Sommelier - Spring 2024

A new wine year has begun, and we can begin to assess the 2023 vintage. In Europe, the overall assessment is of a bountiful and healthy harvest with wines that can turn out to be friendly in their youth. A sigh of relief for many! How that will impact price structures and possibilities we will learn soon enough – in this issue we are travelling from Champagne to Argentina as well as into the microscopic world of wine chemistry.

IMPRINT:

Sommelier #4 2023 27.Year

Deadline for next issue (#1 2024): 13. May

Editor in chief: Nina Højgaard Jensen / Nhj@sommelier.dk

Layout og art director: Morten Nybæk

Print: Nybæk Grafisk, 26 25 82 50

Issuer: Dansk Sommelier Forening

PRACTICAL INFO

SOMMELIER is published four times annually and sent to members and friends of the Danish Sommelier Association. The magazine is run by volunteer work. All profit goes to education, competitions and professional events. As a private person you can support the association with 700 dkk/year by becoming “Friend of Danish Sommelier Association”. Apart from working to improve the Danish sommeliers, you will then receive a diploma.

For membership contact: Heine René Egelund he@sommelier.dk - all enquiries in realtion to change of address, contingent and invoices are kindly asked addresses to Heine Egelund as well.

Ads and anything in that relation: Bonnie Reinwald Mail: bonnie@ buttandbons.com

We ask kindly that invitations to tastings, travels etc. are directed to Editor in chief Nina Højgaard Jensen på mail Nhj@sommelier.dk

WRITE FOR THE MAGAZINE

You are welcome to contribute to our magazine. For contributions or questions in that regard, contact Nina Højgaard Jensen by email nhj@ sommelier.dk. Please note that photos should be a minimum of 2MB.

BOARD OF DANISH SOMMELIER ASSOCIATION:

PRESIDENT: Christian Aarø ca@sommelier.dk

VICE PRESIDENT: Tim Vollerslev tv@sommelier.dk

TREASURER: Heine Egelund he@sommelier.dk

SPONSER MANAGER: Bonnie Reinwald bonnie@buttandbons.com

RESPONSIBLE FOR TASTINGS:

- Copenhagen - Christian Thorsholt Jacobsen ctj@sommelier.dk

- Fyn - Heine Egelund he@sommelier.dk

- Jylland - Kim Thygesen kt@sommelier.dk

COMPETITIONS & ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS:

Christian Thorsholt Jacobsen & Jess Kildetoft ctj@sommelier.dk & jk@sommelier.dk

TRAVELS:

Christian Thorsholt Jacobsen & Kim Thygesen ctj@sommelier.dk & kt@sommelier.dk

NEW LETTERS & COMMUNICATION: Christian Thorsholt Jacobsen ctj@sommelier.dk

FACEBOOK & WEBMASTER: Kim Thygesen kt@sommelier.dk

SECRETARY:

Christian Høj-Jørgensen chj@sommelier.dk

Front page: Speri Family Pergola Vines, Hans Just

VINAKADEMIET

Danmarks største vinskole

Sommelieruddannelsen

Få eksamensbevis på din vinviden.

Omfattende uddannelse i 2 niveauer

Niveau 1

8 kursusdage

Pris: 17.250 DKK

Niveau 2 starter til efteråret 2024

Silkeborg

Dato: 8. april - 4. juni 2024

Sted: College360

WSET • Wine courses in English

Get an internationally renowned wine education at an exceptionally competitive rate!

WSET Level 2 Award in Wines

3-day course

April 30th - May 28th 2024

Price: 7.500 DKK

WSET Level 3 Award in Wines

6-day course

May 1st - June 11th 2024

Price: 12.500 DKK

Har du allerede taget vores sommelieruddannelse?

Så kan du gå direkte til eksamen i WSET Level 3.

Pris: 750 DKK • Eksamen: 17. april

Tilmeld dig på vinakademiet.dk • info@vinakademiet.dk

Alsace Grand Cru

Vidste du at Danmark er verdens største importør af Alsace Grand Cru!

Der er 51 AOC Alsace Grand Cru.

I 1975 fik den første AOC Grand Cru-status. Det var Schlossberg ved byen Kaysersberg.

Den sidste var Kaefferkopf i

Ammerschwihr, der fik sin Grand Cru i 2007. Specielt for denne Grand Cru er, at man må blande flere druesorter.

Indtil for nylig har kun ”de ædle druer”: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Gewurztraminer måttet anvendes til Grand Cru, men der er få undtagelse: I 2005 fik Sylvaner også Grand Cru status på marken Zotzenberg og fra årgang 2022 har man også kunne få Alsace Grand Cru Hengst Pinot Noir og Alsace

Grand Cru Kirchberg de Barr Pinot Noir.

På Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim må der også fremstilles vine fra field blends.

Alsace Grand Cru udgør kun 3,5% af den samlede produktion, så der er tale om en virkelig ekslusiv vin

Domaine Alphonse Mellot

Dybt forankret i Sancerres vinhistorie har Alphonse Mellot gennem århundreder mestret kunsten at skabe enestående vine. Denne passionerede far-søn-duo arbejder med de mest eftertragtede marker i området og formår at fange terroirets essens som ingen andre. En af mange skatter i Alphonse Mellots portefølje er den eftertragtede Sancerre La Moussiere. