Chelsea Vintner Magazine | The Vintner | Californication | Issue 1

CHELSEA VINTNERS

TREVOR DE YONG Founder & Sales Director tdy@chelseavintners.com

MATTHEW

ml@chelseavintners.com

ANDREW

VIVIEN

CECILY CHAPPEL Managing Director cc@chelseavintners.com

ROB HANKEY Head of Trade Sales & Purchasing rh@chelseavintners.com

LOVE Private Client Specialist

SAM RILEY Sales & Purchasing Advisor sr@chelseavintners.com

BEN USISKIN Finance Specialist bu@chelseavintners.com

CHRIS WOOD Managing Director cw@chelseavintners.com

JON HIGGS Head of Private Client Sales jh@chelseavintners.com

MACDONALD LOCKHART Private Client Specialist aml@chelseavintners.com

JESS LAMB Marketing Manager jl@chelseavintners.com

CROOK Finance Manager vc@chelseavintners.com

JACK GROSVENOR Private Client Specialist jg@chelseavintners.com

HAMISH GREENING Private Client Specialist hg@chelseavintners.com

NICK SEYMOUR Logistics Specialist ns@chelseavintners.com

GARY BERRY Operations Manager gb@chelseavintners.com

SCOTT LIDBETTER Special Advisor sl@chelseavintners.com

CONTENTS

28 06 36

CULT WINERIES OF CALIFORNIA

Managing Director Chris Wood shortlists a few of his favourite wines and vintages from some of California’s most revered wineries

MISTER CALIFORNIA DAVID FINK

Founder & Sales Director Trevor de Yong meets one of California’s biggest personalities and a true wine lover

FORZA ITALIA

Head of Private Client Sales Jon Higgs takes us on a whistle-stop tour through Piedmont in just six exceptional bottles

EDITORIAL: All content written by Chelsea Vintners DESIGN: Pixie Agency Ltd

PHOTOGRAPHY: 3: Glenfarclas distillery, 4: Tae Fuller, 6; Daniel Salgado, 16: Jeff Tangen / Alamy Stock Photo, 31: mossmediacarmel.com, 32: David Bartus, 36: Alessandro Pacilio, 46-55: Glenfarclas distillery, 56: Olivia & Dan Photography, 59: Picture Kitchen / Alamy Stock Photo

COPYRIGHT: All remaining content © Chelsea Vintners. All efforts have been made to ensure facts are correct at time of press. E&OE

44 46 56

BEHIND THE LABEL

The story of Mouton-Rothschild 1993 and the controversy surrounding its famous label

THE WORLD OF GLENFARCLAS

We catch up with Callum Fraser, Distillery Manager at Glenfarclas –one of the true greats of Scotch whisky

INTERVIEW WITH THE KING OF CHAMPAGNE

A unique insight into the world of Champagne with Peter Crawford, one of the UK’s most prolific collectors

WELCOME

Welcome to the very first edition of The Vintner, the brand-new magazine from Chelsea Vintners. In this special California-themed issue, we explore some of the greatest wine brands to come out of the West Coast of the USA and we catch up with David Fink, the man behind some of the finest hotels and restaurants on the Monterey Peninsula.

The Vintner has been a long time in the making, and it is fantastic to see this project become a reality. We are always seeking better ways to engage with our clients, and when the idea arose to publish regular articles, a printed magazine seemed the most appropriate medium. We aim to offer Chelsea Vintners customers a unique and exciting insight into the world of fine wine and everything that surrounds it, from luxury hotels to fine dining, sharing our own passions in the process.

I am also very pleased to take this opportunity to announce a new appointment to the Chelsea Vintners leadership team. Cecily Chappel has recently joined us in the role of joint Managing Director, Sales; we are all very excited to welcome her and know that she will make a tremendous impact on our business. Cecily brings with her nearly two decades of experience in the UK and Asia wine trade, having first spent eight years setting up and growing the Corney & Barrow Asia Pacific operation as General Manager, then a further three years as Managing Director (UK) at FICOFI. More recently, her experience has revolved around the world’s finest spirits, with time spent at both Last Drop Distillers and Beamish International. Cecily is extremely glad to be re-immersing herself in the world of fine wine, and we look forward to adding her customer-focused expertise to Chelsea Vintners.

California, the main focus of this inaugural issue of The Vintner, has framed the Covid-19 outbreak for me. I rushed home from San Francisco in advance of the first UK lockdown but returned very recently, on the first Chelsea Vintners transatlantic journey since the pandemic began – driving 2000 miles over the course of seven days. It was fantastic to find the wine industry there in great health and extremely keen to welcome visitors back to their vineyards and wineries.

This is a truly special spot on the world winemaking map and I hope this issue will show you why California occupies a special place in our hearts. The USA aside, look out for our feature on Glenfarclas, one of Scotland’s most unique and historic distilleries, as well as a conversation with Peter Crawford, the ‘King of Champagne’ and perhaps the UK’s most prolific collector of vintage fizz.

We hope you enjoy the first edition of The Vintner and look forward to bringing you further editions over the coming months where we will be exploring different wine regions of the world – happy reading.

CHRIS WOOD

MANAGING DIRECTOR

THE CULT

WINERIES OF CALIFORNIA

AN EXPLORATION OF THE VERY BEST THE SUNSHINE STATE HAS TO OFFER

BY CHRIS WOOD

Californian winemaking may be something of a spring chicken in comparison to the classic European wine regions (California dates its earliest vineyards back to the 1700s, whereas much of Europe can trace vinous origins as far back as the ancient Greeks and Romans) but this does not mean that the Sunshine State should be underestimated.

In fact, California – and the Napa Valley in particular - can undoubtedly lay claim to some of the greatest wines being made in the world today. The best producers are often referred

to as ‘cult’ estates, and for many oenophiles, the pursuit and worship of the great Californian wines certainly amounts to something akin to a religious experience.

The Chelsea Vintners team has watched this fascinating region go from strength to strength in recent years. Despite challenges ranging from devastating wildfires to years of long drought, California’s tenacious, dedicated winemakers still manage to produce profound, life-affirming wines year after year.

With this in mind, I have shortlisted a few of my favourite Californian wines and vintages so far, whilst looking forward to many more to come!

CENTRAL COAST

KEY

COLGIN CELLARS

Art auctioneer Ann Colgin fell in love with the wines of Napa in 1988 whilst attending the Napa Valley Wine Auction, and within four years was crafting her first wines and buying up some of Napa’s most historic vineyard land. One of the first purchases Ann made would become in part the Tychson Hill vineyard, 2.4 hectares of land just north of St Helena which was originally owned by Josephine Tychson –the first woman ever to build a winery in the Napa Valley.

Considering these relatively recent origins, Colgin’s meteoric rise to cult status is nothing short of remarkable. Despite the fact that the first ever Colgin vintage was only harvested in 1992, by 2005 the estate was recognised by critic Robert Parker as one of his top 50 wine estates in the world.

The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon from Tychson Hill was the third vintage to be released from this vineyard; incredibly, this wine received the ultimate 100 Point score and is still considered one of Colgin’s greatest ever vintages.

“What a great, great Cabernet Sauvignon the 2002 Tychson Hill Vineyard is. Tasting like a hypothetical blend of a first growth Pauillac and a great Napa Cab, this world-class wine has a gorgeous nose of white chocolate, sweet black currants, acacia flowers and cedar

as well as a hint of toast. With a full-bodied, voluptuously textured, opulent mouthfeel, gorgeously silky tannin and an evolved set of aromatics, the flavors have resolved all the tannin and the wine is now perfectly balanced. It is a real tour de force, so for those who are sitting on any appreciable stock of this, you’re lucky...”

100 Points, The Wine Advocate

KEY FACTS

LOCATION:

St. Helena, Napa Valley

FOUNDED: 1992

FOUNDER: Ann Colgin

KEY GRAPE VARIETIES:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah

HARLAN ESTATE

1994 is widely praised as one of the great modern day Napa vintages, as well as a significant year in the California calendar for all kinds of other reasons. This was the year that the now-famous food mecca that is The French Laundry restaurant first opened its doors in Yountville, as well as the date that O. J. Simpson burst back into the L.A. headlines for all the wrong reasons…

Bill Harlan himself was as much of a colourful character as any, a pilot, real estate agent and sometime professional poker player who turned an unloved country estate into legendary Napa Valley hotel Meadowood – and his inspiration didn’t stop there. Inspired by a trip to France with Robert Mondavi, Harlan purchased his first 40 acres of land in 1984, although the estate did not become a fully-fledged commercial enterprise until the early 1990s.

Today, Harlan Estate is relentless in its pursuit of Bill’s dream; to craft red blends which would not be out of place in a line-up of Bordeaux’s best First Growth wines. The wines are so sought after that they are only available through a mailing list system (a hallmark of the most exclusive Napa wineries) where it is not uncommon for hopeful subscribers to wait for years before being granted access into the Harlan inner sanctum.

HARLAN 1994

The 1994 vintage perfectly encapsulates all the reasons why these wines are so adored– a glorious, harmonious, tantalisingly complex red blend awarded a well-deserved 100 points by a long line of salivating wine critics.

“What can I say about the 1994? I have tasted the wine for three consecutive years, and each time it satisfied all of my requirements for perfection. The opaque purple color is followed by spectacular aromatics that soar from the glass, offering up celestial levels of black currants, minerals, smoked herbs, cedar wood, coffee, and pain grillé. In the mouth, this seamless legend reveals full body, and exquisite layers of phenomenally pure and rich fruit, followed by a 40+ second finish. While accessible, the 1994 begs for another 5-7 years of cellaring. It should easily last for 30+ years. Every possible jagged edgeacidity, alcohol, tannin, and woodis brilliantly intertwined in what seems like a diaphanous format. What is so extraordinary about this large-scaled wine, with its dazzling display of aromatics and prodigious flavors and depth, is that it offers no hint of heaviness or coarseness. Harlan’s 1994 comes close to immortality in the glass”.

100 Points, The Wine Advocate December 1997

KEY FACTS

LOCATION: Oakville, Napa Valley

FOUNDED: 1984

FOUNDER: Bill Harlan

KEY GRAPE VARIETIES: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot

OPUS ONE

No list of Californian legends is complete without a mention of Opus One. This legendary joint venture between Napa godfather Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild (after a chance meeting in Hawaii, of all places) was founded in the pursuit of nothing less than the ultimate Napa wine. This partnership was also key in creating a new aura of quality and excellence around the burgeoning Californian wine scene in the early 1980s. Ever since the release of its first vintage in 1983, Opus One has been a byword for outstanding quality. The very first bottles commanded the heretofore unimagined

price of $50 per bottle, and today the brand is known for consistently achieving some of the most dizzying prices in California; new releases in the UK are always well into four figure sums. The size of the estate has also blossomed over the years and now comprises 170 acres, an impressive increase from the original 35 sold from Robert Mondavi’s own winery to the Opus One project.

Such is the success and quality of Opus One that it became the first Californian wine ever to be sold through La Place, the famous Bordeaux-based négociant trading network. This has given the estate even more of a foothold on the global market, especially since it is seen by many as comparable to Bordeaux’s First Growth wines in quality whilst offering relatively competitive value. If it’s good enough for the Bordelaise, it’s most certainly good enough for us!

KEY FACTS

LOCATION: Oakville, Napa Valley

FOUNDED: 1978

FOUNDER: Robert Mondavi & Baron Philippe de Rothschild

KEY GRAPE VARIETIES: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec Certified organic in 2021

SCREAMING EAGLE

When it comes to Screaming Eagle, it is futile to try and select just one wine or vintage from Napa’s most revered cult winemaker. This estate is synonymous with exclusivity and excellence, renowned for producing what are often the most expensive wines in the USA (regularly hitting the $3000 dollar per bottle mark) from a tiny corner of land in Napa’s Oakville.

Screaming Eagle’s first ever vintage in 1992 immediately achieved a 99-point score from

The Wine Advocate, and the numbers have continued to tell the story; 100-point scores have come so regularly (in 1997, 2007, 2012 and 2016, to name but a few) that they are almost an everyday occurrence for the estate’s 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Only around 500 cases are produced each year, and the mailing list is thousands of names and several years long, so the chance to experience the wines of this unique estate really is something that you’ll tell your grandchildren about in years to come.

KEY FACTS

LOCATION:

Oakville, Napa Valley

FOUNDED: 1986

FOUNDER: Jean Philips

KEY GRAPE VARIETIES: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc

SINE QUA NON

Sine Qua Non is a winery that does things differently. Located just north of Los Angeles in Santa Barbara, this estate has been instrumental in proving that great Californian wines do not just come from Napa! Founded in the early 1990s by Austrian winemaker Manfred Krankl, Sine Qua Non (a Latin phrase meaning ‘something that is absolutely necessary’) specialises in the grape varietals of the Northern Rhône: Syrah and Grenache

for reds and classic blends of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier for the whites.

Perhaps the most seductive thing about Sine Qua Non is the fact that the winery rarely, if ever, makes the same wine twice. Every vintage sees a new name and a new, creative blend made in tiny volumes and only available to those fortunate mailing list subscribers who have waited patiently for months and years to get hold of just a very few bottles.

2002 saw the birth of ‘Just for the Love of It’, a single-varietal Syrah that sent critics the world over into overdrive and commands a price point that never dips below $1000 and often achieves two or three times that. A 100-pointer, of course, but also a wine which proves beyond doubt that California is capable of so much more than Cabernet Sauvignon.

“A dead ringer (at least aromatically) for Guigal’s single vineyard Cote Rotie La Mouline, the 2002 Just for the Love of It is the greatest California Syrah I have yet tasted …It boasts a provocative perfume of creme de cassis, toast, blackberries, liquorice, barbecue spice, and exotic floral scents. Extremely fullbodied, with fabulous intensity, great purity, awesome length, and a finish that lasts over a minute, this classic is a must purchase.” 100 Points, The Wine Advocate August 2004

KEY FACTS

LOCATION: Ventura County, Los Angeles

FOUNDED: 1994

FOUNDER: Manfred & Elaine Krankl

KEY GRAPE VARIETIES: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Viognier

KONGSGAARD

John Kongsgaard is a fifth-generation Napa inhabitant who can count politicians and adventurers amongst his colourful heritage, so it was perhaps inevitable that he would become a winemaker with a mission. Armed with a master’s degree in viticulture from UC Davis, John spent time working for and with some of Napa’s best-known estates and was also one of the first three Californian students of the legendary French viticulturist Michel Rolland before founding his own label.

SYRAH 1996

All the wines of Kongsgaard are revered (particularly the Chardonnays, which garner much praise and are regularly compared to the best white Burgundies in the world) but one of the most special is the 1996 Syrah, the estate’s inaugural vintage and one which showed beyond doubt that this was an estate to be

reckoned with. This was the most expensive Syrah in California upon its release, a firm statement from John that his wines could compete with the best that Napa had to offer, and one which he lives up to until this day.

As far as we can tell, not a single unopened bottle of that trailblazing 1996 Syrah still exists today – although if you happen to hear of one, we’d love to know!

KEY FACTS

LOCATION:

Atlas Peak, Napa Valley

FOUNDED: 1996

FOUNDER: John & Maggy Kongsgaard

KEY GRAPE VARIETIES:

Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Viognier

CHATEAU MONTELENA

Chateau Montelena has one of the longest wine histories to be found anywhere in California. The original estate was founded in 1882 under the name A.L. Tubbs, named for the first owner Alfred Tubbs who planned to use the property as a barrel ageing facility.

However, with the onset of Prohibition in the 1920s all winemaking activity ceased at A.L. Tubbs and was only revived in 1972, when new owner and Napa legend James Barrett acquired the land, renamed it Chateau Montelena and set about replanting the old vineyards with the help of winemaker Mike Grgich. Great success followed much diligent hard work and the estate and its famous castle-style winery soon became a household name for wine lovers around the globe.

Today, the estate is in the steady hands of James’ son Bo Barrett, a much-loved figure in the Californian wine community and passionate representative of his family’s estate (Bo also happens to be married to the inimitable Helen, the woman responsible for the first ever vintage of Screaming Eagle alongside many more of Napa’s greatest wines). The wines of Château Montelena are known for being some of the most consistent and enjoyable to be found anywhere in California, steeped in centuries of history that few others can replicate.

CHARDONNAY 1973

Few single wines have had such a seismic effect on the profile and reputation of Californian wines as the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay.

It was this wine that triumphed over the best competitors from Burgundy in the legendary 1976 Judgement of Paris, in which Steven Spurrier brought together the best French and Californian wines he could find and pitted them against each other in what has become perhaps the most famous blind tasting of all time.

10 French and California Chardonnays were poured blind for a judging panel which consisted mainly of some of France’s greatest wine figures, including Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Christian Vannequé, head sommelier at iconic Paris restaurant La Tour d’Argent. A staggering 6 of the 9 French judges placed Château Montelena in first place, in a line up which included wines from Domaine Roulot, Leflaive and Drouhin – upon unveiling, there was widespread consternation and Steven Spurrier was ultimately banned from some French tasting events for a year, ostensibly for the damage this tasting did to the image of French wine.

KEY FACTS

LOCATION: Calistoga

FOUNDED: 1882

FOUNDER: Alfred Tubbs

KEY GRAPE VARIETIES: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

RIDGE

Ridge Vineyards is without doubt one of the most iconic and instantly recognisable names in California; wine has been made here for over six decades, with the first-ever wine a ‘quarter barrel’ of Monte Bello estate Cabernet Sauvignon which would pave the way for this wine to become one of the most collectible Cabernets in California.

Of all the cult Cabs, Monte Bello is the only one made outside Napa Valley (the vineyard sits in the heart of Sonoma, overlooking the tech paradise of Silicon Valley and cooled by Pacific winds) and one of the oldest – few others can trace their heritage back to the 1960s.

By the 1970s, the production of Monte Bello had truly hit its stride and the exceptional 1974 vintage achieved the perfect 100 Parker points with aplomb. Even today, nearly 50 years later, this exceptional wine still has plenty of life in it with many more spectacular years to give.

“The 1974 Monte Bello is a spectacular wine that’s in its prime today, soaring from the glass with an exuberant bouquet of ripe cherries, plums, cigar box, black truffle and petroleum jelly. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, broad and powerful, with a dramatically lavish attack, considerable mid-palate amplitude and a deep core of ripe, succulent fruit framed by melting tannins and juicy acids. There’s still some chalky grip on the long, savory finish, and I’d expect this to drink well for another decade or two. 1974 was a great

vintage for California Cabernet Sauvignon, and Ridge’s Monte Bello is right up there with the likes of Heitz’s Martha’s Vineyard and Phelps’ Insignia”

100 Points, The Wine Advocate May 2018

KEY FACTS

LOCATION:

Monte Bello Ridge, Santa Clara County & Lytton Springs, Healdsburg

FOUNDED: 1962

FOUNDER: Dave Bennion, Hew Crane, Charlie Rosen & Howard Zeidler

KEY GRAPE VARIETIES: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Chardonnay 379 acres certified organic

MARCASSIN

It’s important to remember that it’s not just red wines that have made California famous. Chardonnay also thrives in many areas of the state and, as we saw with Château Montelena, is more than capable of producing world-beating wines on American soil.

Californian trailblazer Marcassin has set a lofty benchmark for Californian white wine to which only the very best can aspire. Husband and wife team Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer recognised the untapped potential of the Sonoma Coast in the early 1990s, and now their Burgundian-influenced wines are a regular fixture in lists of the world’s best Chardonnay. As with many true cult California producers, Marcassin’s best wines are released exclusively to mailing list subscribers, who have navigated an average wait time of 7-10 years to get their hands on the tiny quantities of Chardonnay that Robert Parker has glowingly compared to Coche-Dury.

