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FINE Event
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FINE Best Indian
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FINE Rarity
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FINE Lifestyle
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FINE Estate
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FINE Design
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W I N E
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FINE Contents
F I N E
PAGE 84
FINE Finest
9 FINEEDITORIAL
Christmas in Spring
12 FINEEVENT
Moët & Chandon – A Century of Rosés
22 FINEDEVICE
Perfect Glass for Champagne
26 FINEEDITOR’S PICK Favourite Destinations in Champagne
PAGE 98
FINE Collection
30 FINEBEST INDIAN
Best Indian Sparkling Wines 2015
40 FINEREVIEW
A Companion to Indian Wine
44 FINERARITY
Doyard’s Historical Classics
48 FINECHOCOLATE
Luxury Chocolate Truffles
50 FINEGASTRONOMY Laughably Tasty Rice
PAGE 114
FINE Gallery
54 FINELIFESTYLE
Deadly Beauty
68 FINEESTATE
Château Lafleur
74 FINEDESIGN
Original Wooden Cases
84 FINEFINEST
1000 Finest Wines Ever Made
98 FINECOLLECTION
And the Heavens were Filled with Wine
114 FINEGALLERY
Wine & Architecture
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WRITERS Rajiv Singhal Rajiv Singhal is an entrepreneur who pioneered activities in the luxury sector in India. He studied
FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA Volume 5 Issue 4 Q4 2015 Editor Rajiv Singhal
Economics at Yale, and since then has been simplifying access to the Indian market for international clients. Among other path breaking initiatives, he helped set up the market for wine in India over the last 19 years. Appointed Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Merite by the President of France, Mr. Singhal loves to challenge himself. Pekka Nuikki
Publisher Rajiv Singhal for Fine Publishing India Private Limited
Pekka Nuikki is the founder of FINE Magazines. He is an author and one of the leading experts on
Director of Editorial Pekka Nuikki
an award winning photographer, who has exhibited his artwork all over the world and has worked as
Chief Executive Ritu Singhal Wine Manager Radhika Puar
fine wines in Europe, who has published over twenty acclaimed international wine and art books. He is creative director of an advertising agency group. Mr. Nuikki is also the luckiest man in the world, having hit seven holes-in-one. Juha Lihtonen Juha Lihtonen is the manyfold Finnish sommelier champion. He was the best sommelier in the Nordic countries in 2003. Mr. Lihtonen has worked as a wine educator, a wine host on a radio programme, as
Contributors Johanna Maria Davies Uwe Kauss
well as the wine buyer of a major cruise line. Besides his day jobs, Mr. Lihtonen studies for the Master
Art & Creative Sandeep Kaul
Essi Avellan MW
Administration Rashi Joshi
awarded the Lily Bollinger Medal as the best taster and the Tim Derouet Memorial Award as the best
Distribution Vinita Vaid
such as the Decanter World Wine Awards and the Wines of Argentina Awards.
Editorial & Business Offices 6F Vandhna, 11 Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi 110001 E: contact@fine-magazines.in W: www.fine-magazines.in Subscriber Information T: +91 11 23359874-75 RNI no. DELENG/2010/35861 ISSN 2231-5098
of Wine qualification.
Essi Avellan is the first Master of Wine from Finland, second ever from the Nordic countries. She was overall student in the Master of Wine examination. Ms. Avellan judges at several wine competitions,
Amanda Regan Amanda Regan has a Masters degree in Wine Technology, Management & Marketing and a background in art and design. With experience of making wine in Champagne, Burgundy and Victoria, she is an experienced wine judge, regularly tasting in major international competitions. Ms. Regan has been awarded the honour of Scholar of the Len Evans Tutorial. Juha Jormanainen
Edited, Printed and Published by Rajiv Singhal on behalf of Fine Publishing India Private Limited. Published from 6F Vandhna, 11 Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi 110001 India. Printed at Aegean Offset Printers, 220-B, Udyog Kendra Extension I,
Juha Jormanainen is a well known journalist, photographer and outdoor writer and specialises in
Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201306 India.
since 2000. Mr. Jormanainen is also a passionate golfer, so it is not a big secret that he is also a
salmon fishing, big game hunting, gourmet food and fine wines. He has published fourteen books bachelor.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher. The opinions of the contributors or interviewees presented in this magazine do not necessarily correspond to nor reflect the opinions of the publisher or the editorial team. While the editorial team do their utmost to verify information published they do not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy. Fine Publishing does not keep nor return illustrations or other materials that have been sent in unsolicited, and hold the right to make any modifications in texts and pictures published in FINE Wine & Champagne India magazine. We reserve the right to refuse or suspend advertisements.
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Stuart George Stuart George is an awarded English freelance wine writer. He studied English and European Literature at the University of Warwick, and has worked as a wine merchant, travelling widely in different wine regions, before turning to wine writing. In his free time Mr. George listens to music, plays the guitar and follows cricket.
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FINE Editorial
Christmas in Spring
A
theft report was filed at the West End Central Police Station of the London Metropolitan Police on Saville Row. In a chain of unexpected and unpredicted events, the “Winter of 2015” had been stolen!
Any hopes of a “White Christmas” in London that the bubs may have harboured were dashed as the British bookies stacked up the odds for Christmas Day being the warmest ever. Meteorological confusion prevailed – I had blooming flowers for company as I walked around the greens of Berkeley Square. “Global Warming” was the prime suspect, and I was truly grateful to the visionary leaders of the 196 countries that had adopted the historic accord in the fight against the havoc wreaked by this “wanted international fugitive” at the recently concluded 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris. At home, the rapidly deteriorating quality of air in Delhi hit alarming levels. The first fortnight of the very ambitious “Odd-Even Vehicle” restriction on non-commercial vehicles in the capital was implemented and an “Environment Compensation Charge” was imposed on Delhi-bound commercial vehicles – about time! The jury is still out on their impact, but the notorious “Delhi Traffic” surely became breezy. A strong and vociferous advocate of iterative engagement in India (despite regulatory resistance) as the only sure-shot route to realise the potential of wine in this land, I presented the scenario around Champagne in India at the 3rd India Luxury Summit, hosted by Assocham in partnership with the Indo French Chamber of Commerce & Industry. On the panel were a celebrity fashion designer, a top international fashion house and a luxury fund manager. But, the lion’s share of audience interest was reserved for Champagne – they were clamouring to hear more – and I was only too delighted to oblige. Assessing wine is in the DNA of FINE. Evolving wines from a still-evolving terroir in India are yearning for objective benchmarks – which the recently concluded trans-continental FINE Tasting has set for Indian sparkling wines. Our panel of wine experts from Europe and India discerned considerable improvement in the wines over the years – they have come a long way but they have a long way to go!
Rajiv Singhal FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA
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Moët & Chandon – A Century of Rosés Text: Essi Avellan MW Photos: Moët & Chandon, Andreas Achmann, Philippe Eranian
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y next two days, themed a “Century of Rosés” with Moët & Chandon, will prove some old myths wrong. A widely spread misconception is that rosé champagne does not age as well as blanc, but I am going to get a lesson in its capabilities, as Moët & Chandon has revealed in their invitation that we will be opening what is supposedly the oldest existing bottle of rosé champagne.
I advance through the spacious lobby of Le Bristol, the renowned Paris hotel on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, to reach my destination, the hotel’s celebrated three Michelin-star restaurant, Epicure. What awaits me is a dinner cooked by its famously talented chef Eric Frechon, with every dish to be matched with Moët & Chandon rosés. The launch of Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Rosé 2004, the 39th vintage of pink Moët, brings myself and an international group of colleagues here tonight. “The first official Brut Impérial Vintage Rosés were made in 1920 and 1921 and launched in 1929”, begins the house’s young, highly respected cellar master Benoît Gouez. “But
rosé goes much further than this at Moët, as you will find out tomorrow”, he hints to tomorrow’s mysterious bottle in reference. “In fact, we have archives at the house that prove that, for instance, Napoleon Bonaparte himself ordered 100 bottles of Moët ‘rozé’ in 1801!” Our aperitif and the first course, tandoori-cooked frog legs, are accompanied by the new vintage of Grand Vintage Rosé. The 2004 feels vinous and vivacious at the same time, marrying well with the fine-tuned oriental flavours. As we savour the first course at the dinner table, the relaxed and amicable cellar master explains their rosé philosophy to us. “The rosé at Moët & Chandon is not the same as the blanc version with added red wine, but a cuvée of its own.”
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The Moët rosé style is fruit driven, vinous and supple with intensity both in colour and flavour. The hallmark style is accomplished in the Grand Vintage Rosé by using a high percentage of Pinot Noir red wines that have been only lightly extracted. For instance, the current 2004 vintage has as much as 22 per cent red wine.
quality wine is used for the rosé champagne. But Benoît Gouez has reserved a surprise for us and serves the Rilly-la-Montagne 1928 and 1929 red wines from the Marne for our cheese dish of Ossau-Iraty. They were not up to the greatest Burgundy’s of the era but interesting nevertheless, and these are rare treats that make us wait eagerly for the next day’s tasting.
Red wines in An Champagne unforeseen tasting The 2004 is followed by a beautiful pair of mature vintages of Grand Vintage Collection Rosé, the 1983 and 1985. Chef Frechon’s flamboyantly served signature dish of Bresse chicken and black truffles then again matches perfectly with the 1995 and 1990 of the same wine in magnum. While we indulge in the combination, Gouez explains why rosé making is so challenging. “It is essential to achieve wines with round, ripe tannins and that is far from easy in Champagne. In fact, we make 30 per cent more volume than needed to have margin to select the best red wines for blending in Grand Vintage Rosé.” Red wine in Champagne, or Coteaux Champenois, is not rated high compared to the great Pinot Noirs of the world. In fact, not much is even made, as most of the
In the morning, our group heads to Épernay, the capital of Champagne, where Moët & Chandon has its cellars in a prime spot at the beginning of the avenue de Champagne. We make our way instantly to the atmospheric, historical board room, located on the second floor. Here we first “warm up” with a few vins clairs of the previous harvest before reminding ourselves of Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial NV and Grand Vintage Rosé 2004. Opposed to the Grand Vintage Rosé, for the non-vintage Gouez also uses some thermo-vinified Pinot Meunier red wine to achieve a delicious and approachable
fruit-forward character. The cellar master states a non-oxidative style to be the essence of Moët & Chandon, which is attained by vinification in stainless steel and full malolactic fermentation both of which contribute to the soft style. Perhaps noticeable to many, the sugar levels in Moët cuvées have come down significantly since Gouez took over as the cellar master in 2005. “When I started, the non-vintages were dosed at around 13g/l and now we are at 9g/l.” With the vintage champagnes he has gone even lower, with the Grand Vintage Rosé now coming at a 5g/l dosage. In order to see the effect of the dosage, Gouez also has an undosed bottle of 2004 opened for us, which makes admiring the perfectly dosed final version easy. Next we learn that our agenda for the day is to go back in history tasting Grand Vintage Rosés, or rather Rosé Imperial Vintages (as they were called prior to the 2000 vintage), alongside a collection of old vintages of still red wines from Bouzy. We start off with Rosé Impérial 1998, the very first vintage of Benoît Gouez in Champagne. “I remember the depressingly rainy summer, but miraculously the rain stopped just in time for the harvest and we went on to have cool, dry and sunny weather for three weeks.” Next in line is the 1990 Bouzy Rouge, originally vinified to make red base wine for Champagne from this warm vintage. “These wines were never sold, but a few hundred bottles were made just for curiosity and to be served at our guest facilities at Trianon or Château de Saran. This has since been stopped but I re-commenced it for the sake of future generations. As I see it, every bottle we take from the cellar needs be replaced!” Gouez says.
Drinking history Even though we get to taste beautiful vintages of Rosé Impérial, for instance the majestic 1961 and remarkably well preserved
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FINE Event
Benoît Gouez
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1949, the audience understandably seems to be most fascinated about the Bouzy Rouges, as presumably none of us have tasted so many old vintages side by side. Coming with an array of tar and medicinal notes, the character of most is “big” but much more rustic than their noble friends in Burgundy. Many have drying tannins and fading fruitiness but a still character that evolves enticingly in the glass. The 1928, in particular, opens up beautifully and outdoes the previous night’s Rilly-la-Montagne of the same vintage by a mile. But next comes the number we have all been waiting for. Benoît Gouez reveals to us an even older bottle, in fact 50 years older. “This bottle is something I discovered in 2011 when I was going through our stocks. There were three bottles identified as 1878 on my inventory but it was not specified that they were rosé and, as I have always been told that the first Vintage Rosé was from 1920, I presumed that they were white. But when I opened one of them, a badly leaked bottle, to my surprise it had a rosé hue! I propose we now open one of the two remaining bottles. I have no guarantees, but if it is a rosé it is
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likely to be the oldest existing in the world. We have been asking around in Champagne and at least here nobody has claimed to have anything older than this in stock.” We eagerly look at one of Moët & Chandon’s sommeliers carefully opening the bottle. Treating the fragile cork like a baby, he is able to pull it out. No pop nor even a hiss at opening but this is to be expected for a bottle of this age. I am relieved to see the colour is clear, deep – and yes, with a browning rosé hue. “I think we can say it is a rosé” Gouez confirms relieved. The aroma is strong and raisiny, and sweet with chocolate, apricot and volatile notes. “The analysis from the earlier opened bottle indicated it has 100,8 g/l sugar and 11,25 per cent alcohol at this stage,” Gouez reveals the figures. It is silencing to taste something so old and historical. But it makes me appreciate the ageing capacity of champagne, including rosé champagne. If never moved from the cellars, and if the cork holds, these are near-eternal bottles. I don’t think any of us privileged to be sharing it, left a drop in the glass. And, I can fairly safely say this wine will never enter through my lips again, as
only one bottle remains at Moët cellars. What a way to finish the rosé celebration at Moët & Chandon! >
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FINE Event
Wines Tasted 89p 90p N/A 95p 88p 89p 92p 91p 91p N/A 90p 96p 90p 87p 87p 95p 83p 91p 80p 95p
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Moët & Chandon – A Century of Rosés Tasting Notes
89p
Grand Vintage Rosé 2004
Colour: Medium-deep orangehued colour Nose: Rich with opulent Pinot aromas, cherry Palate: Vivacious, vinous without being heavy Ending: Long with suitably balanced dosage of 5g/l The word: Joie de vivre Buy or not: Buy When to drink: 2013–2025 Inside information: The 2004 has a lower amount of Pinot Noir than customary Or try this: Veuve Clicquot Rosé 2004 Final verdict: A fine, refreshing and playful vintage with ageing capacity
Collection Rosé 95p Grand Vintage Magnum 1990 Colour: Medium-deep orangehued salmon Nose: Beautifully toastcomplexed, mature with coffee and cream, dried fruits Palate: Rich and velvety Ending: Long with fine concentration and balance The word: Impressive Buy or not: Yes When to drink: Now–2018 Inside information: This vintage has 47% Pinot Noir, 22% Meunier and 31% Chardonnay Or try this: Dom Pérignon Rosé 1990 Final verdict: Rich and concentrated without being heavy, beautiful coffee notes and drinking beautifully now.
