Club Oenologique | Issue 3

463004 772631 9

ISSN 2631-4630

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C LU B O E N O LO G I Q U E SCREAMING EAGLE

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K A R U I Z AWA

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JAMES TURRELL

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ISSUE 3

BAUHAUS

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B R U N E L L O D I M O N TA L C I N O

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H AVA N A

Please enjoy Krug responsibly

81 32

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FEATURES

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24. SUMMER OF SIXTY-NINE

58. NUNO THE WISER

81. THE COLLECTION

See the grands crus of Bordeaux as they were 50 years ago, in a series of photographs never before published

He’s not exactly standing still, but is Nuno Mendes calming down? George Reynolds finds out

Our team of experts recommends the finest wines and spirits, from Brunello 2013 and 2014 and aged Napa to modern Greek wine and the rarest whisky bottlings

66. SOLERA REBELS 32. HORSE POWER

An exclusive visit to America’s most celebrated breeding stable, Stonestreet Farms

With single vineyards, vintage bottlings and boutique wines, Sherry’s reinventing itself 74. SAVOIE FAIR

42. JAPANESE DREAM

The astonishing story of Karuizawa, one of the rarest Japanese whiskies 50. WHERE THE EAGLE SCREAMS

Elaine Chukan Brown pays a visit to one of the most famous – and famously inaccessible – wineries in the world

Savoie is one of the loveliest mountain regions of Europe, and its wines are fresh, bright and delicious.

What’s not to like?

110. THE BAUHAUS WIFE

Lucia Moholy was a vital part of the Bauhaus. So why isn’t she better known?

130. WIRELESS HOTSPOT

Tune in and turn on to the glorious eccentricity of the UK’s favourite indie radio station, 6 Music 134. RECORD BOOKS

Interest in rare books has rocketed. Rob Sandall seeks out the trending tomes fetching major sums

FACUND O BUSTAMAN TE; BILL P HELP S; PETER AA RON; KRUG; RO C CO C ESELIN; TIM C LIN CH; GETTY IMAGES; MA RTIN MORRELL

Contents

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118 124

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126 REGULARS

118. RUM DEAL

7. CLUB O SELECTS

Cuba is synonymous with rum, and there’s no finer place to try the spirit than its splendid capital Havana

ANDERS OV ERGAA RD; FLORIA N HOLZHERR; N ICOLAS JOUB ARD; PETER HA RRINGTON ; DEB ORA H WASTIE; JA KE EASTHA M

12. SIR IAN BOTHAM

The great all-rounder as you’ve never seen him.

It’s not just cricket, as Joe Fattorini discovers 14. ELECTRIC LIGHT

James Turrell’s electrifying installations in the high Argentinian desert

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4. CONTRIBUTORS

Our pick of the exclusive, the artisan, and the downright luxurious

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138. A DAY WITH THE ARTISAN

Tom Harrow visits British gunmaker Holland & Holland, supplier of hardware to royalty and presidents for 180 years

124. BRIEF ENCOUNTER

143. LEARN IN A DAY

San Francisco has more restaurants per square mile than any other US city

Zoe Williams on fishing, the ‘great game of sea-roulette’

126. SUPER-INGREDIENT

Fiona Beckett salutes the ubiquitous onion

144. BACK PAGE

Bond and Bollinger celebrate a 40-year partnership

COV E R P H OTO G R A P H STO N E S KY ( 2 0 0 5 ) , B Y JA M E S T U R R E L L ; P H OTO G R A P H B Y F LO R I A N H O L Z H E R R

CLUB OENOLOGIQUE

info@cluboenologique.com EDITORIAL

Contributors WRITERS

EDITOR

STEPHEN ARMSTRONG

ANDY HAYLER

DOMINIC ROSKROW

Adam Lechmere

Journalist and author Stephen Armstrong has five non-fiction books to his name and a massive inferiority complex because they aren’t gritty thrillers like Lee Child’s. He lives in hope.

Author and restaurant critic Andy Hayler has eaten at every three-Michelin-starred restaurant in the world; he is known to enjoy a glass of wine on occasion.

Dominic Roskrow has followed spirits over land and sea (and Leicester). He specialises in whisky from obscure places and was once described as the ‘Liam Gallagher of drinks writing’, which he took as a compliment.

WINE DIRECTOR

Christelle Guibert EDITORIAL EXECUTIVE

Laurel Bibby CONSULTANT EDITOR

Guy Woodward SPIRITS CONSULTANT

Colin Hampden-White SUBEDITOR

David Tombesi-Walton at Sands Publishing Solutions HEAD OF MARKETING

Amy Garcia MARKETING AND EVENTS EXECUTIVE

Silvia Rizzo PUBLISHER

Tony Long DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Rashna Mody Clark PICTURE DIRECTOR

Caroline Metcalfe DESIGN

Rashna Mody Clark Design: Anna Wiewiora, Miguel Batista BRANDING

forpeople PRINTING REPRO

Eric Ladd at XY Digital

FIONA BECKETT

RICHARD HEMMING MW

Award-winning food and drink writer Fiona Beckett is wine columnist for the Guardian and author of 25 books. She also publishes the website matchingfoodandwine.com and is co-founder of the wine podcast Bâtonnage.

Wine writer, educator, consultant and occasional pianist Richard Hemming became a Master of Wine in 2015.

NINA CAPLAN

Nina Caplan writes about drink for The New Statesman, The Times Luxx and others.

Between beverages, she likes to help revive the reputation of underrated female photographers.

ELAINE CHUKAN BROWN

Elaine Chukan Brown still misses her former job as a camel trainer and ranch hand.

To soothe her woes she writes about wine and serves as the American specialist for JancisRobinson.com.

JOE FATTORINI

Joe Fattorini is discovering a Dachshund impedes productive writing.

NATASHA HUGHES MW

Natasha Hughes is a Master of Wine who’s made a living from writing, talking and teaching about wine and food for the past 20 years. She still has to pinch herself occasionally to check that it’s not just a dream.

WINK LORCH

Wink Lorch’s mission is to prove that the vineyards of Jura, Savoie and Bugey are not high altitude, that the Altesse grape didn’t come from Cyprus, and that Vin Jaune is better served warm.

KEVIN O’SULLIVAN

Formerly a film and TV critic for the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror, Kevin O’Sullivan spent 10 years in Los Angeles interviewing movie stars and reporting on Hollywood. He is now a presenter on talkRADIO.

TOM HARROW

GEORGE REYNOLDS

Tom “WineChap” Harrow writes about wine for various high-end titles, curates fine wine portfolios worldwide and hosts luxury wine experiences that were described by the Financial Times as ‘Sideways on steroids’.

George Reynolds writes about food and drink for Sunday Times Style, Noble Rot, and Eater London.

ROB SANDALL

This month, Rob Sandall has been poring over first and signed editions of the literary greats, with a particularly keen eye on a couple of early HP Lovecraft editions for his own modest collection.

ZOE WILLIAMS

Zoe Williams is a columnist for the Guardian and pundit for current-affairs shows, and she ought by now to have successfully smashed the system but keeps getting distracted by the rich mysteries of life – this quarter, oceans.

RICHARD WOODARD

Mildly shocked by the realisation that he has been writing about booze for 20 years, Richard Woodard is now struggling to cope with the ignominy of being an Ipswich Town fan living in Norwich.

GUY WOODWARD

Guy Woodward made his name in the wine world as editor of Decanter, where he ruffled industry feathers for a decade.

He’s since flown the nest and today is consultant editor at Club Oenologique and deputy editor of Harrods Publishing.

PRINTER

Taylor Bloxham SUBSCRIPTIONS

Newsstand Magazines cluboenologique.com/subs Facebook @cluboenologique Instagram @cluboenologique Twitter @cluboenologique Email: info@cluboenologique.com news@cluboenologique.com ISSN 2631-4630. Club Oenologique is published quarterly by The Conversion Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. The title Club Oenologique is registered in Great Britain as a trademark. Every care is taken in compiling the contents of this publication but the proprietors assume no responsibility in the effects arising there from. No responsibility is accepted for loss or damage of manuscripts and illustrations submitted for publication. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the proprietors. Proprietors reserve the right to refuse advertisements.

PHOTOGRAPHERS, ARTISTS AND ILLUSTRATORS PETER AARON

TIM CLINCH

ANDERS OVERGAARD

Peter Aaron began tasting claret at age four as the son of renowned wine merchant Sam Aaron. He has since become a world-famous architectural photographer; his images of Syria Before the Deluge are currently on view at New York Center for Architecture.

Photographer Tim Clinch divides his time between two countries and two wines: the deep velvety reds of Bulgaria and the sparkling Finos and Manzanillas of the Sherry Triangle. Luckily, he doesn’t have to decide which is his favourite.

Danish-born photographer Anders Overgaard always brings an open-minded, international perspective and ease to the work he produces for advertising, fashion and celebrity clients. He divides his time between New York City and Copenhagen with his wife and two sons.

BALL & ALBANESE

Florian Holzherr is a Munichbased photographer who works for architects and artists worldwide. He also teaches in Vienna and Munich and he can’t say no to a cold Riesling or Munich-brewed beer.

FLORIAN HOLZHERR

Wendy Ball and Dara Albanese are a photography duo based in New York City. They shoot worldwide destinations, stunning private homes and inspiring artists and chefs for clients such as Architectural Digest, Dwell and Food & Wine.

MARTIN MORRELL

The award-winning photography of British-born Martin Morrell encompasses interiors, travel, fashion and showbusiness and has appeared in publications ranging from the New York Times’s T Magazine to Porter.

BILL PHELPS

American photographer Bill Phelps has built an impressive career over the past 30 years and is widely celebrated for his poetic vision. He is also a passionate traveller, father and restaurateur.

Editor’s letter

y late father, who was a bookseller of the old school, though always courteous, used to explain to me the difference between rarity and scarcity. Rarity is innate, whereas scarcity can be imposed: diamonds are not nearly as rare as rubies, but they can be made scarce by the handful of companies that control their distribution.

In truth, I never got the nuance, but rarity is what we’re concerned with in Club Oenologique. In this issue, we report on the collectability of books like Shakespeare’s First Folio (actually not as rare as you’d think: there are some 275 copies around the world); on the extraordinary rags-to-riches story of Karuizawa, the whisky that might never have been; on Stonestreet Farms in Kentucky, owner of the legendary Curlin, who charges $175,000 for (in the quaint racing parlance) covering a mare; on Screaming Eagle, one of the most coveted wines in the world; on the 180-year-old gunmaker Holland & Holland, which produces a mere 50 pieces a year, each of them entirely handmade.

In all these cases, rarity makes for expense, and the one inescapable fact – especially of wines and spirits – is that stocks diminish. As Richard Woodard says of Karuizawa, ‘soon there won’t be any left’. Every time a bottle of wine is opened, there’s one fewer. So the already-expensive just gets pricier and pricier, and eventually, as in the airless upper reaches of the art market, it becomes viable only to a vanishingly select few.

Expense and rarity don’t, of course, go hand in hand. Earlier this month, we tasted 20 vintages of old Napa and California. You don’t see these wines often: even in Napa they’re hard to find, but they’re affordable, and specialist merchants will dig them out for you. While some of the whiskies in our report on rare and independent bottlings are very expensive indeed – the Bunnahabhain Gleann Mór 1968 is over £2,000 a bottle – most are within the means of the dedicated collector, and they’re readily available if you know what you’re looking for.

Our common theme, as always, is artisanship. Everything in these pages is crafted with the finest materials, whether they’re photographs, or wines, or shotguns. There’s something immortal about these worlds, but they have to be cherished. Lucia Moholy’s Bauhaus negatives, for example, were almost lost, and Peter Aaron’s wonderful black-and-white images of old Bordeaux might never have been published.

There are things that will slip through your fingers if you’re not careful. As we say in our article on that most precious of cities, Havana, ‘You must see it before it changes forever.’

ADAM LECHMERE JUNE 2019

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CLUB SELECTS

The objects A G L A S S / A RT C O L L A B O R AT I O N , E XQ U I S I T E B OA R D GA M E S A N D D E B U T S U N G L A S S E S

ALEXANDRA LLEWELLYN

DAMIEN HIRST/LALIQUE Damien Hirst made his name with pickled sharks and rotting cows’ heads but there has always been a gentler side to his aesthetic.

Butterflies, for example, have long been a theme (his 2012 retrospective at London’s Tate Modern featured a controversial live butterfly exhibit), as have doves (witness the white dove frozen in flight in 2006’s The Incomplete Truth). The artist’s ongoing collaboration with French glassmaker Lalique includes sculptures and panels of both creatures made using the ‘lost-wax’ technique. Fans of Hirst will be reassured to hear that his usual themes of death, sin and the fragility of life remain central to the pieces, not least in the skull motifs and daggers seen throughout the collection.

When Alexandra Llewellyn was a child, she found herself in a Cairo alley playing backgammon with an opponent 10 times her age. Though they had nothing in common, they were able to bond through their shared love of the game. Inspired by how simple pastimes bring people together, Llewellyn went on to become a board game designer, making pieces as beautiful as they are functional, for clients including Richard Branson and Elle Macpherson. Her collaboration with British painter Tom Hammick is a backgammon set featuring the artist’s distinctive dream-like prints, meticulously crafted using Llewellyn’s favourite technique of marquetry. Just a handful of sets is available, each signed by both Llewellyn and Hammick. £18,000 alexandrallewellyn.com

Eternal Beauty (pictured) €15,000 lalique.com

ASPINAL OF LONDON Known for its elegant, British-made line of bags, luggage and travel accessories, Aspinal of London has now extended its vacation vibe with the launch of its debut collection of sunglasses. The range, comprising five women’s styles and two men’s, taps into the glamour of 1960s Italian destinations, from Amalfi to Portofino, via a blend of oversized rims, exaggerated silhouettes, Navigator-style shapes, classic cat’s-eye design and retro touches.

Time to channel your inner Audrey Hepburn or Cary Grant.

(On a less sexy but pleasingly practical note, the shades are also adaptable for prescription lenses.) £165 aspinaloflondon.com

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CLUB SELECTS

The bottles OUR PICK OF THE MOST EXCLUSIVE AND INTRIGUING B O T T L E S AVA I L A B L E T H I S S E A S O N

CUBANA

£250 per bottle (in bond), Fine & Rare frw.co.uk

BORDEAUX 2018 It was a spectacular growing season, so there was always high expectation for vintage 2018 in Bordeaux. Now that the verdicts are in, the only thing that might deter you from clearing space in your cellar is the price. Barrel samples of the wines were tasted by trade and critics in April, and apart from a few cautious voices (we should all be wary of hype, Panos Kakaviatos warned on cluboenologique.com), the reception has been overwhelmingly positive.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown of Wine Advocate found the vintage ‘mind-blowing’. ‘Stunning’ and ‘incredible’ were other typical responses.

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The reds were marked in the most part by intensity, structure, ripeness and purity. The only quibbles, over a vintage in which nature yielded such bounty, related to consistency of style. The best-received wines were those that struck a balance.

Among the star performers, Château Palmer consistently crops up; Cheval Blanc and Lafite are also applauded.

As we go to press, all but the top dozen or so wines have released their prices – Palmer, for example, a third growth with the reputation of a first, will set you back £240 a bottle before tax.

Your wine merchant will be able to update you on prices and availability of wines.

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PORT 2017 Vintages in the Douro are generally only declared around three times a decade, which is why it is remarkable that all the notable names declared 2017 hot on the heels of 2016. It is being touted as the first time since the 1930s that consecutive vintages have been so widely declared. And the occasion comes with due fanfare. In addition to the classic Vintage Ports from Taylor’s, Fonseca and Croft, The Fladgate Partnership has announced plans for two ‘old vine’ bottlings. Taylor’s is planning only its eighth ever release of the Vargellas Vinha Velha, the rare Vintage Port from the oldest vines at Quinta de Vargellas. And for the first time, Croft is releasing a rare Vintage Port, Serikos, from the oldest vines of its Quinta da Roêda estate. Meanwhile, Symingtons will be offering limited quantities of Graham’s, Dow’s, Warre’s, Cockburn’s and Quinta do Vesuvio, as well as Graham’s The Stone Terraces and Capela da Quinta do Vesuvio. The 2017 is just the fourth release of the latter two, which are only produced in exceptional years. Symingtons’ veteran head winemaker Charles Symington said he had never seen a year like 2017 in his 25 years as winemaker, with the harvest the earliest ever recorded in the family’s 137-year history: ‘The yields were extremely low, but the concentration and structure took my breath away.’ Given the very low-yielding year, en primeur volumes are expected to be around a third less than in 2016.

N ICOLAS JOUB ARD

The notion of terroir in spirits is a loose one, with the predominant flavours in whisky and rum coming from the barrel and the water rather than the barley and sugar cane. Now, though, a new range takes a distinct geographical inspiration – and paradoxically, it’s being made in London. Bloomsbury Atelier Cubana is the first in a series of ‘geographically focused’ spirits from the Bloomsbury Distillery. And as its names suggests, its roots can be traced back to the Caribbean.

A base spirit of Jamaican rum, distilled from estate-harvested sugar cane, is blended with a distillation of fermented Cuban ingredients, notably the tobacco leaves of a Cuban cigar, as well as limes and cacao nibs. The resultant spirit – billed as an ode to Caribbean fermentation – fuses the notes of an aged rum with those of a humidor of fresh cigars. Produced once a year in a single batch, Cubana is hand-bottled and labelled in a limited run, with each bottle stamped with a unique identification number.

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CLUB SELECTS

The openings UNMISSABLE EVENTS AND OPENINGS IN PROVENCE, M I L A N A N D C H A M PAG N E

GRAND HÔTEL DU CAP-FERRAT It’s been the epitome of Mediterranean chic for more than a century, occupying a palatial perch on the Côte d’Azur and welcoming everyone from Winston Churchill to Elizabeth Taylor. Now the Grand Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat is branching out from its ocean vistas to take in the Provence vineyards that lie within easy striking distance to the north – if you have the right transport, that is.

Throughout the summer, guests will be able to fly by helicopter from the Four Seasons property for a private visit to Château de Selle, one of three estates within the bosom of the storied, Louis Roederer-owned Provençal producer Domaines Ott. There, expect to enjoy a tasting and tour – and if the time is right, to lend a quick hand with the harvest – before settling down to a picnic prepared by the hotel’s Michelin-starred chef, Yoric Tièche. The only downside? You’ll have to slum it on the return journey, swapping the chopper for a chauffeur-driven Mercedes – but at least you’ll have one of Château de Selle’s limited-edition red or rosé cuvées to hand.

ROYAL CHAMPAGNE HOTEL When the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa opened in the heart of Epernay last summer, visitors to the region finally had a five-star base. Arguably Champagne’s first contemporary luxury hotel, the property boasts a 16,000-sqft, supremely well-appointed spa, similarly expansive pool and terrace, and destination restaurant (awarded a Michelin star within six months).

That culinary experience has now been expanded to take in not just the produce but the location of the area’s most famous export. The Royal’s signature five-course menu will now ‘tour’ local Champagne houses, where it will be served alongside cuvées from that month’s chosen house.

Guests will savour such dishes as crab with kaffir lime, turbot with seaweed butter and seasonal vegetables, and a reimagined mandarin baba with lemon sorbet and rosé Champagne strawberry sorbet (pictured above), all served with cuvées selected to complement the flavours.

The first two houses chosen to launch the initiative this summer are Maison Charles Heidsieck and Champagne Deutz.

Rooms from €485 per night royalchampagne.com

Rooms from €580 per night fourseasons.com/capferrat

BACCARAT When you’re a 250-year-old crystal house steeped in the design and creation of intricate stemware, it makes sense that you should have a place to enjoy a glass or two. After the debut of the Baccarat Bar & Lounge at its hotel in New York, which has become something of a go-to spot for Manhattan socialites, French crystallerie Baccarat has opened a BBar & Lounge in Milan, marked out by a signature red chandelier above its entrance.

As you might expect, the interiors of the 2,000-sqft space – in a secluded courtyard adjacent to the Baccarat boutique on the chic Via Montenapoleone – are no less sumptuous, with Baccarat tableware, velvet upholstery and a backdrop of muted frescoes by artist Alexandre-Benjamin Navet. The Art de la Table menu spans breakfast, lunch and tea, and aperitifs and cocktails are available.

The bar’s opening was held during Milan’s annual Design Week to coincide with the launch of the brand’s first complete home furniture collection. uk.baccarat.com/en/boutique-milan-baccarat

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[ COLUMN ]

Sir Ian Botham WO R DS

I L LU S TR ATI O N

J O E FAT TO R I N I

RODERICK MILLS

Last November, a woman approached the Sir Ian Botham Wines stand at the BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham.

Catching the eye of one of the reps pouring samples, she asked, ‘I’m just interested: is Ian Botham really involved in the winemaking?’ ‘Oh, I can assure you,’ replied the rep, ‘my husband is very much involved in the winemaking. But if you have any technical questions about the wines, I’ll grab our daughter. She knows a bit more about that side of things.’

Sir Ian Botham Wines is less a celebrity wine brand than a family-run négociant business. A month earlier, I’d spent the day with Botham and his ‘rep’ Kath, Lady Botham, at the wine bar in Darlington that their daughter Sarah owns with husband Darren.

(In the interests of full disclosure, l’ve sold some of the top-tier Sir Ian Botham wines as head of sales at Fields, Morris & Verdin.) Downstairs, Botham enthuses about the wines, while Sarah and Kath are upstairs shifting tables, putting up banners and polishing glasses. Darren is filling shelves with bottles. Botham is frustrating him by taking them off the shelf and opening them. He talks about winemaking methods and hidden parcels of fruit he’s found,

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H E ’ S O N E O F T H E G R E AT E ST C R I C K E T E R S E N G L A N D H A S E V E R P R O D U C E D, B U T I T ’ S W I N E T H AT H A S G I V E N S I R I A N “ B E E F Y ” B OT H A M W H AT H E C O N S I D E R S H I S F I R ST CA R E E R

arguments he’s had with his UK agent about blending components, pricing issues. A crowd of salespeople troops through the bar and upstairs; as soon as they’re settled, Botham’s off to taste the wines with them and talk through sales strategies. If you choose to ignore one of the greatest English cricket careers of the modern era, the extraordinary charity fundraising and the eye-opening autobiography (subtitled Don’t Tell Kath), this is a family-run négociant wine business.

‘This is my first career,’ says Botham over lunch at Lord’s a few weeks later.

Genuinely, I think of my first career as a winemaker It’s an absurd thing to say. But to prove it, he pulls out a business card: sir ian botham, winemaker. ‘Can you believe it, this is the first business card I’ve ever had?’ he says. Over glasses of wine – always plural with Botham – he unpicks his relationship with cricket, wine, careers and doing what he really loves. ‘Genuinely, I think of my first career as a winemaker. It’s just I spent some time playing cricket beforehand.’ The strands of cricket

and wine run together: he fell in love with wine as his cricket career began; he was introduced to Beaujolais Nouveau as a teenager by legendary commentator John Arlott, who gradually introduced him to the great wines of France; they then shared the wines of the world as Ian’s ‘pre-career’ blossomed and as they both retired to the Channel Islands.

Someone comes over and asks Botham about the state of modern cricket. He obliges with talk of ‘the problem of the white-ball game’, but he’s uncomfortable. ‘Ian can get frustrated when people ask him about cricket,’ says his UK agent Paul Schaafsma. You can tell part of Schaafsma’s job is to manage the wine-to-cricket question ratio.

Preferably about 10 to 1.

I tentatively ask about the Adelaide Hills Chardonnay in our glass. Marty Edwards at The Lane produced the fruit for the blend, and he told me they fell out over the time it spent in barrel.

Few would stand up to Edwards, a renowned winemaker and former Special Forces operator. But if it’s going to have Botham’s name on it, he wants it his way. ‘Yeah, he wasn’t keen,’ says Botham. ‘But I love it.

What do you reckon?’

WINE - RESORT - GOLF WWW.CASTIGLIONDELBOSCO.COM

A PLACE OF DREAMS, IN TUSCANY @CASTIGLIONDELBOSCO

[ ART ]

WO R DS

P H OTO G R A P H S

L AU R E L B I B BY

F LO R I A N H O L Z H E R R

I N T H E H I G H D E S E R T VA L L E YS O F A RG E N T I N A , B O D E GA C O LO M É I S H O M E TO T H E I N T E N S E A N D V I B R A N T L I G H T I N STA L L AT I O N S O F JA M E S T U R R E L L

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This page: Skyspace, Unseen Blue (2002).

Opposite: City of Arhirit (1976)

[ ART ]

At over 2,000m above sea-level, Bodega Colomé in the upper Calchaquí Valley is one of the world’s highest wineries. It’s also home to the world’s only permanent exhibition of the works of the American artist James Turrell, who aims to challenge perceptions with his vibrant light installations. ‘My work is about space and the light that inhabits it. It is about how you can confront that space. It is about your seeing,’ he says.

Turrell’s work, exhibited in 22 countries and 19 US states, is celebrated worldwide; this year marks the 10th anniversary of the museum at Colomé. He is perhaps best known for the work-in-progress Roden Crater, an installation of chambers, tunnels and apertures inside a dormant cinder-cone volcano in northern Arizona. Rapper Kanye West donated $10m to the project after visiting the space, which he described as ‘life-changing’.

The James Turrell Museum was opened by Swiss entrepreneur Donald Hess, who owns wineries in California and Argentina, as well as a considerable art collection. He has been buying Turrell’s work for more than 30 years. ‘Donald started to collect him in the 1970s,’ says Christoph Ehrbar, Hess’s son-in-law and CEO of The Hess Group.

‘When he bought Colomé, he thought it would be the perfect place for the collection.

There’s a particular light there that gives the work even more intensity and power.’

Despite being four hours from the nearest city, Salta, itself a two-hour flight from Buenos Aires, the museum attracts some 8,000 visitors a year. An overnight stay is highly recommended, not only because of the bone-shaking drive to get there: many of the installations change dramatically as the day wanes and night falls. Rooms at Estancia Colomé, Bodega Colomé’s boutique hotel, can be reserved.

Penumbra An area of light shadow, Penumbra (1992) takes its name from the astronomical term for the area around the edge of a sunspot: not yet as bright as the sun’s surface, but already glowing.

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Skyspace, ‘Unseen Blue’ Since 1974, around the world, Turrell has created more than 80 Skyspaces – specifically propor tioned rooms with round, oval or square openings to the sky. The one at Colomé – 2002’s Unseen Blue – is the largest and is located in an inner cour tyard with an open view of the sky.

RE DUX / EYEV INE

City of Arhirit The 1976 piece City of Arhirit is Turrell’s first ganzfeld work, the German word describing the total loss of depth perception. In the installation, the space is completely clear but filled with light. ‘If you look at my work, there is no par ticular place to focus. If you have no image, no object, no focus, what do you have left? Not a whole lot – except the power of the light.’

MIKE STAHL; MARK LUS COMBE-WH YTE

[ ART ]

Alta Green One of Turrell’s earliest works, 1968’s Alta Green is the first that Hess acquired. What first appears to be a three-dimensional object instead reveals itself to be a triangle made purely of light. ‘I didn’t want to use light as we normally use it – to illuminate other things. I was interested in the light itself.’

Opposite: Bodega Colomé nestled among the surrounding vineyards, forest and mountains; a horse-riding tour around the estate

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[ C U LT U R E ]

[ ART ]

Wedgework II, ‘Pale Blue’ This title of this series refers to the force that frost or roots can exer t on rocks, driving them apar t by acting like a wedge. Light rays also have a penetrating power.

The world is not one we receive but one we create. Is a door actually opening here? A wall? In Pale Blue (1969), projected light creates the illusion of walls or doors.

Opposite: Skyspace, ‘Unseen Blue’ Visitors can stand, sit or lie on the benches or on the floor in Unseen Blue, while the light changes in a 40-minute sequence, altering the perception of the sky’s colours and proximity. ‘The sky always seems to be out there, away from us. I like to bring it down in close contact with us, so you feel you are in it.’

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[[ C AU R LTT ]U R E ]

MORITZ BERNOULLY

Turrell’s other work around the world includes Stone Sky (2005) in Calistoga, California (above); Skyspace Lech (2018) in the Alpine village of Lech, Austria (opposite); and Encounter (2015) in Culiacán, Mexico (below)

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A DA M L E C H M E R E

P E TE R A A R O N

Summer of

sixty nine I N 1 9 6 9, P E T E R A A R O N W A S A S K E D T O P H O T O G R A P H T H E G R A N D S C R U S O F B O R D E A U X .

N E V E R P R E V I O U S LY P U B L I S H E D , T H E S E V I B R A N T I M A G E S C A P T U R E A WAY O F L I F E T H AT H A S CHANGED LITTLE OVER THE COURSE OF 50 YEARS

This page: Cutting back the canopy at Château La Mission Haut-Brion.

Opposite: The cellar master at Château Grand Pontet, St-Emilion

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PETER A ARON / OTTO FEATURES

[ PHOTOGRAPHY ]

[ PHOTOGRAPHY ]

This page: The cellar master tasting from barrel at Château d’Yquem; workers wrapping bottles at Château Climens.

Opposite: (top) Howard Sloan, then-owner of Château Bouscaut, with wife Sonny and daughters Kathr yn and Gillis at the château; a horse in the vineyard, hooded to protect its face from flies

Peter Aaron was 23 when he was commissioned by Alexis Lichine, the legendary wine writer and owner of Château Prieuré-Lichine, to provide photography for his latest book on the grands crus of Bordeaux. Aaron is the son of Sherry-Lehmann founder Sam Aaron (‘My father was a big deal in the wine business,’ he says matter-of-factly), but this was only the second time he’d been to Bordeaux. In the summer of 1969, he stayed at Château Bouscaut and spent a month and a half in the vineyards and chais, photographing the everyday life of the great properties.

The pictures vibrate with life – you can almost smell the baked earth and the rich perfume of newly harvested grapes. This was half a century ago, but it’s by no means a vanished way of life: ladies still gossip over the sorting table, there are horses in the vineyards again, and barrel design hasn’t changed in 3,000 years, let alone fifty.

This is a cross section of Bordeaux, every rank from picker to maître de chai. ‘What was memorable for me was capturing the average worker in the vineyards,’ Aaron says. ‘The picture of the shepherd woman in traditional dress with her staff and her dog, at Yquem, is one of my favourites.’

Aaron is an acclaimed architectural photographer whose work is in high demand. He worked at Time Life in the 1960s, training under the great architectural photographer Ezra Stoller, whom he consistently names as one of his major influences.

The Bordeaux series was shot on a Nikon F camera, almost entirely in black and white, which Aaron says he favoured over colour. ‘Looking back 50 years, black and white seems timeless,’ he adds. In the event, Lichine never finished his book. This is the first time the pictures have been published; apart from a show at the Alliance Française in New York in the 1980s, they have never been exhibited.

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[ PHOTOGRAPHY ]

Clockwise from top left: A shepherd woman and her dog at Château d’Yquem; bottling at Château Lascombes; a cellar worker doing soutirage (racking) at Château Haut-Brion; the extensive cellars of Bar ton & Guestier, under the streets of Bordeaux

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Clockwise from top left: A view across the vineyards to Château Pichon-Longueville Baron; tending the vines at Château Lafite Rothschild; workers spraying copper sulphate at Château Marquis de Terme; keys hanging on a cellar wall

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[ PHOTOGRAPHY ]

Above: The cellar master at Château Latour.

Below: Château Ausone

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Clockwise from top left: Château Haut-Brion; an HautBrion cellar worker purifying an empty barrel with a chip of burning sulphur; the cellar master at Château Guiraud

[ PROFILE ]

WO R DS

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G U Y WO O DWA R D

BILL PHELPS

Horse power

W H E N B A R B A R A B A N K E TO O K O N T H E M A N A G E M E N T O F JA C K S O N FA M I LY W I N E S F R O M H E R L AT E H U S B A N D, YO U ’ D H AV E T H O U G H T T H E FA M I LY ’ S R A C E H O R S E O P E R AT I O N WO U L D TA K E A B A C K S E AT – B U T S H E H A S B U I LT STO N E ST R E E T FA R M S I N TO T H E TO P B R E E D I N G O P E R AT I O N I N T H E U N I T E D STAT E S. G U Y WO O DWA R D S A D D L E S U P

This page: Horses at Stonestreet Farms. Opposite: Barbara Banke’s star mare Rachel Alexandra

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[ PROFILE ]

I

t was in 2003 that Barbara Banke told her husband, the late Jess Jackson, that it was time for him to find a hobby. Jackson – the former lawyer turned wine tycoon who, with Banke, had built Jackson Family Wines into a 14,000-acre, fivemillion-case- and $500m-a-year business – was guilty, at 73, of micromanaging. Not only that, says Banke, but ‘he was driving me crazy’. So Jackson bought a share in a racehorse.

Jackson had always enjoyed horses, right from when, as an eight-year-old, he sat on his uncle’s shoulders to watch the legendary Seabiscuit race in the late 1930s. This would be a nice route into retirement – something that Banke had been trying to encourage for several years. ‘I used to tell him to enjoy travel,’ she says. ‘But every time we’d travel, he’d try to start a business. We’d go to Tahiti, and he’d talk about growing vanilla.’

Horses, it transpired, were no different. Within two years of his modest initial outlay, Jackson had spent $22m on 90 mares to kick-start a breeding operation – and a similar amount on a suitably expansive facility to house them. Two years later, Curlin, a colt in which Jackson had acquired a majority interest, racked up a string of comprehensive victories to become America’s Horse of the Year. Twelve months later,

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Her charisma is understated, but she has a clear, steely ambition. She is also, it seems, something of a risk-taker

Opposite: Barbara Banke with one of the foals at Stonestreet Farms. This page: Rachel Alexandra

[ PROFILE ]

and five years after Jackson had taken up his ‘hobby’, Curlin won the Dubai World Cup – the richest race in the world – and Stonestreet Farms, the nascent breeding arm that took its owner’s middle name, sold the top-priced yearling at the industry-leading Keeneland sales. What could initially have been put down to an astonishing run of beginner’s luck allied to some sizeable investments was, it had become clear, more about making the right choices. ‘He always liked to study anything he became involved with,’ says Banke, with a degree of understatement.

I’m sitting with Banke on a tranquil, hazy April morning at the bucolic Stonestreet Farms in Kentucky. Driving through the rolling hills that define the surrounding landscape, I am reminded of Napa Valley – not so much by the backdrop, which is lusher and greener than Napa’s dry alluvial soils, but by the vast open spaces and grand gated entrances that, as with Highway 29’s statement wineries, stud the broad, winding roads.

Behind the gates lie sprawling properties that speak of power and money. Their high-roofed wooden structures are somewhat less grandiose than their California counterparts, but they are home to horseflesh that is just as prized – and valuable – as Napa’s slowly

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ageing barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon. Stonestreet is among the largest breeding farms in Kentucky, housing around 100 mares spread across three sites. Within the past 15 years, it has become the biggest seller of yearling racehorses in North America. And that is largely down to Banke rather than Jackson.

When Jackson died from melanoma in 2011, aged 81, nobody was quite sure what approach Banke would take with the family business.

Jackson had been very much the public face and image of both the wine and equine interests; and while Banke is a couple of decades younger than her former husband – with a restless glint in her eye – the consensus was that she would be working on quietly passing the business to the couple’s three children rather than pursuing any aggressive expansion plans.

Certainly the equine side of things – which, despite its startling success, represents but a fraction of the scale of the wine business – wasn’t on anyone’s list of priorities. But while Banke may not have Jackson’s natural ebullience, and her charisma is understated, she has a clear, steely ambition. She is also, it seems, something of a risk-taker.

Scenes at Stonestreet Farms, with Barbara Banke (opposite) and (above) one of the proper ty’s foals

It wasn’t always so. In the early days of Jackson Family Wines, Banke – like her husband, a San Francisco litigator – maintained her legal practice, specialising in land purchase. It was a prudent move, not only ensuring a bankable flow of capital but proving handy when it came to acquiring vineyards. By the 1990s, the California wine industry was flourishing and prices were on the rise. Banke persuaded Jackson to play the long game, acquire phylloxera-ridden vineyards at dirt-cheap prices, before replanting them and seeing them flourish.

The policy of patience has served Banke well. Whether with wine or horses, the business has been built never to rely on external finance, relying instead on investing cheaply, developing slowly and retaining control. Even with racehorses, they weren’t buying the finished product. Despite Curlin’s astonishing early success, his true worth has been off the track, in retirement – if you can call it that. As a stallion, he covers upwards of 100 mares a year, at a fee of $175,000 a time.

Some of the mares are Stonestreet’s own, yielding a production cycle of potential future champions, which are then either sold or raised and trained in-house. Either way, the profits flow.

Banke’s major innovation at Stonestreet since her husband’s death has been the purchase and development of a dedicated Florida training facility for yearlings. Racehorses have a preordained life cycle. After newborns have spent a year being reared at Stonestreet’s lavishly appointed farm, wanting for nothing, Banke and her advisers assess the season’s crop and take a decision as to which to sell and which to keep. Those that are retained go to Florida, where they are broken in and trained towards a career on the course. (It is as two-year-olds that they go to individual, permanent trainers around the country and make their track debut.)

‘I already had a facility down there that Jess had purchased,’ says Banke, ‘but it would have taken a lot of work to develop it into a training facility, whereas this one is perfect. Before, we were sending horses to other training centres, and sometimes we’d be successful and sometimes we wouldn’t.’ Horses are fragile and, like grapes, react to different conditions – Banke references one racetrack that was too hard, for example, which meant a particular horse didn’t thrive. ‘This [new] place is fantastic; it can do its job.’ In short, it allows her to retain control.

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[ PROFILE ]

This page and opposite: Horses at Stonestreet Farms, and horses being washed down at Keeneland

Driving through the rolling hills that define the surrounding landscape, I am reminded of Napa Valley

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[ PROFILE ]

Banke, one senses, likes control. Not in terms of constantly having to assert herself, but to be able to govern those elements that are in her gift. It’s something she remembers discussing with her husband. ‘We’ve always had good managers, but you’ve got to give them room,’ she says. ‘I encouraged him to do that.’

The philosophy works across different disciplines. ‘With winemaking, if you control everything, you get uniformity and bland wines,’ says Banke. ‘But if you have all these genius winemakers – who may or may not be difficult personalities – you tend to get more interesting things.’ It’s a similar set-up with trainers, she says.

‘You have to find the right trainer for the right horse. So, when Wesley [Ward, one of America’s leading trainers] says, “Right, I want to take this filly over to Royal Ascot,” where you’ve never been before, you just say, “Okay, well, let’s see.” And it worked out.’ (In 2016, Lady Aurelia, who was bred at Stonestreet, travelled to Ascot for her second-ever race, where she won the Queen Mary Stakes by seven lengths; this year, Banke had intended to send two-year-old Lady Pauline, also trained by Ward and out of the same dam, to Ascot for the same race. In the event, the plan changed after the horse suffered a minor injury.)

The importance of the approach is heightened by the impact of elements that Banke knows she can’t control: the weather and condition of the course; injuries; the draw; horses bunching together and denying your horse race room; another horse producing an unexpectedly strong performance. ‘A lot of it, you rely on luck,’ she concedes. ‘It’s similar to wine. Take Lokoya,’ she says of her mountain-based Napa winery. ‘Wonderful Cabernets. In 2017, we were going to pick on the Monday, and then we had fires on the Sunday. So the grapes were still there, but we couldn’t get to them to harvest them for three weeks. By then they were ruined. So a lot of it, on both sides, is down to Mother Nature.’

There are other commonalities between her twin vocations – there is a reason, for example, why horses are raised in Kentucky. The limestone bedrock there supports the growth of the famed bluegrass, which is high in calcium, strengthening bones.

Terroir in equine form, one might say. Then there are the annual patterns, both on and off the track, and the preparation those necessitate. A horse’s gestation period is 11 months, and a month later, the mare is in heat again, meaning the mating season and birthing season follow a similar yearly pattern as a vine’s bud-burst, flowering and fruit-set. Then there is the progress of a horse – weaned as a foal, broken in as a yearling, trained to race at two, and carving out its reputation at three – and all of it is focused on the long term, with a potential further career as a sire or dam awaiting. And just as some grapes react well to certain sites, so some pairings work or don’t work. Nothing is guaranteed.

There is the odd vinous reference at Stonestreet: the barns are named after grape varieties. We check in on Chardonnay, where former star filly Rachel Alexandra is berthed. Rachel Alexandra was purchased by Jackson after she won the Kentucky Oaks by a staggering 20 lengths. She went on to become the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness Stakes as she followed in the hoofprints of Curlin by being named Horse of the Year. But her career as a dam has been more troublesome. An initial dream pairing with Curlin led to the birth of the aptly named Jess’s Dream, but the colt’s performance on the track didn’t live up to expectations. Similarly, after a difficult second birth, Rachel Alexandra has stepped back from mating duties. Nothing in this game is predictable.

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This page: Racing at Keeneland.

Opposite: Sunrise views of one of the barns at Stonestreet Farms

Despite the commercial pull of breeding, it is success on the course that most energises Banke Despite the commercial pull of breeding, it is success on the course that most energises Banke. I ask her what her ultimate ambitions are for Stonestreet. ‘Global domination,’ she says with a laugh. ‘Breeding is part of it, and I’d love to showcase American breeding in England. [Lady Pauline, unlike Lady Aurelia, was bred entirely in the US, at Stonestreet.] But ultimately it comes down to success on the track. I’d love to win another Dubai World Cup.’ And you sense that she’d love to do it with a horse she bred rather than one, like Curlin, that she bought.

She mentions a colt named Good Magic, by Curlin, out of a mare who was one of the first that Banke bred. ‘We loved him from the minute he hit the ground,’ says Banke. The colt was Juvenile Champion as a two-year-old, and then finished second in last year’s Kentucky Derby. Banke pronounces the word ‘second’ as if it were an insult. ‘Yeah. I don’t like second.’ Pity Good Magic, then, who went on to fill the same slot in the Preakness – a feat with which most owners would be delighted, especially considering he was beaten both times only by the mighty Justify, who went on to win the hallowed Triple Crown. As Banke says, though, ‘We just said, “Oh, forget it.”’ By way of consolation, having earned $3m on the course, Good Magic is now standing at stud, for a fee of $35,000.

Banke says she devotes around 25% of her time to Stonestreet, though it is worth ‘way less’ in terms of the financials. ‘I’m here for the sales in September, and I try to spend part of August in Saratoga Springs [in New York, and home to a prestigious run of race meets], which is my vacation, essentially, because it’s really fun. Horse vacations are really the only kind I do.’ She’s also just been at the ultra-exclusive Guards Polo Club in Windsor, UK, for the final of the Cartier Queen’s Cup, one of the world’s great polo tournaments. Verité, her top-end Sonoma winery, is a sponsor of the club.

When it comes to wine, her focus is firmly on Oregon, where she admits she ‘went in pretty big’ in terms of acquisitions, despite the fact that her husband was lukewarm about its potential. ‘After the economic turmoil of 2008, real estate hadn’t recovered,’ says Banke. ‘So I made a bet that it would recover, and it did – quickly.’

The move tallies with her policy of buying cheap and investing in the asset. She paid around $35,000 an acre in Oregon, a fraction of the cost of California vineyard land; the deals made Jackson Family Wines the biggest vineyard owner in a state that she hopes will be ‘the American Burgundy’.

Does she have any remaining ambitions outside her current interests? She mentions hospitality. JFW already has a restaurant at its Freemark Abbey winery, and she says, ‘We could go into hotels, although we don’t know much about it.’ It turns out they’re applying for two right now – one at Freemark Abbey and one in Sonoma. Sonoma must have more potential than Napa, I remark, thinking of the ‘buy-cheap-and-invest’ model. ‘Very much so,’ she says. ‘There aren’t many five-star properties there. The one that we’re talking about will be luxurious, but it’ll be more focused on the environment, food and farming – an eco-type place.’

You get the feeling Banke won’t rest easy until a few more ambitions are realised.

‘I have a role model,’ she says. ‘Mr Arnault from Moët.’ Bernard Arnault – chairman and CEO of LVMH, the world’s largest luxury goods company, whose wine portfolio includes Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Krug, Cheval Blanc and Château d’Yquem – is Europe’s richest man, with a net worth of around $95bn. There she goes again, aiming so low…

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[ COLLECTING ]

WO R DS

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R I C H A R D WO O DA R D

M A R TI N M O R R E L L

I T ’ S O N E O F T H E M O S T S O U G H T- A F T E R W H I S K I E S I N T H E W O R L D , Y E T I T S T A R T E D L I F E A S B L E N D I N G F O D D E R , A N D I T S S T I L L S W E N T C O L D 2 0 Y E A R S A G O. R I C H A R D W O O D A R D O N T H E A S T O N I S H I N G S T O R Y O F K A R U I Z A W A

Japanese dream

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In late 2007, I was researching an article about the looming phenomenon of Japanese whisky when I received a sample in the post.

It was a small bottle bearing a scrawled, handwritten label: ‘Karuizawa 1981, Cask #103. 58.1% abv.’ The liquid inside was richly opaque, with powerfully resinous and fragrant exotic flavours. This was Japanese whisky – indeed, whisky of any type – elevated to a new level. It was also £75 ($97) a bottle, which I remember thinking was a bit ambitious for a Japanese distillery nobody had heard of.

Twelve years on, a bottle of that same liquid sells at auction for £2,000 ($2,580) and more. In Karuizawa terms, this is affordable: the distillery’s oldest expression, a 1960 bottled at 52 years old, was released in 2014 at £12,500 ($16,140) a bottle; in May last year, Bonhams sold one in Hong Kong for HK$2.45m (US$312,130), making it the most expensive Japanese whisky yet sold at auction. All this from a distillery in operation for less than 50 years, for most of that time an unloved workhorse pumping out liquid for cheap blends, before being scrapped in 2000, unwanted, surplus to requirements. Karuizawa spent its life in anonymity; only after death has its star risen and its true value been assessed and appreciated.

Japanese whisky is sometimes unfairly caricatured as some kind of pastiche of Scotch; if the truth is rather different, the legend has an appealing storybook logic to it. Whisky rode into Japan on the coat-tails of improved trade links with the west in the Victorian era, and as its popularity grew, local companies sought to replicate it. Initially they did this by concocting lab recipes involving base spirit and flavourings; soon they wanted to create something more authentic.

In 1918, 24-year-old Masataka Taketsuru travelled to Glasgow to study chemistry. A few years later he returned to Japan with a Scottish wife, Rita Cowan, and experience gained from a series of apprenticeships at

Scottish distilleries, including Longmorn in Speyside, Hazelburn in Campbeltown, and Bo’ness near Falkirk.

His timing was perfect. Shinjiro Torii had started his Kotobukiya wine business in Osaka in 1899 but was now expanding into whisky and needed someone to run his new distillery. Together, he and Taketsuru opened Yamazaki in 1923 before the pair split, with Taketsuru heading north to open the Yoichi distillery near Sapporo 10 years later. The two companies they created, Suntory and Nikka, are the titans of Japanese whisky to this day.

Increased contact with the outside world brought not only whisky to Japan but wine, too. In 1934, Daikoku, one of the new breed of Japanese wine companies, built a winery near Karuizawa, a spa town with restorative powers initially recognised by western missionaries then embraced by overseas visitors and the Japanese alike.

Located high in Japan’s Southern Alps, on the knee of the active Mt Asama volcano and within easy reach of Tokyo, Karuizawa’s currency as a chic resort for the well heeled has risen over the years. It’s said that Emperor Akihito met his future wife Michiko on a tennis court here, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono were regular visitors during the 1970s.

When the Karuizawa winery opened, Daikoku was already dabbling in whisky. By the 1950s, whisky was on the rise, and the company started looking around for somewhere to make it. Karuizawa, with its plentiful supplies of volcanic-filtered water, was the perfect spot. Winery became distillery.

In February 1956, the first clear spirit ran from Karuizawa’s four stills, but there was little fanfare and certainly no premonition of greatness.

This was a small-scale operation, making a component of the company’s low-priced Ocean blended whisky. It was a mere bit player, never meant to be the star of the show. And yet, with 20/20 hindsight, there was always something intriguing about the way Karuizawa was made.

Its use of Golden Promise barley, its small stills and its maturation predominantly in ex-Sherry casks have echoes of Macallan; combine this with the frequent use of peat, long fermentations and coal-fired stills, and you have a recipe for big flavours and a distinctive character.

But none of that necessarily makes the whisky any good. Karuizawa pottered along supplying the Ocean blend, and intermittent singlemalt releases at 12 years old failed to excite. In 2000, Karuizawa’s stills fell cold. The fickle Japanese fashion that embraced whisky had had its fun and moved on, to shochu. Nobody wanted Karuizawa’s whisky; it was redundant.

By 2006, the company that owned Karuizawa – along with other wine and whisky assets – was called Mercian, and Mercian was bought

by Japanese brewer Kirin. The few that pondered the potential of Karuizawa hoped for good news: might the distillery reopen under its new owner? But no. Kirin, it turned out, was only interested in Mercian’s wine business; whisky could go hang.

And for Karuizawa, that might have been that. The distillery had been silent for years, and the remaining stocks – 350 or so casks of whisky of varying ages – were, in Kirin’s view, blending fodder, to be lost in a nameless product used to generate some cash flow. Six years after buying Karuizawa, Kirin sold the site to a real-estate developer.

But those 350 casks weren’t blended and lost. Instead, they were bought by Marcin Miller and David Croll, co-founders of Number One Drinks Company, a specialist importer of Japanese whisky.

Miller was one of the few who knew of Karuizawa but wasn’t really a fan of the regular releases from the distillery. ‘I suppose it just didn’t stand out,’ he recalls. ‘It was intended to be a fast-moving, commercial whisky. It just wasn’t very good.’ But what everyone knew of Karuizawa was the standard, 12-year-old bottling. Those 300 casks held much older liquid, from the 1970s and 80s – incredibly, given the distillery’s role providing filling for blends, from as far back as 1960.

There’s a parallel here with Scotch. Port Ellen is the most mythical of the single-malt pantheon – the Islay distillery, the story goes, that was cruelly shut down in 1983 by soulless money men who were blind to its greatness. Like many others, Miller doesn’t see it that way.

‘Diageo wouldn’t have closed the distillery had Port Ellen been the most successful, exciting whisky in its portfolio,’ he says. ‘But it wasn’t.’

What nobody knew – about Port Ellen and, more pertinently, about Karuizawa – was what changes might be wrought by time. Both whiskies benefited hugely from long-term ageing: 20 years, 30, 40. The sulky adolescents bottled during the distilleries’ lifetimes soften and mature,

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Japanese whisky is sometimes unfairly caricatured as some kind of pastiche of Scotch; if the truth is rather different, the legend has an appealing storybook logic to it

acquiring an unforeseen complexity and power that transcends their supposedly humble origins.

For Miller, there were two epiphanies. One was his first taste of the whisky sample he later sent to me – Karuizawa 1981, Cask #103. ‘That was an amazing moment,’ he says. ‘It was quite heavily peated, and that was when it all really came together.’

The other epiphany came in 2009, when Miller looked at 69 casks of Karuizawa and found that 68 of them were good enough to be bottled as single-cask whiskies – a remarkable hit rate, given the notorious inconsistency of individual whisky casks.

It would be disingenuous to pretend that Miller and Croll didn’t want to make money out of Karuizawa, but early pricing was modest, relatively speaking. ‘We did want others to taste what we had tasted,’ says Miller. ‘We were going to whisky shows and pouring it out for people. That wouldn’t happen now.’

Shortly after that legendary 1960 Karuizawa bottling was released, Number One sold the remaining casks of Karuizawa to Taiwanese entrepreneur and whisky collector Eric Huang. In 2020 – the year that Tokyo hosts the Olympic Games – we’re likely to see the last single cask Karuizawa releases.

A cult of the magnitude of Karuizawa is due to a number of factors.

Chiefly, there is rarity, the sense of a rapidly diminishing commodity, the value attached to scarcity. Timing plays a part, too; the Karuizawa cult took hold in the first decade of this century, just as collectors in

[ COLLECTING ]

Presentation box containing 1986, 1987 and 1988 Sherr y Butt Karuizawa (#6206, #2031 and #3406 respectively), bottled by Eric Huang in 2014 and limited to 313 of each

the Far East felt their first sense of disillusionment with blue-chip Bordeaux. But in the end, quality will out. However crazy Karuizawa pricing may have become over the past five years, the hype is rooted in the undoubted quality that, suddenly, was apparent to everyone.

It is sometimes suggested that Japanese whisky, unlike single malt Scotch, is not a product of place in quite the same way. Karuizawa gives the lie to that. The microclimate of the distillery, high in the Japanese Southern Alps, created remarkable maturation conditions for whisky.

While Scotland’s humidity and relatively consistent temperatures lead to a gradual loss in alcoholic strength – the fabled ‘angels’ share’ – Karuizawa’s average daily mean temperature swings from less than 8C in winter to 25C in summer. (It remains the only town to have hosted events in both the Winter and Summer Olympics.) This means that alcoholic strength in maturing Karuizawa casks remained remarkably high, concentrating flavour and character – hence that high strength of 58.1% in the Cask #103 bottling from 1981.

The Port Ellen parallel with Karuizawa has its limits. While the

A cult of the magnitude of Karuizawa is due to a number of factors: rarity, a rapidly diminishing commodity and scarcity

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former is now to be resurrected, with its Islay distillery rebuilt in the next year or two, Karuizawa is, it would appear, incapable of revival. Only the ghosts linger, such as those remaining Karuizawa casks, soon to be bottled and gone.

Meanwhile, Miller and Croll have moved on, establishing the Kyoto Distillery. There they make not whisky but an exemplary Japanese gin, Ki No Bi, which contains an array of Japanese botanicals from yuzu to sanshō pepper. It should come as no surprise that the cask-aged Ki No Bi variant is sometimes put into casks previously used to mature Karuizawa whisky.

In 2019, partly thanks to the cult of Karuizawa, Japanese whisky of any age is in short supply. Distilleries are springing up to fill the gap, and one of them – Shizuoka – has acquired three of Karuizawa’s stills.

Sadly, only one of the three is still operational; the others are simply too neglected and decrepit to function. Once the last few drops of Karuizawa are released, probably next year, the story of this remarkable whisky will conclude in auction rooms and in the memories of those lucky enough to have sampled it. Then it will be gone.

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Karuizawa reviews

R E CO M M E N DAT I O N S D O M I N I C R OS K R OW

KARUIZAWA 39 YEAR OLD, CASK #6409, 57.2% Originally distilled in 1974, this was bottled in July 2013 for La Maison du Whisky in Paris. It is very hard to find now.

Nose: As rich and full as the colour of the whisky might suggest, with plum, date, raisins, clementines and rumtopf.

KARUIZAWA 16 YEAR OLD, MEMORIES OF KARUIZAWA, CASK #3684, 61.8% This expression was distilled in 1996, four years before the distillery was mothballed, and is one of the younger releases from the distillery.

Palate: A malt has to be robust to hold off an ex-Sherry cask for 39 years, and this one does so with style. A big mix of Sherry notes, stewed berries, pepper and tannin spice. With water, the Sherry trifle and fruit rumtopf notes from the nose make themselves felt. It coats the mouth.

Nose: Disappointingly characterless at first; the high alcohol level masks anything going on. But with time, green fruits and some Sherried fruits make an appearance. With water, there are hints of baked apple, traces of melon, and stewed plums.

Palate: Rich and full, with stewed fruit compote, oranges, blackcurrant jam and sharp tannins and spices.

Finish: Long, rich and full; the fruit lingers, but there is chilli spice in the mix, too.

Finish: Taste this last thing at night, and the fruity flavours and spice will still be there in the morning. Long, rich and very full-on.

£2,550

£8,810

KARUIZAWA, SHERRY CASK #3663, 56.8% Distilled in 1984 and bottled in 2013, this is just shy of 30 years old and a great age for Karuizawa. This another bottling with distinctive mushroomy notes.

Nose: Cherry, dark chocolate, toasted oak, sweeter maple syrup notes, and liquorice. The Sherry, cherry, and berry notes become more pronounced with water.

Palate: Big, dark and Sherry rich, with burned berries, wood char, mushroom earthiness, damp fir trees and an intriguing battle between pronounced tannic spices and sweeter liquorice and menthol notes.

Finish: A loud, proud Sherry fruit exit that lingers pleasingly. £6,500

KARUIZAWA 28 YEAR OLD COCKTAIL SERIES, CASK #7975, 59.3% A single Sherry butt distilled in 1984 and bottled in 2012 especially for La Maison du Whisky.

Nose: Cherry, strawberry, orange, liquorice and distinctive rancio menthol notes.

Rich, surprisingly fresh and very welcoming.

Palate: An intense and mouth-coating whisky that, with water, is a nicely balanced mix of sweet red fruits and a darker, moodier mix of dark chocolate, coffee, and pantry herbs and spices. A chewy maltiness and some oaky tannins round it off.

Finish: More well behaved than some Karuizawas – long but with hints of baked apple, dates, pecans and incense smoke. Elegant. £4,410

[ COLLECTING ]

KARUIZAWA 37 YEAR OLD, CASK #6878, 64.1% Distilled in 1971 and bottled at the very start of 2008, this might be 36 years old and not 37. But let’s not nit-pick.

It’s a monster. Note the strength after nearly four decades – remarkable.

Nose: Hot and heavy and demanding water. There’s a mustiness, some dry fruits, some menthol notes and spices.

KARUIZAWA FIRST FILL SHERRY CASK #4021, 1984, 64.5% There are whopping great clues to what we might expect from this malt: the words ‘first fill Sherry’ and the alcohol strength.

You get exactly what you might imagine.

Palate: Wow. This is the tasting equivalent of the rock band Muse: loud, proud and heavy, but ordered, well structured and very, very complex.

You need a fair bit of water, but there are dates, plums, toffee, blackcurrants and some smokiness in the mix.

It has an earthy, rustic back story, too. It’s an intriguing sudoku puzzle of a whisky.

Nose: Slightly unusual, with the expected berry, prune and orange notes, but also a sweeter, jam-like wave of fruits.

Almost floral, with hints of church incense and polished wood.

Palate: A big-hearted, in-your-face all-rounder, with prunes, plums, orange, Sherry berries, hints of peat and smoke, and a touch of aniseed or hickory. It’s the oral equivalent of viewing a big fruit bowl through a kaleidoscope.

Totally intriguing.

Finish: It scampers off on a long wave of fruit, oak, and herbs.

Finish: Long, rich and fruity. It doesn’t leave without a fight, and this is the least dignified part of the tasting journey. I think the word is ‘feisty’.

£4,850

£7,430

KARUIZAWA, CASK #7924, 56.6% This was distilled in 1981 and bottled in 2011 at 30 years old.

Nose: Not as faultless and stylish as some other expressions, with the nose flirting with sulphur-like struck-match notes that can spoil Sherried whiskies. With water, this recedes. Tangy orange, charred oak and dates come to the fore.

Palate: Plum and prune juice, savoury tangerine, chocolate and some pleasant liquorice notes.

It’s quite a difficult ride, this one, with damp leaves and earthy forest-floor notes and some charred notes. It’s a lot better with water.

Finish: Quite long, but tannins make it a dry and sour experience, and the pleasant fruity notes struggle to shine through.

KARUIZAWA 35 YEAR OLD, CASK #4376, 60.1% Distilled in 1980 and bottled in 2015 for Hong Kong’s Harbour City, this is exceptionally hard to find, being one of only 212 bottles released. It comes up at auction from time to time, but expect to pay at least €9,000 (US$10,000).

Nose: Once water is added, this stately old chap reveals the perfect example of a Sherried nose, with red and black berries, some citrus notes, treacle and plums.

Palate: Rich, tangy and mouth-coating fruit compote, with fir forest, tannins and chilli spice.

It evolves with pecan and hazelnut, strawberry flan with vanilla custard, and Cadbury’s Fruit & Nut bar.

