Gilbert & Gaillard Magazine, October Issue by Vinipresse

CONTENTS

Contents COLUMNS

GILBERT & GAILLARD NEXT ISSUE OUT WINTER 2011

54-55

GILBERT & GAILLARD

WINE GROWER PORTRAITS

THE WORLDWIDE WINE SIGNATURE

• Oriane Mazeau - Château de SUBSCRIPTIONS

Toutigeac

2 YEARS 43.90 € - 1 YEAR 23.60 € SEE PAGE 85

56-57

COVER © ALBO - FOTOLIA

FAMILY BUSINESS • Clément Fayat of Vignobles Fayat

71-72 NEW YORK LIFE

79-80 16

108

FAMILY BUSINESS • Benziger Family Winery, Sonoma Mountain

98-99 ORGANIC NEWS • Replacing plant protection products

54 12-13 LONDON LIFE

16-19 BORDEAUX LIFE

48-53 14-15 NEWS

QUALITY FACTORS • Sparkling wine: bubbling over with success

106-107 WINE QUOTATIONS • Old Champagnes: a surprising tasting experience

108-111 STARS AND WINE • Sigourney Weaver & John Lasseter GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

CONTENTS

Contents REPORTS

PLEASE GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK info@gilbertgaillard.fr

58-63 HISTORY OF THE VINEYARDS • The incredible diversity of Cognac

64-70 REGION • The United States: a leading global wine producer

73-78 TRAVEL • Fighting the cold in Colorado

81-87 HISTORY OF THE VINEYARDS • Friuli: perfectionism in a bottle

88-94 REGION • Andalusia: dazzling in more ways than one

96 20-41

96-97 WINE AND FOOD • Gilles Goujon: childhood memories

COVER STORY • Our gold medal wines • Burgundy's excellence

113-114 RECOMMENDED WINES

• Rated wines 90/100 and more

42-47 REGION

58 4

GILBERT & GAILLARD

• The mysterious wines of South West France AUTUMN 2011

THIS MAGAZINE IS PRINTED ON RECYCLABLE PAPER

Don't miss out!

2012 NEW FRENCH EDITION ● 974 pAgES ● 7,000 wiNES prESENtEd ● 750 orgANiC wiNES ● 280 BordEAux ViNtAgE 2010 ● NEW! 300 GREAT ITALIAN WINEs

e are delighted to present the 2012 Gilbert & Gaillard Guide des Vins. All the wines featured have been tasted using the same protocol, ensuring a rigorous, impartial selection. The samples sent by producers are blind

tasted by Gilbert & Gaillard and their team in the quiet seclusion of a tasting room. A 100 point scale is employed for utmost accuracy. There is no question of marathon tastings as no more than 10-15 samples are tasted per session to maintain fair judgement and analysis. 7,000 wines have been selected, along with commentaries, tasting notes and recommendations on how to serve them. All the classed growths and most prestigious wines are featured, but there are also many smaller, lesser-known wine growers to discover too. Each wine growing region is represented, together with a detailed map and every appellation is closely analysed, with commentaries. The Gilbert & Gaillard Guide des Vins is the essential guide to discovering european wines.

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FRANÇOIS GILBERT

www.gilbertgaillard.com

n 2010, the United States - a major wine producer

and consumer country - overtook France to become the

world’s leading wine market with volume sales of 330 million cases. In 2011, it also became the world’s largest consumer country. A population of over 310 million, including 200 million potential consumers (over the age

Successfully exporting to the US

of 21) is driving the wine market and has fuelled growth for several years. French and European wines are in an excellent position to capture growth as the population is getting younger. Although France still lags behind Italy and Australia in volume terms, it ranks first for value sales. The retail price of imported wine in the United States is on average 3.5 times the ex-cellar price because of the country’s specific “three tier” distribution system. Theoretically, a wine must go through three compulsory stages - the importer, distributor and retailer - to reach the end consumer. It is therefore essential to find the right representative. A few tips can save both time and money. For instance, contacting an import distributor: as a recipient and shipper of wines, he can reduce costs and be proactive with new customers ordering small quantities because the wine is already on American soil. Despite an archaic distribution system, a strong Euro against the dollar and the continued global recession, French and European wines continue to go from strength to strength in the US, both in the volume segments (retail prices under $15) and at the top-end of the market.

François Gilbert Editorial director

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

PHILIPPE GAILLARD

www.gilbertgaillard.com

or the last 25 years, we have been tasting

and scoring wines daily. To do this, we have devised a very efficient scoring system that only judges a wine’s inherent qualities: balance, finesse, aromatic intensity, complexity, length, potential… After scoring, we award a gold medal to wines with the highest marks so that

An innovative medal

their quality can be conveyed to consumers. We are the only French magazine to do this internationally, along with two American and one English publication. To broaden our scope and respond to real demand, we have been working for several months on a slightly different scoring system that takes into account the value for money aspect, a core consumer concern at the moment. This has led us to create a new, yet complementary medal concept called “Smart Buy” which is awarded irrespective of whether a wine has a gold medal. Our ambition is to showcase new talent and reward a good or very good wine with a reasonable price tag of under 7 € ($10).

Philippe Gaillard Editorial director

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

SYLVAIN PATARD

www.gilbertgaillard.com

n annual awards list is an opportunity to reveal

the best wines we have tasted throughout the year. It features wines scoring 90/100 and over. The 2011 list is of an extremely high standard and comprises 400 wines from all over France. Most of the Bordeaux wines are from 2008, a refined, nicely-crafted vintage though there are

A ruthless selection!

some nice surprises amongst the 2007s that have matured well. Burgundy is the triumphant winner however of this year’s selection with almost 70 wines and the highest scores (98 and 97/100, see our presentation from pages 22 to 27). Languedoc-Roussillon put on an impressive showing too with 18 wines under the Languedoc appellation. There is also a wonderful range of wines from the Rhône and a surprise appearance by two generic Côtes du Rhône and four Costières de Nîmes wines. We also wanted to showcase a selection of wines that warrant your attention (page 20-21) but are too numerous to be mentioned individually. All of these wines were tasted by our tasting panel on our premises using specific procedures. Their score makes them eligible for a Gilbert & Gaillard gold medal. This is the ultimate accolade and a sure-fire way for consumers to recognise a superior quality wine. And don’t forget, all the wines we taste can be accessed at any time via our website www.gilbertgaillard.com or on your smartphone.

Sylvain Patard Editor in chief

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

edition 20, 21 and 22 February 2012

Montpellier - France

The International Exhibition of Mediterranean Wines and Spirits

Reserved for professionals

www.vinisud.com

LONDON LIFE

Mark’s favourite venues

London al-fresco: the British tend to live a sheltered existence. Sheltered, that is, from the natural elements that seem to assail us for 12 months a year. Every now and again however, the sun stays out just long enough for us to enjoy a taste of the great outdoors.

AN AL-FRESCO TASTING EVENT The Natural Wine Fair

The Natural Wine Fair

Just as the British wine trade was gathering at the London International Wine Fair, another tasting was taking place over at Borough Market. The inaugural Natural Wine Fair was different for three reasons. First of all, it was the largest gathering of natural, organic and biodynamic wine-

makers that has ever happened on this side of the channel. Secondly, it was open to the public all day on the Sunday, giving the city’s burgeoning group of natural wine enthusiasts a chance to meet their vinous heroes. Finally, the event was (somewhat bravely) an open air affair.

The al-fresco setting added to the ambience and enhanced the ‘naturalness’ of the event. It was undoubtedly the most interesting tasting I have attended this year and the opportunity to meet vignerons like Jean Foillard, Dario Princic and Thierry Puzelat was a real treat.

The Natural Wine Fair

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

15th - 17th May 2011 at Borough Market www.thenaturalwinefair.com

Mark Andrew

LONDON LIFE

the ingredients shine rather than overcomplicating things. This doesn’t mean that the dishes lack complexity - far from it. My starter of ‘Ravioli con Granchio’ was a riot of flavours, with chilli, fennel and lemon working in tandem with delicious Devon crab. I followed this with a truly spectacular dish of monkfish and scallops and washed the lot down with a crisp bottle of Vermentino di Gallura by Cantina Giogantinu (£42.00). I love the perfumed lift and freshness of Vermentino when eating seafood and Giogantinu’s example is sensational value.

Le Pont de la Tour

GREAT SEAFOOD River Café

WONDERFUL WINES BY TOWER BRIDGE Le Pont de la Tour 36D Shad Thames London SE1 2YE Tel. +44 (0)207 403 8403 www.lepontdelatour.co.uk With a stunning view over London’s iconic Tower Bridge, Le Pont de la Tour is a restaurant, bar and a wine merchant all rolled into one and it is a real pleasure to visit a place where wine takes centre stage. On meeting Nicolas Clerc (wine manager and Master Sommelier) it is clear that his knowledge and passion are the driving force behind their superb list, a labour of love that stretches to nearly 100 pages!

BY THE

Eating at the River Café is never cheap (this lunch ended up at £75 per person), but the sheer quality of the food, service and riverside setting make it worth every penny.

RIVER

Thames Wharf, Rainville Road London W6 9HA Tel. +44 (0)207 386 4200 www.rivercafe.co.uk With space at such a premium and rain such a constant threat in London, it is harder than you may think to find a top notch restaurant with outdoor space. The River Café, next to the Thames in a leafy corner of Fulham, is perhaps the best of this rare breed. The top priority at River Café is the food. Truly superb seafood dishes are the mainstay of the menu, but with an emphasis on letting River Café

After enjoying some light food from the bar menu (excellent charcuterie and paté de campagne), I opted for a glass of Laurent Vaillé’s delicious 2004 Grange des Pères rouge (£18.50). In addition to the great view, the lively ambience was further enriched by the buzz of an after-work crowd and a live jazz pianist. If you are staying in this part of town, it is worth remembering that Le Pont also boasts one of the capital’s best wine shops (not to mention a great food store too). GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

NEWS

In every issue, see which winemakers are the gold medal winners Charles H. Rivkin with François Gilbert at the tasting

étienne BOIVIN Franchise Development Manager

Selection Autumn 2011 Château Tour de Grenet 2007 Lussac Saint-Émilion A.C.

10.80 €*

M. Libaud CAVAVIN PARIS 11 11, rue Oberkampf 75 011 - PARIS Tel.: +33 (0)9 50 41 45 99

£126,500: ENJOY A BOTTLE FOR £10,500 OR A GLASS FOR £1,750

Cabardès A.C.

7.90 €*

Clos de Neuilly Spelty 2007 Chinon A.C.

10.90 €*

The US Ambassador to France, Charles H. Rivkin, welcomed Napa Valley wine growers on June 16th in Paris for a wine tasting and seminar on the region, its history and its wines, some of which are America’s most acclaimed. Producers at the event included Beaucanon Estate, Inglenook Estate, St Supéry Vineyards and Stag’s Leap.

M. Perais CAVAVIN REDON Rue Marcel Quercia ZA de Cotard 35600 - REDON Tel.: +33 (0)2 99 71 25 62

Bonhams is delighted to announce that a case of Romanée-Conti from the 1990 vintage sold for £126,500 in the Fine & Rare Wine sale that took place at Bonhams, New Bond Street (London) on September 8th. At over £10,000 per bottle and £1,750 a glass, the case will undoubtedly be well looked after. The sale realised over £760,000, with particular interest in the older vintages on offer. www.bonhams.com

Château Bouscassé 2006 Madiran A.C.

M. et Mme Nicolai CAVAVIN TOULOUSE 83, AVENUE JEAN RIEUX 31500 - TOULOUSE Tel.: +33 (0)5 61 34 23 27

14.50 €*

* Retail price including sales tax

A private viewing of the Natalia Sklenarikova exhibition was held at Champagne Lanson on August 26th. Natalia Sklenarikova’s works offer both a modern and nostalgic expression of her dual culture. The Paris-based lawyer is a keen photographer and sister of the Slovakian model Adriana Karembeu. The two Vintage 2011 patrons joined staff the following day in harvesting the grapes at Clos Lanson where Lanson chairman Philippe Baijot announced that a new Clos Lanson cuvée would be released in 2012. The new release will be oak aged and made from Chardonnay grown within the walls of Champagne Lanson itself.

BONHAMS SELLS CASE OF ROMANÉE-CONTI FOR

Château de Pennautier Fût 2007 M. David CAVAVIN ANGERS 25, rue Saumuroise 49000 - ANGERS Tel.: +33 (0)2 41 68 41 32

NAPA VALLEY IN PARIS

BEAUTY TAKES CENTRE STAGE

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

L-R: Natalia Sklenarikova, Philippe Baijot and Adriana Karembeu

HOSPICES DE BEAUNE ON THE INTERNET Albert Bichot is offering wine lovers around the world the chance to buy futures of the 2011 vintage from the mythical Hospices de Beaune estate on line. This novel way of democratising the Hospices de Beaune auction (November 21st 2011) via the www.hospicesbeaune.com website has been successful since 2009 for Albert Bichot. The firm was founded in 1831 and for the past fifteen years has been the auction’s leading buyer. Under the guidance of Jean-David Camus, Burgundy wine lovers will be able to buy Hospices de Beaune 2011 futures in just a few clicks. They can either buy an entire cask (288 bottles) or one of the cuvées selected by Albert Bichot with a minimum purchase of just six bottles.

NEWS

GILBERT & GAILLARD SELECTION

CHAMPAGNE Guy Tixier Rosé 1er Cru Rosissime Deep pink with orangy highlights. Expressive nose marked by red fruit (cherry, raspberry). Crunchy fruit on the palate which is fleshy, fullbodied and melted. Pairings such as a red fruit tart spring to mind.

CHAMPAGNE Jean-Michel Pelletier Cuvée Anaëlle 2002 Deep gold. Distinctive nose mingling notes of baked apple with sweet notes. Rich, generous, very supple palate. More of the fruit and the same sensation of sweetness. Would complement nibbles with foie gras.

CHAMPAGNE Jean Vesselle Brut Grand Cru Cuvée Le Petit Clos 1996 Deep gold with amber-like nuances. Open nose reminiscent of dried apricot, fig with a subtle toasted background. The palate shows seductive body, mellowness and pure, complex aromas, though above all freshness. A quintessential Bouzy. Drink as a food wine.

/100

An exceptional bottle of Cognac Frapin raised 1,000 euros

THE ANGEL’S SHARE WENT THROUGH THE ROOF

This sculpture fetched 1,700 euros

The 6th “Angel’s Share” auction which took place in Cognac on September 15th confirmed the event’s success. The black-tie evening was attended by the men and women who make Cognac, many international collectors and journalists from around the world. 650 people were fortunate enough to be able to enjoy a unique Cognac experience. Twenty-five outstanding bottles, some unique or limited edition, were donated by Cognac firms and auctioned by auctioneer Gérard-Tasset. For the first time, all the lots were sold for a total of just under 100,000 euros. One had a reserve price of 3,500 euros and fetched 15,000 euros! At the end of the auction, the sculpture “Journey from the earth to the light” donated by Caroline Tresca fetched 1,700 euros. Proceeds from the sale will be entirely donated to the Order of Malta and local association Aurore.

/100

FULL CONTACT DETAILS FOR THESE ESTATES CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 114

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

BORDEAUX LIFE

Château Lascombes: the end of an era and the beginning of the next The summer of 2011 will go down in the history of Margaux’s Château Lascombes as a memorable one, with the gala dinner celebration of the Fête de la Fleur hosted at the property, marking ten years of ownership by American investment fund Colony Capital. It will be doubly memorable as after a number of years on the market, the second growth property was sold some two weeks after the gala dinner celebration to French mutual insurance company MACSF.

LA FÊTE

DE LA

FLEUR

ORGANISED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE

COMMANDERIE

St Julien’s Château Beychevelle was the original host for this year’s Fête de la Fleur celebration but following its change of hands (it is now owned jointly by French Castel and Japanese Suntory), they decided to pull out. As the name suggests, the Fête de la Fleur is the celebration of the flowering of the vine, marking the appearance of small white blossoms. It is an event organised annually by the Commanderie du Bontemps, an association of 350 producer-members who represent the Médoc, Graves, Sauternes and Barsac appellations, in conjunction with a chosen château. The costs of the event (a budget of around 1 million euros) are shared between the property and the Commanderie.

CELEBRATION OF 10 YEARS OF COLONY CAPITAL AT THE HEAD OF L ASCOMBES Dominique Befve is Lascombes’ General Manager since Colony’s purchase of the

GILBERT & GAILLARD

Karine Barbier, Public Relations Manager of Lascombes

property in 2001; with the agreement of owners Colony Capital, he put Château Lascombes forward as a potential host. The timing was perfect for celebrating ten years at the head of the property. This left a short eight months to organise the largest celebration in the Bordeaux wine trade calendar.

AUTUMN 2011

MONTHS

OF PLANNING TO

ORGANISE THE DETAILS The hands-on organisation came down to Lascombes’ Public Relations Manager, Karine Barbier, helped by Dominique Befve’s wife Pia and events agency Côte Ouest. Pia Befve annually

©JON WYAND

BONTEMPS

BORDEAUX LIFE

menu for the 1500 guests in a speciallycreated kitchen of 400m2.

R-L: Dominique Befve, Châteaux Lascombes' General Manager, his wife Pia, and Alain Juppé, French Foreign Minister and Mayor of Bordeaux

Lascombes specified that they wanted the tone of the evening to be “simple, classy and chic.” The biggest challenge was for the dinner to take no longer than two hours; the most important part of the evening was the choice of wines and the dishes to go with them.

THREE STAR MENU 1500 GUESTS

FOR

The caterer for the main guests was Mont Blanc, who prepared a menu created by three-Michelin-starred chef Eric Fréchon from the Hôtel Bristol in Paris (also owned by Colony) under his supervision, aided by his team from Paris. There were no fewer than 40 chefs who re-created the four-course

FOR THE

GALA DINNER To pay homage to the importance of the Chinese market in 2011, the team decided to add an Asian touch with replicas of the generals of Xian’s Terracotta Army from the First Emperor of China standing to attention outside the marquee. The marquee stretched 2500 m2 and resembled a large dining room with elaborate chandeliers, framed sepia photos of scenes from Lascombes and contemporary-design, transparent Philippe Starck chairs. The guests were entertained by jazz singers, opera singing by Julie Mathevert, and an impressive aerial acrobatic show by Maria Belloir.

MENU Caviar d’Aquitaine with Mashed Potato flavoured with Haddock 2006 Château Haut-Brion Blanc, Pessac Léognan - in magnum * Saddle of Lamb in Nori Crust served with Gnocchi with Herbs and pureed Kohlrabi 2005 Château Lascombes, Second Growth, Margaux - in imperial (6 litre/8 bottles) * Farmhouse St Nectaire or Truffled Brie 2000 Château Léoville-Poyferré, Second Growth, St Julien * Frozen Caipirinha Pineapple, Banana and Passion-Fruit Sorbet and tiny Meringue 2008 Château d’Yquem, First Growth Superior, Sauternes

Four-course menu

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

attends the Fête de la Fleur event: “As a guest, one is not aware of what goes on behind the scenes for such a gala evening to run smoothly. For example, we had over 400 waiters, chefs and sommeliers to feed by a separate caterer, besides our 1500 guests!”

ASIAN INFLUENCE

The guests were entertained by jazz singers

BORDEAUX LIFE

INDUCTION BY THE COMMANDERIE DU BONTEMPS One of the evening’s highlights is the customary “intronisation” induction ceremony. This year, 45 personalities from the world of wine, arts, entertainment and politics were invited to become honorary members of the Commanderie, donning ermine robes to receive the honour. Today there are more than 10,000 such members around the world.

MARGAUX’S LARGEST PROPERTY TO F RENCH MEDICAL OF

INSURANCE COMPANY Following the re-launch of the sale of the property with a number of new banks, at the time of the gala dinner

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

Chinese TV was present throughout the evening

SALE

BORDEAUX LIFE

CONTINUITY FOR THE AT L ASCOMBES

FUTURE

So what does the change in owners mean for the property and for Bordeaux? Dominique Bevfe explains: “Marcel Kahn, the director of the

Château Lascombes is now amongst the major players of the Margaux appellation

here and for the Bordeaux market place where the wine is sold by merchants.”

French mutual insurance company MACSF, has expressed his wish to continue the way the property is currently run and he wants to keep the same team. He sees the investment in Lascombes as a long-term project. Having an insurance company as owners rather than an investment fund is more secure, both for the team who work

Prestigious Château d'Yquem was the ideal conclusion to the meal

So what plans do the new owners have for the property? Today 80% of Lascombes' production is exported and is relatively well-known across the world, particularly in the USA and more recently in Asia. It is not so wellknown in Europe, particularly in France, where there is work to do in marketing and communications. Other plans include the renovation of the “Chartreuse” building for offices and entertaining, and the development of a website to keep MACSF members up-todate and involved with happenings at the château. 2011 has been a good year for Château Lascombes with the Fête de la Fleur and the sale; with the harvest under way, perhaps the 2011 vintage will give them a hat-trick...

At the beginning of July the deal with MACSF for the purchase of the 84-hectare, second growth estate of Château Lascombes was signed for 200 million euros. Since Colony Capital purchased the property in 2001 and employed Dominique Bevfe, previously of Château Lafite and Château l’Evangile in Pomerol, they invested heavily to bring the second growth property up to its present level. Today Lascombes has undoubtedly reached its goal and is well-noted for its wines. The progress made over ten years in improving the quality of the wine has been impressive, with Château Lascombes now amongst the major players of the Margaux appellation.

there were a number of parties interested in the purchase of Château Lascombes but nothing definite was on the table.

CHÂTEAU LASCOMBES TEL. +33 (0)5 57 88 70 66 www.chateau-lascombes.com

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

COVER STORY

CONTENTS

Our gold medal wines PAGES

BURGUNDY'S EXCELLENCE .................. 22 to 27 Domaine Alain Patriarche: The class of Meursault Genévrières........................ 22 Fougeray de Beauclair : Incomparable Bonnes-Mares ! ............................... 24 Domaine Jessiaume : The jewel of Santenay ............................................. 26 RATED WINES 90/100 AND MORE ........ 28 to 41

Here is a selection of gold scored 89/100 wines. Find the full award-winning wines on our website: www.gilbertgaillard.com ALSACE Alsace gewurztraminer A.C. 89/100 Cave de Turckheim Late Harvest (50 cl) 2007 89/100 Wolfberger Late Harvest 2007 89/100 Bernard Haegelin Bollenberg 2009 89/100 Schaeffer-Woerly Vieilles Vignes 2009 Alsace Grand Cru Gewurztraminer A.C. 89/100 André Hartmann Hatschbourg - Armoirie 2009 89/100 Domaine Jean-Marie Koehly Gloeckelberg 2008 Alsace Pinot Gris A.C. 89/100 Domaine du Moulin de Dusenbach Lieu-dit Altenbourg 2009

16.60 € 18.95 € 7.30 € 8.50 € 13.50 € 8.20 €

13.70 €

BEAUJOLAIS

WINE SCORES 95-100/100

an outstanding wine, when a great terroir meets exceptional winemaking expertise

90-94/100

a superlative wine combining finesse, complexity and remarkable winemaking

85-89/100

a wine of extremely high standard, which we enjoyed for its typicity and character

80-84/100

a quality wine combining balance, structure and neatness for a pleasurable wine drinking experience

75-79/100

a wine deemed acceptable

70-74/100

a wine with defects, unacceptable

65-69/100

a wine with major defects, inadmissible

50-64/100

unacceptable wine, not worthy for sale

Note: wines scoring less than 75/100 are not included in our publications.

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

Fleurie A.C. 89/100 Villa Ponciago La Réserve 2010 Morgon A.C. 89/100 Henry Fessy Vintage 2009

9.70 € 8.50 €

BORDEAUX Graves A.C. 89/100 Château Saint-Robert Poncet-Deville 2009 Haut-Médoc A.C. 89/100 Château la Tour Carnet Cuvée Les Douves 2008 Margaux A.C. 89/100 Baron de Brane Vintage 2008 Médoc A.C. 89/100 Château Patache d'Aux Vintage 2009 Moulis A.C. 89/100 Château Biston-Brillette Vintage 2008 Pessac-Léognan A.C. 89/100 Château Couhins Lurton Vintage 2010 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru A.C. 89/100 Château Faurie de Souchard Vintage 2010 89/100 Château La Grâce Dieu Les Menuts Vintage 2008

13.00 € n/a 21.40 € 19.00 € 14.75 € n/a n/a 17.00 €

BURGUNDY Aloxe Corton A.C. 89/100 Château Philippe-le-Hardi Les Brunettes et Planchots 2009 Chablis A.C. 89/100 Domaine Garnier et Fils Grains Dorés 2007

20.90 €

12.00 €

COVER STORY

PROVENCE Chablis Premier Cru A.C. 89/100 Domaine Jean Collet & fils Montmains 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin A.C. 89/100 Domaine de la Vougeraie 1er Cru Bel Air 2008 89/100 Domaine Philippe Leclerc 1er Cru les Champeaux 2008 89/100 Domaine Rossignol-Trapet Vieilles Vignes 2009 Mercurey A.C. 89/100 Domaine Michel Juillot Les Vignes de Maillonge 2009 Meursault A.C. 89/100 Guy Bocard Vieilles Vignes 2008 Savigny les Beaune A.C. 89/100 Domaine Fougeray de Beauclair Les Golardes 2009 Volnay A.C. 89/100 Maison Louis Latour 1er Cru En Chevret 2007

12.00 € 44.00 € 35.00 € 23.60 € 14.25 € 20.00 € 18.70 € 30.80 €

Bandol A.C. 89/100 Domaine de la Laidière Vintage 2010 89/100 Domaine de l'Olivette Vintage 2006 Côtes de Provence A.C. 89/100 Château de Berne Grande Cuvée 2007 89/100 Château de l'Aumérade Seigneur de Piegros 2010 89/100 Château Cavalier Prestige 2010 89/100 Domaines Ott Clos Mireille Blanc de Blancs 2009 Côtes de Provence A.O.P. 89/100 Domaine du Jas d'Esclans Cuvée du Loup - élevé en Barriques 2010 Côtes de Provence La Londe A.C. 89/100 Domaine Saint André de Figuière Confidentielle 2010 Les Baux de Provence A.C.

14.00 € 16.00 € 26.00 € 9.40 € 13.00 € 21.00 €

15.40 €

24.20 € 18.00 €

89/100 Château Dalmeran MMVI

JURA Arbois A.C. 89/100 Domaine de la Pinte Trousseau 2009 Côtes du Jura A.C. 89/100 Jacques Tissot Les Corvées sous Curon Chardonnay 2009

RHÔNE VALLEY 12.00 €

13.50 €

LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON Banyuls A.C. 89/100 Domaine du Mas Blanc Caudalies - 50 cl Corbières A.C. 89/100 Domaine de Longueroche Raoul 2007 89/100 Château Trillol Cucugnan - Prestige 2008 89/100 Les Caves Rocbère Terra-Vinea - Prestige 2010 89/100 Prieuré Ste Marie d'Albas Clos de Cassis 2008 89/100 La Grange du Bouïs Cuvée Roméo 2008 Côtes du Roussillon A.O.P. 89/100 Château de Rey Les Galets Roulés 2009 Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac A.C. 89/100 Domaine de Familongue - 3 Naissances 2008

15.00 € 15.90 € 12.50 € 8.00 € 10.90 € 32.00 € 13.50 €

Châteauneuf du Pape A.C. 89/100 Château Cabrières Vintage 2008 89/100 Château Fortia Cuvée du Baron 2009 89/100 Bosquet des Papes Cuvée Tradition 2010 89/100 Domaine de Nalys Réserve 2009 89/100 Domaine Moulin-Tacussel Vintage 2010 89/100 Cellier des Princes Le Blason du Prince 2009 Côtes du Rhône A.C. 89/100 Domaine Galévan L'Esprit Devin 2009 Côtes du Rhône-Villages Cairanne A.C. 89/100 Domaine des Amadieu Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 2009 Gigondas A.C. 89/100 Gigondas La Cave La Référence - «élevage hors bois» 2009 Vacqueyras A.C. 89/100 Le Clos de Caveau Carmin Brillant 2009

18.00 € 19.00 € 19.50 € 30.00 € 24.00 € 12.90 € 12.00 €

9.60 €

10.50 € 14.50 €

15.20 €

SAVOY LOIRE VALLEY Anjou Villages Brissac A.C. 89/100 Château La Varière Vieilles Vignes 2009 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie A.C. 89/100 Domaine La Haute Févrie Excellence 2009 89/100 Le Grand R de la Grange Vintage 2009 89/100 Château du Coing de St Fiacre Vintage 2009 Pouilly-Fumé A.C. 89/100 Cave de Pouilly sur Loire - Tonelum 2009 Sancerre A.C. 89/100 Domaine Henry Natter Vintage 2010 89/100 Domaine de la Perrière Vintage 2010 89/100 Michel Vattan Vintage 2009 Saumur A.C. 89/100 Château de Targé Les Fresnettes 2008

Vin de Savoie Chignin-Bergeron A.C. 89/100 Jean Perrier & Fils Fleur de Roussanne 2009

7.50 €

n/a

SOUTH-OUEST 4.70 € 7.30 € 6.00 € 12.00 € n/a n/a 7.50 € 12.00

Cahors A.C. 89/100 Domaine Dhoste Chevalier Vintage 2006 Côtes de Bergerac A.C. 89/100 Château Bélingard Ortus 2009 89/100 Château Court-Les-Mûts L'Oracle 2008 Côtes de Gascogne I.G.P. 89/100 Domaine Chiroulet Grande Réserve 2008 Madiran A.C. 89/100 Domaine Capmartin Cuvée du Couvent 2009 Monbazillac A.C. 89/100 Domaine de Moulin-Pouzy La cuvée 2008

GILBERT & GAILLARD

12.00 € 15.00 € 14.00 € 12.30 € 11.00 € 12.00 €

AUTUMN 2011

COVER STORY

Domaine Alain Patriarche: the distinction of Meursault Genévrières Christiane and Alain Patriarche are passionate people. They are passionate about Burgundy, Meursault with its rolling hills and its growths, and about Chardonnay. They are also passionate about wine making and ageing their superlative wines. So much so that they put their flawless passion into each bottle of their wine !

WINES FROM EACH CLIMATE SITE AND VINEYARD BLOCK ARE VINIFIED SEPARATELY ON ALAIN PATRIARCHE’S ESTATE THE WINE GROWER

THE TERROIR

The Patriarche family has been growing vines in Meursault for five generations. Alain Patriarche’s father took over vines cultivated by his own father until Alain himself could carry on the family tradition in 1970. Over the years, the estate has grown and now boasts 10 hectares divided between two villages. Alain Patriarche grows seven different Meursaults, including this outstanding Genévrières.

The Genévrières stretch over roughly 16.5 hectares. The name refers to a once common shrub in this part of the Côte, the juniper tree. Chardonnay reigns supreme here and it thrives on quite clayey limestone marl from which it draws its elegance, finesse and aromatic complexity. The proportion of clay determines the aromatic intensity and degree of fullness in the great dry white wines of Burgundy, and Meursault Genévrières is undoubtedly one of them.

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

COVER STORY

98/100 DOMAINE ALAIN PATRIARCHE 2009

Meursault Genévrières Premier Cru A.C.

THE PERCENTAGE OF NEW OAK VARIES ACCORDING TO THE ORIGIN OF THE GRAPES

THE WINE MAKING PROCESS Wines from each climate site and vineyard block on Alain Patriarche’s estate are vinified separately so as to retain the terroir’s intrinsic characteristics. Obviously all of the white wines are from Chardonnay. After careful harvesting and pressing, the must ferments in oak. The percentage of new oak varies according to the origin of the grapes. After ageing for 12 months on the lees with stirring, as is the tradition for superior Meursaults, the wine is bottled; fining and filtering are kept to a minimum.

THE WINE This Genévrières First Growth covers 20 ares and the vines are on average 50 years old. The volcanic alluvial soils intermixed with clay-limestone impart immense distinction. The wine combines a mineral and lemony character, toasted undercurrents and an aromatic freshness that ensures incredible persistency reinforced by fullness and finesse, despite a distinct richness. As a rule, the Genévrières boast substantial cellaring potential and greater persistency on the palate. They are both complex yet subtle and unquestionably rank amongst the finest Meursaults. Gilbert & Gaillard Meursault A.C. Domaine Alain Patriarche 98/100 GENÉVRIÈRES FIRST GROWTH 2009 Cellar price: 55.00 € ALAIN PATRIARCHE 12, rue des Forges - 21190 Meursault Tel. +33 (0)3 80 21 24 48 - alainpatriarche@wanadoo.fr GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

COVER STORY

Domaine Jessiaume: the Santenay gem

Domaine Jessiaume was founded in 1830. It is currently run by representatives of the 5th generation of the family, Marc and Pascal Jessiaume. In 2006, the estate was bought by Scottish industrialist and wine lover Sir David Murray. He lavished much-needed investment on the estate enabling it to expand and establish a highly efficient nĂŠgociant business which markets this remarkable Charmes-Chambertin.

THE WINE GROWERS Marc and Pascal Jessiaume make wine as a team based on a very simple philosophy of producing fine, elegant wines with supple, well-integrated tannins. The vines are grown using integrated pest management involving ploughing and environmentally-friendly techniques. Their goal is to obtain low-yield healthy grapes.

Pascal and Marc Jessiaume

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

COVER STORY

97/100 MAISON JESSIAUME 2008

Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru A.C.

DOMAINE JESSIAUME WAS FOUNDED IN 1830 THE TERROIR This Charmes-Chambertin is grown over 0.18 hectares, in other words a tiny corner of an appellation that totals just 29 hectares. The vines are 50 years old and the rich soil is a mixture of clay, marl and limestone with eastern exposure. Limestone is predominant and the surface soil is strewn with scree promoting excellent drainage and fruit ripening.

THE WINE MAKING PROCESS The Pinot Noir grapes used for the red wines are sorted and destemmed then placed into tanks for cold soaking. Actual fermentation then begins and lasts for between 2 to 3 weeks. The wines are aged in French oak casks for 12 to 15 months depending on the vintage, including 15-20 % new oak. A few months before going on sale the wines are bottled.

THE WINE Marvellous is the first word that comes to mind. The wine is suave, deep, shows great fruit purity and delicate oak. Its primary asset though is its fantastic balance combining fullness, richness and persistency. Just occasionally, Burgundy affords the wine lover the unique experience that comes only with superlative wines, the feeling of never having tasted anything like this before! This fantastic rendition of the excellent 2008 vintage is a member of that select club. Gilbert & Gaillard

Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru A.C. 97/100 MAISON JESSIAUME 2008 Cellar price: 75.00 â&#x201A;Ź DOMAINE JESSIAUME 10, rue de la Gare - 21590 Santenay Tel. +33 (0)3 80 20 60 03 contact@domaine-jessiaume.com GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

COVER STORY

Fougeray de Beauclair: Bonnes-Mares, in a league of its own Born in Toulon (Var) in 1970, Patrice Ollivier is the son and grandson of winegrowers in Provence. After obtaining a vocational baccalaureat in Var, he studied for a diploma in viticulture and winemaking in Beaune (Burgundy) from 1989 - 1991. As part of his course, internships allowed him to become familiar with the region and to meet fellow student Laurence Fougeray who would become his wife.

THE WINE GROWER Patrice began making wine in Burgundy in 1991 at Domaine Fougeray de Beauclair with his future in-laws. Over the last 20 years, the area under vine has expanded, mainly through the addition of Clos Marion (a monopole). The quest for quality is constant, through a winery equipped with temperature control and above all, vineyard blocks where some of the vines are over 60 years old. Patrice worked with his father-in-law Jean-Louis Fougeray for 9 years before taking over full responsibility for wine making in 1999. The estate is predicated on two absolute principles: striving for quality and making pleasurable, traditional wines.

THE TERROIR This is the essential ingredient for all great wines. Burgundy wines are not presented by grape variety but by place names Marsannay, Fixin, Bonnes Mares…

THE ESTATE IS PREDICATED ON TWO ABSOLUTE PRINCIPLES: STRIVING FOR QUALITY AND MAKING PLEASURABLE, TRADITIONAL WINES

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

COVER STORY

THE GRAPES ARE PICKED BY HAND AND PLACED IN CRATES

surrounding growths is the presence of slightly marly soil (white

97/100 DOMAINE FOUGERAY DE BEAUCLAIR 2009

earth). Bonnes Mares is occasionally dubbed bonnes mères for its

Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru

Terroir is the cornerstone of winemaking philosophy. The soils are mostly clay-limestone. What sets Bonnes Mares apart from

nourishing qualities, not so much in terms of quantity but quality. One quarter of this particular vineyard block in Bonnes Mares is planted to vines over 70 years old compared with an average of 50 years for all the other appellations grown on the estate.

THE WINE The Bonnes Mares 2009 is racy, deep and expressive with substantial

THE WINEMAKING PROCESS

cellaring capacity. Many wine lovers however prefer wines that are

A quality wine needs quality vines and therefore yield restrictions

still fruit-forward with secondary aromas in the background. This

per vine and daily monitoring out in the field are of paramount

Great Growth appellation shows remarkable balance after a

importance. The grapes are picked by hand and placed in crates. A

decade or so. To ensure supply, it is advisable to buy the wines as

sorting table is used when necessary for selecting the best bunches.

futures; they are then available after bottling. Apart from private customers, the estate also sells to restaurants after the wines have

A 3-4 day cold soak then ensues to ensure maximum fruit is

been cellared for an average three years. Gilbert & Gaillard

harnessed. The wines are subsequently macerated for another fortnight at normal temperatures (maximum 31°C) to extract stuffing but not dry tannins. The amount of crushing and pumping over depends on the vintage and its inherent potential. Obviously every year is different

Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru A.C. 97/100 DOMAINE FOUGERAY DE BEAUCLAIR 2009 Cellar price: 99.20 €

and requires flexibility depending on known factors such as acidity, alcohol or richness.

PATRICE AND LAURENCE OLLIVIER 44, rue de Mazy - 21160 Marsannay-la-Côte

The wines are put into casks roughly two months after pressing so

Tel. +33 (0)3 80 52 21 12 - fougeraydebeauclair@wanadoo.fr

that they have had time to rest and do not contain too many lees.

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

RATED WINES 90/100 AND MORE

OUR PICKS Here are the scores for the best wines we tasted in 2011. You will find all of our 2011 tasting notes on our website: www.gilbertgaillard.com ALSACE 8.50 €

Alsace Gewurztraminer A.C.

93/100 Maison Zoeller Altenberg de Wolxheim 2003

92/100 J. M. Wassler Cuvée des Anges -

92/100 Château Ollwiller Vieilles Vignes 2007

14.90 €

13.50 €

92/100 Ruhlmann Frankstein 2008

10.90 €

14.00 €

91/100 Kuentz-Bas Pfersigberg - Trois Châteaux 2008

18.10 €

Vendanges Tardives - 50 cl 2007 91/100 Jacques Iltis Cuvée des Demoiselles 2009

91/100 Domaine Jean Sipp Kirchberg de

91/100 Sipp Mack Lucie Marie Vendanges Tardives- 50 cl 2007 90/100 René Fleck Vendanges Tardives 2007

22.80 € 17.90 €

Alsace Grand Cru Gewurztraminer A.C. 93/100 Domaines Schlumberger Kessler 2005

19.15 €

92/100 Cave de Kientzheim-Kaysersberg Schlossberg -

Ribeauvillé 2008

16.00 €

90/100 Albert Schoech Wineck-Schlossberg 2008

8.60 €

90/100 Domaine Haegi Zotzenberg 2009

8.40 €

90/100 Domaine Joseph Scharsch Altemberg de Wolxheim 2006

9.50 €

90/100 Domaine Bott Frères Kirchberg de

Anne Boecklin 2009

12.00 €

92/100 Sparr Tradition Sporen 2009

15.00 €

90/100 Domaine Agapé Schoenenbourg 2009

15.90 €

Alsace Pinot Gris A.C.

Ribeauvillé 2009

15.30 € 16.40 €

92/100 Domaine du Moulin de Dusenbach Kaefferkopf 2009

91/100 Cave Vinicole Hunawihr Schoenenbourg 2008 12.50 €

Vendanges Tardives 2008

91/100 Jean-Baptiste Adam Kaefferkopf 17.50 €

Vieilles Vignes 2009

9.80 €

90/100 Wolfberger Steinert 2008

10.10 €

90/100 Domaine Charles Baur Pfersigberg 2008

19.90 €

Alsace Riesling A.C. 92/100 Philippe Gocker Vendanges Tardives 2008

17.00 €

91/100 Scherb Bernard et Fils Venganges Tardives -

90/100 Domaine Viticole de la Ville de Colmar Pfersigberg 2009

90/100 André Blanck et ses Fils Cuvée Baptiste -

13.30 €

90/100 Domaine Saint-Rémy Goldert 2009

12.00 €

50 cl 2008 90/100 Julien Schaal Les 5 Pierres 2009

12.00 €

90/100 P. Humbrecht Prestige 2007

10.60 €

90/100 Frédéric Mallo & fils Rosacker Vendanges Tardives - 50 cl 2007

11.50 € 11.80 €

90/100 Horcher Mandelberg 2009 Alsace Grand Cru Pinot Gris A.C.

19.10 €

90/100 Château de la Chaize Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 2009

10.00 €

91/100 Domaine de la Bêche Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 2009

5.50 €

90/100 Olivier Depardon Charmes 2009

8.50 €

Alsace Grand Cru Riesling A.C.

90/100 Domaine de la Chaponne Côte du Py 2009

6.00 €

95/100 Domaine Seppi Landmann Zinnkoepflé -

90/100 Domaine de la Chaponne Cuvée Joseph 2009

7.00 €

Vendanges Tardives 1998 95/100 Domaine Sylvie Spielmann Kanzlerberg 2006

Brouilly A.C.

Morgon A.C.

94/100 Domaine Pierre Frick Vorbourg Vendanges Tardives 2008

BEAUJOLAIS

GILBERT & GAILLARD

45.00 €

Moulin à Vent A.C.

17.50 €

90/100 Domaine Sambin Vintage 2009

AUTUMN 2011

8.20 €

RATED WINES 90/100 AND MORE

BORDEAUX Bordeaux A.C. 90/100 Reignac Vintage 2009

18.00 € 20.00 € 8.00 €

Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux A.C. 91/100 L'Ame de Fontbaude Vintage 2008

14.80 € 28.00 €

Graves A.C. 90/100 Château Haura Vintage 2008

18.00 € 22.50 €

90/100 Château Poujeaux Vintage 2008

94/100 Château Malartic-Lagravière Vintage 2008

40.00 €

93/100 Château Larrivet Haut-Brion Vintage 2009

43.00 €

91/100 Château Le Sartre Vintage 2008

15.00 €

Pomerol A.C.

Côtes de Castillon A.C. 90/100 Domaine de l'A Vintage 2007

90/100 Château Confidence de Margaux Vintage 2008

Pessac-Léognan A.C.

Cadillac A.C. 90/100 Château Garbes-Cabanieu Grains Nobles 2006

14.00 €

Moulis A.C.

Bordeaux supérieur A.C. 90/100 Grand Vin de Reignac Vintage 2009

90/100 Château La Tour de Mons Vintage 2008

12.00 €

Haut-Médoc A.C.

93/100 Château Beauregard Vintage 2008

32.00 €

92/100 Château Mazeyres Vintage 2008

23.50 €

91/100 Château Grand Moulinet Vintage 2009

17.00 €

91/100 Château Taillefer Vintage 2007

28.00 €

93/100 Château La Lagune Vintage 2008

45.00 €

90/100 Vieux Château Ferron Vintage 2008

37.00 €

90/100 Château Citran Vintage 2008

15.00 €

90/100 Château Franc-Maillet Vintage 2008

19.00 €

90/100 Château Monbrun Vintage 2008

19.50 €

Lalande de Pomerol A.C. 90/100 Château Lafleur-Vauzelle Vintage 2009

9.00 €

Saint-Emilion A.C. 17.00 €

90/100 L'or du Temps Vintage 2008

Margaux A.C. 94/100 Château Lascombes Vintage 2006

60.00 €

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru A.C.

93/100 Château Brane-Cantenac Vintage 2008

23.00 €

92/100 Château La Tour Figeac Vintage 2008

35.00 €

93/100 Château Giscours Vintage 2007

43.00 €

92/100 Château de Pressac Vintage 2008

22.50 €

91/100 Château du Tertre Vintage 2007

28.00 €

92/100 Château Grand Corbin-Despagne Vintage 2008

25.00 €

91/100 Château Mongravey Vintage 2008

21.00 €

92/100 Château Fleur Cardinale Vintage 2008 GILBERT & GAILLARD

n/a

AUTUMN 2011

RATED WINES 90/100 AND MORE

91/100 Château Dassault Vintage 2008

49.00 €

91/100 Château Laroze Vintage 2008

25.00 €

91/100 Château La Dominique Vintage 2007

23.80 €

90/100 Château La Fleur du Casse Vintage 2007

23.80 €

90/100 Château Corbin Michotte Vintage 2008

26.00 €

90/100 Château Haut Rocher Vintage 2008

17.00 €

BURGUNDY Beaune A.C. 92/100 Domaine Jean-Marc & Hugues Pavelot 1er Cru Les Bressandes 2008

20.00 €

90/100 Domaine Rossignol-Trapet 1er Cru Les Teurons 2009

25.90 €

Bonnes Mares Grand Cru A.C. 97/100 Domaine Fougeray de Beauclair Vintage 2009

90/100 Château Haut Troquart La Grâce Dieu Cuvée Passion 2008

18.50 €

Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise A.C.

90/100 Château Monlot Cuvée Prestige 2009

25.00 €

90/100 Domaine A. et P. de Villaine La Digoine 2009

90/100 Château Armens Vintage 2009

19.50 €

Chablis Grand Cru A.C.

90/100 Château Faurie de Souchard Vintage 2008

25.00 €

95/100 Domaine William Fèvre Bougros 2009

90/100 Château Tauzinat l'Hermitage Vintage 2007

18.50 €

90/100 Château Villemaurine Vintage 2008

35.00 €

90/100 Château Grand Corbin Manuel Vintage 2007

18.00 €

99.20 € 13.70 € 40.40 €

95/100 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Les Clos - Clos des Hospices dans les Clos 2009

28.00 €

94/100 Simonnet-Febvre Les Clos 2008

34.95 €

93/100 Domaine Jean Collet & fils Valmur 2009

25.00 €

Saint-Estèphe A.C. 96/100 Château Montrose Vintage 2008

n/a

94/100 Château Haut-Marbuzet Vintage 2009

n/a

93/100 Château La Haye Majesté 2008

50.00 €

92/100 Château Lilian Ladouys Vintage 2008

15.00 €

91/100 Château L'Argilus du Roi Vintage 2008

14.50 €

90/100 Château Lafon-Rochet Vintage 2010

40.60 €

CHABLIS GRAND CRU A.C. Domaine Jean Collet & fils - Valmur 2009 Light yellow. Profound nose displaying wonderful minerality and a floral, lemony background. The palate shows seductive fat and fullness. Polished and lingering across the palate. A great growth in all its splendour. Drink with delicately-flavoured fish or shellfish.

CHABLIS GRAND CRU A.C. Domaine Garnier et Fils Vaudésir 2008 Bright, pale gold. Refined nose opening up to floral notes and ripe lemon with delicate oak notes in the background. Seductive volume, fat and freshness on the palate. A perfumed, persistent great growth. Very enjoyable.

CHABLIS PREMIER CRU A.C. Domaine Alain Geoffroy Beauroy 2009 Light yellow. Expressive nose combining white-fleshed fruits and a mineral dimension. Full, quite powerful attack, lovely exuberance that bolsters the sensation of length. Perfumed finish intermixing notes of almond, a floral touch and minerality.

/100

Saint-Georges Saint-Emilion A.C. 90/100 Château Saint-Georges Vintage 2008

20.83 €

Saint-Julien A.C. 96/100 Château Branaire-Ducru Vintage 2010

n/a

96/100 Château Lagrange Mllésime 2008

n/a

96/100 Château Gloria Vintage 2008

27.50 €

96/100 Château Saint-Pierre Vintage 2007

52.00 €

96/100 Château Gloria Vintage 2007

30.00 €

/100

Sauternes A.C.

94/100 Château La Tour Blanche Vintage 2007

46.00 €

93/100 Château Roumieu-Lacoste Cuvée André 2007

20.00 €

92/100 Château Lamothe Vintage 2007

26.00 €

91/100 Château Bastor-Lamontagne Vintage 2007

23.00 €

91/100 Château Haut-Bergeron Vintage 2009

24.00 €

90/100 Château Bérénice Vintage 2008

17.50 €

90/100 Duval & Blanchet Les Notes Dorées 2009

15.00 €

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

/100

FULL CONTACT DETAILS FOR THESE ESTATES CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 114

RATED WINES 90/100 AND MORE

93/100 Domaine Nathalie & Gilles Fèvre Les Preuses 2009

n/a

BONNES MARES GRAND CRU A.C. Domaine Fougeray de Beauclair - Vintage 2009 Appealing colour with ruby-red highlights. Delicate, refined nose marrying ripe notes of raspberry and cherry and elegant oak. The palate displays wonderful concentration, extremely refined tannins and fullness. Remarkable balance across the palate. Huge potential.

CHARMES CHAMBERTIN GRAND CRU A.C. Domaine Henri Rebourseau Vintage 2002 Superb deep colour. Open, complex nose intermixing jammy and dried fruits, notes of undergrowth and damp earth. Amazing concentration, richness and fullness on the palate. A powerful wine with presence, still in its youth.

CLOS DE VOUGEOT GRAND CRU A.C. Château Philippe Le Hardi 2008 Ruby. Profound nose with accents of late-picked red fruits (raspberry, cherry) enhanced by a note of oak. On the palate, the fruity character is highlighted by a full, robust, well-integrated structure. Gold standard. Cellar for 3 to 5 years.

VOUGEOT A.C. Domaine de la Vougeraie 1er Cru Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot - Monopole Beautiful light gold. Very refined nose expressive, blending notes of ripe lemon and quality toasted oak. The palate is both opulent yet fresh showing seductive volume, persistency and focus. Top marks.

/100

92/100 Domaine Guy Robin & fils Vaudésir Vieilles Vignes 2008

27.00 €

92/100 Domaine Long-Depaquit Les Vaudésirs 2009

29.60 €

92/100 Domaine Garnier et Fils Vaudésir 2008

30.00 €

91/100 Raoul Gautherin & fils Grenouilles 2009

25.00 €

Chablis Premier Cru A.C. 91/100 La Chablisienne Côte de Léchet 2008

n/a

90/100 Domaine Alain Geoffroy Vau-Ligneau 2009

14.00 €

90/100 Domaine Alain Gautheron Vaucoupin 2009

11.50 €

90/100 Domaine Hamelin Beauroy 2008

11.95 €

/100

90/100 Château de Chemilly Vosgros fûts de chêne 2009

14.50 €

Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru A.C. 97/100 Maison Jessiaume Vintage 2008

75.00 €

96/100 Domaine Henri Rebourseau Vintage 2002

82.00 €

/100

Chassagne-Montrachet A.C. 92/100 Duchesse de Magenta 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot 2008

48.00 €

90/100 Château de ChassagneMontrachet Vintage 2009

23.00 €

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru A.C. 94/100 Aegerter Jean-Luc & Paul Vintage 2008

140.00 €

93/100 Château Philippe-le-Hardi Vintage 2008

58.00 €

92/100 Alex Gambal Vintage 2009

85.00 €

Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru A.C. 96/100 Bouchard père & fils Vintage 2009

88.20 €

96/100 Domaine Bertagna Vintage 2009

88.00 €

94/100 Domaine Denis Père et Fils Vintage 2009

42.00 €

Corton Grand Cru A.C.

/100

FULL CONTACT DETAILS FOR THESE ESTATES CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 114

94/100 Domaine Faiveley Grand Cru Clos des Corton Faiveley - Monopole 2009

n/a Crémant de Bourgogne A.C.

93/100 Domaine Chandon de Briailles Les Bressandes 2009

70.00 €

90/100 Caves Bailly-Lapierre Brut rosé Vive la Joie 2006

n/a

Echezeaux Grand Cru A.C.

92/100 Domaine Louis Latour

93/100 Domaine Nudant Vintage 2008

50.00 €

Corton-Renardes Grand Cru A.C.

93/100 Château David de Beaufort Vintage 2001

86.60 €

93/100 Domaine Henri & Gilles Buisson

Fixin A.C.

Clos de la Vigne au Saint 2006

Les Renardes 2007

45.80 €

45.00 €

90/100 Clos St-Louis 1er Cru Hervelets 2009

GILBERT & GAILLARD

24.00 €

AUTUMN 2011

RATED WINES 90/100 AND MORE

98 /100

MEURSAULT A.C. Domaine Alain Patriarche Genévrières 1er Cru 2009 Light gold. Profound, elegant nose blending a mineral and lemony character with toasted, menthollike undercurrents. Astonishing fullness, finesse, lightness and freshness on the palate. The aromas are augmented by a lingering mineral dimension. A superlative wine.

Pommard A.C. 93/100 Château de Pommard Grand Vin 2008

54.00 €

93/100 Domaine Coste-Caumartin 1er Cru Le Clos des Boucherottes - Monopole 2009

29.60 €

92/100 Domaine Rebourgeon-Mure 1er Cru Clos des Charmots 2009

21.00 €

Pouilly-Fuissé A.C.

96 /100

MEURSAULT-CHARMES PREMIER CRU A.C. Domaine Guy Bocard Vintage 2008 Bright, pale yellow. Profound nose showing great finesse. Midway between fruity (lemon) and mineral aromatics. The palate shows textbook harmony, full, fat and ethereal. Refined texture framed by freshness. Substantial persistency.

FULL CONTACT DETAILS FOR THESE ESTATES CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 114

93/100 Domaine Auvigue Cuvée Hors Classe 2009

17.00 €

91/100 Denis Jeandeau Secret Minéral 2009

26.00 €

91/100 Château de Pouilly ”Cuvée 1551” 2008

18.00 €

91/100 Domaine Roger Luquet Vieilles Vignes 2009

14.80 €

90/100 Domaine Corsin L'Exception Vieilles Vignes 2006

29.00 €

90/100 La Source des Fées Cep Eternel 2009

18.80 €

90/100 Sophie Cinier Vers Cras 2008

18.50 €

90/100 Domaine Pierre Desroches Vintage 2009

10.40 €

Puligny-Montrachet A.C.

Gevrey-Chambertin A.C.

93/100 Paul Pernot et ses Fils 1er Cru Folatières 2009

91/100 Domaine Philippe Leclerc 1er Cru la Combe aux Moines 2008

39.00 €

92/100 Domaine Henri Prudhon & fils Les Enseignères 2008

90/100 Jean-Claude Boisset 1er Cru Lavaut Saint-Jacques 2009

88.95 €

20.00 €

Saint-Aubin A.C. 90/100 Bader-Mimeur 1er Cru En Rémilly 2009

Mercurey A.C.

28.00 €

15.50 €

91/100 Domaine Michel Juillot 1er Cru Clos des Barraults 2008 91/100 Domaine de Suremain 1er Cru La Bondue 2008

22.00 € 15.10 €

90/100 Château d'Etroyes Cuvée Vieilles Vignes des Ormeaux 2009

93 /100

Limpid pale ruby-red. Subtle racy nose of morello cherry with a floral touch and refined oak undercurrents. Taut, intensely aromatic palate that is savoury and fresh with a closely-integrated structure. A top-notch wine that will reveal itself wonderfully in 5-6 years' time.

14.10 €

Meursault A.C. 98/100 Domaine Alain Patriarche Genévrières 55.00 €

1er Cru 2009 96/100 Guy Bocard 1er Cru Charmes 2008

35.00 €

94/100 Domaine Rougeot 1er Cru Charmes 2009

35.00 €

90/100 Closerie des Alisiers Terroir de Meursault 2009

20.00 €

90/100 Domaine Berthelemot Les Tillets 2009

24.00 €

Montagny A.C. 90/100 Château de la Saule 1er Cru Les Burnins 2009

13.50 €

Nuits Saint Georges A.C. 90/100 Domaine du Château Gris 1er Cru Ghâteau Gris - Monopole 2008

GILBERT & GAILLARD

41.00 €

AUTUMN 2011

ECHEZEAUX GRAND CRU A.C. Domaine Nudant JeanRené - Vintage 2008

91 /100

GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN A.C. Domaine Philippe Leclerc 1er Cru la Combe aux Moines 2008 Clean red. Wonderful quality fruit on the nose reminiscent of cherry and raspberry. Sappy palate showing fullness and very precise fragrances. Oak is still very upfront but should gradually play a supporting role to the fruit. Very noble breeding here.

FULL CONTACT DETAILS FOR THESE ESTATES CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 114

RATED WINES 90/100 AND MORE

Santenay A.C. 91/100 David Moreau 1er Cru Clos Rousseau 2009

25.00 €

Volnay A.C.

91/100 Domaine Haut Saint Georges Vintage 2009

4.55 €

90/100 Domaine de Longueroche Cuvée Aurélien 2008

9.60 €

90/100 Château Beauregard Mirouze Fiaire 2007

92/100 Domaine Poulleau Père & Fils 1er Cru 2009

29.30 €

90/100 Domaine Réyane & Pascal Bouley 1er Cru Robardelle 2008

23.10 €

Vosne Romanée A.C.