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90p
Rosé Impérial Vintage 1998
Colour: Developed onionskin, deep Nose: Opulent nose of developing berry flavours, spice, leather, toast, smoke, undergrowth Palate: Succulent and silky Ending: Long and full of fruit The word: The wild one Buy or not: No need to hesitate, at a great age for drinking When to drink: 2013–2020 Inside information: This was the current cellar master Benoît Gouez’s first vintage in Champagne, a depressingly rainly summer was followed by sunny harvest time weather. To him it ended up to be a classic, elegant vintage. The final blend was 35% Pinot Noir, 22% Meunier, 43% Chardonnay. Or try this: Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rosé 1998 Final verdict: A fine combination of aged characters and freshness
88p
Bouzy Rouge 1990
Colour: Pale brown-hued Nose: Deep, strong, cherry, spicy, tar, medicinal Palate: Smooth and silky with very little tannin Ending: Short and robust The word: Beast Buy or not: Unlikely to be found as it has never been sold. The two last bottles from Moët cellars were opened in this tasting. When to drink: Ready but will keep Inside information: This wine was made as a red base wine for rosé champagne but a few hundred bottles were vinified as Bouzy Rouge to be used at Château de Saran and Trianon. Final verdict: A characterful, edgy wine that improved in the glass
Collection Rosé N/A Grand Vintage Magnum 1995 Colour: Deep orange-hued Nose: Rich but not completely clean Palate: Watery, hollow
Final verdict: Either a mild cork taint or otherwise bad bottle, original disgorgement
Collection Rosé 89p Grand Vintage1985 Colour: Deep salmon with maturing onion skin hues Nose: Open, pretty and smoky with dried fruits, spice and gunpowder Palate: Fleshy yet elegant, slightly drying at the finish Ending: Started to faint soon The word: Mellow Buy or not: Yes When to drink: Now to 2015 Inside information: A small crop due to severe frosts during the growing season, 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay + red wine Or try this: Dom Ruinart Rosé from the same year Final verdict: This bottle, disgorged in 2006, started to loose life in the glass quickly
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Colour: Deep, developing Nose: Rich nose with toffee and pastry Palate: Fine intensity and plenty of life left Ending: Long and fruity The word: Balance Buy or not: Yes When to drink: Now–2017 Inside information: A difficult year for the red wine due to wet conditions but a big crop Or try this: De Venoge Grand Vin des Princes 1983 Final verdict: An elegant wine still with intensity and freshness left, this bottle was disgorged in 1988
91p
Rosé Impérial Vintage 1980
Colour: Very deep, slightly hazy orange colour Nose: Soft, sweet and toasty Palate: Wide and fleshy with good acid backbone Ending: Medium-long and refreshing The word: Oldie but Goldie Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2013–2018 Inside information: Bad weather at blossoming caused both coulure and millerandange and resulted in a small crop. This vintage was still bottled with the old style crown caps for tirage, which in part is responsible for the lesser ageing capacity of the wine despite fine acidity. 55% Pinot Noir, 15% Meunier, 30% Chardonnay Or try this: Veuve Clicquot Cave Privée 1980 Final verdict: A pleasant surprise
91p
N/A
Rosé Impérial Vintage Magnum 1976
Colour: Nose: Palate: Final verdict:
90p
Hazy brown colour Oxidised Watery, hollow Gone
Bouzy Rouge Magnum 1969
Colour: Deep but bright browning colour with sediment at the bottom Nose: Powerful and reserved, some volatile notes Palate: Very dry with tannins Ending: Medium-long, concentrated but drying The word: Tough guy Buy or not: As a curiosity When to drink: In the next few years Inside information: A year of low yields, concentrated but hard Final verdict: Strong and unforgiving, give it time in the decanter
Bouzy Rouge 1976
Colour: Medium-deep with brown hues Nose: Strong Pinot nose with medicinal characters, tar, pepper Palate: Voluminous and wide Ending: Persistent and powerful The word: Masculine Buy or not: Yes When to drink: No need to wait but not yet going down Or try this: Replaces a recent Burgundy of the same vintage Final verdict: Excellent and so drinkable
96p 90p
FINE Event
Collection Rosé 92p Grand Vintage1983
Rosé Impérial Vintage 1961
Colour: Orange hued colour with light haziness Nose: Beautifully toasty, soft nose of sweet vanilla and toffee Palate: Smooth and round Ending: Long with fruitiness The word: Seductrice Buy or not: Beware of bottle condition When to drink: No longer improving Inside information: A difficult year with disease problems and weather hazards but despite them a good result was achieved. There are two more bottles remaining at Moët cellars. We had two very different bottles, the better one reaching 96p the other 92p. This vintage was sealed for tirage with natural corks. Final verdict: Capable of greatness
Bouzy Rouge 1959
Colour: Thin orange with brown tinge Nose: Deep, rustic with Nebbiolo-like tar and roses character with mushroomy and animally notes Palate: Soft, rich, muscular Ending: Long and fully alive but little austere The word: Charisma Buy or not: Unlikely to be found although 20 bottles remain at Moët cellars When to drink: No longer improving Inside information: Perfect summer conditions resulted in very ripe characters Final verdict: Fascinating aromatics and a big personality
95p 87p
Bouzy Rouge 1947
Colour: A lot of sediment in the bottle, very pale orange-brown Nose: Strange, rich with tar and blood Palate: Wide yet light Ending: Medium-long The word: Controversial Buy or not: Not likely to be found When to drink: Past its peak Inside information: A small harvest Final verdict: Barely alive
Rosé Impérial Vintage 1949
Colour: Bright pale orange colour Nose: Mild, refined with peach and patisserie Palate: Fine mousse persisting Ending: Long and seamless The word: A beauty Buy or not: Do not hesitate When to drink: No longer improving Inside information: Ours was a perfect bottle, it is likely most are more developed than this Final verdict: An excellent, complete wine, mature but with a lot of charm
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83p
Rilly-la-Montagne 1929
Colour: Medium-deep brown Nose: More depth than in the 1928 Rilly, cherried Palate: Soft with fruit left Ending: Medium-long The word: Barely alive Buy or not: No When to drink: Now or never Final verdict: Still some life left but missing refinement of a great Burgundy of the same era
95p 91p
Bouzy Rouge 1928
Colour: Strong, healthy browning colour Nose: Highly toasty with animally characters but also fruit persisting Palate: Fully alive but with rusticity and tannin Ending: Long but with noticeable tannin, opens and softens in the glass over time The word: Countryside cousin Buy or not: If only would be available When to drink: No signs of deterioration so can still be held on to Final verdict: Feels near-eternal
Rosé Impérial Vintage 1878 Colour: Clear, deep with a light brown tinge Nose: Strong, raisiny, sweet, apricot, chocolate Palate: Sweet and fully alive Ending: Persistent even with fruit left The word: Fascinating Buy or not: Not to be found
When to drink: This perfectly stored bottle was fully alive, no hurry for Moët to open the last remaining bottle Inside information: Technical analysis shows 100,8 g/l sugar and 11,25% alcohol by volume Or try this: Perrier-Jouët 1825, the oldest existing bottle of white Champagne Final verdict: Wow The oldest existing rosé champagne
80p
Rilly-la-Montagne 1928
Colour: Pale browning Nose: Powerful, aged, woody nose with farmyardy and medicinal notes Palate: Smooth with very little tannin Ending: Short The word: A curiosity Buy or not: Not available When to drink: Now Final verdict: Over the hill already with little fruit left but did open up and improve slightly in the glass
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Photo: CIVC
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FINE Device
Perfectt Perfec
Glass
Champagne for
Text: Juha Lihtonen Photo: Domaine les Crayères
I
t is impossible to fully enjoy champagne without a proper champagne glass. A good glass brings out the music in the champagne, so to speak. It is a concert hall whose excellent acoustics allow the audience to pick out even the slightest nuances in the music. This is exactly how the best glasses can open up champagne, bringing out its subtlest characteristics.
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We decided to start the Raise a Glass to Champagne series in order to identify the best champagne glasses. We will present glasses that can help you ensure the optimal enjoyment of different kinds of champagnes. Lehmann’s Grand Champagne glass, was selected by FINE’s experts as the best general champagne glass earlier this year, and was a self-evident first choice. It would make sense that the region which produces champagne should also produce the best glass for it. It is unusual, though: there is no other wine region in the world that, besides top-quality fine wines, manufactures glasses that perfectly complement them. The Champagne-based glassworks Verrerie de la Marne and its leading designer Gérard Lehmann created the Grand Champagne glass in collaboration with the region’s most esteemed sommelier, Philippe Jamesse, in 2009. Working in the finest hotel in Champagne, Les Crayères, and its Michelin-starred restaurant since 2000, Jamesse began designing the ideal glass for champagne after finding that no existing glass could offer the perfect sensory enjoyment he expected from the wine. “The physical production of the glasses was quick compared to the time I spent on the design. It took years and many tests before I was sure of which characteristics must be emphasised in glass design.” Jamesse’s champagne glass is visually attractive and elegant, and its wide and voluminous bowl gives the champagne room to open up. The narrowing mouth of the glass gathers together the aromas released by the champagne and directs the liquid into the drinker’s mouth in a way which brings out various attributes, from sweetness to acidity and texture to overall mouthfeel. The height of the bowl allows for beautiful ribbons of bubbles to form, making the drink even more attractive.
Philippe Jamesse
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“I wanted the glass to be sufficiently large and tall to allow for various different champagnes to show their character,” Jamesse says. The Grand Champagne glass is a well-rounded general glass, excellent for most types of champagne. Thanks to the large bowl, the characteristics of the champagne develop quickly after being poured. This makes the glass especially suited to younger champagnes, which need air and space to unfold. It is beneficial for full-bodied and characterful champagnes – whether vintage or non-vintage – and particularly prestige champagnes. The versatility and greatness of the glass is also evident in the fact that many top champagne producers serve their products in it.
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Examples of champagnes recommended for this glass: Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé NV Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle NV Krug Grande Cuvée NV Louis Roederer Cristal 2002 Dom Pérignon 2003 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 2000 Bollinger La Grande Année 1999 Dom Ruinart Rosé 1998
Grand Champagne
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FAV O U R I T E
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D E S T I N AT I O N S
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C H A M PAG N E
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Les Avisés Text: Essi Avellan MW
Photos: Les Avisés
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or champagne aficionados, Les Avisés hotel and restaurant is the place to be in the Côte des Blancs when in Champagne. The cult following of the Selosse as a champagne house is sure to keep the place busy, but beyond that it is the beautiful townhouse, Château Koch, that has a long and colourful wine history spanning more than two centuries. Initially, due to a lack of cellar space, the Selosses purchased the abandoned château close to their own premises in the centre of the picturesque village of Avize. This building, which dates back to the 19th century, used to be the home of Champagne Bricout-Delbeck until 2003, and prior to that, Champagne Koch. Even though the Selosses were initially just after the cellar space, it soon dawned on Anselme and his wife Corinne that this could become a boutique hotel and gastronomic centre. They were able to realise this with its grand opening in 2011. Tastefully renovated countryside-chic is the style of the ten rooms named after different language versions of “cheers”, such as Kampai, Salute and Skol. The intimate and cosy feeling continues in the restaurant, the kingdom of Stéphane and Nathalie Rossillon. Even though the food is excellent and variable by the day and season, the biggest pleasures are to be expected of the special ambience created by Corinne and Anselme Selosse’s cordial hospitality.
HÔTEL RESTAURANT LES AVISÉS 59, rue de Cramant, 51190 Avize, France www.selosse-lesavises.com
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Text: Rajiv Singhal
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Photos: Shivam Bhati
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I
n the Spring of 2012, FINE Wine & Champagne India released its list of Best Indian Wines – a pioneering effort in which leading wine professionals from Europe and India were invited to participate in a grand
“blind” tasting to judge and objectively assess the quality of wines that had been shared by major wineries in India – to set the benchmark for Indian wines. As they “endured” the marathon tasting in very picturesque settings in Lutyens Delhi, the FINE panel were disappointed that so few Indian wines could hold up to scrutiny against an international yardstick and were unanimous that the wines needed more time – to allow the good quality winemaking to translate into good wine. But, they strongly recommended that FINE watch this space and monitor the evolution of the wines. “The Best Indian Sparkling Wine 2015” is the continuation of this pioneering effort by FINE.
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THE CELEBRATION POP Indians love to celebrate – some believe that Indians just need an excuse to celebrate. And a popping cork became synonymous with celebration in India. This perhaps explains why Shamrao Chougule, the founder of Chateau Indage and father of wine in modern India, focussed his attention in the early eighties on developing a sparkling wine in the Sahyadri Valley on the Deccan Plateau. Champagne Piper Heidsieck was persuaded to offer technical support for "Omar Khayyam", a traditional method sparkling wine that was released in London – much to the astonishment of wine critics (many of whom still have very fond memories of this cuvée). Around the same time, Madhavrao More led a co-operative of 600 stakeholders from Pimpligaon village to launch "Pimpane" – a-well-before-its-time traditional method sparkling wine that got the French worried enough to raise non-tariff barriers from the European Union to stop the juggernaut. Another contemporary of Shamrao Chougule was the equally enterprising
visionary, Kanwal Grover, who zeroed in on the Nandi Hills outside Bangalore to make wines with the Technical Director of Champagne Mumm, equity participation of Champagne Veuve Clicquot, under the supervision of the flying winemaker Michel Rolland. Inspite of this deep-rooted engagement with Champagne, Grover Vineyard did not venture into sparkling territory.
Chougule's perseverance in lobbying a constitutionally-averse-to-alcohol Government of India paid off and the conditions under which his 100% export oriented winery was licensed were relaxed. Indage put the much-talkedabout sparkling wine on Indian shelves as "Marquise de Pompadour" and this ubiquitous label bore witness to the historic events that celebrated the journey of India as a global power. In line with its
The Evolution of Indian Sparkling Wines
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method), "Joie" (Charmat method) and the special magnums of "Grande Cuvée de Millennium" that were released to welcome the new millennium – before liquidation proceedings were filed against the market leader by institutional lenders in 2008.
Blanc de Blancs in 2014. Ashwin Rodrigues' Good Drop Wine Cellars launched the Prosecco style "Casablanca" at the end of 2014. Sula veteran, Pradeep Pachpatil, launched Soma Vineyards in 2015 that offers a range that mirrors his neighbour
FINE Be st Indian
strategy to crowd out competition, Indage launched several variants of sparkling wine – "Ivy" and "Tiger Hill" (both traditional
"Zampagne" (which had to be relaunched as "Zampa Soirée Brut" under objection from Comite Champagne) in 2010 and "Zampa Soirée Brut Rosé". The Indo-Italian collaboration, Fratelli, between the three sets of brothers – Secci, Sekhri and Mohite-Patil – launched a 100% Chenin zero dosage "Gran Cuvée Brut" in 2013. The Gurnani family owned York released a 100% Chenin
and former employer – Brut, Brut Rosé and Seco. In a very significant development, the luxury giant, Moët Hennessy, chose the terroir of Indian wine country in Nashik to launch the Brut and Brut Rosé labels of Chandon in India in 2013 following their success in Argentina, California, Brazil and Australia. The landscape of Indian sparkling wine is getting busy.
INCLUSIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE The FINE team mapped the universe of Indian sparkling wine producers. As Publisher of FINE Wine & Champagne India, I sent out invitations to all the wineries to participate in this tasting with their entire range of sparkling wines. Fratelli, Grover Zampa and York grabbed the opportunity (with both hands) to have
In the late nineties, Stanford alumni Rajeev Samant returned from the Silicon Valley to set up Sula Vineyards with the consulting Californian winemaker, Kerry Dampskey, on his modest family farm in Nashik. As Sula took pole position on the wine market in India from Indage, their portfolio and volume has grown exponentially and they have offered wines that appeal to all market segments. With three variants – Brut, Brut Rosé and Seco – Sula is India's largest sparkling wine producer. Amongst new entrants, Prahlad Khandagle terminated (maybe even reneged on) his supplier contract to establish Vinsura, and launched a 100% Chenin sparkling wine in 2008. Industry honchos, Ravi Jain and Deepak Roy, set up Zampa that launched
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the quality of their wines assessed in an independent and objective manner, and I am grateful that they sent their samples to us in Delhi. Soma Vineyards arranged the samples from Nashik by special messenger. FINE purchased the bottles of Chandon and Casablanca that did not respond to my invitation, and of Sula which was selectively reluctant to offer samples for tasting. In all, seven wineries were represented in these tastings by thirteen labels.
