterways,” she added. to be safe. Despite efforts taken to contain the spill, alcohol Preske later told db that it is likely to be “quite Barrel warehouses at the other two Sazerac- flowed from the site for around three hours, with a while” before the next update “as the process owned distilleries in Kentucky have also been Bourbon making its way into the local waterways is very painstaking”. inspected and deemed safe,” she said.
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AUSTRALIA’S LION ACQUIRES LONDON’S FOURPURE BREWING
Australian company Lion, which is a subsidiary of Japanese drinks giant Beverages, which produces craft brands such as Kirin, has acquired a 100% stake in Bermondsey-based craft brewery Little Creatures and White Rabbit. Fourpure for an undisclosed sum. The company has a portfolio of brands in the In a statement, Fourpure’s said: “You’re also probably expecting ‘business beer, wine and dairy sectors, employing 6,500 as usual’, ‘nothing will change’, ‘more of the same’. While the beer and the people in Australia and New Zealand. Parent culture and the people will be the same… we truly hope that you will see company Kirin Holdings, which as well as the some change, otherwise why would we bother?” Kirin Brewery Company and Kirin Beverage Brothers and co-founders Dan and Tom Lowe will remain at the company, Company, also has a 55% stake in Myanmar and the brewery hopes to hire an additional 30 members of staff over two Brewery Ltd, jointly owns San Miguel Brewery years as it continues to invest in its Bermondsey home for the “short to and has a 24.5% stake in Brooklyn Brewery. medium term”. Earlier this year, it hired 20 extra workers and invested Fourpure CEO Daniel Lowe said: “Over the past 12 months we’ve been £2.5 million in new technology that aimed to increase its output by up to working hard to find the right investment path for the next phase of the 14m pints a year. Fourpure had also explored gaining funding from private Fourpure story. We met Lion towards the end of our process after a wide equity, bank debt and crowdfunding. Lion owns craft beer brands including range of funding options had been considered, and quickly realised we had Panhead and Emerson’s in New Zealand, and Australia’s Little World a shared vision and values.” CHINESE ESTATES IN BORDEAUX SEIZED IN FRAUD INVESTIGATION
French fraud investigators have confiscated 10 A judge will now examine the OCRGDF’s case and estates in Bordeaux belonging to the Chinese Haichang decide the fate of the estates. Operations at each Group over alleged financial irregularities involved in property are said to be running as normal because it is their original purchase. not how they were being run that was under suspicion. Officers from the Central Office for the Repression of Investigators reportedly began conducting an inquiry Major Financial Crime (OCRGDF) have frozen the into the funds behind the purchase of the châteaux ownership of 10 properties over the course of this year following reports of financial irregularities connected following a four-year-long investigation into the source with the Haichang Group in China. of the funds used to acquire them. In 2014 the Chinese National Audit Office accused Although the French organised crime bureau has not the company of misspending US$43 million (£38m), named any of the châteaux in question, they are all although no formal charges were ever filed. believed to belong to the Chinese Haichang Group, French authorities have been looking into potential which is run by Naijie Qu and which acquired 24 instances of fraud, tax fraud, forgery and money châteaux – mostly situated in the Libournais – during a laundering in connection with the buying of buying spree between 2010 and 2013. the estates.
YEALANDS ESTATE SOLD TO ELECTRICITY NETWORK
Peter Yealands has sold his remaining shares in Marlborough Lines that if and when Peter Yealands Estate, the New Zealand winery he wanted to sell up, that the electricity firm would founded in 2002, to electricity supplier be the first to be offered the remaining shares. Marlborough Lines for an undisclosed sum. “There was a shareholders’ agreement that As reported by Stuff.co.nz, on 2 July basically said that if Peter wanted to leave, the Marlborough Lines acquired the remaining shares had to be offered to us,” Dew told 14% of the Yealands Wine Group it did not Stuff.co.nz. already own. The same day Yealands resigned as He also revealed that 70-year-old Yealands will a director of the Yealands Wine Group. continue to be involved in the company but is David Dew, chairman of Marlborough Lines, planning on retiring soon. told Stuff.co.nz that the purchase of the “He’s still going to be available to work with us According to the Marlborough Lines 2017 remaining shares was part of a long-term plan to on assignments. That’s part of the arrangements annual report, the equity in Yealands Wine Group own the wine estate outright. with him. Peter’s a very integral part of Yealands, held by Peter Yealands was worth over NZ$27m. Dew said there was a “gentleman’s so we want to make the best use of him, Marlborough Lines paid NZ$89m for 80% of arrangement” between Yealands and possibly in an ambassadorial role,” Dew said. Yealands Wine Group in July 2015.
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KOSTA BROWNE WINERY SOLD TO DUCKHORN VINEYARDS
California’s Kosta Browne winery, known for its production of remarkable,” said Alex Ryan, president and CEO of Duckhorn cool-climate Sonoma County Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, has Wine Company. “It has been exciting to see the founders been sold to the Duckhorn Wine Company. Kosta Browne, based rewarded for their years of hard work and tireless pursuit in Sebastopol, had been controlled by equity group J.W. Childs of excellence. Their vision and values will inspire everything Associates of Boston, which confirmed the sale of its stake to that we do.” Duckhorn Wine Company, which is owned by TSG Consumer The sale includes the company, the winery, all assets and Partners of San Francisco, for an undisclosed sum. inventory, as well as 170 acres of vineyards through ownership The investment group bought the Duckhorn Wine Company in or long-term leases that include Cerise Vineyard in the 2016, along with its other wineries, including Duckhorn Anderson Valley, and sections of the Keefer Ranch Vineyard Vineyards and the Paraduxx, Goldeneye, Migration, Decoy, in the Russian River Valley and Gap’s Crown Vineyard on Canvasback and Calera. the Sonoma Coast. Kosta Browne was founded by Dan Kosta and Michael Browne The Kosta Browne team will remain at the winery, with Scott in 1997, who stepped down from the winery last year, with Becker as CEO and Nico Cueva as winemaker. Chris Costello joining the partnership in 2001. “What Michael, The purchase of Kosta Browne will not include CIRQ, which Dan and Chris created at Kosta Browne is nothing short of was founded, and continues to be owned, by Michael Browne. CANADIAN START-UP CREATES FIRST BEER BREWED WITH CANNABIS
A team of scientists in Canada is developing a beer regulated use of the drug later this year. Last year, brewed from cannabis. Creating a unique product within Constellation Brands announced it is partnering with the fledgling market, Province Brand’s beer is brewed Canopy Growth, one of only 84 licenced cannabis with the “stalks, stem and roots of the cannabis plant,” producers in Canada. Wendsuch said that the fact that chief executive Dooma Wendschuh told the Guardian. Constellation was the first Fortune 500 company to Typically, cannabis beers found in the US and Canada invest in cannabis, rather than a tobacco firm, is proof are brewed with hops and barley before having their of the market for cannabis beverages not only exists, alcoholic content removed and infused with cannabis but will be one to watch. oil, which contains THC, the psychoactive component “We started our company in 2016 when it was not of the plant. But in July last year, Province, an emerging known whether alcohol-free beverages which intoxicate brewer in the alcohol-free beer sector, filed a patent using cannabis or its phytocannabinoids would ever be to brew with cannabis plants directly instead of legalised in Canada,” Wendschuh said. traditional grain. “The government, just a few months ago, made it Now the Toronto-based start-up is in a race against clear they’d allow these types of products, and I’d established drinks giants and to launch its new weed- suspect that’s what made Constellation Brands step inspired product when Canada officially legalises up,” he added. PENFOLDS ADDS NAPA WINES AND BAIJIU-SHIRAZ TO RANGE
Penfolds will be adding Napa wines and explore premium viticultural regions based liquor baijiu, which will be a new special bottlings range including a across the world. We are striving to add released onto the market in September brandy, a Chinese baijiu-infused Shiraz outstanding Californian-sourced wines to this year with a retail price of AU$150. and a Champagne, to “reinforce the our offering by 2022.” The last release is a Champagne, company’s multi-region and multi-country Continuing the experimentation, in a nod expected to be released in 2019 in time sourcing philosophy”. to the winery’s famous Bins range, and in for Penfolds’ 175th anniversary. Starting in California from the 2018 recognition of the brand’s heritage in “The Penfolds winemaking team is harvest onwards, the Penfolds fortified wines, TWE also announced a delighted to engage in a profound winemaking team will be making a new new range – Penfolds Special Bottlings. expansion of our core range, while range of wines using “the best of the The first release from the range will be preserving Penfolds’ DNA, and at the best” Napa Valley grapes, according to Lot. 1990, a pot-distilled 28-year-old same time building upon the creativity, parent company Treasury Wine Estates. single-batch brandy, which is available ingenuity and boldness of our Penfolds’ chief winemaker Peter Gago now, priced AU$425 (£240) a bottle. The winemaking ancestry. This will broaden said: “Our Penfolds house style certainly second addition is Lot. 518, a Barossa our base and help future-proof allows and embraces the freedom to Shiraz fortified with China’s fiery grain- Penfolds,” Gago added.
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OSBORN: BURGUNDY WON’T BE MAKING PINOT IN 20 YEARS
The effects of climate change are happening so quickly that Burgundy will which is what I want. It has a be unable to make Pinot Noir in 20-40 years, according to leading Australian beautiful, spicy, herbal character that winemaker Chester Osborn. reminds me of Shiraz, red cherry Speaking to the drinks business during a recent trip to London, the chief fruit and a similar length to Shiraz. winemaker of d’Arenberg said: “Climate change is happening. The start date “As for whites, Assyrtiko, Fiano and of each vintage moves forward by a week per decade. There’s no doubt that Greco di Tufo have great potential in we’re seeing the effects of global warming. Burgundy won’t be making Australia, and I’m experimenting Pinot Noir in 20-40 years because it will be too hot; they’ll be making with all three,” he said. Shiraz, and still Pinot production will move to Champagne and England. Like Chile’s Aurelio Montes, Osborn There is a very real possibility that if the effects of global warming get too believes that music can have a severe then Barolos won’t be made because Nebbiolo is such a sensitive positive effect on grape growth. variety and needs such specific conditions. Global warming will completely “Plants respond positively to re-set the game – Bordeaux is going to have massive problems.” music. At the vines surrounding our But it’s not all doom and gloom, as Osborn believes climate change can be winery we play a special algorithm tackled in the vineyard by planting alternative varieties that are better suited of music created by DJ Trip that to warmer temperatures. changes depending on the weather. “The solution lies in different grape varieties. Grenache works well in “We’ve just made our first vintage Australia, and Mencía is a strong contender to replace Shiraz because they from the vines that were played share similar characteristics,” he told db. “We have 1.5 acres planted but music and it’s our best in 15 years,” I’m planting more. It’s working really well as it’s a very late ripening variety, Osborn revealed. 16 News AARMLS_Layout 1 01/08/2018 17:28 Page 16
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‘WORLD’S FIRST’ DOUBLE-LAYERED WINE BOTTLE LAUNCHED
A German design company has launched what is claims World, which has launched the product, hopes that people is the “world’s first double-layer wine bottle”, which will also customise the bottle using different designs, keeps wine cold without needing to put it back in graphics, artwork and wines. the cooler. She said: “We are so excited to be launching this bottle Called ‘Cooleo’, the innovation has already been adopted that is beautiful to behold, shows the colour of the wine at by German winery Wasem, which has ordered 6,000 its best and keeps it chilled in a natural, clean and bottles to house its Pinot Noir rosé and dry Riesling. sustainable way. We have spent the last three years The double-walled bottle provides an insulating layer selecting the suitable glass materials, developing the that helps to keep liquid cold, removing the need to put design and style that fits rosé and white wine and to the bottle back in the fridge, the brand claims. It is made engineer a double layer, insulating glass bottle that can be from hand-blown Borosilicate glass, which “has machine-filled at high volume by wineries, or enjoyed by outstanding clarity and scratch-resistant durability”. individual consumers.” It is sealed with a glass Vinolok closure, meaning that The bottle is available to order via Cooleo’s website, the bottle can be recycled and reused. Kim Soohee, starting from £22. It launched on Kickstarter in July with founder and CEO of the design company Our Wonderful a range of investment packages available. LAFITE OFFERS BOTTLES OF ’98 TO FRENCH FOOTBALL TEAM
Swept up by World Cup fever, Bordeaux first featuring Russian artworks on their labels. growth Château Lafite Rothschild has offered While England didn’t quite manage to bring it bottles of its 1998 vintage to the victorious home, a magnum of Jacquart Champagne French football team. signed by eight of the players in England’s World Following France’s decisive 4-2 win over Cup-winning football team in 1966 will be Croatia in the FIFA World Cup final in Moscow auctioned this month. last month, Château Lafite wrote on Instagram The magnum is being sold by UK auctioneer that it had “put a couple of bottles aside” of the Humbert & Ellis on 2 August, and has a pre-sale estate’s 1998 vintage for the team. The vintage estimate of £3,000-£4,000. is significant because France won the World As well as that item, another series of limited- Cup at home that same year. edition World Cup wines is being sold at the As well as the tempting offer by Lafite, all auction – five wines in all specially packaged in members of the French football team were World Cup trophy-shaped bottles from Italia given a case of Art Russe St-Emilion Grand Cru, 1990; two Chardonnays (looking a little brown, it made at Château La Grace Dieu Des Prieurs, must be said), two rosés and a Barbera d’Asti.
CABERNET KEY TO ARGENTINA’S FINE WINE FUTURE
If Argentina wants to gain a global reputation visited the region in February this year. “I think making sure that for truly top-end wine it should focus on Argentina should invest more in Cabernet vineyard management Cabernet Sauvignon, believes US consultant Sauvignon because it is the international was scrupulous. Paul Hobbs. benchmark for all the great reds of the world,” When asked by the Speaking about his experience of making wine he added. drinks business what in Argentina over the past 30 years, he said that “With prices getting increasingly expensive for makes Cabernet from he has “learnt a lot about how Cabernet behaves Cabernet from its most famous sources, be Mendoza distinctive, in Argentina”, but stressed that there was still they the Napa Valley, Bordeaux or Tuscany, Hobbs said: “It is more much to be done with this grape in the nation people will start to look for another region – and like Bordeaux than that is best known for Malbec. I believe Mendoza is that region, because it can California, and you can “I don’t think Argentina has hit anywhere close supply high-quality Cabernet at affordable get high tannins, but also quite a lot of fruit. to the high mark with Cabernet because all the prices,” Hobbs said. Cabernet planted at a high level is fruit forward, attention has gone to Malbec,” he said, when He added that it was necessary to put generous, and rounded, with a lot of meat on the addressing a group of Masters of Wine, who particular emphasis on finding cooler sites and bone: it’s like a USDA Prime steak.”
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COLLECTOR MAKES MASSIVE PROFIT ON ANTIQUE WINE BOTTLE
A man who bought what he thought was a fake 17th bottle collecting world has suffered some bad attempts at century wine bottle in order to stop others being conned producing fake reproductions that con people into paying into buying it was shocked when it proved to be genuine, hundreds of pounds for them. making him a tidy profit of £21,470. “After seeing the precious bottle at an antiques fair, the As reported by the Express, Steve Williams, an antique stall holder told Steve that he had bought it about 10 years collector and Network Rail engineer, spotted the brown before for £30 as a fake, stating that as long as he got his glass bottle at Doncaster Antiques Fair and was convinced money back on it he would be happy. Steve bought it to it was a fake. He bought it for £30 and took to Facebook to take it out of circulation as a good deed. He would have let his followers know what he’d done. However, Alan just put it in his garden shed. Blakeman of BBR auctions in South Yorkshire spotted the “He posted pictures on Facebook of it and I was straight picture of the bottle and asked for a closer look. onto him and asked him to let me have a look at it. Blakeman confirmed that the bottle was indeed genuine Straight away when we saw it we said ‘there doesn’t seem and it sold at auction in July for £18,000. With auction fees to be anything wrong with it’.” added on, the buyer ended up paying £21,500 for the rare The bottle is stamped with the initials GR and the bottle. Blakeman said: “Over the last 30 years or so the date 1682. NEW ZEALAND’S VIDAL ESTATE CLOSES HASTINGS WINERY
New Zealand’s Vidal Estate has closed the doors Vidal Estate’s loyal customers will be able to of its historic winery and restaurant in Hastings, continue to taste and buy wine direct from Hawkes Bay, which was opened by Anthony Vidal the cellar door and enjoy some of the region’s in 1905, as it relocates a new winery in finest produce at the new home of Vidal Estate – Gimblett Gravels. The Gravels.” Sir George Fistonich, also the founder and The new winery has been built on the same site owner of Villa Maria, bought the Vidal winery in as the Te Awa winery, and from 1 October will 1976, opening New Zealand’s first winery combine to become the Hawkes Bay home of restaurant – Vidal Estate Winery Restaurant – at Vidal Estate, Esk Valley, Te Awa Collection and the site three years later. Villa Maria. All grapes harvested in Gisborne and “While it has been immensely satisfying “It was a difficult decision to sell the property as Hawkes Bay will be made at The Gravels winery, to ferment and age our wines in the historic Vidal was not only our first restaurant, it was the bringing Vidal’s winemaking as close to its cellars in Hastings, there’s no denying there first winery restaurant in New Zealand, so it holds vineyards as possible. were challenges. Being closer to our vineyards a lot of historical relevance,” he said. “It was an exciting time to move our winemaking and working within a winery designed for “With the challenges of being nestled in a base out to the Gimblett Gravels for vintage 2018,” quality will without a doubt further push us into residential area we had outgrown the facility. said Vidal winemaker Hugh Crichton. the premium market.”
LANSON RENEWS WIMBLEDON PARTNERSHIP FOR FIVE YEARS
Having just celebrated its 17th year as “As a brand that embodies excellence, respect. We have exciting plans afoot Wimbledon’s official Champagne innovation and celebrates achievements, and we know that our unique bond will supplier, Lanson will remain the we are proud of our relationships and allow us to grow together domestically exclusive fizz of the tournament for a our selective annual sponsorship and internationally.” further five years. programme – but above all, we are most To commemorate the 150th birthday A whopping 25,000 bottles of Lanson proud of our association with The celebrations of the All England Lawn were cracked open at Wimbledon during Championships, Wimbledon,” said Paul Tennis & Croquet Club, Lanson created the two-week tennis tournament. With Beavis, managing director of Lanson UK. an exclusive design of its Green Label the popular event wrapped up for “We are delighted that our partnership Brut Organic Cuvée, which was served another year, the All England Lawn with The Championships, Wimbledon will throughout the tournament. Tennis and Croquet Club announced last continue to develop for a further five Lanson has been associated with month that Lanson will retain its status years. The club’s ethos mirrors our own, Wimbledon since 1977, and in 2001 as the official Champagne partner of the and five more years is proof positive that was selected as the official Championships until 2023. this is a relationship built on trust and Champagne of the Championships.
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MP WINES LAUNCHES ARGENTINA’S PYROS IN THE UK
Wine-importing business MP confirmed the retail at £19.25, £29.50, and £32.75 roll-out its Argentinian brand Pyros Wines in respectively. The wines reached retailers in the UK off-trade last month. the UK last month through wholesaler New The Pyros range is produced in the Generation McKinley. Pedernal Valley of San Juan Province, an Robert Bruijnzeels, commercial director appellation in Argentina at 1,400 metres at MP Wines, said: “Pyros is the premier wine above sea level, located in the foothills of the of the Pedernal Valley, and we are very Andes mountains. excited to introduce this unique range of The Pyros vineyard contains 80 hectares of wines to the UK market through New Malbec planted in 2008, and lies over the Generation McKinley. southern slope of the Pedernal Hill. “Argentinian wine is ever more popular in The range includes three wines – a Syrah, a the UK, and we very much see that the Malbec, and a red blend that also Pedernal Valley is to San Juan, what the Uco incorporates Cabernet Sauvignon – which Valley is to Mendoza – so the opportunity for range between 14% and 14.4% ABV and the range in the UK is huge.” INAO AUTHORISES USE OF ANTI-HAIL NETTING IN FRANCE
The INAO has authorised the use of anti- compatible with the production of AOC hail netting in French vineyards following wine,” but, “the use of nets should be several years of tests in Burgundy. limited to minimise the effect of too The use of netting was officially much shade.” approved on 20 June this year. As mentioned, the governing bodies Every one of France’s AOC will be able of each AOC must apply to add netting to apply to use anti-hail netting after tests into their cahiers des charges but the run in Burgundy since 2015 showed that INAO promised that the implementation their impact had “a very limited influence would be swift in each case and largely on the mesoclimate of the vine and does “a formality”. not artificially modify or change The news will be welcome relief to substantially the fundamental growers throughout the country as a run characteristics of the local area in of severe hailstorms has wrought question”, said the INAO. considerable damage throughout French As such, the institute said in a vineyards recently, sometimes in statement: “This type of material is consecutive years.
STEVEN SPURRIER TO RELEASE ENGLAND’S FIRST CRÉMANT
British wine writer Steven Spurrier is to release for English sparkling from Spurrier’s estate, he He added that he has England’s first crémant in November, using kept back the equivalent of around 7,500 bottles made a second blend of wines from his estate, Bride Valley in Dorset. of wine in tank, a proportion of which he has Bride Valley Crémant The French term ‘crémant’, meaning ‘creamy’, blended with the 2016 vintage to create a from the 2015 and 2017 was classically used for sparkling wines with slightly less fizzy version of Bride Valley vintages, and said that if a lower pressure, and Spurrier’s new cuvée sparkling. Thanks to the unusually cool he produces – as will have a pressure of 4.5 bars, as opposed to 6 conditions of the 2015 vintage, the wines expected – a large crop bars – the standard for Champagne and English produced were extremely acidic, prompting of grapes this year, he sparkling wine. Spurrier to make a less fizzy wine, because a will go on making it. But Speaking to the drinks business last month, lower pressure sparkling wine has a softer he stressed the crémant Spurrier said that the decision was driven by sensation in the mouth. would be in addition to, adversity. “Because the 2015 vintage was so “A crémant, as the French word suggests, is and not at the expense of, cold, we declassified the wines,” he said. While ‘creamy’, and so it should not be aggressive,” his existing range of three most of the wine from this harvest won’t be used he said. sparkling wines.
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SIR IAN BOTHAM LAUNCHES WINE RANGE AT LORD’S
Sir Ian Botham OBE has officially launched his own River for the Chardonnays, and Barossa and range of wines in the UK. Speaking to the drinks Coonawarra for the Shirazes and Cabernets business ahead of the launch at Lord’s last month, the respectively. Botham told db that the range would be English cricketing legend said that the wines were a augmented by Pinot Noir from Central Otago in New reflection of his tastes, stressing that he was involved Zealand, and, in the future, another Pinot from in the sourcing and blending of the new range. Mornington Peninsula in Australia, having agreed a “I hate the term ‘celebrity wine’,” he said, making it partnership with Paringa Estate. clear he wasn’t simply applying his name to an He also said that he would like to add a Malbec from existing wine. “Everything I like in wine is in these Argentina, a red wine from Spain, and, as previously bottles,” he added. reported by db, an English sparkling wine, possibly The inaugural selection comprises varietal using grapes from a producer in Devon. Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet across three tiers, There will also be a rosé in the range, which Botham all of which hail from Australia. At the entry-level is said had to be from Provence to please his wife. the ‘All Rounder’, with a mid-tier range called ‘The The wines have been developed in partnership with Botham Series’, then, at the top, priced between £35 Benchmark Drinks, founded this year by former and £40, is the ‘Sir Ian Botham’ range. The grapes for Accolade Wines CEO Paul Schaafsma. the wines come from Adelaide Hills and Margaret • See page 26 for an in-depth interview with Botham.
CHEF MICHAEL CAINES LAUNCHES LIMITED EDITION SALCOMBE GIN
Hoping to capitalise on the current gin boom, celebrity seed, citrus peel, almond, green cardamom, lemon chef Michael Caines has collaborated with Devon-based thyme, verbena and hibiscus. Salcombe Gin on a limited edition nautical bottling. “I chose to work with Salcombe Gin because they The first release in Salcombe Gin’s voyager series, the produce gins of exceptional quality make with local expression has been named ‘Arabella’ in honour of the regional produce and share an understanding of how to Salcombe fruit schooners of yore. The brand intends to layer complex flavours and aromas. The stand out add to the series with additional limited run gins made flavours of citrus complemented with the fresh savoury in collaboration with famous chefs and winemakers that notes of lemon thyme make the gin an ideal apéritif and reflect their character. partner for modern European cuisine,” Caines said. Having held two Michelin stars for 18 years at Gidleigh “Michael shares our desire to take people’s senses on Park hotel in Devon, Caines worked with the team at a journey and this exceptional gin does just that”, said Salcombe Gin to create a gin with a strong junpier Salcombe Gin’s co-founder, Angus Lugsdin. backbone featuring botanicals like English coriander Limited to 1,200 bottles, ‘Arabella’ has an RRP of £65. SLUG AND LETTUCE OWNER STONEGATE ACQUIRES BE AT ONE
Pub group Stonegate, the owner of 11 to 33. In October last year, the bar head office staff”, and will run the the Slug and Lettuce, has confirmed chain also completed a £20 million chain as “a standalone, eighth format its acquisition of bar chain Be At refinancing deal with Santander as it with its wider portfolio”. Founding One, as well as 15 sites from Novus planned to more than double the directors Rhys Oldfield, Steve Locke leisure in a deal thought to be worth number of its sites – from 33 to 70. and Leigh Miller, however, are £50 million. TDR Capital-owned Stonegate has expected to leave the business once In a statement released last month, now bought Piper’s minority stake as the deal is completed. the company announced the well as the rest of the company. In addition, Stonegate has also acquisition for an undisclosed sum, Founded in 1998, Be At One has 17 purchased 15 London leasehold sites although the media has widely sites in London, with the remainder in from Novus Leisure. The company said reported that the deal is expected to Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, it “plans to invest in the sites promptly be valued at £50 million. Birmingham, Reading and Cardiff. post acquisition, as well as capitalise Private equity firm Piper initially In the statement, Stonegate on Novus’ acknowledged expertise in invested in Be At One in 2011, confirmed that it plans to retain “all of pre-booked sales”. These acquisitions increasing the number of its sites from the operational management team and brings Stonegate’s site total to 739.
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SWIFT SUCCESS
Approaching winemaking with an artist’s eye for
detail, Dave Phinney is bringing his bold boutique Family Project in Shoreditch. “The Orin Swift wines are a great fit for us as they California wine brand, Orin Swift, to the UK pair perfectly with our Josper-grilled meat, and the eye-catching labels are fun and tell a story,” says general manager DAVE PHINNEY doesn’t follow the QUIRKY LABELS Alejandro McIntyre, who is “desperate” flock. Having dreamt of becoming a Many of the wines are made from a mash- lawyer, he had his head turned by wine up of grapes, including lesser-known during a semester in Italy in the mid varieties like Charbono. Phinney’s 1990s and never looked back. After winemaking philosophy is simple: to find Phinney’s winemaking working a harvest at Robert Mondavi and the best grapes he can get his hands on, planting experimental blocks of Zinfandel let them hang long enough to become philosophy is simple: to in Arizona, in 1997 Phinney began perfectly ripe, then express their character find the best grapes he developing his own line of boutique in the boldest way possible. His quirky wines under the guidance of Dean labels have helped propel Orin Swift to can get his hands on and Sylvester of Whitehall Lane Winery in St. cult status in the US. Inspired by Helena. Named after his microbiologist everything from childhood coin collecting express their character in father’s middle name and psychologist to hip-hop, Phinney’s most expensive the boldest way possible mother’s maiden name, Orin Swift Cabernet, Mercury Head, features a rare focuses on Rhône-style blends, Napa Mercury dime stuck to the front of the Cabernets and old-vine Grenache. bottle, while gracing the label of his Phinney sources grapes from a Papillon Napa Cabernet are the gnarly to list Bordeaux-style white blend Blank multitude of premium vineyards and hands of a third-generation California Stare at the restaurant, and is about to blocks from desirable properties across grape grower. hang a framed print of one of Phinney’s California, including the Napa Valley, Charmed by both the wines and their labels on the wall. With the wines having Sonoma and Mendocino, for his Orin maker, in the summer of 2016 Gallo just entered the UK, McIntyre has to fight Swift wines, which are unashamedly bold snapped up Orin Swift as part of its for his allocation, and is keen to build up in colour, body and character. Their premium push. Keen to tell the Orin Swift his Orin Swift offering at The Jones power and sweet fruit concentration story outside of the US, Gallo recently Family Project and its new Belgravia seduced American critic Robert Parker launched six of Phinney’s wines in the sister site, The Jones Family Kitchen. early on. “Phinney’s Midas touch with UK through Great Western Wine, “Dave is a rock star who makes the kind grapes is unusual. His creativeness and including brooding Rhône blend Machete of wines he wants to drink in a very unparalleled blending talents have built and opulent white blend Mannequin. In modern way,” says McIntyre. “His an incredible portfolio. People looking for London, three of the wines – Abstract, irreverent approach appealed to us.” wines of character and complexity need Machete and Papillon – are proving To find out more about Orin Swift or buy to check out Orin Swift,” Parker said. popular at modern steakhouse The Jones the wines, visit: Greatwesternwine.co.uk
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BEER TAILOR MADE FOR PALATES OF CHEMOTHERAPY PATIENTS
A beer tailor made to suit the palates of those undergoing “When Mamma Help asked us to do an awareness chemotherapy has been produced by a Czech brewery. campaign for them, it was an opportunity for me to ‘Mamma Beer’ is alcohol free and slightly sweet to help dive into these painful memories and use them to try overcome “chemo mouth”, or its medical name dysgeusia – to turn them into something good,” she told AdWeek. a side effect of chemotherapy that causes food to taste “Chemotherapy is tough, and one of the side effects bland, bitter or metallic. that many people are not aware of is a loss of taste. The brew, made in partnership with the Žatec brewery and Everything tastes horrible, like metal.” breast cancer advocacy group Mamma Help, with the aid of Mamma Beer is brewed to be much less bitter than advertising agency Y&R Prague, is aimed at those battling normal beer, using fewer hops, since overt bitterness breast cancer, but could be beneficial to anyone who is is a side effect of dysgeusia, and the expression is cut undergoing chemotherapy. with apple juice to make it sweeter. Tereza Sverakova, chief compliance officer of Y&R Prague, The limited-edition beer has already been was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 34, so had distributed to oncology wards and pharmacies in the a personal association with the condition when she was Czech Republic, and has been served at several beer asked to organise an awareness campaign for the beer. and food shows.
SALMA HAYEK TO MAKE TEQUILA-SOAKED NETFLIX SERIES
Mexican actress Salma Hayek is to produce a vibrant, sophisticated and culturally rich nation fighting Spanish-language Netflix series called Monarca, about a to control its own destiny,” Hayek said. Starring Irene corrupt, family-run Tequila empire. Azuela and Juan Manuel Bernal, the series was created Originally developed for ABC in 2015, Monarca is by Diego Gutierrez, who worked with Michael McDonald described as a high stakes, multi-generational family on the ABC series Ugly Betty. saga charting the battle that ensues when a member of “This is the definition of a passion project for the Tequila firm tries to fight the corrupt system her me. Having been born and raised in Mexico, I’m family helped create. humbled to have the opportunity to tell this story with The series will go into production this autumn through Netflix and the incredibly talented team of people we’re Hayek’s company, Ventanarosa Production, Lemon assembling, both in the US and Mexico,” Gutierrez said. Studios, and Michael McDonald, and is slated to debut Hayek also has a connection to the wine world, in 2019. because she is married to François-Henri Pinault, owner “I’m extremely excited to partner with Netflix and to be of Château Latour in Bordeaux, Araujo Estate working with amazing Mexican talent in front of and in the Napa Valley, Chateau Grillet in the Northern Rhône behind the camera. We are proud to show Mexico as a and Domaine d’Eugenie in Vosne-Romanée.