Finish: Long, complex and very moreish, with a nice balance of fruit, oak and spice. £14,200

£4,030

All whiskies available at Hedonism in Mayfair, London, and photographed there exclusively for Club Oenologique, 29 April 2019

[ PROFILE ]

WO R DS

P H OTO G R A P H S

E L A I N E C H U K A N B R OW N

R O B B L AC K

Where the I T ’ S O N E O F T H E M O S T FA M O U S – A N D FA M O U S LY I N A C C E S S I B L E – W I N E R I E S I N T H E W O R L D .

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eagle screams

RO CCO C ESELIN

E L A I N E C H U K A N B R O W N PAYS A C A L L

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[ PROFILE ]

This page: Nick Gislason, chief winemaker at Screaming Eagle.

Opposite (clockwise from top left): Bark beetle; bee and clover; Gislason tending vines; biodiversity at work; chickens at Screaming Eagle; more biodiversity

I

t’s a wet Friday morning in January.

Driving through Napa Valley, I’ve had to adjust my route to avoid the flooding. The Napa River has burst its banks after record winter rainfall, and vineyards across Rutherford and Oakville are underwater.

As advised, I’m wearing rubber boots. I’ve also donned my thickest work trousers and layered on the winter clothes. It’s an incongruous look given that I’m on my way to one of the most exclusive, revered wineries in all of California – indeed, the world. But today there will be none of the chic drinks receptions and hobnobbing on the expansive winery terrace that are so prevalent in Napa society, not least because this particular winery doesn’t really have a winery terrace. In fact, from the road, there’s barely any indication of a winery at all: no grand gates, no

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flashy flags, no showy signage – just a gatepost displaying the number.

I’m here to get a look inside Screaming Eagle, discreetly set off the Silverado Trail on the eastern side of Oakville. It’s one of the most difficult wineries in the world at which to secure an appointment. (Jay-Z was famously rebuffed when he made an approach.) Many of the world’s top sommeliers have been turned away, along with several of the wine world’s top publications. They haven’t given an in-depth, on-site media interview in several years.

Nick Gislason, the winemaker here – and the man behind the rubber-footwear counsel – greets me holding his daily mug of chicken broth, looking like a 1970s beatnik, with his oversized jacket and unruly, curly hair. Unassuming and quietly spoken, Gislason is dressed in the dark

workpants and wool layers more typical of life in the Pacific Northwest than one of the most prestigious wineries in the world. We slowly begin walking the vineyard.

Gislason has led the winemaking team at Screaming Eagle since the notoriously cold and wet 2011 vintage. At the time, the appointment of the young winemaker by owner Stan Kroenke was seen as a surprising choice. Gislason had earned his master’s in viticulture and oenology from UC Davis but had otherwise done only short stints at a few choice wineries – Harlan in Napa Valley and Craggy Range in New Zealand among them – before a year as assistant winemaker at Screaming Eagle. Kroenke’s more high-profile role includes the ownership of top sports teams around the world, including Arsenal Football Club and the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL. He

Winemaker Nick Gislason greets me holding his daily mug of chicken broth, looking like a 1970s beatnik

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saw the young Gislason as the equivalent of his first-round draft pick, a means of identifying new talent common to the business for which Kroenke is better known. And his pick worked.

For anyone else, 2011 could have been an inauspicious start at such an iconic winery. It was one of Napa’s more challenging growing seasons, a shockingly late harvest brought on by persistently cold temperatures and punctuated by rain. Winemakers all over the valley cursed the season. But for Gislason, who grew up in the San Juan Islands of Washington State, where proximity to the cold Pacific Ocean ushers in some of North America’s most steady rain, the vintage felt almost familiar. The wines he made that year were among the top rated of a difficult vintage – or any vintage. Antonio Galloni of Vinous gave Screaming Eagle 96 points. Gislason’s subsequent vintages have garnered even higher scores.

When I taste the 2011s later, I find that they have aged beautifully, deepening their tones to an earthier hue while retaining a firm and fine-boned structure. For now, as we walk the vine rows on this wet morning, I have a more tangible exposure to that earthy feel, as evidenced by the mud adhering to the bottom of my boots. But nowhere is there standing water. This sloped vineyard’s

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rocky soils make for better drainage than many of its neighbours. And unlike excess heat that can change fruit character on the vine in a single sweltering day, the issues caused by rain can be fixed with manpower. Canopy management aids airflow to keep the fruit dry during the growing season, and better fruit sorting helps with fruit quality during harvest.

Such practices, of course, can also mean less fruit on the vine and less wine in the barrel. But then scarcity almost defines Screaming Eagle.

Its yearly volume ranges between 550 and 850 cases each for two wines – its flagship Cabernet Sauvignon and the newer, Merlot-based blend The Flight. Screaming Eagle began making the latter in 2006, just after Kroeke’s purchase of the winery from founder Jean Phillips. Originally known as Second Flight as a nod to the winery’s bird iconography and Phillips’s tenure having been a first flight, in 2015 this was changed to simply The Flight, so as to imply a sister wine rather than a second-tier production.

Making history Jean Phillips had little inkling her winery would gain such a reputation when she founded Screaming Eagle. Leaving behind a successful

Sheep walk the vine rows. Their snacking reduces excess vegetation, while their feet help break up compacted dirt

[ PROFILE ]

Opposite: Spring cover crop in full bloom. This page: A goat keeping the grass in check

career in Napa Valley real estate, and without any winemaking experience, she purchased the then unknown site in 1986. The vineyard was already planted and had been since at least the 1940s, but its rows were a mishmash of varieties. Phillips quickly replanted it to 50 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, and she got to understand its nuances by making home wine for a few years. Then, in 1992, in collaboration with renowned Napa winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett and neighbouring winery owner Gustav Dalla Valle (who were also making Dalla Valle wine together), Phillips selected her favourite vineyard blocks, made her first commercial wine and sold the remaining fruit to other Napa wineries.

On its release three years later, wine critic Robert Parker gave Screaming Eagle, with its mere 200 cases, a headline-making 99 points. Almost overnight, the wine gained cult status. As the subsequent vintages garnered similar favour, the wine came to be regarded by critics and collectors alike as a Napa first growth.

By 2006, demand far outweighed supply.

There was a waiting list to get on the waiting list. But some blocks had developed leafroll virus, demanding extensive replanting across the vineyard, and Phillips’s little stone winery was too small to make more than a few barrels of wine. She decided to sell. Kroenke invested in majority ownership, initially in partnership with then-sports agent Charles Banks. And with new owners, Screaming Eagle also got a new winemaking team. Hotshot winemaker Andy Erickson, then still in his 30s but already known for his work with Napa Cabernet, was appointed winemaker, alongside French oenologist Michel Rolland as consultant. Napa’s most famous viticulturist, David Abreu, was tapped to manage vineyards.

The team began replanting blocks affected by leafroll virus. They also built a new winery. But the partnership between Banks and Kroenke lasted just three years, and in 2009 Kroenke claimed sole ownership – perhaps just as well: Banks’s reputation has since plummeted after

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Volcanic stones converge with uplifted igneous rocks and are interspersed with alluvial gravels

a conviction for wire fraud. Erickson hired Gislason as assistant in 2010 then departed after the season, leaving Gislason in the lead.

Symbiotic relationships Today, the direction of both viticulture and vinification comes from Gislason, working closely with his own vineyard team to develop integrated farming techniques. (Abreu remains on retainer for emergencies, such as swift harvests in hot weather; Rolland comes on board two or three times a year for the blending.) In his gentle, understated manner, Gislason takes me to a particularly rocky section of the vineyard.

‘The site is in a convergence zone geologically,’ he says. ‘It sits on a fault line, so there is a lot of intermingling of soils.’

Volcanic stones eroded from the neighbouring Vaca Range converge with uplifted igneous rocks and are interspersed with alluvial gravels laid down by a creek coming out of the mountains.

Thanks to the influence of the Napa River, there are also sections of clay. It all makes for a complex patchwork of soils. When I visit again

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a few weeks later, though, the scene is markedly different. Everywhere there is clover mixed through with vetch and small flowering plants pre-bloom. When I stop by in April, it is more different still, the ground erupting in colour, the vineyard covered in the clover’s crimson flowers and various pink and orange blossoms. Those winter rains have done their work.

During the growing season, the cover crop will be left in most of the vineyard, rather than tilled into the earth. As well as helping to increase nutrients in the soils, it also keeps the ground cooler, encouraging slower ripening and retaining freshness in the wine. ‘In making farming decisions,’ says Gislason, ‘we are trying to look at not just the vines but also their holistic surroundings.’ Maintaining cover crops is just one example. Early in the season and again towards its end, after harvest, sheep walk the vine rows. Their snacking reduces excess vegetation, while their feet help break up compacted dirt. It’s an easy way of introducing more oxygen to the soil and increasing soil health. But sheep also enjoy the fresh green tips of growing vines. So,

before the vine forms new buds, they are moved off the vineyard, and 90 chickens are put in their place. The birds remain there for the rest of the season, living within a movable pen engineered to fit between the vine rows and be rolled along as the chickens clear each section of vineyard.

Inside, the birds are protected from predators and feed on problematic bugs found along the vine trunks and between the rows. They naturally mow the cover crops and return nutrients to the soils through their droppings. ‘The animals give us a way to think about how to do less but to accomplish more, by doing it at the right time in the right way,’ says Gislason. ‘The goal is to do simple things in a thoughtful manner – to do less but better.’

This is a strikingly naturalistic approach in a region often more associated with blockbuster wines and gilded wineries. But then, everything at Screaming Eagle is more nuanced than its reputation suggests. The vineyard is divided into 50 distinct blocks. More than half is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon; the remainder is an even split between Cab Franc and Merlot. Each of the blocks

is farmed according to the specific characteristics and needs of that section – and that complexity of soils yields a distinctive signature. At harvest, the individual blocks are picked and vinified separately. The method of vinification also varies, with the cellar housing tanks of stainless steel, oak and concrete, and the different vessels serving the unique characteristics of a particular block. ‘Concrete can be useful in more floral wines,’ Gislason says. ‘There is something about the interaction of the vessel with the fruit that brings out those characteristics. Oak seems to do well to help manage and round out the fruit tannin in some Cabernet. Stainless steel works well with many things; it’s very versatile.’ After fermentation, the wines are moved to barrel for ageing, with vineyard blocks remaining separate until blending. ‘It’s all about recognizing symbiotic relationships in a blend. How different blocks interact can be magic.’

Today, it is still primarily the same blocks favoured by Phillips that form the heart of the wines. While the team makes wine from the younger vine blocks every year, so far none has made it into the final blend for either wine.

Ultimately, only a quarter to a third of the vineyard makes it into the bottle. The remainder, as they put it, disappears. (The winery won’t say exactly what happens to it.)

Measuring value The ultimate goal of such rigour? ‘We want elegant space inside the wine,’ says Gislason.

It’s a notion that runs counter to most people’s view of cult wines, where heft and density are de rigueur. Many assume Screaming Eagle is also

a wine of such size. But outside the winery, few have actually tasted it. Most of the wines go to collectors, many of whom are more likely to sell their allocation than drink it.

When I taste them, it is their elegance that strikes me. They are ageworthy wines, more classic Bordeaux than modern Napa, yet still with the perfumed nose and mineral line that speaks of Oakville. The Merlot has surprising and pleasing structure and poise. The Cabernet is impressively layered, fine-boned and full of presence. Like any fine wine, some vintages need more time in bottle than others.

Upon release, a single bottle of the Cabernet sells for $1,050, available only to the winery’s private mailing list in three-bottle packs.

Similarly allocated, The Flight sells for $550 a bottle. (The winery also makes about 50 cases of a Sauvignon Blanc that, when I taste, I find full of vibrancy and flavour. It’s not for sale, though. The winery released 600 bottles in 2012; six of them found their way on to the secondary market and sold for $13,000.)

Bottles of Screaming Eagle on the secondary market sell quickly at more than twice their release price. With age they go for even more.

In 2000, a six-litre bottle of the 1992 inaugural vintage sold at auction for $500,000. It’s a number that makes asking if the wine is worth the price seem absurd. Like fine art, at a certain point the cost of fine wine surpasses normal human standards of measure. It isn’t only about the wine itself anymore; it’s about what the wine represents and how much it is worth to those who want it badly enough. And there are many out there who want it very badly indeed.

TASTING NOTES

The Flight 2016 A wine of elegant pleasure on a modest frame. Floral notes, spiced dark fruits, and a lightly brooding tone carry from the nose through the long finish with freshness and finesse.

2015 Intricate, detailed, and energetic.

This is a more restrained vintage, offering floral perfume with a mix of spiced fruits and flowering herbs.

There is detailed complexity here that will gain more flesh with age.

2011 Still named Second Flight, the 2011 vintage offers beautifully aged aromatics with a textural, satisfying palate.

Notes of fresh blossoms and herbs, lifting from both red and black fruits mixed through with earth, all carried through a refreshing mineral finish.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Allow the depth and complexity of this wine to reveal itself with air. Notes of exotic blossoms and spice, resinous woods, and a mix of firm fresh dark fruits. There is impressive structure well met by rich flavor and energetic finesse. Give this wine several more years in bottle before opening.

2015

Opposite: The estate’s original stone winer y. This page: Close-up of a Screaming Eagle wine label

With more restraint and still good concentration, there is a lot of nuance and structure in the 2015 compared to the 2016’s more generous fruit.

Opening with notes of wild herbs, mint and rose coupled with both red and black fruits. This is a mouthwatering, flavourful, palate-stimulating vintage.

2011 Full of crunchy, dark fruits with a complex of herbs and blossoms, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is defined by energy and lift. There is impressive intensity here, with dynamic presence and length.

Nuanced, textural and complex.

Sauvignon Blanc 2016 A gorgeous, enthralling wine with tons of complexity – an impressive balance of freshness and richness, lift and length.

The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc is both refreshing and satisfying – one of the best white wines I have had in recent years.

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ALL PHOTO GRAPHY BY RO SEWO OD

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Nuno

G E O R G E R E Y N O L DS

the wiser

T H E R E S T L E S S LY E X P E R I M E N TA L C U L I N A RY D A R L I N G O F LO N D O N C E L E B - L A N D I S ST I L L O N T H E M OV E , T H O U G H D E L E T I N G I N STAG R A M F R O M H I S P H O N E I S J U ST O N E S I G N T H AT N U N O M E N D E S I S H E A D I N G I N T O C A L M E R WAT E R S

[ INTERVIEW ]

[ INTERVIEW ]

Above: Let’s go to work: Mendes in Oaxaca with (left to right) Eric Lebel (Champagne Krug cellar master), Yosuke Suga (Sugalabo, Tokyo), Hendrik Otto (Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer, Berlin), James Won (Enfin, Kuala Lumpur), and behind Mendes, Kazutoshi Narita (Sugalabo, Tokyo).

Opposite: Slow-cooked rib of beef from The Chiltern Firehouse

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S

itting in his gym gear sipping chamomile tea outside a north London deli, Nuno Mendes could be any other neighbourhood dad. There are hints that he’s spent the entirety of his adult life working in kitchens – a half-concealed tattoo; the occasional four-letter swearword that slips from the depths of his salt-and-pepper beard – but the garrulous, good-humoured figure waving hello to passing acquaintances is about as far from chef-bro cliché as it’s possible to imagine.

Mendes would be the first to admit it has taken him a while to get to a better-adjusted and ‘more relaxed’ place. His career has taken him around the world – from culinary school in California to a very different sort of education at the legendary ElBulli in Catalonia; from Lisbon to Japan to New York and then, finally, to London in the early 2000s. His earliest venture in the capital was Bacchus in Hoxton, where he knocked out some of the most adventurous food ever to be cooked in a pub kitchen. He then channelled a similarly iconoclastic spirit to elevate the humble supper-club format into what became known as The Loft Project, an influential series of dinners hosted in Mendes’s own home that would showcase such future luminaries as The Clove Club’s Isaac McHale and James Lowe of Lyle’s.

All of this took its toll on a young, ambitious chef. We start by talking about one of his first projects in London, Viajante – a boundary-breaking temple to molecular gastronomy that would hold a Michelin star from 2011 until it closed in 2014. The Mendes of a decade ago was different – living in edgy east London, racked with ‘nervous energy’, ceaselessly pushing himself ‘to get better, better, better’. This meant long hours, with any free time spent taking what he calls ‘pilgrimages’ to other similarly ambitious restaurants – a life ‘solely focused on food’. It was ‘gluttonous, hedonistic’ – and it was also, he now realises, profoundly unhealthy.

Having children changed things (he has three, all under 10) – or forced Mendes to change things for himself. Like some of his peers entering their second or third decade in the industry, he began to think more about the world outside of food, about the importance of finding the passion and motivation that would allow him to get up every morning and go back into work with a spring in his step. Cooking, he realised, should be about pleasure, should be about fun; it should still be possible to deliver exceptional food without infecting an entire kitchen with stress or anxiety or unhappiness. It was, in fact, a chef’s duty to defuse stress as much as possible; to create a better working environment than the high-stakes pressure cooker that is the average kitchen. He describes one kitchen where exceptional ingredients would arrive on the pass with their flavours strangely muted, the product of a staff ‘riddled with hatred’ for a dictatorial boss. His conclusion is simple: ‘Happy people make happy food.’

The latest test bed for this approach is Mãos, a typically experimental and forward-thinking 16-seat restaurant-cum-immersive-experience set within Shoreditch’s Blue Mountain School. Prices put it squarely at London fine dining’s top table, but what is striking about dinner there is how decidedly unfussy it all feels: guests are first welcomed into the kitchen and then shown through to a wine room and what looks like a dining table. Except the whole restaurant is the dining table – you are

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Mendes has a vivid sensory memory of the sights, sounds and smells of a cooking culture wholly unlike our own

encouraged to wander freely throughout it, interacting with fellow guests and servers and the exquisite mouthfuls of Portuguese-meets-Japanesemeets-food-of-no-fixed-abode that they ferry around the interconnected space. As might be expected, it’s not for everyone – especially not those with a rigid set of expectations about what fine dining should entail. There have been snarky blog posts written on the subject; on my visit there, I was impressed by the food but conscious of how many elements of the experience might rankle with those used to getting white tablecloths and heavy carpets for their £150 a head. But Mendes sees this as an inevitable consequence of opening somewhere that questions the very nature of fine dining; in general, he has been delighted by how guests have rolled up their sleeves and immersed themselves. ‘People want engagement.

They want an experience that’s a little more visceral.’

Or perhaps that’s just what he wants. He is, he declares, tired of conventional tasting menus – ‘bored’ of all those courses, all that fat, all those carbs, of finishing dinner so late at night and feeling stuffed as a Christmas turkey to boot. He wonders whether the fine dining model as a whole looks increasingly unsustainable – that the days of 40 staff for 30 guests, of the painstaking culinary intricacy that that sort of wage bill permits, may well be over.

These days, a bowl of tiny lágrima peas means more to him than any amount of caviar; he rejoices in how cooks are ‘finally super in-tune with the seasons and valuing local products so much more than we used to’. He finds more satisfaction in local and seasonal ‘curiosities’ than in the litany of perversely commoditised luxe ingredients that used to characterise menus in high-end restaurants.

A recent trip to Oaxaca was rich in unique discoveries like this.

Mendes was in the crucible of indigenous Mexican cuisine with 13 other chefs from around the world – all ambassadors for Champagne Krug – and the house’s cellar master, Eric Lebel. The main purpose

ALL PHOTO GR APHY BY R O SE WO OD

[ INTERVIEW ]

of their visit was to explore the myriad possibilities of the capsicum, all 50,000 varieties of which can be traced back to the same Mexican parent. The story of the journey is told in Krug’s Rock Pepper Scissors, the fifth in a series of ‘single ingredient’ books the house is producing; the trip took in a dawn visit to a chilli farm, a tour around the city’s sprawling Abastos market, and a traditional Zapotec meal in the nearby village of Teotitlán. Mendes has a vivid sensory memory of the sights, sounds and smells of a cooking culture wholly unlike our own; the local techniques of grinding spices and chocolate to make mole and nixtamalizing corn to make masa for tortillas; the scent of grilled tasajo and toasted chilli heady on the wind. Few ingredients, in fact, are more emblematic of the Mexican kitchen than the chilli itself – whether served raw, dried, smoked, roasted, or blistered over a traditional comal, it tells a story of the cuisine’s dizzying range and complexity.

Mexico, he says inspires chefs because its food culture is ‘coming full circle’, going back to the old techniques and processes and seeing what they can teach us about cooking in today’s kitchens. He was excited to bring back a metate (grinding stone) from his travels – until it was confiscated from his hand luggage on the not unreasonable grounds that it could be used as a weapon (‘I was gutted’). With or without his repatriated metate, he professes a deep love for Mexican food, courtesy of a stint working with Mark Miller at Coyote Café in Santa Fe. Opening some form of Mexican restaurant has been a fixture on his bucket list for years.

It’s not like he’s been slacking in the interim, though. There was an award-winning cookbook, Lisboeta, celebrating the food of his hometown; later this year, he will return there as part of a swanky new hotel development. Plus there’s the small matter of his ongoing role as executive chef at The Chiltern Firehouse, the Fitzrovia celeb-magnet that has remained one of the toughest reservations to secure in London since

Above and opposite: ibérico pork, massa de pimentão and açorda, by Nuno Mendes

He finds more satisfaction in local and seasonal “curiosities” than in the litany of perversely commoditised luxe ingredients

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it opened in 2014. Reviews from the critics were uniformly positive, but that doesn’t do justice to quite how much of a cultural phenomenon the place was in the heady few months after it opened. There was maybe a similar mad scramble when Ollie Dabbous opened his eponymous restaurant in 2012, but before that you’d have to go back to The Ivy or Le Caprice in the ’90s – a ticket so hot that even A-listers were made to wait for a chance to sample the instantly iconic crab doughnuts.

Things were slightly different at Taberna do Mercado, a Portugueseinspired restaurant that Mendes opened in Spitalfields market a year later. Despite some positive early coverage, the restaurant became just one of many casualties of a broader hospitality industry downturn when it closed its doors in 2018. He is philosophical about the experience: ‘It gives you perspective. Sometimes you lose sight of what reality is like for the rest of London. I didn’t think we were invincible. I thought we had a good project, a concept that was very dear to me, and I felt that the location was a challenge, but it was a work in progress. And it didn’t stack up. It was very painful, but it was a good lesson.’

Mendes sees Taberna do Mercado’s struggles as symptomatic of a broader malaise: greedy landlords increasingly out of touch with the reality of running a restaurant in 2019 London. He recalls seeing something similar when he lived in New York: independent businesses would spring up in cool neighbourhoods, then rents would skyrocket.

‘All of a sudden, the independents don’t want to do it anymore, they can’t take the risk. So they either open very safe businesses, or you have corporates going in there that put more of the same. And I feel that really ruins the nature of the neighbourhood.’

We are sitting only a few minutes’ walk away from Islington’s Upper Street, a living (maybe that should be dying) example of exactly this phenomenon. Once nicknamed ‘Supper Street’ for the sheer volume of interesting places to eat crammed along it, nowadays the vacant lots tell a sad but increasingly familiar story of oversupply and contracting

demand. When I ask Mendes where he likes to eat in the area, he reels off a list of north-east London local heroes – Westerns Laundry, Primeur, Perilla, Towpath, Little Duck/The Picklery, Smoking Goat, Lyle’s, The Laughing Heart: it’s basically a manifesto for recessionproof restaurant design. Some of them look wildly different from each other on paper, but at their heart they all have a similar casually excellent, lightly worn modernity in common: good food, nice rooms, no unnecessary fuss.

I ask him what he makes of the more recent wave of restaurants that – to put it politely – feel like they offer a little more style than substance.

Instagram, I suggest, may be responsible. I’m being mischievous, since, when it opened, the team at Mãos requested that diners not share photos from their meal – a radical notion in a London restaurant economy that at times seems wholly sustained by social-media hype. Now that chefs’ secrets are laid bare on Insta Stories or are the subject of a loving softfocus profile on Netflix shows like Chef’s Table, are we actually losing something by making them, and their food, so accessible?

The reply is unequivocal and surprisingly heartfelt: ‘Absolutely. Some people don’t even want to travel to a restaurant anymore. It exposes too much. I’ve actually disconnected Instagram from my phone. I used to post things, but I just wasn’t enjoying it. It’s too invasive. I like going to places and discovering – being immersed in new experiences. You lose that with Instagram.’

This explains why Mendes sometimes gets frustrated when he sees diners breaking off mid-meal to take photographs – especially when he can clearly tell that they’re only eating at his restaurant ‘to say that they’ve been there, to tick the box’. And when he goes out? ‘I don’t necessarily want fine dining. I want to enjoy myself. Have a nice social moment. Have amazing food, amazing service, amazing wine – just have a good, fun experience. And I feel Instagram gets in the way of that.’ Has he ever designed a dish with Instagram in mind? ‘I don’t know. Maybe one day I’ll do it. But please shoot me before I do.’ On further consideration, maybe the gym clothes and chamomile tea give the wrong impression. That sounds like a proper chef speaking.

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ALL PHOTO GRAPHY BY RO S EWO OD

I’ve disconnected Instagram. I just – wasn’t enjoying it – was too invasive

[ INTERVIEW ]

This page: (above) James Won, Hendrik Otto, Nuno Mendes, Kirk Westway (JAAN, Singapore), Andreas Bagh (Marchal, Copenhagen); below: Julien Lefebvre (Cordeillan-Bages, Pauillac) and Mendes; right: world-renowned Zapotec chef Abigail Mendoza Ruiz.

Opposite: Cod loin from The Chiltern Firehouse

WO R DS

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TI M C L I N C H

Solera rebels W I T H S I N G L E V I N E YA R D S , V I N T A G E B O T T L I N G S A N D L U S C I O U S B O U T I Q U E W I N E S ,

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Opposite (clockwise from top left): A Cรกdiz street; a glass of chilled Sherr y; a door at the Jerez bullring; Gonzรกlez Byass 1987 Palo Cor tado; bottles of fino; gateway to Gonzรกlez Byass. This page: Barrels at Bodegas Lustau

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This page (from top): Vinearboured road between the bodegas of González Byass; Urium Sherries; Rocío Ruiz, winemaker and co-owner at Urium; the Sherr y bodegas of Antonio Barbadillo.

Opposite: A bottle and glass of Fino set on an old Spanish floor

eter Sisseck, owner of Ribera del Duero’s heralded Dominio de Pingus winery, is reflecting on his decision last year to invest in a new vinous venture in southern Spain. ‘I came to Spain [from Denmark] 30 years ago,’ he says.

‘And after the success of Pingus, people started asking me why I didn’t make a white wine, too. I began looking around for somewhere to do just that, but I wasn’t that impressed with much of what I tasted.’ He pauses a moment for reflection, then continues. ‘I finally realised that I couldn’t see the wood for the trees. The greatest white wine of Spain, of course, is Fino.’

The idea that a Sherry might be considered Spain’s premier white wine may surprise some. It’s not impossible, after all, to find a bottle of serviceable Fino – or its close cousin, Manzanilla – for under £6 ($8), and even the best-known brands are rarely over £10 ($13).

It wasn’t always this way. Over the course of the past century, Sherry’s story has been one of riches to rags. Wines that once commanded similar premiums to top Bordeaux were relegated to the bargain basement shelf in supermarkets. The Jerezanos themselves were not initially concerned. While the prestige of their wines had been diluted, large bodegas were successfully selling vast quantities of sweet cream styles, albeit at rock-bottom prices.

But the business model that had kept Jerez afloat since the end of the Second World War finally ran aground. To put it bluntly, the generation that bought all that sticky Sherry was dying out.

And as demand began to fall, vineyards across the region began to be uprooted. According to Jesús Barquín, founder of Equipo Navazos (see Recommendations), the total planted area in the region dropped by around 35% from the historical average because the vineyards were no longer profitable.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Very old, incredibly rare BARBADILLO, VERSOS 1891, AMONTILLADO, NV, SANLUCAR DE BARRAMEDA, SPAIN There are very few wines on the market with a history as august as that of this Amontillado (see opposite, top left). Only 100 bottles of Versos – drawn from a barrel gifted to Don Manuel Barbadillo on his birth in 1891 and packaged in a hand-stitched leather box – will ever be sold. This venerable wine is almost painfully intense, with rich flavours of cocoa nibs, smoke, salted nuts and incense, enlivened by a bright streak of lime cordial. Sip meditatively while pondering how much the world has changed since this wine was created. Drink now–2025. 22%

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£8,000 Hedonism, Farr Vintners, Christopher Keiller

Still pretty old, slightly less rare

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VALDESPINO, COLISEO AMONTILLADO VORS, JEREZ, SPAIN Several decades in barrel have resulted in a wine so dark and dense that it’s the equivalent of a vinous black hole. Every sip reveals different flavours: toasted almonds, coffee, burnt toffee, salty olives, Marmite. A wine for the Sherry aficionado. Drink now–2025. 22% £144.40 Hedonism, Mill Hill Wines

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BODEGAS TRADICION, AMONTILLADO VORS, NV, JEREZ, SPAIN With an average age of 45 years, this is a wine of terrific depth and concentration. Notes of bitter orange, salted almonds and wood polish are enlivened by a remarkable freshness. Great length. Drink now–2025. 19.5% £60–65 Master of Malt, Hedonism, Justerini & Brooks FERNANDO DE CASTILLA, PALO CORTADO ANTIQUE, NV, JEREZ, SPAIN Norwegian-born Jan Pettersen, owner of Fernando de Castilla, isn’t a great believer in Jerez’s designated age system. If he was, this silky-textured Palo Cortado would be labelled as a VORS. It certainly shares the complexity of many of those wines, as revealed by a layered palate of orange zest, leather, smoke and nuts. Incredibly elegant, with just a hint of grip on the long finish. Drink now–2025. 20%

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£35–45 (50cl) Woodwinters, The Whisky Exchange, Noel Young Wines, Harrods GONZÁLEZ BYASS, XC PALO CORTADO, DE IDA Y VUELTA, NV, JEREZ, SPAIN

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Back in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was customary for Sherry to be matured on trips to the Indies and back. In 2018, González Byass created an interesting experiment based on this historical fact, sending a barrel of 1990 Palo Cortado on a return trip to South America. After the journey, the wine was bottled, and it is now sold alongside a smaller bottle of the original stay-at-home wine for comparison. It’s clear that the well-travelled wine has evolved, gaining intensity and nutty, complex oxidative maturity along the way. Drink now–2023. 21.5% £350 Selfridges

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Sherry producers faced an existential crisis, and the only viable response was to head for the high ground. The most enlightened wineries in the region began taking a leaf out of Champagne’s marketing textbook. Instead of focusing on the consistency of non-vintage blends – a notion so prosaic that it puts even the most ardent wine lover to sleep – the Jerezanos are embracing innovation with a growing emphasis on single vineyards, boutique bottlings and vintage wines.