TWO CONTINENTS FINE's Finnish editors could not travel as scheduled to India, so two tastings were conducted – one in Helsinki and one in New Delhi – with the same labels. Both tastings were organised and executed as blind. The ground rules for scoring were established according to the FINE Magazines' international standards on the 100-point scale. The scores of FINE’s editors were counted in the final ranking and only those wines which scored more than 79 points were considered for publication. I shared the concept for the New Delhi tasting with Ravindra Kumar, General Manager – Corporate Food & Beverage at
The LaLiT, who has always supported our wine activities (howsoever ambitious they may have been) and pulled them off with élan to take The LaLiT wine program to a level that is the envy of its peers. Almost immediately, he got the wine team led by Corporate Sommelier Charles Donnadieu to join in, and we were ready to roll. The tasting table replete with seemingly endless rows of tagged flutes was set up at Baluchi, the pan India destination at The LaLiT New Delhi – against the backdrop of the first walk-in glass capsule wine cellar in a luxury hotel. Wine experts with qualifications from international institutes and a Head Sommelier visiting from the Maldives found their seats at the table.
PREPARING THE BATTLEGROUND!
Ravindra Kumar
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The bottles were carefully masked in foil and "badged" with a number that would become their identity for the duration of the tasting. Any potential visual identifiers on the bottles were stripped off – it was imperative that any guesses that could bias scores were avoided! Personalised scoring sheets were prepared for the panel with the scoring scheme.
Handling this selected range of samples gave us some anxious moments. Regulations by the Indian authorities almost tripped our attempt to ship one set of samples to Helsinki. Even with our international trading background, we could not handle the iterative documentation (certificates, declarations and technical sheets). However, our neighbourhood courier was better prepared. And some frightful moments. The Sula sparklings were purchased from a vend in South Delhi. As the foil was taken off, a layer of dark dusty "mould" was sitting just under the cork of the Sula Brut and Sula Brut Rosé – eeeks! Credit where due, Sula swung into action. The bottles were replaced – except that this time the Brut had a powder flaking off the Diamante cork!! The leadership team communicated their concern and informed us that while the highest standards are followed, they would investigate before they share more. Another bottle was arranged just in time for the tasting, thankfully without any unwelcome companions. (And no, we have not heard back from the company – yet).
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a wine country that was, at best, still in its infancy. Unintended as it may have been (the two sets of samples tasted were received through different channels at different times), similar scores show more consistency through different batches of the same wine. Consistency could be a reason for concern – Zampa Soireé Brut Rosé, the Best Indian Sparkling Wine of 2012, just about made it to the 2015 list.
Casablanca Brut was tracked down to a retail chain in South Mumbai – it was purchased and flown into New Delhi. But sadly, the wine had been subject to intense torture (we should have been warned by the battered bottle) and our best efforts had been rendered futile – the wine was declared by the panel as faulty. Wine consumers often lament the storage conditions in the distribution chain for wine in India because they often end up paying for tainted wines. This is surely
an area of concern that the Indian wine industry will need to address as it evolves.
In practising some degree of parcel-byparcel vinification, Indian winemakers are bringing out the terroir in some wines. The house styles were identifiable – Soma Vineyards had played on caramelisation.
THE VERDICT The mood was set with the first "sparkling" presented to the panel – Champagne Taittinger Brut Reserve – for the panel members to sharpen their skills and benchmark the FINE score. The panel were surprised to see such a significant sparkling wine offer (mostly elaborated in the traditional method) in Good wine-making practices being followed are reflected in the best wines – they were clean, fresh, rich, harmonious and balanced (as opposed to dusty, dull and coarse at the other end of the spectrum). No stand-out wine, though. Most of the wines scored poorly, with none getting anything higher than 86p. A few wines that scored marginally lower than the publication cut-off of 80p were included in the list to commend effort. The wines are in evolution… till the next FINE evaluation!
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The Best Indian Sparkling Wines
Points
86p
1. 2.
83p
2.
83p
4.
81p
5.
80p
6. 6. 6.
Also Tasted Casablanca Vino Spumante Soma Vineyards Brut CuveĂŠ Sparkling Wine Soma Vineyards Rose Sparkling Wine Sula Brut Sparkling Wine Sula Seco
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86p
Chandon Brut Rosé
COLOUR: Medium intense, super salmon rosé NOSE: Refined, round, toasty, red fruits PALATE: Dry, fresh, good mousse, ripe red fruits, strawberries, floral FINISH: Moderate length, balanced, elegant IN A NUTSHELL: Refined and fresh WHEN TO DRINK: Now-2016 FOOD PAIRING: Chicken Tikka
83p
Chandon Brut
COLOUR: Medium light, straw yellow NOSE: Pronounced, rich, smoky, melted butter PALATE: Dry, intense, rich, concentrated, toasty, buttery, tropical fruits FINISH: Moderately long, broad, fruity, robust IN A NUTSHELL: Rich and masculine WHEN TO DRINK: Now-2016
83p
Zampa Soirée Brut
COLOUR: Pale, green-yellow
NOSE: Fresh, herbaceous, wine gums, onions PALATE: Off-dry, intense, fruity, smoky FINISH: Medium-length, intense, fresh IN A NUTSHELL: Harmonious WHEN TO DRINK: Now FOOD PAIRING: Fish Amritsari
FOOD PAIRING: Golden Fried Prawns
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80p
COLOUR: Light, green-yellow
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81p York Sparkling Cuvée Brut
Sula Brut Rosé
COLOUR: Pale, peachy rose
NOSE: Fresh, open, refined, apples
NOSE: Fresh, candied, red fruits like strawberries
PALATE: Dry, intense, crisp, good texture
PALATE: Off-dry, light, mellow, smoky
FINISH: Medium-length, neutral
FINISH: Short, light, stalky
IN A NUTSHELL: Pleasant
IN A NUTSHELL: Flirty
WHEN TO DRINK: Now-2016
WHEN TO DRINK: Now
FOOD PAIRING: Paneer Pakodas
FOOD PAIRING: Tandoori Pomfret
Fratelli Gran Cuvée Brut
Soma Vineyards Sec-Taie
COLOUR: Pale, green- yellow
COLOUR: Pale, steely
NOSE: Closed, rubbery, wine gums
NOSE: Fresh, waxy, resin, canned fruits, fire-crackers
PALATE: Very dry, medium acidity, light, citrusy
PALATE: Medium-sweet, caramelised, flat
FINISH: Moderately short, lemony
FINISH: Short, sugary, balanced
IN A NUTSHELL: Light and harmless
IN A NUTSHELL: Neutral
WHEN TO DRINK: Now
WHEN TO DRINK: Now
FOOD PAIRING: Aperitif
FOOD PAIRING: Digestif
Zampa Brut Rosé
COLOUR: Medium light, pale rose NOSE: Ripe red fruit, smoky, floral PALATE: Off-dry, delicate, minerally FINISH: Moderately short, balanced IN A NUTSHELL: Cute WHEN TO DRINK: Now FOOD PAIRING: Biryani
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FINE Review
A Companion to Indian Wine The Wines of India, a Concise Guide was published in Great Britain in late 2015 by The Press Publishing Limited. The Hungarian author, Peter Csizmadia-Honigh, received the 2014 award from the trustees of The Geoffrey Roberts Trust and Vintners’ Company, to publish a fully illustrated and comprehensive guide about Indian wines.
According to Peter, “with 30 years of modern wine-making history and over 50 wineries, it is indeed time to start to tell the story of Indian wine and put it on the map”. With an “infinite passion and enthusiasm for Indian wine”, Peter took the ambitious responsibility to taste, review and evaluate ‘all’ the wines produced in India. He has profiled 49 wineries covering the biggest producers to the smaller ones and the lesser known (as indeed, some of the wineries like Ambi Vineyards in Ratlam and Cumbum Valley Winery in Theni are). Hungarian photographer Gábor Nagy’s specially commissioned the-quirkiness-of-India-amazes-me photographs reflect the author’s travels covering the entire breadth and depth of the entire of the contemporary Indian wine scene. The book is intended for wine consumers and wine professionals, both in India and overseas. Peter hopes it will be the “authoritative compass and indispensible companion to guide wine-lovers in their vinous adventures in India”. This 451 page book is “dedicated to the wonderful work of all winery owners and their staff. It celebrates their passion for crafting amazing wines and developing India into the most exciting wine producing country of Asia”. Peter traces the roots of the still-nascent wine industry in India to Bosca, the Indo-Italian venture near Hyderabad in 1966, and underlines the efforts of Shyamrao Chowgule and Kanwal Grover, who were able to overcome the challenges to produce wines on Indian soil. Chowgule’s Chateau Indage launched the Indian sparkling wine “Omar
Khayyam” (Champagne Piper Heidsieck provided technical consultancy) in London in 1986, and this caught the world’s attention about the wine making in India. India’s geographic location does not conform to the conventionally established world “wine zones”. In a rather lengthy (but detailed) chapter on Subtropical Winegrowing: Viticulture & Winemaking in India, Peter lends perspective to the suitability of India’s ‘terroir’ to vines and wines. In another chapter on Grape varieties, Peter brings to fore the somewhat controversial capacity-boosting Bangalore Blue, Bangalore Purple and Thomson Seedless varieties, that are widely used but most wineries swear against. Peter is candid that quality is not an objective absolute and there is intense subjectivity and relativity in the host of factors – the wine, the location, the infrastructure, the people and the taster – that influence a wine rating. He puts his neck out and introduces a Classification System based on a combination of origin and terroir, intrinsic wine quality, quality of the wine portfolio, reliability of quality, stylistic and philosophical integrity. All the profiled wineries are classified, even if he seems to have played safe by putting most of the active ones under 4 stars. Juxtaposed against “Peter’s Picks” (recommended wines that either excel or he finds enjoyable), the classification exposes the problems that the landscape is fraught with. Peter is optimistic. “Winemakers have been challenged in every possible way, but they have proved their resilience. The wine business is an intricate art and science in India. The future wine in India is bright.”
Peter Csizmadia-Honigh has not acknowledged FINE Wine & Champagne India – the first and only wine magazine in India that is officially recognised by the Government of India. He has also, sadly, ignored the pioneering contributions made by a very small group of individuals, who laid the first foundations of wine culture in India in the nineties. However, the editors of FINE share Peter’s optimism!
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FINE Rarity
D oyard’s Historical Classics Text: Essi Avellan MW • Photos: Michael Boudot
I am taken aback when Yannick Doyard, the head of Champagne
Doyard, declares to be a libertine right at the start of our discussion at his small winery in Côte des Blancs. I recall that libertines, of whom the best known is Marquis de Sade, accept no unnecessary moral restraints, especially those sanctioned by society. Instead, they emphasise life’s physical and sensual pleasures.
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oyard’s epicurean nature comes through unmistakeably as we tardily sip the house’s pristinely made champagnes in the spacious and stylish reception room, with Mozart playing in the background. I am curious about Doyard’s unusual wine and life philosophy and urge him to explain. ”Wine is not vitally important in life, but when the necessities of survival are met, champagne has a lot to give to people when it comes to pleasure. This is especially true when it comes to socialising.” Pleasure has also been Yannick Doyard’s starting point when creating the house’s wine style, where highest possible grape quality is combined with pedant winery work and extended bottle ageing. One additional seductive element in his champagnes is their lower than usual pressure, which makes them taste deliciously smooth and gentle. Doyard may select only the best for their cuvées because they only use a fraction of their ten hectares of grape production themselves, whereas rest are sold. The viticulture is sustainable, in fact it is close to organic. Sulphur dioxide is the only substance added during vinification. A part of the wine ferments and ages in oak barrels but Doyard does not welcome a noticeable oak impact. ”Wood aroma in champagne is a fault to me.”
D
Influences from a long history
oyard’s vine growing history in the region dates back to 1677. It was
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Yannick’s father Maurice who started his own production in the 1920s. Maurice also left his mark on the region’s history, as he was one of the founders of the champagne syndicate CIVC. He also held the important position as manager of Syndicat Général des Vignerons de la Champagne for many years. Today, Yannick Doyard, who took over the management of the company in 1970 when he was only 20 years old, reveres the past glories of the champagne style. In order to travel back in time to the libertine era, he has revived the ancient style of rosé champagne, Oeil de Perdrix, or Partridge’s Eye, which lends its name from its extremely pale, peach-hued colour. This style of champagne is a relic from the 16th and 17th centuries when wine made from red grapes automatically had a tinge to it. Doyard’s home village of Vertus is nowadays famed for its Chardonnay, but this was not always the case. “This was actually a red grape region, and with this 100 per cent Vertus mono-cru wine we wish to remind people of the village’s past. This wine has, in fact, three-quarters Pinot Noir and one-quarter Chardonnay in it.”
Champagne for the libertines
the champagne style of the early 18th century.” With 60 grammes per litre residual sugar, this wine is much sweeter than the rare doux champagnes encountered today. The difficulty in the making was to find the right balance between sugar and acidity. This prestige cuvée is a blend of three to five different vintages aged in the cellar for over ten years. As in the old days, it has a lower pressure only around four atmospheres. Additionally, the look of this bottle has been borrowed from the past. ”Its colour and texture resemble the ancient bottles. In the early days the cork was secured to the bottle with string instead of a wire muzzle. We modified this slightly to make it resemble a feminine corset!” Eye-catchingly, the bottle comes in a leather gift box lined with silk. The wine’s libertine nature is highlighted in the box, which is decorated to resemble a catholic confession booth.
R
egardless of what one thinks of libertinism, Doyard has instant charm. With Yannick Doyard at the helm, the house has been able to build a soul and a fascinating story one simply must share when drinking one of his unique champagnes. >
O
eil de Perdrix is not the only historical wine style of the house. In fact, the innovative and spirited Yannick Doyard was so inspired by the libertine era that he decided to create a special champagne, La Libertine, to commemorate it. ”This cuvée is the outcome of more than ten years of research. Its aim is to approach
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FINE Rarity
Doyard Collection de l’An I
Doyard La Libertine NV
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TRUFFLES
Text: Amanda Regan
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hocolate truffles made with genuine champagne are delicious little packages, which are blended from two of the most luxurious ingredients that exist. They make a perfect gastronomic, indulgent, pleasurable and romantic match. The couture chocolatiers in France do not make champagne-flavoured truffles. Parisian truffles are plain, pure and styled using espresso cafĂŠs and chocolat noir: however, they do suggest that you drink champagne while you eat them.
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FINE Chocolate
Across the channel, London has become a melting pot of experimentation and the city is pushing the boundaries in terms of food, including chocolate. Not only did the English put the bubbles in champagne, but now they also put champagne in chocolate to create the chocolate truffle with champagne. Milk, dark, white and pink champagne truffles are created by chocolate makers in London. The far less refined Marc de Champagne is used for many, but there are three truffles which are truly exceptional due to the fact they are made using only the finest chocolate ingredients and genuine champagne – including, in some cases, Dom Pérignon.