“What an extraordinary tasting this was at the Marcassin winery just north of Santa Rosa in Sonoma County. Just when you think the duo of Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer can’t make greater wines, they bowl over the taster with an array of exquisite quality that really must be tasted to be believed… The 2013 Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard may be even better. Notes of caramelized citrus, hazelnut, apple blossom, lemon oil and orange marmalade are all present in this wine of dazzling aromatic and flavor dimension. It is full-bodied, again shows some wet pebbles (which I equate with minerality), vibrant acidity, and no real evidence of any oak. Much like the 2012, the finish goes on for 45+ seconds. This is another killer Chardonnay from Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer… perhaps the closest comparison is not to anything made in California, but a CortonCharlemagne in a top vintage from the famous Jean François Coche-Dury”. 100 Points, The Wine Advocate.

KEY FACTS

LOCATION: Sonoma Coast

FOUNDED: 1990

FOUNDER: Helen Turley & John Wetlaufer

KEY GRAPE VARIETIES: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay

MISTER CALIFORNIA

IN CONVERSATION WITH DAVID FINK

BY TREVOR DE YONG

David Fink grins as he reaches into the wine rack beside him. ‘You’ll like this’ he promises, producing a pristine magnum of 1999 Armand Rousseau Chambertin Grand Cru. ‘Look at that fill!’ He gives the bottle a proud kiss and returns it safely to its home. This excitement and passion is David in a nutshell, bringing a level of joy to his world of ultra-fine wine and hospitality that is so infectious it’s impossible not to get swept up in the moment.

David’s stories are peppered with entertaining anecdotes, fascinating people (he counts Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti amongst his close friends, for example) and the recollections of many, many bottles of incredible wine enjoyed in a dizzying number of amazing settings through the years. With so much to talk about, it was therefore a great pleasure to catch up with David to find out a little more about ‘Mister California’ himself.

Your company, the Mirabel Group, is known for its portfolio of outstanding boutique hotels and restaurants. How did you find your way into the world of luxury hospitality?

My journey started with my mother and my Southern background. I grew up in Virginia (my English and Scottish ancestors first settled there in 1621) a state which just has the most incredible sense of true Southern hospitality. My mother made sure to imbue that approach to life into all her children whilst we were growing up.

During high school, all I wanted was to date the most beautiful girls I could … but for that, I needed money, so I started working hospitality jobs as a waiter. Not only was it great bang for the buck in terms of pay (for a teenage boy, at least) but I also discovered a natural love for hosting which has now been my business for over 40 years. Really, I’m a one trick pony.

I worked for many different companies throughout California in the first part of my career. However, when 9/11 hit the United States, it was shocking on so many levels and led to a huge re-evaluation of what I wanted and what was important. I wanted control and to create something truly special. I was working in a ‘dream job’ at the time but I wanted to be more entrepreneurial and put my home in Carmel, my family, and doing what I loved first. I had first written a business plan in the mid 1990s around the idea of offering small, luxurious boutique hotels

and restaurants in California wine country, and being based in Carmel I was fortunate to be in the perfect place to finally make it happen.

You’re famously a lover and advocate of incredible wines. Were you always focused on wine, or was there an epiphany moment?

As you know Virginia was not really a wine state in those days and so I didn’t discover the world of fine wine until I was about 20. At that time, drinking early harvest Gewürtztraminer was the height of sophistication. I was the only non-French waiter working in a formal place in San Diego which sadly doesn’t exist anymore. We had a very suave French maître’d from Nice who served a bottle of 1959 Lafite to a table one evening and saved the dregs for me. He showed me how to taste and appreciate the wine, and it was a real wow moment. I had never tasted anything like it, and I knew I immediately needed to learn more.

At that time in the early 1980s, the American fine wine industry was still in its infancy, with only a few of the producers we know today like Heitz and Mondavi on the scene. Most of the big names were yet to come along, so the wine scene I was exploring was still very Europe focused. I started exploring Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux before I found my next epiphany: Burgundy and Pinot Noir.

For me now, Burgundy will always be the ultimate fine wine region. An example of all the reasons why is a bottle of 1969 DRC La Tâche which I tasted a few weeks ago. I’ve had 4 or 5 of these bottles in my life and it was just fantastic. It was so pale that it almost looked like rosewater in the glass. However, even at over 50 years of age it had incredible depth and a beautiful long finish. It was an ugly looking bottle (the label looked like it had spent some time in the microwave) but the contents were delicious. It just goes to show that with Pinot Noir you can never predict taste and quality from colour alone and there are so many unexpected treasures out there. I could easily talk about Burgundy alone for the next two days.

We’ve just been admiring a couple of the stars of your home cellar - when did you start becoming a serious wine collector?

I’ve always collected a little bit and had some treasured bottles along the way that I remember to this day. When I started buying, I could buy Henri Jayer Richebourg for 120 dollars a bottle – which unbelievably by today’s standards, was very expensive at the time considering the average price for fine Burgundy was below 40 dollars a bottle. In those days even Burgundy was so affordable that I had a friend whose house wine used to be 1978 La Tâche.

However, I had family and work to focus on and it wasn’t until I started my own business in that I really began to collect. And it’s been successful; we probably now have 12,000 to 15,000 bottles across the Mirabel group!

I am of the opinion that a cellar is for drinking and sharing, but it shouldn’t be so big that you’re not going to be able to drink and enjoy it. I don’t think of my cellar as an investment but as something to be shared. It’s just wine at the end of the day, and I think it’s a pity that pricing has gotten to where it is with fewer and fewer people able to afford the best. Wine should be accessible, particularly for young talent in wine and hospitality, and it’s a real shame that the new generation simply can’t afford many of the high-end wines now that I was buying when I first started out. However, there really are so many incredible up-and-coming young winemakers who are well worth seeking out and investing in, although I won’t name names or all the allocations will be gone.

You now make your own wine too at the Fink Family Estate Vineyard. You have clearly been inspired by winemakers around the world – what is your vision for you own wines?

When my family were young, I became very caught up in a very romantic vision of growing grapes, so I planted a small plot at our home in Carmel. Now I’m wiser and realise that as a hobby it is a

WE HAD A VERY SUAVE FRENCH MAÎTRE-D FROM NICE WHO SERVED A BOTTLE OF 1959 LAFITE TO A TABLE ONE EVENING AND SAVED THE DREGS FOR ME

great way to lose money. It’s an amazing adventure, I just don’t do it to make a profit.