This apparently inventive streak had, in fact, been sitting under producers’ noses all along. An unexpected benefit of Jerez’s long commercial slumber was that producers had decades in which to stockpile wine in their soleras.

When the Jerez Consejo Regulador created a designation system for aged wines in 2000, producers began to see the commercial merits of releasing a steady trickle of these wines on to the market. And it wasn’t just the large players who got involved. A number of boutique bodegas, like Urium and Tradicion, came into being around the turn of the century with the specific aim of bottling Sherries aged for 20 and 30 years (called VOS and VORS, the somewhat opaque Latin acronyms for Vinum Optimum Signatum and Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum) and Amontillados, Palo Cortados, Olorosos and the unctuous, delectable, sweet Pedro Ximénez.

Like producers of grower Champagnes, these small-scale players have been raising Sherry’s profile through an emphasis on bottling characterful, high-quality wines in restricted quantities. Having dipped their toes in the water with VOS and VORS wines, several producers were emboldened to release tiny amounts of even older wines from single barrels that had long languished in forgotten corners. In the past year, González Byass has released 100 bottles of a Moscatel from a barrel dedicated to Pope Pius X in 1903, and Barbadillo’s Versos 1891 Amontillado (see Recommendations), also restricted to 100 bottles. Several producers have even begun bottling single-vintage (or añada) wines, an increasingly popular diversion in a region whose calling card has long been multivintage blends.

Aged Sherries occupy a more serious price point. It’s rare to get change from £20 ($26) for a half-bottle of the younger wines, while the very rarest are often priced well north of £100 ($130). There’s a consensus that these are ‘the crown jewels of Jerez’, as González Byass UK’s Martin Skelton puts it. ‘There’s a finite supply of these wines, and they’ll become even more rare over time.’

‘They’re a steal,’ echoes Barquín. ‘Some of our wines are close to 100 years of age – and all of them are at least 40 years old. They come from single casks. If you wanted to make these wines from scratch, you couldn’t afford to do it.’

The trend for single-barrel bottlings of aged Sherries has been avidly explored by Equipo Navazos since its launch in 2007, but, says Barquín, ‘It only represents a very small percentage of what we do. Most of our wines are driven by the importance of terroir.’

Clockwise from top left: Barrels in the secure Sacristia bodega under Barbadillo’s offices; glasses of Fino at Restaurante Tendido Cero, Jerez; Amontillado on the wooden bar at Tabanco El Pasaje, Jerez; a sign for La Gitana at Bodegas Hidalgo

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Somewhat younger, still amazing

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EQUIPO NAVAZOS, BOTA 82, LA BOTA DE MANZANILLA FLORPOWER MMXV, NV, JEREZ, SPAIN If the only Manzanilla you’ve ever tasted is the big-brand stuff, this is going to be a real eye-opener. With only the merest hint of fortification, this is in some ways more similar to a rich white wine than a Sherry. The palate is rounded and generous, with a deliciously creamy texture and a subtle, tangy flavour of chamomile, brioche and green olives in brine. Drink now–2021. 15% £26.99 The Solent Cellar, Selfridges, The Fine Wine Co, The Sampler HIDALGO LA GITANA, MANZANILLA EN RAMA ANIVERSARIO, NV, SANLUCAR DE BARRAMEDA, SPAIN

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Bottled to commemorate Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana’s 225th anniversary, this limited-edition Manzanilla comes from grapes grown in the El Cuadrado vineyard.

The wine was aged for a remarkable 15 years in a cathedral close to the Atlantic Ocean, whose cool, humid breezes prolonged the life of the flor. Long ageing has created a wine with great persistence and layers of vibrant flavour: smoke, beeswax and lemon zest dance across the palate. Drink now–2021. 15% £35 Handford Wines, Oxford Wine Company, VinQuinn BODEGAS ALVEAR, FINO CAPATAZ, NV, MONTILLA-MORILES, SPAIN

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Most Sherries come from the Sherry triangle centred around the town of Jerez itself, but a handful are made in the DO of Montilla-Moriles, which lies about 70 miles inland from Málaga. This Fino is made from a 12-year-old solera of unfortified Pedro Ximénez grapes. There’s real depth of character on the palate, with flavours of Marmite, nuts, honey and mushrooms, and the lack of fortification results in a sense of freshness and finesse. Drink now–2021. 15% Currently unavailable in the UK, but Bibendum is bringing in a shipment; expect to pay £18 (37.5cl) BARBADILLO, ARBOLEDILLA LEVANTE AND PONIENTE, MANZANILLA, NV, SANLUCAR DE BARRAMEDA, SPAIN Most Sherry is blended from butts housed in vast Sherry cathedrals, the aim being to create a unified blend. These two bottles demonstrate the influence of (very) local climatic conditions on Sherry’s evolution.

Poniente comes from a barrel at the cooler, damper end of the cathedral and, as a result, is more linear and tangy than the richer, nuttier Levante, which matured in a barrel at the hot, dry end of the cellar. The difference is subtle, but it’s there. Drink now–2021. 15% Currently unavailable in the UK; €26 per pair of bottles

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To understand the growing importance of terroir to many producers, you have to overturn any preconceived notions that the best wines of the region are driven by process (fortification, ageing under flor or oxidative ageing) rather than a sense of place. According to Ronan Sayburn MS, head of wine at London members’ club 67 Pall Mall, ‘There was so much fractional blending going on in Jerez that it eclipsed the character of the source. Now the talk is about top-end vineyards and how the very best wines are made from grapes grown there.’ All of which makes sense: historically, there was an understanding in the region that different vineyards created wines with specific characteristics. Macharnudo, which lies inland, for example, was famed for its powerful Amontillados, while Balbaína, which faces the Bay of Cádiz, was renowned for making delicate, precise Finos.

However, it isn’t just vineyard-designated wines that are getting Sherry buffs’ juices flowing. The earliest hints of a revival of interest in Finos and Manzanillas came with the arrival of en rama bottlings. Only lightly filtered, en ramas are as close as it gets to drinking these wines straight from the barrel. Take-up of these wines was so enthusiastic that what had once been a quasi-artisanal product is now part of every major bodega’s portfolio.

There’s been a steadily evolving trickle of new styles since then. González Byass has had a huge critical hit with its Palmas range, launched in 2010. This collaboration between head winemaker Antonio Flores and a series of experts that has included five Masters of Wine (including, for full disclosure, the author of this piece) and three top journalists has resulted each year in a limited edition of four bottlings that follow the evolution of Sherry from youthful Fino to mature Amontillado.

Equally, some bodegas have started to experiment with unfortified wines aged under flor. These allow growers to play with lower yields and higher degrees of ripeness in the grapes, resulting in wines of greater weight and power, as well as more varietal character. It’s thought that the Sherry Consejo Regulador will award these wines DO status in the near future, and other bodegas are now bottling añada Finos and Manzanillas or dabbling in variations of bottlings that stretch the notion of a universal consistency of style.

It might seem premature to celebrate the revival of Jerez’s fortunes at the top end of the market.

But while Sherry’s siren song has long been heard by sommeliers and wine writers, there’s a growing belief that the allure of these wines is beginning to spread. ‘I feel that Champagne and Sherry are very closely linked in terms of the way styles have evolved,’ says Richard Bray, fine wine specialist at London merchant Hedonism.

‘To me, it’s inevitable that once the message gets through that Jerez now offers something beyond consistency, there’ll be a corresponding growth in demand. That extra layer of detail that the region now offers is becoming part of the story and part of the enjoyment.’

Glasses at a Sherr y tasting, showing a spectrum of colours from the lighter Fino and Amontillado, through Oloroso, to the darker Palo Cor tado and Pedro Ximénez

Sherry’s siren song has been heard – the allure of these wines is beginning to spread

[ D E S T I N AT I O N ]

WO R DS W I N K LO R C H

Savoie vineyards climbing gently from the shores of Lac St-AndrĂŠ, with Mont Granier and Col de Granier beyond

Savoie fair

For hundreds of years, the wines of Savoie were known as a source of refreshment to travellers making their way through the Alps. But after the ravages of vine disease in the 19th century, two world wars and the railways bringing in cheap wines from the south, by the middle of the 20th century the vineyards were decimated and the local offerings neglected even by the Savoyards.

To a large extent, they still are. Yet a growing band of sommeliers and merchants as far afield as New York, London and Tokyo has, over the course of the past decade or so, been championing this previously obscure

THERE’S A QUIET REVOLUTION GOING ON IN THE

wine for its singular Alpine freshness. Savoie has become trendy. The question is, how?

Between Geneva and Grenoble, Savoie is the main appellation of the French Alps.

(Neighbouring Bugey to the west and Isère to the south make similar wines.)

The Rhône and Isère valleys, those old glacial thoroughfares, and the picturepostcard Lac Léman, Lac du Bourget and Lac d’Annecy moderate the climate. In the 19th century, the southern shores of the latter were covered with vineyards, but these have long since disappeared under a carpet of smart villas.

On the pre-Alpine and southern Jura foothills, the best producers work on steep slopes with views to Mont Blanc and other snow-capped peaks. Limestone is the dominant soil, which, together with the relatively cool climate, helps give zing to the wines (most of which are white, though there are some fine reds). The vineyards may not be particularly high in altitude, but working them necessitates sweat and tears; they are bitterly cold in winter, while the rocky south-facing slopes can be baking in summer. Vignerons need nerves as steely as their wines to cope with the stress of late

spring frosts, torrential rain or hailstorms.

It’s the price you pay for being so close to those spectacular ranges.

Despite the emergence, in the 1960s, of machinery to take the strain out of vineyard work, along with a ski industry to provide a ready-made market, most wine made until the 1990s was feeble fare, solely for glugging on and off the slopes. The most recent vintage would be delivered to the resorts barely three months after the grapes were picked; the wines were anaemic and acidic, good for little more than washing down a fondue.

CEPHAS

A L P I N E A P P E L L A T I O N O F S A V O I E , R E N O W N E D A S O N E O F T H E M O S T B E A U T I F U L V I N E YA R D S I N T H E W O R L D

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But in the past 20 years, pioneering vignerons have driven a quality revolution.

Michel Grisard and Noël Dupasquier, for example, favoured steeper slopes and indigenous grape varieties, notably the versatile and intense Altesse for whites, and rustic yet silky Mondeuse for reds. They showed how their wines could age and match the finest cuisine by offering top local restaurants vintages going back two decades. Grisard, now retired, revived abandoned hillside vineyards to create Domaine des Ardoisières and championed organic and biodynamic winemaking. As well as proving the worth of Mondeuse, he fought to rehabilitate other almost extinct varieties.

Today, all the excitement is in these local grapes, indigenous varieties that typically ripen late. Such a pattern gives vignerons here an advantage over their counterparts in the rest of France, who see climate change bringing their harvest dates ever earlier.

In Savoie, the quintessential low-alcohol Alpine white is made from the Jacquère grape, which accounts for half of all plantings. It goes wonderfully with Alpine charcuterie and creamy Reblochon cheese, and fondue is unthinkable without it.

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Above: Cyclists in the Critérium du Dauphiné road race, riding past a vineyard on the Col du Chat, near Chambér y, Savoie; below: Vineyards tinged with autumn gold in the Jongieux appellation, the hear t of Savoie wine countr y

[ D E S T I N AT I O N ]

Altesse, meanwhile – look out for Roussette de Savoie and Roussette du Bugey – is the choice for the local lake fish perch, fera and Arctic char, as well as with Abondance cheese. You’ll also find a honeyed and exotic grape called Bergeron (the local name for Roussanne) in Chignin-Bergeron, along with Chasselas, of course (the Swiss call it Fendant) and Gringet.

For reds, the rugged Mondeuse is hard to love at first, but this shy mountain grape will have you hooked in no time. It’s a rustic, less alcoholic cousin of Syrah’s, and its ethereal floral and red-fruit flavours can be magical, especially with game stews, sausages or mature Beaufort cheese. You’ll also come across Persan, a new local star in Savoie and Isère, rehabilitated in the past 15 years. Deep, plummy and rounded, it ages particularly well.

Locals with long memories may be taken aback by the Savoie revolution playing out in recherché restaurants around the world, but they’re beginning to see the advantages.

Wines that for decades have been sold within a few miles are now being sought out in New York and London, and Savoie’s real story is just beginning.

Above: Biodynamic vineyards in St-Pierre-d’Albigny; below: The Camino de Santiago wending its way through vineyards at Chapelle-St-Romain, Jongieux

[ D E S T I N AT I O N ]

Whites DOMAINE DE L’IDYLLE 2017 VIEILLE VIGNE, SAVOIE CRUET, SAVOIE, FRANCE

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FRANCK PEILLOT 2017 ALTESSE, ROUSSETTE DU BUGEY MONTAGNIEU, BUGEY, FRANCE

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DOMAINE JEANFRANÇOIS QUENARD 2017 ANNE DE LA BIGUERNE, SAVOIE CHIGNIN, SAVOIE, FRANCE

DOMAINE JEAN MASSON 2014 COLLECTION SAVOIE APREMONT, SAVOIE, FRANCE

LES VIGNES DU PARADIS 2016 C DE MARIN, IGP VIN DES ALLOBROGES, SAVOIE, FRANCE

From 2019 To 2021 RRP £12.95

From 2019 To 2027 RRP £15.50

From 2019 To 2021 RRP £16.95

From 2019 To 2022 RRP £21.95

From 2019 To 2022 RRP £29.30

The Tiollier family specialises in straight­ forward, drinkable Savoie wines, and charcuterie and cheese are the perfect, simple accompaniments to this dry, light and floral old-vine Jacquère. 11.5%

Montagnieu’s stony soil basks in the Rhône’s reflection, ripening Altesse to perfection. In 2017, however, Franck Peillot suffered 50% loss from frost, concentrating the few bunches left. Given time, the simple tangy, pearlike fruit will evolve into a complex stony white. 12%

When a label states Chignin rather than ChigninBergeron, expect a sunny and rounded Jacquère, like this one from 65-yearold vines. The gorgeous village of Chignin has six wine estates owned by a Quenard. 12%

Apremont is the ubiquitous Savoie white, but largerthan-life Jean-Claude Masson creates magic with his grandfather’s 90-yearold Jacquère vines. You can almost taste the rocks of the mountainside, with a streak of acidity combined with richness and spice. 12%

Dominique Lucas values the Chasselas grape more than most, letting it mature late to give intensity, along with a beautiful stony character from these organic vineyards above Lac Léman.

Find some freshwater fish to do it justice. 12%

Yapp

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Berry Bros & Rudd

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Caves de Pyrène

Raeburn Fine Wines

Wine Society

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DOMAINE DUPASQUIER 2013 ROUSSETTE DE SAVOIE MARESTEL, SAVOIE, FRANCE From 2019

To 2033

$27

Below the steep Marestel slope, the Dupasquier family has been making wine in the Jongieux hamlet of Aimavigne for five generations. This may be where the mysterious Altesse grape originated.

Large oak casks and time give a honeyed white of great finesse. 13% N/A in UK US: 67wine.com; fermentedgrapes.net

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CELLIER DES CRAY ADRIEN BERLIOZ 2017 CUVÉE EUPHRASIE, SAVOIE CHIGNINBERGERON, SAVOIE, FRANCE

DOMAINE PARTAGÉ GILLES BERLIOZ 2014 LES FILLES SAVOIE CHIGNIN-BERGERON, SAVOIE, FRANCE

DOMAINE BELLUARD 2016 LE FEU, SAVOIE AYSE, SAVOIE, FRANCE

DOMAINE DES ARDOISIÈRES 2016 SCHISTE, IGP VIN DES ALLOBROGES, SAVOIE, FRANCE

From 2019 To 2025 RRP £28

From 2019 To 2024 RRP £34.90

From 2019 To 2030 RRP £44.40

From 2019 To 2026 RRP £53.45

Adrien is a hugely talented, young organic vigneron with superbly sited vineyards. Aged in acacia and oak barrels, this Bergeron is bonedry, with tangy and spicy apricots making you beg for the second glass. 13%

Berlioz turned ChigninBergeron on its head more than a decade ago, farming judiciously and making several dry, rich-flavoured, classy Bergerons sporting arty labels. Les Filles is named in homage to his wife Christine and the other ‘girls’ who work beside him. 12.5%

The closest vineyards to Mont Blanc in Ayze have the only 20 hectares of Gringet in the world. Le Feu provides its purest expression in the deft hands of Dominique Belluard, helped by maturation in concrete eggs. Intensely aromatic and steely, it’s best after five years. 12.5%

You can see the dramatic vineyard slope at Cevins when driving to Val d’Isère or Courchevel. Made

by Brice Omont, this sensational, floral and textured oak-matured white is a blend of Jacquère, Roussanne, Pinot Gris and Mondeuse Blanche. 12%

The Solent Cellar

Vine Trail

Caves de Pyrène

Vine Trail

Reds

Sparkling 87

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88

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CHÂTEAU DE MÉRANDE 2016 LA BELLE ROMAINE MONDEUSE, SAVOIE ARBIN, SAVOIE, FRANCE

DOMAINE CURTET 2016 AUTREMENT, SAVOIE CHAUTAGNE, SAVOIE, FRANCE

DOMAINE GIACHINO 2016 MA DOUCE, VIN DE FRANCE, SAVOIE, FRANCE

DOMAINE RENARDATFACHE 2017 MÉTHODE ANCESTRALE, BUGEYCERDON, BUGEY, FRANCE

From 2019

From 2019 To 2022 RRP £30.50

From 2019

RRP £34

From 2019 To 2020 RRP £17.95

Warm sandstone slopes above the Rhône provide this floral and spicy Gamay, blended with 10% each of Pinot Noir and Mondeuse.

Marie and Florian Curtet took over from legendary organic vigneron Jacques Maillet. Autrement, meaning ‘otherwise’, was his signature wine. 12.5%

From Mondeuse, Persan and Douce Noire (of Savoie origin but none other than Argentina’s Bonarda), mixed with biodynamic methods; you can easily imagine flying away on the magic carpet featured on the label of this juicy and ethereal red. 12%

Decadent, semi-sweet strawberry-like pink bubbles from Gamay, with a touch of Jura’s Poulsard. The Renardat-Fâche family work organically and are experts in the ancestral method, with no addition of yeast or sugar, leaving gorgeous pure fruit sweetness. 7.5%

To 2028

RRP £17

Deep and brooding, this Mondeuse is from a historic Arbin estate run by the Genoux family, who work along biodynamic lines.

You’ll be amazed that this stony Alpine red has no oak ageing yet gives such power and persistence. 12% The Wine Society

To 2020

Dynamic Vines

Raeburn Fine Wine

Dynamic Vines

85

90

95

89

DOMAINE NICOLAS GONIN 2015 PERSAN, IGP ISÈRE BALMES DAUPHINOISES, ISÈRE, FRANCE

DOMAINE PARTAGÉ GILLES BERLIOZ 2015 LA DEUSE MONDEUSE, SAVOIE, FRANCE

MICHEL GRISARD PRIEZ STCHRISTOPHE NO. LOT M.......14, VIN DE FRANCE, SAVOIE, FRANCE

FRANCK PEILLOT BUGEYMONTAGNIEU BRUT, MÉTHODE TRADITIONNELLE, BUGEY, FRANCE

From 2019

$22

From 2019 To 2023 RRP £37.75

From 2019

From 2019 To 2023 RRP £23.10

Between Chambéry and Lyon, Nicolas Gonin waves the banner for Isère wines made exclusively from traditional local grape varieties. He believes Persan is the future for French Alpine reds, and it shows in his deep, black-fruited, firm-textured wine. 12%

How can you make a tasty, intense red wine, with acidulated red fruit and crunch that weighs in at just 10% alcohol? Berlioz has the secret – or rather his Chignin vines do, and they are all ploughed by horse, too. 10%

The ultimate in declassified reds, this is not an appellation wine (Grisard is a rule-breaker). In this final vintage from the master, you will taste essence of Mondeuse, with any wrinkles smoothed out. Splash out on older vintages, too. 12%

To 2025

N/A in UK US: domestiquewine.com

Vine Trail

To 2030

Dynamic Vines

RRP £72

Dry Alpine fizz at its best – this appellation is possibly France’s best-kept sparkling secret. The 40% of red Mondeuse grapes add a rounded character to the elegance from Chardonnay and Altesse, then the traditional method works its magic. 12% Vine Trail

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The largest wine list in Europe

The finest wine wine experience experience The finest

3-7 Davies Street London, W1K 3LD 0207 290 7870 hedonism.co.uk

Restaurant 85 Piccadilly London, W1J 7NB 020 3146 8666 hide.co.uk

[ COLLECTION ]

Club Oenologique

Collection 3 P H OTO G R A P H S FAC U N D O B U S TA M A NT E

C LU B O E N O LO G I Q U E

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[ COLLECTION ]

What is the Club Oenologique Collection?

Our expert selection for issue 3 of Club Oenologique features Brunello di Montalcino, the finest indigenous wines of Greece, aged Napa, the rarest whisky bottlings and a fascinating selection of wines from emerging wine regions – England, Canada, Croatia, Georgia, China and Japan – judged at the IWSC. As always, we are recommending not only wines and spirits with long-established pedigrees but also the lesser known – those special bottles beloved by people with an eye for the eclectic and the overlooked.

For our main tasting features, we ask our critics to taste blind, as Jim Clarke did for Brunello. For other tastings, we ask a leading critic or critics to make a personal selection of the very best that the chosen region, grape or style has to offer. These wines are not tasted blind, but they are assessed and scored by professionals with specialist knowledge of the wine in question.

All great wine is constantly evolving, and even the best can be capricious; the drinking dates offered are an indication of the wine’s development rather than a hard law of physics. Bear in mind that scores can be misleading in isolation, so you should always read them in conjunction with the notes.

Finally, a note on our sister company, the IWSC. In London in April, as part of our comprehensive annual tastings calendar our experts reviewed more than 300 Canadian wines, 110 UK wines, 300 eastern European wines and 150 Middle Eastern and Asian wines, and from those we have picked out some of the most exciting discoveries. The wines were tasted blind by panels of four international experts, led by our Wine Judging Committee. Each wine was tasted individually then discussed by the panellists to reach the final score. The wines that scored 90 and above were re-tasted by the committee for final endorsement and to ensure consistency. A selection from these sessions is included on pages 98–103.

100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 88 87 86 85 84 83 82 81 80

100–98 Extraordinary An extraordinary wine that is profound, unique and above all emotionally inspiring. By definition, it is the reference for a classic wine of its variety or style.

97–95 Outstanding An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and characteristics, as well as remarkable personality.

A classic example of its style or variety.

94–90 Excellent An accomplished wine with considerable complexity and character. A wine with personality that will provide a memorable drinking experience.

89–85 Good A strong wine that offers solid quality. A wine that provides a highly enjoyable drinking experience. Good-value and everyday wines will often fall into this category.

84–80 Average A perfectly well-made wine but of average quality; a safe wine with little or no distinction and excitement.

A wine that provides straightforward drinking.

79–70 Below average A wine with noticeable flaws; one that is bland or lacking character. A wine not worth your attention.

69–50 Avoid A wine with faults, or a wine that is unbalanced or unpleasant.

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The tasters

JIM CLARKE

YIANNIS KARAKASIS MW

Jim Clarke is a wine and beer writer and sommelier based in New York.

Brunello was the bestselling wine at his last post as sommelier, so he was glad to reconnect and explore it once more.

Yiannis Karakasis is a Master of Wine based in Greece. He is the founder of the karakasis.mw blog, an educator and a consultant.

He is one of the leading voices on Greek and Cypriot wines.

ADAM LECHMERE

DAVE ALLEN

Adam Lechmere has been writing about wine for 20 years. He launched decanter.com in early 2000, has worked freelance for numerous publications and is now editor of Club Oenologique. He loves the wines of California, especially the old ones.

Dave Allen started his career in the office at Coe Vintners, before moving into a variety of sales and management roles. He moved to Enotria&Coe when the businesses merged but left at the end of 2018 to take up the mantle of director at the Vineyard Cellars. His love of California wines is driven by the diversity of styles on offer and the unrestrained approach of many of the winemakers.

ROMAIN BOURGER

ALISTAIR VINER

Romain Bourger is head sommelier at The Vineyard Hotel in Berkshire, England. He is from a small village in eastern France, where he studied hospitality before his training brought him to the UK. He worked at Hotel du Vin in Winchester both during and after his diploma, then moved to The Vineyard Hotel in 2010.

Alistair Viner is head buyer at Hedonism Wines. He previously worked in South Africa, running a fine wine tasting room and shop in Cape Town, before returning to the UK to work in various roles at Harrods. He has been in the wine trade for over 30 years.

CHARLES MACLEAN

COLIN HAMPDEN-WHITE

Charles MacLean is one of Scotland’s best-known figures, being a leading global whisky expert, prolific author and accidental film star. He has been researching and writing books and articles about whisky since 1981.

Colin Hampden-White edited Whisky Quarterly for three years and is now a presenter on Amazon Prime’s The Three Drinkers. He has been writing about wine and spirits for over 10 years and is a judge with the IWSC.

TASTING NOTES

Brunello di Montalcino 2013 and 2014 I NT R O D U C T I O N A N D R E CO M M E N DAT I O N S JIM CLARKE

[ COLLECTION ]

B R U N E L L O 2 0 1 4 I S L I G H T, F R E S H A N D P E R F E C T F O R A N Y N U M B E R O F D I S H E S – A N D I T ’ L L S T A Y T H E C O U R S E A S W E L L . J U S T D O N ’ T E X P E C T A H E AV Y W E I G H T

It’s tempting to imagine that things are always idyllic in Tuscany, but not every summer provides the warmth and sunshine we, and the vineyards, might hope for.

One such year was 2014: despite a mild start and promising warmth in June, a cool summer followed, with rain at the height of the growing season. Mould and mildew love moisture and humidity, and in some areas hail also damaged fruit. The vintage might have been a total loss had it not been for mild weather and a merciful respite from the rain in September and October.

Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, with their shorter ageing times, have moved on to more recent vintages, but Brunello di Montalcino, with five years’ ageing required before release, only rolled out the 2014s this January.

The good news is that things aren’t as bad as they might have seemed, thanks to dedicated work on the part of producers.

It’s hard to say which subzones handled these travails the best; it seems to be more a matter of how individual producers responded rather than a matter of terroir differences. Vintners had a few options on how to handle things, either in the vineyard or in the winery. For many of the most successful wines, it took rigorous selection of fruit at every step, regardless of the cost in terms of volume. There was a lot of fruit left on the ground in the vineyard, and careful sorting at harvest weeded out a few more tonnes of damaged grapes. At Poggio di Sotto, for example, yields were tiny. ‘In 2014, we had 16,000 bottles of Rosso and only 4,000 of Brunello; it’s one cask, really,’ said Luigina Villadei of Colle Massari, which bought Poggio di Sotto in 2011. ‘In that case, the wine wasn’t able to age four years

in oak; it did three in oak and two in bottle.

It just didn’t have enough structure.’ There won’t be any Riserva in 2014, she added.

Most of the resulting wines still show the character of the vintage: they are generally lighter, with brighter fruit and not as much power and depth as in other years. They are nonetheless enjoyable, and the best examples highlight the more elegant side of Sangiovese.

Regulations allow producers to include up to 15% of wine from a younger vintage, and we can assume that a fair number took this step, the ripe 2015 vintage offering a good way of increasing quantity and quality. But 15% isn’t always enough – and in any event, it needs to integrate into the rest of the wine. A few wines seem disjointed, with a Jekyll-and-Hyde character that one hopes will knit together with time in the bottle.

Some producers chose instead to opt out of producing Brunello at all for the year, declassifying fruit into their Rosso di Montalcinos. Salvioni, Biondi-Santi and Costanti, among others, took this option. One can expect few cru or Riserva wines from 2014. Fortunately for now, the 2013 Riservas, from a much more classic, balanced year, are showing well; for those looking for wines to put down, there are some pleasing options to be found.

In the meantime, the 2014s are enjoyable now and should hold up for a decade or so with no trouble. These are restaurant wines in more than one way: less powerful than other vintages, they go nicely with a wider range of dishes. Since few restaurants these days lay down wine, it’s also pleasing to think that restaurants can list and sell these wines immediately without Brunello purists condemning it as vinous infanticide.

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85

95

Brunello di Montalcino

BEATESCA 2014

From 2021

To 2019

From 2019

Despite the vintage, everything is in its place.

On the nose, red cherry, bay leaf, anise and floral notes complement and counterpoint each other; on the palate, acidity and tannins are poised and well balanced. A touch over medium-bodied, firm and present in the mouth, with superb length. 14.5%

91

BELLARIA 2014

To 2026

Elegant and silky, with a core of structure that drives through a long finish. Graphite and spice underscore floral and red-fruit aromas up front.

Could use more heft for ageing, but drinking very well in its youth. 14% N/A in UK aziendabellaria.com

CANALICCHIO DI SOPRA RISERVA 2013

94

CANALICCHIO DI SOPRA, CANALICCHIO DI SOPRA 2014

92

From 2021 To 2034 RRP £60.67

From 2021 To 2021 RRP £30.83

Perfumed, with anise and floral aromas. On the palate it shows more dark fruit notes: black cherry and plum. At its core, a slightly saline, graphite minerality provides focus and depth.