Côtes du Roussillon A.C. 91/100 Château de Lacroix Réserve 2010

15.00 €

90/100 Château Saint Nicolas Nicolaus

20.08 €

Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France A.C.

97/100 Domaine Michel Gros 1er Cru Clos des Réas - Monopole 2004

41.50 €

Vougeot A.C.

92/100 Domaine de Rancy Vintage 2006

20.08 €

12.00 €

Côtes du Roussillon-Villages A.C. 93/100 Domaine Arguti Ugo 2009

12.00 €

90/100 Dom Brial Vintage 2005

24.00 €

93/100 Domaine de la Vougeraie 1er Cru Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot - Monopole

24.00 €

Côtes du Roussillon-Villages Tautavel A.C.

Faugères A.C.

Banyuls A.C. 90/100 Les Clos de Paulilles Cap Béar 2007

15.70 €

Banyuls Grand Cru A.C. 94/100 Domaine du Traginer Vintage 2003

20.00 €

92/100 Château de Grézan Les Schistes Dorés 2008

22.00 €

91/100 Abbaye Sylva Plana Le Songe de l'Abbé 2008

15.00 €

Fitou A.C. 90/100 Château de Montmal Vintage 2010

Cabardès A.C. 90/100 Cave La Malepère Révolution 2007

16.00 €

92/100 Domaine Fontanel Prieuré 2009

LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON

16.50 €

90/100 Caves du Mont Tauch Montmal 2009

Corbières A.C.

Hérault I.G.P.

92/100 Cave Coopérative de Castelmaure

92/100 Domaine Verchant Cuvée Marcelle 2006

”Cuvée N° 3” 2008 91/100 Les Caves Rocbère Ténor 2010

18.90 €

Languedoc A.C.

15.00 €

93/100 Stella Nova Les Pléiades 2005

GILBERT & GAILLARD

7.90 € 12.50 € 9.00 € 14.50 €

AUTUMN 2011

RATED WINES 90/100 AND MORE

90/100 Château La Clotte -

Languedoc Saint-Georges d'Orques A.C.

Fontane Mouton La Clotte 2009

13.00 €

90/100 La Grange Icône - Castalides 2009

26.90 €

90/100 Château la Vernède Caecilia 2008

21.00 €

Languedoc Grès de Montpellier A.C.

Cuvée Quetton Saint-Georges 2007

93/100 Mas de la Seranne Antonin et Louis 2008

18.40 € 15.00 €

10.30 €

91/100 Domaine Le Clos du Serres le florilège 2005

91/100 Domaine Saint-Jean du Noviciat Novi 2006

18.50 €

Maury A.C. 90/100 La Coume du Roy 50 cl 1998

92/100 Château des Karantes Vintage 2009

14.00 €

90/100 Château Rouquette sur Mer Cuvée Henry Lapierre 2008

18.95 €

90/100 Château Mire l'Etang Cuvée des Ducs de Fleury 2008

11.00 €

Languedoc Montpeyroux A.C.

Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup A.C.

92/100 Domaine Pierre Fil Cuvée Orebus 2009

10.00 €

90/100 Château Villerambert Julien Millesime 2006

15.00 €

90/100 Château d'Agel In Extremis 2008

25.00 €

Minervois La Livinière A.C.

90/100 Mas de Madame ”Vendanges 5” 2010

16.00 €

93/100 Mas Thélème Exultet 2007

15.00 €

92/100 Bergerie du Capucin Larmanela 2008

18.00 €

Rivesaltes A.C.

91/100 Château l'Euzière Les Escarboucles 2009

13.80 €

95/100 Domaine de Besombes Le Grenat 2008

90/100 Domaine Les Grandes Costes Vintage 2008

17.50 €

93/100 Château Rombeau Ambré - 50 cl

AUTUMN 2011

9.00 €

Muscat de Frontignan A.C.

93/100 Domaine de Villeneuve Chant des Roches 2007

GILBERT & GAILLARD

25.60 €

Minervois A.C.

90/100 Domaine Aimé Au gré du vent 2007 9.50 €

90/100 Villa Dondona Vintage 2009

17.90 €

Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac A.C.

93/100 Mas du Novi Prestigi 2007

Languedoc La Clape A.C.

93/100 Château de l'Engarran

13.50 €

Pays d'Oc I.G.P. 93/100 Aubai Mema La Douzième 2006

15.00 €

12.00 € 7.00 €

ADVERTORIAL

Les Caves Rocbère Portel-des-Corbières:

Rocbère invests in combined wine making facilities

he Rocbère winery in Portel-des-Corbières is the largest producer in the Corbières appellation. It accounts for 10 % of the appellation’s overall output and has recently launched a 4 million euro investment programme investment programme. The winery was formed by the merger of the Peyriac-de-Mer, Portel-des-Corbières and Sigean cooperatives, joined in 2008 by the co-operative in Monze. Its intention is to build combined wine making, bottling and storage facilities for wines from the group’s four wineries. Work was recently completed and Rocbère’s storage and wine making capacity has increased from 75,000 hl to 160,000 hl.

ROCBÈRE’S STORAGE AND WINE MAKING CAPACITY HAS INCREASED Corbières, Chalan, Port-la-Nouvelle, Peyriac-de-Mer and Monze. Posting a turnover of 11 million euros in 2010, the winery owns around twenty brands including Le Grand Opéra and Le Vent Marin, both flagship labels within the Rocbère range. The Rocbère and Terra Vinea brands are also of paramount importance in promoting the winery’s reputation. LES CAVES ROCBÈRE Sales director: Jean-Michel Mora Tel. +33 (0)6 11 50 68 12 - Tel. direct line +33 (0)4 68 48 70 65

An extension housing ten new 600-hl and sixteen 260-hl tanks with a combined capacity of 10,000 hl stands against the existing winery. A new building currently houses 79,000 hl of wine. In addition to this, the existing vat cellar holds around 63,000 hl and nearly 2,500 hl are aged in two thousand oak barrels stored in the underground cellars of Terra Vinea. Rocbère also boasts two overseas offices, one in China, the other in Cambodia. In France, it owns six of its own shops in Sigean, Portel-des-

Skype: jm.mora - jm.mora@rocbere.com

Don’t miss! TERRA VINEA, CHEMIN DES PLATRIÈRES, PORTEL-DES-CORBIÈRES From Narbonne, take the RN 9 towards Sigean then follow the road to Portel-dès-Corbières - Entry fee: adults €8.50, children aged 6-9 €1, children aged 10-14 €3.50 - Open daily Tel. +33 (0)4 68 48 64 90 - www.terra-vinea.com

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

RATED WINES 90/100 AND MORE

90/100 Domaine du Vieux Pressoir Vintage 2010

Quarts de Chaume A.C. 94/100 Domaine des Baumard Vintage 2008

34.00 €

94/100 Domaine de la Perrière Mégalithe 2008

n/a

14.50 €

91/100 Domaine du Closel -

93/100 Domaine Jean-Max Roger Vieilles Vignes 2008

17.00 €

92/100 Henri Bourgeois La Bourgeoise 2008

20.00 €

Touraine A.C.

92/100 Prieur Pierre et Fils Cuvée Maréchal Prieur 2009

13.00 €

90/100 Domaine Joël Delaunay Sauvignon blanc 2010

Château des Vaults Les Caillardières 2004

90/100 Famille Gaillard Sauvignon 2010

92/100 Domaine du Carrou Cuvée ”La Jouline” -

14.30 € 5.50 € n/a

14.50 €

Vieilles Vignes 2009 91/100 Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy Les Anges Lots 2009

14.00 €

91/100 Matthias et Emile Roblin Ammonites 2009

13.00 €

Bandol A.C.

91/100 Domaine Vacheron Domaine 2010

15.00 €

94/100 La Bastide Blanche Cuvée Fontanéou 2008

18.00 €

93/100 Château la Rouvière Vintage 2006

21.50 €

92/100 Domaine La Suffrène Cuvée Les Lauves 2008

18.00 €

91/100 Château Pradeaux Vintage 2006

22.00 €

90/100 Domaine de l'Olivette Vintage 2010

15.00 €

91/100 Domaine La Gemière Ambre 10.10 €

Cuvée Spéciale 2009 90/100 Domaine Henry Natter Cuvée François de La Grange de Montigny 2008

n/a

90/100 Dionysia Vin des Héros 2010

8.00 €

Saumur A.C. 91/100 Château de Brézé Clos David 2010

30.00 €

Saumur Champigny A.C. 92/100 Domaine de Nerleux Les Loups Noirs 2008

13.50 €

90/100 Domaine Langlois Chateau Vieilles Vignes 2005 13.95 € Saumur Puy Notre Dame 92/100 Domaine de la Paleine Moulin des Quints 2008

GILBERT & GAILLARD

PROVENCE

Continued on page 39

n/a

90/100 Michel Vattan Cuvée Argile 2009

Savennières A.C. 94/100 Château d'Epiré Cuvée Spéciale 2009

Sancerre A.C.

7.50 €

15.00 €

AUTUMN 2011

90 /100

BANDOL A.C. Domaine de l'Olivette Vintage 2010 Light yellow. Enticing, focused nose marrying white flowers and notes of peach and almond. More, very focused white peach aromatics on the palate. Rich, fleshy, fresh and very harmonious. A wine for pleasure. Drink now.

FULL CONTACT DETAILS FOR THIS ESTATE CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 114

RATED WINES 90/100 AND MORE

Saint-Chinian A.C. 93/100 Mas de Cynanque Amicytia 2008

16.00 €

92/100 Henri et Laurent Miquel Larmes des Fées 2007

32.00 €

90/100 Château Belot Best of Belot 2008

17.50 €

90/100 Domaine La Madura Vintage 2007

15.90 €

SANCERRE A.C. Domaine Jean-Max Roger Vieilles Vignes 2008 Light yellow. Expressive nose with exotic accents (mango, grapefruit). The palate is rich, full and delicate. More of the same very convincing aromatics carried over impressive length. An excellent wine pairing with noble fish or shellfish.

SAUMUR PUY-NOTRE-DAME Domaine de la Paleine Moulin des Quints 2008 Concentrated hue. Distinctive nose with vegetal-like aromatics (bell pepper) backed by spice and ripe fruits. An authentic, no frills style buoyed by typical Cabernet Franc aromas framed by supple stuffing and melted tannins. Extremely successful achievement.

/100

Saint-Chinian Roquebrun A.C. 92/100 Cave de Roquebrun Baron d'Aupenac 2008

21.65 €

Vin de Pays de l'Hérault 92/100 Domaine Virgile Joly Virgile 2005

24.00 €

/100

Vin de Pays des Coteaux de Murviel 94/100 Vin de Pays des Coteaux de Murviel 92/100 Mas des Dames La Diva 2007

n/a 12.00 €

Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes 91/100 Les Terres de Mallyce Pierres de Lune 2008

11.00 €

Vin de Pays d'Oc 91/100 Château de Gourgazaud Quintus 2008

16.90 €

FULL CONTACT DETAILS FOR THESE ESTATES CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 114

Coteaux du Layon Rablay A.C.

LOIRE VALLEY

90/100 Château La Tomaze Cuvée des Lys 2010

Anjou Villages Brissac A.C. 93/100 Château La Varière La Grande Chevalerie 2009

19.00 €

Menetou-Salon A.C.

90/100 Domaine des Rochelles Les Millerits 2008

17.00 €

91/100 La Tour Saint-Martin Honorine 2008

13.60 €

93/100 Château du Coing de Saint Fiacre L'Ancestrale 2005 90/100 Clisson Vintage 2006

90/100 Vignobles des Robinières L'Ormeau de Maure 2009 6.50 €

90/100 Château de la Gravelle Gorges 2005

Chinon A.C.

Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie A.C.

92/100 Charles Joguet Clos de la Dioterie 2008

20.00 €

90/100 Domaine Martin Luneau Gorges 2005

92/100 Domaine Charles Pain Château de Naie 2007

12.00 €

Pouilly-Fumé A.C.

9.10 €

9.50 € 10.00 €

Bourgueil A.C.

90/100 Domaine Dozon L'Exception 2006

18.00 €

Muscadet Sèvre et Maine A.C.

Bonnezeaux A.C. 91/100 Domaine de la Couchetière Beauregard 2009

15.00 €

93/100 Philippe Raimbault Les Lumeaux 2010

9.50 €

8.90 €

9.20 €

90/100 Château de Saint Louans Vintage 2008

30.00 €

93/100 Gitton père & fils Nebula 2008

18.95 €

90/100 Domaine de Noiré Caractère 2008

10.50 €

93/100 Château de Tracy 101 Rangs 2008

60.00 €

92/100 Jean Pabiot et Fils Cuvée Séduction 2008

13.90 € 12.70 €

Coteaux de l'Aubance A.C. 96/100 Domaine de Montgilet Les Trois Schistes 2009

16.50 €

92/100 Domaine Dominique Pabiot Cuvée Plaisir 2010

93/100 Domaine d'Orgigné Vintage 2009

10.30 €

91/100 Le Domaine Saget Roches 2008

n/a

91/100 Domaine de Haute Perche Les Fontenelles 2009

14.50 €

90/100 Les Charmilles Vintage 2010

n/a

Coteaux de Saumur A.C. 93/100 Château de Targé 50 cl 2009

90/100 Domaine Serge Dagueneau & filles 21.00 €

Coteaux du Layon Faye d'Anjou A.C. 90/100 Domaine de Trompe-Tonneau Vintage 2010

7.40 €

18.00 €

Clos des Chaudoux 2008 90/100 Domaine Chauveau Cuvée Sainte Clélie 2009

9.00 €

90/100 Domaine Champeau Silex 2010

7.50 €

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

Domaine de Saint-Ser: the jewel in the Sainte-Victoire crown Domaine de Saint-Ser’s 33 hectares of vines are entirely located within the Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire appellation area which boasts its own idiosyncratic geology and climate. The vines bask in exceptional sunshine on hillsides facing due south where the white mountain stone magnifies the sun’s rays. a wine grower and to leverage all the property’s assets. The engineer and wine maker Pierre Guérin currently provides her support and draws on the experience of a team of 30 specialists to analyse each stage of the process: planting rights, marketing targets, choice of viticultural and wine making techniques, compliance with regulations, dealings with the relevant authorities and suppliers…

Integrated pest management is used and the soils are enriched only with organic fertilisers. The vines are trellised to promote healthy fruit. The climate is Mediterranean with a distinct continental influence and the cool nights preserve the natural acidity of the grapes.

FAST-TRACK SWITCH TO A NEW VOCATION

his sunlight promotes photosynthesis and leads to greater fruit concentration. The claylimestone soil is stony, poor and exceptionally deep. It has built up from the erosion of the SainteVictoire mountain towering above the estate and promotes regular growth in the vineyard.

JACQUELINE GUICHOT, A PARISIAN PHARMACIST, TOOK OVER THE ESTATE IN 2006

When Parisian pharmacist Jacqueline Guichot took over the estate in 2006, she recruited the assistance of Provence agronomic consultancy CAP to help her in her new challenge as

GILBERT & GAILLARD

PIERRE GUÉRIN, CAP CONSULTANT WINE MAKER RESPONSIBLE FOR DOMAINE DE SAINT-SER

Domaine de Saint-Ser Route Cézanne - D17 - 13114 Puyloubier - France Tel: +33 (0)4 42 66 30 81 - Fax: +33 (0)4 42 66 37 51 info@saint-ser.com - www.saint-ser.com Cabinet d’Agronomie Provençale (CAP consultancy) Route des Vins sur Caramy - 83170 Brignoles www.cabagronomie.fr

AUTUMN 2011

After a thorough audit, an investment plan was drawn up and the estate was literally transformed in just a few years. The consultancy’s expertise and commitment to the local wine community ensured that success came quickly. The estate rapidly grew by 25 percent in size, the profile of the wines was raised and bottle sales saw a quantum leap to nearly 100 % and conservation of this magical site was ensured by compliance with “Nutrition Méditerranéenne” specifications - achievements that would normally have taken a generation to accomplish.

ADVERTORIAL

RATED WINES 90/100 AND MORE

RHÔNE VALLEY 90/100 Domaine Ott Château Romassan 2007

22.50 €

96/100 Domaine Galévan Saint-Georges 2009

Coteaux d'Aix en Provence A.C. 90/100 Château Vignelaure Vintage 2005

Châteauneuf-du-Pape A.C.

20.50 €

95/100 Château de la Gardine Cuvée des Générations Gaston Philippe 2007

Coteaux Varois En Provence A.C. 91/100 Domaine du Deffends Champs de la Truffière 2007

11.80 €

94/100 Château Mont-Redon Vintage 2009

90/100 Château d'Ollières Clos de L'Ermitage 2009

17.50 €

94/100 Domaine du Vieux Lazaret

54.00 € 20.00 € 24.00 €

Cuvée Exceptionnelle 2007

Côtes de Provence A.C.

52.00 €

92/100 Château Saint-Pierre Cuvée Baptiste 2004

16.00 €

94/100 Domaine Juliette Avril Cuvée Maxence 2009

37.40 €

92/100 Château de Peyrassol Vintage 2010

14.00 €

94/100 Domaine des 3 Cellier Privilège 2009

35.00 €

92/100 Château Roubine Terre de Croix 2006

17.20 €

94/100 Patrice Lesec Cuvée Bargeton 2005

65.00 €

92/100 Château Minuty Prestige 2010

15.00 €

93/100 Château Simian Les Grandes Grenachières 2009

47.00 €

93/100 Clos Saint Pierre Urbi 2009

25.00 €

92/100 Domaine de la Mordorée La Reine des Bois 2009

44.00 €

91/100 Domaine de Nalys Eicelènci 2009

30.00 €

91/100 Jas d'Esclans Vintage 2010 90/100 Château de Berne Cuvée Spéciale 2010

8.20 € n/a

90/100 Château la Tour de l'Evêque Habillage Noir et Or 2005

20.50 €

90/100 Château Sainte Roseline Cuvée Prieuré 2009

16.20 €

90/100 Château des Demoiselles Vintage 2010

10.60 €

90/100 Clos Cibonne Cuvée Prestige Caroline 2009

16.00 €

90/100 Domaine de la Croix Eloge 2010

13.00 €

Côtes de Provence La Londe A.C. 91/100 Domaine de l'Angueiroun Prestige 2009

15.30 €

90/100 Domaine Saint André de Figuière Confidentielle 2009

91/100 Bosquet des Papes Chante Le Merle 32.50 €

Vieilles Vignes 2009 90/100 Domaine Moulin-Tacussel Vintage 2009 90/100 Château Beauchêne Grande Réserve 2009

22.00 € 5.60 € 17.90 €

90/100 Lavau Vintage 2010 Condrieu A.C. 93/100 Domaine Grangier Les Terrasses 2009

22.00 €

90/100 Domaine Boissonnet Vintage 2009

23.00 €

Cornas A.C. 26.30 €

Les Baux de Provence A.C.

94/100 Domaine Courbis La Sabarotte 2007

44.00 €

93/100 Domaine Michelas - St Jemms Les Murettes 2009

25.00 €

92/100 Château Romanin Vintage 2007

17.00 €

Costières de Nîmes A.C.

91/100 Mas de la Dame Coin Caché 2008

20.00 €

92/100 Château de Valcombe Garance 2009 GILBERT & GAILLARD

16.00 €

AUTUMN 2011

RATED WINES 90/100 AND MORE

91/100 Mas des Bressades Cuvée Excellence 2009

9.50 €

90/100 Château Mourgues du Gres 13.50 €

Les Capitelles 2009 90/100 Château Saint-Louis La Perdrix

95/100 Domaine des Remizières Cuvée Emilie 2009

33.70 €

95/100 Romain Duvernay Vintage 2009

28.50 €

Lirac A.C. 8.52 €

Cuvée Marianne 2010

Hermitage A.C.

Côte Rôtie A.C.

90/100 Domaine Maby Nessun Dorma 2009

15.90 €

Luberon A.C.

96/100 Domaine Pichat Les Grandes Places 2008

48.00 €

90/100 Château La Verrerie Grand Deffand 2006

95/100 Domaine Niero Vintage 2009

28.00 €

Saint-Joseph A.C.

94/100 Benjamin et David Duclaux Maison Rouge 2009

45.00 €

92/100 Domaine Farjon Ma Sélection 2009

13.00 €

93/100 De Boisseyt-Chol Côte Blonde 2009

36.00 €

90/100 Cave de Saint-Désirat Septentrio 2008

12.80 €

93/100 Domaine André François Gerine 2005

28.00 €

90/100 Domaine Jean-Claude Marsanne Vintage 2007

15.00 €

93/100 Domaine Chambeyron Vintage 2008

25.00 €

90/100 Guy Farge terre de granit 2009

13.00 €

91/100 Domaine de Rosiers Vintage 2009

27.00 €

Vacqueyras A.C.

Côtes du Rhône A.C.

93/100 1717 Vintage 2009

90/100 Domaine Nicolas Croze L'Epicurienne 2009 90/100 Brézème Bresemus Eram 2007

9.80 € 21.00 €

27.00 €

31.00 €

Vinsobres A.C. 92/100 Clos des Echalas Vintage 2007

23.00 €

Côtes du Rhône-Villages A.C. 90/100 Vieux Manoir du Frigoulas Cuvée Dionysos 2007

5.70 €

Crozes-Hermitage A.C.

Cahors A.C. 13.00 €

90/100 Domaine Betton Caprice 2009 Gigondas A.C. 93/100 Domaine Brusset Les Hauts de Montmirail 2009

GILBERT & GAILLARD

SOUTH-WEST

21.00 €

AUTUMN 2011

93/100 Château Eugénie Haute Collection 2008

20.00 €

93/100 Château Pineraie L'Authentique 2008

20.00 €

91/100 Château du Cèdre Le Cèdre 2008

30.00 €

RATED WINES 90/100 AND MORE

90 /100

MADIRAN A.C. Château de Viella Prestige 2008 Inky hue. Very classic nose of ripe black berry fruits coupled with slightly roasted oak. On the palate, huge density, abundant tannins yet ripe, elegant and harmonious across the palate. A young wine with all the prerequisite qualities to mature well.

Saussignac A.C. 92/100 Château Court-Les-Mûts 50 cl 2005

n/a

Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne 95/100 Domaine du Tariquet Les Dernières Grives 2009 92/100 Domaine La Hitaire Jardin d'Hiver 2009

14.00 € 8.50 €

Vin de Pays du Comté Tolosan 7.60 €

90/100 Blanc Renaissance Vintage 2010 FULL CONTACT DETAILS FOR THIS ESTATE CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 114

91/100 Château de Gaudou Réserve de Caillau 2009

25.00 €

91/100 Clos Triguedina Baldès Prestige 2008

29.00 €

91/100 Mas del Périé La Roque 2009

12.00 €

90/100 Château de Haute-Serre Malbec 2008

13.90 €

90/100 Château de Mercuès Malbec 2008

13.50 €

90/100 Château Haut-Monplaisir Pur Plaisir 2007

7.00 €

OTHER VINEYARDS CORSICA Muscat du Cap Corse A.C.

Haut-Montravel A.C.

90/100 Domaine Gentile Vintage 2010

95/100 Château Dauzan la Vergne

Vin de Corse Calvi A.C.

Elevé en fûts de chêne 2001

13.90 €

90/100 Clos Culombu Ribbe Rosse 2009

93/100 Puy-Servain Terremont 2007

18.90 €

Vin de Corse Figari A.C.

18.30 €

90/100 Domaine de Tanella

Jurançon A.C. 94/100 Domaine Cauhapé Noblesse du Temps 2008

17.50 €

28.50 €

Grande Réserve de la Cuvée Alexandra 2009

15.00 €

94/100 Domaine Bru-Baché L'Eminance du Domaine Bru-Baché 2006

50.00 €

91/100 Domaine Nigri ”Toute une Histoire” 2009

14.00 € Arbois A.C.

Madiran A.C. 97/100 Château Montus La Tyre 2005 90/100 Château Viella Prestige 2008 90/100 Château Bouscassé Vintage 2008 90/100 Domaine Capmartin L'esprit du Couvent 2008

n/a 12.00 € n/a 17.00 €

9.80 €

90/100 Jacques Tissot Naturé 2009 90/100 Domaine Amélie Guillot Savagnin -

16.00 €

Vieilles Vignes 2004 Château-Chalon A.C. 90/100 Fruitière Vinicole de Voiteur Vin Jaune 2004

Monbazillac A.C. 90/100 Château Bélingard Blanche de Bosredon 2007

JURA

24.00 €

L'Etoile A.C. 90/100 Domaine de Montbourgeau Vin Jaune 2004

Montravel A.C.

26.75 € 28.00 €

90/100 L'Excellence du Château Le Castellot Vintage 2003 12.00 €

SAVOY

Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Sec A.C. 90/100 Château Laffitte-Teston Ericka 2009

9.10 €

91/100 Les Fils de René Quénard La Bergeronnelle 2010

Pécharmant A.C. 91/100 Château de Tiregand Grand Vintage 2008

12.00 €

19.80 €

VIN DE TABLE

Pineau des Charentes A.C. 90/100 Domaine du Feynard Vieux Pineau blanc

Vin de Savoie Chignin-Bergeron A.C.

16.00 €

91/100 Grains Folie d'Inès Vintage 2007

GILBERT & GAILLARD

18.00 €

AUTUMN 2011

REGION

The mysterious wines of South West France Richard Craig asks: are these wines suffering from an identity crisis?

he wines of South West France are classified into 18 AOPs (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) and 21 IGPs (Indication Géographique Protégée). They come from some of the oldest vineyards in France, which cover a total area of 50,000 hectares. The viticultural region stretches from Irouléguy, close to the Pyrenees, some 500 kilometres northeast of Toulouse, to include the tiny, new AOP of Entraygues et Fel. The region as a whole produces 450 million bottles, has 5000 vignerons, 1000 independent producers, 23 cooperative wineries and 20 brokers.

This region is far from insignificant: its production volume is over twice that of Burgundy (excluding Beaujolais), and deserves our attention. Yet if one was to visit an average wine shop in London and ask for a bottle of wine from the South West of France, the choice would not be staggering - or rather, it would be staggeringly small, given the favourable quality-to-price ratio. Wines from this part of France tend to be restricted to specialist, independent merchants. While this is good for the

THE WINES OF SOUTH WEST COVER A TOTAL AREA OF 50,000 HECTARES

DISAPPOINTING

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AUTUMN 2011

The mysterious wines of South West France

merchants, constantly striving for points of difference, it is not

Gironde, the wines of Bergerac and its surrounding area were

good for volume sales, the economy of the region and the

sold successfully as generic Bordeaux. Nowadays, going it

wealth of its people. So why does this happen?

alone, it has been more of a struggle. Bergerac’s wine-growing

PERCEPTION

over 93 communes and covering an area of 12,000 hectares. The

The wines of South West France lie in the shadow of mighty

red wines are certainly very bordelais in character, consisting of

Bordeaux in terms of volume and economic wealth. Many city

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with very

folk in London, New York and Hong Kong spend several

few producers

thousand euros on Bordeaux en primeur and believe that red

Merille (a grape usually used for Vin de Table).

region consists of 13 different red, white and rosé AOPs spread

using the permitted Cot, Fer Servadou and

wine production in France begins in the Haut Médoc and ends in Saint-Emilion. It is a common perception that the wines of

The red wines appellations within the Bergerac viticultural

the Sud-Ouest are cheaper, less good versions of Bordeaux.

area are - in ascending order of quality - Bergerac Rouge, Côtes du Bergerac, Montravel and Pécharmant. Montravel was granted AOC for its white wines in 1937 but it was not until 2001 that

This can be true of the AOP’s of Bergerac whose viticultural

the red wines were included. Today, of the 1,800,000 litres

boundaries are adjacent to AOP Bordeaux and whose grape

produced, only 200,000 are red. These high quality reds must

varieties are almost identical. In fact, before the viticultural

contain at least 50% Merlot, with the remainder being the

boundaries were drawn up and delimited to the department of

Cabernets and Cot. Good producers include Château Moulin

DORDOGNE, IN OR OUT?

THE LOVELY AND FAMOUS CHÂTEAU DE MONBAZILLAC IN THE BERGERAC AREA GILBERT & GAILLARD

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REGION

Garreau, Château Moulin Caresse, Château Puy Servain and

DEFINITELY NOT BORDEAUX

Clos Julien.