Demarquette truffles made with Dom Pérignon champagne Of all the champagnes it is possible to blend with chocolate to make truffles, it is ironic that before Christopher Merret claimed the title, Dom Pérignon the monk was originally credited with the discovery of making champagne sparkle. Now, the prestige cuvée made in his honour is adding an extra sparkle to chocolate in England. Marc H. Demarquette chose to use Dom Pérignon champagne for his truffles not just because it is a prestige cuvée, but because of the inherent cocoa tones he found in this champagne which perfectly complement Demarquette’s unique dark chocolate. This triple gold star (Great Taste Awards) award-winning 71.1 per cent house blend of Dominican Republic, Ecuador & Madagascar cocoa is combined with pure West Country
Booja Booja Organic Truffles made with Fleury champagne
cream from Cornwall and Hampshire. Each truffle is hand dipped in their award-winning 65 per cent chocolate, then dusted with pure cocoa powder. Because the ingredients are so fresh, the truffles should be consumed within two weeks.
William Curley champagne truffles made with Laurent-Perrier champagne
If you like your food and wine as natural as possible, there is a divine organic champagne truffle for you, too. The deep, smooth, rich and luxurious Booja Booja chocolate truffles are blended using organic Fleury champagne and 65 per cent dark chocolate. Handmade by a small team in Norfolk, they are free of gluten, wheat and dairy products. >
To celebrate Laurent-Perrier’s 200th anniversary in 2012, Britain’s leading award-winning Chocolatier and Patissier William Curley and Champagne Laurent-Perrier created the Laurent-Perrier Champagne Truffle, which was handcrafted using Toscano 70 per cent and Laurent-Perrier’s signature Brut Champagne. David Hesketh MW, Managing Director of Laurent-Perrier UK, says that: “Champagne and chocolate can be difficult flavours to pair, but William Curley has found a good balance with the Laurent-Perrier Brut Truffles,” which “convey the freshness and lightness of the Brut.” William Curley confesses to having had great fun creating this champagne truffle: “Laurent-Perrier is one of the finest champagne houses in the world – the Rolls-Royce; it is a pleasure to work with them as they, like us, only use the best ingredients.”
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Funchal, the capital of Madeira
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FINE Gastronomy
Laughably Tasty Rice Text: Pekka Nuikki
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ice is one of the most common and everyday foods enjoyed by mankind. Nearly one half of the
world’s population uses it as the main source of their daily nourishment. Rice is modest in appearance and flavour, so it is no wonder that on my travels around the world I had never come across a fine dining restaurant that based its marketing and menu around the ingredient. Until now. I am on the island of Madeira, in its capital city, Funchal, and the best restaurant here is called Riso.
Photo: Bengt Nyman
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on a small rock shelf. Beneath it the sea plays its endless music. The view is breathtaking, and is continuously accompanied by the sound of waves breaking on the shore. The terrace has ten or so tables, whose white tablecloths flap gently in the warm breeze. On one side, the terrace is completely open to the sea, with no walls or windows. It is like stepping onto the set of a 1940s French film. Before asking for the menu, I feel compelled to ask the waiter about the history of this fascinating place. “Riso is on one of the oldest streets in Funchal, Rua de Santa Maria. The building used to belong to the Grand Western Telegraph, and the old façade has been preserved, but the interior has been completely redesigned by architects Giano Gonçalves and Leo Marote. For nearly a century between 1878 and 1968, this was known as the cable building, as it housed the end of an underwater cable that connected Europe with America. Opposite Riso is one of Funchal’s oldest churches, built by popular demand in 1523 once the city had recovered from the plague. It was rebuilt in 1768, so we really are in an extraordinary historic environment here.”
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love rice and especially its derivative, risotto. I could easily justify a weekend getaway in northern Italy just tasting the region’s truffle risotto. The reasons for visiting Madeira, however, are different. Madeira is known for its natural diversity and lushness, and of course for its excellent Madeira wines. The islands’ cuisine is not a reason to visit in itself, despite the fact that they are located in the North Atlantic, some 600 kilometres from the North African shore, in the middle of a rich and diverse supply of fish. However, I justified my trip to Madeira based on wines and, somewhat surprisingly, rice. Restaurant Riso is located right at the seashore, or rather, on the sea. You enter via a modest door reminiscent of a home’s front door, and the first impression is that of a very typical dining area, with a bar and small tables covered in gingham cloths. From street level, however, you go down to a low terrace resting 52
Riso’s menu is not long but it is rich in rice. Master Chef Fausto Airoldi is one of Portugal’s most renowned chefs. He has been Chef of the Year several times and has also captained the Portuguese team in several international cooking competitions. Rice is one of his passions, and Riso is an excellent showcase for it. “This house, entirely dedicated to rice, offers a selection of rice dishes from all the corners of the world. We combine various rice varieties with high-quality ingredients to create innovative main courses and smaller dishes, as well as the more traditional courses. We listen to what our customers want. Our philosophy is to offer a place where one can have a different sort of experience while enjoying a first-rate kitchen and service in a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere. We want every customer at Riso to be treated to a moment of pampering and to share in our special ambience,” Airoldi explains. The dinner itself is close to perfection. A rich truffle risotto enjoyed with champagne
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and the sound of the roaring ocean forms an unforgettable sensory experience. The wine list meets my expectations, consisting primarily of the best local wines. “In terms of wines, our strategy is to offer excellent Portuguese wines at affordable prices. Our list comprises 70 white, red and rosé wines, carefully selected to complement each of the dishes on our menu. The brands range from well-known, classic Portuguese wineries to more recent arrivals on the market and unique Madeiran table wines. We also offer fine wines by the glass, which is still uncommon in Madeira. Finally, we also have a Wine Cellar list, with our most special and refined wines,” explains the sommelier. The courses we enjoy during our dinner consist of rice coupled with fresh local ingredients. The waiter’s explanation of the dishes is somewhat unusual. “Riso’s concept is to use rice as a basis for its dishes, combining flavours from around the world but using local produce. The idea is to adapt to the location’s taste profile, which makes the use of local raw materials important. We choose products from the island whenever we can. If we can’t, we import them from continental Portugal. If what we need is impossible to source from either place, we turn to European suppliers. At
Riso means laughter in Portuguese. In Italian it means rice.
the moment, our scallops come from Norway, the Vialone rice from an Italian producer, the Thai rice from a Portuguese importer of Asian products, and so on.” After dinner, I lean contentedly against the seaside balustrade of the terrace and look over the waves. Riso has kept its promise quite literally, because I am filled with satisfied laughter as I thank the head chef and his staff. >
Riso Risottoria del Mundo 274 Rua Santa Maria, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
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D E A D LY
Text: Juha Jormanaine n
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eapons, whether blades or firearms, have been ornamented throughout their
existence. Highly skilled gunsmiths as well as engravers have put the full force of their talents to effect in the decoration of cutting edge firearms. So what is it about an expensive, handcrafted firearm that captures the imagination? Why would anyone pay more than 100,000 euros for a shotgun, when a duck or a pheasant could just as easily be bagged with one that costs less than 1,000 euros?
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Beretta SO6 shotgun – beautifully engraved with gold inlays.
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Rifles and shotguns are made of metal, wood and even synthetic materials. In appearance they lack somewhat in personality, as a single lot of firearms might be manufactured in the thousands. Thanks to state-of-the-art machining technologies, the fittings are extremely tight and tolerances are exacting. For example, factorymade Sako rifles are nearly equal in class to many custom made rifles.
Premium grade gunstocks are always hand made.
A hunting rifle is an extremely personal article. It is cared for, fussed over and admired, even outside hunting season. It is the apple of its owner’s eye as well as an extension of his arm. It is an article which the user has learned to depend upon one hundred per cent. When hunting dangerous game, it is also life insurance. This is perhaps the reason why many people desire a highly personalised weapon, regardless of the cost. There are also many who see this as nothing more than a vain ostentation, as the game has no idea as to what kind of weapon has fired the killing shot. And a magnificently engraved firearm is no more effective than a similar, mass-produced firearm. Be this as it may, we are now discussing something entirely different. Let’s call it a virile aesthetic. The ornamentation and customisation make the weapon a unique specimen. It is no longer a factory-made Sako or Heym, but something much more. It is the fulfillment of the hunters’ dream, a weapon made according to his own wishes – only for him. Such a weapon can also be depended upon without reservation. A top class firearm enhances self-confidence, which in hunting is the very bedrock of it all. Self-confidence is an invaluable asset when, for example, being charged by a wounded lion. Moreover, an exceptional, world class firearm is an investment that retains its value and even increases it.
A weapon is the sum of its parts The traditional oilfinish is time-consuming.
When ordering a one-of-a-kind firearm, you must first decide on the type of firearm, grade of stock wood, and engraving style. There is also just cause to check the depths of your wallet. Particularly when it comes to hunting shotguns, the stock material, grade, colour and shape can often already be decided upon when purchasing the firearm. When ordering a top class shotgun, such as a Boss, Purdey, Beretta or Holland & Holland, a test shooting with an adjustable firearm is an absolute must. An old, high-quality shotgun can also be refurbished by purchasing a suitable walnut stock blank. Then the firearm and stock blank is sent to a stockmaker for shaping. It sounds easy, but don’t be fooled – there are stocks and then there are stocks. Gunstocks can be roughly divided into three grades. The least expensive are air gun stocks, which are made of beech or another light-coloured type of wood and then stained a dark colour. This wood is affordable and durable.
Engraver working with Beretta Imperial Monte Carlo.
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The second grade includes cultivated walnut, which is used to make stocks for more common standard firearms. A large percentage of walnut comes from Turkey, where trees are cultivated exclusively to meet the needs of the firearms industry. Walnut can be grown quickly using fertiliser and is porous, scratches easily and cannot be cut with all the finer checkering patterns. But it does effectively serve its purpose as a basic firearm gunstock. Because few basic stocks are in top condition coming from the factory, many owners remove the lacquer finish and refinish the stock with oil. Traditionally, the stocks of the finest firearms are finished with various oils, a process which takes a great deal of time. The most expensive grade includes slow-growth French walnut and particularly its root stock that is used for the gunstock on the very finest firearms and is priced accordingly. An asking price of
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5,000 euros for a single plank sufficient for an exhibition grade stock is nothing extraordinary. The twisting, undulating grain in the root stock of an old walnut tree is clearly visible, always accompanied by prominent “birdseye� figures. The root stock is also extremely hard wood and will not expand, contract or warp unexpectedly. Particularly in sidelock shotguns, the wood grain at the wrist should be as longitudinal and symmetrical as possible, as longitudinal grains can best withstand hard recoils. Exhibition grade stock wood is becoming increasingly rare and its prices are rising every year. The resale value of firearms with exceptionally fine stocks is also rising. The checkering on a shotgun stock is also an indicator of its quality and, as a rule, the finer the checkering, the higher the quality of the gun. Naturally, the checkering is done
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Distinction in engravings Engraving gives a firearm its crowning touch. Although the engravings on two different shotguns might appear very similar, there can still be a massive difference in price. The cheapest engravings are made by laser, acid etching or an engraving machine. The machine engraves the exact same pattern on thousands of firearms. If a firearm bears impressive-looking engravings, but the price is less than a few thousand euros, the work was most likely done by machine or acid etching. Hand engraving takes skill and time. A lot of time. Handcraftsmanship is notoriously expensive, and an engraving
master may spend months working on an exhibition class firearm. Indeed, firearms graced by a masterpiece of engraving usually fetch prices in the tens of thousands of euros. The price is also partly determined by the complexity of engraving patterns. There are several styles from which to choose. The simplest pattern is a light Arabesque, which is usually engraved by hand on the bolt body of boxlock rifles, side-by-side rifles, shotguns or drilling guns. The light Arabesque is almost a standard feature on German firearms. The next engraving class is an Arabesque with one animal motif on either side of the firearm. For example, on Krieghoff firearms this will cost approximately 1,000 euros extra. The buyer can choose the desired animal motif and the stock grade will be upgraded to the next level. Generally, the better the quality and complexity of engravings, the higher the stock grade. If the buyer wants the finest engravings on his firearm, then he must first choose either a sidelock firearm or a firearm fitted with a sideplate, in order to give the engraver enough room to work.
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by hand, which takes time. And there’s no margin for error, either. German fishscale checkering is magnificent, but extremely vulnerable to dents and dings. The stock can also be adorned with gold inlays on which engravings of, for example, animal motifs can be made. Many top class shotguns do not have a separate butt plate, with the checkering instead cut directly into the stock butt.
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An impressive example of deep relief engraving.
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There is good reason to learn the difference between a sidelock and sideplate shotgun. A true sidelock shotgun can be identified by the fact that the lock mechanism pin heads can be seen on the surface of the sidelock. Indeed, Beretta, for example, manufactures a top class sidelock shotgun, the SO-10, whose receiver surfaces are smooth. This means that the engraver does not have to worry about the pin heads, allowing for truly astounding engravings. The Italian engraving style usually tends toward very fine lines, thus giving the engraving the look of a painting or photograph.
will need to be prepared to lay out at least 10,000 euros – in actual fact there is no limit to the amount you could spend. On the other hand, you certainly won’t ever come across anything like it.
Large animal motif engravings typically depict three animals on both sides. The engraving is also deeper, with a landscape, oak leaves, Arabesque or scrollwork in the background. Large animal motif engravings normally cost 2,000-4,000 euros. If your wallet is thick enough, you can opt for a high-relief engraving, where the animals are executed in relief on the sidelock plates. This is always a master engraver’s true tour de force, which is also signed by the artist. A high-relief engraving can take months to finish and the owner
The Italian bulino engraving style is perhaps the most stunning of all. Here the engraving line is an exceptionally fine “feder stich”, or “etched in molten”. This engraving style also makes use of extremely tiny pointillist dots varying in size: one square inch might hold over a million dots. The end result is a nearly photographic representation. Although the bulino style can produce highly detailed engravings, the images are extremely vulnerable to dents and dings. Premium grade shotgun engravings are very often made
The Germans prefer animal motifs and high-relief engraving, with animals engraved in gold or silver. The English, however, favour the “rose and scroll” motif on their top class shotguns. The finer the scrollwork, the more the engraving costs. A good rose and scroll is hard to find for anything less than 10,000 euros.
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The buyer can send the engraver, for example, a photograph of his favourite hunting dog. However, I have yet to see an engraving immortalising the hunter’s wife. Different styles may be combined in top class engravings. The background might be done in the bulino style, the animal motifs in high-relief on precious metals and the border in high-relief, using Renaissance motifs. The price tag on such works of art might run into the tens of thousands of euros. The engraved plates are generally not protected in any way, which means that they are at the mercy of the elements. A thin coating of oil helps keep the engravings intact. When hunting in close proximity to the sea, the engravings must be carefully oiled before the hunt and immediately after.
When only the best will do Premium class firearms are for the most part handcrafted, but a certain amount of machining is also necessary. However, a great deal of time is devoted to the actual assembly of the firearm’s metal components, as a masterpiece isn’t created overnight. For example, artisans can spend more than 1,200 hours working on a Holland & Holland shotgun before it is finished. Time is taken to handcraft the firearm’s fittings. A combination shotgun lock snaps shut like a safe door without requiring any force, due to the exacting tolerances of its fittings. The barrels are traditionally soldered together and, particularly where double-barreled rifles are concerned, the assembly of barrels is highly demanding, as they must both hit the same target. The steel grades are the best money can buy.
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in the bulino style and the result is nothing short of breathtaking. But, so is the price – and the sky’s the limit.