That gradually fades on the lengthy finish, opening back up to the anise touches first evident on the nose. 14.5%

Perfumed but somewhat brooding, with savoury notes of sage and saddle leather adding depth to black cherry and plum fruit. Fairly substantial in the mouth, with grippy tannins. 14.5% Armit

Crump, Richmond & Shaw

N/A in UK beatesca.com

88

CAPANNA 2014

From 2019

To 2026 RRP £120

Straightforward, with generous cherry, raspberry and plum notes. Well focused and dense, with fine if grippy tannins and good length. 14.5% Friarwood (Magnum)

CAPARZO 2014

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CASTELGIOCONDO, RISERVA 2013

91

From 2021 To 2034 RRP £31.37

From 2021

A brooding wine at first, from a generally lighter vintage. Savoury initially, with leather, graphite and bay-leaf notes dominating.

More lithe and energetic on the palate, where a core of brighter red fruit shows through, accompanied by cinnamon and floral touches.

Good focus and length. 14%

Powerful and dark, with black cherry, blackberry and spice notes. Dense, with serious tannins. 15%

Tannico

86

95

To 2029

N/A in UK en.frescobaldi.com/estates/ estate-castelgiocondo

CASTELLO BANFI, POGGIO ALLE MURA 2014

93

From 2019 To 2029 RRP £43.33

Generous and ready to drink without being simple, the Poggio alle Mura offers floral, sandalwood, red cherry and exotic spice aromas. It’s medium-bodied, with a round mouthfeel and an energetic, focused character on the palate. 14% Millesima

[ COLLECTION ]

90

CERBAIA 2014

From 2019

To 2026

A ripe, rich wine. Dark fruit dominates, with touches of vanilla and violets.

Round, rich and pleasant, if not complex. 14% N/A in UK aziendacerbaia.com

COL D’ORCIA RISERVA 2013

92

FATTOI OFELIO E FIGLI 2014

90

FATTORIA DEI BARBI, RISERVA 2013

91

LA FORTUNA 2014

92

From 2021 To 2039 RRP £133.33

From 2019 To 2027 RRP £45.83

From 2020 To 2034 RRP £79.99

From 2023 To 2034

Firm and linear, with a dense core of red cherry and plum accompanied by floral touches. Athletic rather than muscular, with firm tannins and significant length. 14.5%

More spice than fruit: red cherry cola, with cocoa powder and leather notes.

Medium-bodied, with fine, firm tannins and a savoury finish; poised, with good balance. 14.5%

Leads with notes of violets, black cherry and almond and becomes more earthy and brooding on the palate, with touches of leather and tobacco. Ripe and full, but with well-balanced acidity preventing any sense of heaviness. Well structured, with gripping tannins. 14.5%

Notes of cedar, flowers and spice coalesce around a core of ripe raspberry fruit.

A full-bodied, ripe wine but still dry and firm, with serious tannic backbone on the finish. 14.5%

Millesima

Wimbledon Wine Cellar

N/A in UK tenutalafortuna.it

AG Wines

LA PODERINA, POGGIO ABATE RISERVA 2013 From 2019

93

To 2029

Pleasant and inviting on the nose, with notes of flowers, almond, leather and dark cherry. Full-bodied and rich on the palate, but still structured, with an enduring finish. 14% N/A in UK tenutedelcerro.it

LIVIO SASSETTI PERTIMALI 2014

91

LUCE DELLE VITE 2014

90

To 2029 RRP POA

MARTOCCIA DI BRUNELLI LUCA, RISERVA 2013

From 2019

92

From 2019 To 2034 RRP £28.50

From 2019

To 2029

Complex and aromatic; raspberry and plum notes are supported by an underlying graphite minerality, with wild herb and sandalwood notes emerging on the palate. Firm texture, with fine tannins and grip. Finishes long. 14%

A full, rich, firm wine, with a touch of muscle to it.

Shows dark cherry and berry notes, as well as touches of graphite and liquorice. Big tannins, but well integrated and smooth. 14.5%

Pretty on the nose; cranberry, floral, cherry and raspberry jump out of the glass. On the palate the wine is decidedly more linear and focused, with a firm structure and strong tannins. 14%

Crump, Richmond & Shaw

N/A in UK poderemartoccia.it

MASTROJANNI 2014

90

From 2021 To 2029 RRP £28.33

Aromatic and complex, with notes of graphite, black cherry, coffee and leather.

This is a muscular wine, fullbodied, with a savoury finish and dry, grippy tannins. 14% Farr Vintners

Cork Fine Wines

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87

Brunello di Montalcino

MOCALI DI CIACCI TIZIANO 2014

From 2019

To 2029

92 RRP £30

Bright, with strawberry and cherry notes plus touches of bay leaf and wild herbs.

While delicate on the nose, the wine is powerful and fullbodied on the palate. Fresh and dry, with good length and grippy tannins. 14% Asset Wines

POGGIO DI SOTTO 2014

From 2022 To 2030

93 RRP £125

Colle Massari purchased Poggio di Sotto in 2011 and show here that they have no intention of letting the brand’s reputation decline, even if a tough vintage provides an excuse. Floral and intense on the nose, and dense on the palate, but not at the cost of elegance; red currant and cherry on the finish. Still somewhat closed but will open up. 13.5% Four Walls Wine Co

88

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PIAN DELLE QUERCI 2014

From 2019

89

To 2026

91

PIETROSO 2014

From 2019

To 2027

RRP £32

A wine built on freshness and brightness. Cranberry, strawberry, and red cherry notes predominant, set off by a hint of marzipan.

Generous up front, this is relatively light on the palate.

Significant persistence, with light but tight tannins. 14%

A generous, eager-to-please wine, but not at the cost of structure. Exotic spice and anise notes surround a core of black cherry and plum fruit, with a slight earthy note in the background.

Full-bodied, with decent length and focus. 14.5%

N/A in UK piandellequerci.it

Bowes Wine

POGGIO LUCINA 2014

90

POGGIO NARDONE DI CIACCI TIZIANO RISERVA 2013

91

From 2020 To 2026

From 2019

To 2029

Shows the vintage with its bright cranberry and red-cherry fruit, as well as some tight tannins, but pleasurable and otherwise balanced. Tobacco and leather notes complement the fruit, providing some complexity. Medium-bodied, with good length. 14%

A red-fruited expression of Brunello, akin to the 2014 of its neighbour Mocali.

Cherry, red-plum and redcurrant notes dominate, along with generous floral and anise notes. Mediumbodied, with a pleasing lift from its acidity and firm tannins on the finish. 14%

N/A in UK poggiolucina.it

N/A in UK poggionardone.it

91

PININO 2014

From 2019 To 2029 RRP £43.50

This could easily be mistaken for a Chianti Classico, with floral, redcherry and almond-stone notes. Light, smooth and elegant. Well focused, with good length. 14% Hennings Wine

QUERCE BETTINA RISERVA 2013

From 2019

89

To 2027

Quite generous for a young Riserva, with spice, redcherry and marzipan notes.

Full-bodied and powerful, with big but ripe tannins. 14% N/A in UK quercebettina.it

[ COLLECTION ]

SESTI, PHENOMENA RISERVA 2013

95

93

SESTI 2014

90

TALENTI 2014

TASSI DI FRANCI FRANCA 2014

92

From 2019

From 2019 To 2032 RRP £65.08

From 2019 To 2029 RRP £68.95

From 2019 To 2029 RRP £35.50

From 2019

A multilayered wine, with bright notes of cranberry, strawberry and red currant underscored by deeper touches of black cherry, mocha, and graphite. Firm and focused, with a pleasing mouthfeel, filigreed tannins and great length. 14%

A bright, pure, lively wine that captures the positive sides of this vintage.

Red fruit dominates, accompanied by touches of mineral and spice.

Medium-bodied, with gentle tannins; ready to enjoy. 14%

A well-balanced and focused wine, with plenty going on – graphite, tobacco, black cherry and leather notes in particular. Mediumbodied, with well-integrated tannins and decent power and length. 14%

Savoury and enticing, with bay-leaf, cherry, coffee and pencil-lead aromas. Fullbodied but bright, it carries itself nimbly. The tannins are grippy but balanced. 14.5%

To 2030

Uncorked

Vinvm

N/A in UK tassimontalcino.com

92

TENUTA FANTI, VIGNA LA MACCHIARELLE RISERVA 2013

93

From 2019 To 2029 RRP £32.04

From 2019

Aromatically generous, with exotic spice, sandalwood and leather aromas dominating the fruit. On the palate there’s a pleasing balance of savoury and sweet notes.

Medium-bodied and firm, with moderately grippy tannins. 13.5%

This shows an elegant nose, with notes of flowers, marzipan, raspberry and red cherry. Silky and pure on the palate, with a firm underlying structure and well-balanced tannins. 14.5%

Tannico

To 2034

N/A in UK tenutafanti.it

TENUTA IL POGGIONE, VIGNA PAGANELLI RISERVA 2013 From 2021

90

To 2028

Not terribly aromatic, but generous on the palate, showing notes of ripe blackberry, raspberry and cherry, as well as some hints of spice. More mineral and floral on the palate. Full and round, with good grip. 15% N/A in UK tenutabuontempo.it

Armit

TENUTE SILVIO NARDI 2014

TENUTA BUON TEMPO, OLIVETO P.56 2014

To 2034

94 RRP £73

TENUTA IL POGGIONE 2014

From 2021

To 2030

92 RRP £35

Richly aromatic, with floral and baking spices that persist from start to finish; the mid-palate shows ripe black-cherry and graphite notes. This is Brunello in a more muscular expression, but it doesn’t sacrifice freshness to achieve power. 15%

An intense wine with a lot going on: aniseed, black cherry, leather and sage all make appearances, supported by a saline minerality on the palate.

Tannins are strong but well integrated, and the wine shows respectable length on the finish. 14.5%

Berry Bros & Rudd

Roberson Wine

TENUTA LA FUGA 2014

93

From 2020 To 2028 RRP £35.04

An earthier expression of Brunello, with leather, cocoa-powder and plum notes. Round and smooth in the mouth but still well structured; more red fruit comes out, too, accompanied by wildherb notes. Finishes dry and savoury, with hints of sage. 14% Tannico

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The real Greek T H E Y M A Y H A V E A 3 , 0 0 0 -Y E A R - O L D W I N E H E R I T A G E , B U T T H E S C I N T I L L A T I N G W I N E S O F M O D E R N G R E E C E A R E A N Y T H I N G B U T O L D - FA S H I O N E D

[ COLLECTION ]

I NT R O D U C T I O N A N D R E CO M M E N DAT I O N S YIANNIS KARAKASIS MW

‘If you take Greece apart, you will be left with an olive tree, a vineyard and a boat.

With these items you can rebuild Greece.’

So wrote the great 20th-century poet and Nobel Prize winner Odysseas Elytis.

Wine has been a part of Greek heritage since ancient times. There is evidence of winemaking by the Minoan civilization that flourished in Crete in the Middle Bronze Age. An ideogram symbolising wine has been identified in the early Linear A script, and a 3,600-year-old wine press – one of the oldest in the world – was discovered near Iraklion. There was even a god of wine, Dionysus.

But history and tradition aren’t enough to take a country into the future. Greek wine is rapidly evolving. The bulk retsinas of the past have been overtaken by a multitude of indigenous grape varieties. More than 200 native Greek varieties have been recorded, of which about 80 have been commercially released. Many more remain undiscovered.

There is wide variation: the lovely salty Assyrtiko of Santorini competes with Assyrtikos from other islands, such as Tinos and Crete; perfumed Vidiano from Crete and mineral Robola from Cephalonia add to the fascinating diversity of white wines; Malagousia, Moschofilero and Savatiano bring immediate charm and appeal.

In red wines, the rich, chocolatey, fullbodied style persists, but a more refined, elegant approach is fast becoming mainstream. The savoury Xinomavro (reminiscent of Nebbiolo) and the velvety Agiorgitiko produce outstanding terroir wines; dry Mavrodaphne, Mavrotragano and Limniona have a thrilling future.

And don’t forget the sweet wines of Greece: sun-dried Vinsanto from Santorini, Samos and Liatiko from Crete, the Portlike Mavrodaphne, and the air-dried sweet wines of Siatista in Macedonia.

A new generation of producers, together with the emergence of a natural-wine scene, takes a delicate, hands-off approach to winemaking. Alcohol, overripeness, extraction and use of new oak have been moderated. Efforts are focused on the vineyard in the constant search for grapes that will express the distinctiveness and purity of their type.

There’s been a spectacular evolution in technique. Biodynamics in the vineyard, winemaking in clay amphorae and concrete vats, the emphasis on old oak and fewer additives – these are all commonplace. The approaches are not novel but are a reversion to the heritage and tradition of Greece.

The singular sense of place seems to have found its apotheosis in Greece and its islands. The terroirs here are phenomenally diverse, with soils ranging from limestone in Cephalonia, schist in Naoussa and gravel in Mantinia, to granite and volcanic soils in the Aegean Islands. Vineyards may be planted at sea level or at 1,000m, as in Siatista and Metsovo, where for ruggedness they rival the vineyards of Aigialia in the Peloponnese.

Vines may be 10 years old, or 40, or they may be centuries older: plants 400 years of age are farmed in Santorini, that Jurassic Park of vines.

The hallmark of Greek white wines is a combination of tension, crystalline texture and minerality. The reds, meanwhile, should be structured and fresh. Both the reds and whites have a characteristic that is nowhere so pronounced as it is in vineyards close to the sea – in our case, the Aegean, Mediterranean and Ionian: salinity.

It shouldn’t be thought of as a salty flavour, though; it’s more of a texture that brings freshness and balance to the wine. Just as adding salt to a dish brings out its flavours, so salinity in wine highlights the fruit and the acidity. It is, literally, mouthwatering.

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Wines of Greece

ECONOMOU SITIA 2004

From 2019

94

To 2030 RRP €58

The epitome of cult Greek wine from Yiannis Economou – Liatiko with a splash of tannic Mandilari released whenever the producer thinks it is ready. Very light garnet brick. Fragrant with blood orange, red cherry, noble leather and dried flowers.

On the palate, still firm and exciting, with a long finish. A very elegant and idiosyncratic wine speaking of its place of origin and the passion of its producer. A cross of an aged Barolo and a Sicilian Nerello Mascalese. 13.5%

T-OINOS MAVROTRAGANO CLOS STEGASTA 2016 From 2020 To 2030

94 RRP €77

Mavrotragano from the moon-like granitic terroir in Falatados, on Tinos. Deep violet colour with massive tannins, yet stylish and already approachable. It needs a couple of years to reveal its true colours and prove that it can rival the legendary 2013, yet it already shows its grand ambitions. 14.5% toinos.com

wineryeconomou. blogspot.com PARPAROUSSIS NEMEA EPILEGMENOS 2013

92

C LU B O E N O LO G I Q U E

SANT’OR KRASIS MAVRODAPHNE 2015 From 2019

To 2025

93 RRP €13

Sant’Or is certified organic and in the process of receiving the biodynamic stamp. The approach is as natural as possible, with spontaneous fermentation and very few sulphites added. Made from 50-year-old own-rooted Mavrodaphne. Medium ruby, perfumed with red cherries, roses, with a touch of funk and garrigue notes. Beautiful, layered, savoury and very distinctive on the palate with a Pinot Noir personality. 12%

THYMIOPOULOS EARTH AND SKY NAOUSSA 2016 From 2019 To 2028

93 RRP €21

From Xinomavro vines around 40 years old in the Trilofos and Fitia subregions in the southern part of Naoussa, this is medium ruby coloured. On the nose, aromatic with cherries, roses and lovely spice.

On the palate, velvety, refined, fat and fresh, with a long, lingering finish. A great effort by Apostolos Thymiopoulos and a gamechanger for the region. 13.5% thymiopoulosvineyards.gr

santorwines.gr

95

PETRAKOPOULOS MOV MAVRODAPHNE 2015

93

MITRAVELAS NEMEA 2017

92

DALAMARA VIEILLES VIGNES NAOUSSA 2016

93

From 2019 To 2029 RRP €22.50

From 2020 To 2030 RRP €40.50

From 2019 To 2027 RRP €15.10

From 2020 To 2030 RRP £53.45

Likely the best Nemea ever produced by Thanassis and Erifili Parparoussis, this offering matures in a combination of old and new oak. It’s perfumed with floral scents around a core of sour cherries and strawberries and is refined and textural on the palate, with fluid tannins and a bittersweet finish. Effortless joy. 14%

From 60-year-old prephylloxera vines, in the Soularoi area of Paliki, in Cephalonia, this is an excellent dry Mavrodaphne.

Purple colour, with a nose of dense black fruit, bacon and smoke. Full-throttled and rich on the palate with high intensity and a long finish, proving Mavrodaphne is capable of greatness. 14.5%

This delivers a wonderful expression of red fruit along with earthy notes.

Perfect oak integration with second-use oak for just seven months, and the sense of a hands-off approach highlights the quintessential aromas of Agiorgitiko. A solid effort to highlight the Nemean terroir with focus and clarity. 14%

Partly own-rooted and pre-phylloxera vines from Paliokalias terroir near the city of Naoussa. Spices and violets make for an intoxicating nose. On the palate, firm, very young and full-bodied, with an earthy minerality. Exotic and singular, this will improve but is already dazzling. A few hundred bottles available. 14%

parparoussis.com

petrakopouloswines.gr

mitravelas.gr

dalamara.gr

[ COLLECTION ]

DOMAINE DE KALATHAS 10+12 2017 From 2019

To 2021

92 RRP £32

Spontaneously fermented, no SO2 and ageing on the lees, this is rare Aspro Potamisi from vines up to 200 years old on the island of Tinos. Golden colour with fresh almond and guava on the nose. Fat and fresh, this is distinctive, gastronomic and delicious, with a tannic grip. Produced on Tinos by Frenchman Jérôme Binda. 14.2%

KARAMOLEGOS 34 ASSYRTIKO SANTORINI 2017 From 2019

To 2029

94 RRP £29

Extremely old-vine Assyrtiko is matured on the lees for nine months, and 10% of the blend is matured in third-use oak. Pale lemon colour, with a tight nose reflecting a unique terroir. Mineral, salty and smoky around a core of stone fruit. Structured and powerful, with impressive definition and many layers on the palate. 14%

TROUPIS HOOF AND LUR MANTINIA 2017

91

92

93

TSELEPOS CANAVA CHRISSOU LAOUDIA SINGLE VINEYARD SANTORINI 2016

TETRAMYTHOS NATURE ORANGE RODITIS 2017

From 2019 To 2026 RRP €31.90

From 2020 To 2026

A new interpretation of Moschofilero that is partly fermented with the skins from the up-and-coming Troupis winery. On the nose, floral and intense, with citrus fruit, white pepper and powdered sugar. On the palate, stylish and lean but with enough flesh to give grip and body. 11.8%

Distinctive and earthy Santorini, with intense minerality along a core of citrus fruit. Salty and very fresh, this has focus and personality in a long-lasting finish. New single-vineyard effort and interpretation of a singular terroir by Tselepos: fermented and matured exclusively in amphorae. 14%

Naked Wines

tselepos.gr

The single-vineyard bottling comes from unirrigated old bush-vines at 850m, producing yields of just 12.5hl/ha. Kept 21 days on the skins, followed by six months in neutral oak. Amber colour. On the nose, tangerine zest, candied apricot and apple, together with white pepper.

Medium bodied, with a creamy character and firm tannins that are not aggressive but add power and excitement. Peppery and herbal finish. 12%

From 2019

To 2023

RRP £19

Wine & Greene

Maltby & Greek

RRP £29

tetramythoswines.com

91

OENOPS VIDIANO 2017

From 2019

To 2021

RRP €15

From the mountainous vineyards of Iraklion in Crete, this is spontaneously fermented in inox, amphora and oak, and matured on the lees for six months in amphorae. Forward and elegant with apricot, jasmine and herbal notes possessing the rare combination of grace and power. Palate is gorgeous with a mineral touch. 13% oenopswines.gr

GEROVASSILIOU MALAGOUSIA 2017

91

SCLAVOS VINO DI SASSO ROBOLA 2017

From 2018 To 2022 RRP £15.46

From 2019

Grapey and floral on the nose, with a hint of spice from partly new oak maturation. Creamy, layered and zesty on the palate, with flesh and a long finish.

A benchmark expression of the variety from Evangelos Gerovassiliou, unanimously considered the father of Malagousia. 13.5% GP Brands, Novel Wines, Uncorked, Fintry Wines

To 2025

92 RRP £22

PAPAGIANNAKOS SINGLE VINEYARD SAVATIANO VIENTZI 2016

91

MIKRA THIRA TERRASEA SANTORINI 2018

92

From 2019 To 2024 RRP €7.30

From 2020 To 2028 RRP €59.50

Natural-in-approach Robola from Greece’s most natural winemaker Vladis Sclavos, offering the essence of the variety. Fat and fresh, stone-fruit aromas without sacrificing elegance. Bold and punchy. Plenty of fruit but also lots of waxy texture on the palate.

Structured and pure. 12.5%

Intense and ripe, with greenalmond notes. Vivacious on the palate, with fresh acid, herbal nuances and depth of fruit. This will reveal more complexity over the next couple of years but is already delicious. A punch in the stomach for those who thought that Savatiano is only for Retsina. 12.7%

facebook.com/sclavoswines

papagiannakos.gr

Mikra Thira is a new joint venture of GerovassiliouTsaktsarlis with winemaker Ioanna Vamvakouri based on Thirassia. Bright pale straw colour, with cool mineral and stone aromas alongside a core of ripe candied fruit.

Powerful on the palate, with intense salty character and lemony acidity. This is just an adolescent now, with the potential to develop beautifully in the bottle. 14% facebook.com/mikrathira

C LU B O E N O LO G I Q U E

93

[ COLLECTION ]

TASTING NOTES

Aged Napa and California I NT R O D U C T I O N A DA M L E C H M E R E R E CO M M E N DAT I O N S A L I S TA I R V I N E R , R O M A I N B O U R G E R , DAV E A L L E N A N D A DA M L E C H M E R E

O L D V I N T A G E S F R O M A M E R I C A’ S G R E A T E S T W I N E R E G I O N C A N B E E L U S I V E , B U T S E E K T H E M O U T, A N D Y O U ’ L L F I N D W I N E S T H A T R E M A I N F R E S H A N D E L E G A N T F O R D E C A D E S

A few years ago, I took a 40-year-old bottle of Spring Mountain Vineyard Cabernet to a restaurant in the charming, wealthy little town of St Helena, in the middle of the Napa Valley. The wine was the celebrity of the evening. I offered a glass to the sommelier, and our neighbouring tables got wind of it, then the cooks. Soon there were people coming from far corners of the dining room to beg a taste of the fine old wine.

California, and especially Napa, is famed for many things, but it’s rare to taste older bottles – and even more so from the smaller properties, which in the early days were far too preoccupied with selling the stuff to lay down decent libraries. Even today, winemakers frequently complain that they can’t persuade their owners to save enough cases of each vintage.

If old bottles are rare in their home state, they’re even rarer abroad. But they are available if you know where to look.

Luckily, on our doorstep we have two establishments with world-renowned collections of American wine: the Vineyard hotel at Newbury, an hour to the west of London, and Hedonism in Mayfair. Romain Bourger, UK Young Sommelier of the Year in 2016 and the Vineyard’s head sommelier, offered his premises and some wonderful bottles; Alistair Viner of Hedonism pulled out some fine dusty specimens; and Dave Allen, director of specialist California importer the Vineyard Cellars, completed the panel.

And what a tasting it was – unpredictable and fascinating. We tasted non-blind, but the fact that there were four of us made it perfectly objective. It was pleasing that the Peter Michael Les Pavots was one of the very best wines on the table. (Sir Peter is the owner of the Vineyard, and his property and his property in Sonoma’s Knights Valley is one of the most beautiful in the county.) Equally pleasing was the

excellence of two of my favourite wineries in Napa: Corison and Heitz. There were surprises. I’ve always thought Staglin a bit overextracted, made more for the domestic market than the European, but the 1994 was a triumph – elegant but with the weight and acidity to guarantee a long life ahead.

Expectations were fulfilled: Shafer’s Hillside Select showed how Napa pioneers such as John Shafer knew exactly what they were doing: the ’88 is rich and restrained still, a masterful combination of winemaking and commercial savvy.

There were common stylistic features to the best wines. The finest – like Les Pavots or Corison – had that wonderful combination of freshness and exotic fragrance that is the hallmark of great Napa. The essential quality in all great winemaking, anywhere in the world, is restraint. It was noticeable that we mentioned oak only once during the tasting. If there was overextraction, it showed in stewed fruit, Porty flavours and a drying end – but again, that afflicted only a couple of wines.

The original impetus for the tasting was to look at older California vintages. In the event, all the wines except two came from Napa, for the simple reason that outside of Napa only a handful of wineries were producing quality wines in the sort of quantity that would guarantee their presence on a European wine list after two decades.

All the wines here are readily available; they give a snapshot of a style of winemaking that has been rare in this part of California.

For almost a generation, freshness has not been a word that could be readily used in connection with Napa, but tastings like this prove that, in the right hands, this lush, sun-baked terroir produces wines that are capable of retaining their brightness and vigour for decades.

C LU B O E N O LO G I Q U E

95

Aged Napa and California

96

95

95

STAGLIN FAMILY VINEYARD, CABERNET SAUVIGNON, RUTHERFORD, NAPA VALLEY 1994

PETER MICHAEL WINERY, LES PAVOTS, KNIGHTS VALLEY, SONOMA COUNTY 1997

From 2019

From 2019

To 2034 RRP £128

From 2019 To 2035 RRP £220

From 2019

Classic old-fashioned Napa, remarkably youthful for its age, with mineral intensity on the nose, a welcome hint of hay and really fine, sweet briar fruit.

The palate is juicy and still fresh, with excellent balance of acidity and tannins, long and luscious, with no hint of overextraction. An accomplished wine: buy a case and open a bottle a year to see how it evolves. 13.7%

One of the finest wines of the day. Disclaimer: it’s owned by our host Sir Peter Michael. This Bordeaux blend has a fresh hay nose, with hints of redcurrant and rocky minerality. Superb fresh and delicate dark fruit, hedgerow and graphite.

The fine-grained tannic finish is persistent and delicate until the wash of juice at the end. It just gets better and better. 14.5%

Hedonism

The Vineyard Cellars

Joe Heitz was making wine before Robert Mondavi and a full 20 years John Shafer and Warren Winiarski. This wine wears its aristocratic pedigree lightly – from its dense, modern, fresh nose full of graphite and tar, dried flowers and fresh red cherry, to its nicely balanced, midweight palate. No need even to discuss the oak, which is a sign of utterly confident winemaking. A harmonious, very American wine, power and finesse personified. 14%

To 2030 RRP £192

Cathy Corison is one of the éminences grises of Napa, her wines a hymn to elegance and restraint. This 30-yearold glows in the glass.

There’s a dense, savoury tobacco-and-herb nose, perfumed and feminine. The palate is rich and youthful with lots of bright fruit – dark cherry and sweet dark damson, developing notes of cassis, light earth and violet petals. A delicious, masterful wine with many years ahead. 13.5% Hedonism

HEITZ CELLAR CABERNET SAUVIGNON, NAPA VALLEY 1994

LOKOYA, CABERNET SAUVIGNON, DIAMOND MOUNTAIN, NAPA VALLEY 1999

PHILIP TOGNI VINEYARD, CABERNET SAUVIGNON, NAPA VALLEY 1988

From 2019

From 2019

To 2030 RRP £220

Owned by Jackson Family Wines and made by Chris Carpenter, Lokoya is a Parker favourite and none the worse for that. At 20 years old, it’s assured and youthful, a beautiful deep garnet in colour. Very fine nose, with briar and blackberry, an intense fresh, bright palate with fine acidity, and deep red fruit bolstered by a juicy tannic rush throughout.

Mouthwatering: it’s not the finest Lokoya, but the bar is pretty high. 13.5% The Vineyard Cellars

93

To 2025 RRP £410

An amazing youthful nose of snapped briar and blackcurrant, and a rich, savoury palate that is well balanced, youthful, juicy and not overextracted. This is exactly what you expect from Napa: it’s dense and serious but exotic and full of life. It wears its age perfectly.

The Vineyard Cellars No ABV stated

RAYMOND PRIVATE RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON, NAPA VALLEY 1982 From 2019

92

To 2022 RRP £228

One of the oldest wines in the tasting, this still has a fine bright hue in the glass and an intense, perfumed nose. There’s cassis there but also button mushrooms, and the palate is ripe and juicy, with a creamy weight to it. A very fine wine, though it’s certainly now moving into the (albeit venerable) twilight of its life.

A canny sommelier would be thinking about selling any remaining cases. 13.4% Hedonism

91

SHAFER, HILLSIDE SELECT, CABERNET SAUVIGNON, STAGS LEAP DISTRICT, NAPA VALLEY 1988 From 2019

To 2028 RRP £248

This is what you might call a great expression of old-fashioned new-wave California. Under John Shafer and his son Doug, the excellent Hillside Select has changed little in style over the years. The nose on the ’88 is creamy and opulent, with notes of sweet tobacco and fig; it’s definitely aged – there are hints of river mud in the aroma – but its acidity is sprightly yet. Napa purists sometimes criticise its sweetness, but this is a world-class wine. 13.5% Hedonism

C LU B O E N O LO G I Q U E

To 2025 RRP £108

Hedonism

93

96

93

CORISON CABERNET SAUVIGNON TABLE WINE, NAPA VALLEY 1989

[ COLLECTION ]

LONG MEADOW RANCH, CABERNET SAUVIGNON, NAPA VALLEY 1996 From 2019

90

To 2028 RRP £120

BACIO DIVINO, NAPA VALLEY 1995

From 2019

90

To 2025 RRP £105

Strong aromas of what they call ‘old armoire’, a lavenderperfumed oak wardrobe in a fine old baronial room. It’s evolved, though still with a hint of hay and mocha, the palate rich and modest, taking a while to open up after sleeping for two decades. There are figs, raisins and even a note of old Pedro Ximénez or kirsch, a lovely flavour developing in the glass. Pleasing; fresh and juicy at the end. 13.5%

An interesting blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Petite Sirah.