Beyond Bergerac, the “tastes like Bordeaux” charge is less justified. Merlots and Cabernets, whilst permitted in most regions,

Pécharmant (meaning charming hill) is solely a red wine AOP and can be found to the north-east of the town of Bergerac. The AOC was granted in 1936 and encompasses the communes of Bergerac, Creysse and Lemras. As in Montravel, due to the declining moderating maritime influence, the earlier ripening Merlot dominates the blends. Look out for Château Tiregand, Domaine des Costes, Domaine de Closerie and Domaine du Haut-Pécharmant.

becomes less dominant, with local varieties becoming more prevalent. These local varieties are great for wine diversity but a nightmare for marketeers, particularly when the same grapes are known by different names in different areas, as is often the case. They are however still marketed - quite rightly - as wines with a difference. The problem is that most consumers are not drawn to “different” and hence most professional wine buyers do not buy these “different” wines. Changing people's habits to

The wines of Bergerac are not blessed with an identity that one can latch on to. Is it in Bordeaux or Sud-Ouest? The truth is that no-one is really sure. Undoubtedly the quality is forever rising, with many producers adopting organic viticulture and non-interventionist winemaking practices. The Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de la Région de Bergerac makes strenuous efforts to promote the region and is successful, with quality and value being the main focus. An £8 bottle of Bergerac is likely to offer far more interest and enjoyment than a bottle of Bordeaux at the same price.

include a new taste sensation is not going to happen overnight but it is a truly worthwhile quest.

THE TASK The vineyards of the South-West date back to Roman times and tradition still plays an important role in the wines of today. Many of the AOCs and the newly promoted AOPs are quite remote geographically and inward-looking. The Interprofession des Vins du Sud-Ouest has faced an up-hill struggle to amalgamate this diverse and fragmented region of 5,000 wine makers, persuading them to adopt a coherent marketing and export plan. Exports constitute only 15% of total sales. If one compares the task faced by the Interprofession des Vins du Sud-Ouest with that of similar trade and marketing bodies in Burgundy (where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietals are easy to pronounce and non-blended) or in Provence (where the huge success of Provence rosé begs the question, “do they produce anything else?”), one can understand their difficulties.

THE ONE AND ONLY The 2,400 hectares of Fronton vineyards have been AOC-classified since 1975. The almost unique Négrette variety (locally known as Folle Noire) thrives on the ferrous quartz and gravel soils of the appellation. This variety is almost unknown anywhere else, save for a tiny acreage in Lavilledieu, between the Tarn © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

and Garonne rivers, just north of Fronton and also, bizarrely,

THE 2,400 HECTARES OF FRONTON VINEYARDS HAVE BEEN AOC-CLASSIFIED SINCE 1975 44

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AUTUMN 2011

in California where it is known as Pinot St George. In Fronton, it is stipulated that Négrette, high in colour but low in acidity and tannins, must constitute 50% of the appellation's reds, with Fer Servadou, Syrah and the Cabernets making up the rest of the blends to give the wines more power. There are however a number of producers making wines of 100% Négrette (for example, Château Bellevue La Forêt's cuvée Ce Vin) still labelled as AOP Fronton, so clearly it is a flexible stipulation.

The mysterious wines of South West France

THE FAMOUS PONT VALENTRÉ IN CAHORS, ABOVE THE RIVER LOT MALBEC OR...?

WINE BARS

Cahors is Malbec, Cot, Cot Noire or Auxerrois country, depending

Today, many Cahors wines, particularly those from the lower slopes and alluvial flats of the Lot River, are of a much less challenging nature. Yields are higher, production volumes are greater, percentages of Merlot higher, and the individuality of

on opinion. The 4,200 hectares were awarded full AOC status in 1971 and the wines must contain at least 70% Malbec, with the remaining percentage being either Tannat and/or Merlot. Cahors is refreshingly unique in South West France in not permitting Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc in the blends. The traditional “black wine” of the Lot is now almost non-existent. The wine that comes closest is made by Clos Triguedina: it is 100% Cot and named “The New Black Wine cuvée L’Exception.”

Cuvée ‘A’, is 100% Vieille Vignes Cot from a 3.5-hectare vineyard on the plateau. It is full, rich and broody, but retains its elegance. Château Les Hauts d’Aglan (7 hectares, from the same high plateau) is 90% Cot, 10% Merlot (a restrained and vibrant wine); Château Marjolière, coming from the lower slopes with 20% Merlot, is ripe and pure. Oak does not feature in any of Isabelle's wines, as she prefers the varietal characteristics and the terroir of her vineyard to shine through.

THE GREAT SITE OF CHÂTEAU LES BOUYSSES, ONE OF THE MAJOR ESTATES IN THE APPELLATION GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

REGION

the wines has decreased. These wines are increasingly being labelled as Malbec (a variety that is very successful in its Argentinian guise) and are now finding success in wine bars amongst francophile drinkers.

TANNIC TANNAT

TANNAT IS THE MAIN RED VARIETY IN MADIRAN

With his two estates, Château Montus and Château Bouscasse, Alain Brumont is clearly a leading figure in the appellation: he has 300 hectares of vines producing 1.6 million bottles. The 12-hectare estate Domaine Pichard (not owned by Brumont Enterprises) is in the commune of Soublecause. It was first planted to vines in 1955 by Auguste Vigneau. His aim was to produce long-lived, structured wines, a tradition continued by his nephew René Tachouère. In 2004, unable to pass on the estate to his son, René sold the estate to brothers-in-law Jean Sentilles and Rod Cork. The estate has received much-needed investment in the vineyard, and the cellar has been modernised. The wines have hence changed. Whilst clearly Madiran, Jean

The 1,400 hectares of AOP Madiran straddle the departments of Hautes-Pyrénées, Gers and Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The area has 200 producers who make 60,000 hectolitres of wine. Tannat is the main red variety in Madiran where it has to make up 40% (and not more than 60%) of the blend. The remainder can be from Bouchy (Cabernet Sauvignon) and Pinenc (Fer or Fer Servadou). In practice, the upper limit does not appear to be enforced, as many examples exist of 100% Tannat.

THE MADIRAN AREA HAS 200 PRODUCERS WHO MAKE 60,000 HECTOLITRES OF WINE 46

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The mysterious wines of South West France

GAILLAC USE SOME AMAZING VARIETIES LIKE DURAS AND BRAUCOL Sentilles has instigated a more modern style of wine making like many winegrowers in the region, using shorter maceration, micro-oxygenation and barrique ageing to produce wines approachable when young but with ageing potential. Other top estates include Domaine Capmartin, Domaine Berthoumieu and the excellent regional co-operative Plaimont Producteurs.

red. This Basque country vineyard sticks closely to its very own grape nomenclature, with Bordelesa Beltza being Tannat, Axeria being Cabernet Franc and Axeria Handia being Cabernet Sauvignon. These are the only grapes allowed for the red wines. La Cave Irouléguy is the main producer, but good wines are produced by Peio Espil’s Domaine Ilaria (only 2,500 cases are made) and Domaine Brana.

Gaillac has had AOC status for its red wines since 1970, and for its whites since 1938. Due to its perfect vine-growing conditions, a huge variety of wines and styles are made. The red Duras variety, related to Petit Verdot, is almost exclusive to Gaillac. It produces fairly robust and rustic wines and is usually blended with Braucol (Fer Servadou) and Syrah. These three must make up to 60% of the blend. The Cabernets, Merlot and Gamay are also allowed, though the Gamay is usually made as a single varietal, Gaillac Nouveau.

PERSONAL PERSONALITY

The appellation of Marcillac, granted in 1990, is situated to the north-west of Rodez, in the Aveyron department. It is small (170 hectares) and produces 8,000 hectolitres of red wine only. It is also practically a monoculture, with Mansois (Fer Servadou) making up 90% of the wines (the remaining 10% comes from Prunelard, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot). The 210-hectare AOP of Irouléguy lies in the foothills of the Pyrenees: it produces 550,000 litres of wine, 70% of which is

It is a conundrum for many as to how the South West region should be represented on the world stage. However fun the idea of ordering a glass of Fer Servadou, Auxerrois or Bordelesa Beltza in a metropolitan wine bar might be, it is highly unlikely to happen. Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Merlot and the very trendy Malbec are the norm. However, the thought of the wines of the Sud-Ouest going down this route of copy-cat varieties, producing wines lacking in identity, provenance and interest, fills me with dread. They would become lost in the sea of mediocrity that is often found in generic wines. Many producers are now making less-challenging wines “in the style of” Madiran, Gaillac, Marcillac and so on which are gaining market share in bars and restaurants. These wines are also providing the population at large with an introduction to the region's wines. Different flavours, different grapes, different nomenclature plus education and perseverance will no doubt delight an ever-more curious and adventurous public. Richard Craig GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

QUALITY FACTORS

Sparkling wine: bubbling over with success Champagne is the best sparkling wine in the world - or rather, let me qualify this statement by saying that the best Champagnes are the best sparkling wines in the world. There is however an awful

lot

mediocre

and

occasionally poor Champagne on the market from the big houses, cooperatives and growers alike. prices

Champagne

With

reaching astronomical levels, (Moet & Chandon NV currently sells in New York for around $40, and in London for £30), in these difficult times it might well be a good idea not only to switch your brand, but to switch your region.

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parkling wines are made throughout France and many of them are seriously worth consideration and purchasing, not just for economic reasons but also for variety. After the top Champagnes, Crémants are the next at the top of the quality tree of French sparkling wines. There are 7 AOC Crémants in France, namely d'Alsace, de Bordeaux, de Bourgogne, de Die, de Jura, de Limoux and de Loire. It is stipulated that the grapes for all Crémants must be handharvested, yields should not exceed that of the AOC, and the wines need to be aged for at least one year after dégorgement before release. They are made in the traditional method where a second fermentation takes place in the bottle, ageing on lees followed by remuage, dégorgement and dosage.

THERE ARE 7 AOC CRÉMANTS IN FRANCE, NAMELY D'ALSACE, DE BORDEAUX, DE BOURGOGNE, DE DIE, DE JURA, DE LIMOUX AND DE LOIRE THE BIG THREE

from Pinot Noir. Sales in 2010 in France were up by 12% on the

Crémant d'Alsace was granted AOC-status in 1975 and

previous year. Excluding Champagne, it is the highest selling

production is around 250,000 hectolitres a year, which is 21% of

“drink at home” sparkling wine. Exports are also up by 19%, and

the total AOC Alsace wine production. Pinot Blanc is the main

a staggering 176% up on 2008.

variety, with Riesling, Auxerrois, Pinot Noir,

Pinot Gris and

The Loire Valley is the largest sparkling wine producing region

Chardonnay also used. Rosé Crémant d'Alsace can only be made

outside Champagne, though by no means all the production is GILBERT & GAILLARD

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QUALITY FACTORS

Other sparkling wines

Crémant. Crémant de Loire was recognised as an AOC in 1975 and in 2009 it produced 93,355 hectolitres, the vast majority of which is in the hands of cooperatives and négociants in and around the town of Saumur. The AOC area covers Anjou, Touraine and Saumur and currently there are 1,600 hectares, planted predominantly with Chenin Blanc, but also Chardonnay (increasingly important), Arbois, Pinot Noir, Grolleau, La d'Aunis and Cabernet Franc. Sauvignon Blanc is allowed though deemed unsuitable and rarely used. Important AOCs within the all-encompassing Crémant de Loire are Saumur Brut, Vouvray and Montlouis.

There is another category of sparkling appellation wines, this time regional in scope, which can only be made from the grape varieties permitted for local still wines and within a delineated area. They are also made using the © CAVE DE LUGNY

traditional method with an initial

THE CAVE DE LUGNY, IN MACON, PRODUCES ABOUT 800,000 BOTTLES OF SPARKLING WINE PER YEAR There are 1.6 million bottles of Crémant de Bourgogne exported each year accounting for 8% of Burgundy's total wine production. The main areas of production are Auxerre, Chatillon-sur-Seine and the Côte Chalonnaise, principally Rully; 1,115 hectares are planted. Authorised grape varieties are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Aligoté, Melon, Sacy and Gamay “jus blanc” (maximum 20%). Mimicking Champagne, there are four different categories of Crémant de Bourgogne Blanc which must contain at least 30% of Chardonnay or Pinot Noir; Blanc de Blancs, 100% Chardonnay; Blanc de Noirs, 100% Pinot Noir and Crémant Rose, Pinot Noir and a small percentage of Gamay.

INTERESTING AND OBSCURE Crémant de Die, recognised as recently as 1993, is the appellation for the dry sparkling wine from the town of Die in the Rhône. It must be made with at least 55% Clairette, with the addition of Muscat à Petit Grains and Aligoté. Continued on page 52

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alcoholic fermentation followed by a secondary fermentation in the bottle.

he Loire Valley is home to most of these wines, primarily dry sparkling Saumur which is key to the success of the reputable houses such as Veuve Amiot or BouvetLadubay. However, the Touraine appellations market a vast range of wines from independent growers, made in conjunction with local still appellation wines. This sets them apart from the other areas and is true of Vouvray and Montlouis though especially of the dry sparkling Touraine appellation with an output of 30,000 hectolitres. These premium sparkling wines - or fines bulles as they are called - are made primarily from Chenin, the great Touraine white grape variety. It has an assertive personality and makes marvellous dry, medium dry, sweet and… sparkling wines. Domaine des Souterrains, located in Châtillon sur Cher (Loir et Cher) is one such producer. Wine has been made here continuously since 1820. In 1982, it became one of the first producers in the region to supply traditional method sparkling wines. Like Crémants and even the prestigious Champagne, the wine making process comprises several different phases. The first begins with the filtered wine being bottled after the liqueur has been added. This is usually a mixture of sugar and yeast designed to produce a second fermentation in the bottle that will produce the effervescence.

Sparkling wine: bubbling over with success

The second phase involves cellaring the bottles at a temperature of 13°C. By law, this stage must last for a minimum of nine months and its purpose is to promote the transformation of sugar into alcohol by the yeast, producing carbonic gas. Ultimately, pressure will reach 5kg inside the bottle. In the third phase, the bottles are placed onto riddle racks so that the sediment - produced by fermentation - slips down into the neck of the bottle. To achieve this, the bottles are turned every day for a period of 15 to 18 days. The ultimate phase is disgorgement whereby the sediment is removed. Part of the bottle neck is frozen to trap the sediment then, as the cork is removed, the ice is expelled by the pressure that has accumulated during the secondary fermentation. Before the bottle is corked for the last time, the dosage is added. The amount of sugar it contains will determine whether the sparkling wine is dry or medium dry. Clearly, the wine making criteria for these wines are very bit as stringent as those of the more prestigious appellations. Moreover, they are often made from highly idiosyncratic local grape varieties which gives them added charm. And last but by no means least: the price tag. They rarely cost more than 5 or 6 euros a bottle. Sparkling wines are an integral part of the Touraine wine heritage. They are just begging to be rediscovered.

THE BOTTLES ARE TURNED EVERY DAY FOR A PERIOD OF 15 TO 18 DAYS

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QUALITY FACTORS

these are juicy, attractive and generally less acidic wines than more northern sparklers.

IN 2009 DOMAINE DE LA PINTE STARTED FARMING ACCORDING TO BIODYNAMIC PRINCIPLES

Blanquette de Limoux is the traditional sparkling wine of the Languedoc. In 1989 in an attempt to modernise wine production and produce more international wines, producers were asked whether they wished to preserve the traditional makings of Blanquette, based on Mauzac, or change to allow Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc to infiltrate. The growers could not make up their minds, so now both exist side by side; the traditional Blanquette de Limoux must contain at least 90% of Mauzac in the blend. Château Rives-Blanques is a 30-hectare estate, situated on a 350metre plateau close to the village of Cépie. It has been owned for over a decade by Jan and Caryl Panman; with their longstanding winemaker Eric Vialade they produce very fine sparkling Limoux wines, both traditional and modern.

Jean-Pierre Archard's Domaine Archard-Vincent 18-hectare estate is farmed organically and has been since 1975. His vineyards are hand-harvested and organically fertilized; he uses wild yeasts and only the tiniest addition of copper and sulphur. The estate is certified Ecocert and Nature & Progress. Crémant de Bordeaux can be made from all the varieties allowed for Bordeaux Rouge and Blanc. Crémant de Bordeaux can be made throughout the Gironde département, making it the largest sparkling wine appellation in France. Unfortunately only 185 hectares are planted and a mere 10,680 hectolitres are produced and this figure is declining. Crémant de Limoux is the appellation created in 1990 for the modern sparkling wines of Languedoc, predominantly made from Chenin Blanc (which is unusual, given that this variety is not well-suited to the heat of the Languedoc) and Chardonnay. Mauzac and Pinot Noir play a minor role in the production.

VERY INTERESTING AND SPECIAL Crémant du Jura, created in 1995, can be either white or rosé and is made from Poulsard Trousseau, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Savagnin; 17,000 hectolitres are produced every year. Domaine de la Pinte is a 34-hectare estate that has practiced organic cultivation since 1999. In 2009 they went that one step further and started farming according to biodynamic principles. Their Crémant is made from 80% Chardonnay and 20% Savagnin grown on marnes bleues de Lias, a soil high in fossils and iron. Whilst not as distinctive as the region's still wines,

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AUTUMN 2011

JAN AND CARYL PANMAN PRODUCE VERY FINE SPARKLING LIMOUX WINES

Sparkling wine: bubbling over with success

ALMOST UNKNOWN AND RARE From the same region (though not made by Château RivesBlanques) is Blanquette Méthode Ancestrale, 100% Mauzac, a

87 /100

slightly sweet, low alcohol (7%), cloudy, effervescent rather than fully sparkling wine. The wine is bottled early when fermentation stalls in the winter. Though lightly filtered, the wine still contains residual sugar and fine yeast particles which start to re-ferment when temperatures rise. It is not disgorged, hence the cloudiness. Appellation Bourgogne Mousseux was created in 1943 for the sparkling red wines of Burgundy. It is made from Pinot Noir and Gamay predominantly, but can contain up to 15% Chardonnay,

VOUVRAY A.C. Domaine du Clos de l'Epinay Tête de cuvée 2007 Light gold. Intense nose with accents of wild flowers, dried fruits and cellar notes. Full, unctuous palate showing seductively refined bubbles and focused fruity and mineral fragrances that linger. A lively, full-bodied wine pairing well with grilled fish.

CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE A.C. Moulin des Verny Cuvée Excellence Pale yellow with greenish tints and wonderful effervescence. Pleasant nose with delicate aromas of white flowers. On the palate, savoury honesty, vinosity and focus. A nicely dry Crémant in a very drinkable style.

CRÉMANT D’ALSACE A.C. Cave de Turckheim Brut Mayerling Pale yellow. Nose of fairly fresh white fruits with a touch of biscuit after swirling. On the palate, lively entry flowing into a fleshier mid-palate. The fragrances are focused and crunchy even on the finish.

/100

Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Caesar. It can be made in 400 communes from Chablis to Beaujolais with the resulting differences in style, however only 600 hectares are planted. Gaillac has perfect conditions for all vine growing so it is not surprising that sparkling wine is part of their range, made from Len de l'El (meaning corner of the eye), Mauzac, Ondenc and Muscadelle. These wines can be made by Méthode Traditionelle, as for Champagne, or Méthode Gaillacoise, which is the same as Méthode Ancestrale. In addition, Gaillac produces Perle, a pétillant wine, bottled before malolactic fermentation takes place, giving a refreshing spritz to some fairly mediocre base wines. Clairette de Die was granted AOC-status in 1942. It is made from

/100

at least 75% Muscat à Petit Grains, the remainder being Clairette; however, some of the best Clairettes are confusingly 100% Muscat. Production is again similar to Méthode Ancestrale, locally called

FuLL contAct detAILS For theSe eStAteS cAn Be Found on pAGe 114

Dioise. Pleasingly, there is plenty of Clairetted de Die made (some 90,000 hectolitres a year). The Cave de Jaillance cooperative contributes to 80% of the total production, with the best independent producer being Domaine Archard-Vincent.

NO SIGN OF THE BUBBLE BURSTING YET... Champagne sales are still remarkably buoyant. In 2010, 319

The figures are irrefutable, the world is drinking more sparkling wine. New markets are being developed in the Far East and South America, with Crémant de Bourgogne a particularly successful export. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are instantly recognisable in foreign parts as the grapes of Burgundy and also Champagne.

million bottles of Champagne were sold worldwide. We are no longer at the dizzy heights of 2000 and yes, a dip occurred in 2008/2009, but since then, a strong recovery has been seen. It is not just the new markets of Russia (up 88%), China (up 90%) and Brazil (up 63%) that have helped exports; sales in the UK in 2010 were 16% up, and even the US, with its own developed sparkling wine industry, was up 34% on the previous year. The five biggest markets for non-Champagne French sparkling wine - namely the

The quality of the Crémants and vins mousseux across the board is higher than ever, marketing is more sophisticated, feeding off the unsatiable demand for Champagne which shows no signs of diminishing. However, this demand should not be taken for granted, as there are many other excellent sparkling wines beginning to appear on the world stage - for example, those from England, which are small in quantity, but tall in stature.

US, Germany, UK, Belgium and Japan - have all seen significant Richard Craig

increases in demand.

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AUTUMN 2011

WINE GROWER PORTRAITS

www.toutigeac.com

Oriane Mazeau: juggling the commercial and practical aspects of a 76-hectare estate

he day starts early for Oriane Mazeau, the young wine producer at Château Toutigeac in Bordeaux’s EntreDeux-Mers. First job of the day is the instruction of the

team of six people regarding what needs to be done in the vineyards and in the cellars. As with many middle- to large-sized properties producing generic wine (appellation Bordeaux), there is no luxury of having a vineyard manager (chef de culture) or a cellar manager (maître de chai). Her semi-retired father Philippe helps her run the estate. Much of the rest of the day is then dedicated to the commercial side of the business. It was her father who took the wise decision to stop selling in bulk in the 1970s and to bottle at the property, selling direct to the customer. Bottling facilities at the property give added flexibility and means that customers' demands can be quickly fulfilled.

PROSPECTING: EXPORTING FURTHER AFIELD 75% of the property’s production of 600,000 bottles is currently exported to northern European countries such as Holland, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland and also to French Polynesia. Prospecting export markets further afield into north and south America and Asia is a daily preoccupation for Oriane. “The most difficult challenge I face today is juggling the need to ©ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

travel and the all-important, face-to-face contact with the requirement to be present, to ensure that the property is well-run.”

INCORPORATING A NEW GENERATION Having grown up en famille at Toutigeac, 30 kilometres south-east of Bordeaux (her father’s two brothers have properties next

ORIANE MAZEAU AND HER YOUNGER BROTHER XAVIER

door), Oriane took the decision early on to follow the family

tradition and studied both viticulture and oenology. She chose

“For us here the emphasis is on producing fruity, early-drinking

Spain’s Rioja region to complete her work experience, firstly for

wines each year,” she comments. Mostly red is produced, predominantly

the large producers Cune and after the smaller producers of Roda.

from Merlot (with some Cabernet) and 10% of white wine

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Oriane Mazeau: juggling the commercial and practical aspects of a 76-hectare estate

AT THE GIRONDINE CHÂTEAU, ORIANE REPRESENTS THE FIFTH GENERATION OF HER FAMILY

convincing my father that the investment was worthwhile.

CONTINUITY OF WINE PRODUCTION AT THE ANCIENT SITE

He agreed to letting me have three barrels and we started producing

It was a group of monks from the nearby abbey of Sauve Majeure

a barrel-aged special reserve called “O”. Today we produce ten

that first planted vines at Toutigeac in the 12th century. As one

times the amount and the wine sells well, particularly to restaurants.

gazes out from the sitting room of the beautiful Girondine

It gives us a range, wines for every day and for the weekend!”

château, over the rolling hills of vines, there is a feeling of

(Sauvignon, Sémillon and Muscadelle). “I came back from Rioja with the desire to age our best wines in barrel. It was a challenge

permanence and continuity. Adapting to changing market

THE NEED TO MASTER DIVERSE SKILLS

her family to produce wine on the site. It is sure she will not

In the current economic climate there are even new skills to be

be the last.

trends over the years, Oriane represents the fifth generation of

Nicolle Croft

mastered. “There is an ever-growing need to be able to speak the financial language of the banks and business plans. Fortunately this is where my younger brother Xavier excels,” says Oriane. He is currently gaining work experience at an accountancy firm, but she hopes he will join her in the running of the estate in the future.

ORIANE MAZEAU CHÂTEAU TOUTIGEAC 33760 Targon - Tel.+33 (0)5 56 23 90 10 www.toutigeac.com GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

FAMILY BUSINESS

www.vignobles.fayat.com

Wine business decisions: from head to heart

Clément Fayat & his sons Jean-Claude and Laurent

is sons Jean-Claude (53 years) and Laurent (44 years) work with him; they are even more attached to the family vines, having been brought up with the properties and their wines since childhood. Clément Fayat did not have such a background. Born in the Corrèze in 1932, the eldest son of five children, his father worked as a stone mason. It was basic Vin de l’Hérault wine that accompanied his childhood, drawn from a

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110-litre barrel in the cellar, consumed quickly and in quantity as an everyday beverage by the older generation.

FIRST CONTACT WITH BORDEAUX WINE Fayat’s links to the Bordeaux region go back a long way. In 1957 he settled in Libourne and worked as a contractor in the construction business. It was not until during his national service in the Gironde at

Clément Fayat, best known as president of the multi-billion civil engineering group BTP, bought his first vineyards in 1969, at the 23-hectare property of La Dominique in Saint-Emilion. The vines were bought initially as an investment opportunity, but over the years M. Fayat has become sentimentally attached to them, so that today his wine properties (including Château Clément-Pichon, Haut Médoc and Château Fayat, Pomerol) are his main focus for development.

Clément Fayat, Vignobles Fayat - Wine business decisions: from head to heart

FAYAT’S WINE PROPERTIES ARE HIS MAIN FOCUS FOR DEVELOPMENT

the direction of Yannick Evenou, his new right hand man for the past two years, he has big plans for each of his properties, communicating their true potential and value. the age of 20 that he first tasted “proper” wine. “In those days I had nothing to compare the wine to, so it was difficult to be able to really tell the difference. I sought advice on what to put in my cellar from my fellow compatriot from the Corrèze, négociant Jean-Pierre Moueix, in Libourne,” says M. Fayat. As his business developed he was encouraged to invest in vineyards. Coming from the construction industry and being a self-professed “man of the earth”, a square foot of land meant more to him than a square foot of vines - “on s’attache à la terre” - so he resisted for a number of years until his purchase of La Dominique in 1969.

COUP DE COEUR FOR CLÉMENT-PICHON’S ARCHITECTURE Despite being an “homme de bâtiment”, M. Fayat had what the French call a “coup de coeur” for Château Clémént-Pichon, not for its terroir but for its architecture. He had never before seen such quality of construction using stone and wood. In 1976 he purchased the property in Parempuyre (Haut Médoc) but insisted on buying it along with its 25 hectares of land, knowing that its vines would give the château life and durability. It became his permanent home.

The most ambitious plans are for Château La Dominique, where a multi-million euro project is underway to build a new cellar and wine tourism site designed by one of France’s premier architects, Jean Nouvel (originally from the area, today he is world-renowned in his field). The design includes a 400-square-metre open terrace on the top of the cellar with views of La Dominique’s illustrious neighbours, Saint-Emilion’s Figeac and Cheval Blanc, and Pomerol’s La Conseillante and l’Evangile. Fayat is looking to expand the size of his current properties (particularly the 23-hectare Clément-Pichon in the Haut Médoc). Here he is also developing a wine tourism site to make the most of its location close to Bordeaux. He is also looking to invest in very high level property “at the right price,” finding current prices ridiculous. One of the France’s most successful business men is now turning his focus to his wine properties, combining the forces of his head and his heart. We have not heard the last of Vignobles Clément Fayat. Nicolle Croft VIGNOBLES CLÉMENT FAYAT

FUTURE WINE TOURISM PLANS M. Fayat admits that with all of his other business interests, in the past his vineyards have not been his priority. Today that has changed, and 79 year-old Fayat claims he has never been more motivated. Under

Château La Dominique, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé Château Clémént-Pichon, Haut Médoc Château Fayat, Pomerol

www.vignobles.fayat.com 33290 Parempuyre - Tel. + 33 (0)5 56 35 23 79 GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

HISTORY OF THE VINEYARDS

ÂŠ COGNAC FRAPIN

The incredible diversity of Cognac

THE FRAPIN CELLAR MASTER'S OFFICE ILLUSTRATES THE INCREDIBLE DIVERSITY OF COGNAC

The boundaries of the Cognac region more or less match those of the Charente and Charente-Maritime departments, along the Atlantic coastline. The region is home to a broad range of terroirs which give the Cognac controlled appellation a unique variety that is reflected first in the wines then enhanced by distillation, ageing and blending. 58

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HISTORY OF THE VINEYARDS

here is therefore not one Cognac, but many, each with its own idiosyncratic perfumes and flavours. Its diversity is undoubtedly its most prized possession as Cognac has always been driven by consumer demand across the world, whilst at the same upholding its traditions. Cognac is also making a noticeable come-back in the French market where it is mixed with tonic or served with ice as an appetiser, yet it still retains its inimitable taste.