NEDERBURG CELEBRATES TOUR DE FRANCE WITH CULINARY TOUR
South Africa’s Nederburg wine the exclusive premium wine partner Consumers were able to show estate has created a culinary of Team Dimension Data for their backing for Team Dimension journey to celebrate the route of Qhubeka, Africa’s procycling team Data and Qhubeka during this year’s the 2018 Tour de France, with 11 that competed in this year’s Tour de France by picking up a dishes each matched to a wine from Tour de France for the fourth bottle of Nederburg and enjoying the property. consecutive time. Katinka’s recipes. Using wine and food-pairing The team pedals to raise They were also able to help raise expert, Katinka van Niekerk, awareness and funds for Qhubeka, a support for Qhubeka by participating Nederburg has launched a series of non-profit organisation that uplifts in the “ForQhubeka” fundraising French-inspired recipes to reflect communities via the distribution of drive. The five unique fundraising cuisine and ingredients authentic to custom-built bicycles through categories, each offering a range of the regions through which the affiliate programmes. Qhubeka tools to support the chosen professional cyclists rode. is an Nguni word that means fundraising activity, are: Party Nederburg, established in 1791, is “to progress”. ForQhubeka; Climb ForQhubeka;
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Following the success of The City Wine Show 2018, THE WINE the drinks business, in partnership with our sister publication The Spirits Business, & SPIRITS is delighted to announce… SHOW The Wine & Spirits Show October 12th & 13th 2018
The Royal Horseguards Hotel, One Whitehall Place, London The Wine & Spirits Show will bring together the very best brands in the world of wine and spirits, showcasing exceptional products from all over the globe. Our autumn event will be a celebration of excellence across the industry. We are expecting over 2,000 consumers and 400 trade visitors over the two-day event.. The show will feature a Wine Hall and a Spirits Hall, two rooms for Masterclasses, The Global Masters Zone for wine and spirits, the G&T Bar, and more... For more information on attending or exhibiting, please contact Rhiannon Morris on +44 (0) 20 7803 2430 or [email protected] 26-29 interview Botham AARMLS_Layout 1 01/08/2018 17:43 Page 26
BREAKING boundaries
Former cricketer Sir Ian Botham has launched his own wine range, but is determined not to be called a ‘celebrity’ winemaker, as he tells Patrick Schmitt MW
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WITHIN MINUTES of meeting understand Schaafsma’s concern. But legendary English cricketer Sir Ian Botham recounts such a story to highlight Botham, OBE at the launch of a range of the fact that he’s making the blending wines carrying his name, he tells me how decisions, and with a single goal in mind: much he hates the term ‘celebrity wine’. the wines must be in keeping with his Surely that’s a strange statement from tastes. While it’s common among wine the range – should have been a daunting such a famous sporting figure as he lovers to profess a fondness for delicate experience. “I led him into a tasting room unveils his own drinks brand? Perhaps styles of wine, believing that it’s a sign of with 450 components from around not when Botham spells out the difference sophistication, there’s no such pretence Australia; it was a baptism of fire,” between his product and what he calls a with Botham. Indeed, he tells me that he recalls Schaafsma. ‘celebrity wine’. Botham hasn’t just stuck likes full-bodied booze, be it a ripe But Botham says that he was unfazed. “I his name to a finished product; he has Chardonnay or juicy Shiraz, and got right into it, I had no problems at all, actually made the wine. Yes, he’s worked generally has a palate that prefers because I knew what I wanted: it would with experienced winemakers – who are warm-climate New World wines. be a wine that I wanted to put on my also his friends – but he has chosen these table.” He also said that such an people himself, then blended their BOTHAM IN CONTROL experience made him happy, because: “I produce, according to what he likes to Such control over the character of the don’t want to have anything in the ranges drink. As for the description ‘celebrity wines at every level is vital for Botham. where I wasn’t hands-on.” wine’, for Botham, it suggests nothing After all, this isn’t the first wine-related His next challenge was persuading more than an existing product that project that he’s been involved with. For major retailers to list the brand. “I employs a famous person’s name to almost two decades he has been part presented it in Australia to the buyers at enhance its appeal. “This is not a vat of owner of the Botham Merrill Willis label, Woolworths, and as soon as I went to stuff that has just been labelled with my which sees him and former cricketer Bob meet them, I sensed hostility.” Botham name,” he says. Willis join forces with McLaren Vale suspected such an atmosphere was Indeed, when it came to creating the winemaker Geoff Merrill. “Although I’ve thanks to a scepticism surrounding his entry-level Chardonnay in the new had 19 years of the BMW label, which has actual involvement in the wine. As a been fun, for a very long time result, he turned to them and said: I’ve wanted to do my own “This is not a ‘celebrity wine’, and if For Botham, ‘celebrity wine’ thing,” he says. “I wanted to do that’s all you think it is, then there’s no suggests nothing more than an my wines because I’ve never point us being here.” Somewhat been allowed to throw myself surprised, the buyers were then intrigued existing product that employs a into it; there has always been to hear his story, and Botham explained famous person’s name to someone else.” how he had built the wine according to Then there was his involvement his tastes, which, importantly, have enhance its appeal. ‘This is not a with Australian wine brand been informed over several decades of Hardys, owned by Accolade. It wine appreciation, including travelling vat of stuff that has just been was this that brought Schaafsma to many estates, especially wine regions labelled with my name,’ he says together with Botham when in major cricketing nations (and hence Hardys had enlisted him as a his particular expertise in the wines brand ambassador as part of its of Australia). Botham-branded range, he says how he sponsorship of the English cricket team, The Australian buyers were convinced, unnerved his partner in this project, when Accolade had Schaafsma at the as was, in the UK, Dan Jago, head of former Accolade Wines CEO Paul helm. Again, while Botham was closely Berry Bros & Rudd, who has said that his Schaafsma, who founded Benchmark associated with the product, he didn’t business will act as exclusive retailer and Drinks earlier this year. “Although the have a winemaking role. distributor for the top tier in the range. wine was going to be from south-eastern But when Schaafsma met the cricketer So what are the wines? Well, initially, Australia, I said it needed more fruit, over breakfast in Sydney last year, and they are all from Australia, thanks to the more weight, so I added 10% from proposed launching a brand carrying the network of winemaking connections in Margaret River in Western Australia, but Botham name, the former Hardys boss this country between both Botham and then I said that it needed more, so I added made it clear that the wines would not Schaafsma. So far, the range is made up of another 10%, and I could see Paul looking just be Botham-branded, but Botham- worried as he worked out the costs, and sourced and blended. then I felt it needed yet more, and we “Paul said to me, ‘let’s do a wine, but settled on 30%,” he says. they will be your wines’,” says Botham. This will be for a Chardonnay that will Botham’s first experience, blending the carry a UK retail price of £8, so one can wines for the All Rounder – the base of >
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offering a possible explanation for this view: “I’ve had so much bad fizz given to me over the years at extortionate prices.” When at home, before the launch of his own wine range, he says it would be common to find him drinking Chardonnays from New Zealand, mentioning for example the wines of Kumeu River, and in reds, when not enjoying examples from Spain, he likes to treat himself to Grange from Penfolds, Hill of Grace from Henschke or the Henley Shiraz from Geoff Merrill.
EXPLORING WORLD OF WINE As for the origin of his serious interest in wine, that stems from his great friend and Patrick Schmitt MW with Sir Ian Botham OBE BBC cricket commentator John Arlott. Arlott had introduced Botham to wine when the cricketer was in his late teens, just varietal wines using three grapes: And, despite the fact that Botham tells but it was the 1980s, in the last 10 years of Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet. It is me he likes powerful wines, the products Arlott’s life, that the pair spent many divided into three tiers, with the All bearing his name are actually relatively hours exploring the world of wine Rounder at the base (£8), the Botham medium-weight, and far from tiring to together. This was because Arlott lived Series in the middle (£12), and then, at the drink. The Cabernets are pleasingly on the Channel Island of Alderney, top, a set of wines called Sir Ian Botham, minty, and the Chardonnays combine where Botham had a holiday home. priced at £30. Particularly impressive stone fruit and toasty oak with a According to Botham, Arlott, who died among the wines is the top-drawer cleansing grapefruit lift. As for the in 1991, used to regularly call up Botham Chardonnay – made in partnership with Shirazes, they are relatively light by in the morning and say: “Come round, gifted white winemaker Marty Edwards old-vine Barossa standards, and attractive and bring your thirst.” Botham says: at The Lane in Adelaide Hills. But also for it. Botham may like ripe styles, but he “John taught me about tasting and appears to understand the need what to look for in a wine in clear, Anglo- for balance. This may explain his Saxon terms.” preferred source of wine in the So, with all this exposure to the wines of Old World: Spain. He repeatedly the world, both thanks to travelling the According to Botham, John tells me how much he likes the globe as a professional cricketer and Arlott, who died in 1991, used to wine from all parts of this socialising on the Channel Islands, what country, citing Albariño from else will go into the Botham range? He regularly call up Botham in the Galicia, and traditional Riojas, assures me that there will be a rosé, and it mentioning in particular Contino will hail from Provence, because “that’s morning and say: ‘Come round, and Muga. As for his favourite what my wife likes”, and he’s going to and bring your thirst.’ fine wine, that’s from Ribera del add a Malbec from Argentina too, because Duero: Vega Sicilia. At no point “I think they are really good wines”. Also in the conversation does he coming into the line-up will be a Central profess a passion for any of the Otago Pinot Noir made in partnership great wines of France or Italy, but with Mount Edward, and a special delicious is the Coonawarra Cabernet makes it clear that he’d much rather drink bottling of 500 cases of Pinot Noir from from Geoff Merrill, which Botham later a fine still white than a sparkling wine. Paringa Estate in Mornington Peninsula. admits, was so good: “It’s the only wine I “I’m not a big fizz man; I’d rather have a “I’ve been friends with Lindsay [McCall] didn’t tamper with.” The Shirazes at all glass of Chardonnay,” he says. “There’s for many years,” explains Botham, levels are also lovely. no risk of indigestion.” He then says, speaking of the winemaker and founder
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The Sir Ian Botham wine collection at a glance
> The Sir Ian Botham wine collection comprises three sub-brands: Botham All- Rounder, The Botham Series and the Sir Ian Botham collection. of this respected property. “I’d also like to > Botham All-Rounder wines are primarily sourced from various regions in south-east do something with the Montes family,” he Australia, using Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, and come with an RRP of £8. adds, suggesting we may also see a > The Botham Series wines are a selection of premium regional wines from some of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon in the range. Sir Ian’s favourite winemaking spots in Australia. “I also want to look at something from > Each one of the wines in the series are given a number that represents a year that is Kevin Judd at Greywacke,” he adds, memorable to Sir Ian. intimating that there should be a New > The ‘Barossa 81 Series Shiraz’ is in memory of the year that Botham single- Zealand Sauvignon in the line-up too. handedly took the Ashes from the formidable Australian team. Summing up the nature of the range, > The ‘Margaret River 76 Series Chardonnay’ is in honour of Sir Ian’s ‘year of firsts’ Schaafsma explains: “We want to in cricket. It was the first time he scored 1,000 runs in one season, achieved his first partner with the great wine producers century and was first selected to play for England at the tender age of 20. It’s also of the world.” the first time he played grade cricket for the illustrious Melbourne Cricket Club. But what about an English sparkling? > The ‘Coonawarra 80 Series Cabernet Sauvignon’ plays homage to an important Although Botham previously said that he year in Sir Ian’s cricketing career. It was in this year that he became the first player prefers still wine to bubbles, he would in test history to score a century and take 10 wickets in the same match (against “love” to make some something from the India in his third overseas tour). UK, and says he’s interested in producing > The wines in this range have an RRP of £12. a fizz from a vineyard in Devon that > The Sir Ian Botham Collection are small parcels of exceptional wines that have been celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley- made in partnership with well-known and respected winemakers in Australia. Whittingstall introduced him to. > The ‘Barossa Valley Single Vineyard Shiraz’ was crafted with Nick Badrice, the With, as yet, no celebrity involvement in award winning chief winemaker for Dorrien Estate and Krondorf winery. the English wine scene, this is a > The ‘Adelaide Hills Chardonnay’ was blended with Marty Edwards at the significant development for the fast- boutique The Lane Vineyard. growing English fizz industry, which is > For the ‘Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon’, Sir Ian partnered with his old friend emerging as a globally recognised quality and winemaking legend, Geoff Merrill. player in the competitive world for > These three wines are the first to be released under this label, and will be sold traditional method sparkling, led, of exclusively through Berry Bros & Rudd and via www.bothamwines.com, with an course, by Champagne. RRP of £30.
IN FOR THE LONG RUN And, despite Botham hating the term ‘celebrity wine’, he is a globally There are many celebrities involved in But the difference lies in the fact that it is recognised sporting figure who has the wine, be they actors, musicians or sports celebrity-selected and blended too. power to move wine in major cricketing stars, but few have such a genuine And, with Schaafsma’s involvement, the nations. He’s in no rush, however. “This interest in the drink, informed through new line-up also benefits from someone is not a sprint, I want to do this for the years of tasting and travelling. And even with an in-depth understanding of the next 20 years,” he says. fewer have decided to throw themselves commercial demands of the wine market into the production side too. in the UK and Australia. The range compiled by With all that in mind, for those based in Benchmark Drinks and Botham Britain, let’s hope Botham can find will doubtless initially appeal something suitable to bottle from England Despite Botham hating the term thanks to the celebrity – after all, it’s an fledging industry that is connection, but it should also set to double in volume production ‘celebrity wine’, he is a globally prevail because of the quality within the next decade, so it could do and value of the product, and the with a bit of profile-boosting, particularly recognised sporting figure who famous cricketer’s genuine love in overseas wine markets. And, even if has the power to move wine in of wine, as well as urge to take a Botham isn’t keen on sparkling wine, hands-on role – both in the cricket fans love fizz. major cricketing nations making and promoting of this In the meantime, they can enjoy brand. It is a ‘celebrity wine’, Botham’s Aussie wines at Lord’s – where because it is backed by Botham. they are already being carried. db
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sponsored profile
OUT OF THIS WORLD With it’s red-rocked, Mars-like landscape, Cafayate, in Argentina’s northern province of Salta, is truly unique, as are its wines, which are steadily growing in both prominence and quality
MENDOZA MIGHT be its heartland, but examples of both varieties are emerging, long, but spectacular, three-hour drive the Calchaquí Valley in Argentina’s wild while the cultivation of ever higher from the nearest airport. “Winemakers in north is its rising star, and home to some vineyards, countering the heat of its Salta have a great story and the highest of the world’s most exciting wines. continental, arid climate, has also allowed vineyards in the world,” says Phil Crozier, Crossing the provinces of Catamarca, for the emergence of elegant expressions of ambassador for Wines of Argentina and Tucumán, Jujuy and Salta, the latter is Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Malbec, former wine director of London’s Gaucho Calchaquí’s most prominent and alluring and for Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay restaurant group. “Cafayate is unique, but region, and is home to the sub-regions of to ripen gracefully. there are other smaller regions in Salta that Molinos, Payogasta and Angastaco, but But this rugged and rocky landscape is add to the allure. The quality/price Cafayate is its most significant. Here, not for the faint-hearted, and this isolated, relationship is fantastic.” Torrontés reigns as the ‘queen’ of the red-earthed region attracts only the most whites, while production of red Tannat determined of winemakers. Vineyards are HEIGHTS APPEAL remains a source of local pride. Both perched at up to 3,120m – the highest In Salta, vineyards start at 1,280m, with varieties have witnessed a revival in recent elevations in the world – have rocky Colomé, part of the Hess Collection, the years. As winemakers’ knowledge of outcrops, and are strewn with cacti (which most extreme. It tends to its Altura terroir improves, increasingly refined are protected by law). Also, Cafayate is a Maxima vineyard in Payogasta at a
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sponsored profile
Key facts: Calchaquí Valley
Key varieties: Torrontés, Malbec, Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Bonarda
Salta: Vineyard area: 7,531 acres Key sub-region: Cafayate Vineyard altitude: 1,280m-3,112m
Catamarca: Vineyard are: 6,274 acres Key sub-region: Tinogasta Vineyard altitude: 900m-2,700m
Tucuman: Vineyard area: 230 acres Key sub-region: Colalao del Valle Vineyard altitude: 1,700m-2,500m
dizzying 3,112m, making it the world’s at Hallgarten & Novum Wines, which Torrontés is naturally high in acid, and highest vineyard. Foraging pests and an will soon be launching a 100% Tannat bears a passing resemblance to Muscat. It isolated, largely inaccessible terrain are from Piattelli Vineyards in Salta. For thrives in Cafayate’s year-round among the many challenges of cultivating Crozier, El Porvenir de Cafayate, sunsoaked vineyards and sandy-loam at high altitude, but it’s worth the effort. specifically with regards to its 100% soils, with a strong diurnal range owing At such heights, grape skins are naturally Tannat Laborum, has been instrumental to slow ripening and intensely perfumed, thicker, allowing for wines that are in bringing the grape to the attention of concentrated wines. concentrated and intense with typically consumers. “Salta is one of the best places “Torrontés is a very interesting variety – floral aromas. in the world for Tannat,” he says. “It has in Salta it produces a more full bodied an opulence and a richness, and these wine than other regions of Argentina,” OF THE EARTH wines age beautifully. Tannat, like adds Tabron. “However, if not handled Another of Salta’s calling cards is Tannat, Torrontés, is very much a hand sell, but correctly, the resulting wine can become a high tannin red variety introduced to when people like Malbec it’s very easy to oily. Particularly in the Cafayate region, the region by immigrants from south- take them to Tannat. They can be a little the grape lends itself very well to some west France, which has become rustic in a good way. They really are of barrel fermentation.” emblematic of the Calchaquí Valley. the earth, these wines, because of the “Tannat is a fantastic alternative to extreme nature of their terroir.” BARREL-FERMENTED Malbec on a wine list; full-bodied, However, it is with the aromatic white Susana Balbo produces a Signature barrel- perfumed and without excessive variety Torrontés – which is native to fermented Torrontés for example, while tannins,” says Beverly Tabron MW, buyer Argentina and not grown anywhere else Piattelli Vineyard’s Torrontés spends two in the world – that Salta is best known for. months in small, first-use French oak “Wines from Salta, Cafayate and barrels. “Tannat and Torrontés are already northern villages have intensity, producing great wines in the region, ‘Power, concentration personality, lots of body and however I believe there is even more and personality: wines concentration,” says sommelier Paz potential for these grapes in the years Levinson. “I love wines that have no oak, ahead,” adds Tabron. from Salta produce some which is a tradition in places such as Salta might account for just 2% of of the most recognisable, Tacuil, Colomé and Cachi, but also those Argentina’s total wine production, but its with a balanced use of oak. Torrontés is a wines are among the most unique. As terroir specific wines unique wine – dry and aromatic. We have Crozier sums up: “Power, concentration fantastic examples from the north.” and personality: wines from Salta produce in the world’ With its unmistakable floral nose and some of the most recognisable, terroir notes of peach, apricot and rose petal, specific wines in the world.”
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MOVING on up Argentina should make Malbec with a sense of place, not turn its back on the grape in a quest for diversity, writes Patrick Schmitt MW
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argentina
UNDERSTANDABLY, WINE producers 1850s, even if the international are fearful of fads – especially when they phenomenon of Malbec plus Argentina is Feature findings concern particular grapes. After all, a vine less than 30 years old. So, Malbec has a takes at least three years before it can historical reason for being, as well as a > Malbec has been grown in yield something good enough to make a commercial one. Mendoza’s soils since the 1850s, wine, and more than a decade to fully Yet there’s still a sense that Argentina’s although the international adapt to a specific site. So if you plant winemakers should be developing grapes phenomenon of Malbec plus something that’s currently in vogue, you other than their most successful variety. Argentina is less than 30 years old. risk both an expensive over-supply and a Be it Bonarda or Bordeaux varieties, when > Since 2002, plantings of Malbec have long-term setback if it falls from favour. it comes to Argentine reds, some in the swelled by 220% to 40,220ha today. Such a threat may explain a tendency to trade are looking beyond Malbec, perhaps > Due to the recent explosion in spread the risks with any vineyard because there’s a fear that the world of vineyard area, 40% of Malbec operation, and plant a range of grapes. wine drinkers will fall out of love with plantings are less than 10 years old. Even when a region or country has the grape, or, more likely, because a > 2017 saw Argentina ship 125 million achieved a notable success with any number of wine writers, producers and litres of Malbec, accounting for 56% single grape, there’s a sense that it specialist buyers want to find something of total exports. must have a broad selection of varieties to different from the mainstream. > Malbec has made Argentine wine draw upon – something else to supply Whatever the reason for seeking distinctive and popular, and the ‘the next big thing’. something else, it is Malbec that has made country should capitalise on such But where there is a natural affinity Argentine wine distinctive and popular. success, rather than trying to push between place and grape, surely it’s better And there’s still so much to do with the other grape varieties. to capitalise on the union and work variety. So, rather than looking at other > The potential for volume growth in towards improving it? Of course it’s grapes from Argentina, the trade at large Malbec is limited by water- sensible to have some fallback if things go should consider how it can do better with availability for further plantings, wrong, but, as they say, one should make the current inimitable offer from this particularly in higher-elevation hay while the sun shines. country. It should think about how it can areas, such as the Uco Valley. premiumise with Malbec. > The cooler 2016 vintage has With that in mind, it was prompted producers to make lighter refreshing to hear wine writer styles of Malbec and embrace the ‘I’m often asked what comes Tim Atkin MW state that the next effects of vintage variation. stage for Argentina won’t > Site expression is beginning to be after Malbec? And my concern some other niche variety, perceptible in Malbec and the range but will revolve around Malbec. of wine styles is multiplying. answer is more Malbec, Speaking at a seminar for 40 but better Malbec’ Masters of Wine as they began an incredible weeklong tour of Argentina in February this year, of Malbec in Argentina, but a massive he said, “I’m often asked what vine pull scheme in the 1970s saw the comes after Malbec? And my figure drop to fewer than 10,000ha by the New Zealand has been clever with answer is more Malbec, but better end of the ‘80s (in line with a falling Sauvignon Blanc. Having pushed this Malbec”. It was a statement designed domestic consumption for wine). grape in connection with Marlborough, in to remind an international audience of The major resurgence in vineyard area the past decade it has refined its style but opinion leaders and a collection of has occurred this century, driven by the stayed with this variety. It has tried new domestic winemakers not to turn market opportunity outside Argentina, winemaking techniques, and gone down their backs on the grape, but to expect particularly in the US, where Malbec has the single-vineyard route to help raise more from it. picked up as the demand for Merlot has prices; the next step may be blends. But, fallen off, according to Hervé Birnie-Scott, it’s sticking with Sauvignon. MORE MALBEC estate director at Terrazas de los Andes. And so to Argentina, where Malbec has But, before considering how to make Leading a Malbec presentation in made the country such a global success. “better Malbec”, let’s look at the Argentina as part of the MW trip in Indeed, Argentina has taken this sidelined possibility of “more Malbec”. Already, February, he said, “The growth in Malbec French grape and made it famous. But, this grape has grown remarkably in plantings came because it has been unlike New Zealand, Argentina’s Argentina, and since 2002 plantings have commercially successful, it is a new connection between variety and site is swelled by 220% to total 40,220 hectares proposal, fruity and easy-to-drink – much more longstanding. Malbec has today. Nevertheless, this is not a historical they say in the US that after Merlot been grown in Mendoza’s soils since the high – in 1960 there were almost 60,000ha came Malbec.” >
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Malbec, regions and Winkler: altitude vs latitude Source: Kaiser et al
Malbec has a vast diversity of flavours according to terroir, says Dr Laura Catena
In fact, he said that Argentine wine local population also consumes a lot of LIMITS TO GROWTH producers “underestimated” the demand white wine as well as reds from other In any case, particularly in new higher- for Malbec, which really accelerated in the grapes, such as Bonarda). elevation areas, the potential for volume first decade of this century, even though it Due to the recent explosion in vineyard growth in Malbec is limited by water- was “triggered by opinion leaders in the area, 40% of Malbec plantings are less availability for plantings. Although as ‘90s”. Giving some numbers, he said that than 10 years old, which Birnie-Scott said much as 70% of Argentine vineyards between 2002 and 2016, the volume of was advantageous. “Half of our Malbec currently employ inefficient flood Malbec exported has increased by 3,600%, vines are younger than 10 years old, irrigation, in the sloping vineyards of the and in value by 1,900%. which is good because we have healthy high quality, high-altitude sites, only drip As for the past year, he mentioned that vineyards with the best selection of vine irrigation is possible. Indeed, it is the 2017 saw Argentina ship 125 million litres material and the plantings are in new advent of this system in Argentina in the of Malbec, accounting for 56% of total high-elevation places – in the ‘80s and ‘90s that has allowed the development of exports. This was worth US$508m, or 63% ‘90s Malbec was at 700-800m altitude, areas such as southern Mendoza’s sought- of shipments by value, with almost 33% now the vineyards are from 900 to 1200m after Uco Valley, where plantings start at of that going to the US, and just under with some as high as 1,600m,” he said. 860m and rise to over 1,600m. 13% to the UK (to mention Argentina’s Such a preference for higher altitude Providing the water for such expansion first and second largest export markets). sites has come about because they have have been wells – as opposed to rivers greater diurnal temperature and channels fueled by meltwater from swings and higher UV levels, as the Andes – although it is now prohibited well as, in general, cooler to take supplies from underground. Due to the recent explosion growing seasons. Together such Norton winemaker, David Bonomi, in vineyard area, 40% of conditions yield Malbec, explained at the same seminar, “Over the depending on when it’s picked, last 15 years more than 15,000 wells have Malbec plantings are less with enhanced concentration, been dug in Mendoza, but, because this balance and complexity. has lowered the water table, in the past than 10 years old Since 2011, he also noted that six years, you can’t dig any more – so the the volume growth in Malbec picture is set.” demand has slowed but value He continued, “There are beautiful areas Such export figures are impressive if one has continued to increase. To further in the Uco Valley that won’t be planted considers that Malbec, despite the drive such a development, he said because you can’t dig a well, so we will enormous growth in plantings, accounts that winemakers were striving to have to do better with what we have.” for less than 20% the total vineyard area “bring something more… we want to Elsewhere, the conversion from flood to in Argentina. (Argentina, unlike showcase a Malbec from specific places, drip-irrigation is not always advisable, neighbouring Chile, has a huge domestic so we can renew the growth, while market of around 100m cases, and its looking for value.” >
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Trade talk: How important is terroir to the marketing of Malbec from Argentina, and why?
José Lovaglio, winemaker, Susana Balbo Wines “Today, terroir is increasingly a component in Argentina marketing, whereas in the past the focus has been on varieties and people. Argentine producers have realised that the connection between styles of a set of wines to a geographical area is important to make the concept or style memorable to the press, trade and end consumer. In the education realm, this link is very important because it becomes part of a common language when comparing different wine regions Trapiche’s chief winemaker Daniel Pi is a across the world. In the current state of things, terroir is the answer to pioneer of single vineyard Malbecs many who ask what is the difference between a US$10 Malbec and a US$30 Malbec. There are many styles and qualities of Malbec. Some due to the adverse affect on existing old are mass-produced, others are the result of unique landscapes. Terroir vine plantings. Such vineyards are used is the best way to communicate such differences.” to the old system of infrequent heavy applications of water by flooding the Magdalena Pesce, marketing manager, Wines Of Argentina soils, which, it is also believed, prevents “In a global context that leans towards the search for differences as a the spread of nematodes and kills way of reaffirming identities, in the last decade a new generation of phylloxera. “When you move to drip restless Argentine producers has turned its gaze to terroir to reveal its irrigation you have to change your influence on wines. And in this ambitious challenge, once again, vineyard – grafting onto rootstocks that Malbec is the key: it has become the tool to understanding each terroir can resist nematodes and drought is an and interpreting the differences. From a marketing point of view, this is obligation,” said Birnie-Scott. the best possible scenario. Terroir is crucial when explaining why In longstanding areas such as the so- Malbec from Argentina is unique and has special characteristics called Primera Zona of Mendoza, depending on where it’s planted. Argentina has given Malbec an producers quite rightly won’t risk losing important place in the global wine scene. It’s a success story, but the stocks of extremely old vines, including full potential of the Malbec Argentino is yet to be discovered.” Malbec, to save water. This area is home to the appellation of Luján de Cuyo, itself Paula Borgo, head winemaker, Bodega Séptima home to the prized GIs Agrelo and Las “We firmly believe that terroir is the next step for the fine wines of Compuertas, which provide grapes from Argentina. With so many beautiful vineyards and so many years of wine ancient vines for some of Argentina’s top culture, terroir will show the potential of what our country can produce. Malbec blends, such as Cheval des Andes. It is also necessary to point out that Malbec is a fantastic grape that So, with water a limiting factor, the has the ability to be part of any of the Argentinean terroirs in such a vineyard area in Argentina is unlikely to great way. Nevertheless, the challenge is to probe the terroirs that expand significantly, especially in the bring about a particular expression depending on height, soil, newer and high-elevation areas. microclimates and culture.” Furthermore, in such places, most plantings tend to be biased towards Anthony Foster MW, senior wine advisor, Algodon Wine Estate Malbec, so there’s little scope for “Malbec is by far the predominant grape at the Algodon Wine Estate. significantly expanding the area of this Warm temperatures during the day and cool nights bring complexity to grape by grafting it onto existing less- the fruit produced. This, coupled to the dry and sandy alluvial soil, fashionable varieties. In any case, as which is rich in minerals, ensures almost no mould or rot of any kind. Birnie-Scott recorded, the period of The combination of these factors brings an exceptional complexity to volume growth in Malbec demand the Malbec grown, and the estate has analysed the quality of fruit was during the first decade of this grown in each of its vineyards and the key parcels are destined for century, not today. their super-premium brands such as Pima. At the top end, the very Combine that slowdown in volume best fruit from 60-year-old vines is carefully selected and the consumption with the fact that the berries micro vinified in new French oak barrels and after ageing not country is reaching its limits of Malbec bottled until the wine is well over two years old. These wines, it is felt, supply, and it’s clear that Argentina needs will last and evolve like old Cahors, and match the top Syrahs of the to focus not so much on “more Malbec”, Northern Rhône.” >
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Malbec plantings in Argentina (2002-2016) Source: Wines of Argentina
45,000 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 Area (hectares) Area 10,000 5,000 38,483.04 19,231.39 21,736.73 26,255.34 31,740.10 36,139.31 39,472.40 20,485.58 22,994.86 24,898.37 27,494.03 18,229.55 35,467.18 40,249.75 28,543.12 0 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
but, as Atkin said, “better Malbec”. Expert on the relationship between Such a development is also important as Malbec flavour and Argentine terroir is Malbec plantings by region other nations start to plant Malbec in a Martin Kaiser, chief agronomist at Doña bid to cash in on the grape’s appeal, Paula Estate. In terms of temperature, he Salta: ignited by Argentina. told the MWs gathered in Argentina that San Juan: 1,226ha (3%) the lower the average during the growing 2,281ha (6%) DISTINCTIVE TRAITS season, the greater prevalence of red fruit Other With that in mind, what makes Argentine and floral components, while higher Malbec distinctive? And how can it take temperatures bring about more spicy and its Malbec offer further upmarket? herbal flavours, so more pepper and Dealing with the former topic, Pablo lavender. Soils also impart specific Cúneo, technical director at Ruca Malén characters, with the more sandy and rocky ground of the Uco Valley bringing more black fruit and herbal flavours to Malbec, while Mendoza: 34,564ha the higher clay content in the Researchers studying Argentine (86% of total) soils of the Lujan de Cuyo Malbec have shown that it has a appear correlated with marmalade flavours. particular taste, recognised Source: Wines of Argentina mainly by red fruits and a floral ALTITUDINAL IMPACT Altitude is of course key to the character, and some spiciness Argentine Malbec expression too, with Birnie-Scott commenting, same degree of latitude. “If you go 80km “Malbec has to have its head in to the west, you are in Champagne [in the clouds to deliver its best terms of climatic equivalent] and if you Winery, said during the MW trip that expression”. Not only does a higher go 80km to the east you are in North studies have highlighted traits in altitude site generally have a cooler Africa,” he said. “Elevation is key; Argentine Malbec not found elsewhere. climate, but also poorer soils, and the way to compensate for latitude is “Researchers studying Argentine Malbec together, these ensure lower yields and a through elevation.” from 2002-2016 have shown that it has a “fruitier expression”. Continuing he added, “Mendoza is at particular taste, recognised mainly by red It’s also altitude that compensates for the 33rd parallel south, and at this fruits and a floral character, and some latitude in Argentina. Speaking from the latitude vineyards need to be above 600m spiciness, and that the taste differs Terrazas de los Andes winery in to have a cultivation that’s worth it. depending on the conditions where it is Mendoza’s Lujan de Cuyo, Birnie-Scott Within Mendoza you can go from planted,” he said. illustrated the effect of elevation along the Winkler I, the climate of Burgundy, all >
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Trade talk: How important is terroir to the marketing of Malbec from Argentina, and why?
