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Home , Bloom (software), Brian Eno, Will Champion

Of all the figures lauded for their influence on the arts, there is no one quite like . Noble Rot met up with him at his London studio to drink and discuss some of the world’s most exciting wines, and try not to ask “got any ambient mate?” Words by Dan Keeling Photographs by Tom Cockram Ode to Perfume

26 Noble Rot Noble Rot 27 he finale of Patrick Susskind’s novel was synthesized to try and create the smell Over the past few years Noble Rot has been Perfume is a fantastically far-fetched of violets, because you can’t distil their smell fascinated to witness the growth of estates Taffair. Set in 18th century France, like you can from other flowers. But actually in California that produce a more elegant aroma-obsessed Grenouille is sentenced to it smells halfway between violets and… style of wine than the ‘blockbusters’ that death for murdering twenty-five virgins in racing motorbikes.” became critics’ favourites in the 1990s, order to blend their scents into the ultimate “Ah, here’s the bottle,” Eno exclaims, whilst conversely some of the more austere, perfume. Hours after arrest, he manages to pleased to have finally found the fragrance ‘old world’ estates have begun to make their unleash his intoxicating concoction on the he made with his friend Maurice Roucel at wines more forward and accessible. town’s population, arousing widespread Quest Laboratories. “I wanted to make a Although not set up as an ‘old world’ vs ‘new carnal passion and setting off a huge public perfume only for use during sex, and this is world’ competition, nor tasted blind, we are orgy in the local square. The lustful townsfolk what I came up with.” He offers the vial looking forward to garnering the opinions of decide to pardon Grenouille and execute an around the table to lots of “oohs” and “aahs”. one the world’s most open-minded creative innocent man instead, leaving him to make “I gave some to a friend, and ever since that thinkers on a stellar selection of producers good his escape. Preposterous though the day she has been completely addicted to it. close to Noble Rot’s heart. prospect might be, having experienced She thinks this is how she got her husband First gaining notoriety in the early Brian Eno’s unreleased perfume first-hand to marry her.” Did she keep dabbing it behind as the player in the glam (thankfully no virgin murders necessary), her ears? “You don’t put it there, you put it on rock band , Brian Eno is Noble Rot can attest to the possibility of your…” Eno laughs. “It’s not something probably best known as one of the world’s a fragrance wielding unexpected and you would ever wear during the daytime in most successful music producers, helping to extraordinary powers. the street; it has an effect on the person shape albums as diverse as ’s “My interest in smells comes from when who is wearing it. Somehow, it’s like an Heroes, ’s , ’ I was young and fascinated by one smell envelope of sensuality.” Does he feel he may and ’s Viva La in particular: motorcycle oil,” Eno tells have missed out on a lucrative career as a Vida among many more. As an artist in his Noble Rot as he searches through a perfumier? “I don’t think I would be very own right he was among the first to use collection of bottles of fragrance, much like good at it,” he grins, “I’ve only ever had two sampling (and in turn inspire hip hop and an advanced version of the wine aroma box ideas: sex and petrol.” house/ production) on the classic set Le Nez Du Vin. “My dad owned Tucked away in the corner of a mews just My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts (with Talking motorbikes, and we used to go to Snetterton behind one of Notting Hill’s busiest Heads’ ), and released a series A Brief History Of Time seem like a light in Norfolk to see the racing. The smell of the streets, the white walls of Brian Eno’s studio of landmark albums starting with 1975’s read, Eno’s highly diverse CV is a reflection high-octane fuel just haunted me as I grew are covered in a multitude of boxes, books, , which introduced a musical of a charming and super bright intellectual older, so I got a little bottle of it, and after tools, CDs and musical instruments that lend genre called ‘ambient’. Elsewhere, he was who has the talent and curiosity to skip from that I started collecting other smells. it the air of a well-loved art school. Noble Rot responsible for the music that played every project to project, seemingly unencumbered I now have about a thousand or so. has arranged to meet Eno here for a tasting time ’s was launched on by conventional rules, mediums or formats. When I was forty, I smelled something that of wines from some of the most exciting a PC, and is a pioneer of what he describes as Joining us for the tasting were The Wine really intrigued me called methyl octane domaines in France (and one in Germany), ‘generative’ or ‘chance’ music, most recently Advocate’s Neal Martin and Coldplay’s carbonate, which is used in an aftershave and their counterparts in California, who embodied in his and Scape apps. (both present for appreciation called Fahrenheit. Methyl octane carbonate make wine from the same grape varieties. With a Wikipedia page entry that makes purposes only).