90 /100

COGNAC A.C. Bernard Boutinet X.O. Coppery-orange with bronze highlights. Profound nose marrying dried fruits, spices and fig. On the palate, a fairly fiery entry leading into a full, perfumed mid-palate. The finish offers up a pleasant little bouquet of spices. A classic style.

FULL CONTACT DETAILS FOR THIS ESTATE CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 114

ORIGINS

COGNAC TO THE POWER OF SIX Since 1938, the Cognac wine region has been divided into six

growths. Through their soil type, sunshine and general climate, they impart a distinct perfume, taste and therefore an identity to each Cognac. • Grande Champagne, whose reputation is based on the quality of its brandies, is the “heart” of Cognac. Its 13,000 hectares of vines grow on friable limestone soils which automatically control water levels, protecting the vine from excessive or insufficient water resources. The hillsides of Grande Champagne are bathed in outstanding sunshine and although yields are often lower here than elsewhere, alcoholic strength can be higher. White wines from Grande Champagne produce extremely refined, quite floral brandies boasting excellent ageability. • Brandies from Petite Champagne on the other hand are

As a brief reminder, Cognac is a wine-based brandy made primarily from the Ugni Blanc grape variety whose natural acidity allows it to ferment without additives. Double distillation in a Charente pot still subsequently concentrates the inherent fragrances of the wine (the volatile substances) which will ultimately give character to the main bouquet components once blending is completed; this can be with brandies of a different origin. The distillation process has changed little since the 17th century. Despite this, quality has constantly improved and more emphasis has been placed on individual sites or terroirs.

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HISTORY OF THE VINEYARDS

sourced from sites where the layer of limestone is shallower. Although their characteristics are similar to those of the first growth, they have slightly less finesse. • The Borderies growth is definitely worth a mention, even though it covers just 4,000 hectares, making it the smallest of the six growths. It does however boast an unmistakable microclimate. Its brandies show perfumes of violet; they are quite round and can be enjoyed after a shorter ageing period. • Fins Bois and Bons Bois circle the three first growths and alone account for over half the area under vine. The limestone subsoil is quite firm and the resultant brandies are supple and early-maturing. The maritime influence is more noticeable in the Bons Bois where the brandies are harsher and drier on the palate. • A taste of the sea develops in the maritime areas along the Atlantic coastline and the Ile de Ré and Ile d’Oléron islands. The limestone is replaced by silex and the brandies can be Continued on page 62

CHRISTIAN THOMAS (CHÂTEAU DE BEAULON) TASTING SOME AGED COGNAC

THE CHÂTEAU DE FONTPINOT SITS AMONGST 316 HECTARES OF VINEYARDS IN SEGONZAC 60

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The Gilbert & Gaillard Awards: only for the best

Three awards that reward quality and guarantee satisfaction. Wines bearing the Gilbert & Gaillard label have been tasted and approved by our expert tasting committee. Award-winning wines - guaranteed to meet your highest expectations.

www.gilbertgaillard.com

HISTORY OF THE VINEYARDS

DOUBLE DISTILLATION IN A CHARENTE POT STILL SUBSEQUENTLY CONCENTRATES THE INHERENT FRAGRANCES drunk young as they will not mature with additional oak ageing. These are the Bois Ordinaires or the Bois terroir.

will provide consistency whilst also addressing criteria such as volumes.

MASTERING COGNAC

Rémy Martin’s focus is on the reputation of its Fine Champagne blends. The house, with its distinctive centaur branding, blends all of its Cognacs from at least 50% of Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne. Alongside the branded Cognacs which account for over 80% of sales and are mainly blends, individual growths are emerging. A significant role is played by producers who distil their own Cognac and address specific demand from consumers attached to a product’s origins through sales to traditional outlets such as the cellar door, restaurants and gourmet food stores. A case in point is Drouet Cognac in Salle d’Angles which produces remarkable Grande Champagne Cognacs, or Château de Beaulon in Charente Maritime which boasts a unique range of grape varieties (Colombard, Folle Blanche, Montils) for producing Cognac. Similarly, some of the smaller négociants (Delamain, A.E. Dor…) work along the same lines. The smaller houses and estates which have little to gain from trying to compete with the large firms by developing brands can thereby tap into a potentially lucrative market of connoisseurs.

It would be easy to assume that the reputation of this most famous of all brandies derived simply from an accident of nature. Human input combines with the unique quality of the local terroirs with the result that Cognac is widely held to be the best brandy in the world. In actual fact, for the last three hundred years Cognac has owed its famous destiny to the pioneering Dutch and English traders and to the people who have passed traditions on from one generation to the next, improving techniques and enhancing ageing and the art of blending. As we have seen, no two Cognacs are the same and yet consistency is of paramount importance for consumer loyalty. The cellar master therefore blends brandies from different growths and of different ages. Cognacs from the most prominent houses - Hennessy, Rémy Martin, Frapin, Martell, Courvoisier, Camus, Hine and many others - are made from this “flavour alchemy”. In tasting the Cognacs, the cellar master’s primary concern is to achieve a balanced blend that

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Gilbert & Gaillard

The incredible diversity of Cognac

OUR PICKS Here are our scores for the Cognacs we tasted in 2011

Château de Beaulon 95/100 Château de Beaulon X.O. Collection

Domaine Drouet & fils 128.90 €

Famille Estève

Cognac Leyrat

95/100 Très Vieille Petite Fine Champagne

90/100 Glory Extra

Réserve de la Famille

65.00 € 275.46 €

93/100 V.I.P. X.O.

83.00 € 149.00 € 130.47 € 80.00 € 121.00 € 79.00 € 140.00 € 70.00 €

90/100 Hardy V.S.O.P

26.00 €

89/100 Epicure - Folle Blanche

110.00 €

89/100 Roussille X.O.

35.00 €

89/100 V.S.O.P

38.00 €

89/100 Fine Mélina

39.00 €

88/100 X.O.

36.50 €

Château de Plassac

Cognac Rémy Martin 91/100 Coeur de Cognac

65.00 €

Cave des Vigerons d'Oléron

Hardy Cognac 91/100 Hardy X.O.

90/100 X.O.

Domaine Drouet & fils

Cognac Hennessy 91/100 Hennessy X.O.

74.00 €

Cognac Courvoisier

Cognac Frapin 92/100 Signature

90/100 Cognac & Cigars

Roussille

Cognac Rémy Martin 92/100 XO Excellence

45.00 €

Cognac Godet

Jean Fillioux 92/100 ”Très Vieux” Grande Champagne

90/100 X.O.

Hardy Cognac

Cognac Otard 93/100 Cognac X.O. Gold

79.00 €

90/100 ABK6 - X.O. Family Reserve

Bernard Boutinet

Cognac Frapin 95/100 Domaine Château de Fontpinot X.O.

375.00 €

Vignobles Bertrand Domaine Du Feynard

Cognac Otard 95/100 Cognac Extra 1795

51.00 €

91/100 X.O. - Cuvée Ulysse

45.00 €

88/100 Domaine de Plassac X.O.

GILBERT & GAILLARD

50.00 €

AUTUMN 2011

REGION

The United States: a leading global wine producer The United States is the world’s fourth-largest wine producing country. Despite that, very little is known about its wines. In Asia, Napa Valley wines are famous yet people would be hard pushed to locate them on a map or even know that California produces wines. In Europe, wine lovers have heard of the Judgement of Paris tasting yet they are not familiar with Oregon or Santa Cruz. Gilbert & Gaillard have therefore decided to present a detailed description of this extensive wine region, located mainly in California which accounts for 90% of the country’s wines. Vines are nevertheless grown in each of the 50 states, including Alaska. Three states stand out as producers of highly representative, quality wines: Oregon, New York and Washington. May the journey commence!

EMMANUEL

LANVERSIN

LEGISLATION THE APPELLATION SYSTEM The Federal TTB Bureau (Alcohol, Tobacco, Tax and Trade Bureau) is responsible for regulations related to American wines that were introduced in 1978. The Wine Institute draws up a list of American Viticultural Areas, commonly called A.V.A.s, for each state. There are currently 198 A.V.A.s. ©ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

istorically, wild vines, more commonly known as Vitis Labrusca, were growing on North American soil well before the first settlers arrived. Vitis Labrusca was also the source of countless hybrids with such charming names as Isabella, Dutchess and Delaware. It was not until the start of the 17th century however that the Mission grape variety was introduced into areas west of the Rockies by missionaries from Mexico. Only during the second half of the 19th century did Vitis Vinifera varieties colonise the United States. The phylloxera epidemic followed by Prohibition between 1919 and 1933 brought the North American wine industry to its knees. It was only after the Second World War and at the start of the 1960s that significant numbers of wineries were opened. They were very well-equipped and geared to the realities of today’s wine trade. Interestingly, almost 70% of wineries were set up in California over the last thirty years.

Born on a winegrowing estate in Provence, Emmanuel learned how to walk by holding on to grapevines. He holds an advanced vocational diploma in viticulture and oenology from Mâcon-Davayé (France) and is also an architect and engineer of bridges and roadways. He recently moved to the United States to set up the North American office of Gilbert & Gaillard.

They are what might be called appellations of origin, but American style. They are in fact more along the lines of the Italian Indicazione Geografica Tipica because there are no compulsory grape varieties, yields or vine management techniques. THE WINES ARE DIVIDED INTO FOUR MAIN CATEGORIES. 1- American wine: these are a blend of wines that can come from all over the Continued on page 66

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The United States: a leading global wine producer

THE STATES OF CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK TAKE A LEAD ROLE IN DISSEMINATING

AMERICAN WINES INTERNATIONALLY

WASHINGTON STATE

THE MOST NORTHERLY AMERICAN WINE REGION, HOME OF GREAT MERLOT

OREGON

HOME OF PINOT NOIR, ALSO PRODUCING EXCELLENT SAUVIGNON, PINOT GRIS AND RIESLING

CALIFORNIA AMERICA'S MOST FAMOUS WINE-PRODUCING STATE

NEW YORK GROWS MANY HYBRIDS BUT IS ALSO HOME TO NOBLE VINE VARIETIES INCLUDING CABERNET SAUVIGNON, MERLOT, CHARDONNAY AND SAUVIGNON GILBERT & GAILLARD

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REGION

As a rule, American wines, especially Californian wines, sport the grape variety on the label. However, because of the appellation rules, the proportion of the grape specified on the label is rarely 100%. 75% is usually the rule. In the case of an A.V.A., the minimum percentage rises to 85%. If the name of a small winery is mentioned, the minimum increases to 95%. In 2010, the US administration launched a procedure designed to tighten up on the names used on labels and ensure they are used appropriately. The procedure has so far been unsuccessful.

Words you may see on labels Vintage: this is not a compulsory statement. However if it is mentioned, at least 85% of the wine has to come from the year stated or 95% in the case of an A.V.A. Producer: “Produced and bottled by” or “Made and bottled by” guarantees that the wine grower responsible for bottling has fermented at least 75% of the wine. This is the best guarantee of origin. “Cellared and bottled by” and “Bottled by” are much more vague. Organic: various statements may feature on the label. They are clearly stated and checks on site are stringent. Statements include 100% organic (rare), organic wine made with organic ingredients, made with organic and non-organic ingredients. Fumé blanc: the typically Californian name for Sauvignon Blanc. Meritage: a typically Californian statement referring to blended Bordeaux-style wines. It gives the wine maker a degree of scope. Reds can be blended from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Whites are blended from Sauvignon, Sémillon and Muscadelle. No blend must contain more than 75% of one varietal. Reserve: a statement of quality referring to particular attention to detail such as yield restrictions or oak ageing. However, its use is extremely varied and it in no way guarantees quality. Estate bottled: the wine is bottled at the estate. The statement can only be used for A.V.A.-designated wines. Any other statement is worthless (Estate, Estates, Estate-grown). Blush: a white or rosé wine made from red grape varieties. It produces a fairly mixed result. The wines to avoid are the “semi generics”. Although these have fallen into misuse, some unscrupulous producers still use names that refer to renowned European appellations such as Chablis, Champagne, Burgundy, Sherry, Port, Malaga, Rhine etc. Fortunately, the large wine companies are not party to this misleading practice. In fact, stringent checks are conducted on exports by both the producers and the country of import.

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Americans consider Zinfandel as an authentic US grape variety, and they are very proud of it. Known in Italy as Primitivo and also cultivated in Croatia, Mexico and Australia, it is in California that it reached its greatest success. Gilbert & Gaillard asked a winemaker who excels with Zinfandel to tell us more about its specificities. Alex Sotelo, born in Mexico, arrived in Napa when he was 18, and created his own winery 15 years later. We met him at the Summit Wine and Food Festival, in the New York Metro area. How did you come to wine making? It was a question of survival. I arrived from Mexico at 18 to find a job. I took the first job I found. That was in a vineyard in Napa. It could have been in a fast food restaurant! While I was working in the vineyard I saw so many people travelling Alex Sotelo to Napa and I wondered why. To understand, I started to taste the Merlot grapes and discovered how sophisticated they were. And then I tasted the wine and recognized the link between the berry and the wine. I was fascinated. I came to wine through the berry. You are producing different wines. How did you come to Zinfandel? In 2001, the Elaine Mackey Charitable Trust asked me to make a wine from Zinfandel for them. I accepted but I was out of my comfort zone. I did not understand Zinfandel. I did not like Zinfandel. I expected wines that would be either elegant but not very powerful, such as Benessere, or unapproachable before seven years, like the Folie à Deux. I met a lot of winemakers and tasted a lot of Zinfandels, and finally I understood that most winemakers move the wine too much and do not leave it long enough in oak barrels. What is so special about Zinfandel? What makes it difficult to work with? The first thing is that the flowering is spread over a whole month, compared to 7-12 days for other grape varieties. As a consequence, the cluster presents important heterogeneity in maturity at the time of the harvest. I wait for the very last berry to be ripe in order to get soft tannins, which is sometimes challenging due to the weather. That’s why Zinfandel needs to be planted on warm and drained hillside locations. Because of this high maturity, the level of sugar is very high.

Zinfandel needs to be planted on warm and drained hillside locations

The second thing is that the cluster is very dense, therefore very sensitive to rot. That is why I cut down up to 50% of the harvest at various stages of the development, depending on the yield and the year. To keep the yield

LABELLING

ZINFANDEL, A NOBLE GRAPE

United States, including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. 2- A multi-state appellation for a group of neighbouring states: this can only be used for blends of wine from two or three states. 3- A state appellation: the wine comes from a single state provided at least 75% of the grapes are from that particular state. The bestknown states are California, Oregon, Washington and New York. Oregon is the only state to apply the 100% rule. 4- A county appellation: the wines must be made from at least 75% of grapes from just one county, with the exception of Oregon, where 100% is again the rule. Each state may have one or several wine making counties which are then divided geographically into A.V.A.s. For instance, Arizona and Tennessee have just one A.V.A. whilst Pennsylvania has four, Texas seven and California over 80.

The United States: a leading global wine producer

GRAPE VARIETIES

down, I also use Saint Georges rootstock that controls the vine productivity.

MAIN RED VARIETIES

Once in the tank, is the juice easier to work with? Not really! The first problem is to avoid too much residual sugars. As we start with very rich juices, I use “super yeast” at the end of fermentation to make sure it will not stop on its way. I like the Zinfandel when it is dry.

ZINFANDEL

Then I want the alcohol not to show too much. When you taste my wines, they are 15º ABV but it does not show, they are creamy and balanced. To get that result, I work with open wooden tanks during the fermentation in order to volatilise alcohol. It is also easier to punch down the cap. I also develop the fruit flavours of the wine, by fermenting part of the grapes in a carbonic fermentation. This means that part of the clusters are poured and not crushed nor de-stemmed. The grape remains intact and the fermentation takes place inside the grape.

You said that you see winemaking as a life imitating art. What do you think is the share of nature and the share of human in wine making? Sales are doing well Men put natural elements in line for nature to do the work. Mother Nature is set to produce fruits, but the elements are not set properly. We are coming with more knowledge. It’s 90% nature, 10% human. We forget too easily that we depend on nature. We look at numbers, but sometimes they are not attainable. We have to keep our feet on the ground and a good understanding of nature. In 2010 I had no Zinfandel. The winter was too cold and we had rain in September. I dropped the whole harvest on the ground.

Alex Sotelo in the vineyard

Any projects in the future? Sales are doing well. I sell 80% of my production through my mailing list and 20% to brokers. I am also a consultant in Mexico. The wine industry there is still in its infancy. The potential is huge. The main production is in Baja California but it gives salty wines. There is potential in the highlands of Zacatecas at 7000 feet altitude. It is among the highest vineyards in the world! SOTELO www.alexsotelocellars.com P.O. Box 3005 Yountville, CA 94558 Voice / Fax +1 707 224 5920 alex@alexsotelocellars.com As the US is now the largest wine market in the world, the number and the diversity of wine festivals in the country is growing. Summit Food and Wine Festival is one of them, created in 2009 by Ivan Ruiz in the New York City Metro area. It brings together leading chefs and winemakers from around the country t o “c e l e b r a t e a n d advance public knowledge of and appreciation for great wine and food”.

Then, during the long ageing process in barrels, I keep the humidity as high as possible in order to keep the water in the wine and as much alcohol as possible in the angel’s share.

According to archaeological research, the origins of this variety are in Croatia (probably under the name Plavac Mali). It reportedly then spread over Europe, particularly in Italy under the name Primitivo. Imported into California by the Austrians, it thrived on Californian soils, so much so that it was prized for its high yields and alcoholic strength. It was also prized for its versatility and was vinified as white, rosé, basic red and even sparkling wine. It currently accounts for 10% of California’s overall output and is considered by many as the American variety after a sea change in wine making practices over the last decade. Increasing numbers of wine producers grow old vines on sites that can yield surprising results, filling the glass with extremely juicy, fruit-laden wines with wild berry flavours including blackberry. When acidity is well-balanced and the tannins are ripe, the wines deliver spice notes and wonderful complexity on the palate as they age.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON Part of the international popularity of Cabernet Sauvignon with its tell-tale aromatics is due to the United States. The Judgement of Paris, a blind tasting organised by Stephen Spurrier, propelled Stag’s Leap, Ridge and Heitz to prominence after a sparring match with Bordeaux growths. The tasting heralded the United States’ entry into the realms of the great Cabernet Sauvignon producer countries. The variety produces deeply-coloured wines. Its aromas are fairly marked by blackcurrant though also menthol, chocolate, eucalyptus and tobacco notes. Superior quality Cabernet Sauvignon shows stuffing, tightly-wound tannins and wonderful balance but the most stylish ones often come with a hefty price tag. It is very often blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc and labelled “meritage”.

MERLOT Initially vinified individually, it is now more often than not incorporated into blends. The State of Washington’s reputation is based on Merlot. When it is properly vinted, this grape variety is understandably popular with lovers of fruity, fleshy wines and boasts a deep colour, roundness and silky tannins.

PINOT NOIR Running the gamut from the lightest to the most robust and the most elegant to the most massive, the entire range of Pinot Noir wines is increasingly popular, mainly since the acclaimed film Sideways in 2005. Sales climbed by 15% in just three GILBERT & GAILLARD

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REGION

months. Pinot Noir is a difficult variety to vinify. It sports a lightly-coloured hue, shows cherry aromatics, a fruity mouthfeel, good acidity and a measure of elegance, especially when oak is not too prominent. This varietal wine has become a speciality of Oregon.

SYRAH OR SHIRAZ For a relatively affordable price, this varietal wine offers many likeable aspects: a deep, often purple-bluish colour in its youth, aromas of spices, a wonderful tannic structure and bundles of fruit. On top of this comes California’s own touch of concentration, which can be full-on. Barbera, Grenache and Carignane (the same Carignan as in Languedoc) cover extensive areas in California but tend not to be exported as much as other varietals.

over quality. White Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Sémillon, Muscat Petit Grain, Symphony (apparently a cross between Grenache and Muscat of Alexandria) are also grown, as is one of the most promising varieties, Viognier.

THE MAJOR PRODUCING REGIONS WINES FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA • NAPA (17,400 ha – 400 wine estates) Without doubt California’s most well-known wine region, Napa Valley is located north of San Francisco. From Calistoga to Napa, vines bask in an ideal climate, hotter in the north and cooler in the south, around Carneros, just above the famous bay.

Cabernet Franc, Mourvèdre (known as Mataro in California), Petite Syrah (Syrah or Duriff depending on the vineyard) and Sangiovese (Sangioveto) are also grown.

MAIN WHITE VARIETIES This great Burgundy grape has become the most popular and most extensively grown variety in California. With its occasionally exuberant aromas of tropical fruits and its buttery, toasted nuances - depending on how long the wine has spent in oak it appeals to lovers of fairly opulent white wines. Unfortunately, there can still be a tendency to over-oak and some wines are occasionally heavy and excessively marked by oak. In the aftermath of the global trend towards taste standardisation, in which origin and terroir play second fiddle to technology and trivialisation, the best wineries are learning to be more selective with oak. The less concentrated wines do not automatically spend time in oak or at least, spend less time in oak, in order to reveal more distinctive aromas, fruit, finesse and elegance.

CHARDONNAY

THE CARNEROS REGION IN NAPA VALLEY PRODUCES SOME OF THE COUNTRY’S BEST QUALITY WINES

SAUVIGNON This varietal has experienced similar problems. Renowned in Sancerre for its fruity aromas, its exuberance and delicate features, it is often called Fumé Blanc in California. It is fairly generous but this does not necessarily warrant use of oak, especially when the barrels are heavily toasted. Patience is a virtue though and things are gradually changing for the better. French Colombard (which ranks second after Chardonnay), Chenin Blanc and Muscat of Alexandria cover extensive acreage in America but the approach here is very much quantity

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AUTUMN 2011

The main A.V.A.s are Atlas Peak (this is where Antinori, the great Tuscan marquis is based; his savoury wine is faintly reminiscent of Chianti; Atlas Peak Vineyard), Howell Mountain (high altitude and volcanic soils; Dunn, Beringer, Turley, La Jota, Duckhorn), Los Carneros (Acacia, Beaulieu, Carneros Creek, Saintsbury, Sterling, Cuvaison, Domaine Carneros belonging to Champagne house Taittinger), Napa Valley (Cuvaison, Clos Pegase, Sterling and Château

The United States: a leading global wine producer

• SONOMA (24,300 ha - 254 wine estates) Located between the Pacific Ocean and Napa Valley, Sonoma runs parallel with Napa. It covers virtually the same acreage yet has far fewer wineries. The wines enjoy outstanding weather promoting a long growing season that lends itself to good aromatic extraction, finesse and distinction. Famous wineries make superlative Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and, increasingly, savoury Zinfandel and refined Pinot Noir. The main A.V.A.s are Alexander Valley (rich, deep soils perfectly suited to white Chardonnay wines: they are robust, powerful and show abundant ultra ripe fruit aromas and spices. The terraced vineyards are well-suited to growing Cabernet Sauvignon and produce concentrated wines with cooked red fruit aromas; Clos du Bois, Geyser Peak, Simi, Château Souverain, Lyeth, Silver Oak), Chalk Hill (Chalk Hill, Rodney Strong), Dry Creek Valley (Dry Creek, Preston, Ferrari-Carano, Ridge), Los Carneros (Buena Vista, Gloria Ferrer), North Coast, Northern Sonoma, Russian River Valley (SonomaCutrer, De Loach, Foppiano, J. Rochioli, Mark West, Joseph Swann), Sonoma County (Arrowood, St. Francis, Ravenswood, Geyser Peak, Château St. Jean, Hanzell, Piper-Sonoma, Rodney Strong, Rosenblum), Sonoma County Green Valley (Marimar Torres, Iron Horse), Sonoma Mountain (Laurel Glen, Kistler), Sonoma Valley (Kenwood, Sebastiani, Château St-Jean, St. Francis, Matanzas Creek, Glen Ellen). • MENDOCINO COUNTY (6,100 ha - 70 wine estates) Mendocino is the most northerly of California’s wine regions and a wonderful place to visit. It is subject to significant variations in climate which have an influence on the personality of the wines. Producers who came to Mendocino were vindicated in their choice of region: from the elegant Zinfandel and Syrah wines located primarily in the heart of the county to the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown nearer the ocean for traditional method sparkling wines, quality is generally present across the

board. This explains why the leading Champagne houses realised the county had potential. The main A.V.A.s are Anderson Valley (Roederer Estate, Scharffenberger, Navarro, Handley, Greenwood Ridge, Lazy Creek), Mendocino - Mendocino Ridge (Fetzer, Parducci, Dunnewood, Weibel, Hidden Cellars, Lolonis, Jepson, McDowell) and North Coast. • SAN FRANCISCO BAY REGION (640,000 ha - around 100 wine estates) It would be a shame to visit the Californian vineyard without taking the time to visit San Francisco and see its magnificent views. Its captivating bay, bustling market, delightful restaurants, roller coaster streets and likeable, relaxed people are all sights definitely worth seeing. From here, it is easy to travel to the charming wineries of Santa Cruz Mountain, via Saratoga and Los Gatos. Despite the reputation of the Silicon Valley around San Jose, Santa Clara county continues to produce superlative wines mirroring its sumptuous terroirs. The main A.V.A.s are Livermore Valley (Wente, Concannon, Murrieta's Well), Contra Costa County (Cline, Rosenblum, Turley, Ridge), Santa Clara Valley (Ridge, Mirassou, Mount Eden), Santa Cruz Mountain (Bonny Doon Vineyard, Ridge, Mount Eden, Clos LaChance).

Montelena around Calistoga, as well as Diamond Creek on the slopes of Diamond Mountain. Rosenblum produces an excellent Zinfandel), Oakville and Rutherford (Robert Mondavi, Paradigm, Martha's Vineyard, Beaulieu, Opus One, Vichon, Niebaum-Coppola, Caymus, Harlan Estate, Joseph Phelps, Grgich Hills, Far Niente, St. Supéry, Rutherford Hill), St. Helena (Beringer, Whitehall Lane, Charles Krug, Heitz, Joseph Phelps, Duckhorn, Merryvale, Christian Brothers, Freemark Abbey, Spottswoode, Stony Hill), Stag’s Leap District (Clos du Val, Stag's Leap Vineyard, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Pine Ridge) and Yountville (Domaine Chandon, Dominus Estate).

OREGON HAS BEEN PRODUCING WINE SINCE THE MID-1960S GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

REGION

Hill, Ponzi, Oak Knoll, Amity, Bethel Heights, Tualatin, Erath Vineyards, Argyle and Laurel Ridge.

WINES FROM THE STATE OF WASHINGTON This region is currently the second-largest wine producer in

the United States. However in the middle of the 20th century, nobody would have believed grapes would ripen on land situated north of Oregon, bordering on Canada. After a few trials with Cinsault, the first vineyards of any significance were established in the 1950s. They revealed that Riesling and Chardonnay flourished in these latitudes. Cabernet and Syrah

NEW YORK STATE: WHERE VINES AND LAKES LIVE IN PERFECT HARMONY

were subsequently introduced. As a rule, the wines show intense fruit aromas, refreshing acidity and deep colour. The most extensive appellation covering most of the region is the Columbia Valley A.V.A.

• MONTEREY BAY and San Benito (16,000 ha - 75 wine estates) The extensive region of Monterey, south of the bay of the same name, offers very suitable conditions for wine growing. The strong maritime influence on its climate makes it cooler and harvesting begins two weeks after the other regions. Chardonnay in particular thrives here and currently covers around half the total vineyard acreage.

Names to look out for: Andrew Hill, Badger Mountain, Buty, Betz, Cayuse, Château Ste. Michelle, Columbia Winery, Covey Run, Double Back, Gordon Brothers, Kiona, Leonetti Cellar and Woodward Canyon.

WINES FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK Although this State is better known for its megacity than for its vineyards, it is nevertheless the third-largest wine producer

WINES FROM THE STATE OF OREGON Situated between California and Washington, this state has been producing wine since the mid-1960s. Pinot Noir definitely

in the United States. The Concord grape variety is still quite prolific but most of it is turned into grape juice. Some wineries grow hybrids (Aurore, Seyval, Cayuga etc) and Vitis Vinifera

holds centre stage here and covers almost half of Oregon’s

varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and

2,500 hectares under vine. Next comes Chardonnay, then

Sauvignon), which can produce some unexpected results. The

Riesling and Pinot Gris. Other varieties such as Cabernet,

Finger Lakes region produces some very popular Riesling and

Sauvignon and Muscat are grown though to a lesser extent;

Gewurztraminer whilst Long Island grows Merlot, Cabernet

they are therefore virtually impossible to find abroad. Several

Franc and Chardonnay on its sandy soils. Being so close to

official wine areas have been created, including:

New York City facilitates the route to market. Some good wineries worth a visit:

• Willamette Valley

Hudson Valley (Benmarl, Millbrook, Clinton, Rivendell);

This is the state’s most prominent A.V.A. Patches of volcanic

Finger Lakes (Wagner, Knapp, Hermann J. Wiemer, Glenora,

soils, an extremely temperate climate with a fairly cool late

Shaleston); Long Island (Palmer, Pindar, Bedell, Hargrave,

autumn and high plantation density combine to promote relatively

Channing Daughters).

low yields. The resultant red wines display a beautiful clean colour, cherry aromas and oodles of fruit on the palate, framed by

Any wine lover who is keen to discover the extensive range of

supple tannins. Acidity and structure impart great ageability.