Santiago Galli, marketing director, Bodega Norton “Within the upscale wine industry, in Bodega Norton we believe that the importance of terroir is key to the marketing of Argentinian Malbec wines for various reasons. By describing our unique terroir we can deliver to our consumers a compelling reason to believe that Malbec wines from Argentina have no competition. The richness of the soil, the altitude at 800-3,000 meters above sea level at the foothills of the Andes, and the climate with 300 days of sunlight and controlled Mendoza is at the 33rd parallel south, but irrigation; are just some examples of why our terroir is so different vineyards are located at more than 500m compared to other parts of the world. Our consumers need to understand that they can find very different the way to Winkler 5, which is the Malbec profiles within different regions in Argentina. From the north to equivalent to the warmest areas of Spain. the south of the country there are more than 2,000 kilometers of That’s possible in a few km due to different terroirs where one can segment the Malbecs from smooth, altitude, but elsewhere you would have to fresh and fruity to stronger and bolder ones. fly thousands of kilometres.” Argentinian Malbecs still have so much to give, as we are just As for Malbec styles, he said the Winkler scratching the surface of this great variety. By continuing to educate 5 climates of Mendoza were good for people on Argentina’s terroir, consumers around the world will be able higher-production “entry-point” wines, to discover and unlock Malbec’s endless charm.” while the higher elevation sites with less fertile soils were geared towards higher Mónica Caamaño, marketing manager, Trivento Winery quality expressions. With all styles valid, “Malbec has a strong Argentine identity. This seductive variety appeals depending on price point, he summed up, both to those who enjoy a fruity and fresh style as well as those that “It highlights the plasticity of Malbec”. prefer a more full-bodied and complex wine. Mendoza is already well established in Malbec shoppers’ minds, and EARLIER HARVESTING now they are beginning to understand that particular sub-regions like But with almost no rainfall during the Lujan de Cuyo and Tupungato can offer different things within the growing season in the majority of Mendoza appellation. Argentina’s wine regions, producers can Terroirs are associated to exclusivity, scarcity and value, therefore to choose to pick late, harvesting, should produce Malbec from a specific terroirs or micro-terroirs contributes to they desire, sweet and very ripe fruit, the prestige of this grape around the world. even in cooler, high-elevation areas. Malbec flavour profiles are as diverse as the micro-terroirs we can However, today’s trend is to take fruit develop. From a marketing point of view, the richness in terms of from the vine before sugar levels get too communication messages is huge. We can share with the consumer high and flavours become baked, the various effects of microclimates, innovation, sensory profiles, soils, according to Birnie-Scott. “The future for complexity, styles and so on.” Argentina is to harvest at the proper time, so the wines don’t have too much alcohol, Lucia Mallea, marketing manager, Viña Doña Paula and we can showcase complexity.” “Terroir is a key factor in the marketing of Malbec from Argentina. The Accelerating such a switch to earlier place of origin, the soil and climate, and the winemaker gives each picking to create fresher styles of Malbec wine its own identity. In Argentina, much research has been done on have been more recent wetter vintages, terroir, however there is still a lot to do. Our country has an ancient according to Cúneo. “After 2015 we wine-growing tradition of more than 500 years. However, it was not started to have more wet weather during until 20 or 30 years ago that we started to study our terroirs in depth. the harvest and that has pushed us to pick Lately, very important studies have been conducted to understand how grapes earlier so there was no risk of climate and soil conditions affects Malbec. We are now able to talk rotten fruit; that has changed the strategy about the differences of a Malbec coming from Gualtallary or El Cepillo, and the wines are starting to be marked two great wine regions in the Uco Valley. This has allowed us to more strongly by the year.” improve the quality and style of our wines. In particular, he revealed how 2016 was Now the challenge is to be able to communicate all the knowledge “a cool year with a low alcohol content in we have of our terroirs in a simple, approachable and consistent way.” >
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THE WINE RANGE Pasionado wines: these reflect the ultimate expression of Andeluna’s rocky and chalky terroir in Gualtallary. Intense and complex wines with minerality and a high ANDELUNA: natural acidity, they are made in very limited quantities. Andeluna Altitud wines: Andeluna is an 80-hectare winery at 1,300m altitude these boast high concentration, structure, aromatic complexity, in the sub-region of Gualtallary in the Uco Valley minerality, fresh acidity and a long finish. They have great ANDELUNA IS a family owned business, environment for producing complex persistence on the palate. founded in 2003 with the vision of being quality wines. Andeluna follows Andeluna 1300 wines: these recognised as one of the top producers of principles of responsibility and stand out for their intense high quality wines in Argentina. The sustainability of resources, and its wines colour and fresh fruit winery is located in the rocky terroir of are faithful representations of their expression. On the palate they Gualtallary in Tupungato, Mendoza, at an homelands of origin. The winery is are soft, velvety and fresh, with elevation of 1,300 metres; a perfect certified with GMP and ISO 22000. mineral notes and good balance. 32-44 ArgentinaLS_Layout 1 01/08/2018 17:59 Page 42
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to showcase site specifics. “We realised 10-12 years ago that if we keep just selling 40 MWs tour Argentina Malbec and delivering very good friendly wines we were giving a feeling to the Earlier this year, Argentina played market that Argentina is just a big ocean host to 40 Masters of Wine to create of generic Malbec,” he began. “But then “new ambassadors” for the country, we started to understand the different according to Trapiche’s Duncan Keen, places, and the winemakers also who masterminded the trip. During developed the confidence to do less – we an opening address on 17 February at have amazingly different terroirs but the Trapiche’s winery outside the city of over-ripe, over-extracted, over-oaked Mendoza, Keen outlined his wines will mask that,” he added. motivation for inviting more than Looking ahead, Antonini stated that 40 MWs to visit Argentina. Producers are harvesting earlier to to Argentina didn’t need to move on from Stressing that the country must express the footprint of each year Malbec to offer more to the market. “It is continue on a drive to raise its average not the grape variety that creates bottle prices in both domestic and general”. Looking back, Birnie-Scott said diversity, but the different terroirs that export markets, he said that he wanted that a drive to pick “super ripe fruit was create a wider range of wines – if you to show the visiting MWs how it is hiding the effect of the year”, but, more think of Burgundy, there is only one red “premiumising its offer”. He also said recently, and especially since the “rainy and one white grape.” By way of that the MWs should be able to help and cool” 2016 vintage, producers have example, when speaking about the sites Argentina raise awareness for its changed their approach. “We are he works with in the Uco Valley, he higher-end products once they fully harvesting al dente and we are not afraid added, “We could have 3-4 appellations understand the quality and range of to have a year with higher acidity, a in 5-6 hectares.” wines being made today. “We need cooler year; we are not looking for body- For Atkin, “better Malbec” will also be help with premiumisation, and we building wines – we want to express the one “with more of a sense of place”. believe that working with the Institute footprint of every year.” However, Atkin said that Argentina was of Masters of Wine is one of the ways,” still defining how Malbec style varies he said. Commenting that both the EXPRESSING TERROIR according to particular areas. “We are visiting MWs and Argentine wine Of course, the other major change only just starting to get to a stage where producers stand to benefit from the concerning Argentine Malbec is the you can tell them [regional expressions of week-long programme of winery identification of different expressions Malbec] apart, so we are starting to say visits and masterclasses, he added, based not just on political boundaries but that it tastes like it’s from La Consulta, or “We think Argentina has undergone a specific GIs (Geographic Indicators), as Agrelo or Gualtallary, and the differences transformation in the last few years well as distinctive single vineyards. are just as marked for different places for and we believe we can boost your Supporting the sentiment that Argentina Malbec as they are in Burgundy for Pinot knowledge.” He also said that the should continue to focus on Malbec, but Noir; it’s just a case of being attuned to events during this week were develop the quality and diversity of it,” he said. groundbreaking in Argentina, as they wines made from this single grape, was But there’s a further evolution taking had brought together producers. Italian consultant winemaker Alberto place to enhance the complexity of “Here we want to work in a different Argentina’s Malbec offer – and way, where the sub-regions are more that’s Malbec in blends. Having important than the wineries. The sub- showed attendees of the regions are where the wines come ‘Malbec has to have its head Argentina tour a blend of Malbec from; the wineries come later – for in the clouds to deliver its and Cabernet Franc from example, we will have a masterclass Gualtallary in the Uco Valley, now with 20 wines, and only one best expression’ Andrés Rosberg, president of the comes from Trapiche,” he said. Argentine Sommelier Selecting the wines and helping to Association (AAS), said that this choose the themes of the masterclasses Antonini, who first stepped foot on combination was proving particularly were a committee of independent Argentine soils in 1995 and “fell in love popular. “Cabernet Franc and Malbec experts, comprising Argentine with the place immediately”. As a partner blends from Uco are hitting the sweet sommeliers Paz Levinson and Andrés in Mendoza’s Altos las Hormigas winery, spot,” he said. Rosberg, along with MWs Tim Atkin he addressed the MWs in Argentina in “Only around 800ha of Cabernet Franc and Madeleine Stenwreth. February, highlighting a more hands-off are planted in Argentina and yet it has a approach to Malbec-making in an attempt huge reputation – but that’s because it has >
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Trade talk: How important is terroir to the marketing of Malbec from Argentina, and why?
Anne Bousquet, owner, Domaine Bousquet “Terroir is becoming essential to guide consumers about Argentinian Malbec quality and style. This has been especially true over the last 20 years as new regions like Uco Valley and its sub-regions started to emerge. Malbec has different styles and flavours depending on the area, with the areas characterised by the altitude and type of soil and the difference in temperature between day and night. Paul Hobbs is one of several wine Lujan de Cuyo and Maipú are warm areas where Malbec is more fruit consultants to fall in love with Argentina driven, Uco Valley areas such us Gualtallary, Altamira and Vista Flores are high altitude regions therefore cooler in climate. The Bousquet been planted in the right place and it’s in family chose Gualtallary, one of the Uco Valley’s sub-regions, 20 years the hands of the right producers, so it is ago to establish its vineyard and winery, because of Gualtallary’s making a noise for Argentina,” he added. exceptional terroir. Small variations in terroir can create unique profiles And in general, Bordeaux varieties, for each of the micro regions of Argentina, and it is essential to use particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit different profiles of Malbec in marketing to help the consumer Verdot, pair well with Malbec, recreating understand Malbec’s versatility among Argentina’s different terroirs.” the historic pre-phylloxera blends of the Medoc, save for Carmenère (so Martin Navesi, head of marketing, Grupo Peñaflor emblematic of neighbouring Chile). “Terroir is probably the most important factor where marketing and But while such blends are welcome and communication efforts are needed in order to continue establishing our high quality additions to Argentina’s next flagship variety as a member of the top quality wines produced in the stage – Malbec 2.0 – they can cloud the world. Malbec is incredibly versatile, and it can produce very different terroir story, which is, at present, best told styles of wines within a couple of kilometers of distance. I believe that through one grape. Thankfully Malbec the main challenge for Argentine wineries, undoubtedly champions of grows widely and easily in Argentine soil, Malbec and its diversity, is to communicate clearly and in a simple and, if handled sensitively in the vineyard manner the different styles consumers can get from our Malbecs, not and cellar, will clearly convey the effect of only throughout the sub-regions of the acclaimed Uco Valley, but also in soil and climate, both of which are Salta, Catamarca, San Juan, Buenos Aires and many other sub-regions modified by elevation. that will surely come to the map.” So, while Argentina does need to diversify its offer to take its wines Dr Laura Catena, managing director, Bodega Catena Zapata upmarket and excite wine collectors, it “I am glad you are asking this question and not the usual: ‘What comes doesn’t need to plant other varieties to do after Malbec?’ Malbec is an ancient variety which, like Pinot Noir, dates so. Malbec may not be the Pinot of back to Roman times and later became the main grape in Bordeaux Argentina in style, but in terms of during the 18th and early 19th centuries. It was replaced by Merlot and transmitting terroir, it is just as good as more Cabernet Sauvignon because Malbec was very susceptible to that great grape of Burgundy. Antonini early frost and Europe was going through the ‘Little Ice Age’. and Atkin are right: if the Côte d’Or can In Argentina, Malbec found its home in the 19th century, but again, it create such a rich hierarchy of red wines might have remained in total obscurity were it not for my father daring with one variety, then so too can a place to make a high-end Malbec, and selling it all over the world in the early as rugged and varied as Argentina. It’s 1990s. So Malbec is a classic variety with an extraordinary history of just that Burgundy has been practising for near-extinction and rebirth in Argentina, that shows beautiful elegance significantly longer. Indeed, as Antonini and flavour diversity depending on where it is grown, just like Pinot said of site-specific Malbecs from Noir does. So to answer your question, I think that terroir in addition to Argentina, “We are still at the very history and vine population are essential in the marketing of Malbec. early stages.” Malbec is not just a new kid on the block. It’s an ancient classic variety But, if that’s the case, then there’s even that grows extremely well in a few places and has an extraordinary less cause for Argentina to develop other diversity of flavours according to terroir. Malbec from some soils and grapes. Rather, it’s the country’s strongest locations, like Gualtallary and Altamira, is also age-worthy.” reason to stick with Malbec. db
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PRIDE AND prejudice
Technology in the closures industry has come on apace, with proponents of each type of seal excitied about their own stoppers. James Lawrence speaks to industry experts and finds out whether closures affect how a wine is perceived
“PREJUDICE IS a great time saver,” surely that of wine closures. Screwcap sustainability. Meanwhile, despite initial observed the American journalist and natural cork, the two dominant concerns about the excessive levels of E.B.White. “You can form opinions players in the world’s closure market, reduction (recent innovation for without having to get the facts.” Few have made significant technological screwcaps has centred about finessing sommeliers would challenge this axiom, advancements in recent times, not least in liners to allow for different oxygen- however, if there was ever a topic that the eradication of TCA contamination in transmission rates), Stelvin technology requires impartial analysis, then it is cork, and greater emphasis on has proved itself to be durable, reliable
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Feature findings
> Screwcap and natural cork, the two dominant players in the world’s and affordable. Yet when Domaine has almost totally eradicated fears of TCA closure market, have made Laroche announced that it was returning contamination when purchasing cork- significant technological to natural cork for the majority of its sealed wine,” insists Carlos de Jesus, advancements in recent times, not wines from the 2013 vintage onwards, marketing director of Amorim, who least in the eradication of TCA becoming the first producer to adopt recently revealed that the company aims contamination in cork. Amorim’s NDTech technology, it was a to totally eradicate TCA in the billions of > The total UK on-trade distribution of decision largely based on consumer corks it produces by 2020. wines sealed under cork is on the prejudice. Elaborating on the brand’s rise, growing by 48% since 2015, change of heart, Sandrine Audegond, KEY GROWTH MARKET compared with a 10% uplift for head of the domaine’s fine wine division, He continues: “Australia is a classic artificial closures. conceded that the ingrained Gallic example. When you go back 15 years, the > Consumers in different markets prejudice towards screwcap wines had forecast for cork was anything but around the world and for wines forced the firm’s hand. Closures, it seems, optimistic. Firms such as Australia’s at various price points favour is a topic that elicits strong emotions. Amcor were booming and cork was different closures, with drinkers “There is still a certain bias towards cork losing valuable market share. Yet today of high-end tipples tending to closures in many traditional markets,” Australia is one of our key growth plump for cork. says Audegond. The move was markets. People are returning to cork in > Occasion also comes into play – particularly pertinent, as Domaine droves, not least because it drives a there’s still a sense of ceremony Laroche was the first top-end Burgundian higher overall quality perception of around a cork. producer to switch to screwcap. Indeed, what’s in the bottle.” in 2010, at the time of Laroche’s initial Amorim sold 5.4 billion corks in 2017 and the total UK on-trade distribution of wines sealed for the ‘liberal’ consumer, achieving under cork is on the rise, parity with Scandinavia in terms of ‘Over the past five years a growing by 48% since 2015 consumer openness. “Both screwcaps and (compared with a 10% uplift for natural cork are now equally accepted growing number of premium artificial closures), suggesting an and liked by UK consumers,” says Lulie wine producers, including increased interest in offering Halstead, a senior analyst at Wine wines closed with a cork. Intelligence. “Compared with 2013, a several wineries in California, According to CGA Strategy, cork- higher proportion of UK regular wine stoppered labels retail for an drinkers are open to buying wine with a have moved back to cork’ average of £5.38 more in the on- screwcap closure, although affinity for the trade, suggesting that diners are three key closure types has remained willing to pay more for the stable since 2015,” she says. theatre inherent to the time- Nevertheless, making generalisations announcement to make the move, many honoured tradition of pulling a cork. about the attitudes of British consumers industry commentators, including Robert “Overall, these figures suggest wines to closures is difficult at best. Many Parker, were predicting the slow death of sealed with a cork may well be starting to factors come into play, and discussions cork and the glorious rise of Stelvin show signs of ‘premiuminisation’ in terms with UK sommeliers and wine buyers closures worldwide. of consumer and licensee behaviour,” reveal a nuanced picture. However, over the past five years a says Mark Newton, senior development Christine Parkinson, group head of wine growing number of premium wine manager at CGA. After losing its for the Hakkasan Group, believes that the producers, including Rusden Wines in the monopoly on the closures market because prestige on-trade, by and large, rarely Barossa Valley and several wineries in of fears surrounding cork taint, cork is takes the closure into account, although California, have moved back to cork. New now apparently winning the PR war. she concedes that her guests are seldom Zealand’s Sacred Hill has also returned to However, the picture that emerges from exposed to super-premium wines bottled cork for some wines, a pioneering move the gatekeepers of the UK wine market is with Stelvin. because New Zealand is still a country far more complex, indicating a divergence overwhelmingly committed to screwcap. of attitudes towards wines bottled under “Technological advancements, coupled screwcap and cork. Wine Intelligence with great consumer and trade awareness reports that the UK leads the vanguard >
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Trade talk: Despite the focus on technical performance, is it image that plays the greatest role in stopper selection? And how much does this differ according to the trade channel?
Elena Zaharieva, director investor relations, Herti JSC “Building a distinguished brand and creating a good image is a long process and once you have it, you should work hard to keep and improve it. The image of a company, whether good or bad, is the reason for its success or failure. Technical performance and high quality are an absolute must. And if you are constant in offering a high- quality product and giving good technical support to your customers, then you earn a good image that works in your favour. No matter how you reach your customers, once you have achieved a good reputation, your name preceeds you. Image plays a big role in stopper selection, and when entering new markets Herti strives to use its reputation to earn the loyalty of new customers.”
Carlos de Jesus, director of marketing and communications, Cork is harvested by hand Amorim & Irmaos “There is no doubt that the ‘theatre’ of pulling a cork at a restaurant “We experience no prejudice against table increases the anticipation of what is in the bottle. Research by screwcapped wine in our restaurants. I Oxford University indicates that consumers are influenced by the ‘pop’ made a point of checking this with our of a cork being pulled when judging the quality of the wine. Similar sommeliers at Hakkasan Mayfair, which research in other countries has shown that wines closed by cork can seems to have plenty of older, more increase in value by up to US$5.15 (£3.93). In the UK, this cork-closed discerning guests. If we were going to premium image can rise to up to £5.38 in the on-trade, where sales have a problem anywhere, I think it have increased by 17% year-on-year. But image alone is not enough. A would be there, but it’s not a problem at successful stopper must also provide trustworthy technical all,” says Parkinson. performance and responsible sustainability, as well as added value for She continues: “However, only around the consumer. This is what cork delivers in spades.” 20% of our wines are under screwcap, at mainly low to medium price points. If the Bruno de Saizieu, vice president sales and marketing, wine is good, we are perfectly happy to Diam Bouchage have a screwcap on it. We have had very “For a long time, wine closure quality was erratic and selection of a few problems with people wanting to see good closure relied on the visual aspect. Now, winegrowers and a cork. Our restaurants around the world oenologists know that they can rely on good cork closures that will no have quite different experiences, and it’s longer risk their wines deteriorating and will help them in the evolution clear that there is far less prejudice here in process. This has led to the success of Diam, now accepted by the UK than in some other markets – our importers distributors and consumers who know that Diam and Mytik biggest challenge with screwcaps seems corks preserve the aromas and the evolution of the wines. An to be the US.” increasing number of iconic wines have switched to Diam closures.”
Lucie Neubauerova, trade and communication manager, Amcor “Image and technical performance go hand in hand, based on market trends reflected by individual trade channels. Take restaurants: serving ‘If the wine is good, we wine by the glass from a bottle closed with an aluminium closure is are perfectly happy to more convenient than a cork stopper, as an aluminium cap is easier to open, close and reopen. Restaurant owners are asking suppliers for have a screwcap on it. We aluminium closures. Brand owners who switch to aluminium closures have had very few for this reason must ensure that the closure conveys the brand image, through advanced decoration of the closure, or by choosing premium problems with people aluminium closures such as Stelvin Lux. The industry is so brand conscious that it’s hard to imagine a brand owner who would wanting to see a cork’ compromise on image for technical performance or vice versa. Both can be achieved with aluminium closures.” >
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Bespoke branding
In keeping with the current trend for personalisation, glass closure maker Vinolok has expanded its offering so that its clients can customise their stoppers to increase brand awareness and help brands stand out from the crowd in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Vinolok offers the chance to choose from a variety of different Pantone shades, meaning greater shelf standout and brand continuity that fits seamlessly with a bottle’s label design. The sealing ring of the closure can also be produced in a variety of colours. “The chance to have the name of your brand printed on the top of the closure is another way to enhance the presentation of your products,” says Vinolok’s marketing manager, Katerina Slezáková. Another Millennials are receptive to drinking wine bottled with screwcaps innovation from Vinolok allows customers to combine glass and metal in their closures, and also glass and Carlos de Jesus points out that while millennial consumers may actually prefer wood via the company’s new ‘Woody’ many UK consumers may be open to screwcaps. “Younger regular wine collection – an industry first. Vinolok buying screwcap wines, there remains a drinkers are more likely to reject natural is part of the Preciosa Group, a world- preference for cork-sealed expressions at cork closures than other wine drinkers in leading producer of cut crystal. the top of the market. “We must the UK, and, compared with 2013, differentiate between acceptance and significantly more of those between 18-24 preference in this discussion,” he says. are likely to accept screwcap closures,” “After all, I accept the brand of car I she says. drive, but I’d much rather own a Porsche. But as one would expect, for every I don’t believe significant prejudice, definitive opinion from one member of particularly among younger consumers, the trade, there is an opposite view. Layton’s wine buyer, Peter Mitchell MW, argues that nationality, rather than age, is the ‘For everyday wine, screwcaps key determining factor in have little impact on sales; gauging likely consumer reaction one of nationality and culture. Many of to screwcap. “Screwcaps are not our French, Italian, Middle Eastern and indeed, they may even help a factor when buying wine. Some Asian customers are not keen on slightly as the consumer belief of the cheaper hard plastic corks screwcap wines – British consumers in I would not accept, but I have no our shops are mostly fine with screwcap.” is the wine will be fresher and issues with screwcap,” he says. Meanwhile, the casual on-trade is firmly they are easier to open’ He continues: “For everyday committed to screwcap closures, wine, screwcaps have little according to Fuller’s senior wine buyer, impact; indeed, they may even Neil Bruce. “In terms of sheer volume, help sales slightly as the exists in the UK market, but cork is consumer belief is the wine will be fresher preferred for certain wine styles when it is and they are easier to open. For more available to people.” expensive wine, screwcaps have varying Lulie Halstead’s research on age leads influence depending on the customer. It is her to a stronger conclusion, arguing that less an age-related difference but rather >
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Trade talk: Despite the focus on technical performance, is it image that plays the greatest role in stopper selection? And how much does this differ according to the trade channel?
Fabrice Chevallet, vice president sales and marketing
Photo Courtesy: Kelly Puleio Kelly Photo Courtesy: Europe, Vinventions “Wine closure image doesn’t matter to consumers. Wine consumers want to enjoy wines with no TCA, no glue, no inconsistencies, no bad surprises, and without misleading communications about the ecological standing of the products they purchase. Image and market perceptions about ‘natural corks’ are constantly miscommunicated. For instance, a micro-agglomerate consisting of 40% polyurethane glue is not a true natural cork. We already see the industry adapting to the tectonic shifts in consumer demands, with ‘image’ being shaped by true performance. The market will see three packaging options in the coming years: an alternative to glass bottles adapting to consumption occasions; glass bottles with screwcaps; and glass bottles with sustainable high-performance inner-seal closures that guarantee no TCA, oxidation, reduction or breakage.” Shelley Lindgren Paolo Boratto, marketing manager, Tapì around half of our still wine sales are in “Packaging design tends to focus attention on aesthetics and the screwap. Where we can choose or have development of creative concepts that can enhance product perception some influence over closure type, our and build a brand identity. Closures, which Tapì considers essentially preferred option is screwcap, followed by design objects, are no exception. They are pleasing to the eye and to Diam if it is cork. A single piece cork is the touch, and the materials, assembly techniques and technological probably our last choice, where we have systems adopted to produce them make them structurally innovative. the option,” he says. “I’m convinced However, the technical and functional standards must be just as high to consumers are very happy to have a ensure that the closure is not only practical to use and highly resistant, screwcap wine of any quality or price but also ensures perfect product preservation.” level. I would be amazed in 15 years’ time if top-end Burgundies and clarets were João Rui Ferreira, chairman, The Portuguese Cork Association, still sealed predominantly with a single “Quality wine and cork stoppers have gone hand in hand for centuries. bit of old bark, with its inherent Natural cork stoppers remain the only closure that provides the perfect variability. Why on earth would environment for wine to age. The superior image of cork is rooted in its consumers want that lottery approach to technical performance, which no artificial closure has been able to expensive, cellared wine?” emulate, match or exceed. It is an impermeable natural material, San Francisco-based sommelier Shelley allowing wine to age without deteriorating, and its elasticity allows the Lindgren believes it depends on the closure to adapt to the neck of the bottle as it changes with the wine’s colour as to whether consumers temperature. The long-standing partnership between natural cork are open to screwcaps or not. “It seems closures and premium wine has intrinsically led consumers to have a screwcaps are not an issue for consumers quality image of cork."
Federica Maltauro, marketing manager, Labrenta “We believe that the image of a product is essential to capturing ‘It seems screwcaps are consumer attention. Together with the customer and targeted research, not an issue when it our designers experiment with materials and technologies to create unique and customised closures. At Labrenta, each customer’s product comes to white and rosé and its brand are managed with individuality in mind. The trade channel can play a key role in the image of the closure. Unfortunately, wines, but consumers are packaging in places such as mass-market retailers is not valued, with less open to them for people who shop there looking for a good price-to-quality ratio rather than a premium product.” higher-end reds’ >
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market share. “We definitely know that Vinolok helps people’s products to sell because of the overall packaging,” says Slezáková. “The glass nubs are eye- catching and reusable, which is an important consideration in the ongoing sustainability debate. Of course, Vinolok is still a niche proposition in the overall closures market, but brand awareness is growing as sales rise.” Screwcaps are popular for picnics Ultimately though, reaching any definitive conclusions on attitudes to when it comes to white and rosé wines, these. Screwcaps are widely accepted by closures is no easy task. The obvious but they are less open to them for higher- our customers, so I wouldn’t say there is summation, based on considerable end reds. For some reason, it causes any prejudice towards them in the UK.” anecdotal evidence from both sectors of speculation about the wine’s quality not the trade, is that a stark polarisation being pristine,” Lindgren explains. SCREWCAP CONVENIENCE remains. Many buyers in the casual on- However, in the off-trade – both at His sentiments strike a chord with Emma trade and multiples prefer screwcap for multiples and independents – a growing Dawson MW, wine buyer for the Marks & reasons of consumer convenience – a number of buyers are taking an interest in Spencer Group. She argues that as the strong marketing hook. screwcaps, regardless of the wine’s majority of supermarket wine purchased Pockets of prejudice clearly exist colour. Buyer James Reed says: “At is consumed on the same day, towards cork, while ‘everyday’ drinkers Majestic we have no real bias on choice of convenience drives many consumers to seem increasingly open to screwcaps. closure. In some instances, I have seek out screwcap wines over cork. “The decision to move to screwcap was personally opted for screwcap when “If you strip out sparkling, fortified and easy,” says Nigel Greening, owner of given the choice – there are fewer ullage fine wine, and examine our core range of Felton Road. “The wines tasted better, issues, and the ease of drinking the wines 363 wines, then 202 are bottled under were more reliable and had no TCA or at picnics or parties is a real draw for screwcap, while 161 are under cork. This premox, which I think is even more many. I can only speak for Majestic percentage has been growing significantly important than the TCA issue. The most customers, but the level of education over the years, and we expect the trend convincing evidence comes when tasting around screwcap far outweighs any towards screwcap to continue,” she says. older bottles, especially whites. However, lingering preconceptions around closures. “We ask our producers to move to if one can find it, a perfect cork is Our customers are a savvy bunch and this screwcap if we think it is the style of wine indistinguishable from a screwcap.” has even given us the confidence to that benefits from it. We hear anecdotally Greening says he has never had a launch a screwtop Prosecco this year, from our store wine advisors that sommelier decline to list his wines which has been extremely well received.” customers like the convenience of because of screwcap, and that his private screwcaps, particularly in our clients have expressed a preference for ‘food on the move’ format stores screwcap closures. or rail/airport locations. Overall, But casting a shadow over this appraisal ‘The decision to move to I think screwcaps have hit the is the fact that the vast majority of fine screwcap was easy. The wines mainstream for a long time now, wine – particularly from Europe – is but the attitude of consumers bottled under cork. Therefore a real test of tasted better, were more reliable does shift by price point. We hear consumer ‘tolerance’ towards screwcap in and had no TCA or premox, that for premium and giftable this segment is yet to come – much will wines or sparkling wines, depend on the decisions taken by luxury which I think is even more customers want traditional wine producers over the next decade. packaging, including a cork, as a Moreover, companies such as Sacred Hill important than the TCA issue’ reassurance of quality.” inadvertently reinforce consumer The growing importance of prejudice about screwcap wines being innovative closure technology ‘good value’, by only using cork for their Pierre Mansour, head of buying at The such as Vinolok must also be considered. more expensive labels. Wine Society, adds: “The closure type According to Vinolok’s marketing does not factor into our buying process. manager, Katerina Slezáková, sales of the In extreme cases, where certain closure glass closure have grown by almost 30% types may lead to quality control issues, over the past six months, although the UK we specify that suppliers do not use accounts for less than 5% of its total >
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Trade talk: Despite the focus on technical performance, is it image that plays the greatest role in stopper selection? And how much does this differ according to the trade channel?