Brian Eno, Notting Hill, “My interest in smells December 2014 comes from when I was young and fascinated by one smell in particular: motorcycle oil” Brian Eno

28 Noble Rot Noble Rot 29 ”I was convinced there was a different type of drunkenness from each kind of wine. That was the reason I got into Burgundy, because I noticed Aloxe-Corton in particular made people laugh. Bordeaux is a bad drunk for me“ Brian Eno

30 Noble Rot Noble Rot 31 The tasting with Brian Eno. They are one of the leading estates involved Which one would you prefer to drink? immediately reminds me of is cinnamon bark. Noble Rot: Hi Brian. Before we start, in the ‘In Pursuit Of Balance’ movement I’d go for the Sandhi, as the other one When cinnamon bark is distilled it’s different what kind of wines do you normally like? towards a more restrained style of does strike me as a mistake. It’s like it has from the taste of cinnamon in food – it smells Brian Eno: My best wine experiences have Californian winemaking. got a greenish-grey cloud hanging over a little bit like the Plasticine clay that been with French wines, so I think the best Coche-Dury is revered as one of France’s the flavours. children play with. There’s such a strong French wines are the best wines. But there most legendary vignerons, his famous style In musical terms, is it like an off-note? resemblance to some of the aromas in this are also so many bad French wines – there’s of white Burgundy – redolent with aromas Or a resonance when something gets Riesling. such a range. A long time ago I wrote an of minerals and gun smoke – inspiring legions recorded. Bad microphone placement! essay called Wines classified according to of loyal fans. However, perfection doesn’t (Everyone agrees. Damn. Not only is this their effects, because I was convinced there come cheap, and even his village-level Flight 2 2011 Tatomer / Kick-On guy one of the smartest thinkers in art and was a different type of drunkenness from Meursault (featured here) now retails for Ranch Riesling (Santa Barbara, USA) music, he’s also got the nose of a bloodhound.) each kind of wine. That was the reason I got upwards of £200. 2010 Keller / Hubacker Riesling into Burgundy, because I noticed Aloxe- Grosses Gewächs (Rheinhessen, Do you prefer one of the wines? Corton in particular made people laugh. Eno: (Sniffs Coche-Dury Meursault) Germany) For me, the Tatomer is the most interesting Bordeaux is a bad drunk for me. I think Now, I have to ask you a question. To me this Graham Tatomer worked at the renowned one. It’s intense, but saying that, the fact that Bordeaux wines are largely responsible smells like it’s a bit off – in a restaurant I Emmerich Knoll estate in Austria’s Wachau it resembles Plasticine might overwhelm me for the decline in French philosophy in the would send it back. It’s a bit foxy and smells region before returning to California to make after a while. (laughs) I grew fonder of the last 50 years. I think the problem is that of old fireworks. his own wines. Kick-On Ranch Riesling, Keller as time went on, although I thought it Bordeaux makes you think that everything from a coastal vineyard near Santa Barbara, was a little bit characterless, to be honest. you are saying is really quite important. Coche wines are well known for that type of uses many of the same winemaking old firework/gun smoke aroma profile, methods and techniques as are typical in Could that have been because it was drunk Scores which isn’t to everybody’s taste. Caused by Austria and Germany. alongside the more rambunctious Tatomer? Eno: The way I like to give scores is by an effect called ‘reduction’, which, when Klaus Peter Keller’s dry Grosses Yes, probably. starting in the middle of the range; whatever present to a great extent can be considered Gewächs Rieslings have been described as the first thing is I rate I give it 50% of the a winemaking fault, a few producers in “the German Montrachets” by critic Jancis What whites do you like to drink at home? possible full score, and then rate everything Burgundy have harnessed the process in Robinson, and on the basis of past mind- I like Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand else in relation to it. order to add complexity and character to their blowing bottles from the Kirchspiel and and South Africa. I hardly ever buy the same wines. How does it compare to the Sandhi? Absterde vineyards, we wholeheartedly wine twice as I like to try different things. Flight 1 2011 Sandhi / Rita’s Crown The Sandhi I find a bit thin and sour. Sorry, agree. Complex, pure and refined, the searing As you can tell from my reaction to the Chardonnay (Santa Barbara, USA) these aren’t very complimentary comments… acidity and energy of Keller’s top wines can Tatomer, I like a surprise. I like it when I’ve 2007 JF Coche-Dury / Meursault (laughs) The Sandhi seems a bit insubstantial have an almost narcotic, uplifting effect. never heard of something before, or tasted (Burgundy, France) to me, and the Coche-Dury I can tell is a something before. I am a thrill-seeker really. Sandhi Wines, a project in Santa Barbara very good wine which has gone slightly off. Eno: (Smells Tatomer) That’s unusual. But it does mean that I end up with quite a that specialises in Chardonnay and Pinot That would be my opinion of them. If you It’s lovely. Let me show you something… few disappointing bottles. Noir, was set up by genius winemaker tell me that character is a feature then I (leaves tasting table and returns a minute Sashi Moorman, sommelier Rajat Parr and have to think differently, but it’s not a feature later with a small vial of fragrance, which he Flight 3 Scholium Project / Sylphs ex-Screaming Eagle owner Charles Banks. that I appreciate. opens and passes around). What this wine Chardonnay 2011 (Napa, California)