In the past, a gentleman would never have ordered only one shotgun for his shooting needs, but a pair. The reason for this is that one shotgun was not enough in a fast-paced pheasant or red
Animal motifs are relief engraved in silver and background is Bulino style engraving
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grouse hunt. The gentleman of yore always hunted with a gun bearer, who ensured that his liege would be able to fully focus his attention on shooting. According to tradition, the shotgun bolt release levers bore a golden number one and two, so that the owner could distinguish between the firearms. An English gentleman’s shotgun is, naturally, a side-by-side firearm with an English butt.
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On fine shotguns and combination guns, the receivers are almost without exception sidelocks, and the receiver components are gold-plated to enhance corrosion-resistance. The sidelock can be removed quickly if there are any malfunctions, whereas a boxlock firearm must be immediately taken to a gunsmith for repairs. Africa’s professional hunters, who often had to work among dangerous game, often used a side-by-side rifle as their weapon of choice. The construction is solid and the second shot can be
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made surely and with lightning speed. A high-calibre doublebarreled rifle is a life insurance policy for a professional hunter and his clients, if a dear one. For example, a double-barreled Boss & Co rifle costs approximately 130,000 euros. On the other hand, when a dangerous animal is charging there is but a fraction of a second between the hunter’s reaction and the moment a weapon must fire. When acquiring a Premium class firearm, you will have to wait a few years. It is for this reason that the prices for used firearms are so high. A proper leather gun case and cleaning kit are included with fine firearms. Manufacturers of top class shotguns include Holland & Holland, Purdey, Boss & Co. and Beretta, which is the current owner of Sako. Beretta is one of the world’s oldest firearms manufacturers, and has been owned by the same family for over 500 years. The Austrian village of Ferlach has been renowned for its extremely skilled gunsmiths since 1558. It is the destination for those with a passion for unique firearms – and those willing and able to pay. All firearms are made to the buyer’s specifications, thus making them absolutely unique pieces. The gunsmiths are proud of the fact that they can produce all the traditional firearm constructions: double-barreled rifles, triple-barreled rifles, Drillings, superposed Drillings and Vierlings.
An extreme speciality is the side-by-side triple-barreled rifle. This weapon has three side-by-side barrels, whose exterior dimensions are nearly identical to those of a double-barreled rifle. There is certainly no shortage of firepower, and the rifle’s excellence lies in the fact that the shooter can fire the weapon until the centre barrel is hot without any migration of the strike point. A problem with double-barreled rifles is the changing of aim alignment, if one barrel is fired more often than the other. The triple-barreled rifle is also available in a big game version, with the following barrel configuration: the .470 NE - the 8x75 RS - the .470 NE. On safari in Africa, the centre barrel is used to fell plains game and the side barrels are used for dangerous game. An example of interesting firearm constructions is the doublebarreled rifle with a hammer action, which gives the weapon an elegant historical touch. A tip-up-barreled (“Kipplaufbüchsen”) weapon can even be fitted with, for example, Holland & Hollandstyle sidelocks. Another very unusual firearm construction is the combination gun, which boasts three different calibre barrels, or Vierlings, which have two barrels for rifle cartridges and two for shotgun shells. In actual fact, the only limits to the desired weapon’s construction and engravings are the buyer’s imagination and wallet. If you’ve been seized by a desire for fine weapons and can’t get the thought of a one-of-a-kind firearm out of your mind, keep the old aphorism firmly in mind: “If you have to ask how much a gun costs, you can’t afford it”.
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Michelin Guide Three Stars San Francisco Chronicle Four Stars The Restaurant at Meadowoood Worth a Special Journey
The Restaurant at Meadowood Chef Christopher Kostow
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Relationships are core to life in Napa Valley.
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or the last half century, Napa Valley the original gathering place for the Valley’s has provided the panorama for a burgeoning wine community, Meadowood unique way of life—directed by the has now become an international wine industry and acted out by a host of destination and boasts membership within local players. Wine is the thread weaving the the exclusive ranks of Relais & Chateaux. art of man with the Come for a visit. bounty of nature in Walk the fairways a complex pattern on which Auction of relationships— Napa Valley has relationships that go raised more than $90 to the core of the million since the Valley’s legendary first gavel was raised. way of life and set Mingle with the the stage for a story vintners and growers like no other. as they enjoy their The community club through sport that is Napa Valley activities, recreation, contributes to local and the pursuit of enterprise through lifelong wellness. its vast experience Dine on the private and deep-seated terrace of your relationships. In adguestroom or spend dition to grape growthe evening enjoying Master Sommelier Gilles de Chambure ers and wine makers, a meal prepared it includes agriculturalists, great chefs, som- by Michelin Three-Star chef Christopher meliers, maître d’s, gallery owners, innkeep- Kostow in The Restaurant at Meadowood. ers and shop proprietors. All depend upon Spend a day exploring the wineries you’ve each other for their unique livelihood and longed to visit with Gilles de Chambure, lifestyle. Master Sommelier, whose sole role at For the past 46 years Meadowood Meadowood is to enhance guests’ knowledge has served as the heart and soul of the and enjoyment of wine. winegrowing community—as a center for A stay at Meadowood offers you entry social and family life and as a second home into an extraordinary way of life. Capture for travelers from around the world wishing the magic of Napa Valley and develop your to immerse themselves in the region, its own relationship with the people that define wines, and its people. Founded in 1964 as this unparalleled experience.
the sporting life at meadowood The forested hillsides of Meadowood’s two hundred fifty-acre valley slope to the cool green of the estate’s nine-hole, walking golf course. Presiding over the tranquil fairways and the golf teaching facility is Resident Golf Professional Doug Pike. Meadowood’s Resident Tennis Professional, Doug King, is one of the country’s leading tennis teaching innovators. The founder of Acceleration Tennis, a revolutionary teaching system, King is leading the way in reinterpreting the traditional tennis model, working with players of all skill levels from beginner to professional. Between dining and wine experiences we invite you to stretch your legs with a game of golf or tennis.
900 Meadowood Lane, St. Helena, California 94574 Tel (707) 968-3153 www.meadowood.com
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L a u f a l e e t ur â h A Bordeaux wine in the Burgundy style
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etween the estates of Pétrus and La Fleur-Pétrus, amid vineyards, stands a stone house with closed shutters. The road that winds to the house between the vine rows has no signs or indications as to the name of the place. The construction looks more like a maintenance shed for the neighbouring estates than the main building of a winery. However, this is a house that makes one of the most desirable wines in Bordeaux: Château Lafleur. Top wines from the Bordeaux region all have one thing in common: their unique character is revealed only
through the passage of time, after a long period of maturation in the bottle. Unfortunately, Bordeaux’s are seldom served at the peak of their maturity. An overwhelming majority of Bordeaux’s finest vintages are opened far too early. It’s heart-breaking when one sees a sommelier opening a 2005 Château Latour. Even the legendary 1961 demands hours of decanting to be enjoyed at its prime today. When discussing the finest vintages which are at their optimal drinkability right now, the focus is on Bordeaux with decadesold vintages.
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We drive into the yard and walk up to the door. It is opened by the cheerful Jacques Guinaudeau, who is the fifth-generation owner and winemaker of the estate. Jacques’ great-great-grandfather Henri Greloud bought the land in 1872. Over time, ownership was transferred to Henri’s son Charles and then to Charles’ cousin André Robin, who was known for paying great attention to the quality of the estates’ wines. In 1946, the estate was inherited by André’s daughters Thérèse and Marie, who managed it for nearly four decades. It was under their leadership that the estate produced several magnificent vintages, of which the 1947, 1950, 1961 and 1975 stand out as legendary. In 1981, the sisters turned to their neighbours, the Moueix family, to ask whether Pétrus’ long-term winemaker, Jean-Claude Berrouet, might be interested in consulting and managing their estate. The partnership was made and bore fruit the next year, when one of the best-ever vintages of Lafleur – 1982 – was created. Three years later, Thérèse died and Marie decided to lease the vineyards to her cousin Jacques Guinaudeau and his wife Sylvie. Since then, the Guinaudeaus have significantly developed the plots and production processes. Their methods and production philosophy are actually closer to Burgundy than Bordeaux. The Guinaudeaus bought the estate in 2002, which was also when their son Baptiste started to
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work there. Jacques Guinaudeau leads us into the vineyard and excitedly praises the uniqueness of the 4.5-hectare estate. “Lafleur is a single-vineyard wine with exceptional terroir qualities. Firstly, it is located on a very gentle amphitheatrical slope to the north of Pétrus. The soil is clearly more gravelly and brown than the red clay at Pétrus. A comprehensive soil analysis in 1998 found that the estate comprises as many as five different types: the northwest has brown gravel, the south is more clay-based and sandy gravel, and the east has sandy clay with some gravel. In the middle, is a mixture of all of those. These have completely different conditions in terms of the grapes ripening, size and concentration. The concentration is also affected by the old vines, which have an average age of thirty years. The oldest vines actually go back fifty years. We work the vineyard as four different plots, even though they go towards a single wine. We grow two varieties, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, but the differences in soil result in very different grapes within each variety. This diversity is the secret to Lafleur’s greatness,” Guinaudeau explains. Weaving between the densely planted vine rows, Jacques goes on: “The vineyard has around 8 000 vines per hectare. Through dense planting we aim not only to increase the concentration of the grapes, but also to protect them from
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direct sunlight. This is so that we can ensure the refined style of our wines that results from their fresh fruitiness and crisp acids.” Due to the factors mentioned above, harvesting and winemaking are done in many phases. A separate wine is produced from each of the four micro terroirs. The grapes are picked in many stages and vinified separately for each plot; Guinaudeau keeps track of this multiphase process with the help of a squared-paper notebook. In it he logs the picking of each plot’s grapes and the vats in which they end up. As we enter the cellars and see the facilities, we understand the need for the logbook. Lafleur’s production facilities are less than half the size of Pétrus, which are small in themselves, and there are only a few fermentation vats. “To retain the wines’ sophisticated qualities – delicious fruitiness and perfumed aromas – we avoid maturing the wines solely in new oak barrels. Therefore only a half of our barrels are new,” Guinaudeau says, before explaining that the final blending and winemaking processes are done at the end, in the oak maturation phase.
there may be a few barrels that Guinaudeau rejects, and they are sold off. Even in the best years, the estate only produces 17 000 bottles, of which 12 000 are Lafleur and only 5 000 are Pensées de Lafleur. Lafleur’s wines form an interesting contrast to their neighbour, Pétrus. Their terroirs differ significantly, even though the distance between them is only 50-100 metres. Whereas Pétrus is more seductively rich, full-bodied and intense, Lafleur is charming in its elegance, femininity and subtlety. Lafleur’s wines are delightful, but they do require ageing for at least twenty years in order to display their full, nuanced character. Guinaudeau’s investments into improving quality in all of Lafleur’s functions promise an even better future for the friends of Lafleur. Although, tasting the 1947, 1950, 1961, 1975 or 1982, one can only wonder whether Lafleur’s wines could get any better? >
The oak maturation is monitored and the final decisions regarding which wines will be bottled under the Lafleur label and which as the number two wine, Pensées de Lafleur, are only made at the end. Ultimately
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The Best Château Lafleur vintages to drink today 100p
1947 Château Lafleur
98p
Colour: Medium-intense, brick red Nose: Intense, ripe brambles and cherries,
Colour: Moderately intense, brick red Nose: Rich, earthy, leathery, ripe cherries, a
floral, earthy
touch of violets
Palate: Rich, medium-bodied, vivid acidity, ripe
Palate: Medium-bodied, round, intense, black
and dark fruits, smooth tannins
Finish: Lingering, energetic In a nutshell: Exquisite satin-like wine Buy or not: If there is one wine to be experienced in a lifetime, it must be this
Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information Or try this: Final verdict:
98p
18 times 1 hour 3 hours Now to 2020 Braised veal with creamy truffle potatoes Super high The vintage of the century in Pomerol Cheval Blanc 1947
fruit, smooth tannins
Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information Or try this: Final verdict:
Long, supple and vivid A round and opulent wine Yes! 9 times 1 hour 2 hours Now Roasted venison with grilled beetroot High The best Pomerol vintage of the 1950s Pétrus 1950 The little sister of Lafleur 1947
One of the greatest wines ever made
1975 Château Lafleur Colour: Dark, intense, brick red Nose: Black fruits, spicy, cedary, touch of menthe, bell pepper, intense, wild
Palate: Rich, firm tannins, jammy black fruit, spicy, great balance, very vigour, velvety, sweet
Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing:
1950 Château Lafleur
Lingering, long and fleshy - endless Powerful wine with great depth Yes, if you are able to find one 23 times 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2025 Grilled duck brest with creamy truffle raviolis
Fake factor: None yet Inside The vintage 1975 that was especially information good in Pomerol is often referred to
remind the great Pomerol vintage 1928
Or try this: Pétrus 1975 Final verdict: A wine of the vintage in Bordeaux
98p
1982 Château Lafleur Colour: Medium-intense, brick red Nose: Loads of black fruits, violets, touch of black truffle
Palate: Full-bodied, concentrated, ripe black fruits, perfumy, silky tannins
Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information
Smooth, lingering and supple A refined and flirty wine Yes, you will not regret it 11 times 4 hours 2 hours 2025 Roasted pigeon with morel risotto None The first vintage of Lafleur to be handled exclusively from beginning to an end by the Pétrus team
Or try this: Le Pin 1982 Final verdict: A great wine that is still on its way to becoming even greater
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FINE Design Text: Stuart George
Special wine needs special eye-catching presentation. Viscount Linley, the nephew of Queen Elizabeth II and Paul Pontallier, Director of Château Margaux, collaborated with The Antique Wine Company of London to create the “Grand Châteaux Series” wine cabinets.
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Margaux cabinet
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FINE Design From left: David Linley, Stephen Williams, Paul Pontallier, Corinne Mentzelopoulos
“It took me a long time to work out that food and wine are quite enjoyable,” admits Viscount Linley, nephew of Queen Elizabeth II and founder of the eponymous bespoke furniture business. “A few years ago Stephen Williams, Managing Director of The Antique Wine Company, took me and my wife to Château Margaux to get a flavour of the place,” he recalls. There was a long lunch with 1989 Pavillon Rouge for the main course and the 1961 Grand Vin with the cheese: “It was the most wonderful colour, very light and brown. That was really my introduction to exceptional wine.” In December 2006, The Antique Wine Company sold a 135-bottle collection of Château d’Yquem, including every vintage produced from 1860 to 2003, to the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat for $1.5 million. “We wanted a nice box to put it in,” says Williams, “so, at the suggestion of the GrandHôtel, we commissioned Linley to produce two very beautiful walnut cabinets.”
Parisian stitches
In 2007, The Antique Wine Company sold its “Paris Town Hall Fine Wine Collection”. Williams “had noticed that Linley had made some very interesting architectural models in the past, of manor houses and stately homes in the UK. So I thought why not make a replica of the Paris Town Hall to go with this wine collection?” John Wilsher, Production Director at Linley, claims that making this box was a challenge: “The detail in the Paris Town Hall box was phenomenal. The Marquetry and carved details were all done by laser etching to give an illusion of three-dimensionality.” “It was an interesting concept to make architectural models from exotic woods,” says Williams “so the idea of reproducing the Grands Crus Châteaux of Bordeaux followed suit quite easily.””
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Cabinet Sauvignon
The first completed cabinet was of Château Margaux, which had never before allowed its name to be associated with any other product. “It was entirely due to Stephen Williams that Margaux allowed us the privilege of making the box in this form,” insists Lord Linley.
Nine Network
The Antique Wine Company’s “Grand Château Series” was then commissioned, a limited edition of nine individual fine wine collections from top Bordeaux estates, each encased in a perfect scale architectural model cabinet designed and made by Linley.