Greg Hirson, senior director of technical services, Cork Supply USA “Just like corks, each customer is unique. For some customers, the visual appearance of the cork is the most important feature, and for others, it is the sensory or technical qualities. With the advances made The Majestic Loves range is in technical solutions for TCA screening, some customers have traded closed with screwcaps appearance for a TCA free guarantee, some have increased the resources they are allocating to closures and some are maintaining “When speaking with my friends visual appearance and guaranteeing against TCA simultaneously. Very outside the wine industry, they associate few are trading a TCA free guarantee for a better appearance.” high quality wines with cork and inexpensive ones with screwcap,” says Katerina Slezáková, marketing manager, Vinolok Piotr Pietras MS, head sommelier at “The role of packaging and design is very important. Each product London restaurant Hide. One can point to must be competitive, and packaging offers an opportunity to stand out. Château Margaux’s 10-year ageing The closure itself is just a part of the overall packaging. In our case, the experiment with cork, screwcaps and glass closure is very attractive for consumers, who associate it with a synthetic closures to see which performed premium brand. The wine market is still very conservative but is the best, but the likelihood of Margaux becoming more open to new technologies and experiences. We know embracing screwcap for its grand vin that Vinolok and packaging can help a brand or product to sell. We remains slim. have had experiences of selling the same wine with a different Occasion also comes into play – there’s closures and the Vinolok closure has won.” still a sense of ceremony around a cork, just as screwcaps are associated with ease José Silva, CEO, MA Silva and convenience. Expensive claret is “Technology and image play an important role when it comes to rarely imbibed on a daily basis, and many closure selection. The technical performance contributes to the sommeliers admit that they prefer the enhancement of the product’s image and value, along with many other ceremony associated with cork. key credentials. The value performance in price per bottle has grown “I think it is highly unlikely that both 48% since 2015 for wine sealed with cork in the UK on-trade. Senses the Burgundians and Bordelais will turn have an important role, whether it concerns the perceived visual to screwcap in large numbers,” says quality of a product, whether it addresses the festive sound of the a Pietras. “When it comes to classic bottle being opened, or by the association with social moments; a cork premium wine regions, I believe that a stopper is always linked to special occasions.” move towards screwcap wouldn’t be positively received, regardless of a Ron Angold, business development manager, Trefinos USA consumer’s age, unless cork becomes a “Image plays a very important role when it comes to stopper selection rare commodity.” and its importance commonly correlates to bottle pricing. Higher-end It’s a plausible argument. Even in a wines – US$30 and above – generally have a more educated market as dynamic as the UK, consumer who expects to pull out a pristine natural cork. Wines investment-grade wines sealed under ranging from US$10 to US$30 still place emphasis on closure image, screwcap are rarities. While screwcaps but this is where we start to see a large volume of ‘technical corks’ like have an obvious appeal at retail and in our CWINE line of micro-agglomerated closures that are guaranteed
the casual on-trade, the luxury segment – TCA free by using Super Critical CO2 or Molecular Volatilisation and consumers in the market for extraction technologies. These offer consumers an acceptable image of expensive wine – will continue to show ‘romance and tradition’ but allow wineries to guarantee their mass- deference to cork-sealed wines for the distributed wines are reaching each consumer in the way the foreseeable future. db winemaker intended by using a closure that has a controlled oxygen- transfer rate. Wineries have access to more closure options than ever before but the consumer has spoken – they prefer a closure made from natural cork. It is our responsibility to ensure we keep pushing the boundaries on new technologies that deliver an exceptional, natural and renewable product at a competitive price.”
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THE LONG VIEW of a narrow land
While Chile may be known for its good quality supermarket wines, there is so much more to this young wine-producing country than that. db recently held a pair of masterclasses to show its range of exciting expressions. By Patrick Schmitt MW
SUCH IS the extraordinary diversity of inexpensive Cabernet and Sauvignon audiences, who comprised a mixture Chile’s wine scene, any attempt to Blanc, but there are so many facets to the of retailers, press and sommeliers encapsulate it in 90 minutes will always country’s wine offer. Not only that, but in Manchester and Edinburgh, and present a challenge. But that was the aim there has been so much change in this their environs. of two masterclasses we conducted in the nation in past decade that even the most With that in mind, we asked for a show UK last month. dedicated of Chilean wine lovers will find of hands to the following statements, to Billed as an introduction to Chile ‘from that there are things even they didn’t see how many agreed. First, the majority the very top to the downright hot’, they know about. of the audience raised their arms when it were educational events designed to As with all wine-producing places, was stated: “Chile makes great pub and showcase the wonderful richness of this preconceptions abound, and we felt it was supermarket wine.” Rather fewer were South American nation. After all, Chile important at the outset to see how then put up when it was said that “The may be famous for first-rate relatively widespread they were among our trade wines are reliably good but not exciting”,
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and, similarly, just a few were winemaking of any single nation. And outstretched when we said: “Chile makes one more point: Chile is home to more The masterclasses few terroir-driven fine wines.” Then came than 500 active volcanos – so, for those the last statement. “Chile is the most who believe that newly fashionable > the drinks business and Wines of Chile dynamic wine-producing country in the volcanic wines can only be sourced from hosted two masterclasses in southern hemisphere?” For this, attendees Italy, Greece or Tenerife, you can now add Manchester and Edinburgh, were unsure whether to agree or not, and Chile to your list. presented by db editor-in-chief it was clear that it was time to prove how Patrick Schmitt MW. exciting Chilean wine is right now. GROWING ECONOMY > Available to the trade, both After all, there are few wine-producing Because of time constraints, we chose not masterclasses showcased a selection nations that have undergone such a rate to dwell on Chile’s history or political of the country’s top wines, and ran of change as Chile; few with such an urge situation, except to say that most of its from 10:30am to 12pm. Each was to explore to the full all that’s on offer population is based in Santiago and it’s a followed by a free-pour tasting. viticulturally; few with such a brilliant stable country with a growing economy, > The Manchester masterclass took present, but a potential that is so exciting; with some dubbing it ‘the Switzerland of place on 2 July at the Midland Hotel, and few places where the image is so out South America’ in terms of its safe, while the Edinburgh event was held of step with reality. neutral status in a continent with plenty on 3 July at The Balmoral Hotel. Chile isn’t in any way dull, it is a of social and political issues. thrilling source of diverse and high- But there is one element to its past that’s quality wines, with much more to come. significant, and that’s the fact that when So, while it is a place that can make great the Spanish arrived there in the 1550s, wasn’t discovered until 1994. We now pub wines, it can also craft site-driven they brought vines with them. Chile’s role know that it actually arrived in the 1800s expressions for the fine dining sector. as a major wine exporter my not extend in a shipment of vines from Bordeaux, But with such rousing introductory much beyond 50 years, but its viticultural believed to be Merlot, and was planted in words concluded, it was time to provide history goes back four centuries. Today, Chile in the Alto Jahuel region of the some foundations for the sentiments. And few would doubt the modern and Maipo Valley by viticulturists at Viña progressive nature of Chile, and Carmen – Chile’s oldest winery. After the in terms of wine production, the devastation caused by phylloxera in the Chileans are motivated, 1850s in Europe, people thought ambitious, efficient operators Carmenère was extinct but in 1994 French The Chileans are motivated, with a strong desire to be taken ampelographer Jean-Michel Boursiquot seriously on the world stage. identified Carmenère vines, thought to be ambitious, efficient operators This means they want their top Merlot, growing in Viña Carmen’s Alto with a strong desire to be taken vinous expressions to rub Maipo vineyards. Today, Chile, with 9,000 shoulders with the best from hectares of the grape, is believed to have seriously on the world stage elsewhere. And they can. The 97% of the world’s Carmenère. That is, iconic wines of Chile – Bordeaux according to official figures (there could blends such as Almaviva, Casa be even more in China, if vines currently Real, Don Melchor and Seña are classified as Cabernet Gernischt are examples of that. actually Carmenère). In terms of where it for that, a slideshow began with an image Although vines came to Chile from the performs best in Chile, some of the showing Chile’s position in the world, mid-16th century, the wine landscape of country’s top examples come from Apalta highlighting its inimitable geography. An today, which is dominated by the grapes in Colchagua and Puemo in the Rapel. extraordinary strip of a country, delimited of Bordeaux – Cabernet, Merlot, Importantly, because Carmenère was by extreme natural boundaries, it is Carmenère for reds, and in whites, taken across to Chile before phylloxera – almost 4,300km long and yet no more Sauvignon Blanc – was established in the along with other Bordeaux cuttings, and than 150km wide. It has to the west the mid-19th century. Since then, other French because Chile doesn’t have phylloxera, cold waters of the Pacific Ocean, and to grapes have arrived with successful the majority of vines are planted on their the east, the longest mountain chain in the results, in particular the varieties of own roots. This means that Chile’s take world – the Andes. Then, to the north is Burgundy – Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – on Bordeaux is more Bordeaux than that the driest desert in the world – the or, especially suitable to Chile’s soils and of Bordeaux itself. Atacama. And to the south, there is the climates, the grapes of the Rhône; Syrah glacial landscape of Patagonia. There’s in reds and Viognier in whites. nothing boring about this landscape, But it was important to emphasise the which can provide the broadest role of Carmenère, because, for many, this viticultural extremes for quality is the emblematic grape of Chile, but it >
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perfect place for organics, and in a way one wishes more would adopt such an approach, at least from a soil- management perspective. But whatever the winery philosophy you will find that the inputs are low and so, in relative terms, Chile is an environmentally friendly wine option. It was now time to illustrate the diversity of Chile through a tasting, with each wine chosen to draw attention to a particular aspect of the country’s wine scene today. For example, Leyda and Casablanca Sauvignon Blancs were used to highlight the bright, crunchy fruit from Chile’s key cool coastal areas.
FINE WINES Next was Chardonnay, used to show off Chile’s potential to craft good-value but very fine wines, and employing Errazuriz Chile’s Bordeaux blends may taste rocky slopes – rather than flood-irrigated Aconcagua Costa Chardonnay – the little different to those from France for climatic flat, fertile valleys. sister of one of Chile’s highest-scoring reasons, but in varietal make-up and In terms of climate, there are two main whites, the Las Pizarras Chardonnay, material they are more like the original cooling influences on the vines. One is the from this same part of Chile. pre-phylloxera clarets than you’ll find in breezes or cloud cover and fogs produced But with more than three-quarters of Europe today. by the Pacific Ocean. The other hails from Chile’s vineyard area planted to red The presence of Carmenère in Chile and the mountains, with vineyards inland at grapes, the rest of the tasting focused on the absence of phylloxera are two the foothills of the Andes exposed to cool these wines. To begin, we chose a wine distinctive features of this country’s wine air that descends from the slopes at night, that drew attention to three trendy industry, but another is the need for ensuring big diurnal swings. elements to Chile’s new winemaking irrigation to grow vines, and the nature of A few years ago Chile decided to simply culture. Being a Carignan and País the water supply. While the majority of subdivide its wine-growing areas loosely blend from Itata, the wine contained two viticultural regions don’t have enough by terroir in a simple but sensible manner grapes becoming increasingly important rainfall to support dry farming, meltwater – it basically sliced this already narrow in Chile, as well as a wine region from the Andes provides water for country into three parts, lengthways. undergoing a rapid resurgence. Chile irrigation. Although it is very pure water, The first, westernmost, is the coastal is to some extent doing for Carignan it does contain a lot of calcium and other part. The second is the valleys, and the what Argentina has done for Malbec – minerals, with some saying these give the third is the mountains. Each region can taking a relatively undistinguished red wines a grippy acidity. It is also important then attach these to their name, grape and reinventing it as something to add that the advent of drip irrigation depending on where they are located. to be celebrated. has allowed the development of So you might have Aconcagua Costa, This is being formalised by the Vigno vineyards on cooler, more exposed, or Aconcagua Andes. In between these movement in Chile, in effect the country’s two is the area is known as first appellation contrôlée, based around Entre Cordilleras (or between old-vine Carignan, although for the Vigno the mountains). label, it must come from Maule. As for While the majority of Before turning to the tasting, it País, this is more closely associated with viticultural regions don’t was worth summing up why Itata, as País was the first grape viticulturalists love Chile. It is a introduced to Chile in the 1550s, and have enough rainfall to support near-perfect environment for Itata is the country’s oldest wine grapes, with clean air, intense region. Put this grape and the region dry farming, meltwater from ultraviolet light, no phylloxera, together, and you have a combination the Andes provides water unspoilt soils, low fertility, dry growing seasons, cooling winds, for irrigation chilly nights, and plenty of irrigation water. Indeed, it is a
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The list of wines on pour at the tastings and masterclasses Next Wines of Chile event
Producer Name Vintage Region London will play host to the Love Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris 2016 Colchagua Costa Wine, Love Chile trade tasting on 25th Cousiño Macul Sauvignon Gris 2015 Maipo September at OXO2, Level 2, Tower Montes Outer Limits Zapallar Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Aconcagua Wharf, SE1 9PH. Casas Del Bosque Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Casablanca The event will feature over 30 Casas Del Bosque Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Casablanca producers, themed tables and an Viña Leyda Single Vineyard Garuma Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Leyda Artisan Producer area. Register: Errázuriz Aconcagua Costa Chardonnay 2016 Aconcagua www.lovewinelovechile.co.uk/trade Luis Felipe Edwards Marea Valle de Leyda Chardonnay 2016 Leyda De Martino Gallardia Cinsault 2017 Itata Montes Outer Limits ‘Old Roots’ Cinsault 2017 Itata Morandé Adventure Creole 2015 Itata something from southern California. But, Morandé Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2016 Casablanca whatever the style, this is a grape ideally Cono Sur 20 Barrels Pinot Noir 2016 Casablanca/ suited to Chile’s granitic and schistous San Antonio soils and mostly Mediterranean climates, Viña Leyda Leyda Single Vineyard Las Brisas Pinot Noir 2016 Leyda and it always seems to produce deeply Aresti Trisquel Series Altitud 2015 Curicó coloured reds with amazing intensity. Errázuriz Max Reserva Carmenere 2015 Aconcagua No tasting would be complete, however, Errazuriz Tributo Carmenere 2015 Colchagua without a Maipo Cabernet, and for that VIA Wines Oveja Negra Single Vineyard Carignan 2015 Maule we had a benchmark example from Santa Montes Outer Limits Zapallar Syrah 2017 Aconcagua Rita, bursting with cassis character and a Luis Felipe Edwards Marea Valle de Leyda Syrah 2015 Leyda hint of dried mint and chocolate. It is on Valdivieso Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2014 Curicó the old alluvial terraces of the Maipo river Santa Rita Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Maipo where this Bordeaux grape has, by Veramonte Primus Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Maipo chance, found a natural home, enjoying Cousiño Macul Finis Terrae 2012 Maipo the free-draining gravelly soils, not unlike Veramonte Primus The Blend 2014 Colchagua those of the Médoc. Aresti Family Collection 2012 Curicó And to finish, we served a top-end wine Valdivieso Caballo Loco Number 16 NV Valle de Central that showed Chile’s urge to innovate and experiment. Using Valdievieso’s Caballo The wines in bold also featured in the masterclasses Loco, meaning Crazy Horse, we had a juicy, rich, blended wine, employing not only a range of grapes, but vintages too – this wine is aged in a system akin to a designed to celebrate, indeed rescue, that is nuanced and pretty, if still juicy, solera in Sherry-making. Incorporating Chile’s historic wine culture. but also as a prompt to talk up the best Bordeaux grapes, including Malbec, it The next grape chosen for discussion regions for this grape, which are was important to note at this point that was Pinot Noir, and from Chile’s most Casablanca and the yet-more-coastal despite the fact that Malbec is more commercially successful producer of the areas of San Antonio and Limarí, closely associated with Argentina, grape: Cono Sur. Not only was this wine further north. South America’s first plantations of this selected to highlight the distinctive grape were in Chile – where it still character and good value of Pinot from EXTRAORDINARY SYRAH performs brilliantly today, albeit Chile, which has fast evolved from Of course, we included a Carmenère in overshadowed by Cabernet. something a little jammy to something the line-up, and a Carignan from Maule, In short, the discussion and tasting had, the main region for really old- we hoped, opened the attendees’ eyes to vine examples of this particular the diversity and quality available in grape. After this, we poured a Chile, as well as the experimentation Being a Carignan and País Syrah from Zapallar, a region of taking place today. With a free-pour blend from Itata, the wine coastal Aconcagua pioneered by tasting too, incorporating yet more Montes. But rather than focus on extremes in terms of wine sourcing and contained two grapes becoming the source, the aim of this wine style, the events were designed to prove increasingly important in Chile, was to remind attendees that that Chile is one of the most dynamic Chile produces extraordinarily wine producers in the world, even if its as well as a wine region good Syrah, ranging from the image suggests otherwise. undergoing a rapid resurgence peppery-scented styles of the northern Rhône to richer examples, perhaps more akin to
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Chantelle Nicholson, chef patron of Tredwells, and Melanie Brown of The New Zealand Cellar HIDDEN treasures
UK consumers are ready to explore the lesser-known expressions New Zealand produces – and are happy to pay good money to do so. Lucy Shaw reports
AS THE UK restaurant scene becomes average bottle price in the sector, ahead of growth in the UK on-trade at the moment. increasingly savage, with the number of all its major competitors, year-on-year As you might expect, this growth is casualties rising by the day, the success of value sales of New Zealand wine in the largely being driven by Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand wine in the on-trade is on-trade are up by a healthy 15.5%, while and, to a lesser extent, Pinot Noir, but offering a much-needed glimmer of hope volume sales are up by 9.7%, making the New Zealand Pinot Gris is going to restaurateurs. Boasting the highest country one of only a few in positive gangbusters at the moment, with on-trade
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Feature findings
> New Zealand is one of the few success stories in the increasingly volume sales up by 39% and value sales coffee when it opened on Marylebone cut-throat UK on-trade – year-on- spiking by a staggering 79%, albeit from a High Street in 2001, The Providores also year value sales are up by 15.5% and small base. Riesling is also emerging as an played a pivotal role in introducing volume sales by 9.7%. appealing aromatic alternative for those urbanites to the delights of lesser-known > New Zealand Pinot Gris is going seeking something less ubiquitous than New Zealand wines from all over the gangbusters in the UK at the Sauvignon Blanc. Expressions from New country. Gordon’s wine roots run deep – moment, with on-trade volume Zealand are enjoying 21% value growth in he dabbled in winemaking in Melbourne sales up 39% and value sales spiking the UK on-trade, proving that consumers before becoming a chef, and once co- by a staggering 79%. are starting to look beyond the usual owned a vineyard in North Otago called > New Zealand is seen as an suspects for their New Zealand wine fix. Waitaki Braids, which made Pinot Noir, aspirational country in the UK, and While Sauvignon Blanc accounts for an Pinot Gris and rosé, but has since been diners are becoming more aware of incredible 94% of Bibendum’s total New turned into farmland. the country’s wine offerings beyond Zealand wine sales, other varieties are Sauvignon Blanc. starting to pique the interest of curious TAKING THE PLUNGE > In 2008 celebrity chef Peter Gordon consumers. The supplier’s New Zealand Spurred on by pastry chef-turned- made the bold decision to turn the Pinot Gris volume sales are up by 134%, sommelier Melanie Brown, a decade ago wine list at his small plates while Chardonnay is enjoying 30% Gordon made the bold decision to turn Marylebone restaurant The volume growth and Syrah 20%. Matt his wine list 100% Kiwi. “It was always Providores 100% Kiwi. Smith, Bibendum’s New Zealand wine my dream to have a New Zealand-only > New Zealand Chardonnay is the star buyer, believes the country has entered “a wine list, but when we opened 17 years of the show at Roger Jones’s The new era of elegance”, with winemakers ago it was too early to do it, so we Harrow at Little Bedwyn in steadily built up our collection Wiltshire, and outsells both NZ over the years and decided to Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. ‘New Zealand is seen as an take the plunge in 2008,” says > New Zealand Pinot is proving Gordon. “New Zealand does so increasingly popular in the premium aspirational country, and diners much more than Sauvignon and on-trade with sommeliers keen to we wanted to show what the offer affordable, terroir-driven are becoming more aware of its country was capable of. Being alternatives to Burgundy. versatility and are keen to able to help producers secure distribution in the UK makes us discover its enticing offerings feel like proud parents.” beyond Sauvignon Blanc’ Gordon believes the New encourage people to trade up. “We tweak Zealand wine selection at other our mark-ups all the time because there London restaurants has come on are some wines we’re really keen for our in leaps and bounds since his customers to experience,” he says, “but championing balance and freshness rather early days in the capital, when you were the New Zealand dollar is so strong than power and concentration. Couple lucky if there was an NZ red on the menu. against the pound at the moment that it this with increasing vine age and huge “Sommeliers used to be snobby about makes the expensive wines seem even regional diversity and you have a New Zealand wines, and there was this more expensive.” compelling proposition. “New Zealand is feeling that you had to have a token Gordon happily reports that there has seen as an aspirational country, and Sauvignon on the menu, but times have been “very little pushback” at the fact that diners are becoming more aware of its changed and things have improved he only stocks New Zealand wines, and versatility and are keen to discover its enormously,” he says. feels their aromatics and inherent enticing offerings beyond Sauvignon Pinot Noir has emerged as the red wine Blanc,” says Smith. star at The Providores, a trend Gordon One of the first restaurants in the UK to believes has developed as red wine fly the flag for New Zealand was The drinkers are happier to take more risks Providores in London’s Marylebone, run with their choices. In a bid to get his by charismatic Kiwi chef Peter Gordon. diners to experiment, Gordon keeps the Revolutionising the London brunch scene mark-ups of his more expensive New with its small-plates ethos and killer Zealand drops deliberately low to >
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New Zealand wine sales in the UK on-trade by grape Source: CGA Strategy
Volume 9l cases Value £m MAT YA MAT TY % chg MAT YA MAT TY % chg
Sauvignon Blanc 482,764 544,571 12.8% 121.5 144.7 19.1% Pinot Noir 83,932 97,142 15.7% 16.6 19.9 19.9% Pinot Gris 2,074 2,887 39.2% 0.6 1.0 79.1% Riesling 5,519 6,309 14.3% 1.5 1.9 21.0%
list that includes 50 back vintages of However, while Sauvignon Blanc Peter Gordon Felton Road Pinot Noir and 40 vintages of remains New Zealand’s great white hope its Riesling. “I jumped at the chance to at most UK restaurants, Chardonnay is fruitiness pairs perfectly with his cuisine, make a hero of New Zealand, and over the star of the show at The Harrow, which weaves together punchy flavours the years I’ve tried to buy as many of the outselling Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, like chilli, ginger, cumin and coriander. top wines as I can and age them in my though this comes as no surprise, given But while he’s proud to fly the flag for own cellar so that I can list them when that Jones is a diehard fan and has been New Zealand, he admits that this singular they’re ready to drink,” Jones says. “It’s pushing it strongly in recent years. “New approach “comes at a cost”, as the quite profitable to do it that way because Zealand Chardonnay is the closest you’re majority of the wines on his list fall within prices for premium New Zealand wines going to get to top white Burgundy – for a the £40-£70 bracket, with more than a have shot up in recent years.” fifth of the price,” enthuses Jones, who dozen reds topping the £100 mark. Jones believes New Zealand wines have reveals his customers are happy to pay “Sommeliers and front-of-house staff that risen to prominence at UK restaurants more than £80 for the top expressions have been to New Zealand find it a lot because their flavour profile works well from Neudorf and Kumeu River because easier to push the wines, and brands like with the lighter cuisine being served they’re confident about the quality and Felton Road, Seresin, Ata Rangi and today. “New Zealand wines are generally consistency coming out of New Zealand Craggy Range are really gaining strength clean, linear, fruity and restrained in at the top end. in the UK, along with Two Paddocks, alcohol, which complements the style of On the red front, Jones’s regulars have thanks to the Sam Neill connection,” says food people are championing at the become such fans of Felton Road and Gordon, referring to the Central Otago moment,” he says. Craggy Range that they specifically winery owned by the Jurassic Park actor. request it when they come in, while “Diners view New Zealand as a place DRAMATIC CHANGE Trinity Hill Homage Syrah sells well at they’re prepared to invest in, almost as a While many may not have noticed, Jones £150 a bottle. But when it comes to Pinot brand in itself.” believes the style of Sauvignon being Noir, Jones believes New Zealand is Inspired by The Providores’ list, trend made in New Zealand has changed facing increasing competition from South spotter Roger Jones, head chef and owner dramatically over the past few decades, Africa, which is now putting out some of the Michelin-starred The Harrow at and feels this change has come about as a seriously smart examples. Looking ahead, Little Bedwyn in Wiltshire, has built up reaction to changes in eating habits. Jones believes that Pinot Gris will be the what is now the largest New Zealand “Food and wine trends go hand in hand. next big thing to come out of New wine offering of any UK restaurant on a New Zealand has moved away from the Zealand, and has recently been investing cat’s piss and asparagus style of heavily in it to lay down. “New Zealand Sauvignon towards a more elegant, will never make better Riesling than grassy, elderflower style, but you’ve got Australia, but it has a star in Pinot Gris, to remember that people were eating and Martinborough is making ‘New Zealand things like tinned asparagus that tasted immaculate examples that are fresh and Chardonnay is the closest like cat’s piss in the ‘80s,” he says. clean but with a lick of oak that gives Having only listed a couple of them a textural element that makes them you’re going to get to top Sauvignons at The Harrow five years ago, great for pairing with food,” he says. white Burgundy – for a Jones is now “a big fan” of the wine, particularly aged expressions from fifth of the price’ Greywacke and Dog Point, and those that spend time in oak, on lees and benefit from the addition of Semillon.
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Currently accounting for just 6% of from Marlborough through to vineyard plantings in New Zealand, The the ethereal Burgundian styles Providores’ former head sommelier, coming out of Martinborough, Melanie Brown, who now runs boutique via the more structured and specialist merchant The New Zealand fruit-forward Central Otago Cellar, in south London, also believes expressions. “The New Zealand Pinot Gris is one to watch, with the likes wine offering in the UK has of Ata Rangi and Prophet’s Rock leading grown phenomenally over the the charge. “Pinot Gris is starting to be a past 20 years, and all the big really big focus for us, and consumers are suppliers and merchants have at beginning to understand it. Producers in least a couple in their New Zealand have found their way with portfolios,” says Brown. “New the grape and are now making Zealand wines have personality expressions with style and class that are and poise that wines from other The Providores rich in texture, flavour and countries lack. Their fruit concentration,” she says. Brown is also concentration and youthful energy make high level all over the country. “New excited by the regional diversity that them a perfect partner for a diverse array Zealand Chardonnay offers a pure, Pinot Noir offers, with consumers now of dishes.” Brown is as enthusiastic as linear, mineral style that can comfortably able to choose a Pinot to suit their palate, Jones about New Zealand Chardonnay’s compete with grand cru Burgundy,” from the bright and juicy expressions potential, particularly as it is made at a she says. Sam Bennett, who makes wine > 64-70 New Zealand AARMLS_Layout 1 01/08/2018 16:55 Page 68
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Trade talk: Following on from the success of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, what will be the next big thing wine wise from New Zealand to take off in Britain?
Claudio Heye, general manager, Domaine Thomson “New Zealand has some amazing smaller wineries focusing on organic and biodynamic wines, which I hope will grab the attention of the sommeliers and the UK on-trade. We have massive sub-regional variances in New Zealand, and they deserve to be highlighted. I’d love to say Riesling is going to be the next big thing, as I think that New Zealand, and specially Central Otago, produces some really exciting examples, such as the Mondillo Vineyards in Bendigo. They tend to be very food-friendly and have a racy, fresh acidity. Hopefully, consumers will embrace Riesling as much as the wine industry has.”
Patrick Materman, chief winemaker, Brancott Estate “New Zealand Chardonnay is poised for a breakthrough in the UK. Chardonnay is undoubtedly the most complex multi-dimensional white made in New Zealand. In a New World context, it is a cool-climate expression, and there is a strong element of fruit vibrancy typical of New Zealand wines, which makes them unique. Having said that, I think there is still much more to discover in Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, especially nuanced single vineyard wines at the higher end. Expect the latter to take further leaps forward in the coming years as the existing vines age and new clones are introduced.”
Monica and David Galetti Chris Stroud, UK marketing manager, New Zealand Winegrowers “There is a lot of excitement around aromatic wines from New Zealand, at Te Pa in Marlborough, agrees: “New such as Albariño and Grüner Veltliner. However, while these varieties Zealand Chardonnay is going from are an interesting development and will no doubt be popular with strength to strength. There are excellent sommeliers, in reality they won’t have enough volume to be the next examples coming out of all the major big thing. Pinot Gris, however, is the third-most planted white variety wine regions of the country that can and has the potential to be very popular, with its distinctive style. Pinot confidently stand up to the best examples Grigio is the most popular variety in the UK, and while New Zealand in the world,” he says. Pinot Gris does differ, it could be the one that consumers look to next.” Another London venue championing New Zealand wine is MasterChef judge Fleur Nicol, sales and marketing manager, Matahiwi Estate and former Le Gavroche sous chef “There is a bit of buzz around rosé at the moment, which has been Monica Galetti’s solo venture, Mere, in going gangbusters down our way, and has been selling well in cans. London’s Fitzrovia, which pays homage Pinot Gris from New Zealand has growth potential and is a very to her New Zealand upbringing. Galetti’s expressive, aromatic, fruit-forward wine, but we will never own the French husband, David, looks after the category like we do with Sauvignon Blanc because of Pinot Grigio. wine list at the restaurant, and believes Our Syrah is as good as our Pinot Noir and is already loved by the the commercial success of Sauvignon key decision makers, but can’t be a big thing because there just Blanc at retail has been beneficial in isn’t enough planted.” introducing consumers to New Zealand wine. He’s on a mission to get diners to Tim Lightbourne, co-founder, Invivo Wines explore other grape varieties from the “We’ve noticed a surge in demand for New Zealand rosé. Consumers country, and is particularly keen to are looking for an alternative to the Provençal style, and those who convert them to the delights of New enjoy a fruit driven style are snapping up New Zealand rosé. New Zealand Riesling. “I love Riesling, but it’s Zealand rosé export sales more than doubled between 2016-17, and one of the hardest grapes to introduce to our Graham Norton’s Own New Zealand Rosé is flying in the UK and consumers because they often associate it Ireland right now with major retailers. Many New World producers are with sweetness,” he says. “While that can moving away from bright pink full on fruit bomb rosés and are making sometimes be the case, a dry Riesling more Old World styles with a bit of a twist.” >
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via listings at a diverse range of restaurants including fine dining venues like The Ritz and The Goring; and trendy sites including Roka, Zuma, Pollen Street Social and Tredwells. “In the premium on-trade sommeliers are looking for Burgundy alternatives that offer a better quality to price ratio for their guests and New Zealand can offer quality Pinots with great terroir expression. We produce seven biodynamic Pinot Noirs, which is just a glimpse of the different expressions of the variety available from New Zealand,” says Seresin. “As the vines age and the winemakers gain more experience, these Pinots are only going to get better.” While Seresin has noticed that UK consumers are starting to look beyond Sauvignon Blanc and explore the other varieties the country has to offer, he believes there is still a lot of work to be done by the industry to successfully Nigel Greening, Felton Road Michael Seresin promote New Zealand’s diversity.
from Felton Road in Central Otago or his single vineyard Pinot Noirs far LIQUID TREASURES Pegasus Bay in Waipara can offer an array outstrips supply, Greening has made a Diners may have begun their New of exotic aromas and diverse food pairing point of not raising his prices so as to Zealand wine journey with supermarket capabilities.” New Zealand Pinot is keep the wines within the realms of Sauvignon, but they are starting to currently flying out of the door at Mere, affordability for Felton Road fans. “We’ve discover the country’s other liquid and is often one of the first wines diners been careful not to put our prices up, treasures, from Hawkes Bay Syrah and ask for. “They are such fantastic value and having heard so many of our customers Central Otago Pinot to Bordeaux blends high quality, so it’s no surprise really,” complaining about feeling let down by and aromatic whites like Albariño and says Galetti. Burgundy because of the price hikes,” he Viognier. Helping to give them this Nigel Greening, the British owner of says, though understands why prices confidence to explore is New Zealand’s Felton Road, agrees. “People find New have risen, thanks to lack of availability. consistency in its quality offering. Going Zealand Pinot very reliable, and very few “Nobody sells top Burgundy by the case in at the top end of the UK market when people are disappointed when they order unless they’re mad or dead; that’s why producers began to export was a bold it,” he says. While interest and demand in the wines go for such bewildering prices move that has paid off handsomely, as at auction, but New Zealand consumers view New Zealand wine as an Pinot is bloody close to aspirational product that will deliver the Burgundy in terms of quality consistency they crave. As Roger Jones and terroir expression, and points out: “The New Zealand name acts ‘New Zealand Pinot is they’re getting better all the like a quality guarantee, and we know the bloody close to Burgundy in time,” says Greening. wines we serve are going to be perfect Another producer benefitting day in day out. You don’t get shoddiness terms of quality and terroir from Burgundy’s price hikes is from New Zealand – look at their rugby expression, and they’re getting cinematographer-turned team – everything they do is precise.” db winemaker Michael Seresin, who better all the time’ has built up his biodynamic boutique wine brand – Seresin – in the UK through the on-trade
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ANIC M G A R S O T
E E
R
H
S T
GOLD 2018
Domaine La Goujonne has been a family vineyard for six generations. Today it has 80 hectares planted in the exceptional appellations of AOP Côtes de Provence, AOP Coteaux Varois and IGP Vin de Pays. The vineyard is located between Toulon and Aix-en-Provence.