Eno: Rotter’s: Eno: Rotter’s: Sandhi / Sandhi / 2011 Tatomer / 2011 Tatomer / Rita’s Crown Rita’s Crown Kick On Ranch Kick On Ranch     JF Coche Dury / JF Coche Dury / 2010 Keller / 2010 Keller / Meursault Meursault Hubacker Hubacker    

32 Noble Rot Noble Rot 33 JP Robinot / L’opéra des vins/ Lumière (Tastes Robinot) I think this one tastes a bit de Silex 2004 (Loire, France) like Port – and I like it. It’s completely mad, A former professor of ancient Greek and confirms my feeling that I am a thrill- philosophy at St John’s College in Maryland, seeker. It’s like Christmas wine with its USA, Abe Schoener caught the wine bug aromas of fruitcake. and went to work for John Kongsgaard in the Napa Valley before setting up on his Maybe there are some parallels between how own. Scholium Project now produces some Robinot makes his wine (farming and of the most unique wines in America, vinification with little intervention) and some including one of our favourites of last year, of your methods of setting a musical system ‘The Prince In His Caves’. in motion and seeing how it develops? Jean-Pierre Robinot used to run a wine I am completely in sympathy with this wine. bar in Paris before selling up in 2001 to return I like the idea of somebody producing a wine to his native Loire Valley to make wine. like this. To say some of his methods are un-orthodox would be an understatement, but there is no Robinot is a real rebel to modern industrial doubting the deliciousness and intellectual winemaking and has been one of the major engagement of his best wines. Lumière de figures behind the natural wine movement in Silex 2004 is 100% Chenin Blanc, and quite France since the 1980s. possibly the most leftfield wine we have It’s like explorers – people who go to the ever experienced. North Pole. Nobody actually wants to live at the North Pole, but it makes a difference to One of Brian’s Eno: (Sniffs Schoilum Project) Hmm, I am how you feel about where you do live. aroma box sets trying to place that smell. There’s a woman’s Now that you know the North Pole exists it perfume that smells like that. gives you a much bigger range. I think I he was crazy to try to grow grapes in such an the next generation of Seysses – Jeremy, wouldn’t want to drink this all night, but if inhospitable place. Hirsch’s brave vision for Diana and Alec –Dujac wines are among Abe Schoener uses no sulphur or artificial you are a thrill-seeker, a very nice idea for his part of Sonoma has inspired other highly Burgundy’s very best. yeasts, but rails against being called a an evening would be to have three or four regarded estates (like Kistler and Littorai) ‘natural’ or ‘low-interventionist’ producer. different wines like this that make you go, to make Pinot Noir there. West Ridge is one Eno: It’s funny you should mention a son He doesn’t want to artificially ‘make’ a wine ‘wow, that’s really something!’ of their most sought after cuvées. staying away from the family business, but thinks that every time a winemaker Jacques Seysses’s father Louis was a because whilst I was swimming this decides not to do something, that in itself Flight 4 Hirsch Vineyards / West Ridge successful biscuit manufacturer and keen morning I was writing a song called is also an intervention. He claims that Pinot Noir 2011 (Sonoma Coast, USA). gourmand, but Jacques dreamt of making Your Destiny is Dentistry in my head. low-intervention wine making is just Domaine Dujac / Echezeaux 2007 great wine rather than join the family It was a song sung by a dentist to his son in as high-intervention as any other type (Burgundy, France) business. In 1967, he bought Domaine an attempt to persuade him that dentistry of winemaking. David Hirsch bought land on the ‘extreme’ Marcel Graillet in Morey-St-Denis and was a good profession, and that teeth were That makes a lot of sense to me. Sonoma Coast at a time when people thought turned it into Domaine Dujac. Now run by the gateway to the soul. I wrote down the