Paul Pontallier, Director of Château Margaux, concurs: “It happened because of Stephen Williams. He came and offered us this possibility and we were quite impressed by it. We did it because of the sheer quality of the project – though we do not plan to do anything else like this.”
Cabinets have been selected for Cheval Blanc, Haut-Brion, Lafite, La Mission Haut-Brion, Latour, Margaux, Mouton-Rothschild, Pétrus, and d’Yquem. The five cabinets made for each estate contain 18 bottles of the relevant wine, with one of the d’Yquem cabinets including a 133-vintage vertical from 1856 to the current 2007 release, as well as memorabilia from the archives of the Château.
Spanning 1900 to 2005, the 18 Margaux vintages included with each of the five cabinets came from the Château itself, though wines for the other cabinets have been assembled from a combination of the reserves of the relevant château and stocks of The Antique Wine Company.
“Limiting each Château edition to just five cabinets ensures that these collections will become an invaluable investment and rare wine treasure, adding the ultimate ‘wow’ factor to a wine room or cellar,” says Stephen Williams. The relevant Château has the option to purchase the first one, with Williams retaining one of each cabinet for himself. “If business turns bad I can sell them!” he quips.
Measuring 1425 mm (56 inches) high, 690 mm (27 inches) wide and 550 mm (21.6 inches) deep, the Margaux cabinets were crafted in sycamore, ripple sycamore, burr ash and Bombay rosewood. The familiar front elevation of the Château was modelled as a three-dimensional portico with fully turned sycamore columns that hold inlaid windows and doors in contrasting veneers. Marquetry details are repeated on all floors. The lower steps conceal a secret drawer, which are a feature of Linley’s work.
Margaux workshop
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FINE Design
Grand Marquetry
The commissioning process for the cabinets began with the brief and then proceeded to 3D computer and line drawings, which were developed into proper technical drawings. The designs are so accurate that some years ago a Linley model was used as the basis of an actual roof – Linley’s cabinet designer had worked out its structure before the roof’s architect. “Some of our designers went to a couple of Châteaux,” John Wilsher explains, “but mainly it was worked out from photographs, the internet and any kind of working drawing that we could find.” Paul Pontallier says, “We were not involved very closely… We don’t know about cabinets – but supposedly we can make wine.”
Some of the Marquetry is done by laser. “Purists say that it should be done by hand but the laser is very accurate and it can be used to define lines within the same piece of timber,” asserts Linley. “It’s different. And if the technology is available, why not use it?”
“The designs are worked out very accurately,” continues Wilsher. “They are scale models of the building – to a degree. When a building is symmetrical, like Margaux, it’s relatively easy. But some of the others have complicated architecture and do not lend themselves to a box to store wine in. A lot of the work goes on the roof, for example. Haut-Brion’s roof was very tricky. The skill of the designer is to create an artistic interpretation of the building and to keep the main features but make it work as a box.”
It takes six months to make each cabinet. “One man doesn’t work on it constantly,” stresses Wilsher. “There is a Marquetry cutter in addition to the person working on the box, who we think is the best in the business.” Linley says, “He has large hands and it’s surprising how he can work with such small details. But it is increasingly difficult to find craftsmen of this calibre, particularly for people who would want to take on the challenge of these constructions, which are increasingly complex.”
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Cabinet projections
There are analogies between how the cabinets and the wines that lie inside them are made. Both are crafted from natural materials. Like grapes, timber is affected by where and how it is grown. Linley uses particular sources for its wood, like a winemaker sourcing barrels from specific cooperages. But, as Wilsher recognises, “It’s easier for us because we’re not dependent on the weather.”
Credit crunch cabinets
The Margaux cabinet was launched just before the global economy slipped in autumn 2008. “I wasn’t worried because it’s a three-year project,” asserts Stephen Williams. “We’d just started and we were sure that things would change – and they have. We’re back in an age when the market for collectibles is very strong. Even in the middle of the credit crunch we didn’t see much downturn in demand for top end wines from private individuals.”
Private collectors have usually been the most enthusiastic clients but a full set of all nine cabinets was sold to the Hotel Lisboa in Macau, though it filled the cabinets with its own wines rather than The Antique Wine Company’s collections. Each of the cabinets costs £145 000 plus shipping
and VAT as applicable. But there are First Growths among equals: the Pétrus and Lafite cabinets are priced at £195 000 each.
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The colour of wood changes over time. As with wine, light colours get darker and dark colours get lighter. With cabinet making, perfection means rigorous selection of timber and that the screws line up, among many other considerations. Like a fine wine, it is a matter of balance and smoothness. Fine furniture, like fine wine, is expensive because it is labour intensive, needing many man-hours to bring it to life. It is heavy and fragile, making it difficult and costly to ship. Fundamentally, the splendour of exceptional furniture or wine is due to a singular attention to detail. Linley has fitted out London restaurants, including The Goring Hotel and The Sloane Club, and would “love to do a wine cellar… I started the project because Stephen and I share a love of wine and we both like beautiful objects. He has been a phenomenal partner.” “It’s been an interesting project,” concludes Williams. “We don’t find it difficult to come up with interesting ideas. I enjoy the challenge of doing something a bit different, as do our clients, who are fanatical about wine and can afford to enjoy it to whatever extent they want.” >
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THE
Finest Wines E V E R M A D E
In November 2007, FINE Magazines published The 1000 Finest Wines Ever Made, a book that was referred to as “The Michelin Guide of the wine world”. This ranking was based on the tasting experiences of over 60 000 wines that the editors of FINE Magazines had gathered since the year 2000, and included wines dating from 1690 to the most recent releases. This ranking will be shared with readers of the world’s finest and most exclusive wine magazine. In selected issues, we turn the spotlight on the wines of one specific region.
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1000 Finest Wines Ever Made — To Drink Today Tasting wine is a personal experience and therefore,
always subjective. Experience, palate, taste, preferences and the personality of the taster play a major role in the assessment of wine. To taste wine is to interact with it. The FINE group of wine experts have shared their extensive knowledge, experience and vision about the finest and most sought-after wines of all time in their notes and memories for most of their adult lives, and draw upon an unparalleled bank of over 60 000 fine wines tasted. All tasting notes in this ranking are up-to-date, and presented with a view to minimise risk when purchasing wines and when opening your finest bottles. With a view to As much information as possible is shared about the bottle condition, the preparation, the performance and the market conditions of the wine, including the fake factors – things that have been thus far been completely missing from wine writing. As with rare and mature wines, there are no perfect wines – only perfect bottles. In the following pages you will read the top Bordeaux list.
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TOP 10 BORDEAUX 1. Château Latour
1961
2. Château Mouton-Rothschild
1945
3. Château Pétrus
1961
4. Château Margaux
1900
5. Château Cheval Blanc
1947
6. Château Haut-Brion
1945
7. Château Le Pin
1982
8. Château d’Yquem
1921
9. Château Pétrus
1947
10. Château Pétrus
1989
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1 Château Latour 1961 (Pauillac)
Our unanimous highest rating went to the fantastic Château Latour 1961. It is a truly unique, classic and perfect wine. The Latour 1961 was tasted by us more than 100 times, and only on fifteen occasions did it score anything less than a faultless 100 points! No other wine from the approximately 60 000 wines that we tasted has as exceptional and perfect a track-record as the Latour 1961. Although the year was not perfect at Château Latour, the wines were. A very rainy winter was followed by an exceptionally warm February. Growth started in the first few days of February – that is to say one month early. The first half of March was very warm and the first leaves were noted on March 10. April was unstable and predominantly cold, which slowed down growth. The end of May was very cold and on May 29, disaster struck. The flowers froze and the sterile grapes dried up immediately. Three quarters of the crop was lost, as there had never been frosts in May before. July was not good on the whole, as it was overcast with no rain or sun. In the first three weeks of August, the vineyards lacked both water and sun but fine weather settled in on August 24 and continued without a break until September 28 (almost as dry as 1949). It rained on September 29 and 30, but harvesting took place from September 19 to 28. The weather was very hot, which caused problems with vinification. Yields were very poor, as had been expected, so the harvest was short. Almost all of the bottles we tasted were in very good condition, with only a few of them being top-shoulder or lower. The ideal decanting time seems to be two hours. Our last five bottles, all of which came directly from the Château, lived up to the romantic memory of our previous experiences. The best bottle of them all had a beautiful, dark-red, fully mature colour which was almost orange on the rim. The scent was open and classic – a perfectly merged bouquet. The presence of fruit was unbelievably rich. This sublimely fat, firm, still quite youthful, full, very long and abundantly fruity classic injected new life into our welltrained senses. Perfect balance and structure as always. Time lost its meaning again. The sensations we experienced in that moment are almost impossible to describe. What we loved most about this Goliath was the endless, awe-inspiring finish. Not only was the mouthfeel like drinking liquid silk but the aristocratic finish of multi-layered Cabernet stayed on the palate for an eternity. It was the best wine we had ever encountered. We revere it deeply.
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1961 Château Latour
Average auction price: Bottle condition: Colour: Nose:
€3450 A2 Medium-intense, ruby Intense, concentrated, blackcurrants, vanilla, smoky, rich, leathery
Palate: Rich medium-bodied, firm yet supple tannins, vivid and energetic acidity and black fruit – wow!
Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor:
Concentrated, long and firm finish The Pope of wines This is the one to die for 107 times 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2025 Juicy medium-rare steaks Very high, especially in magnums – always check the vintage from the cork before buying any of these.
Inside Information: A very low yield Or try this: Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945 Final verdict: Still the world’s best wine to drink today
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2 Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945 (Pauillac)
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1945 Château Mouton-Rothschild
Average auction €9100 price: Colour: Almost black, deep, promising Nose: Sound, open, dark chocolate, dried herbs, mint, oriental spices, black currants, coffee, eucalyptus
Palate: Full-bodied, perfect balance, huge,
powerful, fruit bomb, complex, ripe tannins, velvety
Finish: Endless, superior, multi-layered, extraordinary, impressive
In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor:
Out of this world When ever on sale 44 times 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2035 Just thin slices of Pata Negra ham Huge, especially beware of labels without a bottle number
Inside information: Baron Philippe de Rothschild celebrated the victory of the Allies and the end of the Second World War with his highly symbolic choice of illustration for the Mouton label. The young artist Philippe Jullian and the Baron chose the large ‘V’ (for ‘victoire’ or ‘victory’), the victory sign of the Allies and the symbol which then stood throughout Europe for resistance against the Nazis. Parisians ripped their metro tickets into the form of a ‘V’, and British planes formed the letter in the air with vapour trails. The appropriate sign in Morse code was sent out repeatedly from London over the airwaves as an interval signal on Allied radio stations. The ‘V’ on Philippe Jullian’s label for Mouton-Rothschild documents, in a unique, universal way, the outbreak of peace and the return to normal life. Or try this: Heitz Martha’s Vineyard 1974 Final verdict: A legend!
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3 Château Pétrus 1961 (Pomerol)
100p Average auction price: Colour: Nose: Palate:
1961 Château Pétrus €6200 Full, healthy Sound, open, rich, compound, sweet Well balanced, complex, intense, delicious, smooth, mighty, perfect
Finish: Endless, superbly balanced In a nutshell: Hedonistic delight Buy or not: If you already own Aston Martin DP9 – then yes
Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink:
38 times 2 hours 3 hours When ever possible and not with too many friends
Food pairing: Forget the food Fake factor: Considerable – don’t buy with green capsules or from eBay
Inside information: Only 680 cases produced Or try this: Space travel Final verdict: Our grandchildren may get bored of hearing about it
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4 Château Margaux 1900 (Margaux)
100p
1900 Château Margaux
Average auction price: Bottle condition: Colour: Nose:
€9450 A2 Tawny, clear, promising Complex, open, intense, blackcurrant, violets, butterscotch, sweetness, chocolate
Palate: Superb balance, velvety, great finesse, silky tannins, intensive, lively, fresh, ripe, multi-layered, youthful
Finish: Broad, insightful, stunning, long, long, long…
In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor:
Bottled sensation Oh, yes! 24 times 30 minutes 1 hour Now to 2020 Forget the food Quite high, be especially aware of magnums and bigger sized bottles.
Inside information: The vintages 1900 and 1982 were almost identical for Château Margaux. A warm summer, hotter than 1899, and baking heat during the harvest. The grapes were very ripe. A super abundant crop. Picking began on September 24. Production was 29 000 cases. Or try this: Ferrari 250 GT 1959 Final verdict: Nothing comes close!
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5 Château Cheval Blanc 1947 (St. Emilion)
100p
1947 Château Cheval Blanc
Average auction €4800 price: Bottle condition: A2 Colour: Deep, very dark, mature, promising Nose: Sound, open, chocolaty, leathery,
port-like, sweet, rich, mocha, spices, pepper
Palate: Rich, exciting, full-bodied, perfect
balance, feminine, smooth tannins, Wow!
Finish: Super long, silky, flavourful, lingering, thrilling
In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor:
Can´t live without it A sure bet 62 times 1.5 hours 2 hours Now to 2025 The less food the better wine is Very high – especially among Van Der Meulen and other negociant bottlings. Also quite a few fake magnums and even bigger size fakes are around. Be very careful.
Inside information: The Cheval Blanc 1947 has been tasted by us on more than 60 occasions, but it has scored a faultless 100 points only 31 times. Its track record falls below the Latour 1961s and Mouton 1945s, mostly because there are so many variable négociant bottlings available. And regrettably, there are also quite a few frauds around.
Or try this: Château Lafleur 1947 Final verdict: A perfect, out-of-this-world experience
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6 Château Haut-Brion 1945 (Graves)
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1945 Château Haut-Brion
Average auction price: Bottle condition: Colour: Nose:
€2700 A2 Very dark, deep, bright Open, clean, exotic, ripe fruit, roasted herbs, tobacco, sweet, chocolate, walnuts, perfumed
Palate: Thick, well-balanced, passionate, firm, fresh, pure, enormous concentration, masses of fruits
Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor:
Flavourful, fat, intense, broad, long Astonishing With furthermost recommendations 25 times 1.5 hours 2 hours Now to 2025 No food, please! Quite big – there are now around 300–800 bottles under 1000 euros and without original labels on the market. We tasted two of those recently and they had nothing to do with Haut-Brion 1945.
Inside information: A warm spring caused an early vegetal growth of vines. However, a freezing cold month of May destroyed 80% of the crop. Or try this: Pétrus 1961 Final verdict: The best Haut-Brion ever!
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7 Château Le Pin 1982 (Pomerol)
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1982 Le Pin
Average auction €4750 price: Colour: Medium intense, dark-ruby Nose: Intense, meaty, coffee beans, black fruit, mocha, green beans
Palate: Elegant, super intense, full-bodied, multi-layered, glossy
Ending: Endless, concentrated, complex, silky In a word: What can we say? A killer from Le Pin Buy or not: Hard to say no, although the price is stratospheric
Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor:
11 times 3 hours 2 hours Now to 2025 Fried duck breast At the moment very low, but in the future be aware
Inside information: Annual production is usually very low - less than 600 cases were made, but in 1982 only 250 cases were made. Le Pin’s auction record is for a case of 1982 Chateau Le Pin, which fetched €88 000. Or try this: Lafleur 1982 Final verdict: The best wine from the 1980s
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8 Château d’Yquem 1921 (Sauternes)
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1921 Château d´Yquem
Average auction €4811 price: Colour: Very dark, deep, golden Nose: Fresh, open, pure, vivid, honeyed, vanilla, coffee, cream, chocolate, strawberries
Palate: Creamy, thick, great balance, multilayered, lively, firm, WOW!
Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor:
Still continues Yquem at its best and most genuine Always, but only château bottlings 27 times, last in 6/2011 2 hours 4 hours Now to 2025 A dessert itself Huge – buy only château-bottlings. Almost every other bottle we have tasted has been fake or very bad fake – Van Der Meulen bottles are a particularly risky business.
Inside information: The harvest of 1921 took 39 days to pick and was the last vintage that the Yquem owner Comte de Lur-Saluces sold in cask. Or try this: Yoga Final verdict: With luck, the best Yquem you will ever taste.
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Château Pétrus 1947 (Pomerol)
1947 Château Pétrus
Average auction €3450 price: Colour: Deep, dark, healthy Nose: Mature, intense, pleasant, delicious, jammy, chocolate, truffles, buttery, smoke
Palate: Massive, port-like, viscous, rich, tick,
fruity, soft tannin, multi-layered, Wow!
Finish: Exploding, warm, never ending, In a nutshell: Never ending story Buy or not: Or a table from Pétrus restaurant in London
Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor:
44 times, last 7/2011 2 hours 2 hours Now to 2030 Grilled fillet of lamb with thyme sauce Huge – don’t buy any VDM or any other negociant bottlings, without reliable knowledge of provenance
Inside information: Pétrus 1947 has been tasted with enthusiasm more than 40 times, but only on 25 of them has it been blessed with a perfect 100 points. This is mainly because there are so many variable négociant-bottlings and regrettably also innumerable frauds for sale. 1947 was a legendary vintage on the right bank of Bordeaux. It was extremely hot at the time of harvest and the warm grapes were so rich in sugar that the winemakers had problems in controlling the fermentation. Many wines had residual sugar and most had high volatile acidity, but this was masked by the richness and concentration of the fruit. Or try this: Graham Vintage Port 1945 Final verdict: Pétrus at it’s best – with luck.
10 Château Pétrus 1989 (Pomerol)
100p
1989 Château Petrus Colour: Opaque, intense ruby Nose: Very intense, ripe dark berry with spice, truffle and floral tones
Palate: Rich and medium bodied. Shows very ripe dark fruit character, moderate acidity and chocolate tones with mineral spiciness
Finish: Powerful tannin structure that holds a long concentrated finish
In a nutshell: Edgy and austere Buy or not: Sure Tasted: 22 times Decanting time: 3 hour Glass time: 4 hours When to drink: Now - 2027 Food pairing: Lamb rack with slow roast tomatoes Fake factor: Not so high Inside information: Pétrus 1947 has been tasted with
enthusiasm more than 40 times, but only on 25 of them has it been blessed with a perfect 100 points. This is mainly because there are so many variable négociant-bottlings and regrettably also innumerable frauds for sale. 1947 was a legendary vintage on the right bank of Bordeaux. It was extremely hot at the time of harvest and the warm grapes were so rich in sugar that the winemakers had problems in controlling the fermentation. Many wines had residual sugar and most had high volatile acidity, but this was masked by the richness and concentration of the fruit.
Or try this: Graham Vintage Port 1945 Final verdict: Pétrus at it’s best – with luck. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA
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And the Heavens were Filled with Wine Adi Werner and His Legendary Big Bottle Wine Cellar TEXT: UWE KAUSS PHOTOS: THOMAS SCHAUER
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ll is quiet in St. Christoph at the end of October. The hotels located near the famous Austrian ski resort Ortes am Arlberg are all closed. There are a few hikers here, who have set out to wander in the near-1800 metre high area, taking advantage of the last warm days of autumn. In the restaurants, the chairs are all up on the tables and the kitchens are clean and empty. The ski season does not officially begin until the end of November, when, with a little
luck, snow will have transformed the area into a white mountain paradise. Since the 1920s, Arlberg, along with St. Christoph, St. Anton and Lech, has been considered to be among the best and most exclusive places to ski in the world. But at this time of the year, in St. Christoph, there are no festivities, skiing or glamour to speak of. It is an entirely normal mountain village, with thirty inhabitants, a couple of hotels, a few ski lodges and workmen with much to do.
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Adi Werner is a busy man. The owner of the five-star Arlberg Hospiz Hotel and the Hospiz Alm restaurant telephones as he walks, all the while ticking items off his list. It is a list that seems never-ending. In a few days, he plans to travel to Bordeaux, where he will visit wineries, all the time sampling and speaking with the owners. However, prior to doing so, he needs to take care of himself a little. “If you don’t take care of yourself, then nothing works right, and that just won’t do”, he states. He drives his Audi station wagon past a nearby lift that takes skiers all the way up to runs 2200 metres up to mountain. A narrow road alongside the hotel leads to the restaurant, which, together with the Hospiz Hotel, he has been running for forty-four years. Since 1997, together with his wife and son Florian, he has managed operations with a staff of over a hundred in the restaurant, which was awarded 15 points by the influential French restaurant guide, Gault Millau. He also finds time to run the 2000 square metre large spa, the four-star lodge “Hospiz Residenzen”, Hotel “Goldener Berg” and the restaurant “Alter Goldener Berg” in Oberlech.
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BIG BOTTLES IN THE FALLOUT SHELTER All of the above are considered to be top destinations in the region, and count celebrities, kings and politicians among their guests. At the moment, however, cement sacks are stacked up in front of a rustic hut by the Hospiz Alm, which is made of a dark wood from age-old farmer’s homes in the area. Folding tables are stored out on the empty terrace, which is illuminated by the brilliant sunlight, amid the backdrop of the stunning mountainside. The proprietor, dressed in a casual shirt and brown leather jacket, opens the door to the restaurant and switches on the lights. With a mobile phone to his ear, he continues giving instructions to repairmen and his co-workers. The exchanges are short, in calm tones, typically beginning with “I am...” or “Adi said...” and quickly ending with a clear order. Sometimes there is time for a joke, sometimes not. “The stairs need more work, still. Don’t stop now.” Next task: down in the cellar, new bottle hangers need to be affixed. “Ensure that they’re all symmetrical.” He rushes down the half-lit stairs to the cellar and turns
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“The lights come on and we are standing among the most prized vintages of Bordeaux.”
Ready for still more bottles. Additional space in the second cellar a large wheel on a steel door to open it. “And here we are”, he says while tucking his mobile back into his jacket pocket. The lights come on and we are standing among the most prized vintages of Bordeaux. This is his legendary big bottle collection and it starts at the beginning of the alphabet. The bottles are stored not only along the white-painted walls of the room, but also on the ceiling within large steel supports. The collection contains 5000 magnums and double magnums, along with twelve, thirteen and fifteen litre bottles, all from the finest years and the best châteaux. Over the course of his life as a collector, he has obtained nearly two thousand extremely uncommon, very big bottles, including Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors. These treasures are stored down here, in what was once a fallout shelter. Austrians had to build such shelters for their own protection during the Cold War, but when that particular period ended, the bunker presented Werner with other, more useful, possibilities than facing the end of his days inside of it. The bunker soon began to fill with bottles of wine, so the proprietor built another room, this time not offering any shelter from
any kind of bomb, but with lots of space. Now, he has a total area of two hundred square metres dedicated to the big bottles alone. However, why does he collect bottles as heavy as marble statues? “The wine can be stored much longer because the amount of oxygen between the underside of the cork and the surface of the wine, in relation to the total amount of wine, is five to six times less than in a normal sized bottle. This has a positive effect on how the wine ages, as it becomes more refined, elegant and less strong. Time and time again in tastings, we have immediately discovered the difference between the wine in these bottles and the wine in regular ones.” At the restaurant today, one can have such a bottle opened and shared. Werner’s most expensive bottle is a Nebuchadnezzar Cheval Blanc 2000 (available for 48 000 euro). On the wine list of the Hospiz-Alm are over 650 Bordeaux selections from 1924 onwards. In addition to that, there are 450 wines from Austria, Germany, Italy, and other wine regions. There are, however, no young red wines. “I could drink two bottles of the older wines, yet after one glass of a young wine, I
have a headache.” Together with over 60 000 standard sized bottles of Bordeaux, the collection beneath the ski lodge constitutes one of the largest in the world. The wine is stored not only here, but also in two additional cellars: one is the Bruderschaftskeller, which dates back to 1386 and is located beneath the chapel of the Hospiz Hotel, and the other is a few kilometres outside St. Christoph. Their value, in total, approaches roughly seven million euros. Their auction value: inestimable. Gastronomic associations have declared this “Austria's top wine cellar” thrice over, while many other distinctions have also been awarded. This collection has taken Adi Werner nearly half his life to put together. Born in Vienna, he grew up in Salzburgerland. Instead of following the path that his family intended – becoming a veterinarian – he took on jobs in restaurants and discovered his love of gastronomy, eventually graduating from a hotel management school in Lausanne. Later, he worked in Bermuda and San Francisco and became a personal assistant to billionaire shipping magnate Daniel K. Ludwig. In 1964,
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“Soon I was able to get a hold of some '55 Mouton, as well as the '59.”
“That is how my passion for collecting began.”
together with his wife Gerda, he took over the Arlberg Hospiz Hotel in St. Christoph. Werner’s father-in-law, Arnold Ganahl, a well-to-do textile and paper industrialist, originally bought the inn in 1955. He had it renovated and then as little as three years later, it burned down to its foundations in a fire on the eve of Epiphany. Ganahl rebuilt the hotel, this time taller and much more expansive than before. The new lodge reopened during Christmas 1959. It offered the most modern accommodation to be found in and around the Arlberg mountain pass. Each room had its own bath, shower and lavatory, all quite luxurious back then. “Arlberg was already rather famous. Scenes for the film 'The White Flame' with Leni Riefenstahl were shot on location here. The Hospiz Hotel was part of the attraction. Many guests have stayed with us ever since”, remembers Werner. Among its guests have been the influential families of the new Bundesrepublik, such as Flick, Quandt and Burda, as well as the King of Spain. That is how it remains to this day. The Dutch royal family, King Harald V of Norway, Russia's Vladimir Putin, Czech Republic's Vaclav Klaus, Canada's ex-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, ex-Bundespresident Walter Scheel, and Sheik Hassan of Jordan, as well
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as many other dignitaries, have all stayed – and continued to stay – at the Hospiz Hotel Arlberg. Whosoever has been a regular guest long enough is requested by Werner to join the Hospiz Brotherhood, which was founded by monks back in 1386. Donations are gathered for families in need, with some 10 million euros having been raised to date. New members are ceremoniously inducted within the hotel’s own chapel with a glass of wine and a sword touched upon their shoulder.
LYNCH-BAGES FOR THE FLICKS In the new hotel’s first few years, guests were pampered with everything, except wine. Adi Werner laughs and explains, “The wine server would come to your table and ask: Would you care to have something to drink? The next question: red or white? The third question: a glass, quarter bottle or half bottle?” And with that, the business at hand was finished. Once, the billionaire Karl Friedrich Flick followed this up with another request for Adi Werner, “Do you not have something else to offer? A LafiteRothschild perhaps?” Adi was puzzled about what to do: “I’m familiar with the name from hotel management school, though I’ve never tried it myself.” He turned to a wine seller in Innsbruck, by the name of Alexander Gottardi.
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Adi Werner, hotelier, connoisseur, collector, and host, in his fabled treasure house of big bottle wines.
He supplied him not with the requested wine, but rather with a case of something else which is considered to be a great rarity today: a 1947 Mouton-Rothschild. “Well I suppose it’ll do”, Werner said to Gottardi back then. “We’ll take a case.” A bottle ran about ninety schillings, which is today around six euros. “The guests truly enjoyed this wine”, he remembers. He sold them in the restaurant for the equivalent of 18 euros a bottle. This caused a bit of frustration with his father-in-law at first. He was strict with his son-in-law, seldom giving words of praise, and also running a very tight ship. “Every bill was examined and signed by him”, recalls Werner. Ganahl felt no one would pay 18 euros for a bottle of wine when the price to stay the night was 15 euros. “Nobody pays more for a bottle of wine than a room”, said the strict owner, before telling the young Adi to “send back the case”! Werner resisted, however, and it was the wine dealer who came up with an idea to solve everything. He rewrote the invoice as ten cases of the cheaper St. Magdalener wine. Now, Adi had the right wine for the distinguished Flicks and Quandts. “When the other guests saw these families drinking a special wine, they would ask, ‘Could we have that as well?’ and I would answer them with ‘But of course!’ That's how I was
able to completely sell out of the ’47 Mouton. I intended to re-order more, and, well, that was all there was.” Werner was electrified by this wine and began to learn everything about Bordeaux, because there was more than just Mouton, there was also Lafite and Margaux to consider. Moreover, he then bought and bought and the wine cellar was underway. “New wines were always being added whenever one of the Flicks mentioned something unfamiliar to me: ‘Get me a Lynch-Bages! Let’s have a PichonLalande!’ Soon I was able to get a hold of some ’55 Mouton, as well as the ’59. That is how my passion for collecting began. Often I was invited to enjoy the wine together with patrons and so I always had to give away a bottle. I gradually came to understand that Bordeaux is fantastic wine and is something completely different from the quarter-litre reds that I had known previously. I was soon seriously interested in the subject, reading everything that I could find, tasting and buying.” In 1976, he travelled for the first time to Bordeaux, in the company of his wine dealer. Werner speaks French well, having acquired the language during his education in Lausanne. However, the successful Arlberg hotelier did not always have the best language capabilities. “My first FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA
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visit was to Château Figeac, a choice that we felt confident about. We were received rather warmly. At other châteaux, we were served only the new wines. We could sample that, have a look around, and then were supposed to leave, rather quickly.” In 1980, he took a trip to Bordelais with a Bordeaux specialist in search of unfamiliar wines. One of their discoveries was the Châteaux Haut-Marbuzet in St. Estèphe. “Their wine impressed me a great deal then, and it remains to this day the château that we most often order from”, says the Hospiz owner. From one of the houses, Henri Duboscq, he sought a 1978 vintage barrique. Duboscq laughed and simply said: “Sold out.” After sampling the 1979 vintage, he and his wine dealer wanted to order a hundred cases, which again elicited a chuckle from Duboscq. “Ultimately, we spent four or five hours tasting, becoming merrier all the while. Then I asked, ‘So when can I make a purchase from you? ’ He answered: 1982. Fine, and so the wine dealer and I each ordered 50 cases.” A year after the delivery, Henri Duboscq telephoned the Arlberg Hospiz and cautiously asked the owner, “Could you sell ten cases back to me? I made an error and sold too many to you. I’ll pay double.” “That, I won’t
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do”, replied Werner. “But why not?”, asked a frustrated Duboscq. “You can have the ten cases back and only for the same price that I paid.” From then on, the two were the best of friends, and remain so to this day.