Denis and Magali Kraus were both owners of vineyards in Tourves and Cabasse (situated in the Var, in the south of France). In 1993, they decided to merge their vineyards, which were 25 kilometres apart, to create Domaine la Goujonne.
Today, their three sons, Jean-Yves, Sébastien and Vincent, have taken over the management of the estate.
In 2016, after four years of conversion, the estate was certified for organic farming. Their policy has always been to respect nature and the environment, and they also work with sheep farmers every year.
Domaine La Goujonne Quartier du Vicari – Route de Toulon 83170 TOURVES – FRANCE Tel: +33.6.63.71.49.50 www.domaine-la-goujonne.fr hv@domainelagoujonne 72-75 Organic Masters 2018 AARMLS_Layout 1 01/08/2018 18:04 Page 72
The judges (left to right): Sam Caporn MW; Patricia Stefanowicz MW; Susan McCraith MW; Alistair Cooper MW; Beverly Tabbron MW; Patrick Schmitt MW, Clément Robert MS CERTIFIED success With organic wine becoming increasingly popular, our annual Organics Masters competition is a perfect way to take the temperature of a sector that boasts great quality expressions at every price point. By Patrick Schmitt MW
IT’S SAFE to say that every wine region can produce class-leading wines using Although the choice to eschew synthetic in the world has at least one producer this restrictive approach. herbicides, pesticides and fungicides does who employs certified organic viticultural Not only that, but organics span all price generally leave one more vulnerable to practices – a statement that this year’s bands, with plenty of entries this year yield losses, it should not negatively Organic Masters certainly lends weight under £10, and a handful over £50 too, affect the style of the resulting wine. to. With medal-winning samples from a highlighting that this form of viticulture Particularly where organic practices are vast array of places, from Surrey in south- can be employed to produce wines at the combined with life-enhancing soil east England to the Spanish island of commercial end of the pricing scale, as management, such an approach should Mallorca, we found greatness in areas well as in the territory of fine wine. heighten the quality of the wine, and little known for top-end wines, let alone Importantly, the tasting proved that bring a more accurate reflection of site organic vineyard management. Such being organic, or more accurately, using specifics, or terroir. results also proved that even challenging organically grown grapes, is a decision Although it is certainly possible to find climates, such as the UK and Champagne, that need not be detrimental to quality. drawbacks in the organic approach, any
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About the competition Sparkling white
The Organic Masters is a competition Company Wine Region Country Vintage Medal created and run by the drinks business, Under £10 Cantine Riunite Righi Pignoletto DOC – Vino Frizzante Secco Biologico Emilia-Romagna Italy NV Bronze and is an extension of its successful Schenk Italia Prosecco DOC Brut Biologico - Bacio della Luna Veneto Italy NV Bronze Masters series for grape varieties such £10-£15 as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well MA. S.P.A. Vallate Prosecco DOC Brut Bio Veneto Italy NV Silver as regions such as Rioja and Cantine Riunite Maschio Prosecco DOC Biologico Extra Dry Veneto Italy NV Silver Champagne. The competition is J. García Carrión Pata Negra Cava Brut Organic Catalonia Spain NV Silver Halewood International Colle Baio DOCG Brut Prosecco Treviso Italy NV Silver exclusively for wines that are certified organic or made with certified £15-£20 Azienda Agricola Giol Prosecco Brut DOC Treviso Veneto Italy 2017 Silver organically-grown grapes, and also Masottina Prosecco Brut Organic DOC Veneto Italy NV Bronze includes certified biodynamic wines. £20-£30 The entries were judged by a selection Villa Premoli Prosecco Brut Superiore Asolo Prosecco DOCG Treviso Italy 2017 Silver of highly experienced tasters using Stramaret Extra Dry Prosecco Superiore Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Treviso Italy 2017 Silver Schott Zwiesel Cru Classic glasses La Vigna Del Nespolo Brut Prosecco Superiore Conegliano Valdobbiadene Treviso Italy 2017 Silver Stramaret Brut Prosecco Superiore Conegliano Valdobbiadene Treviso Italy 2017 Silver supplied by Wine Sorted. The top Masottina ‘Costabella’ Brut Biologico Conegliano Veneto Italy NV Bronze samples were awarded Gold, Silver Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG or Bronze medals according to £30-£50 their result, and those organic Oxney Organic Estate Classic English Sparkling Wine East Sussex England 2015 Silver
wines that stood out as being £50+ outstanding received the ultimate Champagne Leclerc Briant Abyss Champagne France 2012 Gold accolade – the title of Organic Champagne Leclerc Briant Millésime 2010 Extra Brut Champagne France NV Silver Champagne Leclerc Briant Brut Réserve Champagne France 2010 Bronze Master. The wines were tasted on 22 June at Opera Tavern in London’s Covent Garden. This report features only the winners of medals. Sparkling rosé
Company Wine Region Country Vintage Medal Under £10 Cantine Riunite Righi Lambrusco di Modena DOC Biologico Frizzante Semisecco Emilia-Romagna Italy NV Silver
£30-£50 Any ambitious, quality- Albury Vineyard Albury Estate Sparkling Rosé Surrey England 2015 Gold minded producer should be doing everything to augment soil health Still white
Company Wine Region Country Vintage Medal ambitious, quality-minded producer Under £10 Domeniul Bogdan Premium Organic Wine Cuvée Christian Dobrogea Romania 2017 Silver should be doing everything possible to Angove Family Winemakers Angove Organic Chardonnay South Australia Australia 2017 Silver augment soil health – after all, it is this Org de Rac Org de Rac Die Waghuis Swartland South Africa 2017 Silver Domeniul Bogdan Premium Organic Wine Resling de Rhin Dobrogea Romania 2017 Silver substrate that is a great domaine’s most Bodega Matarromera Granza Verdejo Castilla y León Spain 2017 Bronze valuable asset. Agriverde Eikos Pecorino IGP Terre di Chieti Bio Vegan Abruzzo Italy 2017 Bronze So with that in mind, who were the star Vinicola de Tomelloso Finca Cerrada Viura Ciudad Real Spain 2017 Bronze Bodegas Nodus En la Parra Valencia Spain 2017 Bronze producers that managed to be both certified organic and a source of £10-£15 Oliver Moragues Oliver Moragues Blanc Mallorca Spain 2017 Gold greatness? In the sparkling category, it M.P. Wines Le Nez Français Classique Blanc Languedoc-Roussillon France 2015 Silver was notable how many organic Proseccos Viñedos Emiliana Novas Gran Reserva Chardonnay Casablanca Valley Chile 2017 Silver La Corte Montefreddo – Pignoletto Superiore DOCG Col Emilia-Romagna Italy 2017 Silver we saw in this year’s tasting, and their Weingut im Zwölberich Riesling Kabinett, Alfred Nahe Germany 2017 Silver consistent level of quality, with no fewer Angove Family Winemakers Wild Olive Organic Chardonnay McLaren Vale Australia 2017 Silver than eight Silver medals awarded in a Santa Tresa Purato Catarratto Pinot Grigio IGP Terre Siciliane Bio Sicily Italy 2017 Silver range of price points. We also had a lovely good-value Cava from J. Garcia >
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Still white, continued
Company Wine Region Country Vintage Medal £10-£15 Cantine Colomba Bianca Vitese Grillo Sicily Italy 2017 Bronze Venchiarezza Sauvignon Friuli-Venezia Giulia Italy 2017 Bronze Codorníu Raimat Ventada La RiojaSpain 2017 Bronze
£15-£20 Weingut im Zwölberich Riesling Spätlese trocken, Langenlonsheimer Steichen, Alte Reben Nahe Germany 2016 Gold Château Roubine Premium Provence France 2017 Silver La Quercia Scarlatta Uve Blanche Marche Italy 2016 Bronze Azienda Agricola Giol Pinot Grigio IGT Marca Trevigiana Veneto Italy 2017 Bronze
£20-£30 Vins de Taller Baseia’17 Catalonia Spain 2017 Bronze
Still rosé Carrión, along with a pleasant organic Lambrusco from Cantine Riunite, and, Company Wine Region Country Vintage Medal Under £10 like last year, a brilliant fizz from Oxney, Vinicola de Tomelloso Finca Cerrada Tempranillo Rosé Ciudad Real Spain 2017 Bronze in England’s East Sussex. Angove Family Winemakers Angove Organic Rosé South Australia Australia 2017 Bronze But for the very top of the pile, just two £10-£15 Golds were awarded in the sparkling Avignonesi Canthlolo Toscana IGT Rosato Biologico Tuscany Italy 2017 Bronze wine sector. One, as you might expect, Avignonesi Ventisei Toscana IGT Rosato Biologico Tuscany Italy 2017 Bronze went to a Champagne, the biodynamic £15-£20 Leclerc Briant brand, resurrected in 2012 Château Roubine Premium Provence France 2017 Silver
by American investors, and curated by £20-£30 respected sparkling winemaker Hervé Domaine la Goujonne Noémie Provence France 2016 Gold Jestin. Although its range of Champagnes is excellent, it was the new ‘Abyss’ cuvée, a blend that has been aged at the bottom of the sea, that gained a top score. The other Gold was more of a shock, awarded Still red to a pink fizz from England. This refreshing, pretty, strawberry-scented Company Wine Region Country Vintage Medal Under £10 sparkler hailed from the organic and Marqués de Cáceres Marqués de Cáceres Organic Joven Rioja Spain 2017 Silver biodynamic Albury Vineyard of the Bodega Matarromera Granza Tempranillo Castilla y León Spain 2016 Silver Surrey Hills, and the judges felt it was a Bodegas Luzon Luzon Verde Organic Murcia Spain 2017 Silver Quinta de Maipo Palo Alto Organic Wine Maule Valley Chile 2016 Silver real find. Schenk Italia Masso Antico - Negroamaro del Salento IGT Biologico Apulia – Salento Italy 2017 Silver Viña Ijalba Ijalba Graciano La Rioja Spain 2016 Silver Angove Family Winemakers Angove Oganic Cabernet Sauvignon South Australia Australia 2017 Bronze Bulgaarse Wijn Center Tiara Mavrud Thracian Valley Bulgaria 2015 Bronze Los Medanos Malbec Mendoza Spain 2016 Bronze Bodegas Nodus El Chaval Valencia Spain 2017 Bronze Bulgaarse Wijn Center Syrah Single Vineyard Kotkini Mogili Thracian Valley Bulgaria 2016 Bronze Bodega Matarromera Cyan Crianza Castilla y León Spain 2014 Bronze In the sparkling category, Vinicola de Tomelloso Finca Cerrada Tempranillo Ciudad Real Spain 2017 Bronze it was notable how £10-£15 M.P. Wines Le Nez Français Classique Rouge Languedoc-Roussillon France 2015 Gold Cantine Colomba Bianca Vitese Nero D'Avola Sicily Italy 2017 Gold many organic Proseccos Viñedos y Bodegas Xenysel Xenysel Organic Jumilla Spain 2017 Gold Waverley Hills Grenache Tulbagh South Africa 2016 Gold we saw in this year’s Angove Family Winemakers Warboys Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz McLaren Vale Australia 2016 Silver Bulgaars Wijncenter Vincia Thracian Valley Bulgaria 2013 Silver tasting, and their M.P. Wines Le Nez Imperium Languedoc-Roussillon France 2014 Silver Finca El Molar Finca El Molar Roble Manchuela Spain 2016 Silver consistent level of quality Codorniu Raimat Boira La Rioja Spain 2017 Silver Avignonesi Ventisei Toscana IGT Rosso Biologico Tuscany Italy 2017 Silver Cantine Colomba Bianca Vitese Syrah Sicily Italy 2017 Silver
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Still red, continued
Company Wine Region Country Vintage Medal £10-£15 Viña Ijalba Ijalba Cuvée La Rioja Spain 2016 Silver Viñedos Emiliana Novas Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Chile 2015 Silver Viñedos Emiliana Salvaje Casablanca Valley Chile 2017 Bronze Santa Tresa Cerasuolo Di Vittoria Classico DOCG Bio Sicily Vittoria 2016 Bronze Pagos de Familie Vega Tolosa Bobal Icon Castilla-La Mancha Spain 2017 Bronze Oliver Moragues El Galgo – The Greyhound Mallorca Spain 2017 Bronze Bodegas Tempore SO2 Free IGP Bajo Aragón Spain 2017 Bronze Halewood International Esporao Colheita Tinto Alentejo Portugal 2015 Bronze Angove Family Winemakers Wild Olive Organic Shiraz McLaren Vale Australia 2016 Bronze M.P. Wines Le Nez Français Cabernet Franc Languedoc-Roussillon France 2015 Bronze Santa Tresa Santa Tresa Nivuro Nero D'avola – Perricone Sicily Vittoria 2016 Bronze IGP Terre Siciliane Bio Venchiarezza Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Friuli-Venezia Giulia Italy 2017 Bronze
£15-£20 Château Maris Savoir Vieillir Languedoc-Roussillon France 2017 Master Waverley Hills SMV Shiraz Mourvèdre Viognier Tulbagh South Africa 2013 Gold North South Wines Quandong Farm Shiraz McLaren Vale Australia 2016 Silver wonderful organic dry Riesling from Gemtree Wines Uncut Shiraz McLaren Vale Australia 2016 Silver Germany’s Nahe region, and, among the Avignonesi Ventisei Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG Tuscany Italy 2015 Silver Viñedos Emiliana Coyam Colchagua Valley Chile 2014 Silver reds, a magnificent balanced, gently Avignonesi Rosso di Montepulciano DOC Biologico Tuscany Italy 2016 Silver peppery Syrah from the Minervois, made La Quercia Scarlatta Uve Rosse Marche Italy 2016 Bronze without the addition of sulphites by Altolandon Rayuelo Castilla-La Mancha Spain 2014 Bronze Altolandon MIL Historias Garnacha Castilla-La Mancha Spain 2017 Bronze Château Maris, a biodynamic specialist Gemtree Wines Cinnabar GSM McLaren Vale Australia 2017 Bronze from southern France. Despite its relative £20-£30 affordability, the judges awarded this Bodegas Pinuaga Pinuaga 200 Cepas Castilla-La Mancha Spain 2014 Silver latter sample the ultimate accolade, a Gemtree Wines Ernest Allan Shiraz McLaren Vale Australia 2016 Silver Cantina Strappelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG Bio Abruzzo-Colline Italy 2016 Silver Master. At the higher end, over £20, the Teramane judges were wowed by a rosé from Domaine la Goujonne in Provence, and a £30-£50 Gemtree Wines Obsidian Shiraz McLaren Vale Australia 2016 Gold Shiraz from Gemtree Wines in the Oliver Moragues Oliver Moragues Selecció Mallorca Spain 2016 Silver McLaren Vale. £50+ Château Maris Dynamic Languedoc-Roussillon France 2015 Master TOP DROP Only other Master of the day’s tasting went to a further Syrah, and another wine from Château Maris – this time the producer’s top drop, called ‘Dynamic’. Fortified wine Such a sample proved not only the quality of this brand, but also the Company Wine Region Country Vintage Medal potential of biodynamically farmed vines Under £10 Bodegas Robles Piedra Luenga Bio Fino Córdoba Spain NV Gold in the cru of Minervois La Livinière – the Bodegas Robles Piedra Luenga Bio Cream Córdoba Spain 2002 Silver Languedoc’s most celebrated place for Bodegas Robles Caprichoso Bio Córdoba Spain 2017 Bronze Syrah. In short, the day’s tasting drew attention to the wide range of places where organic viticulture is practised to glorious effect, whatever the wine style. As for the still wines, it was exciting to and original sample from Mallorca, Being organic may not be a guarantee of see some good quality and great-value comprising Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc quality, but it certainly shouldn’t be seen organic wines from countries like and Prensal Blanc, made by Oliver as a farming decision to the detriment of Romania and Bulgaria, along with some Moragues. In the £10-£15 category in reds, vinous excellence. This year’s Organic well-known brands, such as Marqués de we saw Golds awarded to wines from Masters proved that decisively. db Cáceres and Quinta de Maipo, as well as areas well suited to organic viticulture, longstanding Australian organic-only such as the Languedoc, Sicily, Jumilla and wine producer Angove. South Africa’s Tulbagh region – the latter It wasn’t until the wines moved beyond from Waverley Hills. the £10 mark that our first Golds were Moving beyond £15, but staying below awarded, with, in whites, a wonderful £20, it was thrilling to unearth a
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TREND spotting
The fast-moving UK drinks retail sector sees fashions come and go at a blistering pace. Here, Edith Hancock highlights the top 10 trends that are hot in the market right now and are likely to have real staying power
AS NATIONAL treasures go, few are as Attenborough’s Blue Planet II on few words on the back of a bottle of gin. influential as David Attenborough. consumer interests. Now, producers are swapping disposable Drinks giant William Grant & Sons Nowadays, consumers have a “very real glass bottles for aluminium cans, recently released its annual market report, level of expectation” that brands should lowering the alcoholic contents of their the takeaway point of which was that a make their products unique and exciting, products, celebrating their hometowns new type of consumer is on our radar; the while also being ethically produced with and sourcing their ingredients from as activist. During the launch, UK marketing locally-sourced, environmentally-friendly close to their production facilities as boss Caspar MacRae highlighted the ingredients. Provenance is no longer possible in an effort to cut pollution. influence of television shows such as something that can be achieved with a “Consumers want value for money and
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spirits, ‘lower’ is the space to watch. “An increasing number of consumers are gravitating towards drinking less, but better,” MacRae says.
2. ETHICAL WINES Ethical wines One stand-out feature of the wine trade this year has been the raised profile of something that aligns with their ethical beer showed 37% value growth. “It’s just organic, natural, biodynamic and vegan and political views, is transparent, and another facet of this general movement wines in supermarkets and wholesalers good for them,” says William Grant & towards health and wellness,” says Julian such as Majestic Wine. Sons’ marketing director Matt Dyer, chief operating officer of Australian The Co-op stepped up its vegan wine Billinghurst. “And they want it fast.” Vintage. “People are becoming more offering at the start of the year. The The big supermarkets are bolstering aware of the damage excessive drinking supermarket has worked with their no- and lower-alcohol drinks can cause.” winemakers around the globe to develop offerings, while cans of craft beers Thanks to the proliferation of health a range of vegan-friendly fining agents and gins listing their ingredients right studies on drinking, one in four adults in used to filter wines and improve the down to the distillate are cropping up in the UK have cut down on their alcohol clarity of the final drop, providing an high street stores such as Majestic Wine purchases since 2017, according to Mintel. alternative to traditional additives such as and Aldi. But activist consumers also Devolved governments, too, are egg white or isinglass, which is derived want excitement. After all, when a cracking down on the production of from fish. “We’re definitely seeing more generation has to scrape together over cheap, high-strength beverages such as people ask us about vegan wines,” Esther £80,000 just to pay the 20% deposit on an white cider. Scotland officially rolled out Pinuaga, head winemaker at Spanish the average London flat, consumers its Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) policy producer Bodegas Pinuaga, says. The would rather spend their money on in March, while the Welsh Assembly reality is that many wines are already experiences and enriching their lives as passed its own MUP bill in June. “We vegan, but the rising interest in vegan they are. Pink, orange and even blue gins need to recognise there are consumers food has led producers and retailers to are appearing in the off-trade, while sales who want an alcohol-free option,” use this as a sales tool. Last October of sparkling wine continue to soar in Dyer says. Majestic Wine added vegan and increasingly decadent formats. Beer is leading the pack. Around 1.4m vegetarian symbols to its wine labels and We’ve asked industry insiders to predict UK households bought low- or no-alcohol on its website, and now boasts 32 vegan- which of 2018’s trends they believe will beers in the past year, according to a friendly bottles in its portfolio. stand the test of time. recent report by Kantar Worldpanel, a Organic wine is also expected to see 57% increase in two years. further growth. Organic expressions only 1. LOW AND NO Spirits have also seen innovation, with represent 2.2% of the British wine market, Data from a 2017 Nielsen report reveals the launch of premium non-alcoholic according to a study published at French that the value of non-alcoholic wine in the ‘spirit’ Seedlip, while gin brand Gordon’s trade show Millésime Bio, but the UK rose by 66% last year, while no-ABV released its own ready-made low-ABV category could rise by more than 14% this drinks this year, styled on a year. Sales of eco-friendly vino are also up classic G&T. by 36% year-on-year at Waitrose. Meanwhile a number of Pinuaga says the regulations for organic breweries that specialise in lower wine in the EU will be updated in the Thanks to the proliferation of ABVS (between 1% and 2.5%), next few years. Asked whether she thinks health studies on drinking, one such as south London’s Small sales of low-intervention wine in the UK Beer Co., have launched in the will be affected by Brexit, she says it in four adults in the UK have cut past 12 months. depends on the trade deal the UK ends up down on their alcohol purchases The UK government is looking with. “I hope they aren’t,” she adds. into ways to modify the current since 2017, according to Mintel labelling for low and non- alcoholic drinks, but experts say that, when it comes to beer and >
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Rum 3. RUM 37.5cl half bottles and 50cl bottles in store Dark spirits are having a moment in the this April, following the lead of Aldi and sun, and rum is the flavour of 2018. The Waitrose, which launched their own WSTA claims that rum sales broke the smaller-format wines this year. Among £1bn mark at the end of March 2017, the Tesco wines in the new smaller while retail analyst Mintel said that dark, formats are a New Zealand Sauvignon golden and spiced rum put in a “strong Blanc, a Valpolicella, a Beaujolais and a performance” in 2017, with off-trade Rioja Reserva. Ginnovation continues value sales up by a third, and volumes Magnums and half bottles have boomed rising by 27%. in supermarkets, thanks to what Dyer 5. GINNOVATION On the other hand, volume sales of calls the UK’s recent “major structural CONTINUES white rum fell flat, which analysts put lifestyle changes”. This was the year that gin blushed. The down to an “enduring consumer demand On the whole, people are drinking less, pink gin category has grown rapidly in for unique flavours”. WSTA’s figures but both Dyer and MacRae say recent months, with big players Diageo found that there are now 150 rums in the quality is still a crucial concern, and Pernod Ricard entering the ring. Over UK market, compared with just 50 a so a couple that wants to enjoy the past eight to 10 months, the gin decade ago. CEO Miles Beale puts the rise a glass of wine with dinner category has seen high-profile big-brand in popularity down to an increased may go for a half bottle over launches, kicking off with Gordon’s Pink consumer interest in craft cocktails. the traditional 75cl measure. in September 2017. This was followed by If dark rum-makers can successfully tap Magnums of Prosecco, Dyer Beefeater Pink in February 2018, into the craft movement, then sales could says, are popular for their Tanqueray’s Flor de Sevilla and basil- rise fast. A recent visit to Laki Kane, a ability to create a “sense of flavoured O’ndina gin from Campari in north London tiki bar which opened last theatre at a more affordable April, Tanqueray Lovage in May, and a month and boasts its own distillery, price point”, and though Brits sour-cherry gin from Italian liqueur giant shows us how rum’s off-trade presence are drinking an average of Luxardo, which is due to be released in could change in the coming years. Co- one less alcoholic beverage the UK later this summer. founder Georgi Radev each week (Neilsen), the “Pink gin has certainly helped to make said the bar blends its trend isn’t about to die the gin category more accessible,” own rum on-site, and out just yet. In June, MacRae says. “It has visual appeal, and hinted that he wanted The Magnum represents fun and spontaneity.” to bring it to the retail Company, an online But pink is just the start. Last month sector within the next retailer specialising in discount grocer Aldi launched a gin by few years. 150cl bottles, was Scottish distiller McQueen that changes founded by friends colour when tonic water is added, from 4. LARGE George Clements and sapphire blue to pale pink. FORMATS Edward Harrison, MacRae says that, judging by the Magnums have been who spotted a gap in continued success of gin as a whole, making a comeback for a the market for an there’s still room for further while, with Waitrose online retailer solely diversification. But he warned that while reporting a more than selling magnum “further innovation will not succeed in 120% boost in sales two formats of quality red, the long term [because it could detract years ago, but now smaller white, rosé, from core brands], we think the category formats are growing in Champagne, will remain vibrant and growing in the stature too.Tesco Sherry and Port. foreseeable future”. launched a range of
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Extreme craft
6. EXTREME CRAFT Craft beer and spirits are still booming, but drinkers and retailers alike are keener than ever to make sure what they’re buying is the real deal. Purchases of craft beer across the whole off-trade rose by just over 46% year on year to reach £138 million, according to Kantar Worldpanel. However, craft brewers Beavertown and Hybrid drinks Lagunitas fell foul of independent store- owners when they sold stakes of their Staffordshire, won a double gold award at retailers, the move towards businesses to Heineken. Like many, south the San Francisco International Spirits premiumisation in the supermarket sector London independent bottle shop Hop, Competition. Selfridges Birmingham, means that even the big players are Burns & Black declared it would no started selling it for £40 per bottle at the getting in on cross-pollination. longer sell Beavertown products after end of last year. “We’re conscious that the ‘Big Four’ Heineken bought a minority stake in the Retailers are showing a continued and shopper is getting just as adventurous company in June. still-growing interest in stocking craft- with their palates as the high-end Consumers, Dyer says, enjoy the sense focused drinks, but as smaller brewers shopper,” MacRae says, adding that of community that comes with buying a and distillers continue to fill the shelves, innovation trends are “being increasingly locally brewed beer or distilled gin. major firms must keep their newly adopted across different value points”, William Grant & Sons’ ‘activist acquired brands’ identities clear. Craft particularly in spirits. consumer’, meanwhile, wants to producers are becoming smaller, and support local and independent there’s less room for drinks giants to hide 8. ALTERNATIVE PACKAGING businesses. To achieve that sense of their influence. Consumers are more time-poor and community, the language of craft is ethically astute than ever, leading some becoming even more localised. 7. HYBRID DRINKS drinks firms to think outside the bottle When it comes to the craft side of the Hybrid drinks continue to find favour when packaging their products. spirits category, gin is the clear success with consumers looking for a unique Reversing the downmarket image of story. William Grant & Sons revealed that experience. Glenfiddich matures a range tinnies, around a quarter of all beer sold 82 new gin labels entered the UK market of whiskys in casks previously used for in the UK last year was in a canned in 2017 alone. At the end of last year one storing IPA beers and ice wines, which are format, making it not only recyclable, but new gin, Fifth Spire, distilled by two available at retailers like Ocado and also portable, ideal drinking in the park friends in a bedroom in Litchfield, Tesco, and breweries large and small for those whose budgets can’t quite have been ageing their beers in stretch to the pub every week. whisky barrels. “What we’re learning is things need to At the boutique end of the be appropriate for the consumer,” Dyer When it comes to the craft side spectrum, English winery Chapel says, adding that the canned movement of the spirits category, gin is the Down, which also owns Curious is being driven by millennials. “They Brewery, ferments both its cider want good packaging, points of clear success story. William and lager with yeast left over difference, and a fair price,” he says. from producing its Chardonnay Wine, too, is getting a canned makeover Grant & Sons revealed that 82 and Bacchus wines, both of in retail. Waitrose launched its own range new gin labels entered the UK which are available at the likes of of canned wine in June in time for festival Waitrose and Majestic Wine. market in 2017 alone While hybrid drinks are more easily found at independent
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Alternative packaging
season, a move the retailer said was inspired by the 10% rise in sales of its 187ml bottles last year.