I’ve been privileged to learn from some of the best winemakers across the world, with Burgundy of course being a particular inspiration. Aubert de Villaine taught me humility and a deep passion for terroir, and I have been lucky enough to spend time with Charles Rousseau and Henri Jayer, both incredibly humble and simply focused on making the best wines they can. Closer to home, I also consider Bill Harlan and Cyril Chappellet mentors in the wine business.

These winemakers and many others I have met are all amazing people, and I have learned that the one thing they all have in common is that they are driven by quality, not quantity. It’s never about huge volumes, simply getting the best grapes from the best terroir and that is the fundamental principle of great wine. I spent 15 years or more learning about every aspect of the vineyard and grape growing, and it became clear that everything important happens in the vineyard. However, day to day I’m also fortunate to have an architect-winemaker brother to help me. Overall, the journey been very fulfilling and I learn more and more every year.

Your yearly GourmetFest in Carmel is another of your most famous projects, can you tell us a little more about it?

GourmetFest is actually my third food and wine festival, following other events such as the Masters of Food & Wine event which I started in 1987. I learned a huge amount from that experience, most importantly what not to do.

Through my relationship with Relais & Chateaux [at the time David was a member of the International Board of Directors of the group]

I had access to many of the world’s greatest chefs. Following on from previous successful events I had organised it seemed like such a great opportunity to bring these people together, and so the first GourmetFest went ahead in 2014.

The principle of Gourmetfest is to create a bridge which connects five different key groups; chefs, winemakers, wine media, our partners (such as Rolls-Royce) and of course our treasured guests. GourmetFest brings all these people together for four amazing days to create new friendships and connections which never go away. I firmly believe that the strongest bridges are always built at the table, just look at the Last Supper. The greatest currency we have is time, and time spent with one another over great food and wine is the one of the most important things there is.

Covid has of course crushed the event over the last couple of years, but we are hoping to be back in 2024. It’s a different world that still isn’t back to normal and we are dedicated to making sure that GourmetFest comes back in the right way. Taking care and doing the right thing is our top priority, but we can’t wait to get going again.

And finally, what’s next for David Fink?

In today’s world of luxury hospitality, service has become more important than product. Guests all over the world want to feel taken care of like never before, so I am busy ensuring that all my endeavours are delivering exactly what our guests need. I always focus on service first and how I can help every guest have a unique experience that they simply cannot have anywhere else.

Later in 2022 we are opening a newly restored 26-room historic hotel almost on Carmel Beach called, appropriately, Carmel Beach Hotel & Spa. Then in the spring of 2023 we make a dream of mine a reality as we open the Maison 1896 hotel in Beaune. Maison 1896’s restaurant will be a collaboration with two incredible talents - a chef and a wine director from San Francisco - which we will announce this summer.

That aside, I’ll be travelling to Burgundy often and Venice (amongst other places) planning the next GourmetFest, looking forward to a Burgundies on the Beach event I’m hosting in October, making my wine and planning to be home for Thanksgiving.

I DON’T THINK OF MY WINE CELLAR AS INVESTMENT AS SOMETHING TO BE SHARED”

DAVID FINK ON COLLECTING WINE

THINK WINE AS AN INVESTMENT BUT SOMETHING SHARED”

FORZA ITALIA

A JOURNEY THROUGH PIEDMONT IN SIX BOTTLES

CURATED BY JON HIGGS

The region of Piedmont, nestling in serene splendour amongst the rolling hills of northwest Italy, is a true heavyweight in the world of fine wine. This is the birthplace of Barolo and Barbaresco, wines of immense grace and power, where the notoriously finicky Nebbiolo grape is coaxed into greatness by some of the world’s finest winemakers.

It would take a lifetime to truly comprehend every fascinating nuance of this amazing place; however, Chelsea Vintners’ Head of Private Client Sales Jon Higgs has done some of the hard work for us and shortlisted some of Piedmont’s most extraordinary wines, taking us on a whistle-stop tour through Piedmont in just six sensational bottles. Turn the page to discover Jon’s top picks from this incredible region.

Gaja is one of Italy’s most iconic familyowned estates, having built up a fantastic reputation since its inception in 1859; their current monochrome labels are easily recognised as a mark of the highest quality. The estate is currently going through a huge transition as Angelo Gaja (at the helm since 1961) is reluctantly and slowly retiring and passing the business down to his three children, Gaia, Rossana and Giovanni.

I was fortunate enough to visit Gaja’s estates back in 2019 where Gaia and Giovanni hosted an event without their father for the first time, and luckily for us the 2016 vintage was ready to taste. If this is a sign of things to come with the next generation, there is lots to look forward to; the 2016 Barbaresco wines are outstanding across the board. Perhaps this only puts more pressure on Angelo to put down his secateurs and leave the kids to it.

Borgogno is one of the region’s oldest estates, with records dating as far back as 1761. They are famous for having the most extraordinary and extensive library collection in their cellars, and although they do not have access to the most prestigious vineyards, they do make delightful wines that are a benchmark for quality Barolo.

I simply must include Borgogno in my top wines of Piedmont after a visit to the region a few years ago. Whilst dining with a merchant in Milan, they pulled out a very old bottle with crust all around and a barely legible label; one could just about make out that it was a Riserva from 1939. This bottle was no longer saleable, so they brought it out for dinner for us just to see what it was like.

To our surprise, the wine was absolutely incredible. So fresh and layered on the nose, brick red in colour around the edges with a vibrant neon pink centre and no lack of power and elegance. This goes to show how robust, structured and beautiful Barolo is. I’ll admit it, tears of joy were streaming down my face, and it remains one of the most remarkable wines I have ever tasted in my 25-year career. It is worth taking a punt on very old bottles from time to time, as you may discover something out of this world.

Giuseppe Rinaldi was a hugely influential character in Barolo, renowned for his traditional techniques and styles, blending parcels of wines from different vineyards to achieve great balance and complexity. Sadly, Giuseppe passed away in 2018 but in his later years was outspoken in defending the heritage of Barolo’s classic vineyards, rejecting calls for expanding the plantings of Nebbiolo into sites previously used for the lesser Barbera and Dolcetto grapes. New laws came into place in 2010, requiring delineation of the single vineyards which posed a threat to Rinaldi’s flagship wine, the Brunate Le Coste (two separate vineyards in a blend) which could no longer be labelled as such.

Fortunately for Rinaldi, 85% of this blend was Brunate, and everything was on point for the 2010 single vineyard edition which flirts with utter perfection. Interestingly, this is the first vintage that Giuseppe’s daughter was involved with, so the future here is clearly very bright too. Although the wine is a few decades from reaching maturity, it remains one of the most profound young Barolo wines I have ever tasted and will no doubt be incredible given patience in the cellar.