Eno: Rotter’s: Eno: Rotter’s: Scholium Scholium Hirsch Hirsch Project/ Project/ Vineyards/ Vineyards/ Sylphs 2011 Sylphs 2011 West Ridge West Ridge   2011 2011 JP Robinot / JP Robinot /   L’opéra des L’opéra des Domaine Domaine vins 2004 vins 2004 Dujac/ Dujac/   Echezeaux Echezeaux 2007 2007  

34 Noble Rot Noble Rot 35 first lines in my notebook: ‘Son, your destiny Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 5% is dentistry, that’s what I think you ought to Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot), and is now do. I know you feel it lacks intensity...’ rightly regarded as being amongst the very top estates in the region. Sounds like a hit. What do you think of the wines? West Ridge is one of Hirsch’s top two Eno: To be honest, I think I am losing vineyards, and Echezeaux is a Grand Cru – the ability to discriminate. I like both of one of many riches in the Domaine Dujac these, but if you switched them I probably portfolio. wouldn’t notice. I really like both of these wines. First of all I preferred the Hirsch, but now I like the Which would you prefer to drink? Dujac much more. I really like them I like them both. I would say that the Pontet- aromatically. I’d give them an equally high Canet is a bit more tarry, and has a darker score – my two highest scores of the day. profile than the Corison. It has an element that is like the smell of road tar – it’s a lovely Flight 5 Corison / Kronos smell actually. But these wines don’t seem Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon very different. 2006 (Napa Valley, USA) Pontet-Canet / Pauliiac 2006 What do you think of giving numerical scores (Bordeaux, France) to wines, art or music for purposes of review? Cathy Corison was an oenology student It’s so contextual. Even as we are sitting here in California at the time of the famous today I am thinking that we are a little ‘Judgement Of Paris’ tasting in 1976, and drunker now than we were an hour ago – that counted winner Warren Winiarski from makes a difference to how benevolent your Stag’s Leap Winery as a mentor and friend. feelings are about the wines. So certainly it remember them more because in a way they released and we were interviewed by a She set up Corison Winery in the late 1980s, would be impossible for me to have any real are true – they hurt precisely because they journalist from . He said but her restrained wines weren’t to the taste objectivity about it. However, I still think locate your insecurities. When David Byrne “So you two have worked together for a of the powerful American critic Robert I can say I don’t like this one as much as and I released My Life In The Bush Of long time, and this record is quite a Parker, and she gradually fell off the radar. that one, but I couldn’t make any Ghosts, which is now regarded as a sort of landmark,” and I said “Yes, it’s a landmark Now many drinkers have rediscovered her absolute judgements. classic, it was poorly reviewed by some of the now, but you should have seen what this classy, elegant style. critics because they saw it as a kind of musical cunt wrote in the Village Voice when it first Pontet-Canet is a Bordeaux fifth Has anything you have created received colonialism. They thought that we were came out,” and I started laying into the growth whose estate adjoins the first a terrible score that particularly hurt, stealing ideas; what is now called sampling original review. David was grinning a bit growth, Mouton Rothschild. Under the or does that not bother you? was then called theft. There was a horrible and the journalist was looking quite leadership of Alfred Tesseron, for the last Yes, the score was 1 out of 10. I have had quite review of it in the Village Voice in New York uncomfortable. After the interview 20 years Pontet-Canet has steadily a few of those (laughs). It’s only the bad about how we were musical imperialists. was finished David turned to me and said improved its wines (average blend is 65% reviews that matter. They hurt and you Years later, in 2006, the album was re- ‘That was the same guy that wrote it’.

Eno: Rotter’s: Marks & Spencer’s Corison / Corison / spring collection was a Kronos Kronos roaring success. Left to Vineyard Vineyard right Neal Martin, Mark 2006 2006 Andrew, Dan Keeling,   Brian Eno and Will Pontet-Canet/ Pontet-Canet/ Champion Pauliiac 2006 Pauliiac 2006  

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