9. SPARKLING WINE Sparkling wine, in particular Prosecco, continues to blossom in the UK. Industry insiders don’t see that changing any time soon, but with Brexit looming, there could be a small place for English Vermouth fizz on supermarket shelves. Sales of sparkling wine totalled 35.8 million gallons last year, an increase in 2018, explaining why the grocer Sparkling wine of 5% compared with 2016, according to included an own-label English fizz from chartered accountant UHY Hacker Young. Hush Heath winery in its most recent While it is a boost, it is the first year of portfolio tasting in May. Marks & Spencer by 2021, with Europe, the Middle East single-digit growth since 2011. “Unless also reported a 15% rise in sales of and Africa accounting for more than 65% the industry can revitalise its image this English fizz last year. More than 120 of sales. And when it comes to retailers, year, we may now be reaching ‘peak million bottles of bubbly, worth upwards established upmarket vendors are seeing Prosecco,’” said analyst James Simmonds. of £850 million, were sold in British shops rapid growth. Merchant Berry Bros. & In the interests of diversification, and supermarkets last year, and that Rudd saw 41% growth in sales of the retailers have bolstered their fizz figure is predicted to grow. aromatised wine last year. offerings. This year the WSTA said that Dyer is optimistic that the bubble has Tapping into the trend, William Grant & exports of Crémant de Loire wine rose by yet to burst, but agreed that further Sons has released a vermouth of its own 34% in 2017, with 3.7 million bottles sold. diversification is on the cards. “I really called ‘Discarded’, a modern, “activist” In December 2017, Tesco predicted that can’t see Prosecco losing ground for a version of the fortified wine, which English sparkling wine sales would boom while,” he says, “but I think there is more marketing director Matt Billinghurst room for global sparkling wine.” believes is the point of difference the category’s main players will need to 10. VERMOUTH focus on in the coming years. Following the success of rum and Discarded, he said, “ties into a lot of Dyer is optimistic that the gin, the craft cocktails available trends”. It is made by steeping cascara in UK bars and restaurants are leftover from coffee production in alcohol Prosecco bubble has yet to burst, influencing purchases in the off- then blending the infusion into the base of trade, and both retailers and a fortified wine along with other but agreed that further drinks giants are taking note. botanicals. The drinks giant is launching diversification is on the cards Data from Research & Markets it in the UK on-trade first, but if the published in June shows that the ongoing success of premiumisation in global vermouth market is retail is anything to go by, an off-trade estimated to exceed £14 billion presence is only a matter of time. db
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PINOTAGE’S new dawn
Could Pinotage be a flag-bearer for the South African wine industry? Rupert Millar talks to winemakers there and discovers a renewed enthusiasm for the tricky grape
THERE ARE not many New World varieties to try to achieve more desirable Although good quality Pinotage has countries that can boast an ‘indigenous’ results. The Germans and Swiss in been made right from the start (a fact too grape variety of their own. particular concentrated on Riesling, and often forgotten by its detractors), so too Plenty have taken various noble grapes varieties such as Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, has a lot of very bad examples, and and mastered them completely: Shiraz in Rieslaner, Scheurebe and Ehremfelser unfortunately it is this that has come to Australia, Sauvignon Blanc in New were among the highly variable results. dominate most views of the variety and Zealand, Malbec in Argentina and so on. Pinotage was likewise the result of a its potential. Then there are grapes largely lost to crossing, in 1925, between Pinot Noir and Moderately vigorous and thick-skinned, Europe but have found new homes in Cinsault, which at the time was known in early ripening but tricky to get ripe other continents – País and Carmenère in South Africa as Hermitage and a phenolically and with a lot of virused Chile being good examples. portmanteau of the two grapes gave plant material that has bedevilled South From the late 19th century onwards this new variety its name (see boxout for African winemaking for decades, a lot of scientists began tinkering with grape full story). bad Pinotage was hot, jammy, extracted
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Feature findings
> Originally hailed as a uniquely South African grape and a standard and smelt of burnt rubber or, material can be used to best advantage, so bearer for the country’s wine paradoxically, was a bit green and sour. the full range of varietal and site industry, badly made, commercial Just as Chile wanted to make Carmenère expression that Pinotage is capable of is Pinotage tarnished its reputation. its signature grape, so many thought becoming increasingly clear. > Over the past 15 years, South Pinotage could be the same for South African winemakers have reassessed Africa. In both instances, bad wines got in PINOTAGE TODAY Pinotage and worked out how best the way, with many people saying they As can be seen from the figures compiled to farm it. were doing more harm than good. by South African Wine Industry > Planted in cooler sites and by Things got really bad when some South Information & Systems (SAWIS, see controlling yields, Pinotage is vastly African wineries tried to reboot the tables), in 2016 Pinotage was the third improved and its Pinot Noir heritage variety with the ‘coffee Pinotage’ concept. most planted red grape variety in South means it is very capable of Remember that? An attempt to make Africa, with more than 7,000 hectares, expressing its site and terroir. Pinotage more consumer friendly and concentrated, for the most part, in the > With a greater quality focus commercial by using various oak regimes Swartland, Paarl and Stellenbosch. Pinotage deserves a global to impart a certain coffee/chocolate In a report released in June, SAWIS reassessment and may one day once aroma and flavour to the wine. It’s still noted that Pinotage is the only red variety again lay claim to being South made by a few producers, and while there whose plantings have increased in the Africa’s emblematic red grape. is a domestic market for it, apart from a country over the past decade. brief flowering, it never really took off Domestic sales are booming. In 2000, here in the UK – or elsewhere. volumes sold in South Africa amounted South African winemaker Anthony to 3 million litres, now over 5 million litres are sold per year.. Since 2001, exports have grown from 8m to almost 19m litres, It appears that Pinotage is worth an estimated R495m (£28.6m) in 2017. bouncing back as a South The two biggest export markets African calling card thanks to a for Pinotage are the UK and Germany, and volumes have major step up in quality of the risen from 3.5m and 0.8m litres in 2001 to more than 5m and Pinotage being produced 5.4m litres respectively. Sales in China and Russia are also on the rise, and remain strong in Sweden and Denmark too. Hamilton-Russell worries that, like So it appears Pinotage is bouncing Liebfraumilch or Beaujolais Nouveau, the back as a South African calling card. damage it did “will take some time to Why? The answer is undoubtedly tied to recover from”. a major step up in quality of the Pinotage This is possible, but like that haircut one being produced. In part, this can probably had in one’s youth, it was faddish and be tied to the overall uptick in quality quickly forgotten, and its overall negative being seen in the South African wine effects may prove fleeting. industry in general, but in Pinotage Tasting examples from the likes of something more profound is going on, David & Nadia, Diemersdal, Pieter and has been for the past 10 to 15 years. Cruythoff or Asbourne, let alone For Abrie Beeslaar, winemaker at longstanding classic Kanonkop, it’s clear Kanonkop, which has always been the that a new style of Pinotage is coming to benchmark for Pinotage, part of the the fore. As understanding grows of how success has been winemakers making to handle Pinotage, knowing where it Pinotage for what it is and not trying to needs to be planted and how virused make it something it’s not. >
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Red varieties in South Africa as a percentage of total plantings Source: SAWIS
Variety 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon 12.3 12.2 12 11.8 11.7 11.5 11.3 11.1 Shiraz 9.9 10 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.5 10.5 10.4 Pinotage 6 6.2 6.5 6.9 7.2 7.4 7.5 7.4 Merlot 6.5 6.4 6.4 6.3 6.2 6.1 6 5.8 Ruby Cabernet 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.4 2.4 Cinsaut 2.1 2 2 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.8 Pinot noir 0.8 1 1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.2 Cabernet Franc 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 Other red varieties 2.9 3 3.1 3.3 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.9 Total 43.8 44 44.4 44.9 45.4 45.4 45.4 44.8
Average vine age (hectares) Source: SAWIS
Total ha < 4 years 4-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years 20+ years Pinotage 7,052 433 2,197 214 2,783 1,426
“The way we were handling fruit in the CHALLENGING VARIETY past was much more one dimensional; we The creation of The Pinotage Association were looking at Bordeaux and and so on, has also done much to bring winemakers Although the propagation of more and trying to copy it. Then people moved together and share their knowledge, clones and disease-free plant material is about and experienced varieties from which is essential with a variety such as of huge importance to Pinotage and the around the world and began Pinotage. “It’s a challenging variety to rest of the South African industry, a lot of experimenting. Pinotage in particular work with and can quickly burn your old-vine Pinotage has disease, such as leaf needed that. fingers if you do too much or too little,” roll virus. warns Johan Delport, winemaker But this isn’t as catastrophic as you at Waverley Hills. Everything might think, argues Hamilton-Russell. He about Pinotage is a balancing act. suggests: “With Pinotage, as an early Everything about Pinotage is a It’s an early-ripening variety but ripener in a warmer area, one of the full phenolic ripeness is tricky to saving graces is leaf roll virus, which balancing act. It’s an early achieve so keeping it away from prevents that plant galloping away and ripening variety but full very warm areas is a good idea. becoming a sugar factory. Yet it’s also rather vigorous and “Virus can be worked with and phenolic ripeness is tricky to can crop quite heavily. managed. In older vineyards, some of the achieve so keeping it away from Hamilton-Russell warns that attraction is a degree of virus.” irrigated young vines “don’t After careful management in the warm areas is a good idea reach full phenolic ripeness until vineyard the big thing to watch in the 15% alcohol”. cellar is tannins because despite being an So controlling yields and vigour offspring of delicate Pinot Noir, Pinotage is important. Bush vines are good is pretty thick-skinned. “With a thick skin, “Twenty years ago we were making for this, notes Beeslaar, explaining: “Bush Pinotage based on what we thought it vine Pinotage gives you smaller berries should taste like. Now we make it as a red and bunches to help concentrate flavour. wine, with structure, balance and Areas with wind can also help manage elegance, and then it’s a Pinotage.” the bunches by thinning flowers.”
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Pinotage’s Origins
Pinotage was created in 1925 by Abraham Izak Perold in the garden of his residence at the Welgevallen experimental farm, owned by the University of Stellenbosch. Pollinating a Pinot Noir plant with Cinsault (known as Hermitage in South Africa at the time), he planted four seeds and then promptly forgot about them when he left to work at KWV in 1927. The plants were rediscovered by Charlie Niehaus, who transported them to Elsenburg Agricultural College and labelled them Perold’s Hermitage x Pinot. Grafting material onto rootstocks he propagated the variety, and later met Perold and told him what had happened. The pair are said to have then come up with the name ‘Pinotage’ for the variety, a portmanteau of its parent grapes. The first plantings of Pinotage were reportedly at Myrtle Grove farm, near Sir Lowry’s Pass, in 1934 but the variety was not mentioned on a bottle until 1961, when it was on the 1959 vintage produced by Lanzerac.
any winemaker that wants to can extract a lot of tannin,” says Hamilton-Russell. Dirk Coetzee, winemaker at L’Avenir, suggests: “Do most of your extraction before fermentation. Try to extract whatever you can before fermentation, because afterwards you can extract too much. It leads to much softer fruit and tannins. Taking care of your phenolic ripeness in the vineyard and then in the cellar, means leaner tannins but much more balance.” But just because Pinotage has thick skins doesn’t mean it struggles with finesse, and here its Pinot heritage comes bursting through. “You can get very feminine wines and it’s super versatile. The way Pinotage keeps its freshness and colour is amazing,” says Coetzee. “One shouldn’t fight it. Too many people try to fight it. Make it yours.” As well as cooler sites, granite, shale, clay and limestone are all good soils for Pinotage and in each the variety is capable of expressing itself differently. “Pinot Noir is known to be very dramatic but Pinotage does express vintage and terroir very strongly,” says Hamilton-Russell. Decomposed granite, such as in the Paardeberg, brings out a more perfumed side to Pinotage, just as it does with Pinot Noir, while on schist it’s “more tightly wound and restrained”. He says: “It has the potential to be more muscular on clay, like a Loire Cabernet Franc; not a big wine but with a very fine tannin expression. You get more spice and structure on the clay and more light and perfume on the lighter soils.” > 82-86 South Africa AALS_Layout 1 01/08/2018 18:06 Page 86
Trade talk: What are the advantages of blends over single variety wines in a country like South Africa?
Ross Sleet, co-owner, Rascallion Wines “Rascallion Wine’s focus on blends is a deliberate commercial and brand strategy. As a négociant, we have the ability to tailor our wines to market conditions, but this needs to be balanced by consumer demand. Single variety or terroir-bound strategies are always at risk if styles, vintages, or pricing dramatically changes, as happened in South Africa in the 2017/18 harvest because of the drought. We have the ability to craft wines that meet our demands from various sources which allows us to be flexible and market responsive.”
Anthony and Olive Hamilton-Russell
And if you have Pinotage in a mix All along, however, Beeslaar warns that of sites, as they do at Kanonkop, then focus has to be on high quality Pinotage. you can blend these together to achieve “We always believed that it had greater complexity. potential,” he declares. “We need to keep the focus on quality and style. As soon as THE FUTURE OF PINOTAGE the exposure picks up then plantings rise Better handling and an increased and quality can drop. If we keep to area- knowledge and enthusiasm for Pinotage focused Pinotages then there’s a lot of are bringing it back from the doldrums scope for it as a variety.” and making it a genuinely intriguing part Pinotage is a variety that requires a of the South African story today. high-end approach. As soon as you seek “Pinotage is shaking off its reputation to turn it into a cash crop, quality will for tasting of rusty nails and other nasty plummet and you’ll be finished. But that’s things. There’s real opportunity, not to say all Pinotage has to be super- Pinotage could be South Africa’s calling serious either. The famous wines made by card,” says Edo Heyns, L’Avenir’s KWV and others in the 1960s, ’70s and strategic development and ’80s were picked at 13 or 13.5 degrees communications manager. potential alcohol content, underwent little Extolling its abilities to move between malolactic fermentation and were fruity, Pinotesque wines to more robust, fermented in large foudres. “They Rhône-like examples, Hamilton-Russell produced some extraordinary wines,” Vines in the Cape believes: “The younger generation of enthuses Hamilton-Russell. “Wonderful,” winemakers are doing their own thing agrees Delport. step with the joys of that ubiquitous white and they have an appropriate aesthetic. Pinotage became something of the grape, so it might be advised to give this Pinotage approached that way can trade’s version of ‘Anything but misunderstood variety a second look. db produce a uniquely South African wine, Chardonnay’, but just as the trade is something we can offer the wine world.” cajoling customers into getting back in
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inks bu r sin d e e s h s t MALBEC
2018 THE GLOBAL MALBEC MASTERS 2018 the drinks business is proud to an- nounce the fourth year of the Global Malbec Masters.
The Global Masters series of tastings is designed to reward the very best Malbecs in the world, ranging from the mountains of Mendoza and Chile’s Maipo Valley to the châteaux of Cahors.
Our judges will, as always, be comprised exclu- sively of Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers and senior buyers. Their expert knowledge will see the top examples awarded medals from Bronze through to Gold with Master reserved only for the truly exceptional.
Blends are accepted. For more information please contact Beth Terry on +44 (0)20 7803 2428, or by email on [email protected] Deadline for entry is 14 September 2018 88-94 Sparkling Masters 2018 AARMLS_Layout 1 01/08/2018 18:08 Page 88
Patrick Schmitt MW; Lauren Eads; Roberto Della Pietra; Andrea Briccarello; Marcel Orford-Williams; Michael Edwards; Patricia Stefanowicz MW SHOW fizzness
This year’s Sparkling Masters competition boasted exciting expressions – from stalwarts Champagne, Prosecco and Cava – to underdogs from Kazakhstan and Hungary. Lauren Eads reports
OVER A year, the drinks business hosts own category, but rarely against each were excellent wines in all of the many Global Masters competitions, other. By placing the wines on a level categories, the white sparkling wines inviting producers to pit their wines playing field, removing any prestige that seemed to have somewhat more against the world’s best before a panel of may be associated with their origin, all consistency than the rosés. And the very expert judges. wines are afforded the chance to shine, best white sparkling wines shone with Judged blind, the Global Masters is helping to break down assumptions, aid star-bright brilliance, lovely definition unique in that it presents wines without consumer choice and highlight quality at and elegance, whether brut, medium-dry, any indication of their origin, stripping all price points. To be considered the best, medium-sweet or sweet.” away the potential for prejudice, and you must compete with the best. This year’s Global Sparkling Masters allowing a wine to be judged on its price For our team of expert judges, made up saw more than 150 wines judged over the and style alone. While we also host a of MWs, senior buyers and sommeliers, it course of one day. Pleasingly, the results Global Prosecco and Global Champagne made for a fascinating review of what has demonstrated a clear increase in quality Masters, the Sparkling Masters is open to become an incredibly fast-paced and in all price points and styles, with medals fizz of any style or origin. It means that a evolving category. “Almost nothing is as broadly distributed to traditional-method vintage Champagne could be judged invigorating as a day judging sparkling brut sparklers, primarily made from alongside a sparkling wine from wines, whether Champagne, Prosecco Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and cheaper Hungary, or, indeed, a Prosecco, Cava or and other traditional or tank method tank-method Prosecco and Prosecco Lambrusco; wines that would ordinarily wines from around the globe,” enthuses alternatives, to Lambrusco, Asti and other remain segregated, competing in their Patricia Stefanowicz MW. “While there sweet sparkling wines. Overall, the
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About the competition White sparkling brut
The Sparkling Masters is a Company Product Name Region Country VintageMedal competition created and run by Under £10 Törley Hungaria Grande Cuvée Brut Etyek-Buda Hungary NV Silver the drinks business, and is an extension Törley François President Brut Etyek-Buda Hungary 2014 Silver of its successful Masters series for Veuve du Vernay Veuve du Vernay Brut Burgundy France NV Bronze grape varieties such as Chardonnay Barton & Guestier Barton & Guestier Chardonnay Brut Gironde France NV Bronze and Pinot Noir, as well as regions such Patriarche Louis Perdrier Brut Excellence Burgundy France NV Bronze Lidl Ireland Arestel Cava Brut Barcelona Spain 2017 Bronze as Rioja and Chianti. The competition Anna Spinato Prosecco Millesimato DOC Brut Veneto Italy 2017 Bronze is exclusively for sparkling wine and the entries were judged by a selection £10-£15 of highly experienced tasters using Banfi Cuvée Aurora Langa DOCG Siena Italy 2013 Gold Bouvet Ladubay Crémant de Loire Brut Blanc Loire France NV Gold Schott Zwiesel Cru Classic glasses Les Domaines Paul Mas Côte Mas Frisante Languedoc France 2016 Silver supplied by Wine Sorted. The top Corte d’Aibo Pignoletto Spumante Emilia-Romagna Italy 2017 Silver sparklers were awarded Gold, Silver Maycas del Limarí Espace Brut Limarí Valley Chile 2017 Silver or Bronze medals according to their Bouvet Labuday Bouvet Saphir Saumur Brut Blanc Loire France 2015 Silver Les Domaines Paul Mas Côte Mas Crémant de Limoux Brut Languedoc France NV Silver result, and those that stood out as Muscatine (Rhonea Distribution) Muscat à Petits Grains Rhône France 2017 Silver being outstanding received the Bouvet Ladubay Bouvet Saphir Brut Blanc Loire France 2015 Silver ultimate accolade – the title of Lidl Ireland Comte de Senneval Champagne Brut Champagne France 2017 Silver Sparkling Master. The sparklers were Les Domaines Paul Mas Prima Perla Chardonnay Languedoc France NV Silver Grand Réserve – Méthode Traditionnelle tasted over the course of a single day Patriarche Crémant de Burgundy Burgundy France NV Silver on 12 July at Les 110 de Taillevent in Campo Viejo Gran Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva Cava Spain NV Bronze London’s Marylebone. This report Paladin Prosecco DOC Brut Bosco del Merlo Veneto Italy 2017 Bronze features only the winners of medals. Maycas del Limarí Espace Sparkling Wine Limarí Chile 2017 Bronze £15-£20 MA. S.P.A. Vallate Prosecco DOC Brut Veneto Italy NV Silver Maccari Spumanti Cuvée Centoventi Spumante Brut Veneto Italy 2017 Bronze Caves Primavera Primavera Baga Extra Brut Águeda Portugal 2015 Bronze Broglia Gavi DOCG Comune di La Piemonte Italy 2017 Bronze Meirana Sparkling Pleasingly, the results Masottina Prosecco Brut DOC Treviso Veneto Italy NV Bronze Araldica Castelvero Alasia Alta Langa DOCG Piedmont Italy 2009 Bronze demonstrated a clear Paladin Rosè Bosco del Merlo Veneto Italy NV Bronze increase in quality in all £20-£30 Weingut Reverchon Reverchon Riesling Crémant Brut Hessen Germany 2010 Gold price points and styles Maisons Marques et DomainesQuartet – Roederer Estate Anderson Valley USA NV Gold Fontanafredda Vigna Gatinera Alta Langa DOCG Piedmont Italy 2008 Gold Masottina Conegliano Valdobbiadene Veneto Italy NV Silver Brut DOCG Prosecco Superiore Masottina Contrada Granda Brut Veneto Italy NV Silver Rive di Ogliano Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco Superiore Weingut Reverchon Reverchon Blanc et Noir Brut Hessen Germany 2011 Silver Gaierhof Maso Poli Trentino DOC Riserva Trentino Alto Adige Italy 2012 Silver competition yielded an impressive three Masottina ‘Costabella’ Brut Bio Veneto Italy NV Silver Masters – the highest possible accolade – Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco Superiore 19 Golds, 57 Silvers and 46 Bronze Letrari Letrari Trentodoc Brut Riserva Trentino-Alto AdigeItaly 2011 Silver medals. But which regions shone the Ca’ d’Or Franciacorta DOCG Noble Lombardy Italy NV? Silver Cuvée Ca’ d’Or brightest, and who are the producers Piera Martellozzo ONEDIS Ribolla Gialla Friuli Venezia Giulia Italy 2016 Silver behind them? Spumante Millesimato Brut Selezione Di Revì Revì Dosaggio Zero Trento Italy 2014 Silver CHAMPAGNE Tosti Tosti Alta Langa Cuvée Giulio Piedmont Italy 2011 Bronze Villa Sandi Ribolla Gialla Brut Friuli Venezia Giulia Italy 2016 Champagne, when represented, lived up Bronze to its reputation at all price points. Fitz Winery Fitz Sparkling Wine Made in England Sussex England 2017 Bronze Perrier-Jouët took home Gold for its Blanc Barone Pizzini Franciacorta Animante Lombardy Italy NV Bronze de Blancs (£50+), Grand Brut (£30-£50) and Belle Epoque 2011 (£50+). However, it was its NV Brut Blason Rosé Champagne (£30-£50) that really impressed, receiving >
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White sparkling brut, continued
Company Product Name Region Country Vintage Medal £30-£50 Cantine Monfort Monfort Riserva Brut Trentino-Alto Adige Italy 2012 Master Torelló Cava de Paraje Calificado Barcelona Spain 2011 Gold Ca’ d’Or Franciacorta DOCG Saten Lombardy Italy NV Gold Maison Mumm Mumm Grand Cordon Champagne France NV Gold Maison Perrier-Jouët Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Champagne France NV Gold Wiston Estate Cuvée South Downs, Sussex UK 2009 Gold Wiston Estate Blanc de Noirs South Downs, Sussex UK 2010 Gold Bonfadini Franciacorta Franciacorta Carpe Diem Saten DOCG Lombardia Italy 2015 Gold Postumia Vini Chardonnay & Riesling Veneto Orientale Italy 2014 Silver Hattingley Valley Wines Hattingley Valley Classic Reserve Hampshire UK NV Silver Vallerosa Bonci Michelangelo Marche Italy 2010 Bronze Champagne Solemme Nature de Solemme Brut Champagne France 2013 Bronze Nature Premier Cru Wyfold Vineyard Wyfold Vineyard Brut Oxford UK 2013 Bronze the competition’s first Master. Noting the Giulio Cocchi Spumanti Bianc ‘d Bianc Metodo Piemonte Italy 2013 Bronze Classico Alta Langa DOCG rising quality of rosé Champagne in general, judge Michael Edwards said this £50+ fizz was demonstrative of the Maison Perrier-Jouët Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Champagne France 2011 Gold “dramatically improved quality of the red Champagne Leclerc Briant Brut Réserve Champagne France NV Gold Maison Perrier-Jouët Perrier-Jouët Blanc de Blancs Champagne France NV Gold wine used for rosé making” in the region. Champagne Leclerc Briant Premier Cru Extra Brut Champagne France NV Silver Stefanowicz also acknowledged that rosé Endrizzi Masetto Privé Trentino Alto Adige Italy 2008 Silver sparkling wine in general had “improved Champagne Leclerc Briant Abyss Champagne France NV Silver immeasurably in the last decade”, but Frescobaldi Leonia Pomino Brut Toscana Italy 2014 Bronze nevertheless felt that it was the most inconsistent segment of wines in the competition. Offering some food for thought, she said: “There were still a few too many where the sugar-acid flavour White sparkling over 12g/l balance was not quite poised. Admittedly, most rosé wines are not designed with Company Product Name Region Country Vintage Medal much autolysis in mind, so they rarely Under £10 Törley Hungaria Irsai Olivér Doux Hungary Hungary NV Gold have the added dimension to balance out Lidl Ireland Prosecco Treviso DOC Frizzante Treviso Italy 2017 Silver the sweetness.” Banfi Bepop Siena Italy NV Silver Elsewhere Champagne Mumm’s Grand Gruppo Italiano Vini Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie Verona Italy NV Silver Cordon picked up a Gold, as did DOC Spumante Extra Dry Bolla Santero Santero Asti Secco DOCG Piemonte Italy NV Silver Champagne Leclerc Briant for its Brut Törley Törley Excellence Sarga Muskotaly Doux Hungary Hungary NV Silver Reserve (£50+), while its Premier Cru Santero Asti Degli Angeli DOCG Santero Piemonte Italy NV Silver Extra Brut (£50+) was awarded a Silver. Ponte Prosecco Spumante DOC Veneto Italy 2017 Silver This house was also responsible for one of Treviso Extra Dry Millesimato Ponte Ponte Bianco Spumante Extra Dry Ponte Veneto Italy NV Bronze the most intriguing wines of the day, Törley Törley Excellence Chardonnay Extra Sec Hungary Hungary NV Bronze Lidl Ireland Prosecco Spumante Conegliano Valdo DOCG Italy 2017 Bronze Santero Villa Jolanda Prosecco DOC Extra Dry Piemonte Italy NV Bronze Araldica Castelvero Asti DOCG Secco Verona Italy NV Bronze
£10-£15 ‘Most rosé wines are not Scavi & Ray Scavi & Ray Moscato Emilia-RomagnaItaly 2017 Gold Invivo Wines Graham Norton's Own Prosecco DOC Veneto – Friuli Italy NV Silver designed with much Tosti Tosti Asti DOCG Secco-Dry Piedmont Italy NV Silver Paladin Prosecco DOC Extra Dry Bosco del Merlo Veneto Italy 2017 Silver autolysis in mind, so they Fiol FIOL Prosecco Treviso Italy NV Silver Viña Maipo Vitral Sparkling Central Valley Chile 2017 Silver rarely have the added Ponte Prosecco Spumante DOC Veneto Italy NV Silver Treviso Extra Dry Ponte dimension to balance Campo Viejo Gran Campo Viejo Cava Brut Rosé Cava Spain NV Bronze Scavi & Ray Scavi & Ray Prosecco Frizzante DOC Veneto Italy 2017 Bronze the sweetness’ Maycas del Limarí Espace Demi Sec Limarí Chile 2017 Bronze
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White sparkling over 12g/l continued
Company Product Name Region Country Vintage Medal £15-£20 Giulio Cocchi Spumanti Asti DOCG Piemonte Italy NV Master MA. S.P.A. Vallate Prosecco DOC Extra Dry Veneto Italy NV Silver Of all the regions represented in this Montelliana Asolo Prosecco DOCG Veneto Italy 2017 Silver year’s competition, Cava has seen the Superiore Millesimato Extra Dry biggest upheaval in the past year. In 2017, Scavi & Ray Scavi & Ray Prosecco Spumante DOC Veneto Italy 2017 Silver DO Cava launched the Cava de Paraje Masottina Prosecco Extra Dry DOC Treviso Veneto Italy NV Bronze Montelliana Montelliana ‘57’ Asolo Veneto Italy 2017 Bronze Calificado classification, which is open to Prosecco DOCG Superiore Extra Dry all Cava producers. However, just nine cellars have reached the required £20-£30 standards to achieve the new quality seal Masottina ‘Le Rive di Ogliano’ Extra Dry Veneto Italy 2017 Gold Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco Superiore – the equivalent of just 300,000 bottles in a Cantina Santa Maria La Palma ‘Akènta’ Vermentino di Sardinia Italy 2017 Silver region that produces 245 million annually. Sardegna DOC Spumante So it was gratifying to have one such wine Scavi & Ray Scavi & Ray Ice Prestige Veneto Italy 2017 Silver in our line-up, which lived up to the Masottina ‘Conegliano Valdobbiadene Veneto Italy NV Bronze Extra Dry’ DOCG Prosecco Superiore certification’s high quality standards. Scavi & Ray Scavi & Ray Prosecco Superiore DOCG Veneto Italy 2016 Bronze Barcelona’s Gran Torelló Cava de Paraje Calificado received a Gold – a shining example of the DO’s ongoing efforts to drive quality upwards while also better highlighting the region’s best wines. From Abyss (£50+) – a Brut Champagne aged at also pleasantly surprised by the own- the New World, Roederer Estate flew the the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean for one brand wines from the likes of Lidl, which flag for California, winning a Gold for its year – which won a Silver. One of the takes its wine selection very seriously.” NV Quartet and NV Quartet Rosé (£20- best-value Champagnes of the £30), both from the Anderson Valley. competition was Lidl’s Comte de HIGH QUALITY Chile performed particularly strongly at Senneval Champagne Brut (£10-£15), Crémant offered further high points, the lower end of the price spectrum, with which won a Silver, proving that quality bringing forth high quality, medal- Maycas del Limarí winning a Silver for its can be found at the lower end of the price winning wines at the £10-£15 mark, Espace Brut (£10-£15) from the Limarí scale. “I love the fact that Champagne is reminding us of the category’s good Valley, while Viña Maipo scored a Silver value. Bouvet Ladubay picked for its Vitral Sparkling (£10-£15) from the up a Gold for its Crémant de Central Valley. Loire Brut Blanc, along with “Finding good-value wines in the Reverchon’s Riesling Crémant under-£10 and £10-£15 brackets was Brut (£20-£30) from Hessen in superb,” noted Stefanowicz. “The ‘The traditional-method wines at Germany. Domaine Paul Mas traditional-method wines at £10-£15, £10-£15, whether crémant from scooped a Silver for its Côte whether Crémant from the Loire or Mas Crémant de Limoux Brut, Bourgogne, or well made Cava, also the Loire or Bourgogne, or along with Patriarche for its provide exceptional value for money, well made Cava, also provide Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé with fresh bread or gentle buttered toast and Blanc expressions. autolysis accenting fruit. Above £20, the exceptional value for money’ On par with the Champagnes wines seemed to have more consistency in terms of price, many of the in terms of depth and complexity. And English sparkling wines were the wines at higher prices (£30+) were well received, with Wiston beautifully cut diamonds, serious wines Estate receiving a Gold for its with layers of aromas and flavours and still strong and holds the quality bar very Blanc de Noirs and Cuvée Brut (£30-£50), lovely textured mousse across the palate.” high, but there were plenty of other while Hattingley Valley picked up a options, like English or Spanish fizz,” said Silver for its Classic Reserve (£30-£50). sommelier and judge Andrea Briccarello. “English sparklings, a small group, were “In terms of quality and price, the best very good,” noted Stefanowicz, “an category was the £10-15 segment, with indication that England should be some of the more premium wines not considered as an alternative to our delivering enough for the money. I was neighbours across the Channel.” >
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Rosé sparkling brut
Company Product Name Region Country Vintage Medal Under £10 Patriarche Louis Perdrier Rosé Burgundy France NV Bronze Patriarche Veuve du Vernay Rosé Burgundy France NV Bronze
£10-£15 Patriarche Cremant de Burgundy Rosé Burgundy France NV Silver Il Casello La Rosa Emilia-Romagna Italy 2017 Bronze Grover Zampa Vineyards Zampa Soirée Brut Rosé Mumbai India 2016 Bronze Maycas del Limarí Espace Rose Limarí Valley Chile 2017 Bronze Rose Mary (Rhonea Distribution) Méditerranée Vaucluse France 2017 Bronze
£15-£20 Banfi Cuvée Aurora Rosé Alta Langa DOCG Siena Italy 2014 Silver
£20-£30 Costaripa Mattia Vezzola RoséLombardy Italy NV Gold Maisons Marques et Domaines Quartet Rosé – Roederer Estate Anderson Valley USA NV Gold ITALY Baracchi Brut Rosé Metodo Classico Tuscany Italy 2015 Silver The most successful region, and the most Millesimato dominant of this year’s competition in Fontanafredda Contessa Rosa Rosé Alta Langa DOCG Piedmont Italy 2012 Silver terms of volume, was Italy, which Bonfadini Franciacorta Franciacorta Opera Rosé Lombardia Italy SA (2015) Silver Wyfold Vineyard Wyfold Vineyard Brut Rosé Oxford UK 2014 Bronze achieved medals in all styles and price points, and was responsible for two £30-£50 Masters. In a major coup for sweet Maison Perrier-Jouët Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé Champagne France NV Master sparklers, specifically Asti, Giulio Barone Pizzini Franciacorta Rosé Lombardy Italy 2014 Silver Cocchi’s Spumanti Asti DOCG (£10-£15) from Piedmont received a Master, making it one of the best-value wines of the competition. Italy’s Scavi & Ray also picked up a Gold for its Moscato (£10- Master, topping a clutch of high- £15) from Emilia-Romagna, while its Ice performing wines from Trentodoc in the Prestige from the Veneto, giving far north of Italy, known for its traditional credibility to the sparkling over ice trend, method fizz made using Champagne Prosecco, while reliable at lower price was awarded a Silver. Santero Wine’s Asti grapes. Producers Letari, Endrizzi and points, failed to hit the high notes, with Degli Angeli DOCG Santero, meanwhile, Maso Poli all picked up Silver medals for Massotina the stand-out performer in this picked up a Silver, and at the wallet- wines from Trentino Alto-Adige, all of category. Its Le Rive di Ogliano Extra Dry friendly under-£10 price point. which fell within the £20-£30 segment. DOCG Prosecco (£20-30) was the only At the opposite end of the sugar scale, example to gain a Gold, along with a Cantine Monfort’s Riserva Brut (£30-£50) VERY FINE WINE clutch of Silvers. Elsewhere, from Trentino-Alto Adige, made from “There were some serious wines from Fontanafredda scooped a Gold for its 80% Chardonnay and Pinot Nero, took elsewhere in Italy: Trentodoc produced Vigna Gatinara Alta Langhe DOCG (£20- home the competition’s third and final one very fine wine, and the wines from 30), from Piedmont, while Cleto Chiarli Alto-Adige had subtlety yet gained a Gold for its Lambrusco concentration,” says Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC, from Stefanowicz. Going after the Emilia-Romagna, which, at under £10, same market as Trentodoc, was one of just two wines of the whole The most successful region, and the few examples of competition to win a Gold at this price Franciacorta that were point (the other being from Hungary). the most dominant of this year’s judged, also known for its competition in terms of volume, traditional method fizz, scored highly. Ca’ d’Or’s was Italy, which achieved medals Franciacorta DOCG Saten in all styles and price points (£30-£50) won a Gold, while Barone Pizzini’s Franciacorta Rosé (£30-£50) was deemed “exceptional” by Edwards. >
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the wine & spirits show
The Wine & Spirits Show follows the Wine Show Chelsea, Spirited London, and The City Wine Show, a wine fair designed to encourage consumers to explore the world of wine in a relaxed environment, which has run successfully for the past two years at Stationer’s Hall. “The City Wine Show was a great success for us – an intimate but busy show that allowed us to meet a continual stream of enthusiastic wine lovers, while also affording the time to engage, to tell our stories and to create excitement A GOOD MIX around our wines,” said Jamie Patterson, fine wine brand manager at E&J Gallo. The team behind db and The Spirits Business is staging Peter Kennedy, London controller for Jägermeister added: “The team at Spirited a spectacular wine and spirits show later this year London put on an amazing event, offering Jägermeister the opportunity to demonstrate the depth of the product THE TEAM behind The City Wine Show feature a New Products Zone, which will serving ice cold shots and cocktails to and Spirited London is excited to launch showcase wines and spirits launched in trade and the public. The bar takeover The Wine & Spirits Show, which will the past 12 months. Consumers will be downstairs was a massive hit.” bring together the world’s best wine asked to vote for their favourite new wine and spirits under one roof. or spirit, with the winning brand set to TAKE PART The event, open to both the trade and receive a profile page in the magazine. Producers that take part in The Wine & consumers, will take place from 12-13 A Global Beer Tour zone will also offer Spirits Show, either by taking a stand, October in the heart of London at One guests the chance to sample a wide range hosting a masterclass or entering a new Whitehall Place, part of the five-star hotel of brews to have been judged by our product, will benefit from the show’s the Royal Horseguards. Targeting wine expert panel as part of the Global Beer promotional strategy, supported by the enthusiasts based in London, around Masters, which will take place in August. international platform of the drinks 2,000 members of the public are expected business – the largest international drinks to attend, alongside key figures from the MASTERCLASSES trade magazine in the world – and its wine and spirits trade. As well the chance to sample hundreds of sister title The Spirits Business, including The Wine & Spirits Show will see one wines and spirits, the event will also offer online profiles in our daily newsletter and hall dedicated to wines, and another a series of masterclasses, giving guests the on social media. Partnerships with Time focused entirely on spirits. Producers chance to get under the skin of Out, WSET and wine merchants will already set to exhibit in The Wine Hall Champagne with Pol Roger, or delve ensure that the right people are targeted include Consorzio Tutela d’Abruzzo, deeper into the world of fine wine with to attend. The event will open from 1pm Wine Trail Wales, Sud de France, iDealwine. Not only do these sessions to 9pm on Friday, and from 1pm to 8pm Ledbury Wine and New Zealand Wine offer consumers the chance to learn more on Saturday, with a trade-only session Growers. The Wine Hall will also feature about wine or spirits, but producers have taking place from 1pm to 5pm on Friday. the Global Masters Zone, showcasing the the chance to showcase their products in top medal-winning wines judged front of an interested and engaged To enquire about taking part in the show, throughout the years in the drinks business audience. Sam Sandbach, owner of email: [email protected]. For Global Masters Series. Ledbury Wine Cellar, praised the quality more information and tickets visit: The Spirits Hall will feature everything of masterclases hosted at the City Wine wineandspiritsshow.com from gin and whisky to Tequila, rum and Show, organised by the same team behind mezcal, with Amber Glen Scotch, HMS The Wine & Spirits Show, for their Spirits and Angus Dundee Distillers “excellent all-round ambience”, having already set to take part. This hall will also attracted “genuinely inquisitive visitors of THE WINE host The Spirits Masters Zone, which will all age groups”. & SPIRITS be manned by The Spirits Business team A full schedule of masterclasses, which and showcase the Spirits Masters will be offered free on a first-come first- SHOW competition medallists. Both halls will served basis, will be announced soon.