Really dense molasses nose, some briar, some medicine. The palate is elegant, velvety and well balanced, with ripe red cherry, cranberry, and bright acidity. It’s not a hugely distinguished wine, but it’s lively for its age, juicy and fresh, and any bottles will continue to give pleasure for a good few years yet. 13.5%

The Vineyard Cellars

The Vineyard Cellars

INGLENOOK RESERVE CASK, CABERNET SAUVIGNON, NAPA VALLEY 1991

88

88

90

89

ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY, CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE, NAPA VALLEY 1992

DUNN VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON, HOWELL MOUNTAIN, NAPA VALLEY 1987

ARIETTA, HUDSON VINEYARD, NAPA VALLEY 1996

From 2019

From 2019

From 2019

To 2030 RRP £164

To 2028 RRP £270

Intense secondary flavours on the nose, bright and dense. The palate is juicy, with aromas of dark cherry, leather and cedarwood.

There’s some green here, and the fruit has a leanness that will only become more pronounced as the years pass. It opens nicely in the glass, though, and is light and spicy, clearly a mountain wine. There’s nothing to disagree with here: it’s a well-made, straightforward confident wine. 13%

Any red other than Cabernet Sauvignon is slightly unusual in the near-monoculture of Napa. This Cabernet Franc/ Merlot blend from Oakville has bright red cherry fruit on the nose; the palate is powerful (you do feel the alcohol) and evolved, with lots of bright fruit going gamey now. It’s a good, big, hearty wine – not elegant, but you can imagine it holding its own against venison or boar. The heat of the alcohol reduces its interest. 14.1%

Hedonism

The Vineyard Cellars

The Vineyard Cellars

87

84

ROBERT MUELLER, EMILY’S CUVÉE, PINOT NOIR, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY, SONOMA 1997

BEAULIEU VINEYARD GEORGES DE LATOUR PRIVATE RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON, NAPA VALLEY 1985

From 2019 To 2025 RRP £92.70

From 2019

From 2019

From 2019

Inglenook is one of the great 19th-century Napa properties. The wine has been improving over the past few years and is very well made if not exciting or groundbreaking. This bottle has hay and spiced plum on the nose. The palate has sweet liquorice and slightly stewed fruit, a little bit gamey, the earthy notes musty rather than fresh. It’s not going to get any sweeter, indeed the length is slightly bitter. 13%

The only pure Merlot in the tasting, this has a really fine grassy, peppery nose and a very elegant palate, with light plum, juicy, ripe wild strawberry, savoury and slightly briny – a hint of black olive. It’s a ripe and evolved palate with notes of mocha and dark chocolate, mouth-filling with good juice throughout and spicy exotic tannins. The finish is tart with a hint of white pepper. A fine wine now but definitely nearing its end. 14.5%

Classic elegant rot on the nose. It’s not disagreeable: there is fruit there and perfumed old wood – a bit gamey. Evolved; damson and balsamic strawberry, some stewed fruit, light acidity on the palate with warm alcohol. Dry at the end; fine dryness but without that squeeze of juice to mitigate. Interesting to taste but not a wine you’d want to keep more than a year. Enjoy it as a curiosity – it won’t be viable for long. 14.2%

Hedonism

The Vineyard Cellars

The Vineyard Cellars

RRP £110

To 2025 RRP £110

Robert Mondavi, the ‘father of Napa’, is honoured as the first post-Prohibition winemaker determined to put American wines on the world stage. Tar and rose leaves on the nose here; exotic spice.

Medium-bodied; cassis and minerality, with some cedar.

Dry at first, but there’s great tannin structure with fine washed acidity promising many years ahead. A slightly thin finish perhaps, but an elegant, classy wine. 13.5%

HARRISON MILLENNIUM MERLOT, NAPA VALLEY 1997 To 2021

93

To 2020 RRP £100

To 2020 RRP £190

The remains of a charming youth hover around this wine. The nose has stewed fruit and black truffle, with a bit of undisturbed forest floor. There’s cedar and leather, but it’s all a bit cooked. Kirsch and liquorice add interest, but they are no match against a palate becoming Porty with age. The finish is short and drying. Another curiosity, of academic interest only. 12-13% The Vineyard Cellars

C LU B O E N O LO G I Q U E

97

TASTING NOTES

Uncharted terroir

The world’s most exciting new fine wine regions

[ COLLECTION ]

F I N E W I N E U S E D T O C O M E F R O M A H A N D F U L O F O L D -W O R L D R E G I O N S, B U T T H I N G S H AV E C H A N G E D , A S T H E R E C E N T I W S C TA S T I N G S S H O W

I NT R O D U C T I O N RICHARD HEMMING MW

TH E W I N E S W E R E J U D G E D 9–1 0 A P R I L I N LO N D O N BY I WS C PA N E L C H A I R S A N N E J O N E S , R I C H A R D H E M M I N G M W, E R I C Z W I E B E L M W, A N A S A P U N G I U M W, I G O R S OTR I C , D O M I N I Q U E V R I G N E AU, I S A BA L M W, C H R I S TO P H E R H O R R I D G E , P E TE R N I X S O N , R E B E CC A PA L M E R , G R E G S H E R WO O D M W, A N D M E M B E R S O F TH E I WS C W I N E J U D G I N G CO M M I T TE E J O H N H OS K I N S M W A N D DAW N DAV I E S M W. TH E I WS C A N D C LU B O E N O LO G I Q U E A R E PA R T O F TH E CO N V E R S I O N G R O U P

‘Fine wine’ – like haute cuisine or modern art – is hard to define. Conventionally, fine wine refers to regions with long-established reputations for excellence, with Burgundy and Bordeaux at the forefront. But as the world of wine evolves, more and more regions are demonstrating their ability to challenge this definition.

These emerging regions are incredibly diverse. Some have been cultivating vines for centuries; others, for barely a decade. Some grow globetrotting grapes such as Chardonnay and Shiraz, while others celebrate indigenous locals such as Rkatsiteli and Koshu. But what unites them is their ambition to make wine that bears comparison with the finest wines from around the world.

Recent results from the IWSC show how wines from England, Canada, Croatia, Georgia, China and Japan can all win gold medals, earning them a place alongside the world’s greatest.

English sparkling wine has firmly established itself as an equal to Champagne.

Not long ago, England was notorious for producing acidic wines from hybrid varieties that were more notable for their ability to ripen in a cold climate than for the attractiveness of their flavours. But as the climate has warmed and expertise has improved, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have become the first choice of growers, with pioneers such as Nyetimber becoming internationally renowned.

Nowadays, there are dozens of brands doing just as well. IWSC gold medals went to the 2014 Rosé Bella from Bride Valley, the Dorset estate established by the wine writer Steven Spurrier; a latedisgorged 2009 Chardonnay from Coates & Seely in Hampshire; and a great-value Non-Vintage blend from England’s largest producer Denbies.

Equally exciting are the non-sparkling reds and whites that are being produced.

The medals won by Gusbourne’s Pinot Noir and Woodchester Valley’s Sauvignon Blanc prove that England can produce varietal wines that are able to stand alongside their rivals in New Zealand or France.

For years, Canada’s main calling card was icewine, the ultra-sweet dessert wine made from frozen grapes. Today, it produces wine of every conceivable style: in Ontario, Domaine Queylus, Réserve du Domaine Cabernet Franc is the perfect example of

a modern ripe, complex red that outranks many a St-Emilion.

On the opposite coast, in British Columbia, another Bordeaux-inspired red also won IWSC gold: Merriym 2016 from NK’Mip, the unusual name testifying to its ownership by the indigenous Osoyoos tribe of native Americans. Then Micro Cuvée Chardonnay from Meyer Family Vineyards and Mission Hill’s Reserve Shiraz show how Canada challenges Burgundy and the Rhône: by blending in 9% of white variety Viognier, the Shiraz pays specific homage to the great reds of Côte-Rôtie.

Georgia is one of the oldest winemaking regions in the world, and its historic techniques are making a comeback. In the last century, Soviet control meant that the country’s winemaking capacity was focused on cheap high-volume plonk to sell into Russia. Today, Georgia’s vineyard area is significantly smaller than it was back then, but the quality being achieved is very exciting – especially with white wines made from the local Rkatsiteli variety, which are traditionally fermented in buried earthenware vessels called kvevri (or qvevri), a method recognised by UNESCO as having ‘intangible heritage’. Teliani Valley’s Glekhuri 2017 is a prime, medalwinning example.

Another country championing its own unique variety is Japan. Koshu makes a subtle but fragrant white wine, sometimes with a faint pink tinge, providing the perfect accompaniment to delicate Japanese cuisine such as sashimi – as Grande Polaire 2017 demonstrates. In China, however, heavyweight reds are generally more popular, with Cabernet Sauvignon the undisputed king of the ring. The 2014 from Helanshan Manor won IWSC gold thanks to its powerful, authentic expression of that variety. External investment from the likes of Bordeaux royalty Château Lafite and luxury conglomerate LVMH demonstrates how serious the wine world is about China’s fine wine prospects.

These wines can be hard to track down (except for the English wines none is available in the UK at the moment) but they are a snapshot of excellence. Whether it’s Lebanese Obeidi, Japanese Koshu or Chinese Cabernet Sauvignon, our perception of fine wine is being redefined – and the adventurous drinker has a whole new world to discover.

C LU B O E N O LO G I Q U E

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United Kingdom

Fine wines from emerging countries

SPARKLING COATES & SEELY, BLANC DE BLANCS LA PERFIDE 2009 SOUTH ENGLAND

DENBIES, GREENFIELDS NV SOUTH-EAST ENGLAND

95

HARROW AND HOPE, BRUT RESERVE NV

95

RIDGEVIEW WINE ESTATE, BLOOMSBURY NV SOUTH-EAST

90

RRP £70

RRP £31.99

RRP £28

RRP £30

A clean, silvery stream of bubbles flows through the pale yellow wine. Rich and a tad decadent: roast lemons, plum skin, cashew, toast.

The palate is quite broad, with plenty of citrus acidity, and it drives beautifully over the tongue. Mineral and very long finish. 12%

Pale gleaming silvery lemon, with a fast continuous stream of bubbles. Lovely bakery and patisserie aromas, elderflower, and crunchy apple. Wonderful flow across the tongue, zesty, creamy and very textural; richly fruited and very long. 12.5%

Fine stream of silvery bubbles, rich froth in the mouth. The nose has lovely fruit characters, green papaya and grapefruit, with rich biscuity autolytic notes. The palate is dry and vigorous. Brisk acidic frame, with good weight and character. 12%

Lea & Sandeman

The Champagne Company, Waitrose Cellar

Bright light gold colour, with gleaming flashes.

Good froth and a fast fine line of bubbles. Brioche and raspberry biscuit aromas, elderflower cordial and a hint of kirsch. The palate is quite exquisite, showing creamy elegance and textural complexity, and has a long structured mineral finish. 12%

Vinvm, Waitrose & Partners

Laithwaites

WHITE BRIDE VALLEY VINEYARD, ROSÉ BELLA 2014 SOUTH-WEST

100–95 POINTS

94–90 POINTS

C LU B O E N O LO G I Q U E

95

RRP £34.95

Salmon pink; sophisticated, with smoky and raspberry notes. Classy and complex, with a nutty, smoky, creamy character. Lovely autolysis and a palate that excites throughout. Elegant, regal, classic wine – stylish, with a good future. 11.5% Rude Wines

100

96

RED

WOODCHESTER VALLEY, SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 GLOUCESTERSHIRE

96

RRP £14.99

Watery pale lemon/ green youthful colour.

Fantastic typicity on the nose: hedgerow, mown grass, capsicum, bay leaf, pink gooseberries and whitecurrants. The palate has a mineral, flinty gunsmoke wisp that follows through the amazing layers and concentration of fruits to a long, ripe finish.

Lovely winemaking. 12% woodchestervalleyvineyard. co.uk

CHAPEL DOWN, KIT'S COTY CHARDONNAY 2016 SOUTH-EAST

91 RRP £30

Watery pale lemon/green youthful colour. Flinty, smoky and sapid notes; hard apples, grapefruit, sesame seed. The palate is packed with yellow stone fruits. Creamy mid-palate, with balancing acidity, and the finish is pithy and long.

Very characterful. 12.5% chapeldown.com

GUSBOURNE ESTATE, PINOT NOIR 2016 SOUTH-EAST

91

RRP £32

Purple hue. A struck-match aroma is followed by lemon curd, toast and custard notes.

The new oak is dominant now.

Fresh finish. This needs a bit more time perhaps. 12% gusbourne.com

Canada

[ COLLECTION ]

WHITE

SPARKLING

91

96

93

91

FITZPATRICK FAMILY VINEYARDS, BLANC DE BLANCS 2014 BRITISH COLUMBIA 2014

MEYER FAMILY VINEYARDS, MICRO CUVÉE CHARDONNAY 2016 BRITISH COLUMBIA

ANDREW PELLER ESTATES, THIRTY BENCH SMALL LOT RIESLING, WOOD POST VINEYARD 2016 ONTARIO

INNISKILLIN OKANAGAN VINEYARDS, DISCOVERY SERIES CHENIN BLANC 2017 BRITISH COLUMBIA

Pale soft gold colour, with green-gold flashes.

Good stream of bubbles and sustained froth in the glass. Lemon and apple aromas, with flowers, cream, nuts and a whiff of honey.

Delicious in the mouth: crisp, generous fruit; nice tight acidity. The mid-palate has a yeasty creamy note.

Long lemony finish. 12% N/A in UK fitzwine.com

Pale green-gold colour.

Lemon blossom, Bramley apple, chalk, butter and citrus drizzle. Very lively palate: layers of fruits and complex textures, with a beautiful citric tang. The wine takes hold of your taste buds and never seems to release. Very classical in style. 13.5% N/A in UK mfvwines.com

Pale straw yellow with greenish highlights.

Delicate precise aromas: red apples, meadowsweet, lime citrus and hard white peaches. The palate has generous apple and pear characters, drenched with lime juice and quince jam.

A tight core of acidity shot with mineral notes keeps the palate racing along.

Intricate long finish. 10.8% N/A in UK andrewpeller.com

Watery pale lemon-green colour. Lifted bright aromas: crushed floury apples, pears and wet slate, with a lemony tang. Broad rich palate; the flavours are intense and mouth-filling. Lovely fruitiness, with a steely core of acidity. Some sweetness enters the fray and brings balance, but the finish is dry, mineral and long. 13% N/A in UK inniskillin.com/Okanagan

RED

96

100–95 POINTS

MISSION HILL FAMILY ESTATE, RESERVE SHIRAZ 2016 BRITISH COLUMBIA

NK'MIP CELLARS, RED MERRIYM 2016 BRITISH COLUMBIA 2016

Very concentrated start with aromas of black fruits and peppercorns with a hint of smoke. Great structure with fruit, spices and oak balancing each other. The alcohol is well managed too.

Balanced and harmonious throughout with an opulent bright fruit profile and gentle but long finish. 14.8% N/A in UK missionhillwinery.com

94–90 POINTS

95

Inky red core shading to a crimson rim. Lovely nose: wafts of blue flowers, plus some fennel and thyme hints, but leading the charge are armfuls of glorious juicy black and blue berry fruits. Tannins give a good chewiness to the wine, and mid-palate it comes together in a harmonious sleek flow. Perfectly balanced, elegant and lingering on the finish. 14.5%

92

90

DOMAINE QUEYLUS, CABERNET FRANC, RÉSERVE DU DOMAINE 2016 ONTARIO

HIDDEN BENCH VINEYARDS, HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2017 ONTARIO 2017

Herbs, peony, vanilla and sweet spices combine with juicy black cherries and cassis. Mouth-filling fruit weight, fine svelte tannins and fresh acidity combine beautifully and lead to a strong, long enduring finish. 13.5%

Crimson red colour. Forward bright juicy nose, spiced plum, black raspberry and kirsch. Lovely balance of delicious fruits, fresh acidity and fine, firm tannins.

Long textural finish. A few more years will show some interesting evolution. 13%

N/A in UK queylus.shop

N/A in UK hiddenbench.com

N/A in UK nkmipcellars.com/ Our-Wines C LU B O E N O LO G I Q U E

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Eastern Europe

Fine wines from emerging countries

RED

WHITE

95

93

PILATO, MALVAZIJA SUR LIE 2015 PRIMORSKA HRVATSKA, CROATIA

JSC TELIANI VALLEY, GLEKHURI, RKATSITELI QVEVRI 2017 KAKHETI, GEORGIA

VINARIA PURCARI, ALB DE PURCARI 2017 NISTREANA, MOLDOVA

Bright colour, with green tints. Beautiful fresh nose, with citrus fruit and tangerine characters. This is evolving and opening in the glass all the time. There is lovely minerality and beautiful texture carrying the big but elegant palate to a grand finale. 14%

Fleshy summer stone and tropical fruits. Hints of pineapple and guava.

Flavours on the nose give walnut, honey and fantastic fruit concentration. Full and fresh, with a good medium to long finish. 13%

93

96

USADBA DIVNOMORSKOYE, CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 BLACK SEA COAST, RUSSIA

Expressive nose, with plenty of citrus fruit, including lime blossom and pink grapefruit zest. The palate is mineral, zesty and refreshing. It ends on a long, dry finish. 13.3% N/A in UK purcari.wine/en

N/A in UK telianivalley.com

N/A in UK Croatian Fine Wines croatianfinewines.com

Classic notes of eucalyptus, vanilla, saddle leather and cigar box. Complex and intriguing on both nose and palate, with big flavours of fruit. Savoury notes and sweet oak are balanced by well-integrated alcohol and acidity. This has a great ageing potential. 14.5% N/A in UK usadbadivnomorskoe. ru/wine

SWEET DAVINO, FLAMBOYANT 2015 DEALU MARE, ROMANIA

100–95 POINTS

92

BADAGONI, KAKHETIAN NOBLE 2013 KAKHETI, GEORGIA

91

Expressive red- and darkfruit aromas, supported by eucalyptus and oak spices on the nose and palate.

This shows maturity and a great fruit concentration, with a good structure that supports a big wine with a long finish. 14.5%

Inky deep red colour, with a small brick rim. Hot earth/ road smells, plus masses of black berry fruit and acidity, with complexing secondary notes: olive, liquorice, dried plum. Earthy tannins. Still plenty of evolution to come. 13.5%

N/A in UK davino.ro

N/A in UK badagoni.com

90

KORTA KATARINA, REUBEN’S PRIVATE RESERVE 2011 PRIMORSKA HRVATSKA, CROATIA

CHÂTEAU VARTELY SRL, ICE WINE RIESLING 2017 MOLDOVA

Dark ruby red, with hints of evolution. This smells like a serious wine, with ripe, rich soft red fruits and a chocolate note. Nice use of oak, well integrated with the fruit, showing some maturity and complexity. 15% N/A in UK kortakatarina.com/ winery/wines

Pronounced wine, with rich aromas and a suggestion of concentrated sweetness on the nose, with stone fruits, honey and marzipan. The palate is very expressive, with plenty of sweet flavours including fresh honey, caramel and sweet toasted almonds. Rich and fresh, with a long balanced finish. 9.2% N/A in UK vartely.md/en

94–90 POINTS

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97

Mediterranean & Asia

[ COLLECTION ]

WHITE DOMAINE WARDY, OBEIDI 2016 BEKAA VALLEY, LEBANON

95

KAMANTERENA WINERY, XYNISTERI 2018 LIMASSOL, CYPRUS

An exciting nose of greengages, quince and dried fruit is followed by a nutty start on the palate, well balanced by a crisp and creamy mouthcoating texture. Long, lingering finish. It is already developing and has a great potential to age and build up further complexity. 13%

91

GRANDE POLAIRE, DRY KOSHU 2017 YAMANASHI, JAPAN 2017

Watery pale lemon colour, then aromas of red apple, lime, melon and nectarine.

Tangy palate, with lovely textured, fruity, spicy, mineral palate. Zingy and refreshingly crisp, with a medium-long finish. 11.7% N/A in UK sodap.com

96

93

SAINTE NEIGE, VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2017 YAMANASHI, JAPAN

Lovely summer flower scents of jasmine and hawthorn, then pomelo and guava fruits, with quince jam. The sweetness is cut with rapier acidity, giving vibrancy, balance and freshness.

A long echoing finish completes the wine. 12%

Pale yellow colour. Spiced apple pie on the nose, with yellow flowers and vanilla. The palate is subtle, very well structured and textural, with everything in harmony. 13.5% N/A in UK asahibeer.co.jp

N/A in UK sapporobeer.com

N/A in UK domainewardy.com

RED

95

100–95 POINTS

94–90 POINTS

DOMAINE PORTO CARRAS, CHÂTEAU PORTO CARRAS 2010 MACEDONIA, GREECE

KAVAKLIDERE, EGEO MALBEC 2017 AEGEAN, TURKEY

Garnet red shading to brick.

Complex aromas: roasting herb, bay leaf, garrigue and cedar, with lashings of cherry, redcurrant and kirsch fruit. A lesson in integration here, the wine is perfectly balanced with fruit. Acidity, tannins and lovely development in a harmonious whole. Superb extended finish. 13.5% N/A in UK portocarraswines.com

95

95

NINGXIA HELANSHAN, MANOR CABERNET SAUVIGNON, DRY RED WINE 2014 NINGXIA, CHINA

JADE VINEYARD, HYACINTH DRY RED WINE 2017 NINGXIA, CHINA

Deep red colour purple flashes. Mulberry, plum, toasty oak and herbal tea, with a note of dried flowers.

Beautiful palate: silky smooth, muscular flow, all precisely put together and wonderfully balanced. The persistence on the finish is a delight. A very approachable yet very serious wine. 14%

Autumnal nose: ripe wild bramble and dark stone fruit, woodsmoke, mint and truffle. The gorgeous generous weight of fruit in the mouth is compounded by strong toasty tannins that integrate beautifully.

Smooth flow across the palate, which carries well to the very long finish. 14%

N/A in UK kavaklidere.com

N/A in UK Ningxia Helanshan Manor Wine Co

95

Dense saturated red colour.

Rich, fruity cassis aroma, spiced plum, mocha and hot griddle pan. Well-handled background oak. Lovely fullness in the mouth: soft, fleshy black fruits, with silky oak tannins and acidity all in harmony. Smooth, svelte, elegant and refined. This is showing great promise; excellent winemaking. 14.5% N/A in UK jadevineyard.com

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TASTING NOTES

Rare and independent whisky bottlings

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[ COLLECTION ]

B U I L D I N G A S U P E R B W H I S K Y C O L L E CT I O N D E P E N D S O N S E E K I N G O U T T H E R A R E ST B OT T L I N G S

I NT R O D U C T I O N CO L I N H A M P D E N -W H IT E R E CO M M E N DAT I O N S CO L I N H A M P D E N -W H IT E A N D C H A R L I E M AC L E A N

For every experience in life, there is a whisky to accompany it. Whether it’s a dram on your porridge or a glass by a fireside late at night, the joy of a good whisky collection is having a choice of a range of bottles to match your mood and the moment.

The tricky part is building the collection.

Many whiskies are very rare; some are sold on allocation before they reach the open market. Single-cask bottlings from independent bottlers – which we’ve tasted for this article – come in such tiny quantities that they sell out very quickly.

These whiskies have been created by bottlers who have bought choice casks over the years. Sometimes they themselves have matured them, having bought the spirit directly from a distillery. Although many can no longer be found in retail, you can search them out on the secondary market – either through online forums and auctions, where the best prices will be found, or through specialist shops.

At the time of tasting, some of the whiskies listed here could be found online.

I recommend snapping them up without delay. However, I suspect they will have already been sold and will need to be pursued on the secondary market. Two of the most respected auction sites are scotchwhiskyauctions.com and whisky. auction. As with all rare and expensive whiskies, you should beware of fakes; reputable auctioneers are adept at weeding out suspect bottles.

Speyside is the region with the greatest number of distilleries and is prominently featured in our collection, although there is something for all palates. We have ex-bourbon cask-matured whisky from Glenlivet and Benriach for those who like sweeter vanilla and fudge flavours. For

those who favour big Sherry bombs, there is a Glen Grant 30-year-old expression.

Moving away from Speyside, we taste two fabulous Bunnahabhain expressions, of which the 1997 is unpeated and the venerable 50-year-old 1968 is a rare peated ex-Sherry cask. This last was our pick of the bunch.

Ex-Sherry-cask whiskies are good to collect. They are very popular, though, and only 8–9% of casks are ex-Sherry, making them rarer than ex-bourbon. Aged ex-Sherry casks are rarer still, since they will be old casks rather than the seasoned casks produced in Jerez today purely for the Scotch industry.

All these examples of Scotch exhibit the characteristics of whiskies bottled at great age. We have included one Irish whiskey, which is gaining in popularity; single casks of Irish malt whiskey are becoming very collectible. Bushmills was, for some time, the only Irish distillery producing malt whisky, so single casks are hard to obtain.

Independent bottlings can offer great value for money and range of choice.

Those featured here are some of the best examples, and those not normally bottled as single malts are great expressions of their respective distilleries.

Value for money doesn’t necessarily mean they are not as collectible as distillery bottlings. Most whiskies of 30 years or more coming from a single cask would represent a good investment, as long as their quality is known to be high.

Those expressions rarely seen as distillery bottlings, such as the Auchroisk, are rare and highly collectible. Expressions from iconic distilleries such as Ardbeg will also come at a premium, because single-cask bottlings are also in short supply.

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Rare and independent whisky bottlings

GORDON & MACPHAIL, GLEN GRANT 1978, 40 YEAR OLD

THE WHISKY AGENCY, SPEYSIDE REGION, 43 YEAR OLD

GORDON & MACPHAIL, BENRIACH 1997, 20 YEAR OLD

GLEANN MÓR, AUCHROISK 1982, 37 YEAR OLD

RRP £350

£1,000

From a distillery founded in 1840 and now managed by the only Scottish distiller with an OBE, this 40-yearold Speyside was matured in US oak and has aromas of tablet, dried fruits, fig jelly and quince jelly. With a drying nose, the palate is also dry but light and sweet, with spicy notes throughout to mix with the dried fruits. 44.5%

Having been bought and sold many times over the past 50 years or so, this distillery is now in the hands of Brown-Forman.

This whisky was distilled under the watch of Pernod Ricard. It has a lot of vanilla and fudge aromas from the American oak, like ice cream. Muscovado sugar flavours join them on the palate. It has lots of depth and richness. 56.6%

Specialist stockists or secondary market

Specialist stockists or secondary market

GORDON & MACPHAIL, GLENLIVET 1978, 40 YEAR OLD

SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY, 7.212 LONGMORN 1993, 25 YEAR OLD

SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY, GLEN GRANT 1988, 30 YEAR OLD

GLEANN MÓR, TOMATIN 1983, 35 YEAR OLD

RRP £150

RRP £225

RRP £300

Longmorn distillery started production at the end of 1894 and has been owned

by Pernod Ricard for the past 49 years. On first view, it is worth noting the whisky has amazing beading, suggesting a viscous mouthfeel. The nose is dense and gives aromas of raw dough and tractionengine oil. There are heavy dried-fruit aromas and an oily sweet palate. The whisky is extremely mouth-filling and satisfying. 51.3%

Founded in 1840 by John and James Grant, illicit distillers who decided to take out a licence, this distillery is now owned by Gruppo Campari. The first striking thing about the whisky is its fabulous colour of dark amber with ruby highlights. It is mellow and well rounded, with sweet Sherry notes and dried fruits giving Christmas cake flavours with hints of spice and toffee. Lots of texture in the mouth, and it is sweet and complex. 50.5%

Founded in 1897, Tomatin was, until recently, mostly known as a whisky made for blends. Owned by the Takara Shuzo group, it now has several distillery expressions and can sometimes be found, as in this instance, as independent bottles. With confected fruit and candied citrus peel and crystalline sugar, the nose is appealing.

The palate is fruity and rich, and with a little water it is oily in texture, and savoury notes come through. 51.3%

Specialist stockists or secondary market

Specialist stockists or secondary market

£1,100

Scotch Malt Whisky Society (members only)

C LU B O E N O LO G I Q U E

£75

This whisky is from an unknown Speyside distillery, which helps the price not to be too high and is therefore a clever buy for drinking.

The perfumed nose includes rose petals. There is an abundance of fruit, mainly apple and pear skins, on the palate; tablet comes through and is joined by sandalwood, allowing this whisky to show its age without being too drying. 47.4%

From one of Scotland’s best-known distilleries and one of the first to be licensed, in 1824, this whisky has a subtle nose of caramel and potpourri.

A little oak also shows on the nose in the form of pencil-box aromas. On the palate, there are spices and sweet vanilla, with a dry tannic structure. 53.5%

106

£600

Scotch Malt Whisky Society (members only)

This whisky is from a relatively new distillery founded by Justerini & Brooks in 1972 and owned, as is J&B, by Diageo. The nose is subtle but savoury and bosky – and a little dusty, showing its age nicely.

On the palate, sweeter notes of treacle toffee and coconut emerge, plus touches of vanilla. It is a particularly good example that is rarely bottled as a single malt at this distillery. 49.5% Rare Find Whisky

Rare Find Whisky

[ COLLECTION ]

SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY, BUSHMILLS 2001, 17 YEAR OLD

GLEANN MÓR, NORTH HIGHLANDS 1985, 34 YEAR OLD

MALT MUSKETEERS, BUNNAHABHAIN 1991, 26 YEAR OLD

GLEANN MÓR, BUNNAHABHAIN 1968, 50 YEAR OLD

GORDON & MACPHAIL, CAOL ILA 1990, 28 YEAR OLD

RRP £120

RRP £300

RRP £185

RRP £2,200

The date on the label says 1608, which is when a local landowner was granted a licence to distil.