American wines must expect to have to travel several thousand kilometres. For those who want to know everything there is to

Names to look out for: The Eyrie, Domaine Drouhin Oregon

know about American wines, the Travel column in each issue

(Robert Drouhin of Beaune set up a winery in the Red Hills

of Gilbert & Gaillard takes you not only to the most prominent

and successfully produced his first vintage in 1988. His

wine regions but also to the lesser-known ones such as

daughter Véronique is currently at the helm), Adelsheim, Rex

Indiana, Colorado and Oklahoma. Back soon!

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

■

NEW YORK LIFE

www.eatalyny.com

Ask any observer of New York's culinary scene over the past two decades for a list of the city’s most influential duos and they are bound to name Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich.

Jamal Rayyis

DRINK BETTER, LIVE BETTER Eataly NY 200 Fifth Avenue at 23rd Street New York, NY 10010 Tel. +1 212 229 2560 Hours: 10am to 11pm (individual components may have separate hours) www.eatalyny.com Batali is known for ambles in NY and appearances on television in his chef’s whites, baggy shorts and orange clogs; he is mother Lidia’s restaurant (Lidia is a famous chef and television personality too), with a stint on Wall Street, Joe represents the front

Products from Italian producers, as well as produce made locally in New York

©JAMAL RAYYIS

supposedly the food guy. Reared in his

of house, sporting a casually-worn, tailored suit. Together, Mario and Joe own or operate

Yet despite this activity one might argue

superlative groceries, meats, cheeses,

some of New York’s most noteworthy

their most impressive enterprise to date has

pasta, vegetables, oils, spices, sweets and

Italian restaurants: Babbo, Lupa, Otto, Del

been Eataly, New York. Opened in August

the like, guests can be fortified by a

Posto and Esca, plus the Spanish-themed

2010 and occupying over 5000 square

dozen eating and drinking venues

Casa Mono and Bar Jamon. In Los Angeles

meters (57,000 square feet) of the

overseen by the dynamic Batali and

and Singapore, they are behind Osteria

magnificent Toy Building in Manhattan’s

Bastianich; skim cookbooks in Italian

Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza, and in Las

Flatiron district, Eataly is an homage to

and English; fantasise about the latest

Vegas they run Ristorante B&B, and

the heritage of Italian gastronomy, featuring

Italian cookware; or even pick up a

Carnevino. Oh yes, and then there’s the La

products from Italian producers large

bottle of Barolo next door (NY state law

Mozza winery they own with Joe’s mother

and small, as well as produce made

currently forbids grocery stores to sell

in Maremma, Tuscany.

locally in New York. In addition to

wine or spirits).

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

NEW YORK LIFE

Italy, but it features meat from Piemontese breed cattle raised in Montana. Its fish counter is sublime.

pasta, bread, oils, condiments and so on who could not compete with large food companies were given a platform that not only allowed them to sell their products, but been a partner from the beginning. Eataly’s

Eataly NY has been a tremendous success since its opening

While the Batali/Bastianich connection is key to the workings of Eataly in New York, the concept was conceived by Oscar Farinetti a few years earlier in Turin. Highly successful in the retailing of consumer electronics in Italy, Farinetti became enamoured with local, artisan-produced foods and the whole Slow Food movement that emerged from Italy

during

the

past

two

decades.

Recognizing that supermarket convenience might be the undoing of artisan products that required time and skill passed down through generations, he decided to create a temple of sorts to the celebration of Italian cuisine. Small producers of cheese, salame,

The Turin location opened in 2007. Since then, seven others have opened in the north of Italy, and six in Japan. One is scheduled to open in Rome in the next few months. The New York location is the first in the United States; others are being explored. Wherever the location, the philosophy remains the same: to provide excellent, unique products that represent the best from Italy as well as the best available locally. While a buyer from Turin keeps the New York story connected to small producers in Italy, relationships are cultivated with small producers in the US, especially New York State. Fresh dairy comes from New York. Bread is baked using local, stone-ground flour from upstate New York, but is leavened using a century old “mother” starter from Italy. Local New York mozzarella makers, trained in Apulia, produce home-made cheese using curds from New Jersey. Fresh pasta is made using NY State eggs, local water and Canadian semolina. Eataly has a tremendous selection of Italian cheeses, but it also features a number of American farmhouse cheeses. Due to US agriculture restrictions, Eataly cannot import meat from

Eataly’s groceries

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

Casual dining counters

©EVAN SUNG

philosophy is simple: Eat Better, Live Better.

sandwiches, pizzas and pastas, and roast meat sandwiches, and a glass of wine, are another draw. Manzo, which specializes in Italian meat dishes, is Eataly’s only full-service restaurant. Opened this past summer, Birreria is a rooftop beer garden and restaurant that specialises in the birra-friendly cuisines of Italy’s Austro-Germanic-tinged north. With a view of the Empire State Building, reservations are essential.

©EVAN SUNG

Eataly NY has been a tremendous success since its opening. Over six million visited in its first year, and anyone strolling through its dizzyingly busy floor will find legions of tourists from around the world, including a surprising number of Italians, homesick perhaps, or maybe just in search of a ristretto italiano. Casual dining counters where guests can order specialties ranging from prepared seasonal vegetables, to raw seafood, to

also have them honoured. Slow Food has

TRAVEL

FIGHTING THE COLD IN

Colorado

nother summer’s day with temperatures above 30°C. The evening is still very warm in downtown Grand Junction, a sizeable provincial city in the far west of Colorado. Like every Thursday, there is a farmers’ market on Main Street, several groups are playing, and we dine at Il Bistro Italiano’s street terrace. continued on page 74

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AUTUMN 2011

Since 1990 the number of wineries in Colorado has increased 25-fold. In wine contests, the wines have not only won numerous medals but have even beaten well-known Californian wines. Viticultural conditions around the Rocky Mountains are exceptionally challenging - the growing season in these high, sunny and dry vineyards is short and extreme and frost can strike three times a year.

TRAVEL

At our table is state viticulturist Horst Kaspari. A German native who studied in his home country, he then worked in New Zealand until 2000. When asked what the biggest problems are in his field for Colorado’s wine industry, he states categorically that there are three: cold damage, cold damage and cold damage. The vines in this state can be struck by severe frost damage three times a year. Horst calls them early autumn frost (daytime temperatures 13-14°, then suddenly dropping to minus 10-12°), midwinter frost and spring frost (also fatal below freezing point). Autumn frost is the most common, sometimes for five consecutive years, but spring frost regularly causes damage too. The only mechanical remedy to date are windmills in which several bigger wine estates have invested. Water sprayers, like in Chablis, are not an option because at critical moments irrigation water is rarely available and drinking water would be too expensive. Heaters would be impractical. The only method that is at least effective against spring frost is delaying the growing cycle as © HUBRECHT DUIJKER

much as possible because the later the vine’s budburst, the lower the risk. By adapting irrigation and pruning, the start of the growing cycle can be delayed by two weeks. Syrah, as Horst says, is a naturally late varietal. The viticulturist and his team are conducting research in cold rooms into more resistant varieties. An additional risk to vines is desiccation. In Grand Valley, the

VITICULTURIST HORST KASPARI

large, sheltered valley of Grand Junction, the sun shines over

300 days a year, and it is precisely here, between the Rocky Mountains and the border with Utah, that two-thirds of Colorado’s vines grow.

SHADE IS BETTER THAN SUN Excessive sugar levels, and thus wines that are too high in alcohol, are another danger. Colorado’s vineyards are high in altitude, from 1,400m above sea level, and the sun shines brightly. During the relatively short growing season - between the cold periods – this weather is highly conducive to fruit ripening. But any grower who waits too long before harvesting will find himself with wines that are too alcoholic. ABV levels of 14.5% or even over 15% are common in Colorado. Picking too early is not © HUBRECHT DUIJKER

preferable either, especially for the red varieties as the aromas

ALONG GRAND VALLEY’S WINE ROUTE 74

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

will not have developed properly. Consequently, harvesting in Colorado is like walking on a tightrope. Apart from finding the ideal moment for harvesting, another way of limiting sugar levels is through canopy management. In many wine areas it is used to remove leaves so that the sun shines directly on the grapes, but in Colorado the procedure is reversed - winegrowers who

Fighting the cold in Colorado

want to make well-balanced wines that are not too heavy try as much as possible to keep the bunches in the shade of the leaves. Which varieties have the best potential? ”First of all, Merlot,” says Horst Kaspari. ”It’s just as well as it is the most planted variety. But it is best not to treat Merlot as a workhorse, like they do with Müller-Thurgau in Germany. Merlot has to be treated like a noble variety, only then will you get fine wines. Otherwise, I see good potential in Rhône varieties like Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne.”

SIMILARITIES WITH MENDOZA Canyon Wind is at the eastern gateway to Grand Valley, just outside the quiet wine village of Palisade. The estate was established in © HUBRECHT DUIJKER

1996 by the geologist Norm Christiansen. This successful mediumsized winery conducted extensive research to find the best location for its vineyards. The reason why it is founded here is because of the deep rocky soil (like in Châteauneuf-du-Pape) and also the frequent winds from the canyon which minimise the risk of spring frost and in summer bring some cool air. Because of this

combination, Norm calls his vineyard an ideal site. The tall,

CANYON WIND’S NORM CHRISTIANSEN

COLORADO MONUMENT NATIONAL PARK IS NEAR THE GRAND VALLEY WINE AREA GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

TRAVEL

WINE MAKER BILL DONAHUE AND HIS WIFE ANITA IN THE BISTROT OF CREEKSIDE CELLARS, ONE OF THE BEST SMALL WINERIES John Wayne look-alike winegrower shrewdly brought in the

producers. This was enough though for the state to found the

world famous viticulture expert Richard Smart too. He put data

Colorado Wine Industry Development Board, chaired by a

from Canyon Wind onto his computer and quickly discovered

dynamic Doug Caskey. He sped up the process and consequently

the similarities with Washington State as well as Mendoza. The

there are 96 registered wineries today with 1,100 acres under

resemblance with the Argentinean wine area will result in plantings

vine. The story does not end here though because in many

of Malbec. Amongst the current range of “really good, food-friendly

places vineyards have just been planted.

wines” are flagships such as the particularly fruity Pinot Grigio, the blended 47-Ten and a well-balanced Petit Verdot.

EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS You don’t have to be a mathematician to understand that most

MANY NEW WINERIES

of the wineries are small. The second largest winery is the Two

Many American states already had a flourishing wine industry

Rivers Winery, between Grand Junction and the imposing

before Prohibition. At the time, Italian miners were making a

Colorado Monument, a National Park with 11 canyons and a

little wine for private consumption in Colorado. The first true

tower-like rock formation reminiscent of Monument Valley. The

winery - Colorado Cellars in Palisade, which still exists today -

two stylish tasting rooms at Two Rivers can welcome 60 people

was established over 30 years ago, in 1978. With a production

and the adjacent château-like main building houses luxury bed

of 15,000 to 25,000 cases a year, the winery is built partially

and breakfast accommodation. Despite their relatively large

into the mountain and has grown to be the largest in Colorado.

output, the wines are of good quality. At the top-end is their Syrah,

Overall output covers more than twenty different wines and

followed by the Cabernet-Sauvignon, the Merlot and the

several brands. One of their most attractive wines is the barrel-

Vintner’s Blend. At the eastern side of the Rockies too, wineries

aged Cabernet-Sauvignon Reserve, made from the second most

flourish and total approximately 40. Most of them buy their

widely-grown variety in Colorado. Colorado Cellars, founded

grapes in the west but make the wine in their own cellars. In the

by a still very active Rick Turley, encouraged little emulation to

centre of Boulder near Pearl Street Mall is the tasting room

begin with. Twelve years later Colorado still only had five wine

belonging to Bookcliff Vineyards - with over 2,000 cases - in the

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

Fighting the cold in Colorado

HARD-WORKING BRENT HELLECKSON FROM STONE COTTAGE variety, it is essential to determine the right picking moment”), an intense Chardonnay fermented in French oak and a full-bodied toasty and plummy Cabernet-Sauvignon as well as two surprisingly lovely Port-style wines.

MOVING OVER TO PINOT NOIR Colorado’s highest vineyards are east of Grand

Valley, roughly an hour’s drive away. This is Delta County with the smaller wine villages like Cedaredge,

Hotchkiss

(“friendliest

town

around”) and Paonia. Over a dozen wineries are disseminated in an often spectacular and changing

same facilities as a chocolate producer. One of the most remarkable wines is the Cabernet Franc: a rich, alcoholic, full-bodied wine showing a mix of berries and black fruit, spice and toasted notes, even chocolate. Cabernet Franc plantings cover only 7 % currently, but the variety is now considered a specialty. This viewpoint is shared by Jenne Baldwin-Eaton, the talented female wine-maker of Plum Creek in Palisade. In her delightful tasting room we tasted perhaps Colorado’s best Riesling, fruity, refreshing and - unlike most Colorado Rieslings - very dry.

AMATEUR TURNED PROFESSIONAL An exquisite Cabernet Franc is served at Creekside Cellars as well. Annual production of 3,000 cases is sold at the cellar door, in the tasting room and their bistrot located next to a © HUBRECHT DUIJKER

small brook. The locality is Evergreen, a small tourist village in a valley behind Denver. Owner Bill Donahue (“people come here for wine, food and meeting friends”) learned wine drinking as a student whilst savouring spaghetti on Sundays with his future mother-in-law who originated from Italy. He was an amateur winemaker for 30 years before he founded a real winery in 1996. The average standard of his wines is high. Besides the Cabernet Franc, I tasted an aromatic, fresh and spicy Gewürztraminer as well as an apricot-like Viognier that was not too heavy (“for this

LANCE HANSON FROM JACK RABBIT HILL, ORGANIC WINE GROWER AND CREATOR OF SOME FABULOUS WINES GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

TRAVEL

Meunier. As is his Wild Rosé, a crisp, fresh dry rosé made out of the hybrid Maréchal Foch variety. On a hillside site with views over Paonia, nestled in its lush green valley, space engineer Brent Helleckson has been creating his winery piecemeal for over twelve years. Stone Cottage produces between 600 and 800 cases annually. In spite of the altitude, spring frost often occurs, striking as much as four times last April. At the same time, drought is a problem, especially for young vines. Consequently, it took six years before he could pick the first harvest of Pinot

Noir, the 2006 vintage. But it was an exquisite, delightful juicy yet powerful wine with a dense colour. Stone Cottage’s vineyard grows on rocky volcanic soil with clay and basalt on a chalk substrate. The rocky in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains can often be found in his vineyards.

ABOUT 600 PEOPLE COME FOR BRUNCH EVERY SUNDAY AT THE BROADMOOR RESORT HOTEL

Text and photography: Hubrecht Duijker www.hubrechtduijker.com

COLORADO’S TOP TEN GRAPE VARIETIES

landscape of fertile valleys, desert-like basins, rocky slopes and stately tablelands. Completely isolated on one such tableland, Lance Hanson planted the state’s first entirely organic vineyard, 1. 2. 3 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Jack Rabbit Hill. The vines, from carefully selected clones, grow on limestone soil layered over rich chalk. An energetic, fast-speaking Lance produces remarkable wines - roughly 1,200 cases of them which normally sell out within nine months. A case in point is the M & N, a red, fruity, full-bodied blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot

Merlot Chardonnay Cabernet-Sauvignon Syrah Cabernet Franc Riesling Pinot Noir Gewürztraminer Sauvignon Blanc Others

21% 18% 13% 9% 7% 6% 4% 3% 3% 16%

Amongst others is Lemberger (blaufränkisch) which, like in Washington State, produces some pleasant wines. Cinsault, Malbec, Mourvèdre, Petit Verdot are also grown on a small scale. Several Muscat varieties are grown for sweet wine.

WEBSITES

BOOKCLIFF IS A SMALL WINERY WITH A LARGE RANGE OF WINES 78

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Lots of information on Colorado wines can to be found at www.coloradowine.com Tourist information can be found at www.colorado.com

FAMILY BUSINESS

Benziger Family Winery, Sonoma Mountain

The Benzigers of Sonoma represent biodynamics in action, not just in the way they farm their vineyards, but also how they run their family business.

Benziger Family

iodynamics relies on the idea that a successful ecology is one that is self-regulating, self-correcting, and sustainable. Just as biodynamic viticulture must be sensitive to natural processes and the harmony of each individual element to other elements as well as to the whole, the success of the Benziger family winery recognizes the individual value and talents of everyone working in the organization and understands how these skills combine to create a sustainable, thriving whole. The Benzigers story starts in 1980 when Mike Benziger, then thirty, and his wife Mary, found an overgrown ranch in the Sonoma Mountains he thought had potential for viticulture. The Benziger family purchased the property, and most of the clan, Mike’s parents and siblings included, moved to California. Today, almost two dozen Benzigers live on or near the 93 hectare (230 acres) estate located in the hamlet of Glen Ellen.

At the beginning, “everyone worked seven days a week, all with the same title, all with the same salary,” says Mike Benziger, general manager and winegrower. Vineyards were planted, a winery, built. And, they started the Glen Ellen brand (sold in 1994), packaging varietal bulk wine that sold for a modest $5 per bottle. As the business developed, family members veered toward tasks that interested them individually: winemaking, viticulture, marketing, technical, etc. Roles became specialized, and it became clear that some jobs required more time or skill than others. The model of everyone earning the same simply wouldn’t hold. After the family patriarch, Bruno Benziger, died in 1988, the family needed to develop a plan fair to everyone. They enlisted the expertise of Jim Clark, a Harvard University industrial psychologist to help.

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

FAMILY BUSINESS

www.benziger.com

MIKE BENZIGER: ”IN THE BEGINNING, EVERYONE WORKED SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, WITH THE SAME TITLE AND WITH THE SAME SALARY”

Dr. Clark took a holistic approach, recognizing the worth of everyone’s task in the business. A winemaker needs grape growers. Both need sales and marketing. Sales and marketing need product. Everyone needs good facilities, equipment and an administration to hold all together. To assure fairness, positions were examined, skills and type of responsibility to the whole were assessed, and formula for fair compensation was created. Also recognized was that all talents had value, whether professional or technical. Education and practical experience were encouraged and supported, creating within the family a diversity of individual interests and skills that complemented the whole. A family constitution was ratified that defined roles, expectations, responsibility to the business and to one another, conflict resolution, education, employment, as well as and mechanisms for change if needed. Self-regulation, in biodynamic terms. There are quarterly meetings for family members who work for the company full-time discussing vision, evaluating resources and goals. At least once per year, the entire family meets, along with spouses and children. “It’s vital that everyone feels they can be heard, see what is happening, or feel responsibility for the overall good,” says Mike. The [big] family meeting is an important aspect of unification,” says Mike. Education, professional and technical, is supported by the family. But, a job at the winery is not automatic. Family members who finish school must work for another company for at least three years before returning to the family business. There are no guarantees. If a family member is highly qualified, the company will try to find a place. “But,” adds Mike, ”it is important that employees outside the family feel secure, too. Their perspectives and insights are vital to the whole, too. Family members don’t necessarily have priority.”

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

Family members outside the business are supported to pursue interests in other companies or fields. A family program gives children graduating from college a one year internship that covers all areas of the company: viticulture, winemaking, marketing, sales, and hospitality. Succession is an issue. Mike and siblings have nearly two dozen children ranging in age from 8 to 31. Most are still in school. Mike’s two children, Erinn and Buck are involved with the winery. A couple of others are in the wine industry, and at least one is currently studying enology. Today, Benziger has the largest biodynamic property in Sonoma, and it is among the largest in North America. Purchased grapes are grown using at least sustainable practices. The Benzigers hold seminars for its growers about sustainable and biodynamic viticulture. Benziger relies on another family enterprise, Kobrand, to manage its sales and distribution in the US and abroad. “Kobrand represents a number of family wineries, giving them clout in a very competitive market… It’s important for us to stick together,” says Mike. Jamal Rayyis BENZIGER FAMILY WINERY 1883 London Ranch Rd - Glen Ellen, Ca 95442 Tel. +1 (888) 490 2739 - Fax +1 (707) 935 3016 greatwine@benziger.com

Principal Benziger family members in the business Mike Benziger - Founder, General Manager, and Winemaker Bob Benziger - Director of Customer Relations Chris Benziger - National Sales Manager Kathy Benziger-Threlkeld - Director of Customer Development Joe Benziger - Winemaker at Imagery Estate Winery Tim Wallace (married to Patsy Benziger) - President Erinn Benziger Weiswasser (Mike's Daughter) - East Coast Regional Sales Manager

HISTORY OF THE VINEYARDS

Friuli: perfectionism in a bottle When a Friuli winemaker such as Nicola Manferrari of Borgo del Tiglio calls his wine studio di bianco, or “study in white”, it begs the question if this refers to the work of an original winemaker seeking to set themselves apart, or whether the study in question is a concept shared with other producers of this region.

DELPHINE VEISSIÈRE

and is sometimes associated

Veneto, and south to the Adriatic

abroad with scandal. Even in

Sea. The region is split between a

Antiquity, it is recorded that Roman

mountainous and a hilly area, from

aristocrats were never completely

which extends a relatively expansive

convinced that the wine served at their

plain. It has 20,431 hectares of

tables was consistently real Falerne.

vineyards with both white and red

Yet in Friuli, shared between Slovenia

varieties, although the region’s white

and Austria until it became part of Italy

wines are better-known and a more

north to the border with Austria, east

world of Italian wine is complex

to the border with Slovenia, west to

iewed from outside, the

at the end of the Second World War, the situation is quite different. This little-known Italian region is as virtuous

typical reflection of traditional local wine production. The best Italian examples of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio are from Friuli (in particular from

as it is perfectionist. As early as 1787, of

Delphine lives between Milan and

Borgo del Tiglio and Davide Feresin), not

Bordeaux’s crus in 1855, a classification

Paris. She has a PhD in economics

to mention some original interpretations

even

before

the

classification

hierarchy for quality was established

of Traminer Aromatico, most notably

for the winemaking region, though it

from the University of Paris-Dauphine

from the wine estate I Feudi di

was abandoned for various reasons linked

and holds a qualification from the

Romans. The red wines, made from

to grapevine diseases, followed by the

Wine & Spirit Education Trust in

native varieties such as Refosco,

appearance of phylloxera in 1888. This classification would be published only in 1931.

London. She heads the Italian office of Gilbert & Gaillard.

A TRADITION OF WHITE WINE

Pignolo and Schioppettino, are often powerful and rustic and are not wellknown. In recent years they have enjoyed a renewal of interest from both Italian and international wine

Friuli belongs to the autonomous region of Friuli-Venezia-

drinkers looking for neglected regional red wines that are

Giulia, which extends over 7,844 square kilometres, stretching

good value for money.

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

HISTORY OF THE VINEYARDS

THIS LITTLE-KNOWN ITALIAN REGION IS AS VIRTUOUS AS IT IS PERFECTIONIST

In terms of red wine, the climatic and environmental conditions here seem to offer a better expression of Pinot Noir that in the colder alpine zone of Alto Adige or the hotter zone of Oltrepo Pavese in Lombardy. The 2008 Pinot Noir from the Masut da Rive winery is radiant and accessible, attracting our attention (91/100) with its nose of red fruit and ©ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

cooked cherry over a balsamic background with hints of

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

eucalyptus, that continues on the palate with notes of fresh fruit soaked in alcohol. However, with the exception of the excellent 2008 Rivarossa (93/100) from Mario Schiopetto, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are less adapted to this terroir.

Friuli: perfectionism in a bottle

GIANCARLO GALLO OFFERS AMAZINGLY ELEGANT WINES THAT BEAR WITNESS TO THE DIVERSITY OF THE ESTATE’S TERROIR

Giancarlo Gallo and his father

A PREFERRED TERROIR In addition to the DOC appellation of Carso, the hilly areas of DOC Colli Orientali del Friuli and DOC Collio are known for the great quality of their terroirs of marly rock and “flysch di Cormons” (alternating strata of marl and sandstone). This area is responsible for Friuli’s most impressive white wines and its internationally-known winemakers, including Jermann and Villa Russiz. This is not to take anything away from the DOC appellation of Isonzo del Friuli, which is similar to the Bordeaux area of Graves, and a preferred terroir for growing Pinot Grigio, the jewel in the crown of Friuli viticulture internationally. Don’t forget that in 2010, Italy became the largest supplier of wine to the British market, along with Australia and the United States, with a 9% increase in sales volume and a 12% increase in value according to Nielsen data - largely thanks to sales of Pinot Grigio (part of which came from Alto Adige) and Prosecco.

THE MARK OF FRIULI: SAVOIR-FAIRE ASSURED... Friuli’s winemakers traditionally pay particular attention to the quality of their wine and are open to innovation. As early as the 19th century, different French and German varieties (particularly Chardonnay, Riesling, Traminer Aromatico and Sauvignon) were being introduced in the region alongside traditionally-cultivated native white varities including Tocai

Friulano, Verduzzo Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia Istriana and Picolit, this latter used mainly for sweet wines. At the end of the 1970s, Mario Schiopetto, one of the leading lights of Friuli excellence, took over the family estate, developing simple and innovative wine-producing methods that were then adopted by other winemakers in the region. Following a trip to France, he became interested in the relationship between the quality of the wine and the hygiene of the winery, gentle pressing of the grapes and fermentation without added sulfites. As he explains, “A wine is its winemaker’s identity card.” Although there are many winemakers who make good wine, “few can truly be identified by their wine.” With his concept of winemaking lying midway between the pursuit of personality and of style, Schiopetto seeks to go beyond quality, an approach that prioritises excellence and involves unique oenological choices and methods that are still applied today by his descendants.

… BUT LITTLE PLACE FOR IMPROVISATION Yet the pursuit of oenological quality, a legacy of the Austrian cultural influence and shared by a large majority of Friuli winemakers, sometimes leads to a common Friuli style, leaving little place for personal interpretation. Friuli white wines are generally clean and consistent, both fleshy and angular, and GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

HISTORY OF THE VINEYARDS

THE DOC APPELLATION OF ISONZO DEL FRIULI IS SIMILAR TO THE BORDEAUX AREA OF GRAVES often have an aftertaste with a pleasant note of salinity but in which the fruit is too subtle. Grape varieties that are considered too “distinctive”, such as Malvasia Istriana or Traminer, are sidelined in favour of native varieties such as Ribolla Gialla, which is more neutral and versatile. The sought-after wine

style can sometimes mask real potential in terms of personality and originality. Few winemakers explore the distinctive aspects of the terroir that could be expressed in the wine; the most important thing is considered to be offering wines of good quality. Yet Friuli winegrowers were pioneers of sustainable

Continued on page 86

THE VIE DI ROMANS WINERY 84

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AUTUMN 2011

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HISTORY OF THE VINEYARDS

SAVOURING COFFEE LIKE WINE Illy was founded in Trieste in 1933 by Francesco Illy. Today it produces and sells coffee in 140 countries over five continents. Its unique blend of espresso is composed of nine different types of pure Arabica. Recently the company has taken an interest in the world of wine, which shares many affinities with the world of coffee. For Riccardo Illy, tasting a good coffee is similar to tasting a fine wine. A sommelier and avid wine lover, Riccardo, the second son of the third generation of Illys (a family of Hungarian origin), is on an incessant quest for quality. He explains that “to make an excellent espresso, 50 coffee beans are required, but just one flawed bean can ruin it.” When asked about the best wine he has ever tasted, he responds, “Romanée-Conti, of course!” Illy pays close attention to the spread of coffee culture and to this end has created a “university of coffee” in Trieste (www.unicaffe.it). During the production process, Illy coffee undergoes 125 quality control checks, with each batch receiving eight sensorial analyses by the ten or so house tasters. As Riccardo explains, “The unifying thread between coffee and wine is quality. At Illy, we created the university of coffee because learning how to taste an Illy coffee should be like learning how to taste a varietal wine.” Like a wine, a coffee should first be examined visually to evaluate the quality of the crema (the foam), the size of the bubbles, the extraction, the homogeneity and the colour. The olfactory analysis is limited by the crema, which conceals the aromas, so these are better perceived through retro-nasal breathing. The palate and mouthfeel are described, like a wine, based on bitterness, tannic properties and body, as well as on smoothness, acidity and, occasionally, minerality. Like blended wines, such as Champagne for example, the different geographic origins of the beans affect the style and the personality of coffee blends. Illy’s ultimate aim is to strive for the characteristic Illy taste despite the vagaries of nature or political regimes (in Ethiopia, for example). Riccardo also emphasises that Illy buys directly from local coffee producers, organising a competition in which the 30 best producers receive a prize. In 2010, the Illy Group had a turnover of 305 million euros; today it controls Illycaffè, Domori, Damiani Frères and the Mastrojanni wine estate in Montalcino. The latter’s 2004 Brunello di Montalcino gained our attention with its assertive, tannic character and flavours of fruit and liquorice, while the 2005 is less intense, fruitier and agreeable. By Delphine Veissière

cultivation in Italy; the wines represent where they were made, even if their characteristics are somewhat consensual from one winemaker to another. An atypical wine on the borderline of “Friuli style” is considered a concern, and yet all the elements required for innovative excellence are present: the terroir, rigorous appellations and generations of winemaking skill. In various discussions with Friuli winemakers, the idea of making wine that distinctively represents its terroir is too close a reminder of everyday wine drunk in rural areas; that is, too obvious and focused on style to attract their attention. However, the personality of a wine is closely linked to its terroir and to the attributes that make a wine characteristic of its appellation, or even sub-areas of an appellation. The excellence of a wine comes not only from its irreproachable quality, but also from the

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

touch of natural imperfection that makes it unique. Only a few Friuli winemakers, such as Edi Keber, Renzo Sgubin and Davide Feresin, offer expressive and distinctive terroir wines, principally made from Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio.