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sparkling masters
Rosé sparkling over 12g/l
Company Product Name Region Country Vintage Medal Under £10 Törley Törley Orfeum Rosé Sec Hungary Hungary NV Silver
£10-£15 Arba Wine Rosa Assa Valley 2014 Almaty Region Kazakhstan 2014 Silver
£15-£20 Masottina Cuvée Rosé Extra Dry Veneto Italy NV Silver Maccari Rosé Spumante Dry Veneto Italy 2017 Bronze
Red sparkling
OUTLIERS Company Product Name Region Country Vintage Medal While it’s always good to see traditional Under £10 Cleto Chiarli Villa Cialdini – Emilia-Romagna Italy 2017 Gold regions raising the bar and maintaining Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC quality, one of the most rewarding aspects Baldini Marchese Manodori Emilia-Romagna Italy 2017 Bronze of the Global Masters is the discovery of Baldini Montelocco Emilia-Romagna Italy 2017 Bronze an underdog – a country or region that £10-£15 comes out fighting against the big Scavi & Ray Scavi & Ray Lambrusco Emilia-Romagna Italy 2017 Silver players, and shows real promise of Cleto Chiarli Pruno Nero Dry Emilia-Romagna Italy 2017 Silver longevity and progress. Even more Il Casello Bonarda Emilia-Romagna Italy 2017 Silver gratifying is when unknown or Baldini Rubino del Cerro Emilia-Romagna Italy 2017 Bronze indigenous varieties triumph. For this competition that country was Hungary. Törley’s sweet Hungaria Irsai Olivér Doux, made from the Hungarian grape variety Irsai Olivér, was the second demonstrating a superb quality-to-price making sparkling wines well before wine to win a Gold in the under-£10 ratio from a somewhat unlikely source. Champagne. And if I am right, there was category. Törley was also rewarded with a Arba Wine, based in the Almaty region of a time when Saint Peray was more sought Silver for its 100% Pinot Noir Orfeum Kazakhstan, was also a wildcard entry after than Champagne. This simply goes Rosé Sec, 100% Pinot Noir François that prevailed over many of its more to show that despite Champagne’s President Brut 2014, and its Törley high-profile competitors, winning a Silver position, diversity has always been key to Excellence Sarga Muskotaly Doux, made in the over-12g/l sparkling rosé category the sparkling wine category, and that is from the Hungarian Muscat Lunel grape, for its Rossa Assa Valley 2014 Pinot Noir. even more true today.” as well as its Hungaria Grand Cuvée Brut, Champagne might still be the made from a blend of Grüner Veltliner, RANGE OF STYLES benchmark, but it comes at a price. Other Riesling and Királyleányka. All of these The Sparkling Masters is always a regions are continuing to prove that they wines are priced at under £10, hugely diverse but rewarding can achieve the complexity and quality of competition. This is reflected by the fact Champagne, but at a much lower price, that our three Masters neatly represent a and in a range of styles. With rising broad sweep of sparkling styles, from a demand for fizz driving global wine sales, ‘Despite Champagne’s dry Italian Brut and rosé Champagne to a and the industry working from a position, diversity has sweet Asti DOCG. smaller-than-average 2017 harvest, As judge Marcel Orford-Williams, wine credible producers of quality sparkling always been a key to the buyer for The Wine Society, reminds us: wine, whatever their source, will be in “The choice facing the consumer is high demand. db sparkling wine category, positively bewildering. Even better is the and that is even more variety of tastes and styles on offer. Champagne has been the dominant force true today’ in sparkling wine for generations, but it was not always the case. Limoux was
94 065_db_Jul_Green Awards 2018 WP_Layout 1 29/06/2018 13:03 Page 1
The Green Awards 2018 is now open for entries
GREEN AWARDS 2018
Download your entry form at: thedrinksbusiness.com/greenawards Sponsors of The Amorim Sustainability Award and The Amorim Biodiversity Award 96-97 Marketing AALS_Layout 1 01/08/2018 18:09 Page 96
marketing campaigns
MONKEY SHOULDER EXTENDS NEW YORK POP-UP IN BRIEF Whisky brand events taking place in LAX and SFO. Now, the Monkey Shoulder activation will last until August. At JFK, guests has extended its can sample the spirit by way of the brand’s The southern Austrian wine region of first large-scale bright orange cement mixer, which has been Steiermark (Styria) will introduce the DAC activation in dishing out cocktails four evenings a week system to its three growing regions from the the US travel retail during peak hours for departing international 2018 vintage onwards. Steiermark will segment because passengers, to highlight the brand’s ‘made for henceforth have three new Districtus Austriae of popular demand. mixing’ mantra. “We’ve had an overwhelmingly Controllatus (DACs) – a classification system The malt whisky positive response, and Monkey Shoulder has similar AOC/DOC systems in Europe – brand rocked up at New York’s JFK Terminal 4 definitely garnered some new fans,” said bringing the total to 13. The three new DACs in May to promote its ‘Monkey Mixer’ campaign Richard Bush, regional marketing manager of within Steiermark are: Südsteiermark, in partnership with DFS Group, with smaller William Grant & Sons. Vulkanland and Weststeiermark. As with other Austrian DACs, the three new Steiermark DAC will be divided into three TOP FRENCH ESTATES FIGHT NEW LABEL PLANS classifications: Regional Wine, the most basic; Ortswein, produced from certain More than 60 of The proposals have horrified the French wine villages; and Riedenwein, which are single- France’s leading industry, which fears that cigarette-style health vineyard expressions. A wide number of châteaux have written labelling would be the next step. In their letter, grape varieties will be allowed in the DACs, in protest to the the estates said: “Every day, by exporting our including Welschriesling, Morillon, government against produce, we share with the world, novices and Grauburgunder and Riesling, among others. proposals that could wine lovers alike, a little of the soul of France. see cigarette-style Every day, our cellars, our domaines and Provence rosé producer Mirabeau has warnings on the front châteaux, our wine-making landscapes, launched its ‘Frosé’ popsicles in Waitrose as of their wine bottles. welcome thousands of tourists to discover this the UK continues its run of unseasonably The 64 producers, aspect of France, bosom of the art de vivre that warm weather. The frozen treats contain 8% including Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Pol is the envy of the world and where wine plays alcohol and are made with Mirabeau’s classic Roger, Yquem and Cheval Blanc, wrote an open a leading role. Are we going to have to, Côtes De Provence rosé, itself a blend of letter to the French daily Le Figaro, warning minister, send to France and the whole world Syrah (60%), Grenache (35%), Cinsault (5%), that the government risked turning wine into a our wines with labels covered in lugubrious and English strawberry essence, and have “criminal product” if it persisted with its plans. and deathly signs?” been produced in collaboration with frozen France’s health minister, Agnès Buzyn, has French producers have put forward their own cocktail brand Lic. The ice lollies have gone proposed plans to place 2cm-wide red logos proposals to make warnings clearer, and also on sale for a limited time at four Waitrose on the front of wine bottles warning women pledged €5 million (£4.47m) over the next four stores: Southampton, Watford, Bluewater and against drinking during pregnancy, and that it years to drive awareness of the dangers of Oxford Street priced at £2.99 a pop. is illegal to drink if under 18. drinking while pregnant or a minor.
THE HANDMAID’S TALE WINES RELEASED, THEN CANCELLED
A small limited-edition range of wines based on Handmaid’s Tale imagines a dystopian America where a religious television show The Handmaid’s Tale was patriarchy has taken over and women are effectively enslaved. Not only announced and then cancelled in the space of a were many people put off by what they regarded as a trivial way to cash in day following a public outcry. on a popular show that features such serious content, but much of the Featuring three wines named after the series’ marketing copy made a number of tenuous and questionable attempts to principal female characters – Offred, Ofglen and link the wines with the characters. The Offred Pinot Noir, for example, was Serena Joy – the range was being produced by described as “rich and complex”, adding: “We honor Offred with a wine the show’s creator, MGM, and was due to be sold that will stay with you long after you’ve finished your glass, giving you a by online wine retailer Lot18. It included a Pays powerful experience you will never forget.” d’Oc Pinot Noir, an Oregon Cabernet Sauvignon In the series, Offred is one of the slave-class of women and is repeatedly and a Bordeaux white. The reaction to the new raped by a government minister with the help of his wife, Serena Joy, range was overwhelmingly negative, with many on social media platforms whose white Bordeaux is breezily described as: “sophisticated, traditional condemning the idea. Based on a 1985 book by Margaret Atwood, The and austere”.
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marketing campaigns
CAMDEN TOWN REINVENTS CLASSIC PINT GLASS IN BRIEF London’s Camden Town Brewery has slender shape of a reinvented the classic pint glass with the help classic Pilsner glass. of two British designers, unveiling a squat The Jack is similar A mountain range of 80 tumbler-like glass called the Jack, and a to a tumbler, and is dormant volcanoes on slimline Pilsner-style glass called Kenneth. half the height of a the doorstep of one of The Jack and the Kenneth are the result of a traditional pint glass. France’s central partnership with Jack Smith, one half of “When you’ve been winemaking regions has London design duo SmithMatthias, and British looking at pint been granted a place on designer Sir Kenneth Grange, who was glasses for more the UNESCO World responsible for the iconic London Black Taxi. than 20 years, you start to have ideas on how Heritage list; an The Kenneth is more traditional and references you can change them,” said Jasper Cuppaidge, accreditation that will the facets of a Helles Stein with the tall and founder of Camden Town Brewery. drive footfall and tourism in the area. The dormant volcanoes, NEW MARK TO PROTECT MARLBOROUGH REGION known as the Chaîne des Puys, are home to a number of appellations including the little- Vintners in statement. “It is about fostering the good known Cotes d’Auvergne – a sub-region of Marlborough have reputation of the region’s wines and establishing Loire – and stretch over an area of 45km in launched a new standards and criteria to enhance this.” the northern Massif Central to the west of the certification mark to Currently, 85% of grapes must be from the central French city of Clermont-Ferrand. They distinguish quality origin stated to satisfy labelling laws, meaning form part of the Puy de Dôme, a region and producers from bulk that 15% of grapes can be sourced from IGP area which takes its name from one of blends in an effort to elsewhere. In addition, grapes must be grown the youngest and largest of the volcanoes. better promote the at an “appropriate cropping level” with the appellation and licensee obliged to notify the AMW of their McGuigan Wines is rolling out its biggest UK protect its reputation. cropping level in tonnes of grapes per hectare for marketing campaign to date. Its Bring a The Appellation each parcel to be vinified. McGuigan advertising campaign will see Marlborough Wine (AMW) was formally outlined So far, 36 producers, including Auntsfield, more than 200 London Underground station at a general meeting on 6 June at the Cloudy Greywacke, Huia and Mahi, have committed to panels pop up, and will also run in Manchester, Bay estate, presided over by a committee that the AMW brand and its licence agreement. For Yorkshire and the Republic of Ireland. In includes Ivan Sutherland, winemaker at Dog now, the AMW certification relates only to conjunction, a neck collar will offer consumers Point Vineyards and AMW chairman, and John Sauvignon Blanc produced in Marlborough, with the chance to win the Ultimate Australian Forrest of Forrest Wines as vice-chairman. no designation for sub-regions, and requires a a Adventure, running from September until “The primary aim is to protect the integrity, NZ$1,000 (£517) membership fee and a small the end of November. An event partnership authenticity and brand value of wines produced portion of sales, equivalent to about 1 cent per with foodie festival Meatopia (31 August- in Marlborough,” the committee said in a bottle, from its members. 2 September) will see McGuigan sign on as the official wine partner for the third year running, and launch an Airstream bar on site serving wines paired with dishes from some BREWDOG SHRUGS OFF PORTMAN COMPLAINT of London’s most renowned chefs.
A complaint about BrewDog’s special-edition “Satirically” dubbed Beer for Girls, Pink IPA, New Zealand Winegrowers has launched its Pink IPA has been upheld by The Portman was a rebranded version of BrewDog’s 2019 Sommelier Scholarship, inviting Group because it could appeal to children. Punk IPA beer, and was intended to serve sommeliers to apply to attend next year’s Two complainants, both members of the as a “clarion call to close the gender pay ‘Sommit’ in Hawkes Bay. The scholarship public, believed that use of the phrase “Beer gap in the UK” and to “expose sexist allows attendees to develop a more rounded for Girls” on the special-edition version of marketing to women”, particularly in the understanding of New Zealand’s wine BrewDog’s Punk IPA – released to coincide beer industry. industry, from topography to production, while with International Women’s Day – could The complaints panel said that, while it taking part in an immersive weekend of appeal to under 18s, breaching the regulatory understood that the brewer had used the term vineyard visits, tastings and masterclasses. body’s code of practice. In response, a ironically, its use could be misinterpreted. “In Limited to just 20 sommeliers, the 2019 Brewdog spokesperson said the team were this case the panel ruled that the phrase ‘beer Sommit will be held in Hawkes Bay on Friday “as bothered about this Portman Group ruling for girls’ created, however unintentionally, a 25 and Saturday 26 January. Visit nzwine.com as we are any other – that is, not at all”. link between beer and children.” for more details.
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new products
POL ROGER BRUT ROSÉ 2009 Only released in vintage years, Pol Roger’s Brut Rosé 2009 benefitted from 1 a dry and hot August and cool nights, leading to a “favourable and quick evolution in maturity”. It is made from a blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay, sourced from premier and grand cru vineyards, with 15% Pinot Noir made from select vineyards in Bouzy, Ambonnay and Cumières, added to the blend before second fermentation. The resulting Champagne boasts aromas of fresh red fruits, brioche and spice, with exotic fruits, floral undertones and a hint of dried fruit on the palate. RRP: £75. Contact: Pol Roger Ltd, +44 (0) 1432 262 800 2 KING OF SOHO VARORIUM GIN The King of Soho has added a new addition to its colourful line-up with the introduction of the King of Soho Variorum Gin – a berry edition of its original London Dry gin, with a hint of pink and notes of strawberry. The Varorium edition is intended to be enjoyed over ice, in cocktails or mixed drinks with a strawberry garnish. In literature, a variorum edition is an original work that collates all known variants of a text. The original King of Soho London Dry Gin celebrates its fifth anniversary in October, with the Variorum offering a twist on the classic. RRP: £33.50. Contact: Hi-Spirits, +44 (0) 1932 252 100, [email protected] JACK RATT AMMONITE CRAFT CIDER Expanding outside the world of wine, Lyme Bay Winery in Dorset has 3 launched three Jack Ratt craft ciders, drawing on both beer and spirits for inspiration. Its Ammonite cider with Hops is a dry-hopped West Country cider that combines the “bite of cider” with American IPA Simcoe and Cascade hops, adding citrus notes and a pine-like aroma. The Ammonite cider with Botanicals mingles apple with juniper, angelica, and coriander, and has overtones of black pepper, while the Ammonite cider with Sour Cherry boasts notes of cherry, almond, clove and cinnamon. RRP: £2.50. Contact: Lyme Bay Winery, [email protected] STONE TANGERINE EXPRESS IPA 4 California’s Stone Brewing is making its Stone Tangerine Express IPA available in Europe for the first time as part of Stone Brewing Berlin’s small- batch UNIQCAN range. Packaged in 500ml cans, the UNIQCAN range is inspired by the Stone Berlin Pilot Series – a rotating cast of experimental and limited-edition brews. The 6.7%-abv IPA is made with whole tangerines, pineapples and eight types of hops, and is described as “an express ticket to a beach hammock getaway with a drink in hand, complete with punchy tropical fruit character and Stone’s signature bold hop bitterness”. UNIQAN beers are on sale at Stone locations and select bars in Europe. RRP: £5.50. Contact: www.stonebrewing.eu KEIR TUA RITA Armit Wines has announced the launch of two wines from Tuscany’s Tua Rita. Only 2,000 bottles of Keir – a Syrah vinified in amphora – have been 5 made, while Sese Passito di Pantelleria is the winery’s first sweet wine. Just 2,400 bottles of the 2016 vintage were produced as part of a new project for Tua Rita, away from Tuscany on the island of Pantelleria. “Keir is both for those who love Syrah and those who are curious to discover this amazing and powerful grape,” said Stefano Frascolla, owner of Tua Rita. “Our new venture on Pantelleria has been made with great pride from a tiny piece of land far from Tuscany near the Tunisian coast. You will be enchanted by Sese when you taste it.” RRP: £11.99. Contact: Armit Wines, +44 (0) 20 7908 0600
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new products
VILLA LOBOS LOS HOMBRES 10 YO Villa Lobos Tequila has launched its fifth expression – a 10-year-old extra añejo Tequila. Created by master distiller Carlos Camarena and family at Destileria La Alteña in Arandas, Jalisco, Villa Lobos Los Hombres 10 Year Old 6 is made from 100% agave Tequila and “remains true” to the traditional methods used by La Alteña founder Don Felipe. Limited to 2,000 bottles, this 40% ABV expression is aged for 10 years in American oak, and has notes of “rich agave, coffee, tobacco and dark cacao,” says spirits expert Philip Dufd, with the “depth and complexity” of a sipping whisky or Cognac. RRP €179. Contact: Wine & Spirit International, [email protected] THE MACALLAN M BLACK 2017 Scotch whisky The Macallan has released The Macallan M Black 2017 – a 7 no age statement single malt encased in a crystal Lalique decanter. Limited to a run of 725, each decanter is engraved with a number and made from black crystal to signify the uncharacteristically smoky liquid. Drawn from Sherry-seasoned oak casks, a proportion of which contained peated malt, it carries aromas of “rich cherry chocolate and fresh citrus notes with dried fruit”, on the nose, as “salted caramel moves into whispers of peat smoke”, with green apple, citrus and dried fruit on the palate. RRP: US$6,995. Contact: The Macallan, [email protected] CASTELNAU NV BRUT RÉSERVE/ROSÉ Champagne Castelnau has launched a 2018 special edition cycling- inspired design for its Brut Réserve NV and Brut Réserve Rosé NV bottles. 8 The modern, bike tyre track design marks the brand’s seven-year partnership with the Tour de France, and reflects “the audacious and adventurous personality of Champagne Castelnau”. Its launch follows news that Champagne Castelnau has acquired a historic property in Reims, which it intends to turn into a new visitor and events centre, due to open in 2020. RRP: Brut Réserve NV £35; Rosé NV £38. Twin gift pack £85. Contact: Castelnau Wine Agencies, +44 (0)20 7751 2490 RED GENIE CLASSIC 9 Sober Spirits, a new drinks company based in Leeds, has launched a calorie-free, non-alcoholic drink called Red Genie with the aim of adding more choice to the ever-growing non-alcoholic drinks sector. The distilled booze free spirit is made using lemongrass, ginger and other selected botanicals, and is intended to be served with tonic or over ice. According to its founders, Maxine and Andrew Douglas, the aromatic botanicals that are used to create Red Genie balance the “sweetness of the tonic to produce a dry, sophisticated ‘grown-up’ drink”, with branding designed to raise awareness to the “alcohol-free revolution”. RRP: £28. Contact: redgenieuk.com, [email protected] CASILLERO RESERVA ROSÉ Casillero del Diablo has launched a new version of its Reserva Rosé, replacing the existing Casillero del Diablo Shiraz Rosé. Its new Reserva Rosé is now made from a blend that includes Cinsault from Southern Chile, in 10 response to increasing demand for elegant, lighter styles of pink, while the bottle features a painted label. “Wine shoppers love the look of the painted bottle, and its subtle, elegant taste,” said Concha y Toro UK marketing controller Laura Thomas. “Our winemakers have grasped what the market wants and answered that need perfectly. We’ve got a raft of new products coming into the market over the next few months in response to consumer demands we’ve identified – it’s a very exciting time”. RRP £8. Contact: Concha y Toro UK, +44 (0) 1865 873 713
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FEVER PITCH
Having made a big splash in the tonic market, premium mixer brand Fever-Tree is looking beyond gin and setting its sights on owning other spirit serves
NO STRANGER to the summer events televised national sponsorship. sorts of events; it’s better to have a cold scene, mixer brand Fever-Tree is reflecting “We’ve had fantastic feedback; just drink in a good quality plastic glass with on its biggest and best summer of sport amazing,” he says. “It’s a very proud a nice garnish than a warm pint in a to date. moment for us to be sponsoring such a flimsy plastic cup.” Earlier this year the brand signed a prestigious event. It’s really at the heart of It’s not just at Lord’s Cricket Ground three-year deal making it the headline our association with sport. We’ve had a where the G&Ts are flowing. Fever-Tree is sponsor of The Queen’s Club tennis presence at a number of sporting events cashing in on a particularly profitable tournament, now named the Fever-Tree this summer, including The Open, Cricket start to the year, with revenues rising by Championships, which took place in June. at Lord’s, Henley Royal Regatta and 45% to £104.2 million in the six months to With tennis players invited to battle it Antigua Sailing Week. 30 June 2018, compared with £71.9m in out behind the bar serving drinks, as well “We were told no-one wanted a G&T at the first half of 2017. Adjusted earnings as on the courts in west London, on-trade Lord’s but the queues at our bars told a also increased, up by 35% to £34 million, marketing manager Fergus Franks reflects different story. There’s a real demand for while the interim dividend was up by on the company’s first large-scale, a better quality drinks offering at these 40% to 4.22p per share.
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marketing profile
just for the sake of it – we always have a broad gin flavour in mind,” he adds. Putting gin and the UK aside, the company is keen to focus its efforts on other markets, in particular the US. It recently opened a new office there, making the transition to wholly owned operations on 1 June this year, with the team now directly managing its marketing, sales and distribution efforts in the country. In addition, it’s keen to promote its mixers for brown spirits, such as whisky and rum. According to IWSR figures from 2017, gin only accounts for 4% of the global premium spirit category by volume, compared with dark spirits, which have a market share of 42%. As a result of this performance, CEO March 2018, according to the latest figures Fever-Tree hopes that its other mixers, Tim Warrillow (pictured left in main from the Wine and Spirit Trade for example its three variants of ginger ale photo, with co-founder Charles Rolls), Association (WSTA.) (original, spiced orange and smoky), will says the company’s board “anticipates But the spirit’s popularity has brought help it encroach further into this market. that the outcome for the full year will be with it some “small barriers to comfortably ahead of its expectations”. overcome”, according to Franks. PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES With the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy, When faced with a plethora of choices, Franks explains: “We’re not moving away otherwise known as the ‘sugar tax’, both in terms of gin and different from tonic, in the UK particularly, it’s still coming into effect in April, this year was flavoured tonics, “people want to massive, and there are plenty of destined to be a landmark year for the know which tonic to pair with which opportunities. However, in other markets, beverage industry. gin”, he says. gin is yet to mature. Now we’ve Consequently, among its marketing developed authority and category ‘REFRESHINGLY LIGHT’ initiatives, Fever-Tree has developed the recognition, it’s important that people Rather than reformulating its recipes, ‘pairing wheel’, which shows which don’t just see us as a tonic water brand. Fever-Tree has retained its original broad gin flavour categories to pair with We really want to be considered the product, and introduced a ‘refreshingly each of the companies tonic variants. number one premium mixer brand in light’ range, launched in March, which “In product innovation and new the world. sits alongside it. product development, we’re never “It’s about educating people about Franks continues: “We haven’t creating a different tonic water variant spirits and mixers, but the whole premise reformulated for the sugar tax, and the will remain the same. You’re now reason for that is that we’re really proud drinking a gin with a good quality tonic of our original product. Our innovation water but you’re still mixing your whisky team was actually developing the ‘Now we’ve developed or your rum with a low quality mixer. ‘refreshingly light’ range two year ago, category recognition, it’s Our mixers are designed to compliment well before the sugar tax was even rather than mask flavour; it’s all about discussed. We’d predicted that consumer important people don’t offering choices. preference was going in the lighter, low- just see us as a tonic water “The number of people that say they calorie direction and acted on that.” don’t like whisky but the minute you give Fever-Tree’s performance has brand. We want to be the them it in a long drink, they change their undeniably been aided by the unrelenting minds. Whisky doesn’t have to be drunk growth of gin in the UK, with sales number one premium neat, you can drink it how you want”. reaching £1.5 billion or roughly 55 million mixer brand in the world’ bottles in the 12 months to the end of
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fine wine update
HOW PINGUS TOOK ON THE COUNTERFEITERS restaurant in La Coruña. “I thought that was interesting,” said Sisseck, who probed further with the help of a private investigator. He continued: “For more than a year we had our own investigation to get to the bottom of it. “We built a case and gathered all the evidence then went to police and a judge.” The police then began their own investigation and found the network spread to Madrid and Malaga, in a fraud that was worth in excess of €1 million. Sisseck added he had been keen to gather evidence himself because his fear was that by simply reporting it, it would not be treated with much seriousness or urgency. Following the news that Spanish police have in a restaurant owned by the gang in La Coruña. When presented with a body of evidence to dismantled a counterfeiting ring, it has been It is not known how many bottles may have been work with, however, “they realised there was revealed that the bust was the result of a year- faked but it is thought to be more than 1,500 for something to it”. long investigation by the owner of Pingus, Pingus and even more for Vega Sicilia. Furthermore, having been able to dismantle a Peter Sisseck (pictured). The quality of the counterfeiting was said to serious counterfeiting operation, Sisseck hoped in July, Spain’s Civil Guard arrested four men be extremely high. that it “might help in the future to make the and charged a further four with a range of The police were alerted to the case when police understand it’s a serious case”. charges including fraud and money laundering. Pingus raised the alarm. Speaking to the drinks He added that this was the biggest fraud case The gang was centred on a restaurant in the business, Peter Sisseck revealed that he had involving Pingus he had come across so far, city of La Coruña in Galicia and had been spent a year beforehand gathering evidence to although there had been small-scale operating since about 2014, counterfeiting fine present to the authorities. counterfeiting in the past that he had managed wines from Pingus and Vega Sicilia, taking He explained that it all began when a client of to halt. wines costing €19 (£17) a bottle then his Danish importer said he’d acquired a bottle in It was a matter he said he was well aware of repackaging them to sell them on for as much Belgium that he thought was fake. and remained vigilant of. as €1,900 apiece. Sisseck agreed it was “dodgy”, and after a bit “We do all we can in order to avoid it. We’re Labels known to have been counterfeited of digging traced it to a restaurant in La Coruña. always aware if funny stuff is sold somewhere. include Pingus 2004 and 2006, and its This on its own might have been little more Most of these fake wines are sold in dodgy ways, second wine, Flor de Pingus, as well as Vega than a one-off mistake, but Sisseck then especially private sales and so on, so it’s quite Sicilia’s Unico. remembered the previous year his cork supplier difficult to get access to them. Sales were carried out on e-commerce had called him to query an order of Pingus- “We have released a statement advising people platforms and through online auctions, as well as marked corks that had been placed by a not to buy from places they don’t know.”
Most traded wines on Liv-ex in June The five wines shown were the most traded by value on Liv-ex in June 2018. Wine Vintage Last trade price (12x75) Several wines from the 2009 vintage led the Louis Roederer, Cristal 2008 £2,050 way in June as the Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 rose a Haut-Brion 1989 £25,000 solid 1.1%, seemingly unfazed by the poor en primeur campaign. Cheval Blanc 1998 £6,120 Having “lagged” in the first quarter, noted Mouton Rothschild 2007 £4,046 Liv-ex, the benchmark index has now posted Le Pin 2015 £33,916 three consecutive months of gains.
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fine wine update
INGLENOOK JOINS LA PLACE DE BORDEAUX
Francis Ford Coppola’s Napa Valley CVBG, Duclot and Maison Joanne. distribution of the signature wines winery, Inglenook, is to be distributed Inglenook already enjoys a has been entrusted to our three through La Place de Bordeaux, it has prominent reputation internationally, companies. We feel extremely been announced. but working with these three privileged to have a role in the The Godfather director has named prestigious négociants will development of the international three négociant houses in significantly increase Inglenook’s prominence and reputation of this Bordeaux – CVBG, the Moueix international exposure.” remarkable winery.” family's Duclot and the Castéja In a joint statement, the négociants A number of non-Bordelais fine family's Maison Joanne – to said: “Inglenook, a historic winery of wines have recently turned to La distribute his wine internationally, the Napa Valley, once again has the Place to further their international with Inglenook’s 2014 Rubicon, 2014 renown it deserves thanks distribution and standing, including Cabernet Sauvignon and 2015 to the vision and determination of Opus One, Seña and Masseto. Blancaneaux available from Francis Ford Coppola. It is in the Inglenook will continue to work with September. Coppola said: “We are continuation of his vision for other distributors in North and honoured to be represented by Inglenook that the international Central America.