The distillery was actually built in 1784 and has been in continuous operation since 1885. This whisky has typical confected tropical fruits of pineapple mixed with vanilla fudge. On the palate, it is like fairy cakes with butter icing, with hints of lemon. Creamy in texture and sweet with notes of Parma violets. 54.7%

Labelled as a North Highland single malt, this hails from the north-east coast of Scotland. This whisky is rich and dry, dusty and dense, giving it a feel of long oak ageing. There is a whiff of smoke and a touch of caramel. The palate is oily, and the flavours and aromas are like an old desk drawer.

The palate also has earthy flavours of Chanterelle mushroom. The mouthfeel is viscous and fulfilling. 48.2%

Islay is known for its peaty whisky, but at Bunnahabhain the speciality is unpeated whisky. This is rich and full of dark toffee aromas and dark dried fruits, like a Christmas cake with caramelised edges. On the finish, there are camp fire embers and demerara sugar notes. With a little water, it is sweeter and even more complex. 50.3%

With a lovely deep colour, this is a rich whisky, with masses of dark and maraschino cherry aromas and flavours. Dark chocolate and Christmas cake flavours. There are subtle oak flavours and sandalwood, ensuring the palate tastes reassuringly old but still juicy, with prunes and dates mixed with some soft spices. The palate is balanced and lively, and the finish lasts a long time with great complexity. 42.1%

The name Caol Ila is derived from the Gaelic Caol Ìle, for Sound of Islay (literally ‘Islay Strait’), in reference to the distillery’s location overlooking the strait between Islay and Jura; it was founded in 1846. This has lots of smoke for its age, mixed with medicinal aromas of iodine, hospital bandages and carbolic soap.

The palate is sweet, fresh and lively, with a citrus and soft smoke finish. 50.7%

Scotch Malt Whisky Society (members only)

ADELPHI, ARDBEG 2004, 14 YEAR OLD

£299

Ardbeg is one of the iconic single malts of Islay, though only recently revived in the 1990s by Moët Hennessy.

Finding new single casks of Ardbeg is notoriously hard.

This whisky has plenty of salted caramel and coastal freshness, plus touches of brine and white pepper.

On the palate it is oily, with unrefined vanilla. The woody notes are those of driftwood, and there is a little honey lingering in the background.

The finish is ashy but also has sweetness. 60.7% Secondary market

Malt Musketeers

Rare Find Whisky

Rare Find Whisky

Specialist stockists or secondary market

£235

ADELPHI, MORTLACH 1993, 25 YEAR OLD

AD RATTRAY, GLEN GRANT 1988, 30 YEAR OLD

AD RATTRAY, HIGHLAND PARK 1995, 23 YEAR OLD

AD RATTRAY, MILTONDUFF 1983, 34 YEAR OLD

RRP £234.95

RRP £325

RRP £306.25

It is said Rome was built on seven hills, and Dufftown built on seven stills.

Mortlach, ‘The Beast of Dufftown’, is now one of five distilleries there. It has the boldest flavour profile, and this example doesn’t disappoint. There are plenty of fruitcake and chocolate aromas, and the texture on the palate is dense and juicy. Figs and orange marmalade make up most of the fruity notes, and the whisky finishes with burnt flavours as from a roasting tray. 56.2%

This is another Glen Grant to tickle the taste buds. It isn’t usual to taste a trio of old Glen Grants and for all of them to make the final cut, but in their different ways these whiskies all deserve their listing. This particular one, also matured in Sherry, is a little higher in alcohol.

It has lovely Christmas cake and dried fruit flavours, plus a delicacy that tempers the spice and brings in some nuttier notes. It’s not as dark as the previous 30-yearold but is no less complex and unctuous. 54.8%

At just half a mile beyond Scapa distillery, on the Isle of Orkney, Highland Park is the most northerly distillery in Scotland. This whisky has the typical soft smoky, briny character, and it also has beeswax candles on the nose and damp wood.

The palate is oily in texture and mixes smoked meats and honey. Spice comes through on the back of the palate and brings the salinity together beautifully with the sweetness. 54.3%

Royal Mile Whiskies

The Whisky Exchange

Secondary market

£210

Miltonduff is a rarely seen Speyside malt. Owned by Pernod Ricard, it is used to give the fine top notes to the delicate Balantine’s blend.

Old Miltonduff can only be found as independent bottles, and this one is a great example. Dense palate, with aromas of banana and touches of dry tobacco leaves. Flavours of shortbread and caramel mix with fruity fresh orange and marmalade flavours, which turn to orange peel and dry oak on the finish. 47.3% Master of Malt

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[ COLLECTION ]

Spotlight on…

D’OLIVEIRAS, SERCIAL 1989 GOLD OUTSTANDING IN 2018 Madeira is one of the world’s most underrated and misunderstood wines. I’m not referring to those half-empty bottles of uncertain provenance used for cooking that you find at the back of the kitchen cupboard, but to the finer versions, like this delicious 1989 Sercial.

Made on the Portuguese island of the same name, Madeira starts life as a wine, but as soon as it has fermented, grape spirit is added to the must. The (now fortified) wine is left to heat up, using either the Estufagem method, which consists of heating the wine to 50C, or the Canteiro method for the finer style, where the casks are aged gently on the top floors of the wine cellars for two years.

In the 18th century, fortified wines were shipped to the American colonies, and during the long sea crossing, the casks of Madeira would go through extreme weather as the ships passed through the tropics. Shippers discovered that the fortified wine tasted better when the casks arrived at their destination – but better still when any unsold casks returned home. The motion of the waves and the varying maritime temperatures accelerated ageing to give very deep flavours. And it also highlighted another key property of Madeira: its indestructibility.

Sercial grapes produce the lightest, driest, most intense and late-maturing Madeiras. This d’Oliveiras is a fiery, glowing deep amber, with a complex, lifted, mature bouquet. A pungent and vibrant mix of toasted nuts, seaweed and dark marmalade rises from the glass. The incredible vitality and vibrancy are immediately evident on the palate, which is tense, dry and firmly defined by high acidity harmonising with well-defined, warm, intense flavours. This is a masterful, imposing, truly stunning Madeira of exceptional vitality, definition and length.

Established in 1820, d’Oliveira is one of the greatest classic Madeira shippers. Now run by the fifth generation of the family and the direct descendants of founder João Pereira d’Oliveira.

It is also one of the few houses to hold old and very rare stock, dating back to 1850.

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DEB ORAH WASTIE

£75–80 The Good Wine Shop, L’Assemblage

Exc l u si v e to FINE +RARE and the worl d’s l eadi ng l ux ur y hotel s, bars and re st au ra n t s

fr w.co.uk

[ DESIGN ]

THE B UH US WI F E WO R DS NINA CAPLAN

S H E WA S O N E O F T H E E A R LY 2 0 T H C E N T U RY ’ S M O ST G I F T E D P H OTO G R A P H E R S AND A KEY MEMBER OF T H E B A U H A U S. S O W H Y I S L U C I A M O H O LY B A R E LY MENTIONED IN THE C E L E B R AT I O N S O F T H E M OV E M E N T ’ S C E N T E N A RY ?

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GETTY IMAGES; BR ID GEMAN IMAGES; MOMA NEW YORK; MUSE UM OF FI NE ARTS, HOUSTON , TEXAS / BRID GE MAN IMAGES; TOPFOTO; © DACS 201 9

Opposite (from top): The Bauhaus building, Dessau; Lucia Moholy in 1926; Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair.

This page (from top): View across the cour tyard of the Bauhaus building; por trait of László MoholyNagy (1925/26) by Lucia Moholy

L

ucia Moholy has one of the most famous surnames in 20th-century art and design – for someone most people have never heard of. She married László Moholy-Nagy on her 27th birthday in 1921 and moved with him from Berlin when he became a teacher at the Bauhaus School. Yet she was so much more than the great man’s wife: a talented photographer in her own right, she was a major force in the Bauhaus movement. You have almost certainly seen some of the wonderful, sharply angled photographs she took of its buildings and the beautiful objects within. What you may not have seen was her name attached to those images.

Actually, László’s ownership of his surname is problematic, too. It wasn’t his father’s. Mohol is the town where his mother moved when her husband ran off, Nagy the maternal uncle who became the boy’s guardian. László was an obscure if talented 25-year-old artist when he met Lucia in Berlin in 1920. She was already a writer, editor and photographer; she had studied philosophy, worked in a law office and had Expressionist poems

Top: Catalogue of the 1938 MoMa exhibition Bauhaus 1919–1928. Bottom – both photographs by Lucia Moholy: the Bauhaus building (1926); Alma Buscher ’s Ladder Chair for Children’s Room (1923–25)

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published under the pseudonym Ulrich Steffen.

This too was a man’s name, but at least there was no actual man to hog the limelight.

László didn’t speak good German when he met Lucia, and in a foreshadowing we might see as ominous but that would have been perfectly natural at the time, she became his editor and translator. Sixty years later, in 1982, Edith Tschichold, an old friend, wrote to Lucia: ‘It’s about time your important contribution to the history of photography has finally been shown and that, for once, it has been said that you edited all of Moholy’s books and articles, and rewrote them in proper German.’

This is more than just your run-of-the-mill story of a talented woman unfortunate enough to be married to a talented man – although her talent is multifaceted and indisputable. There is war and bad luck and prejudice and even malice. But it all revolves around the Bauhaus.

If it had survived, the Bauhaus would have turned 100 this year, and while the original school lasted just 14 years – in three different locations: Weimar, Dessau and, briefly, Berlin – the Bauhaus as an idea or an ideal has proven itself immortal. The cool, clean lines of objects and buildings, the combining of fine art and art as commerce, the marriage of beauty and utility, the architecture, the tubular chairs and elegant glass walls, painting, sculpture, metalwork and weaving, and the works of Paul Klee, Marcel Breuer and Wassily Kandinsky are all still with us.

These days, Lucia is credited for her photographs, but for a long time she did not even realise her negatives had survived the Second World War, much less become the defining images of the movement. She was involved in every one of the 14 books made at the Bauhaus; they relied on her book-binding expertise, as well as her photography skills. When she arrived, in 1923, she was the only Bauhaus resident with either. Yet she receives one editing acknowledgment, in the very last book; the rest of the credit went to Walter Gropius, the

BR ID GE MAN IMAGES; MOMA NEW YORK; N P G; TOPFOTO; GETTY I MAGES; © DACS 2019

[ DESIGN ]

Clockwise from top left – all by Lucia Moholy: Margot Asquith, Countess of Oxford and Asquith (1935); Ruth Fry (1936); Florence Henri (1927); László MoholyNagy (1926); the Metallwerkstatt (metal workshop) at Bauhaus Weimar (1923)

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[ DESIGN ]

This is more than just your run-of-the-mill story of a talented woman unfortunate enough to be married to a talented man

This page (clockwise from top left): photomontage, pencil, perspex and silver foil, by László Moholy-Nagy; Gropius and Moholy-Nagy on the circular staircase at the Chicago Bauhaus school with students; A 20 (1927 ),

by Moholy-Nagy; Bauhaus-inspired steel, chrome and canvas stacking chair (1930s), photographed by Walter Nurnberg; Marcel Breuer ’s Wassily Chair (1925)

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BRID GEMAN IMAGES; GETTY IMAGES; PRIVATE COLLE CTION / BR ID GE M AN IM AG ES © DACS 201 9

school’s founder and first director, and to her husband. She was heavily involved in the school’s magazine, too, and she edited László’s famous essays and collaborated on the 1925 book Painting, Photography, Film, for which he still receives sole credit. She worked on his photographs. His photograms – lovely fluid images, made via lightsensitive paper without a camera – were a joint invention. She helped him see, and she helped him speak, and her reward was invisibility and silence.

Why does this matter? First, let’s consider that the Bauhaus was an organisation that was extremely sophisticated about publicity and the importance of credit. This was a radical project: for people to believe in it, they had to understand it. Later, many masters and pupils, including Moholy-Nagy, artists Josef and Anni Albers, Gropius and his wife Ise, graphic artist Herbert Bayer and Irene, already his ex-wife, and the school’s last director Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, left Nazi Germany for the USA; their time at the Bauhaus got them jobs, income, and eventually glory.

Lucia, who had fled to London in 1934, also tried to get to America. In July 1940, she had a contract to teach photography at Moholy-Nagy’s New Bauhaus, renamed The School of Design, in Chicago: László, by then her ex-husband, offered her work so she could get a visa. But she could not prove that she had the expertise in photography to take the position, because she had never had either an official title or acknowledgment at the Bauhaus. The US turned her down. The failure to credit her in the 1920s became literally a matter of life and death: she was nearly killed when her London house was bombed.

But let’s go back, to happier times. The Bauhaus was clearly a wonderful place, particularly in the early days, before commercial pressures intensified and Germany’s political skyline darkened. The workshops were collaborative, with masters and pupils creating together; everything was supposed

Top: Bauhaus-Archiv Berlin,

by Walter Gropius; bottom right: Intermingling (1928),

by Wassily Kandinsky; bottom left: Circular Segment (1921),

by László Moholy-Nagy

to be appropriate for mass reproduction, although anyone who has viewed the gorgeous materials – the hammered silver and ebony – would have doubts, particularly in an era when mass production was in its infancy. But the calibre of participants was extraordinary. And the parties were, by all accounts, amazing.

Lucia and László moved with the Bauhaus to Dessau in 1925; she photographed the buildings that Walter Gropius designed to house the school and its staff. Like Ise Gropius, who was known as ‘Mrs Bauhaus’, Lucia was an unpaid, uncredited but very hard-working contributor to this exciting project.

Ise, a former journalist, dealt with all her husband’s correspondence and was very active in the incessant promotional activities intended to burnish the school’s reputation, sell its products and recruit pupils. When the Gropiuses moved to Harvard in the 1930s, Ise made their house a work of art: the closets were left open so that the many visitors could admire her clothing. With her husband and Herbert Bayer, she edited the catalogue for the 1938 MoMA (Museum of Modern Art, New York) exhibition on Gropius’s Bauhaus. To illustrate his German buildings and also the many artefacts that could not be transferred from Germany, they used several of Lucia’s photographs, both in the book and in the exhibition. Most of the Bauhäusler did very well, in career and reputation terms, from this important exhibition. The catalogue was the only major work on the Bauhaus until 1969; Lucia was not credited.

That Gropius was an exceptional architect is indisputable. His German buildings are marvels of elegant simplicity, airiness and light. The trouble is that I, like many others, have only ever seen them in photographs, and the best of those are by Lucia.

She was an advocate of the New Objectivity – Neue Sachlichkeit – an effort to portray reality shorn of sentiment. Still, her photographs, with buildings at slightly odd angles or artefacts displayed on glass to highlight their form, are very beautiful.

Mass production of Bauhaus-influenced art came

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much later: think of Marcel Breuer’s tubular chairs, now ubiquitous. But what did get reproduced – massively, immediately – were the photographs.

In the inaugural semester of summer 1919, more than half the students at the Bauhaus were women – 84, to 79 men. There will, claimed Gropius, ‘be no difference between the beautiful and the strong sex. Absolute equality but also absolutely equal obligation to the work of all craftsmen.’ Those adjectives are problematic, of course, and so is what he doesn’t say. The Weimar government, elected in 1919, had given women the right to study (as well as the vote), so Gropius could not have excluded them if he had wanted to. And in fact, they were soon funnelled into ‘appropriate’ areas of the school: weaving, ceramics. Quiet restriction of numbers began just a year later. There would only ever be one woman master – Gunta Stölzl – in the weaving workshop. By the time of the last-ditch attempt, by then-director Mies van der Rohe, to recreate the school in Berlin in 1932, there were 90 men and just 25 women.

Lucia and László had already left when Gropius quit, in 1928. They split up the next year, and by the time the Bauhaus closed for good, she was in a relationship with Theodor Neubauer, a prominent Communist. When he was arrested by the Nazis – in her apartment, in 1933 – she fled, via Prague, to London. Neubauer was freed in 1939, in part through Lucia’s efforts to get the British establishment to lobby for his release, but was re‑arrested in 1944 and executed.

In London she became a portraitist to the aristocracy – a rather different one from Cecil Beaton, whom she nonetheless admired. She was interested in texture and light: skin against scarf, the glow of hair strands, the shadow in a wrinkle.

As she had with buildings, she often captured her sitters from an angle, foregrounding unexpected elements of their face and personality. There can’t be many artists who would photograph a former prime minister’s wife in full profile, as Lucia did with Margot Asquith, and her sitter was full of praise: ‘I think your photographs quite wonderful, so do all my friends,’ she wrote. ‘They are different from the modern photography which goes in for what might be called “beauty parlours”.

Your photographs make real men and women.’

The negatives that could have made her famous and given her financial security, [Gropius] had been using uncredited for 20 years while she scrabbled to make a living

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Ever the advocate of sophisticated technologies of reproduction, Lucia set up the microfilm department for the Association of Scientific Libraries (Aslib) in 1942. This sounds a little dull until you discover that, during the war, Aslib was mostly busy microfilming German documents for codebreakers’ haven Bletchley Park. Lucia had cause to be grateful to the UK, which had taken her in and would naturalise her in 1947.

She undertook documentary projects for Unesco and helped set up national libraries in Czechoslovakia and Turkey. She published a history of photography and gave lectures on the Bauhaus, but she was often very poor. As far as she knew, her glass negatives – entrusted to Moholy-Nagy when she fled Germany – had been lost or destroyed. So hard was it for her to find material to illustrate her lectures that, at one point, she wrote to Gropius in America, asking if he could supply any. He was regretful but unable to help.

Meanwhile, her pictures were becoming famous.

They appeared in books and magazines, always unattributed. Eventually, still struggling to scrape a living, she wrote again to Gropius, wondering if he had any idea where the negatives might be. His reply – from that beautiful house in Harvard, where he was now chair of the department of architecture – is breathtaking. Not only did he claim that she had given him the negatives, back in Berlin, he also said he had promised the original negatives to Harvard’s museum ‘as soon as I do not need them any more myself… You will imagine that these photographs are extremely useful to me and that I have continuously made use of them; so I hope you will not deprive me of them. Wouldn’t it be sufficient if I sent you contact prints of the negatives? There are a great many, but I certainly understand that you want to make use of them yourself.’ But don’t worry, he reassures her, the negatives that could have made her famous and given her financial security, that he had been using uncredited for 20 years while she scrabbled to make a living, would go to Harvard ‘with your name attached’.

Eventually, in 1957, with the help of lawyers, she would get back 230 of the 560 negatives. The others have never been found.

Other talented wives fared better. Ise Gropius seems to have been happy with her role as Mrs Bauhaus: she continued to protect her husband’s legacy, and that of the movement, long after Walter’s death in 1969. Anni Albers’s textiles found both commercial and artistic success in the United States (and have been the subject of a major retrospective at London’s Tate Modern).

Lucia lived to be 95. She died in Switzerland in 1989, respected and admired as both art critic and – ironically – protector of the Bauhaus legacy. She called her brief biography Frau des 20 Jahrhunderts (‘Woman of the 20th Century’).

Credit, finally, is being given to the women who helped make the Bauhaus what it was. A new book, Bauhaus Women: A Global Perspective (Bloomsbury), brings 45 women back into view, including Gunta Stölzl, Ise Gropius, Irene Bayer, and Anni Albers.

And of course, Lucia Moholy, who bequeathed us her vision of the Bauhaus and is now beginning to get the recognition she deserves.

[ DESIGN ]

Three greats influenced by the Bauhaus

CHARLES AND RAY EAMES This American couple, married in 1941, were artists, architects and graphic designers, but it is their furniture, especially the Eames Chair, that has had the most profound influence. While Ray claimed, ‘What works good [sic] is better than what looks good’, in fact their designs combined the two, and their enormous success helped popularise hitherto rarefied ideas about utility, beauty and collaboration that were so important to the Bauhaus.

ALFRED BARR The future founder and first director of MoMA, Barr visited the Bauhaus in 1928, meeting with Gropius, Klee and Moholy-Nagy and becoming a lifelong advocate for the school’s take on modern design. In 1938, Gropius and Bayer curated a MoMA exhibition on the Gropius-era Bauhaus of 1919–28. Although this area of focus was partly due to Mies van der Rohe’s unwillingness to cooperate, it meant that – through the exhibition and its catalogue – for many years the Bauhaus narrative in the US was construed by Gropius.

GETTY IMAGES; BRID GEMA N IMAGES

BAUHAUS British goth rockers Bauhaus formed in the nondescript East Midlands town of Northampton in 1978. Originally named Bauhaus 1919, the band lasted just five years, but their influence (like that of their namesake) is long-lasting. They are credited with inventing goth, for example, and their breakthrough single ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’, a nine-minute paean to the ill-fated Dracula star, still sounds hauntingly modernist. Fans include authors Chuck Palahniuk and Neil Gaiman.

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[ TR AVE L ]

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P H OTO G R A P H S

CO L I N H A M P D E N -W H I TE

A N D E R S OV E R GA A R D

City focus

Rum deal C U B A’ S S U L T R Y C A P I T A L I S T H E S P I R I T U A L H O M E O F R U M : I N H A V A N A’ S

R E STA U R A N T S, B A R S A N D B A S E M E N T JA Z Z C L U B S, YO U C A N F I N D T H E D R I N K I N A L L I T S M U LT I FA R I O U S G LO RY

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Opposite: Drinks lined up on the bar at La Bodeguita del Medio. This page: A street at night in Habana Vieja (Old Havana)

[ TR AVE L ]

Cuba is synonymous with rum and rum-based cocktails

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‘Y

ou must see it before it changes forever’ is the phrase on the lips of many who have been lucky enough to experience Cuba.

The fading grandeur and upbeat atmosphere have not yet been overwhelmed by the weight of American influence. That Cuba will change is certain, but it’s not going to happen immediately.

All the iconic sights are there: the sleek American cars of the 1950s, and beyond them, the classic Spanish colonial-era architecture.

In a free-market country, gentrification and modernisation would have seen off many of these buildings, but here they still stand, ancient and crumbling. Some only just hang on, slowly descending into a venerable old age, senior aristocrats in an extended, decades-long autumn. This might seem a bleak picture, but the views are far from bleak – there’s brightness everywhere.

Cubans love colour; they might not have sufficient funds to repair their buildings, but they can still afford to paint them. Facades are multicoloured: azure vies with sunflower yellow and vivid green. An intense palate of luminous blue and turquoise wins the day.

These two colours dominate the landscape, which is appropriate considering Cuba is a Caribbean island.

Cuba is synonymous with rum and rumbased cocktails. It is the home of iconic bars including El Floridita and La Bodeguita del Medio, the celebrated basement jazz club La Zorra y el Cuervo, and classic drinks such as the Cuba Libre, Daiquiri and Mojito.

The rum to drink is Havana Club, and the Havana Club bottling of choice should be Selección de Maestros, which is created by all eight of the rum masters in Cuba, irrespective of the brand they work for, headed by the company’s maestro del ron cubano Asbel Morales. (Like a master blender for Scotch, a rum master blends all the casks to create various expressions of rum for their brand or distillery.) The competition in most other countries would make this collaboration near impossible. In Cuba, it seems perfectly straightforward.

As a visitor, there is little opportunity to become involved in the everyday life of Cuba: no holiday homes to be bought or restaurants to invest in. All we can do is drink in the culture, history and spirit of this extraordinary, vibrant island, and there’s no finer medium for doing so than rum.

Opposite (clockwise from top left): Customers at La Zorra y el Cuervo; a Havana street scene; two customers at La Bodeguita del Medio; business as usual at La Terraza.

This page (from top): Havana Club poster; inside La Floridita

[ TR AVE L ]

WHERE TO TRY RUM

The younger generation of Cubans experiment with different ingredients in their cocktails but always the same spirit

Having a Mojito at La Bodeguita del Medio is a must. It is a small bar that finds just enough space for a band to play in the corner, and to pour and serve Mojitos en masse. The majority of the drinkers congregate outside, extending the boundaries of the bar. Then, like a pilgrim ticking off holy sites, you have to take a Daiquiri in El Floridita. The younger generation of Cubans hangs out in the lesser-known bars, experimenting with different ingredients in their cocktails but always the same spirit. The biggest of the rum brands in Cuba, and the only one distributed out of the country, is Havana Club.

WHERE TO LEARN ABOUT RUM Museo del Ron Havana Club is the best place to learn about rum production in Cuba – the facts and figures, as well as the processes and the people who create it. But it’s in the smaller bars where you can really learn about the culture of rum. Start with the traditional, Bar Monserrate, with dark wood decor and bow-tied barman; it’s like being on a film set. For views, there is El Polvorin, with its vista over Havana harbour.

For the modern, there is Roma. Owned by Cuban DJ Alain Dark, it plays mostly electronic music and often features international DJs on the rooftop terrace. It is a snapshot of how the contemporary Havana bar scene is developing.

One of the best all-round bars for cocktails and food is Chanchullero, which is off the tourist trail.

It has a relaxed atmosphere and wittily undercuts the classic tourist perception of Havana: one poster insists, ‘Hemingway was never here.’

WHERE TO BUY RUM The pinnacle of the Havana Club range is the Icónica Collection, a set of super-premium rums designed to showcase the high quality of Havana Club and appeal to spirits connoisseurs and collectors alike. The rums have all been created

by Asbel Morales and feature some of the oldest aged rums in the Havana Club portfolio. There is no best place to buy rum. All the shops have the same pricing; Communism still rules in Cuba.

La Zorra y el Cuervo Avenida 23, between Calle N and Calle O, Havana +53 7 662 402 La Floridita Obispo 557, corner of Monserrate, Havana Vieja, Havana +53 7 867 1300 La Bodeguita del Medio Empedrado 207, Havana +53 7 867 1374 Museo del Ron Havana Club Avenida del Puerto 262, corner of Sol, Habana Vieja, Havana +53 7 861 8051 Bar Monserrate Monserrate 401, Habana Vieja, Havana +53 7 860 9761 El Polvorin La Habana, Havana Bar Roma Aguacate 162, Havana

This page: A 1958 Chevrolet Delray on a Havana street.

Opposite: Customers at a table in La Zorra y el Cuervo

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Chanchullero Teniente Rey 457a (lower floors), Plaza El Cristo, Habana Vieja, Havana +53 7 801 4915

[ R E S TA U R A N T S ]

San Francisco THIS MOST EUROPEAN OF AMERICAN CITIES I S D E N S E W I T H R E STAU R A N T S T H AT R E F L E C T T H E E X T R A O R D I N A RY C U LT U R A L D I V E R S I T Y O F I T S I N H A B I TA N T S

E D ANDE R S ON; KR E M I AR AB AD J IE VA; B ONJ WING L E E

Brief encounter

WO R DS A N DY H AY L E R

San Francisco, blessed with Californian weather, lovely natural scenery and fascinating and varied districts to explore, is my favourite American city. It’s the setting for Armistead Maupin’s charming and highly successful Tales of the City series and countless other books, films and plays – from Hitchcock’s Vertigo, to Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine. You can’t turn a corner without seeing a famous landmark. I particularly like the walk along North Beach from Crissy Field to Fort Point. Or if I have more time, I head over the Golden Gate Bridge to the tranquil sequoia forest of the Muir Woods National Monument, the first such monument in the United States.

With its liberal culture and distinct neighour­hoods, San Francisco has perhaps the most European feel of any US city. Its food scene is wonderfully varied; you can explore everything from lengthy tasting menus at high-priced multi-starred restaurants, to casual dining of almost every nationality, reflecting the truly diverse nature of the city’s residents.

The restaurant scene here is vibrant. San Francisco has more restaurants per square mile than any other US city – 37 of them have Michelin stars; four have three stars. The latest of these is Atelier Crenn, run

by French-born chef Dominique Crenn and located in the rather obscure Cow Hollow district. Ms Crenn is a charismatic character; her daily menu is a poem written by her, with each line representing a course.

The dishes – for example, the lightly marinated horse mackerel with tempura turnip and coconut and coriander snow – are similarly esoteric. The menu is heavily skewed towards vegetables and seafood, reflecting the chef’s upbringing in Normandy.

Ms Crenn is one of just four female chefs currently heading three-star restaurants globally, and her modern and creative food very much reflects the feeling of the city she has made her home.

If you fancy something less ambitious than a Michelinstarred tasting menu, consider Cotogna, the casual sister restaurant of the much grander Quince nearby.

There are piles of logs dotted around the dining room for the large wood-fired oven, from which appear terrific focaccia bread and high-quality Neapolitanstyle pizzas. The kitchen shows plenty of skill in making pasta, too: tagliatelle with a rich, intense duck ragù, and gnocchi with excellent texture. Perhaps finish with bomboloni with limoncello sauce. The dishes here are at a much higher level than you are likely to find in your neighbourhood Italian restaurant and represent very good value.

Left to right, from top: Dominique Crenn; Atelier Crenn; dinner spread at Cotogna; geoduck sea urchin and citrus (Atelier Crenn); Santa Barbara spot prawn, pear butter, seaweeds, yogur t, whey and ginger (Atelier Crenn); pizza tossing at Cotogna; the bar at The Slanted Door

The Mission District of San Francisco is a lively area in the east of the city with Victorian mansions and – like the rest of the city – a very diverse population, a high percentage of which is Hispanic. As well as plenty of authentic taco eateries, you can find some excellent Asian food. A long-established culinary landmark is The Slanted Door, which started on Valencia Street in 1995 before moving northeast to the Ferry Building. This serves mostly Vietnamese food such as crispy spring rolls and stir-fried pak choi with mushrooms, along with some fusion dishes like seared tuna with chillies and rocket. It is a sprawling place, seating more than 200 customers and offering a view of the harbour. After your meal, you can stroll around the Ferry Building, perhaps treating yourself to a stop at the excellent Blue Bottle Coffee shop.

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Super-ingredient

Onions T H E Y ’ V E B E E N C U LT I VAT E D F O R 5 , 0 0 0 Y E A R S,

T H E Y ’ R E A STA P L E I N G R E D I E N T O F E V E RY M A J O R WO R L D C U I S I N E , A N D T H E Y WA R D O F F D I S E A S E .

F I O N A B E C K E T T S A L U T E S T H E WO N D R O U S, U B I Q U I TO U S O N I O N

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[ GASTRONOMY ]

WO R DS

P H OTO G R A P H S

FIONA BECKETT

D E B O R A H WA S TI E

There hasn’t been a time, since I’ve been cooking for myself, that I haven’t had an onion in the vegetable rack. Cheap and ubiquitous, can the onion really be regarded as a super-ingredient?