NO SOURCE FOR LARGE CORKS It was at this time that Adi Werner discovered his specialty that he is known for in collector’s circles: the big bottle. The collector Hardy Rodenstock was a regular guest at the Hospiz Hotel and organised legendary tastings that are still remembered to this day, such as in 1988 when four 1875s and one 1937 Yquem were opened. Werner only knew the imperial size then, which was six litres. After looking into its history, Adi hit upon an idea: “Rodenstock had given me a book, where I found that in 1820, the Tsar’s cellarer had his wine in St. Petersburg filled in bottles with a capacity of up to 18 litres. These bottles stowed away well on the ship. The barriques, in contrast, occupied a great deal of valuable space. On voyages, there was always a possibility that they might become unsecured, and, even worse, cause the ship to lean. At the Tsar’s large state banquets, where 120 people might sit at a single table, these
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“It was a pure elixir”
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“The first six corks cost me 1 500 euro”
The collector’s pride bottles were suited to the occasion: “Two servers shouldered the bottle and to the right and left were twenty other wine stewards. I saw illustrations of this and it was massive!” However, after the October revolution in 1917, the estates no longer filled the big bottles, which were associated with royalty. Adi Werner, who describes himself as a born host, immediately grasped their gastronomic potential. Now, he wanted to have the big bottles for himself. However, it was not going to be simple. He asked his friend Henri Duboscq from Château Marbuzet, who had become interested in the idea, and he agreed to fill them. Now all he needed were the right bottles. And he headed to Vinexpo in Bordeaux. While today, Vinexpo Bordeaux is the largest exhibition of its kind in the world, back then, it was something just for wine growers, gathering to exchange information about new cultivation methods, filling techniques and bottles. “Wine itself was secondary,” remembers Werner. He found a stand where bottles from the smallest up to imperial size were displayed, “like the
the exhibitor, in a typical French manner. Werner wanted a 12 litre double imperial, a 15 litre bottle and an 18 litre bottle. The merchant then asked, somewhat in disbelief, “Why do you want these?” Werner explained what he had read in Rodenstock’s book. The merchant understood and offered these bottles to Werner. The first bottles were in an antique shape once common in Burgundy. Only when these would be used up did the bottle supplier offer the typical cylindrical-shaped Bordeaux bottles. However, the order would have to be at least twenty-four of each, due to the amount of labour required to make them. “Fine, I'll take them,” decided the Hospiz proprietor. Now he had to pay for the bottles on the spot. He took out his chequebook, but the merchant said, “Pas de Cheques” (no cheques)! Only gradually did we arrive at an understanding between us. A month later, the bottle supplier rang – the bottles were ready, and he wanted to know what to do with them. Henri Duboscq aided Werner by retrieving the giant bottles himself and bringing them back to the château. It was not until three years later that they were
pipes of an organ”. He asked whether it would be possible to procure bottles that were even larger than that. “Anything you wish,” answered
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“If you don’t take care of yourself, then nothing works right”
“and that just won’t do”
Werner remembers this well, “One day Henri telephoned and told me he wanted to fill my bottles. He then enquired as to where the corks were. I responded that I did not have any in this uncommon size. When I contacted the cork supplier, I was informed that he did not have the correct equipment to make this size and that he would not spend 13 000 francs on such equipment. ” Since he was so close to finally reaching his goal, Werner would not give up now. “I decided to just pay for the equipment so he could make the damn corks – the first six cost me 1 500 euros.” A year later, Werner had six big bottles he ordered. This was something quite special for him. The last of these was enjoyed in 2001 in the company of forty guests on the occasion of his 65th birthday. “It was a pure elixir”, raves Werner to this day.
NO LUCK WITH PÉTRUS AND LE PIN In order to develop contacts, Werner has been inviting owners of estates to winter wine tastings since the end of the 1960s. Every year, there were nine vintages to be sampled. “Each time, I would show them my 1981 and 1982 big bottles and ask whether they could fill them,” describes Adi Werner of his strategy for obtaining more. “They mostly stated that they could give it a try once. They never declined, at any rate.” Wineries were persuaded by Werner over time to do so, with the exception of Pétrus and Le Pin, who continue to decline. Château Canon La Gaffelière is now in his cellar, as well as Lynch-Bages and many others, including the legendary 1990 Mouton-Rothschild. The wineries were all soon filling new big bottles in what was something of a boom that Werner
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had initiated. He eventually had some luck with Cheval Blanc, after years of waiting. When Pierre Lurton took over the estate, he consented to the project and Werner received a bottle for the first time in 1998. “Since then, I receive six bottles of each vintage yearly. This is quite a great thing for us,” remarks the wine collector with pride. He knows that most of the estates only fill the big bottles for him alone. For this reason, his bottles are the rarest of rarities, with just a few exemplars per year. All of them are in his cellar. At first, there were many requests at the châteaux for the bottles. “At Pichon Lalande or Figeac, they received orders for up to one hundred bottles. This became too much for them to handle.” Werner knows that eventually the estates decided amongst themselves to cease filling the big bottles. The background: Mouton-Rothschild sold 1995 big bottles to another customer for 3000 marks, who in turn resold them for 6000 marks within a week. “The estates decided that they would not allow speculators to benefit from such deals at their expense,” says Werner. Only for him do they continue to make an exception. “I’ve known these cellar masters for ages, and that is why they still do this for me. With Palmer and Mouton-Rothschild, I even have to sign a contract stating that I will not turn the bottles over to speculators.” Even when the châteaux owners want to have bottles filled, they need to persuade the cellar master. “The French can be very stubborn about things. If the cellar master is not willing to do it, then that is that.” Werner’s solution: “We go directly to him bringing everything with us – bottles, corks, tools – and speak with him about it. We pay respect. We praise him. The one from Palmer,
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after a long discussion, decided to fill three bottles, not six. That was actually enough for me anyhow.”
A PRIZE FOR CHEVAL BLANC Even though Werner has become one of the most well known collectors of Bordeaux worldwide, he never takes part in auctions. Since 1978, he has purchased directly from the estates, or not at all. “I never attend auctions, as no one can say with certainty how the wines were stored over the years”, Werner explains, thus making his principle very clear. Older vintages, when he does buy them, he obtains directly from the châteaux. “For me, bidding on older wines at an auction is the greatest mistake one could make. In the 1970s, for example, the American speculators ordered massive quantities of Bordeaux. The cases then sat on the piers by the hundreds in 30 degree Celsius heat or in winter cold”, says Werner. With his legendary big bottles, there has never been any such loss. “We examine and smell each cork and take the most extreme care in handling every aspect from filling to transportation”, he explains. The air in the cellars is always maintained at 90 per cent humidity and kept at the perfect temperature. In spite of his professionalism, he prefers to make one last distinction: “I am a Bordeaux wine lover and do not necessarily seek to be a specialist.” When he needs information, he knows all the finest specialist and experts worldwide. In such a situation, he once contacted Michael Broadbent, a renowned specialist at Christie’s, in order to find out the auction value of an 18 litre Cheval Blanc 2000. His response was almost a touch insulting: “It does not exist”.
Werner wanted to make certain that he had named the correct vintage would promised to ring him back in fifteen minutes. He called back and insisted that indeed this was what he had in his cellar. Broadbent then named a price that Werner does not want to repeat, but it was certainly a very substantial sum. Robert Parker has been a guest at the Arlberg many times as well. At the Rodenstock tasting in Münich, with hundreds of vintages from Château d’Yquem, Adi Werner had the opportunity to be seated next to him. Werner’s solid English skills and communication talents were of no use though, as Parker paid him little attention. “To any remark I made or for any question I asked of him throughout the entire evening, his only response was either ‘yes’, ‘no’, or ‘perhaps’.” Regardless of that incident, he still considers Parker as one of the most important Bordeaux critics anywhere. “The great majority of his predictions have turned out to be correct.” The Bordeaux-lover Adi Werner is not to be separated from his role as senior host and proprietor. His collector’s passion was born in the restaurant, and it is there that he celebrates it still. He organises tastings of great and exceptional wines in the Hospiz Alm, inviting friends and, above all, regular guests. Between 40 and 120 enthusiasts assemble, depending on the occasion, and some wine houses now take the opportunity, with these affluent guests present, to sponsor the events. The wine houses greatly enjoy these events and at the same time, “the wine is the best publicity for us that I could ever possibly wish for”, he adds. Nearly 70 per cent of his guests come because of the collection in his cellar. Werner only enjoys wine in the company of others. “I
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“The lights come on and we are standing among
the most prized vintages of Bordeaux.”
never have it at home”, he says, adding “and never before six in the evening.” He also prefers to taste them blind and in flights, which allows him to compare and contrast each wine with another. This is the way in which he discovered his own personal favourites over time, during hundreds of tastings. He does not need long to recall them: ’45 Pétrus, ’47 Cheval Blanc, ’82 Pétrus and ’89 Haut-Brion.
A GLASS WITH THE KING In a few weeks, when all the workmen have disappeared and the season begins, Adi Werner is there, ready for his guests, just as he has been for the last 44 years. He will spend two hours in the Hospiz Alm, then a couple more in the restaurant talking with his guests. His sommeliers open 250 big bottles each season, with nearly half of them being of the 12 or 18 litre variety. It is quite an affair to decant these wines and dispense the glasses. The bottles themselves are opened with an entirely regular corkscrew. Yet even without the excuse of a special occasion, Werner likes to simply sit down with company and enjoy a glass. That is how it was when the Spanish King Juan Carlos visited. “The Spanish ambassador in Austria appeared ten days early to make all the preparations. He insisted on having a personal dining room for the royal family, on having a separate lift just for them, as well as many other details. When the King arrived, however, he did not use the lift reserved for him and insisted on dining with the other guests.” Werner offered him a ’59 Latour, which was quite to the King’s liking, and the King requested that Werner should join him at
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his table. “He had barely finished his sentence, and I was there sitting next to him,” recalls Adi. In the end, four bottles of Latour were opened and the Ambassador bristled with indignation. The next evening, the King wished to have the Latour again, yet there was none left to be had, and the duty to tell him this fell to Werner. He offered instead a ’59 Lafite. “This the King enjoyed better still”, recounts Werner. At the end of the evening, Werner again sat next to the King, and again there were four empty bottles by the time they had finished. Juan Carlos and Adi Werner parted warmly and in the best of spirits. However, only a few minutes afterwards, the Ambassador appeared in front of Werner in his office. He was furious, as all the services for the royal family would be coming out of his own diplomatic affairs budget, including these costly rare vintages. The next day, when Werner told Juan Carlos of this, the King simply sighed, shrugged his shoulders and said of the intervention, “It’s the same every time.” Werner’s eyes sparkle as he tells this story. He reflects on it and surmises, “A host who loves beer would never be able to sell wine.”
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As secure as Fort Knox: the cellar door FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA
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new phenomenon has taken the wine world by storm—the design winery. More and more next-generation wineries have commissioned avant-garde architects to design unique and impressive settings for
their wines. This phenomenon is not exclusive to any country or culture, as there are design wineries everywhere. Some are small, understated, boutique estates, such as Leo Hillinger in Austria, whilst others are massive production complexes, such as Mezzacorona in Italy. Wineries are now investing tens of millions in creating sculptured environments. One of the most expensive projects is currently underway on the Niagara Peninsula in Canada, where Le Clos Jordanne winery will be graced by a stunning facility designed by modern architecture icon, Frank Gehry. What makes vineyards invest in the architecture of their physical plants? Is it just a matter of aesthetics?
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Photo: Walker-Warner Architects
Aerial view of Quintessa Winery, Napa Valley, United States.
In the same way that architecture can be identified by its period, so too can the culture of wine. The wine world has undergone an exceptionally rapid period of change over the past twenty years. The modern wine business is today very much an industry, whose turnover is equal to that of the cosmetics industry. The wine trade has also entered the age of brand marketing. Because the wine business is founded on agrarian culture, environmental factors are inextricably linked to the end product. Rapid climate change has forced producers to respond to a changing environment. Production is primarily geared toward improving the quality of wine and making the production process more efficient. Wine tourism has also grown, providing wineries with new opportunities. Changes in the operating environment have forced producers to re-examine their operations and make substantial investments in order to ensure their place amongst the ever-increasing competition. In this context the importance of architecture has risen to become an integral factor for both operative and aesthetic reasons. Wine production unites people and nature. Climate change has motivated more and more producers to look for more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly production methods. One cutting-edge vineyard is the Southern Tyrol Alois Lageder estate designed by the architectural firm of Abrams & Schnabl. Completed in 1996, the winery makes use of solar roof panels. Its production facilities are built vertically on the side of an escarpment, which allows the wine processing to be done 116
using gravity, thus doing away with the need for machinery. The ideal cellaring temperature and humidity of the maturation cellar at basement level is guaranteed by the geothermal heat provided by the earth and rock. Alois Lageder’s attention is by no means focused solely on energy savings, but its goal is to find functional, enduring solutions for environmentally-friendly wine production.
Beautiful setting—superior wine
While the Lageder winery represents a very ‘green’ approach, other wineries in the world have been built with largely the same values in mind, but are based more on blending into the landscape. In 2003 Basque architect Iñaki Aspiazu built Baigorri, one of Rioja’s most magnificent wineries. He concealed the 14,000 m2 facility underground in seven levels, following the surface contours of the land. In 2002, San Francisco-based Walker Warner Architects applied the same solution in the design for Napa Valley’s Quintessa Winery. In accordance with the wishes of owners Agusti and Valeria Huneeus, the facility blends in with the surroundings. Both vineyards believe that the gentle, gravity-flow processing of wine improves its quality. Considered a showpiece of landscape architecture, New Zealand’s international award-winning Peregrine Wines winery was designed in accordance with the austere, plain landscape that surrounds it. The winery’s environs in Central Otago did not have special structural standards to which the design would have to conform. Its natural environment did not pose any special challenges to the
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Front elevation of Quintessa Winery, Napa Valley, United States.
architecture either as the region is largely devoid of trees due to its weather. This gave New Zealand architect, Chris Kelly, carte blanche to create a facility that would contrast with the surroundings. The winery’s logo – the region’s own Peregrine falcon – provided the basis for the design. A large portion of the winery was built underground, thus making a minimal impact on the landscape. In addition to aesthetics, building underground also spares the winery from the region’s wide fluctuations in temperature, which would otherwise affect the quality of wine being aged. The surface level of the winery is dominated by a roof canopy more than a hundred metres in length that covers the entire winery and resembles the wing of a bird. The attention-grabbing and award-winning architecture has helped the winery increase its brand profile in the world. Known for his impressive arcing structures, Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava also increased attention and brand recognition with a similar landscape architecture for Spain’s most spectacular winery, Bodegas Ysios. Completed in 2004, the winery’s undulating roof mirrors the peaks of the Cantabria mountain range beyond and represents the rising and falling curves of the ranks of oak barrels resting underneath. Bodegas Ysios is a visually stunning creation. For some Calatrava admirers, it alone is reason to travel to Rioja. Whether it is because of Calatrava or someone else, wine tourism has grown, creating a need to focus greater attention on the vineyard setting. Whatever the setting might be for making wine or hosting a tasting event, it is
not of secondary importance. It has a major impact on people’s perception of the wine itself. Peregrine’s Greg Hay explains: “The image a visitor walks away with from our winery is absolutely crucial. They think that, if we gave this much thought to our architecture and approached building it with this much passion and care, then we surely must be the same when it comes to our wines.” Although there are many reasons for embarking on such ambitious winery design projects, one of the most important is the extraordinary impression that they make and the interest they generate on the market. Furthermore these projects also result in a more functional and ecological facility. When these factors are combined, the end result is a venue which offers a unique experience for both visitors to the vineyard and the wine production staff. It is speculative to claim that the design of a production facility will have a real impact on the grade of the wine, because the most important factor in its quality is raw ingredients of the highest level. The processing of raw ingredients, on the other hand, does have a direct impact on wine quality. If the processing staff feel that there is something special about their work, this translates into enhanced productivity. Even though there might be a host of truly unique, distinguishing characteristics in a winery, the setting is one of the most concrete. It is in this context that winery design is also justified as a quality factor.
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FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA
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Opus One Winery Napa Valley, California, United States
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Bodegas Ysios Rioja, Spain
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Darioush Estate Napa Valley, California, United States
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Peregrine Winery Central Otago, New Zealand
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Bodegas Baigorri
Rioja, Spain
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