DRC ‘TREASURES’ FROM HAUT-BRION 1989 LEADS YEAR’S TRADING
DROUHIN GO ON SALE The 1989 vintage of first growth Haut-Brion is for £25,000, a new all-time high. The next two Rare bottles of Domaine de la Romanée- the leading wine traded by value on the Liv-ex wines are also first growths: Lafite and Margaux, Conti, including pre-WWII vintages from the Exchange so far this year. and both from the 2015 vintage. The Margaux, in collection of winemaker and négociant Robert Having recently revealed the most searched for particular, is enjoying a storming run. Drouhin, are to be sold by Sotheby’s in New wines on its platform, Liv-ex has now revealed York this autumn. which wines have seen the most trade by value The dedicated auction will feature just 100 in 2018. lots of one of the most sought-after The majority of the labels are Bordeaux, as one Burgundies in the fine wine world, and few might expect, and a good deal come from the details have so far been revealed, save 2015 vintage, again unsurprising as the wines that the sale will take place in New York on became physical earlier this year, which often 13 October. leads to flurries of activity. Although quite small in scale, the auction Haut-Brion’s 1989 has been flying high for will attract huge interest as the vintages that some time. A recipient of a 100-point score from are likely to go on offer may very well date Robert Parker, who called it “one of the greatest back to 1928, when Robert’s father Maurice young Bordeaux wines of the last half century”, was given the exclusive distribution rights for with supplies diminishing as it nears 30 years DRC in France and Belgium. old, its prices are rising. Recently a case traded
AXA MILLÉSIMES ACQUIRES NAPA ESTATE The owner of Château Pichon Christian Seely, managing in the portfolio. Owner Frank Baron and Quinta do Noval, director of AXA Millésimes, Dotzler will stay on in a AXA Millésimes, has bought said: “We have been looking “fully operational capacity”, Outpost Wines – its first to make an acquisition in as will the winemaker, acquisition in Napa Valley. Napa Valley for some time.” Thomas Brown. Outpost Wines is located He added that already Seely said: “We look near Angwin on the higher having a leading Cabernet forward to working together slopes of Howell Mountain. Sauvignon producer in with Frank and Thomas to The sum paid by AXA to Pichon Baron, a Napa Valley take this exceptional the Dotzler family was Cabernet was a nice property to exciting not disclosed. complementary counterpoint new heights.”
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2017 EN PRIMEUR: HIGH PRICES RESULT IN SALES DROP
Many experts considered the 2017 en primeur releases to be similar to the price of 2014, but given that they are priced above fair value means that volume sales have fallen on last year
After en primeur week, many critics, producers to fair value but thanks to the goodwill and and merchants compared the 2017 vintage with momentum, were still well received. Additionally, The Liv-ex Fine Wine 50 2014. However, it would be more accurate to the first growths can defy the logic of fair value by describe the vintage as ‘2014 minus’, as it nature of the popularity and exclusivity afforded to 360 scored lower than 2014 as well as the 2012, the wines at the top of the 1855 classification. 2008 and 2006 vintages. This did not stop the However, among this group, Haut-Brion struggled. wines being priced as ‘2014 plus’, and Favourites of Asian collectors, such as Beychevelle, 355 consequently the average ex-London price of the Clerc Milon and the second wines of first growths 2017 vintage was £1,780 per case, making it the also succeeded. most expensive ‘off-vintage’ in the market. Because of the lack of wines that were priced Index value 350 Chart 1 shows the percentage difference attractively, Liv-ex UK members’ en primeur between ‘fair value’ and ex-London release price sales declined to £45 million, just over half of by château for 2017 en primeur. ‘Fair value’ is a last year’s total sales. Sales by volume have rigorous way of assessing the price of a newly fallen by 60% from last year. 345 released wine, because it focuses on quality, The reduced number of cases sold by the UK
rather than simply the year-on-year price trade is further evidence that greater volumes of 01.02.18 08.02.18 15.02.18 22.02.18 01.03.18 08.03.18 15.03.18 22.03.18 29.03.18 05.04.18 12.04.18 19.04.18 26.04.18 03.05.18 10.05.18 17.05.18 24.05.18 31.05.18 07.06.18 14.06.18 21.06.18 28.06.18 change. On aggregate, en primeur 2017 was wine are building up earlier in the supply chain, Source: Liv-ex.com priced 20% above fair value. both at châteaux, which are releasing fewer Our hypothesis is that over time, wines will cases onto the market, and with négociants, who The Liv-ex Fine Wine 50 Index tracks the tend towards their fair-value price, and thus are caught in the middle struggling to sell daily price movement of the Bordeaux undervalued wines should be bought at en enough of what they purchase. First Growths from the 10 most recent primeur, and overvalued wines avoided. This means that in the short term the vintages (excluding futures, currently Merchants and their customers took a similar négociants are left in the precarious position 2005-2014). Liv-ex is an independent view because wines that sold well, such as of holding stock that the market believes to trading and settlement platform for the Calon-Ségur, Carmes Haut Brion, Lafleur, Lafite be overpriced. To sell this, they must either fine wine trade. For prices and other Rothschild, Lynch-Bages and Rauzan-Ségla were look to discount or rely on the market to pick market information visit www.liv-ex.com released below their fair value price. up in the future. Many will hope for the latter, There were three exceptions to this rule. Brands but only those with the deepest pockets can such as Canon and Figeac came with a premium play this game.
Chart 1: Difference of release prices from fair value vs year-on-year sterling price change (%)
160% 140% % Change from 2016 release price (£) % Difference from fair value 120% 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% % difference 0% -20% -40% Pavie Clinet Figeac Palmer Lafleur Ausone Evangile Margaux Montrose Armailhac Haut-Brion Lascombes Haut-Bailly Saint Pierre Clos Fourlet Calon Ségur Conseillante Lynch-Bages Cheval Blanc Cheval Pontet-Canet Pichon Baron Rauzan-Ségla L’Eglise Clinet L’Eglise Pape Clément Pape Pavie Decesse Pavie Gruaud Larose Pavie Macquin Pavie Pichon Lalande Brane Cantenac Gazin (Pomerol) Cos d Estourmel Léoville Poyferré Lafite Rothschild Ducru Beacaillou Troplong Mondot Troplong Leoville Las Cases Smith Haut Lafitte Beausejour Duffau Mouton Rothschild Carmes Haut-Brion Mission Haut-Brion Malescot St Exupery Domanine Chevallier Vieux Château Certan Vieux Canon (Saint Emillion)
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fine wine monitor
Rising stars (£/9-litre case)
Bordeaux (Red) 1982 1989 1990 1995 1996 2000 2003 2005 2009 2010 Ausone 5160 2112 4632 4800 5380 9121 8600 12000 9640 10600 Calon Ségur 2469 1676 1500 990 880 954 854 870 840 880 Cantemerle 1207 742 450 406 460 461 300 350 320 340 Cheval Blanc 7500 4390 9955 4400 3850 7250 4100 6600 6900 8450 Conseillante 5631 3443 3750 1300 1272 2000 900 2050 1362 1580 Cos d’Estournel 3300 1899 2350 1636 1599 1600 1650 1620 2400 1700 Ducru Beaucaillou 3405 1609 1153 1544 1900 1900 1420 1775 2350 1750 Figeac 3975 1750 2400 1500 1042 1683 1030 1695 1750 1781 Grand Puy Lacoste 2287 1163 2250 1075 1040 1100 520 840 642 680 Gruaud Larose 3929 899 1775 782 840 1050 560 690 780 737 Haut Brion 9841 25000 8500 4200 3950 6750 3775 6800 6500 6650 Lafite Rothschild 40000 7600 7800 7475 9600 13940 9500 7410 7482 7200 Lafleur 45156 9372 14500 4800 3449 14000 5800 15000 12300 12000 Lagune 1191 616 1150 560 524 550 420 640 521 480 Latour 22539 4690 7700 5104 6090 8278 7150 6800 10000 11400 Léoville Barton 2100 1175 1495 830 920 1176 990 920 830 975 Léoville Las Cases 3900 1650 2556 1860 2440 2450 1640 2200 2150 1880 Léoville Poyferre 3091 1095 2950 900 990 1450 1165 895 1725 1070 Lynch Bages 2663 3480 2989 1500 1609 2075 999 1320 1345 1250 Margaux 9955 4435 10758 4700 6300 8200 4920 6100 6600 6500 Mission Haut Brion 12689 14279 5321 2300 1980 5800 1800 4401 4850 4600 Montrose 2400 4600 5923 1242 1455 1480 1740 1230 2180 1895 Mouton Rothschild 14950 4722 4282 5000 5104 20000 5082 5250 5600 5800 Palmer 2837 3400 2700 2024 2100 2750 1852 2520 2400 2700 Petrus 49950 42000 43000 24500 22735 45000 20500 30600 35424 35500 Pichon Baron 2350 2400 2700 1447 1680 1913 1240 1250 1325 1350 Pichon Lalande 8209 2076 1379 1990 2253 2115 1250 1100 1295 1340 Pin 155952 25464 28944 21322 18600 40008 31500 37200 35000 Talbot 1560 825 1050 775 795 940 640 700 600 600 Vieux Château Certan 3651 2050 2208 1500 1350 2150 1250 1850 2340 2646
Bordeaux (White) 1988 1990 1996 1997 2001 2003 2004 2005 2007 2009 Climens 880 1020 570 490 1700 410 310 600 618 485 Rieussec 797 570 290 420 840 300 260 320 290 330 Suduiraut 464 450 368 360 600 320 312 350 315 450 Yquem 2650 2600 1880 2100 4300 1900 1950 2100 2180 3593
Burgundy 1995 1996 1998 1999 2002 2005 2006 2007 2009 2010 Comte Vogüé, Bonnes Mares 4512 4800 4056 4404 4620 5800 3700 4000 3708 3862 Comtes Lafon, Meursault Charmes 2964 2400 1980 3000 2316 2349 1952 2484 2400 2500 DRC, Assortment 45750 44519 35950 48500 38500 45000 37250 37500 38500 47000 DRC, Montrachet 59400 72132 47592 63000 105960 73800 59400 57600 57300 79740 DRC, Romanée-Conti 147996 204000 147000 171000 152928 186000 148920 162000 155400 150000 Armand Rousseau, Chambertin 19404 20184 11520 36000 23310 50000 19000 14500 19224 18084 Armand Rousseau, Clos Roche 4164 4800 4548 5200 6400 4800 3490 3900 3600 4212
Champagne 1985 1989 1990 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2004 Krug, Vintage Brut 6500 4704 5400 3000 3900 2450 1800 1885 2900 2080 Louis Roederer, Cristal 3840 3180 3960 3212 4200 2362 1700 2180 1880 Moet & Chandon, Dom Pérignon 2520 3420 1772 2220 1650 1390 1400 1320 1060
Others 1998 1999 2000 2001 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Tignanello 1100 888 1273 1008 1200 1190 950 960 820 900 Beaucastel, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 660 595 630 720 550 600 660 500 520 600 Chapoutier, Ermitage Pavillon 1846 1692 1300 2303 2080 1300 850 1700 2500 2350 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage 2387 3453 2280 2160 3678 2458 1800 1800 4884 4985 Guigal, Côte-Rôtie Mouline 5644 7636 2484 3350 4378 2071 2160 1836 3900 3750 Paul Jaboulet Aïné, Hermitage Chapelle 660 920 660 790 1242 840 974 600 1450 1490 Opus One 2367 3850 3360 3204 3238 3600 3200 3200 3674 3080 Ornellaia 1800 1850 1544 1920 1580 1560 1560 1440 1440 1570 Penfolds, Grange 3900 3540 3704 4020 3700 3600 3980 4390 3700 3682 Rayas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 4392 5232 4392 5270 7222 4200 7092 5636 5808 8892 Sassicaia 2598 2115 2220 2100 1682 1885 1740 1600 1660 1400 Vieux Télégraphe, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 551 663 450 456 570 360 530 300 420 540
Port 1963 1966 1970 1977 1985 1997 2000 2003 2007 2011 Dow 1740 1680 900 900 550 350 420 432 770 1500 Fonseca 2700 2220 1800 2090 630 400 460 380 440 744 Graham 2640 1920 1560 980 675 360 420 450 450 650 Quinta Noval 1500 1800 1200 889 1300 600 660 600 824 Taylor 1920 3028 1560 1450 600 550 495 492 460 580 Warre 1440 1500 1333 780 600 350 360 395 360 704
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CREAM OF the crop
In the first six months of the year there have been some interesting sales for iDealwine. Here, we highlight the best sellers so far in 2018
THE FIRST half of 2018 is over, and waning in recent years. Its presence on the market, and their ageing ability between 1 January and 31 June, over among the most expensive bottles is less makes them a safe investment. 37,000 lots, or 74,000 bottles, were sold on of a given and relies on large format sizes. the iDealwine auction platform, a 30% Nonetheless, and credit where credit’s BURGUNDY TRIUMPHANT increase in volume compared with the due, a magnum of Château Mouton The small and parcellated region of same time in 2017. A look at the highest- Rothschild 1945 is the highest-priced Burgundy presides over the rankings. Out priced bottles at auction on iDealwine so bottle to have sold on the online auction of the 50 highest-priced bottles auctioned far throws up some familiar faces but dig platform in 2018 so far, thanks to the so far this year from any region, a little deeper and the figures reveal some magic combination of large format in a Burgundy lays claim to a staggering 31. new contenders. mature, landmark vintage. The mythic Domaine de la Romanée- Petrus is once again the force to be Conti occupies 11 of these spots, and a BORDEAUX, OLD RELIABLE reckoned with in Bordeaux. Out of the 15 bottle of its Romanée-Conti Grand Cru In this first semester, Bordeaux highest-priced Bordeaux, eight hail from 2001 sold for €12,890 (£11,470), the second represented a third of all lots sold. this Pomerol superstar, while large highest-priced bottle in 2018 so far. In Although this ratio will most likely formats of Mouton Rothschild, Latour 2017, however, this domaine represented increase as we approach the claret- and d’Yquem have also been at the centre 25 out of 50 of the most expensive bottles drinking winter season, Bordeaux’s of intense bidding wars. High volume sold on the online platform. As these dominance over the market has been production gives Bordeaux good fluidity cuvées become increasingly hard to come
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auction update – sponsored by iDealwine
First half of 2018 on the iDealwine auction platform: highest-priced bottle by region Source: iDealwine
Region Lot Price Variation Date of sale Buyer on price estimate Bordeaux Magnum of Château Mouton Rothschild 1945 €15,808 16% 12/04/2018 France Burgundy Bottle of Romanée-Conti Grand Cru, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2001 €12,890 21% 30/01/2018 France Rhône Bottle of Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin, Jean-Louis Chave 2009 €12,652 316% 04/06/2018 Poland Champagne Magnum of Krug Collection 1959 €3,770 3% 30/01/2018 France Jura Bottle of Arbois Vin Jaune, Pierre Overnoy 1990 €1,642 29% 13/06/2018 Hong Kong Loire Bottle of Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg, Clos Rougeard 1989 €912 22% 30/01/2018 Finland Alsace Bottle of Riesling Clos Sainte-Hune, Trimbach 1983 €486 35% 17/01/2018 Hong Kong Languedoc-Roussillon Magnum of IGP Pays d’Hérault, Grange des Pères (white) 2014 €401 – 17/05/2018 France Beaujolais Magnum of Fleurie l’Ultime Yvon Métras €292 20% 16/06/2018 Hong Kong Non-French wines Bottle of Napa Screaming Eagle, 2015 €2,918 4% 20/06/2018 France
by, the mighty DRC’s grip on the market (€2,432), the Côte-Rôtie Côte Brune 1988 is slackening, and enthusiasts are from Gentaz-Dervieux (€2,250) and a About iDealwine.com widening their gaze to include the other magnum of Châteauneuf Réserve des stars of the Côte de Nuits. The fourth Célestins 2007 from Henri Bonneau > iDealwine is an international fine- most expensive bottle was a magnum of (€1,097) have also sparked bidding wars. wine e-merchant with offices in Montrachet Grand Cru 2000 from Paris, Hong Kong and London. Domaine Leflaive (€11,674), while a bottle CHAMPAGNE: KRUG RULES Specialising in online auctions and of this same cuvée in the 1996 and 1997 Don’t be too hasty opening your vintage fixed-price sales, iDealwine was Champagne. When it comes to selling launched in France in 2000, and is Champagne on the auction market, age, now the online auction leader in Natural wines are now large formats and prestigious names are Europe, supplying to 50 countries a significant trend, and absolute requisites. The two most in Europe, Asia and the US. expensive Champagnes of 2018 so far are > Wine is sourced from private boutique producers in the both magnums of Krug Collection. A European cellars and directly from bottle of the 1959 went under the hammer the wineries, with a large range that Loire, Jura and Beaujolais earlier this year for €3,770 and the 1969 includes rare bottles and vintages. are in worldwide demand for €3,405. > iDealwine provides wine-market data and analysis, with more than TOMORROW’S STARS 60,000 price estimates, based on more vintages took 12th (€5,594) and 13th The icons in the making are often hiding than three million auction prices. (€4,986) place respectively. Henri Jayer’s in the lesser-known regions where, rather > Contact: Angélique de Lencquesaing – wines are becoming increasingly difficult than the allure of a classic appellation, it’s [email protected] to source and a Vosne-Romanée Cros the personality of a producer and their Parantoux 1986 fetched €6,810. qualitative wines that count. Although the reds from cult Languedoc producer CHAVE FLIES THE FLAG Grange des Pères are seeing their prices Métras’ cuvée L’Ultime 2005 that seduced The Rhône cannot be ignored. Coveted by plateau, the rare whites tell a different bidders, at €292. So far, 2018’s results hint the American market, this region is going story: a magnum of the 2014 was recently at a bright future for the natural wine from strength to strength, and thanks to sold for €401. scene. Watch this space. ultra-rare lots of Hermitage Cuvée Natural wines are now a significant trend, Cathelin from Jean-Louis Chave and small-scale producers in the Loire, surfacing, it has muscled its way into the Jura and Beaujolais are in worldwide top 50 highest-priced bottles of 2018 three demand. A magnum of Stéphane times. When a bottle of the 2009 appeared Bernaudeau’s cuvée Les Nourissons 2009 it was snapped up for €12,652, while a (Loire) reached €450 at auction, while a 2003 and a 1990 went for €8,634 and Vin Jaune 1990 from the Jura’s coveted €6,202 respectively. The famous Côte- Domaine Overnoy sold for €1,642. From Rôtie La Mouline 1978 from Guigal Beaujolais, it was a magnum of Yvon
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people moves
BENEVOLENT NAMES CHAIRMAN FOR 2019 PEPSICO DIRECTOR Drinks trade charity The Benevolent has also truly understand the mission and core named Michael Saunders, chief executive of values of the charity.” JOINS WHISKY GIANT Bibendum PLB, as its new chairman. He will To maintain the charity’s “drive for continued succeed Tom Yusef in 2019, and there will be a success in its operations”, it has already William Grant & Sons has hired Matt number of new trustee appointments. confirmed that Saunders will be succeeded by Billinghurst as its new UK commercial His official appointment as the new Troy Christensen, who will become chairman of director, following a number of significant chairman will be announced at The Vintners’ the charity in January 2021. internal moves in the spirits business. Company Annual Wine Trade Lunch, due to be He joins from PepsiCo, where he was sales held on 11 January 2019. director, responsible for leading the Saunders will also be made a trustee of the commercial business in multiple categories charity, along with Troy Christensen, chief and markets. executive of Enotria&Coe, and Tom King, Billinghurt spent 10 years at PepsiCo, managing director of Europe for Treasury working with a number of retailers for the Wine Estates. multinational food and beverage giant, The three new trustees join as part of the including Tesco and Morrisons. charity’s plans to expand the reach of support He will replace Neil Barker, who was named to help more vulnerable members of the wider as William Grant’s commercial director in UK drinks industry. May last year, but recently took on the role of Chris Porter, The Benevolent’s chief executive, managing director for the UK and Ireland. said: “I am so pleased to have three new A number of significant internal moves trustees for The Benevolent, who will not only took place at the company in 2017, including bring great business acumen and further Rita Greenwood being appointed as experience to our board of trustees, but who managing director of Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
ROBERSON APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF TRADE IN BRIEF Françoise Mathis, former account manager at Boutinot Wines, has been Flint Wines has appointed Céline Sabatié as appointed head of trade at Roberson its company development manager to support its Wine, in which role she will oversee the ongoing growth. She has previously worked at on- and off-trade business and develop Armit Wines and Berkmann Wine Cellars. routes to market in the UK. South African winery Nederburg has named A well-known face among the on- Jamie Fredericks as its new assisstant white trade, and with 14 years of experience in winemaker. She joins from Distell, having studied wine, she will take up her new position molecular biology and biotechnology at the in September. University of Stellenbosch. Talya Roberson, managing director of The BC Wine Institute has named its new Roberson Wine, said: “Françoise is a board of directors with Christa-Lee McWatters, charismatic and knowledgeable Josie Tyabji, Erik Fisher and Charlie Baessler all professional who brings great experience being newly elected or re-elected. to our team. I’m confident that together Pernod Ricard has announced that Ian we will achieve great things.” FitzSimons is leaving the Group General Mathis added: “I am really looking Counsel, where he has been since 2002. forward to joining Roberson Wine. For The American Bar at The Savoy in London years I have admired their outstanding has appointed Maxim Schulte as its new head portfolio. They are daring and innovative bartender. He is just the 11th person to hold that and were the first to launch an urban position in the venue’s history. winery in the UK, London Cru. Cognac producer Camus has named “With the current market seeing some Pier Paolo Catucci as its new global brand profound consumer changes towards a manager, as the company pursues further more qualitative offer, I have no doubt global growth. that there are exciting prospects for Obituaries: Northern Rhône pioneer Roberson Wine, and I can’t wait to be Auguste Clape, a leading light of the Cornas part of it.” appellation, has died aged 93.
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people moves
BI APPOINTS NEW COO AND HEAD OF INVESTMENT MARK MOTLEY JOINS BI Wines and Spirits has announced that Jo MILESTONE WINES Mier has joined the company as its new chief operating officer. Milestone Wines has announced Formerly chief of staff at the Caitlin Group, that former Ehrmann’s director Mark she will act as the number two to BI’s founder Motley has joined the company as its new and managing director, Gary Boom. director of sales. Meanwhile, Matt O’Connell has also The announcement follows the purchase joined the company in the new role of head earlier this year of specialist importer of wine investment. Aussie Rules. O’Connell was an executive director at That acquisition bought a number of Goldman Sachs for 12 years where he worked brands from Australia into the with some of the bank’s highest-profile Milestone portfolio. corporate and investment clients. Managing director Miles Corish MW said: Boom said: “I am delighted to welcome Matt “We are delighted to welcome Mark on and Jo to BI’s management team. Appointments board. This is a very exciting period for the of this calibre signal our intention to be the company, and Mark brings with him a best wine business in the world, and are a wealth of experience as a former reflection of our desire to broaden our client shareholder in North South Wines, and, offering and further improve our asset- before this, as director of independent management approach. Both Jo and Matt’s trade at Erhmanns Wine Shippers. wealth of education and experience will be “Mark’s philosophy and experience is a hugely beneficial to BI.” perfect fit for the current and future ambitions of Milestone Wines.” BOARD CHANGES contact BOARDEX on AUSTRALIAN VINTAGE +44 (0) 20 7160 9600, [email protected]
Name Description Company Role EXPANDS UK SALES TEAM Steve Attridge Joins ANDREW PELLER LIMITED Executive VP/CFO Peter Patchet Leaves ANDREW PELLER LIMITED Interim CFO Eladio Bezares Munilla Joins BODEGAS RIOJANAS SA Chairman (Rep Board Member) Australian Vintage has expanded its UK Brian Fitzgerald Joins BROWN FORMAN CORP Treasurer sales team to support its on-going growth in John Hayes Joins BROWN FORMAN CORP Senior VP/Division President Thomas Hinrichs Joins BROWN FORMAN CORP Senior VP/Division President the market. Mike Keyes Joins BROWN FORMAN CORP Senior VP/Chief Corp Affairs Officer Those joining the team are: Henry Moran, who Mark McCallum Joins BROWN FORMAN CORP Executive VP/Chief Brand Officer Kelli Nelson Joins BROWN FORMAN CORP VP/Chief Accounting Officer has been named head of sales UK, having been Stewart Gilliland Joins C&C GROUP PLC Chairman (Independent NED) promoted from channel manager for grocery; Sir Brian Stewart Leaves C&C GROUP PLC Chairman (Independent NED) David Giltrow, who has been made senior Anne-Claire Taittinger Leaves CARREFOUR SA Independent Board Member Ricardo Bartra Joins CONSTELLATION BRANDS INC Senior VP/Chief Technology Officer business manager for the impulse channel; and Joe Vanderstelt Leaves CRAFT BREW ALLIANCE INC Executive VP/CFO/Treasurer Senthil Kulandhaisamy, who returns to the Karen Diepholz Joins Crimson Wine Group Ltd CFO Lavanya Chandrashekar ChopraJoins DIAGEO PLC Division CFO company as business manager. Peter Ndegwa Joins DIAGEO PLC Regional MD Furthermore, Karen Humphreys has been John Dunsmore Joins FULLER SMITH & TURNER PLC Independent NED Lynn Fordham Leaves FULLER SMITH & TURNER PLC Independent NED promoted to senior business manager in the Peter Swinburn Joins FULLER SMITH & TURNER PLC Senior Independent NED grocery department, and in Ireland, Simon Clive Chesser Leaves GREENE KING PLC Division MD Roland Bala Joins HEINEKEN MALAYSIA BHD MD McStravik has been made senior business Hans Essaadi Joins HEINEKEN MALAYSIA BHD Division MD manager for that market. Dick Boer Leaves KONINKLIJKE AHOLD DELHAIZE NV Chairman/President/CEO Julian Dyer, chief operating officer, said: Frans Muller Joins KONINKLIJKE AHOLD DELHAIZE NV Chairman/President/CEO Gilles Bogaert Joins PERNOD-RICARD Regional Chairman/CEO “The UK has always been a key market for us, Jean-Christophe Coutures Joins PERNOD-RICARD Division Chairman/Division CEO and as our business continues to expand we Hélène de Tissot Joins PERNOD-RICARD Group Director - Finance Ian FitzSimons Leaves PERNOD-RICARD Group General Counsel need a strong sales team to reflect this. Amanda Hamilton-Stanley Joins PERNOD-RICARD Group General Counsel “The impulse channel in particular presents Laurent Lacassagne Leaves PERNOD-RICARD Division Chairman/Division CEO Christian Porta Joins PERNOD-RICARD MD - Business Development a host of opportunities for us, and these Victoria Snyder Joins TREASURY WINE ESTATES LTD Regional President changes have been made with this priority in Xing Jiang Joins TSINGTAO BREWERY CO LTD Independent Director Doctor Ming Sun Leaves TSINGTAO BREWERY CO LTD Director - ED mind. We are confident that this highly William Tang Joins TSINGTAO BREWERY CO LTD Director - SD successful team will enable us to fulfil our Doctor Xue Wang Leaves TSINGTAO BREWERY CO LTD Independent Director objectives across all sectors.” Rui Wang Joins TSINGTAO BREWERY CO LTD Vice President
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q&a
What’s your current state of mind? Full of creativity – like writing the first pages of a book after months of research and a detailed prologue.
What is it that you most dislike? Lies and corruption.
Where would you like to live? From now until my sixties in Mendoza for sure. After that maybe northern California.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? To learn to listen more, because when I’m focused I get into a bubble that insulates me.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? To have been cured of cancer when I was 12.
What is your greatest regret? Not having taught at the winemaking university THE PROUST Q&A: I studied at, and sharing my experiences to make Mendoza bigger on the wine map. MARCOS FERNÁNDEZ Who are your favourite writers? Julio Cortázar, Jorge Luis Borges, Gabriel García Marcos Fernández is the chief winemaker at Doña Paula in Mendoza. Márquez, Cervantes, Homer, and Shakespeare.
Having cut his winemaking teeth at Norton, Chandon and Viña Cobos, Who is your hero of fiction? Wile E. Coyote from the Roadrunner cartoons Fernandez worked five harvests with Paul Hobbs in the Napa Valley because he never gives up.
before returning to Argentina to work for Doña Paula in 2014. He Who would be your ideal dinner party guests, and which three lives in Mendoza with his wife, Melisa. wines would you serve them? I’d love to host a dinner with my wife in Uco Valley at the foot of the Andes. We’d slow cook What is perfect happiness to you? What is your most marked ribs for three hours over charcoal to give the Perfect happiness depends on two things: being character trait? meat a smoky flavour, and would serve them passionate about what you do and spending I want to do everything at the same time and I alongside some vegetables and grilled quality time with those you love. If you lose want to be everywhere at once. provoleta cheese. I’d invite Stephen Hawking, either then you’ll be unhappy. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, and I’d begin by What or who is the greatest love pairing the provoleta cheese with Olivier Where are you happiest? of your life? Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet 2014, which was Cooking at home with my wife with a glass of My wife, Melisa. the first white wine to blow my mind. I'd then wine and good music. serve the ribs with Doña Paula Selección de Who do you most admire? Bodega 2015 Malbec from Gualtallary in the What is the quality you most like Bill Gates, for his resilience and generosity. Uco Valley, to show my guests what we can do in a woman? with Malbec, and we’d finish the night with I seek the same qualities in a woman as I do in Which talent would you most like? Château Guiraud Sauternes 2011. wine – a perfect blend of elegance, intelligence I would love to be able to dance to all kinds and creativity captivates me. of music.
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OUT AND ABOUT WITH THE DRINKS BUSINESS
1: JOVIAL JOCKEY Frankie Dettori was 3: ANYONE FOR tennis? The first day of 5: CONGRATULATIONS ARE in order tickled pink to win the St James’s Palace Stakes Wimbledon is always a hot ticket in the drinks for bartender Arron Grendon of Tropic City bar in on the first day of Ascot. Amid flutes of Bollinger, industry calendar, and wine writers Will Lyons (left) Bangkok, who has been crowned the 2018 the official Champagne of the races, newlyweds and Ollie Smith (right) made the most of the free Chivas Masters Global Champion after a the Duke and Duchess of Sussex presented flowing Lanson with the Champagne house’s UK gruelling five-day final at Strathisla distillery in Dettori with the shiny winner’s trophy. managing director Paul Beavis (centre). Speyside and the Oval Space in London.
2: THE EFFERVESCENT Matteo Lunelli of 4: THINGS GOT a little wild in Islington at 6: LOVE ISLAND heartthrobs Eval Booker Italian sparkling wine estate Ferrari was on hand the launch of new tiki bar Laki Kane, where the and Zara McDermott added a sprinkling of to congratulate charismatic chef Massimo bartenders competed for the highest rum pour. celebrity stardust to the launch of TWG Tea's Bottura of Osteria Francescana in Modena for The kooky bar on Upper Street features a new tea salon in Leicester Square, where pop claiming the top spot at this year’s World’s 50 distillery on the first floor, where guests can singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor wowed the crowd with Best Restaurants Awards, held in Bilbao. blend their own rum to take home. a DJ set – it was murder on the dancefloor.
Brand leader and innovative family business Leading light in Spain’s best regions Pioneering the new wave in Chile 11 6 xxx_db_Jul_Coralejo 2018_Layout 1 22/06/2018 11:11 Page 1 xxx_db_Jul_El Ron Prohibbido 2018_Layout 1 22/06/2018 11:10 Page 1