Luca Roagna is one of Piedmont’s rising stars, a young but remarkably talented fifth generation winemaker who is pairing youthful exuberance with a great level of respect for the land. He carefully, painstakingly vinifies fruit from the family plots of very old vines with natural yeasts to ensure the best possible expression of terroir. Despite his enthusiasm for tradition, Luca has been pioneering in the bottling of single vineyard sites, introducing biodynamic processes, and experimenting with new plantings to ensure Roagna winery is at the forefront of Piedmontese winemaking for many years to come.

I had the great fortune to spend a wonderful few days with Luca, tasting through his stunning wines including the flagship Crichët Pajé, made from a very special, historic plot within Barbaresco’s superb Pajé vineyard that has been in the family since 1953. Despite the tough conditions in 2002 where others feared to tread, Luca was able to produce a beautiful wine that is incredibly pure, deep and powerful. This wine is a shining example of why Nebbiolo is such a highly esteemed varietal for the production of ultra-fine wine.

2018 was not a great year for winemakers in Italy; not only were the weather conditions challenging, but the Piedmont also saw the sad passing of the legend Bruno Giacosa, a revered winemaker and rare breed in Piedmont capable of producing great wines in both Barolo and Barbaresco. Of all his great wines, the ‘Red Label’ are the most prestigious; Riserva wines that are only produced in the finest vintages that are in incredibly high demand worldwide.

Bruno’s wines captured all the essence of great Nebbiolo, producing soaring wines that put him high up on a pedestal with Burgundy’s Henri Jayer and Rhône’s Gerard Chave as one of the greatest winemakers of all time. The red label Rocche del Falletto Riserva 2004 is, without a doubt, his greatest achievement; a perfect wine that Antonio Galloni refers to as ‘divine inspiration’. It is absolutely off the charts now but given patience, this will become so good that only Mount Olympus would be a fitting venue to open a bottle.

It would be a crime to pick out the very best wines of Piedmont without mentioning Giacomo Conterno, whose flagship Monfortino is arguably the region’s greatest wine and often referred to as the ‘King of Barolo’. The Giacomo Conterno estate was immensely significant in the evolution of the Barolo style, changing a bulk wine for early drinking into the expressive and characterful powerhouses we love today.

Giacomo introduced the prestigious, game-changing Monfortino in 1934 as a nod to his home village of Monforte d’Alba, delivering a wine with vast ageing potential. However, up until 1978, the Conterno wines were made with fruit purchased from farmers. In fact, it wasn’t until the late 1970s that a wine was made from their own fruit, having purchased the Cascina Francia vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba. This was clearly a great move as the wine is monumental, arguably Italy’s greatest wine of all time!

Nebbiolo - The Grape of Kings and the King of Grapes

Tradition and history define many of Piedmont’s most famous wineries

MOUTONROTHSCHILD 1993

BEHIND THE LABEL

BY JACK GROSVENOR

The legendary Bordeaux estate Château Mouton-Rothschild is as revered for its labels as it is for its exceptional First Growth wines. Each year since 1945, the estate has commissioned a different artist to put their own unique stamp on the year’s vintage. The list reads like a who’s who of modern art, from Salvador Dalí to Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, David Hockney and even some more unusual entries such as H.R.H. The Prince of Wales.

However, one or two of these labels have attracted controversy over the years. Chelsea Vintners Private Client Specialist Jack Grosvenor tells us more about Mouton-Rothschild 1993 and one of the château’s most notorious labels to date.

Count Balthazar Klossowski de Rola

You may know Count Balthazar better by his pseudonym, Balthus. Born in 1908, he was famed as one of the most compelling, artistic and intelligent minds of his generation and counted Camus and Fellini amongst his friends. His work was influenced by great classicists such as Cézanne and was often inspired by the beautiful landscapes of Europe, from the Morvan region of France to Italy and the Swiss Alps.

The Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, the first woman in five generations to take the helm at her family’s vineyard, greatly admired Balthus and his work. She was therefore extremely pleased when he agreed to create a sketch for the 1993 Mouton vintage.

‘The Dreamy Adolescent Girl’

The work that Balthus presented to Mouton was a simple pencil sketch of a reclining nude, described by the château as ‘the dreamy adolescent girl, wilful, graceful and fragile’. However, whilst the majority of buyers and drinkers perceived this label as a beautiful, delicate and ultimately unprovocative work by one of Europe’s most respected artists, there were those who disagreed.

Baroness Philippine had been overjoyed when the image had been approved by the American Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; a notoriously conservative branch of the US government famous for their tight restrictions and a history of rejecting ‘risqué’ wine labels. Indeed, Mouton had begun shipping the first consignment of a few hundred cases of the vintage over to the USA when a group of California-based objectors calling themselves ‘Concerned Adults’ began a petition to remove the label on all bottles around the world.

Tant pis … too bad for them!

The objections from Concerned Adults focused on both the label itself as well as some promotional materials for the wine which had been released that described ‘the fragile and mysterious girl ... [who] seems to hint at some secret promise of undiscovered pleasure, a pleasure to be shared’. They rallied against what they perceived as subtle hints at child exploitation and normalisation of child abuse, as well as an affront to American family values. A petition with 300 signatures was circulated and protesters even approached a significant number of Napa vintners for their support (with limited success).

Ultimately, Baroness Philippine, whilst unimpressed with the fuss, made the decision to remove the label from the American market. The château considered substituting another artist, but eventually decided that the remainder of their US allocation would simply remain blank. In an interview with the New York Times in March 2000, the baroness said of the accusations, “the idea … was abominable. To me, it was a miracle having Balthus. But out of respect for a part of public opinion, we asked the BATF to rescind the label. Then we told ourselves, ‘If it’s not Balthus, it’s nobody,’ and we left the label blank for Americans. Tant pis, too bad for them.”

And too bad for them indeed. Despite a small victory for the protesters, the end result was rather different to what they had hoped for; the few US bottles still available with Balthus’ label became an iconic collector’s item, boosting publicity and demand for Mouton’s wines even higher than before. Even today, nearly thirty years on, bottles of the 1993 retail in the region of £400 and are a sought-after collector’s item for any Bordeaux lover.

GLENFARCLAS

BEYOND THE RED DOOR: THE WORLD OF GLENFARCLAS

BY ANDREW MACDONALD LOCKHART

It is February. Arctic conditions. “Snow is just water waiting to be turned into whisky!” exclaims Callum Fraser, Distillery Manager of Glenfarclas, music to the ears of any whisky lover, at the start of my conversation with Callum about this legendary distillery.