FRIULI’S AMBASSADORS OF TASTE The Vie di Romans winery, under the guiding hand of its owner Giancarlo Gallo, offers amazingly elegant wines that bear witness to the diversity of the estate’s terroir. Certain wines, such as the 2009 Piere Sauvignon (91/100), come from Italian clones, which is not the case for the 2009 Vieris Sauvignon (88/100). In the production of the white wines, spontaneous malolactic fermentation is consistently prevented and controlled along with the successive addition of sulfites

Friuli: perfectionism in a bottle

VENICA & VENICA WINES DELIGHT THE PALATE WITH THEIR FINESSE, SUBTLETY AND LENGTH

OUR TOP TEN PICKS OF FRIULI WHITES 92/100 Vie di Romans

Chardonnay

2009

91/100 Vie di Romans

Piere Sauvignon

2009

91/100 Borgo San Daniele

Bianco Arbis

2009

91/100 Schiopetto

Mario Schiopetto Bianco 2008

90/100 Angoris

Bianco Spiule

2008

90/100 Vie di Romans

Flor di Uis

2009

89/100 Ronco del Gelso

Sot Lis Rivis

2009

89/100 Davide Feresin

Pinot Grigio

2009

89/100 Marco Felluga

Russiz Superiore

2006

89/100 Venica & Venica

Ronco delle Mele

2009

VENICA & VENICA WINERY HAS A VERY PURE ITALIAN STYLE in order to retain the characteristics of the terroir. Particular importance is placed on the quality of the acids and on the length of maturation time. These wines have a creamy element, but this is secondary to the fruit. Hyper-oxygenation is shunned at Vie di Romans as it would smooth out the characteristics of terroir, however, the Ronco del Gelso winery uses it for certain grapes (Pinot Grigio, for example). The latter wines have fleshy and luscious fruit, rather than the characteristic freshness and green fruit acidity of Alto Adige wines. We should also mention the timeless style and elegance of Venica & Venica wines, which delight the palate with their finesse, subtlety and length. ■ GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

REGION

SPAIN

Andalusia dazzling in more ways than one

ÂŠ FOTOBEAM.DE FOTOLIA

It is sometimes disappointing to see a certain degree of standardisation in the world of wine. However if there is one region that the criticism cannot be levelled at it is Andalusia and its flagship appellation, Sherry. Extremely hot and sun-drenched yet also subject to high rainfall in the areas nearest the Atlantic, Andalusia is the cradle of rare grape varieties, amazing soils, unique wine making methods and consequently astonishing wines such as Sherry, the name the English coined for Jerez. BY PHILIPPE VERRIER

VIEW OF THE CITY OF JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA FROM THE ALCAZAR 88

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AUTUMN 2011

Andalusia - dazzling in more ways than one

ith just the 14-kilometre-wide Straits of Gibraltar separating it from North Africa, Andalusia alone embodies the whole of southern Spain. It is the most densely-populated region and

boasts some of the country’s largest cities such as Seville, Granada, Córdoba, Malaga and Cadiz. It is also a very varied region with one side facing the Atlantic, the other the Mediterranean. It is home to plain areas with fairly high rainfall such as the Guadalquivir valley, desert regions though also mountainous areas

like the Sierra Nevada and its highest peak, the Mulhacen (3,478 metres).

ALBARIZA OR WHITE MARL REIGNS SUPREME HERE

ONE OF A KIND The 7,600-hectare vineyard that produces Sherry is located in the southernmost corner of the Iberian Peninsula, in the western part of this huge region of Andalusia, the Province of Cadiz. Hemmed in between the plains of the Guadalquivir river, the banks of the Guadalete river and the Atlantic coastline, the vineyard is centred on the town of Jerez. It enjoys outstanding weather with over 600 mm of annual rainfall, over 3,000 hours of sunshine and an average temperature of 17.3°C. However, the vineyard’s defining feature is not the weather but the unique combination of © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

unusual soil types and rare grape varieties.

THE 7,600-HECTARE VINEYARD THAT PRODUCES SHERRY IS LOCATED IN THE PROVINCE OF CADIZ

Anyone travelling to Jerez for the first time is almost dazzled by the whiteness of the soil. Albariza or white marl reigns supreme here. This chalky soil is reminiscent of another appellation renowned for its superlative white wines, Champagne. Albariza is easy to plough, retains water and allows the vines to plunge

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

REGION

their roots more than six metres deep in search of complex nutrients. The barros and arenas (clay and sand) are less prestigious soil types yet they impart an element of complexity to the blends. The vineyard is shared between more than 300 pagos with estates such as Carrascal, Macharnudo, Añina and Balbaina at the top end. The unusual nature of the soil is matched by the uniqueness of the grape varieties. The area is home to three varieties: Palomino, Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel. Covering almost 90% of the appellation, the very refined Palomino varietal is virtually always © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

planted on albariza type soils and produces grapes that are fragile yet bursting with highly aromatic, sweet juice. Pedro Ximenez is related to Riesling and used primarily for making sweet wines. It is a thin-skinned grape variety extremely well-suited to passerillage or raisining. Moscatel, which is grown almost exclusively in the

MARCELINO PIQUERO, SALES DIRECTOR AT BODEGA SANCHEZ ROMATE

area nearest the Atlantic, imparts Sherry a superb aromatic touch.

FLOR, CRIADERAS AND SOLERAS, IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

phenomenon occurs: the yeasts that normally die after alcoholic fermentation is completed, continue to ferment allowing a crust

The leading wineries are located in the coastal town of Sanlúcar de

known as flor to form, usually when the humidity levels are highest

Barrameda where the humid climate is best suited to ageing the

in the spring and the autumn. The flor not only protects the wine

wines. The wineries provide the stage for the traditional, lengthy

from oxidation, it also enables the sugars to be totally absorbed

ageing process that gives Sherry its personality. After being made

thereby birthing extremely dry wines developing the specific aromas

in the classic way, the base wines with an alcoholic strength of

associated with Sherry.

between 11 and 12.5° are transferred to botas where a very rare The botas are then placed in layers called criaderas according to a well-established lay-out. The first level, called solera, is placed on the ground and houses the oldest wines. The second layer, known as the first criadera, is used to store younger wines, the third is called second criadera and houses even younger wines, and so on. Some soleras may contain as many as 14 criaderas hence the need to construct buildings sometimes over 15 metres high. When wines from the first level (the solera) are mature, some are removed and bottled. The remaining wines are then topped up with wines from the second layer, which in turn have to be topped up with wines from the layer above, and so on.

This solera and criadera ageing system was defined in 1483 in the

THE BOTAS ARE PLACED IN LAYERS CALLED CRIADERAS ACCORDING TO A WELL-ESTABLISHED LAY-OUT 90

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

appellation’s first official set of rules. Its aim is to smooth out any variations from one year to the next so as to provide a wine of consistent quality. It implies inventories however equating to at least three years’ harvest though this rises to seven or even nine in the case of premium Sherries. According to Marcelino Piquero, sales director at Bodega Sanchez Romate, “this guarantees excellent quality but also entails extremely high production costs which unfortunately are not passed on to retail”.

Andalusia - dazzling in more ways than one

GENEROSO, PALO CORTADO, CREAM… WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF SHERRY Although every type of Sherry deserves a mention, a detailed description of each one would run into several pages. In a nutshell, Sherry can be divided into four main categories:

GENEROSOS These are dry wines with a maximum residual sugar content of 5 g per litre. They are made primarily from the Palomino varietal and as fermentation ends, a crust of yeast or flor forms. The wines are subsequently fortified. Depending on the level of fortification, which ranges from 15.5° to over 17°, the wine will be classed as fino, amontillado, oloroso or palo cortado. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Continued on page 92

ONLY THE BEST QUALITY MUST IS USED TO MAKE PALO CORTADO

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REGION

Some of the most noteworthy wines in this category are the finos

this is identified by a slanting line on the botas. At the end of the

and they are extremely popular in Spain. Marcelino Piquero

ageing process, the wines are tasted again by a panel of tasters who

believes “this popularity is due to a relatively low alcohol content

decide whether they are fit to become palo cortado. If they are

(roughly 15°) making them particularly suitable for hot climates.

deemed suitable, a horizontal line cuts through the slanting line

It is also because other wines in the category were shipped to

on the botas, hence the name palo cortado which means “broken

England for many years”. Fino is also unusual in that the

stroke”. The wine that was originally fortified to 15° is fortified a

fermentation process is fully completed and the wine is protected

second time with a resultant alcoholic strength of 17°, hence

by the flor. This is the driest wine in the generoso category. It exudes

breaking down the crust and leading to a slightly oxidative ageing

suggestions of almond, bread and freshly-cut hay on the nose.

phase. This produces a marvellous Sherry showing extreme finesse

On the palate, it is a dry, light wine that pairs easily with

and combining aromas of Seville orange, lemon, almond, butter…

tapas, especially olive-based tapas, dried fruits, Serrano ham,

GENEROSOS DE LICOR

anchovies, gazpacho…

These are generosos wines to which dessert wine is added at the end At the opposite end of the spectrum is the very refined, delicate palo

of the wine making process. Depending on the type of wine, the

cortado. Only the best quality must is used to make palo cortado and

sugar content varies although it is always above 5g/litre. The category contains three styles: Pale Cream, Medium and Cream. Very popular in England where it accounts for over 40% of Sherry sales, Cream is blended from generous oxidative wines (mainly olorosos) and a significant proportion of dessert wines. It is reminiscent of dried fruits, nougat and caramel and makes a marvellous complement to fruit and ice cream, though also to foie gras or blue-veined cheeses.

DESSERT WINES These are named after the grape varieties they are made from: Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel. They are drawn from late harvest fruit which undergoes raisining, also known as soleo. Probably the most elegant, or at least the most unusual of the two, the Pedro Ximenez is made from grapes with a potential alcoholic strength of 16° (approximately 300g of sugar per litre of must). After the raisining process, which lasts for about ten days on racks laid on the ground, sugar content can rise to anything up to 500g/l. Partial alcoholic fermentation then oxidative ageing begin. The result is a wine of extraordinary complexity suggestive of raisins, coffee, chocolate, liquorice… The absolute must is pairing them with bitter chocolate or goats cheeses.

DO MANZANILLA SANLÚCAR DE BARRAMEDA

CREAM SHERRY IS MARVELLOUS WITH FRUIT AND ICE CREAM 92

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AUTUMN 2011

No comment on Manzanilla would be complete with mentioning Sanlúcar de Barrameda where the myriad bars never serve tapas without a glass of Manzanilla. Manzanilla is a top-end wine with a very affordable price tag. Prices range from 5-7 euros a bottle which seems derisory considering the amount of work involved. Over 50% of Manzanillas are drunk within Spain, mainly because the leading importer countries overlooked it for many years, as

Andalusia - dazzling in more ways than one

TIO PEPE IS THE HIGHEST-SELLING SHERRY BRAND IN THE WORLD they did with fino. Manzanilla is made in a similar way to fino. However the humid climate in Sanlúcar de Barrameda promotes prolonged ageing “on the crust”. The crust tends to disappear after a few years’ ageing causing slight oxidation. Manzanilla develops floral, almond and yeast notes.

DIFFERENT COUNTRIES HAVE DIFFERENT DRINKING HABITS As amazing as it may seem, it was not until 2010 that Spain became the leading global market for Sherry with 12.7 million litres, ahead of England (12.6 million litres), Holland (9 million) © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

and Germany (5.3 million). However, the overall figures do not reflect huge differences in drinking habits. Manzanilla and fino alone account for three-quarters of Sherry drunk in Spain whereas they only account for 14 % in England. It is exactly the opposite with the generosos de licor. They alone represent 77 % of Sherry drunk in England, 55 % in the Netherlands and a diminutive 12 % in Spain. The most popular Sherry worldwide is fino.

CARMEN AUMESQUET HEADS UP PR & MARKETING AT THE TRADE BOARD

Continued on page 94 GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

REGION

cocktails. Gonzalez Byass owns Tio Pepe, the highest-selling Sherry brand in the world. Its product manager, Vicky Gonzalez, believes it is important to open Sherry bars, particularly in London though also in emerging markets. They would serve cocktails, tapas and most importantly would sell the Andalusian lifestyle. Sherry boasts a huge number of key assets: Andalusia’s image, the sun, flamenco, highly unusual food and wine pairings… But above all, it is a superlative wine, so different to any other wine in

the world and constantly offering new discoveries. ■

VICKY GONZALEZ, PRODUCT MANAGER OF GONZALEZ BYASS

BRIEF GLOSSARY OF SPANISH AND SHERRY TERMS

Global Sherry consumption has fallen from over 56 million litres just five years ago to 46 million currently, following a sharp drop in sales in England and the Netherlands. Marcelino Piquero

Albariza Bodega Bota

believes that “focus should therefore be shifted towards the American and Russian markets which have the added advantage of being quality-driven ”. His opinion is shared by Carmen Aumesquet who heads up the public relations and marketing department at the trade board. She also emphasises Sherry’s “extraordinary aromatic spectrum which enables the most challenging of food pairings, particularly with Chinese, Japanese

Capataz DO

and Indian food”. For the third time now the trade board has therefore held the Sherry Cup inviting chefs from around the world to design a Sherry-based menu. The results were astounding, ranging from artichoke-based dishes to plum soup and from bull’s

Encabezado Pago

tail to smoked sardines. Palo Another significant area for development is cocktails. Such a broad range of styles lends itself to a mind-boggling selection of

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

Soleo

Chalky soil Estate A container for ageing Sherry wines. It is usually a 600-litre butt (equivalent to 36 arrobas, 1 arroba equals 16.66 litres). To promote the growth of the “veil” or crust, the 600-litre butts are filled to the 500-litre or 30 arroba level. Two puños (or handfuls) of “headspace” are left inside. Cellar master Denominación de Origen, the controlled appellation certifying the provenance of the wine The fortification process Vineyard sites that are hived off within the appellation area. Similar to growth status A line drawn on the barrels to distinguish different levels of quality Raisining

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WINE AND FOOD

www.aubergeduvieuxpuits.fr

Childhood memories

uring my childhood, my father was in the Forces and we travelled a lot. We did however stay in Marrakech for five years and I still have unforgettable

memories of that time. I think they were the best years of my parents’ lives, with my two sisters and I. Since then, I have gone back regularly with my family. Marie-Christine and my two sons, Enzo and Axel, enjoy these moments with me and every time it is a nostalgic trip back to my childhood. This recipe is a nod to these memories, a kind of picture postcard. I like to cook this Catalan-style lamb slowly. The pungent spices, the argan oil, the sweetness, the tanginess, they all conjure up those childhood memories in Marrakech… Obviously this recipe can change with the seasons – figs can be substituted for apricots, quinces for figs etc. Gilbert & Gaillard

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

Gilles Goujon of three Michelin-starred restaurant l'Auberge du Vieux Puits gives us a marvellous opportunity to step back in time with a recipe brimming with flavour and emotion.

Gilles Goujon, chef at three Michelin-starred restaurant l'Auberge du Vieux Puits

RECIPE

Catalan-style roast rack of lamb “el xai”, lamb tagine with candied aubergines and apricots, “Memories of Marrakech”

SERVES 8 • Ingredients RACK OF LAMB • 2 racks of lamb, 8 ribs Frenched and dressed by your butcher • 1 lamb shoulder • marinade for the shoulder • 3 aubergines • 1 bunch of thyme • olive oil • argan oil • salt & pepper LAMB JUICES • 300 g ground lamb bones • 300 g lamb trimmings • 3 l water • oil • ras el hanout blended spices • 1 fresh tomato

APRICOT PUFF PASTRY TART • 150 g ghee • 100 g granulated sugar • 250 g all-butter puff pastry • 8 apricots Shoulder marinade • 2 natural yoghurts • 80 g chopped onion • 50 g chopped dried apricots • 100 g fresh apricot quarters • 10 cl sunflower oil • 5 cl argan oil • 1 bunch chopped coriander • 1 bunch chopped mint • ½ bunch fresh chopped thyme flowers • 15 g ras el hanout blended spices • 10 g ground ginger • 10 g ground cumin

Method 48 HOURS BEFORE • prepare the marinade • sweat the finely chopped onions and stew them with the fresh and dried apricots then leave to cool • in a shallow dish, combine all the ingredients with the stewed mixture • marinate the shoulder in the mixture for 24 hours THE DAY BEFORE • remove the lamb from the marinade • in a roasting dish, brown the shoulder on each side with a little butter and olive oil. Add the marinade and 50 cl of water • cover and cook for 7 hours at 90°C, basting occasionally • if necessary, add a little water during cooking LAMB JUICES • brown the bones and trimmings in the oil • remove the fat, add the tomato quarters and the ras el hanout and deglaze with the white sauce base • Cook on a medium heat for 3 hours, occasionally removing the fat and foam • sieve using a mesh chinois • remove the fat • reduce again to a syrupy consistency • infuse with thyme • add a dash of lemon juice AUBERGINES • cut the aubergines into 2 cm thick slices, brown them in a frying pan with the olive oil. Add salt and pepper, drain and set aside. • when the shoulder is half cooked, after 3 ½ hours, cover with the aubergines and continue to cook with a lid on

RACK OF LAMB seal the rack of lamb fat side down with a little butter in the roasting tray. Fry well on all sides and cook for 8 minutes at 160°C. Leave to rest for 10 minutes on the oven door. APRICOT PUFF PASTRY TART • prick the puff pastry with a fork • using a pastry cutter, cut out 16 circles • butter the circles with a pastry brush and cover them with granulated sugar • bake for 10 minutes at 200°C on a non-stick tray • separate the two apricot halves and remove the stone • butter with a pastry brush and sprinkle with sugar • Cook for 10 minutes at 220°C • Lay the cooked apricot on the caramelised puff pastry

Serving • using a table spoon, separate 8 pieces of lamb • place a piece of lamb in the middle of a plate • slice two lamb ribs per person • lay the ribs across the piece of lamb • place two slices of aubergine on them and top with the apricot tarts • Drizzle a little thyme flavoured lamb juice and add a lug of argan oil Serve with red wines: Côtes du Roussillon-Villages 2009, Domaine Arguti, Cuvée Ugo (93/100), or Bandol La Bastide Blanche Fontanéou 2008 (94/100)

RESTAURANT GILLES GOUJON AUBERGE DU VIEUX PUITS 5, Av St Victor - 11360 Fontjoncouse - France Tel. +33 (0)4 68 44 07 37 - www.aubergeduvieuxpuits.fr

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

ORGANIC NEWS

Replacing plant protection products

Jean Natoli

Before addressing this issue, it is essential to clarify the meaning of plant protection products. From a wine consumer perspective, it is probably held to mean “synthetic chemicals”. Etymologically speaking, however, it relates to products designed to treat plant organisms. These may be mineral (copper sulphate) or organic (carbamates), of natural (Bacillus thuringiensis) or synthetic origin. Depending on the circumstances, they are collectively known as pesticides (the generic term) or plant protection products (the legal term). This complexity is the first stumbling block.

ny attempt to replace these products implies understanding their usage, which is to treat plants against disease. The range of potential vine diseases is extensive and also subject to change. Until the mid 19th century for instance, phylloxera, downy mildew and powdery mildew did not exist in Europe. Each of these diseases prompted responses, some more satisfactory and permanent than others. Phylloxera was all but eradicated using an extremely ecological technique: grafting. Powdery mildew is traditionally tackled using sulphur sourced from quarries or from volcanic activity. Downy mildew is treated using different forms of copper.

HIGH YIELDS JUST ONE ASPECT What we refer to as traditional treatments are in actual fact fairly recent when compared to the history of vine growing (6,000 years BC). The real turning point came in the 20th century, however, with the momentum of change increasing after the Second World

lead to a snowball effect.

A REDUCTION IN QUANTITY AND QUALITY Everyone now agrees that regulations are required. In addition to the customary organic approach, countries are gradually introducing a more restrictive framework. A European regulation provides guidance for these initiatives, reducing the quantity and quality of products. In France, the Grenelle Environment Forum led to the Ecophyto 2018 strategy which aims to reduce use of pesticides by 50%. Achieving this objective involves working towards a new equilibrium: • controlling vine vigour (the denser the vegetation, the greater the chance of disease), • controlling vineyard exposure (plot selection, appropriate trellising, pruning methods),

War. At that time, a large section of the European and global wine

• promoting biodiversity (preserving hedges, trees and grass-

industry adopted a more industrial approach. Change came not so

covered strips of land around the edges of vineyards),

much in the form of higher yields, which had already been

• resuming mass selection (clones seem to promote the spread

achieved in the 19th century by planting on the fertile soils of

of disease because each individual plant from the same

alluvial plains, but rather by using a more targeted technical

clone is identical),

strategy: one molecule for each disease. This brought real progress

agrochemicals upset the balance, and sometimes imbalances can

• encouraging research on new grape varieties with a higher

and, objectively speaking, a reduction in certain diseases.

natural resistance to disease (a very controversial issue because

However, more widespread, systematic and excessive use of

it paves the way for GMOs - genetically modified organisms).

GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

ORGANIC NEWS

A SERIOUS OUTBREAK OF NOBLE ROT ON A BUNCH OF GRAPES; ASPERGILLUS IS IN FACT BEGINNING TO DEVELOP ON THE AFFECTED GRAPES

During the vine’s growing cycle, common sense measures can be

strong criticism. The real issue is not about the quantity of plant

encouraged:

protection products used but about their nature and

• observe the vineyard

harmlessness. The following example illustrates the point: in

• closely monitor the weather and adapt spraying

organic vine growing, powdery mildew can be treated with

• set the spraying machine properly (this limits pollution

sulphur (powdered or wettable). This will entail the use of over

and improves efficacy)

100 kg of sulphur per hectare annually. If synthetic products are

• alternate plant protection products so as to avoid

used to treat the same disease, less than 3 kg are used per hectare

developing immunity

annually. The combined amount of sulphur thus accounts for over

• adjust the dose depending on leaf mass, the sensitivity of

70% of vine agrochemical tonnage even though it is considered

the grape variety and actual disease pressure

fairly harmless to humans and the environment. Conversely,

• restrict unnecessary vegetation through shoot suckering,

copper is permitted (although restricted) in an organic approach

thinning and of course pruning

even though it is a heavy metal that is dangerous for people’s

• stimulate the vine’s natural defence system

health and soil life. These examples show how complex the

(another controversial topic)

problem is. Such a complex issue deserves to be addressed with at least some degree of equanimity, objectivity and honesty.

THE RECURRENT ISSUE OF SULPHUR Without

being

too

controversial,

unreasonable

over-

simplification of the debate on pesticide use in general is open to

Jean Natoli Consultant oenologist Organic wine grower Chair of the VinoLatino association GILBERT & GAILLARD

AUTUMN 2011

SHANGHAI LIFE

Kartel opening: the event of the season Shanghai has a new hot spot: the Kartel Wine Lounge. Vincent Landais was part of the team that created Dr Wine, the highly successful wine bar that has quickly become part of Shanghai nightlife; with this project under his belt, he was ready for a new challenge. Driven by his passion for wine, Vincent assembled a team of talented people motivated by excellence and creativity.The objective was to create a destination featuring excellent wines, gourmet food, inspiring design and underground music: after many months of tireless effort, the Kartel Wine Lounge was born. BY

artel

THOMAS MAGNANI

WINES AND COCKTAILS

three-storey

lounge bar located in the

Kartel has a distinctive selection of

heart of the former French

wines, including some made by famous

Concession (the area of the city once

and talented French winegrowers.

designated for the French). The

The emphasis is on organic wines, and

neighborhood is a pleasant mix of

specifically those made according to

residential and retail areas, Chinese and

European-style

biodynamic

street stalls, wide, tree-lined streets and traditional lanes; it is the perfect of

what

constitutes

Shanghai today. Designers Thomas Dariel and Benoit Arfeuillere (voted Best Young Designers in 2010 by Asian Associated Design Press) wanted to create a space in which to play with these contrasts; taking “Destroy Chic” as their concept, the aim was to be elegant yet provocative in this very

After receiving a Master’s degree in sales and marketing in 2007, Thomas moved to China, where he learned Chinese and analysed the prospects of this developing market. In August 2008, he created his own company, BS Wine. Based in the Gilbert & Gaillard office in Shanghai, he is our official representative in China and Hong Kong.

GILBERT & GAILLARD

with a monthly rotating selection of 18 wines by the glass, offering wine aficionados the chance to discover grape varieties from around the globe. One of the most surprising and exciting pages of the drinks list is that featuring Kartel's signature wine cocktails, designed by the Urban Bar team. With names such as Strawberry Crush and Sichuan Kiss, this refreshing selection will certainly tempt and tickle your taste buds.

heritage-focused district.

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Ka r t e l ' s

extensive wine list is supplemented

international restaurants and tiny

combination

p r i n c i p l e s.

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SHANGHAI LIFE

WHAT’S ON THE MENU? The menu consists of trendy Frenchstyle tartines, innovative tapas and gourmet burgers. Kartel also offers diners imported Spanish cold cuts, French cheeses, and a host of lipsmacking desserts to round off the meal. All the basics are homemade, including the freshly-baked bread used for the tartines, the sun-dried tomatoes, and the hand-sliced potato chips which are fried to perfection.

Kartel Wine Lounge Fifth Floor, N°1 North Xiangyang Road, Shanghaï Tel. +86 135 114 32 633

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EXPORT

China: approaching the wine market

Shanghai

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AUTUMN 2011

“But where are wines sold?” I was asked recently by Anaël Payrou, managing director of Cellier des Demoiselles at the Chengdu Wine Fair. Many producers are keen to attract Chinese buyers yet they seem to be baffled by Chinese distribution channels. Some wines arrive at warehouses in the Free Trade Zones in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Ningbo and Xiamen only to be snapped up after just a couple of phone calls and hand shakes, leaving the same warehouses at breakneck speed.

EXPORT

major players who gave them wine as gifts! Their factories are extremely attractive economic powerhouses for the government

roducers, promotion organisations, governments and Chinese market players all agree the Chinese market is

because they create jobs and wealth for cities. Part of the Chinese economy relies on the growth of these industries, allowing certain

booming. Now a highly-coveted destination, it means

newcomers have to be more rigorous in their approach. The the world will tell you about the ceremonial business dinners,

local infrastructures to be funded. Consequently, leading officials have a vested interest in supporting them, hence, the affluence of

often attended by Party members or VIPs. This is what the Chinese

wine executives.

Chinese have a heightened sense of business. Any wine exporter in

call “Mian zi” (face). There are two main sales periods every year that must not be missed: the Moon Festival (usually in September) and the Chinese

To promote a better understanding of wine distribution in China, we interviewed people representing the different tiers: an

New Year. All Chinese firms and administrations close so the Chinese can have a week off with their families, an occasion nobody wants to miss. Factories with thousands of employees give presents or “Hong Bao” (a red envelope containing money). Some firms import as many as 15,000 or 30,000 bottles of wine annually just to give their employees presents. There is no resale.

importer, a distributor and a consumer.