There are all sorts of reasons why it should – not least its formidable health benefits. Antioxidant and high in vitamin C, it’s widely recognised for alleviating the symptoms of colds and congestion but also plays a role in diminishing the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Onions belong to the allium family – shallots, leeks, chives and garlic are all related – and have been cultivated for more than 5,000 years. One of the earliest recorded crops, they are thought to have originated in Asia. Egyptians believed their round shape and concentric rings symbolized eternal life, and so they worshipped them. There is even an Egyptian onion, catalogued by the Slow Food Foundation, that is also known as a tree onion or walking onion because of its tendency to grow to such a height that it bends over so that the onions reach the ground and take root again.

An onion is not just an onion, of course; different strains vary radically in terms of size, colour and pungency. Sweet onions like

[ GASTRONOMY ]

Three ways to use onions QUICK ONION PICKLE For an appealingly crunchy pink pickle, dissolve 1 tbsp caster sugar and 1½ tsp sea salt in just over 100ml cider vinegar, together with any flavouring spices you want to use (such as peppercorns or coriander seeds). Add a sliced red onion that you’ve blanched under running boiling water, and set aside for an hour. Use immediately, or keep for up to a week in the fridge.

SHALLOT TARTE TATIN Shallots make the best tarte tatin, arguably even better than the apple version. You need to caramelise them (adding butter and vinegar) and cool them first, before you put on the pastry lid and bake for half an hour.

Cool for about 10 minutes before inverting the tart on a serving plate.

ONION-SKIN STOCK Onion skins, which have the same anti-inflammatory properties as the flesh, can be used to give colour and body to a vegetarian stock – just add them along with other vegetables to the stockpot. The softened skins can then be used in other recipes such as bhajis or pakoras.

They can also be used as a fabric dye should the mood take you.

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the Vidalia have a rating of five or less on the 10-point pyruvate scale, the official metric for onions.

Summer crops and spring onions (scallions) tend to have a higher water content and are milder than autumn-harvested ones, which are stronger, keep better and lend themselves to longer cooking times.

With very few exceptions – Jainists don’t eat them, for example – onion use is prevalent in every major world cuisine. The French, naturally, elevated the onion and its cousin the shallot to another level, making them integral to a panoply of sauces and garnishes. Anything soubise is related to onions, but you’ll find them in everything from a béarnaise to a bordelaise or starring on their own in a meltingly sweet onion tart. No boeuf bourguignon or coq au vin would be complete without its garnish of onions; the Bordelais, with their entrecôte bordelaise and marchand de vin, prefer the finer-flavoured shallot.

As you might expect there are official appellations for onions, including the pretty pinkish Roscoff onions, borne on strings by my local Breton onion seller, but also Cebolla Fuentes de Ebro and Cipollotto Nocerino, a spring onion grown near Naples and apparently distinguished ‘by the softness of the bulb and the sweetness of the flesh’.

On holiday, I regularly used to buy Lézignan onions, which have been grown in the Languedoc since the 17th century. They could be sliced sweetly into a tomato salad and also made an excellent pissaladière, the south of France’s version of pizza.

Onions feature in English cooking too, albeit in a more homely fashion. In onion sauce and soup (creamier and milder than its darker, more intense French counterpart); studded with cloves in bread sauce; in sage and onion stuffing; sometimes even stuffed themselves. Shallots, according to Jane Grigson’s indispensable Vegetable Book, have been enjoyed since the middle ages.

Never brown them, she admonishes, or you will make them bitter; they should be slowly stewed with oil or butter.

Onions lend themselves well to deepfrying too, most popularly in onion rings (Americans apparently eat 22kg of onions a year), bhajis and pakoras. Thai dishes often have a garnish of crisp shallots.

And then, of course, you can eat them raw – in Mexican and Moroccan salads alike, mingled in the latter case with oranges and olives. So improbable, but so delicious.

And why, you might wonder, do onions make you cry? Because cutting them releases pyruvic acid, which stimulates the tear ducts; it’s a defence mechanism against predators. Placing them in the fridge before you cut them, or chopping them under water, apparently counteracts this. But like primitive man, who didn’t have the benefit of a fridge or running water, you may just have to be prepared to shed the odd tear.

Market Art + Design Bridgehampton 5 —7 07 2019 Seattle Art Fair Seattle 1—4 09 2019

amp.events

[ MUSIC ]

WO R DS

I L LU S TR ATI O N S

S TE P H E N A R M S TR O N G

S H O N AG H R A E

W I T H P R E S E N T E R S L I K E I G G Y P O P, T O M R O B I N S O N A N D C I L L I A N M U R P H Y, B B C 6 M U S I C I S E C L E C T I C , N O T T O S AY G LO R I O U S LY E C C E N T R I C . S T E P H E N A R M S T R O N G T U R N S O N A N D T U N E S I N

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Wireless hotspot n a way, it’s odd that BBC 6 Music should exist,’ says Tom Robinson, former punk star and now presenter on the BBC’s increasingly influential digital-only radio station. ‘First, that a digital-only station with an offbeat music selection should be the tenth most popular station in the country. Second, that it should attract talent like Iggy Pop, Cillian Murphy and Jarvis Cocker as DJs. But third, and most fundamentally, because it’s spent years on the verge of extinction.’

Robinson speaks from extensive experience.

The gay rights activist and punk bassist began in London’s late 70s music scene, alternating subversive top 10 hits like ‘2-4-6-8 Motorway’ with singles like ‘Glad to Be Gay’ (initially, ironically, banned from BBC radio). He was one of the first presenters on 6 Music when it launched back in 2002, in the years before widespread broadband and digital penetration. Today, his show includes a hefty proportion of listeners from across the world.

6 Music’s glorious eccentricity spans former Big Audio Dynamite’s Don Letts playing dub reggae, ex-Fun Lovin’ Criminals frontman

Huey Morgan spinning hip hop, Iggy Pop playing garage bands from the 60s to the present, Hollywood’s Cillian Murphy laying down some blues and folk, ex-Catatonia lead singer Cerys Matthews playing jazz, punk and poetry, and the poet, actor and DJ Craig Charles playing funk and soul – all alongside respected and experienced British DJs from Steve Lamacq to Lauren Laverne. Imagine what the Christmas party must be like.

That’s not to say 6 Music’s Wogan House HQ is like The Beatles’ conjoined homes in the video for their track ‘Help!’, with celebrities swapping vinyl in the basement – Iggy Pop broadcasts his show from Miami, for example – but all the star presenters were fans of the station before they became presenters.

‘Cillian Murphy was a keen listener for years before he was offered his own show,’ explains founding presenter Gideon Coe. ‘You can’t quite help but do a double-take when you hear him.’

This gathering of talent, range of music and listener success seems counterintuitive in a world of YouTube and Spotify: why listen

[ MUSIC ]

Three presenters WFMU, NEW JERSEY This almost aggressively noncommercial former college station turned eclectic broadcaster hosts programming from alt-rock through offbeat indie to rock, experimental music, old 78s, jazz, psychedelia, comedy, cooking and pretty much everything else. Funded by listeners.

Godfather of punk and selfdescribed destroyer of the 1960s, Michigan’s own James Newell Osterberg Jr cut his teeth on Chicago’s blues scene before assembling The Stooges in 1967.

The band nearly dissolved in addiction and failure but was saved by David Bowie. In between writing learned books on classical scholars, he has also acted in movies such as Cry-Baby and Tank Girl, and he joined 6 Music in 2015.

LAUREN LAVERNE Laverne burst on to the scene as vocalist in 90s pop-punk band Kenickie before moving to television and presenting pretty much everything from cheesy pop to high-arts culture programmes. Her radio career includes the BBC’s Radio 1, commercial indie station XFM, Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs and – from January 2019 – 6 Music’s Breakfast Show. You can take the girl out of the punk band…

DON LETTS South Londoner Letts arrived in music via his clothes shop Acme Attractions, favoured by the Sex Pistols, Debbie Harry and Bob Marley. He started shooting videos and documentaries for The Clash while playing in a reggae band with Jah Wobble before founding Big Audio Dynamite with Clash co-founder/guitarist Mick Jones. He’s since directed movies and TV programmes and has hosted 6 Music’s roots show Culture Clash since 2009.

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to a bunch of tracks you may not know or like while waiting for the odd one you do, when you can just download a playlist of all your favourites? But BBC 6 Music – like an increasingly large number of imaginative and influential stations around the world – comes with a commodity in short supply online: trust.

‘The world has so many more offerings that end up as just a lot of noise,’ explains Nemone Metaxas, who started on dance music stations and Radio 1 before joining 6 Music to host Electric Ladyland, ‘a carefully curated two-hour love affair with electronic music.

Trust is an important part of curating. If people trust you, they’ll stay with you and maybe learn to love something they’d never considered before.’

Stuart Maconie – author, journalist and weekend show presenter – agrees. ‘Last week a woman emailed me saying, “You just played something completely unlistenable – keep up the good work,”’ he says with a chuckle.

‘It’s pure BBC. The commercial sector is too hamstrung by advertisers to launch a station like 6 Music: the [BBC] licence fee is a blessing and a curse, because bosses [generally] think they have to make decisions that will please everyone.’

Indeed, it was this kind of thinking that nearly killed the station in 2010, when the BBC Trust recommended its closure. So passionate are 6 Music’s listeners, though, that the BBC received 50,000 online responses, 25,000 emails and 250 letters protesting, with David Bowie and Jarvis Cocker actively campaigning alongside the public.

‘I think that did us a lot of good,’ reflects 6 Music head Paul Rodgers. ‘It forced us to work out what we were actually for. We spent a lot of time soul-searching after we were saved, and we now say we want to be part of the community that celebrates music from the alternative spirit. So we’ll play music from any and every decade, but it won’t be the stuff you’ll hear elsewhere.’

Coe does worry that the station could benefit from some younger listeners to ensure its longevity, but he’s optimistic. ‘As long as there’s new exciting music out there, we have a job to do,’ he says. ‘Rock ’n’ roll wasn’t supposed to be around this long. It was supposed to be a fad. I can’t see it ending any time soon. Can you?’

CASHMERE RADIO, BERLIN Broadcast live from a cocktail bar in Lichtenberg, east Berlin, Cashmere combines psychedelia, tropical jazz, politically infused dance music, chaotic free-form experimental sound pieces and sometimes, oddly, deliberately programmed periods of silence.

KCRW, LOS ANGELES This Santa Monica-based public radio station has no playlist and instructs its DJs to play eclectic progressive music. It is famous for introducing Beck, Adele, Massive Attack, Gotye, Sigur Rós, and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros to the American public. Now it plays everything from lo-fi beach goth to Chicano soul, with shows from Dita Von Teese, the Chemical Brothers and Henry Rollins.

RADIO MUSICAL DE CUBA, HAVANA The state-run Cuban music station features an impeccably curated assortment of Cuban sounds, as well as classical and jazz from the heart of Havana.

Spark up a Habanos and soak in one of the world’s most flexible and interesting musical cultures.

MOUV’, PARIS Radio France’s youth/dance music-inspired station centres on rolling French-language rap and urban tunes with a distinctly French flavour. World-class Parisian DJs – like Daft Punk, Nouvelle Vague and Dirty Swift, who opened for Jay-Z and Beyoncé – have regular or occasional shows.

EYEVINE; BB C PICTURES; GETTY

IGGY POP

WWOZ 90.7 FM, NEW ORLEANS WWOZ focuses on New Orleansborn music, including jazz, rhythm and blues, Cajun music, zydeco, bluegrass, gospel and Celtic music. Pretty much everything in popular music started somewhere in the French Quarter.

Six like 6 STATIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WITH AN INDEPENDENT SPIRIT

Record books

PETER HA RRINGTON

From left: The Arctic Regions, first and only edition (£150,000); Egypt and Nubia, first-edition deluxe coloured format (£175,000); The Great Gatsby, first edition, first printing, inscribed to ‘ the original Gatsby’ (£275,000); Third Folio edition of Shakespeare’s plays (£500,000)

[ INVESTMENT ]

F R O M A PA I N S TA K I N G LY C U R AT E D B O O K S H E L F TO L A R G E - S C A L E L I B R A RY R O O M S, T H E C H A L L E N G E S AND DELIGHTS OF RARE BOOK COLLECTING H AV E LO N G T E M P T E D D E V O T E E S O F T H E P R I N T E D PAG E . R O B S A N DA L L S E E K S O U T T H E TO M E S F E TC H I N G S I G N I F I CA N T S U M S

WO R DS R O B E R T S A N DA L L

This summer, Shakespeare’s Globe theatre will exhibit its own copy of the Bard’s First Folio at Firsts London, the capital’s largest rare book fair, held annually in Battersea.

While Shakespeare’s first printed work is a particularly famous example of the ever-growing collectability of books – copies sold this century have fetched close to £4m ($5m) at auction – it is by no means the only one to command eyebrowraising prices.

From Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (valued at upwards of £100,000–200,000/$125,000– 250,000) to Shelley’s Frankenstein (£25,000/ $31,500 in three volumes), interest in the buying and selling of rare books has rocketed, and the private library is once more de rigueur in the home of the modern savant.

Pom Harrington, owner of one of the world’s premier rare book dealers Peter Harrington, believes that there are several factors that have led to the collecting boom. ‘A lot of people wonder whether the rise of ebooks and other digital formats has had a negative effect on the industry, but from my perspective it’s been nothing but the opposite: an unexpected reason for increased interest.’

Indeed, it’s the tangible nature of physical books that has drawn in new collectors, because they consider the making of the object almost as important as what’s inside. ‘It’s no different from ultra-high-net-worth individuals who aspire to a home filled with exquisite French renaissance furniture or finely crafted jewellery,’ says Harrington, who goes on to note that the other obvious appeal stems from a deeper connection to the subject matter. ‘We’ll see people begin by seeking out books they loved as children – for example, Matilda, The Cat in the Hat, or The Hobbit. Or perhaps it’ll be books they studied to get them where they are today, like Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations, or accounts of a country’s history, landmark works in a specific language, and so on.’

As with any field of collecting, there are those who have simply decided that regardless of era, genre or author, what they really want to own is an impressive collection. ‘We do have customers who know they want a library but are less worried about what’s in it,’ says Harrington. ‘They want the room to function as a talking point, a home for landmark works of literature, economics, politics, travel. It’s the biggest undertaking of all in a sense, because there’s no limit to where you can take it. We’ve put together collections for customers with Sun Tzu on the same shelf as Milton and Maynard Keynes.’

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Making the right decisions A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE GOES A LO N G WAY W H E N I T C O M E S T O COLLECTING BOOKS

STAYING AUTHENTIC

Of course, a collector of rare books can certainly go it alone, but it will take time – not only due to keeping track of many worldwide auctions and dealers’ stock, but also to researching the individual books enough to understand which copies stand out as a good purchase. There’s undoubtedly a tremendous sense of accomplishment in putting together a collection by yourself. ‘However,’ Harrington says, ‘people quickly discover that they’re unsure whether or not a copy at auction is a good one compared to whatever else is out there. That sort of knowledge only comes with seeing multiple copies at auction over the years.’

Guaranteeing authenticity is another significant problem for those choosing to go it alone. ‘In the UK, if you’re not going through a member of the Antiquarian Book Association (ABA), you’re vulnerable to forgeries, stolen items, and books

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that might not turn out to be exactly as they were described or as rare as described,’ Harrington points out. ‘ABA members guarantee the items they sell, and they put vast amounts of work into confirming the alleged provenance of an item before they’ll be happy cataloguing and selling a book.’ This work might include, for example, confirming any added signature is genuine, checking provenance, and establishing how many copies of a book exist and how many are institutionally held – and therefore unavailable – to ascertain its rarity.

Sometimes even sterling efforts by specialists won’t yield the necessary evidence to guarantee an item’s authenticity. ‘We appraised a violin that the seller was hoping was owned by Byron, for example,’ says Harrington. ‘A poem had been scratched on to the back with a sharp object, and there were various reasons to believe that it could have been his work. Certainly it’s a great story, but it was incredibly difficult to compare handwriting on wood to pen and ink. Ultimately, our specialist harboured a hope that it was real but couldn’t prove it beyond reasonable doubt at the time.’ Whatever the format, the pursuit of rare, scarce and valuable artefacts is always fraught with difficulty. The antiquarian book trade is no different – it has a long and honourable history, albeit one marked by famous frauds.

And whether we’re talking about books, wine or watches, authentication of provenance is all.

THE MOST INVESTABLE BOOKS Shakespeare’s enduring legacy very much extends to the rare book market. While first editions are few and far between, Second and Third Folios currently sell for around £275,000 and £500,000 respectively, the Third a rarer proposition.

The first edition of Alice In Wonderland was withdrawn by Lewis Carroll himself, and only 22 copies are known to exist. Recent valuations suggest £2m ($2.5m) for a copy.

Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species is often requested but seldom encountered within the collecting world, and while the first few editions look similar, for the discerning collector only a first will do. For a first in good condition, expect to pay as much as £275,000 at time of writing.

IDENTIFYING FUTURE INVESTMENTS The big question is, how can a would-be collector spot the next big thing before prices soar? Start by reading reviews. Keep an eye on titles reviewed well or endorsed by newspapers, chat shows and national book clubs: the bigger the acclaim, the more likely a first edition will be to sell.

A film or TV adaptation can also dramatically alter the value of a book – for example, James Bond book Casino Royale currently sits at £50,000 (£120,000+ signed).

On the subject of autographs, once you’ve decided on your first edition by a living author, try to get a signed copy.

This will always add to its value, especially if the writer becomes a recluse later.

Importantly, keep your acquisitions out of the sunlight and damp environments.

Both will vastly decrease their worth.

FAKES AND FORGERIES In 2012, Marino Massimo de Caro, the director of Biblioteca dei Girolamini in Naples, was arrested for the removal, replacement by forgery and covertly executed sale of ‘thousands of antique books’.

Last year, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh uncovered thefts of rare books and book pages from its collections, to a total value of around $8m, taking place over a period of more than 20 years.

Harry Potter creator JK Rowling has been forced to add hologram stickers to her more recently signed books to help stem the tide of forgeries appearing on eBay.

PETER HARRINGTON

THE THRILL OF THE CHASE

Even for those collectors who have set themselves a relatively narrow area – perhaps the works of one author or illustrator, or books directly relating to a specific war – it’s still an undertaking that will often need as much time as it will funding. A focus on Jane Austen first editions may well be achievable, but it will be likely to take some time. ‘That’s especially the case,’ says Harrington, ‘if they’re looking for copies in good condition and in contemporary binding. Northanger Abbey will be reasonably easy to find and might cost around £12,000 [$15,000], but Pride and Prejudice won’t come up anywhere near as often and is closer to £100,000.’

It’s safe to say that book-collecting endeavours can be something of a long game, then, but that in itself is something that a huge number of rare book aficionados enjoy, hunting out those elusive editions through private enquiries, auction houses and dealers like Peter Harrington. In some cases, the owner notes, that chase is the core reason for collecting. ‘We sold a Churchill collection for £500,000 that was arguably the best in the world: everything in first, most of them signed, and a vast majority signed to notable figures, including Neville Chamberlain, Lloyd George and Guy Burgess,’ Harrington says. ‘It took 20 years, a remarkable achievement, and once it was finally finished, the client in question sold them en bloc through our shop to a customer. The buyer was absolutely delighted to take receipt of such a particularly special collection, and in that instance it was less about the process and more about owning something so unique in scope and scale.’

[ INVESTMENT ]

A mounted photograph from Bradford’s last trip to Labrador and Greenland (in The Arctic Regions); a print from Egypt and Nubia by David Rober ts; the corrected typescript of Ian Fleming’s The Man with the Golden Gun

[ ANALOGUE ]

A day with the artisan

The slowest guns in the west HOLLAND & HOLLAND HAS BEEN MAKING GUNS E N T I R E LY BY H A N D F O R T H E B E S T PA R T O F T WO C E N T U R I E S, U S I N G T E C H N I Q U E S A N D T O O L S T H AT H AV E C H A N G E D L I T T L E , I F AT A L L

WO R DS

P H OTO G R A P H S

TO M H A R R OW

JA K E E A S T H A M

Opposite: Finished shotguns in the Holland & Holland gun room. This page (clockwise from above): Soldering barrels together; fitting the action to the stock; aligning the stock; ‘smoking’ a sidelock plate to check fit; fitting the stock

In the 19th century, Harris Holland and his nephew Henry William embodied the highest level of skill in the world of British gunmaking. Since 1835, the firm they founded has supplied royalty and presidents; Theodore Roosevelt was a client.

Today, their names – Holland & Holland – live on through the continuing tradition of the company’s unrivalled craftsmanship.

Holland & Holland is unique among its peers – which include James Purdey & Sons and Brescia’s Luciano Bosis – because all the various gun components are still made by hand in its own factory. Purpose-built in 1895, the discreet redbrick building on London’s Harrow Road is south facing to maximise the amount of natural light for the 42 craftsmen within. Each stage in the process is still performed with the naked eye and requires an artist’s skill and precision.

Passing through the heavy steel security doors (painted Holland & Holland green), visitors are led downstairs to the lower ground floor, where the ‘rough work’ takes place and the gun’s action block and barrels begin life as high-grade steel billets and drop-forged bars of solid steel respectively.

Like a Michelangelo sculpture taking shape from a slab of marble, the action block slowly appears, and the surfaces, smoothed by a process known as spark erosion, begin to resemble a steel chunk of Swiss cheese. It’s a process that takes more than 50 hours, to create just one, albeit major, element of the over 200 working parts that make up the finished gun. The process requires 12 hours of turning, boring, grinding and lapping per tube (as each proto-barrel is known).

Upstairs in the barrel and actions shops, the craftsman of today can put on his apron and pick

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[ ANALOGUE ]

up exactly the same tools he would have done 150 years ago. He may even have made them: a Holland & Holland apprenticeship lasts five years, prior to specialisation (there were 350 applicants for just six places this year), and during this time trainees make the hundreds of tools required for the various stages of gun production. I watched an apprentice carefully applying a fifth layer of linseed oil to the handle of a file and realised that such tasks give the sense of pride and ownership, and also the acute understanding of the entire process, that are required to become a master of the craft. Forty years on, quality manager Paul Faraway, who joined Holland & Holland at the age of 16, still uses the tools he made as an apprentice.

On a work bench, a steel file is engraved ‘1936’.

‘We’re not using old techniques for the sake of image,’ says Faraway. ‘There is simply no better way to make guns of this quality.’

There are other time-honoured processes.

Barrels need some 230 further hours of work: filing (‘striking the tubes’), soldering, ‘tinning the ribs’ (fixing in place the metal struts that join the barrels) and smoothing the bore. Next door, the action and other components are prepared with meticulous patience, all with the traditional smith’s smoke lamp, whose sooty deposits mark the raised areas that require additional attention.

The parts for each gun are numbered – they are unique and will fit no other gun. Every element must be flawless. Passing through the shop, Faraway pauses to show me a special commission, the action for a one-off triple-barrelled shotgun, specially designed for a longstanding client. ‘Quite a tricky design,’ he notes, with understatement.

The highly polished stock begins life as a block of straight-grained walnut that is dried for up to two years to ensure it does not warp. It is then handshaped to fit comfortably to the client, like a Savile Row suit (or two suits, since guns are always made in pairs). It then takes two weeks just to apply all the layers of linseed oil. The most eye-catching example of artistry is the engraving on the action.

The standard Royal Scroll pattern takes 150 hours and the Classic Acanthus 240 hours, says Kirsty Swan, a specialist engraver with Holland & Holland for 18 years. More detailed game scenes and those requiring gold inlay can take up to 500 hours. Many of the best engravers are in the UK; clients may have to wait several years if they want to secure a particular artist for their commission.

‘For many owners, guns are not just weapons; they are pieces of art,’ the foreman tells me.

Holland & Holland turns out 50 guns a year.

Michelangelo worked faster than that.

Clockwise from top left: Cylindrical metal blanks, waiting to be machined; a Holland & Holland craftsman at his bench; ‘smoking’ the metal to check the fit of the action once attached; the tools of the trade; putting finishing touches to the engraving; an engraved sidelock plate

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HELD BY DESIR E (THE DIMEN SION S OF FR EED OM) (2017–18),

BY MA RK QUINN ; P HOTO GRAPH ROBERT B ERG

D O N ’ T M I S S I S S U E 4, O U T O N 1 1 N OV E M B E R

[ COLUMN ]

Fish and ships F R O M B LO N D E S A N D S P OT T E D S TO OW L S A N D STA R S, ZOE WILLIAMS LEARNS ABOUT FISHING, T H E G R E AT GA M E O F S E A- R O U L E T T E

WO R DS

I L LU S TR ATI O N

ZO E W I L L I A M S

RODERICK MILLS

I could, broadly, describe how to catch a fish, but I don’t know if it would help at this stage in your career. All the fishermen in Brixham, in Devon, Britain’s busiest fish market, started in their teens. They have stories about mad bouts of good luck going back to the 1960s. Nobody ever talks about the bad luck, though someone does show me a grainy black-andwhite photo of a guy who died falling off the harbour wall, many moons ago. Perhaps it was precautionary. I had no idea how volatile, how feastand-famine fishing was, how very much like being a gambler in the great game of sea-roulette. At six in the morning this spring Tuesday, the catch was deemed so-so, though looked to me inordinate; my main worry for the fishermen was how on earth they would find anything tomorrow. But I wasn’t there to be their sustainability consultant.

Mitch Tonks (though I’m sure he’d hate this) is the Rick Stein of Devon; with the award-winning Seahorse in Dartmouth and branches of Rockfish in Brixham, Exmouth, Torquay and others, he has exploded the old myth that Brixham fish is so highend, nobody except Londoners can afford to eat it. He is dressed, I

thought for my amusement, in a flat cap, white coat and huge wellies.

Nope, apparently everyone has to dress like this, to be allowed in. ‘It’s funny,’ he says, ‘because it’s such a strict rule, but everyone’s white coat is absolutely filthy.’

This is the only fish market in the world that doesn’t completely stink: a vast space, filled with boxes of plaice, skate, hake, dog fish, cuttlefish, scallops; Mitch picks up a red mullet. ‘Look at that. I think it’s the most beautiful fish in the world,’ he says, slightly awed, although he’s actually in the market for a John Dory. Most of the men are gathered around a stack of skate (though I’m being imprecise: nobody says ‘skate’, since they’re divided by genus: blondes, spotteds, owls and stars). ‘Fiver on them blondes,’ the auctioneer murmurs. ‘Five pounds on them blondies.’

Skilled eyes look for a welldeveloped, meaty-looking creature: older fish will have more flesh and complexity. The plaice are too skinny for Mitch. He eyes his John Dory, which is as big as any I’ve seen and, in a patch of sunlight, looks as though it’s been covered in gold leaf.

‘Don’t listen to the way I’m bidding,’

he instructs, ‘because that’s the one I want for breakfast, and I’m going to buy it whatever it costs.’

Otherwise, one should look for damage to the scales, because the flesh underneath it will be bruised.

Everyone speaks with awe about the fish in French markets, which ‘look as though they were picked up by hand from the sea and placed straight on the stall’. Nobody knows how they do it. Nevertheless, the fish from this particular bit of channel – fighting huge tides, east to west, twice a day – are thought, certainly by the Brixham locals, to be the best in the world. Even Cornwall, which has quite a number on itself in this regard, can’t match it. ‘It’s just a bit softer and more watery,’ says the guy from the Fisherman’s mission.

By about 7.30am, everything that was worth buying, which is everything, is bought. We slope off to Rockfish to eat the John Dory and some of Sean’s scallops; they drink brandy under protest as though they’re being forced, and they fight to give each other the scallop coral (a delicacy), like old ladies arguing over who pays for a cup of tea. Everything that’s been said about the John Dory is true. You would buy it whatever it cost.

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WO R DS K E V I N O ’S U L L I VA N

I N S C E N E A F T E R F I Z Z I N G S C E N E , C H A M PA G N E B O L L I N G E R H A S H A D A L I C E N C E TO T H R I L L JA M E S B O N D FA N S F O R M O R E T H A N 4 0 Y E A R S

You’ve been expecting it Ask anyone the drink they associate with James Bond, and they’ll almost certainly tell you it’s a Martini, shaken not stirred. But there is another luscious libation with which the legendary secret agent has been inextricably linked for almost half a century: Bollinger.

‘If it’s ’69, you’ve been expecting me,’ the suave and characteristically suggestive Roger Moore tells Lois

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Chiles as Holly Goodhead in Moonraker (1979). In the film’s opening scene (pictured above), the futuristic interior of the Handley Page HP.137 Jetstream airliner is so redolent of the 1970s that you can almost taste the velour.

Bollinger recently confirmed that its brand will make a prominent appearance in next year’s as-yet-untitled ‘Bond 25’.

The British Secret Service agent’s Champagne of choice received its first honourable mention in Ian Fleming’s novel Diamonds Are Forever, when Tiffany Case sent a quarter-bottle to Bond’s cabin on the RMS Queen Elizabeth.

It was the very English Moore who took Bond’s penchant for Bollinger to the next level and, in scene after fizzing scene, consummated a match made in heaven. By 1987, Moore’s successor Timothy Dalton was wooing the Russians with his favourite tipple.

In 2012, to celebrate 50 years of Bond on screen, Bollinger released the Bollinger 002 For 007, a special limitededition branded box containing a bottle of Champagne Bollinger 2002. In the same vein, to coincide with 2008 thriller Quantum of Solace, Bollinger proudly presented a collectable bullet-shaped cooler wrapped around a bottle of its 1999. And Bollinger’s Spectre edition came in the form of a 2009 James Bond vintage, complete with crystal cooler.

The shrewd old Champagne house knows how to make this thing work.

From Moore and Dalton, to Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, Bond and Bollinger have complemented each other to perfection. Whoever takes over in the role from Mr Craig, the relationship between 007 and Bollinger looks likely to continue. Surely not even Le Chiffre would bet against that.

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