The Glenfarclas distillery with its famous red doors is one of the most instantly recognisable whisky brands on earth, nestling in the foothills of the Cairngorms just a stone’s throw from the famous River Spey. Owned by the Grant family for five generations, Glenfarclas is one of whisky’s true superstars, with a unique approach which has made their products beloved by whisky drinkers for over 185 years.

What brought you into the world of whisky?

I’ve been working in whisky since 1st October 1990. I had trained as a baker but the distillery near my village, Deanston, was reopening and offering double wages, so I went for the money! I ended up at Deanston until 2012, working my way up through every stage of the whisky making process to become the distillery manager in 2006. However, I was getting itchy feet and when I got a phone call from Glenfarclas in 2012, it was too good to resist. I had a four-hour lunch with the current John Grant (the fifth generation of his family

to own the distillery) and his wife and knew that I wanted to work for these lovely people. When they told me the job was mine, I was over the moon.

Today, I’m as happy as I was on the day John Grant offered me the job. It’s a great family business where everyone is appreciated and everyone loves the brand, and I would never go anywhere else. I still describe myself as ‘a little boy from Kippen who makes whisky for a living’ and I can’t believe that I’m paid to work in this fantastic place.

What do you think makes Glenfarclas and its whiskies so special?

Firstly, it’s a family run business with a family run feel. John Grant lives on site, so there are no corporate bosses or boards of directors to contend with; John is always ready with a beer or a glass of wine, and no problem is too big. The Grants are wonderful people (they never forget my daughter’s birthday) and the kind of people that you aspire to be, as well as work for. For example, when we reopened our tours in July 2021 after COVID-19, John Grant donated all our takings between July and December - £16,000 - to a local foodbank. We have at least two team members who have been here for over 40 years, and I believe you just don’t feel that kind of loyalty unless you’re treated properly.

The famous copper stills of Glenfarclas nestle in the foothills of the Cairngorm mountains

Another benefit of family ownership is the level of independence we have. This allows us to do all kinds of special bottles, one-off labels and unique editions for our customers, as well as make sure that we are making the best whisky we can.

Does this also feed through into the distillery itself?

Absolutely. We aren’t subject to production targets or quotas and so we can go at our own pace. This is particularly important for our fermentation process, which is much longer than most others and creates a huge, fruity flavour profile which is one of our signatures.

We are also the only whisky producer left in the world who direct fire 100% of our stills, which gives the whisky an incredible caramelised, burnt toffee character. Tradition is very important; we took away the direct fire in 1983 and within 6 weeks the character of the whisky had completely changed. So, we brought it back and we’ll never try that again.

The end of the process comes down to cask quality. We are renowned for only using old Oloroso sherry casks of amazing quality, which we source from one family producer in Jerez who we have used since 1982. We like to stick to working with other family businesses and it is just a beautiful combination.

It may be a little like choosing a favourite child – but do you have any favourite Glenfarclas drams?

I always like to say that when it comes to whisky, my next one is my favourite one.

However, for me the Glenfarclas 21-year-old is a real standout – it’s just incredible, quite literally the reason I go to work. The trouble is that everyone else thinks so too, so stocks are dwindling and we are having to limit supply to the market. I think the 12-year-old is also fantastic and another of my go-to drams.

Aside from those, I’ve tasted most of the Family Cask editions from 1953 onwards and they are just some of the best whiskies you will ever taste and an inspiration for me. I want people to taste the Family Casks we are making now in years to come and say yes, the manager got that right. A few highlights are the 1968 (my birth year) and the 1972, and the 2000 is one to watch too.

A great story on the 2000; as far as we know, we are the only distiller in the world who have a whisky from the last day of the old millennium and the first day of the new. On 31st Dec 1999, John Grant decided to fill 25 sherry butts with whisky whilst everyone was worrying the world was about to end. When it didn’t, the same team all came back in next morning and did the same thing again. As far as we know, we are the only distillery to do that and again it sums John Grant up – he’s just interested in creating special whisky. For anyone in the industry, it’s a privilege to work for someone like that.

What have been your biggest career highlights to date?

In 2018 I was nominated by the Grant family to receive the title of Keeper of the Quaich. It’s an honorary title which recognises people who have made a long-term contribution to Scotch whisky and it was a huge privilege to be acknowledged in this way.

However, for me the best moment so far was in 2020, when Glenfarclas won the Icons of Whisky Distiller of the Year award and I also received Distillery Manager of the Year. My award was very much the sideshow - Distiller of the Year is everybody’s award, from the office team to the distillery and sales team, and it was incredible for everyone to receive that recognition. We were voted for by both members of the public and the whisky industry, so it doesn’t really get much better than that level of acknowledgement. We even managed to celebrate before Covid hit.

What are your hopes for the future of Glenfarclas and the Scotch whisky industry?

My main ambition is simply to keep growing the Glenfarclas brand and laying down amazing stocks for the future. I want my children and grandchildren to visit in years to come, enjoy the amazing whiskies that I’ve laid down and say, “he got that right.”

In the wider industry, drinkers are increasingly looking for all kinds of whisky novelties, such as finishing in Champagne casks and boutique distillers. However, it’s key for us to stay true to ourselves. Our history and traditions are absolutely vital to what we do (we like to say that even our computers are powered by steam) and we have no need or desire to do anything differently. The Glenfarclas formula works, and we simply want to make a great product for the future that people can enjoy.

On a personal note, Glenfarclas will celebrate 200 years of distilling on 6th May 2036. I am going to be at that party, whether it’s on my own two feet, in a wheelchair or a wooden box. If I’m still going, then I will be well past retirement age and I think that will be a great date for my last working day.

I have also put away a book for my daughter. It was published for our 185th anniversary and signed by every single member of the team, including the Grants. It’s the only one in the world and I want her to have something to really appreciate in years to come. Having said that, at the age of 13 she is already helping me out in the distillery so who knows where she might end up.

FOR ME THE GLENFARCLAS

21-YEAR-OLD IS A REAL STANDOUT –IT’S JUST INCREDIBLE, QUITE LITERALLY THE REASON I GO TO WORK.

THE TROUBLE IS THAT EVERYONE ELSE THINKS SO TOO, SO STOCKS ARE DWINDLING AND WE ARE HAVING TO LIMIT SUPPLY TO THE MARKET

CALLUM FRASER

CHELSEA VINTNERS

The Glenfarclas red door is almost as famous as the whisky itself

“

IT’S A FAMILY RUN BUSINESS WITH A FAMILY RUN FEEL

GLENFARCLAS WILL CELEBRATE 200 YEARS OF DISTILLING ON 6TH MAY 2036. I AM GOING TO BE AT THAT PARTY, WHETHER IT’S ON MY OWN TWO FEET, IN A WHEELCHAIR OR A WOODEN BOX!