1/ IMPORTER: SUN HUI, SALES DIRECTOR AT LIFENG WINES Wine imports have doubled on average over the last three years. Who is benefiting from this growth? What kind of

Obviously, the Chinese wine market is about more than relations with local government, and cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Canton and Shenzhen give fairly free rein to competition. A lot of medium-sized importers work with small producers and are expanding well in on-trade channels.

executive is investing in the wine trade? Most wine importers are of Chinese origin (95%). They begin by setting up a local network. Foreign firms are still few and far between even though they pioneered imports at the end of the 1990s (ASC Fine Wines, French Wine Paradox, DT Asia…). At the

2/ DISTRIBUTOR: MR WANG, SALES DIRECTOR AT SHENZHEN XIN JIU HUI

time, most wines were sold in multiple retail outlets, some in parallel networks. There were few Chinese wine consumers because of the popularity of local spirits, and the choice of wines available was very restricted. Also, wine was an acquired taste that

How are distribution networks structured in China? Firstly, there are increasingly fewer middlemen in the marketplace which makes it easier to control prices in provinces located a long distance from the ports. Some distributors used to sell entry-level wines at exorbitant prices and importers failed to create distributor loyalty. As soon as consumers became aware of the real prices of wines, local distributors immediately switched brands to

took time to appreciate. Similarly, import taxes were not conducive to imports of foreign foodstuffs, discouraging companies from investing in the sector. Wine was only accessible to the more affluent consumers, and even then only occasionally. Drinking habits have changed considerably over the last five years. The emergence of the middle classes has been a real boon and has sparked new needs, including wine drinking. To be honest, though, most importers did not become rich overnight by trading in wine. They made their fortunes either in industry or in the property market (in the 1980s and 90s). Also, the major players relied on their existing network that they had built up during their years of prosperity. They have excellent connections with leading state officials. The government is undoubtedly the largest consumer of wine to date. Every year, private firms spend

CHINESE CUSTOMERS WANT REAL BRANDS

government. Wine has become commonplace in business. The great growths of Bordeaux are offered as gifts to leading officials. Similarly, local government organises its own banquets and buys large quantities of wine. Who are the suppliers? Probably the same

vast amounts of money on improving their relations with local

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EXPORT

confuse consumers again. Business models have now changed. Some importers are losing turnover to distributors who have started importing. Also, the franchise system emerged two years ago and is expanding apace. In some towns, there are as many as ten wine shops in a single street. Lastly, specialist logistics platforms for wine are gradually being established through the Free Trade Zones. This is providing producers with a faster route to market by making bonded inventories available. A few major groups have already set up their own sales offices in China.

3/ LOGISTICS: MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SHANGHAI CARRY WAY As a logistics co-ordinator you help importers with customs clearance. Have you noticed an increase in the average prices of imported wines? © ERWINOVA - FOTOLIA

I can remember starting out in logistics with a large company in Shanghai where my task was to follow up customs clearance for our importer clients. Entry-level wines accounted for roughly 80% of all imported wines. Because of very high taxes, our clients were always on the look out for the cheapest wines they could find. We have a close relationship with them and give them as much advice as we can. Obviously average prices have risen and buyers are increasingly quality-driven. They want real brands. There are four buying cues

IN SOME TOWNS, THERE ARE AS MANY AS TEN WINE SHOPS IN A SINGLE STREET

for an importer: the wine has to have a story, brands (range consistency), value for money and a proactive wine producer.

4/ CONSUMER: MR XU, REAL ESTATE PROJECT MANAGER IN SHANGHAI Why do the Chinese like wine so much? Actually, I think there are three real reasons why the Chinese drink wine: culture, rising income and health. Wine is cultural and the Chinese like Culture with a capital C. There are many similarities with tea. We use the same words to describe tea: we talk about terroir, colour, aroma, finesse, balance… And we savour it in exactly the same way as wine.

bound to cause health problems, so gradually, Baijiu is being replaced by wine. Also, we regularly read articles about the health benefits of wine. It reduces the risk of cardio-vascular disease. Two years ago, I made my parents drink a glass of wine at least every other day. I told them it was good for their heart. Now they enjoy it. Personally, I drink two glasses of wine a day. Obviously, not everyone drinks as much but I think that in five years time one in two Chinese people will have wine in their cellar. Which wines do you drink most? I am actually always on the look out for new wines. I enjoy wines from different countries, though I do have a penchant for France.

China is becoming more open-minded and consumers are more

I like the value for money in the Languedoc, the finesse of the

affluent than before. We partake of more foreign food and drink.

great Bordeaux growths (the affordable ones), the freshness of

We drink French wine, German beer, Scotch whisky, we eat Swiss

Alsace whites… Amongst New World countries, I like Chilean

chocolate, Spanish ham… We simply want the best! The

Carmenère and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. At the moment, I

government recently rolled out a campaign on the hazards of

am drinking a Saint Chinian Roquebrun appellation wine - Les

drinking spirits. Traditionally, we drink a lot of Baijiu (a rice-based

Fiefs d’Aupenac 2006 - that I find excellent.

spirit with an ABV of 50°) with food, but drinking it daily is

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AUTUMN 2011

Thomas Magnani

GILBERT & GAILLARD goes global!

JAPAN

US & UK

CHINA

Don’t miss the first wine guides in English, in Chinese and Japanese created by French wine experts

e are very proud to be able to reach an entirely new audience of wine lovers to present the best of French winemaking. The three guides

will also serve as an excellent promotional tool for our winemakers in an increasingly competitive market. Look out for this world first in the autumn of 2011".

www.gilbertgaillard.com

WINE QUOTATIONS

Old Champagnes: a surprising tasting experience Philippe Roux explains what makes vintage Champagne so very special.

Behind the celebration and laughter though, Champagne is serious wine and serious business. Champagne is a specific wine from the Champagne region, and not a style of sparkling wine. The soil and the grape varieties grown there produce a sparkling wine with its own distinctive character and method of production. One of the particularities of Champagne gives the producers a great deal of control over the final product that they release: Champagne can be blended not only by grape variety but by vintage as well. A non-vintage Champagne (to which a vintage is not attributed) is a blending of many different years, each having their own characteristics, to make the final Champagne that the blender desires. 75% of Champagnes sold are non-vintage. They can be fun and festive and very good but the best grapes are reserved for the vintage Champagnes; all of the grapes are from one year which is declared on the label.

POMMERY, RUINART, MOËT & CHANDON

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AUTUMN 2011

hampagne incites celebration and pleasure like no other wine in the world. For our greatest moments in life, commemorations, winnings, weddings, milestone birthdays, retirements, and numerous other special moments, we reach for Champagne to mark the occasion with its effervescence that can’t help but lighten our spirits. It is both the symbol of a grand occasion and the grand occasion that calls for such a festive wine.

PHILIPPE ROUX IS A SPECIALIST IN THE NICHE MARKET OF RARE VINTAGES

Vintage Champagnes are serious, complex wines that can be aged for decades. Champagnes are not often thought of as wines that one lies down but just as any quality wine, they do get more interesting with age. One of the greatest wine tasters in the world, Michael Broadbent, is passionate about old Champagnes and has tasted several even from the 19th century, giving some of them his highest rankings, toting their excellent structure and distinct aromas. The carbon dioxide bubbles can add richness over time that is distinctive in older Champagnes. One doesn’t need to go back to the 19th century to experience all that an older Champagne has to offer. Drinking a wine from a year that is important in one’s life (wedding anniversary, birthday, for example) is always moving. Drinking a Champagne from an important year, with all of its notions of festivity, will only add to the poignancy of the grand celebration. The best Champagne vintages post World War II until 2000: 1945 1952 1959 1964 1971 1982 1985 1988 1990 1996 Philippe Roux

Old Champagnes: a surprising tasting experience

CHAMPAGNE YEAR

CHÂTEAU

APPELLATION

VOL

PRICE

VAT EXCL.

1934

POMMERY

Brut Rosé Champagne

0.75 l

919,73

1943

RUINART

Champagne

0.75 l

664,72

1952

CANARD DUCHENE

Blanc de blancs Champagne

0.75 l

249,16

1952

DOM PERIGNON

Champagne

0.75 l

647,99

1952

DOM PERIGNON

Champagne

0.75 l

451,51

1955

DOM PERIGNON

Champagne

0.75 l

656,35

1959

DOM PERIGNON

Champagne

0.75 l

539,30

1966

BOLLINGER R.D.

Champagne

0.75 l

413,88

1969

DOM PERIGNON

Champagne

0.75 l

417,22

1970

DOM PERIGNON

Champagne

0.75 l

417,22

1971

MUMM

Cordon Rouge Magnum Champagne

1.50 l

280,10

1975

DOM PERIGNON

Champagne

0.75 l

376,25

1976

CASTELLANE (DE)

Brut Champagne

0.75 l

99,50

1976

CASTELLANE (DE)

Blanc de Blancs Champagne

0.75 l

107,86

1978

RUINART DOM

Champagne

0.75 l

165,55

1979

MUMM

René Lalou Champagne

0.75 l

216,56

1980

POMMERY

Cuvée Louise Champagne

0.75 l

188,13

1982

DOM PERIGNON

Champagne

0.75 l

346,99

1982

MUMM

Mumm de Mumm Champagne

0.75 l

165,55

1983

BOLLINGER

Grande Année Champagne

0.75 l

149,67

1985

MUMM

Grand Cordon Magnum Champagne

1.50 l

229,93

1986

MOET ET CHANDON

Brut Impérial Champagne

0.75 l

165,55

1986

MOET ET CHANDON

Brut Impérial Rosé Champagne

0.75 l

207,36

1986

ROEDERER

Cristal Champagne

0.75 l

288,46

1988

LAURENT PERRIER

Brut Millésimé - Magnum Champagne

1.50 l

158,03

1988

ROEDERER

Cristal Champagne

0.75 l

288,46

1989

ROEDERER

Cristal Champagne

0.75 l

357,86

1990

PERRIER JOUET

Belle Epoque Champagne

0.75 l

199,83

1990

TAITTINGER

Comte de Champagne Champagne

0.75 l

229,93

1990

VEUVE CLICQUOT PONSARDIN

Brut Rosé Champagne

0.75 l

124,58

1995

ROEDERER

Cristal Champagne

0.75 l

299,33

1998

RUINART DOM

Champagne

0.75 l

116,22

1999

ROEDERER

Cristal Champagne

0.75 l

280,10

1999

ROEDERER

Cristal Champagne

0.75 l

280,10

Please contact us for further informations : www.gilbertgaillard.com

GILBERT & GAILLARD

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STARS & WINE

www.gilbertgaillard.com

John Lasseter: “Wine is a family affair”

John Lasseter Considering the theme of Cars 2, we simply have to ask this question, even though we know that alcoholic drinks and driving don’t mix. However, do you remember your very first car Mr Lasseter? How could I forget! My father worked as a Chevrolet dealer. The whole family,

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including me, learnt to drive on a 1969 Chevy Station Wagon. It was a real “cruise ship.” In just one go, we could carry a horde of kids, cram the shopping in the boot and still be able to pile up cases of wine because my father was a great lover of fine wines. Despite that, the car didn’t hang around. It had an engine that could

AUTUMN 2011

really move! I was 16 and I can guarantee that I was pretty proud to sit behind the wheel of an automobile like that! You must also be proud to own one of the finest vineyards in Sonoma, California. Could you tell us a little about it?

He is one of Hollywood’s most powerful and influential men. Every one of his animated feature films is a box office hit. Creator of Toy Story, Up, Rapunzel and The Princess and the Frog, John Lasseter is the main driving force behind Pixar Studios. A highly colourful figure, he rumbles with pleasure as he talks about Cars 2, the latest, smooth-running animated feature. But talk to him about wine and his eyes light up like two brightly shining headlights…

STARS & WINE

John Lasseter Yes! Actually, I have just lost my father who died on this property that he loved so much. My father passed away in his sleep. He was 87. The last thing he saw, apart from his family of course, was a marvellous sunset out over our vineyards whilst drinking one of our wines. How long have you been at the helm of this vineyard? The love story began in 1993. We used to have a cleaner working for us in Los Angeles. Every weekend she would make the trip to Sonoma valley and when she came back she would wax lyrical about the beautiful countryside that had unfurled before her eyes and especially about her passion for

wine. She was so passionately interested in the subject and every time she mentioned her visits to wineries and encounters with wine growers, her eyes would light up. My wife and I finally travelled there to see for ourselves and it was love at first sight! What happened ? The outcome was fairly predictable. We went on the same voyage of discovery as our delightful cleaner. Initially, we visited wineries, then the following year we went grape harvesting. Very quickly we caught the wine bug. We went on courses. We wanted to know everything there was to know about wine and even bought hundreds of books on the subject. For years, we took part in

groups teaching people how to make wine. Gradually, we became more confident connoisseurs and in 1993, we felt we were ready to go! We bought a property, hired some staff and began making our own wine. There is nothing more exciting than watching your own vines grow. By 2000 we had made our facilities more professional. We gave our first bottles of wine to our friends to celebrate the new millennium. We have been selling our wines for over ten years now. We have yet to upstage the large wineries surrounding us, but at least we can be proud of having a wine with body! How many acres does your property cover? We own 36 acres (roughly 14.5 hectares) of vines. We only make red, and try as much as possible to produce a similar style to European wines. They taste quite similar to Saint-Emilion. We have also designed a Châteauneuf-du-Pape-style wine blended from Syrah and Grenache. In fact, I have christened it “The Cannes Film Festival Wine” because my wife and I were the proud purveyors of wine served during the event. The response was excellent. During the latest Cannes festival we discovered a whole range of rosés. Please don’t tell American customs officers this, but we brought 29 different bottles of rosé back in our suitcases! They were mainly Malbec varietals which, to our surprise, actually make good rosés. So wine at the Lasseter home is now a family affair… Absolutely! My father and my uncle worked in wine. I took over from them and now my five sons help me run the business and give me a helping hand at every stage of the wine making process. Three generations of Lasseters have been involved in wine making. My youngest son for instance loves trampling the grapes in our large vats. He’s a real Bacchus. In fact, I think he will go on to study oenology! Interview in Los Angeles by Frank ROUSSEAU Member of the Motion Picture Association of America Member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association

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STARS & WINE

Sigourney Weaver: “I love tannic wines, red wines, especially Bordeaux” America’s most Francophile of actresses - along with Jodie Foster - talks about her exclusive relationship with the wines and terroirs of France. we would have shipped hundreds of bottles back to the States! My mother had to put a damper on his excitement. Admittedly, with her help we had already crammed our cases full of Chanel!

Which is your favourite, red, white or rosé? Rosé gives me a headache! Perhaps I just haven’t chosen the right ones. I love tannic wines, red wines, especially Bordeaux. Actually, it’s my favourite colour for the clothes I wear. My wardrobe is very “grapevine,” you know!

You seem to enjoy all the ceremony surrounding wine more than the wine itself. Am I wrong ? Yes! I tend to be wary of properties that try and impress you with big showy vaults. I am not saying it isn’t beautiful, just that the most interesting, most meaningful wines are the ones you don’t see or smell. And there’s a good reason for that: they are hidden away in oak barrels!

Where and when did you drink your best wine? With friends, in Paris. I don’t remember which wine it was but after just one sip it was like the whole of France’s terroir came rushing onto my taste buds. It was an absolutely unbelievable sensation! Whilst shooting Alien, Ridley Scott (the director) who owns a property in France, gave me a wine that was absolutely out of this world. It was so good that I also forgot what was written on the label!

Is your relationship with wine a longstanding love affair? I love opening a bottle of wine, but not on my own! I have to drink it with good food and above all, with friends, family, basically

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Do you remember your initial encounter, first- or second-hand, with wine? As a child, my father, who was a true wine connoisseur, loved to hold blind tastings at home. He really appreciated the good and beautiful things in life. Woe betide anyone who tried to palm him off with vapid plonk! His sense of humour would immediately go out the window! We used to travel a lot with my family, mainly in France. I remember visiting a wine cellar housing over 50,000 bottles of vintage wine. You should have seen my father. It was like he had gone into Fort Knox! There was no holding him back! If we’d listened to him,

AUTUMN 2011

people whose company I enjoy. The two go together. If there’s a good bottle of wine on the table but none of the people I love to share it with, I don’t open it. I wait for the right opportunity.

Frank Rousseau and Sigourney Weaver Interview in Los Angeles by Frank ROUSSEAU Member of the Motion Picture Association of America Member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association

ESSENTIAL TASTING: 90/100

Champagne André Delaunois

t was the founder of the house, Edmond Théodore Victor Delaunois, who decided to become a wine grower in the 1920s. His daughter Anne-Marie and subsequently his grandson André would carry on the family tradition with the help of André’s two daughters and son-in-laws, Eric Chanez and Alain Toullec. Alain’s son Anthony is now a member of the team and embodies the next generation. The Coquard rotating press pan fitted in 2001 ensures outstanding quality juice sourced from the 35 plots of vines that form the 7.6-hectare Montagne de Reims vineyard boasting first growth status. The revamped winery now houses two 30-hectolitre oak tuns so that some cuvées can be aged in oak. The house sells a wonderful range of closely-monitored Champagnes, all from its own production.

90/100 Brut blanc de noirs 1er cru Dame Palmyre 2005: Pale gold. Profound, focused nose suggestive of stone fruits. The palate shows seductive balance of vinosity and freshness, a finely-etched texture, delicious fruit character and savoury exuberance. A nicely-crafted blanc de noirs that works well as an appetiser or with food. FULL DETAILS: Appellation: Champagne - Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier - Area: 7.6 hectares - Harvest: handpicked Vinification: Stainless steel tanks - Raising: 15 months in bottles before sale for the ”brut sans année”, 36 months for the vintages Champagne André Delaunois - 17 rue Roger Salengro - 51500 Rilly La Montagne - France - Tel. +33 (0)3 26 03 42 87 - Fax +33 (0)3 26 03 45 40 GILBERT & GAILLARD WINE INTERNATIONAL

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Page 112 Appli IPhone_Mise en page 1 Copier 1 10/06/2011 10:39 Page 1

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RECOMMENDED WINES

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For a comprehensive overview of some great wines of Champagne, compare our tasting notes with those of our well-known American competitors.* *www.gilbertgaillard.com , *www.erobertparker.com and *www.winespectator.com

WINE SCORES 95-100/100

an outstanding wine, when a great terroir meets exceptional winemaking expertise

90-94/100

a superlative wine combining finesse, complexity and remarkable winemaking

85-89/100

a wine of extremely high standard, which we enjoyed for its typicity and character

80-84/100

a quality wine combining balance, structure and neatness for a pleasurable wine drinking experience

75-79/100

a wine deemed acceptable

70-74/100

a wine with defects, unacceptable

65-69/100

a wine with major defects, inadmissible

50-64/100

unacceptable wine, not worthy for sale

Note: wines scoring less than 75/100 are not included in our publications.

n/a = not available

Ayala Brut Majeur Charles Ellner Brut Prestige 1999 Charles Ellner Brut Blanc de Blancs Charles Ellner Brut cuvée de réserve Charles Heidsieck Rose Reserve Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires 1995 Charles Heidsieck Vintage 2000 Drappier Grande Sendree 2002 Drappier Brut Carte d'Or Gosset Extra Brut Celebris 1998 Gosset Grand Rose Brut Louis Roederer Brut Premier Louis Roederer Brut Cristal 2004 Louis Roederer Brut 2004 Piper-Heidsieck Brut Beaumont des Crayères Brut Grande Réserve Beaumont des Crayères Brut Nostalgie 1999 Henriot Brut Cuvée des Enchanteleurs 1996 Henriot Brut Souverain Henriot Brut blanc de blancs Champagne J. de Telmont Brut Grande Réserve Jacquart Brut rosé Mosaïque Jacquart Brut de Nominée Maurice Vesselle Brut grand cru Cuvée Réservée Palmer & Co Brut Bollinger Brut rosé

88 87 86 84 90 90 98

88 91 88 90 85 86 90

89 91 90 91 93 93 95

92 92 86 98 94 90 99 94 87 85

88 92 88 96 90 90 97 90 89 n/a

90 88 90 92 91 91 93 90 91 91

n/a

95 88 89 85

92 87 89 n/a

97 90 89 89

88 93 87

n/a n/a n/a

92 91 92

86 93

n/a 91

83 91

Continued on page 114

GILBERT & GAILLARD

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RECOMMENDED WINES

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7, parc des Fontenelles - 78870 Bailly - France Tel. +33 (0)1 30 80 08 08 - Fax +33 (0)1 30 80 08 88

Bollinger Brut Special Cuvée Bonnaire Brut blanc de blancs grand cru Deutz Brut Classic Deutz Brut Cuvée William Deutz 1999 A. R. Lenoble Brut blanc de blancs grand cru L'Epurée A. R. Lenoble Brut blanc de blancs grand cru Les Aventures Jean Vesselle Brut Oeil de Perdrix G.H. Mumm & cie Brut Cordon Rouge G.H. Mumm & cie Brut blanc de blancs grand cru Mumm de Cramant Duval-Leroy Brut rosé Duval-Leroy Brut Henri Goutorbe Brut grand cru Spécial Club 2002 Henri Goutorbe Brut 1er cru Cuvée Prestige Huré frères Brut Sélection - L'Instantannée 2004 Krug Brut Grande Cuvée Krug 1998 Lancelot-Royer Brut blanc de blancs grand cru Cuvée des Chevaliers Laurent-Perrier Brut Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial Dom Pérignon Brut Oenothèque 1996 Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Réserve Particulière Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Pierre Moncuit Brut Pierre Moncuit - Delos Paul Déthune Brut blanc de noirs grand cru Paul Déthune Brut grand cru Paul Déthune Brut grand cru Cuvée Prestige Princesse des Thunes Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Perrier-Jouët Brut Blason rosé Pierre Peters Brut blanc de blancs grand cru Cuvée de Réserve Pierre Peters Brut blanc de blancs grand cru Les Chétillons 2002 Pommery Brut Royal Sadi Malot Brut blanc de blancs 1er cru Vieille Réserve Taittinger Brut Prestige Rosé Vazart Coquart & fils Brut blanc de blancs grand cru Réserve

94 88 90 96 88 94 90 87 93 89 85 90 87 87 98 100 87 87 86 95 87 86 89 89 88 91 86 90 90 93 85 87 86 85

90 88 90 90 90 91 88 87 89 88 88 90 89 90 90 94 91 90 86 97 87 87 91 88 89 90 87 87 92 95 88 88 92 89

94 n/a 90 n/a n/a 92 n/a 90 91 90 93 92 90 n/a 96 96 89 90 90 n/a 89 n/a 91 n/a n/a n/a 91 92 89 94 89 n/a 90 91

CONTACT DETAILS OF ESTATES FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE Page 15 Champagne Guy Tixier +33 (0)3 26 03 42 51 champguytixier@wanadoo.fr Champagne Jean-Michel Pelletier +33 (0)3 26 52 65 86 champagnejmpelletier@wanadoo.fr Champagne Jean Vesselle +33 (0)3 26 57 01 55 champagne.jean.vesselle@wanadoo.fr Pages 28 to 41 Domaine Philippe Leclerc +33 (0)3 80 34 30 72 philippe.leclerc60@wanadoo.fr Domaine Alain Geoffroy +33 (0)3 86 42 43 76 info@chablis-geoffroy.com

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Domaine Fougeray de Beauclair +33 (0)3 80 52 21 12 fougeraydebeauclair@wanadoo.fr

Domaine Jean Collet & fils +33 (0)3 86 42 11 93 collet.chablis@wanadoo.fr

Domaine Guy Bocard +33 (0)3 80 21 26 06 nadinebocard@wanadoo.fr

Garnier et Fils +33 (0)3 86 47 42 12 info@chablis-garnier.com

Domaine de la Paleine +33 (0)2 41 52 21 24 contact@domaine-paleine.com Domaine de l'Olivette +33 (0)4 94 98 58 85 contact@domaine-olivette.com Domaine Nudant Jean-René +33 (0)3 80 26 40 48 domaine.nudant@wanadoo.fr Domaine de la Vougeraie +33 (0)3 80 62 48 25 vougeraie@domainedelavougeraie.com

Domaine Jean-Max Roger +33 (0)2 48 54 32 20 contact@jean-max-roger.fr

Domaine Alain Patriarche +33 (0)3 80 21 24 48 alainpatriarche@wanadoo.fr

Domaine Henri Rebourseau +33 (0)3 80 51 88 94 domaine@rebourseau.com

Château de Viella +33 (0)5 62 69 75 81 contact@chateauviella.fr

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Château de Santenay +33 (0)3 80 20 61 87 contact@chateau-de-santenay.com Page 53 Cave de Turckheim +33 (0)3 89 30 23 60 info@cave-turckheim.com Oedoria +33 (0)4 74 71 48 00 contact@oedoria.com Dumange Luc +33 (0)2 47 52 61 90 domaine.clos.epinay@cegetel.net Page 59 Bernard Boutinet +33 (0)5 45 80 86 63 cognacboutinet@wanadoo.fr

AUTUMN 2011

EDITORIAL DIRECTORS: François Gilbert and Philippe Gaillard EDITOR IN CHIEF: Sylvain Patard TASTING COMMITTEE: François Gilbert, Philippe Gaillard, Sylvain Patard, Olivier Delorme and James Turnbull REDACTION: Michèle Huyard CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE: Mark Andrew, Richard Craig, Nicolle Croft, Hubrecht Djuiker, Louise Hurren, Thomas Magnani, Jean Natoli, Jamal Rayyis, Frank Rousseau, Philippe Roux, Delphine Veissière, Philippe Verrier, Christelle Zamora TRANSLATION: Elise Bradbury, Sharon Nagel ADVERTISING: Frédéric Comet +33 (0)6 27 5 8 47 06 Annick Delauneux +33 (0)3 26 55 28 92 Nicolas Sanseigne +33 (0)6 46 86 80 01 PRESS RELEASE: Grégoire Meridjen - Fisheye - +33 (0)6 22 94 53 10 LAY-OUT: Renata Lahalle PRINTING: LÉONCE DEPREZ - FRANCE DISTRIBUTOR IN FRANCE: MLP GILBERT & GAILLARD AMERICA Emmanuel de Lanversin +1 908 277 3863 edelanversin@gilbertgaillard.com 174 Springfield Avenue, Summit, NJ, 07901, USA GILBERT & GAILLARD CHINA Thomas Magnani +86 159 0070 4490 tmagnani@gilbertgaillard.com Jaje International Plaza, - Room 811, N°1717 North Sichuan Road - Shangai 200080, China GILBERT & GAILLARD ITALY Delphine Veissière +39 393 353 5892 delphine@gilbertgaillard.com Via dei tigli, 35 - 20020 - Arese (MI) - Italy GILBERT & GAILLARD SPAIN Diego Bonnel +34 639 11 7675 dbonnel@gilbertgaillard.com Rosa de Lima, 23 - Bloque 6 - Bajo izda 28290 Las Rozas / Madrid - Spain DISTRIBUTION SUPERVISED BY EXPORT PRESS: DISTRIBUTORS IN EUROPE: Austria: Morawa GMBH, 1140 Wien Belgium: Imapress, 2300 Turnhout Denmark: Interpress, 2605 Broendby Finland: Rautakirja OY, 1641 Vantaa Germany: WE Saarbach gmbh, 50332 Hurth Holland: Betapress, 5126PT GILZE Italy: Intercontinental, 20124 Milano Portugal: Fraccao, 1990-075 Lisboa Spain: Iber Press SL, 28042 Madrid Sweden: Svenska ab, 120 22 Stockholm UK: Native Publisher services ltd, LS28 7LG Pudsey DISTRIBUTORS IN NORTH AMERICA: USA: Speedimpex, 11 101 New York Medis Marketing Direct, New York Source Interlink, FL 34134 Bonita Springs Canada: LMPI, H1J 2L5 Anjou DISTRIBUTORS IN ASIA: China and Hong Kong: FPPS, Hong Kong Japan: DIP, 107 0051 TOKYO Taiwan: MULTI-ARTS, 10455 Taipei Korea : UPA, 110-850 Séoul DISTRIBUTORS IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW-ZEALAND: Gordon and Gotch Australia, 2086 Frenchs Forest Gordon and Gotch Australia, 1006 Auckland DISTRIBUTOR IN SOUTH-AFRICA: MCS, 2157 Woodmead Gilbert & Gaillard is published by Vinipresse, SARL with a capital of 35,500 euros • Head office: 7 Parc des Fontenelles, 78870 Bailly, France • Legal representative and Editorial director: Sylvain Patard • Legal deposit: third quarter 2011 • Joint consultative committee: 0612 K 90504 • ISSN 2110-6762 Reproduction of part or all of the contents of this magazine in any form is expressly prohibited. Any company names that appear in the articles are given for information only and have no publicity purpose.