THE KING OF CHAMPAGNE

Peter’s encyclopaedic knowledge and marvellously Champagnecentric lifestyle has been discussed everywhere from the Daily Mail to the Financial Times, where he has offered keenly insightful investment information and advice.

Peter himself has one of the largest collections of Champagne in the UK, and alongside his wine pursuits is also an ex-polo player, former physiotherapist, recent founder of a grower Champagne import business, and a part-time English cider maker. However, all of Peter’s varied occupations, old and new, do have one thing in common, they all take place with a daily glass of fizz in hand. Chelsea Vintners Managing Director Chris Wood caught up with Peter over a

BY CHRIS WOOD

couple of glasses of the good stuff to find out what makes him tick.

How did you discover your love of Champagne?

I am one of three brothers from what is very much a non-drinking family, so it was whilst at university I discovered Champagne through my part time job at Oddbins. My first ever bottle was a 1988 Pol Roger and I remember it clearly to this day; a relatively young but beautifully expressive vintage, which had only spent a relatively short period of time on the lees and yet still had so much fantastic autolytic character with plenty of butter and brioche notes.

I quickly realised if you’re going to drink alcohol, it should always be the good stuff, and so my newfound passion escalated aggressively. Much of the rest of my time at Oddbins was spent cracking open wonderful prestige cuvées on Tuesday nights. Champagne

always spoke to me – I was fascinated by 300 years of prestige marketing and a completely unique way of ageing, and I have been an obsessive collector ever since.

Despite that, you didn’t immediately consider a career in wine?

Well, during and after my first stint at university my main focus (other than tasting as many prestige cuvées as I could get my hands on) was playing polo. My father had been a professional player before me, and I took polo scholarships in New Zealand and Argentina and played up until 2014. At that point I went back to university to study physiotherapy, but that business came to a close around the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. I decided it was time to take the plunge and began my own business focusing on the import of small-production grower Champagnes.

PETER CRAWFORD HAS BECOME ONE OF THE UK’S FOREMOST ‘GO-TO’ GUYS WHEN IT COMES TO MATURE CHAMPAGNE – OR INDEED, ANY KIND OF CHAMPAGNE AT ALL

Nevertheless, I had always kept a finger on the pulse of the Champagne business no matter where I was. My collecting drastically ramped up at the end of my second university course and I also began to organise tastings. The first event I ever put on was a brilliant tasting of large format Moët vintages at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, with wines dating back to 1914 and an appearance from Benoît Gouez, the long-time Cellar Master at Moët & Chandon … an incredible memory and a day that has inspired many great tastings since.

You’re well-known for your love of aged, mature Champagnes. What is the appeal of older vintages for you?

Honestly, my love of mature Champagne simply came from drinking it. Sadly, many other people have cottoned on now and it’s no longer feasible to explore mature vintage Champagne on a university student budget, so I was very lucky to come to it when I did.

Mature Champagne might not be as youthful or seem as approachable as younger fizz, but I genuinely don’t believe you need to have an aficionado’s palate to appreciate these wines. I believe that it’s about flipping the switch on what these wines actually are –not a palate cleanser or an aperitif. Mature Champagne can be deep, complex, rich and moreish, and I don’t think you need to learn anything more to appreciate that style.

I still remember picking up a magnum of 1993 Pol Roger in 2006 for the bargain price of £100. I opened it with my dad, who is far from a regular wine drinker or an expert, and I will never forget the look on his face – these wines at their best are just like nothing else you’ve tried before. This Pol was bursting with butterscotch, glazed stone fruit and an intoxicating savoury sautéed mushroom character that neither of us have ever forgotten.

You’ve touched on the fact that mature Champagne can be ever harder to source – what are the main challenges you perceive?

For me, provenance is absolutely key. We’ve seen prices skyrocket over the last few years but with that, failure is becoming less and less of an option; when prices were lower and buyers weren’t tying up huge money, the possibility of a faulty bottle wasn’t as much of an issue. Now, buyers are looking for impeccable provenance, which is where specialists such as Chelsea Vintners can really make a difference.

If I can I always like to actually get my hands on a bottle before I commit. I’ve found that bonded storage doesn’t always guarantee great quality, and I will happily take a bottle or two that’s been sat in a Scottish castle for twenty years in the right conditions. I look for wines that have been stored at a constant temperature and humidity with

NOW, BUYERS ARE LOOKING FOR IMPECCABLE PROVENANCE, WHICH IS WHERE SPECIALISTS SUCH AS CHELSEA VINTNERS CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE

a good seal and great clarity – anything floating is a no-no.

You have ample opportunity to taste across the entire spectrum of Champagne, from mature to young. Are there any stylistic differences that you are perceiving between the old and new? Yes, absolutely, and whilst the diversity of styles is great, if we continue in this vein the changes are going to become less and less positive. The increase in hotter, riper years is giving us more wines that are unflattering on the palate, less elegant and unwieldy, lacking that terse structure and freshness which makes great Champagne what it is. I’m generally not a fan of these fatter, riper vintages and the key focus in Champagne at the moment is maintaining freshness in the wines despite the warming weather.

Freshness can of course be achieved in different ways and there are all kinds of approaches; for example, Roederer are increasingly blending from older reserves whilst the region more widely is looking at approaches such as new grape varieties (much like the rest of France). Having said that, the great formulas, such as Dom Pérignon, seem to be staying the same, and what I suspect we will see in coming years is different styles of marketing coming from the Grandes Marques in particular.

Now, the big question, what are your go-to Champagnes?

What a question! I think Krug is amazing –the consistency across their entire portfolio is great and the Grande Cuvée always delivers. I’ve had some fantastic bottles of GC 1979 and 1988, which proved to me that sitting on those wines for 10 – 15 years is a no brainer. I’ve also experienced some sensational Clos du Mesnil verticals in my time.

Many Champagne lovers would choose Salon, and for me that’s a whole different equation. I’m probably going to die and still not quite understand what Salon is really all about, but that mysterious quality is the great thing about it. I’ve tasted a huge range (including a recent vertical at La Dame de Pic, where we tasted vintages from the 1970s to the 2000s accompanied by a sublime menu from Anne-Sophie Pic) and what I know is that a great vintage is truly astonishing. I remember a bottle of 1959 Salon which was so transcendental that I have compared all mature vintages to it ever since.

Finally, I do have to mention Roederer Cristal - I believe that their Chef de Cave, JeanBaptiste Lécaillon, is the best winemaker in Champagne. His wines are just ridiculously good, head and shoulders above everything else. Cristal shakes off any uniformity and takes things to a whole new level of texture and finesse which is just phenomenal. Truly the rockstar of the Champagne world.

“ THE VINTNER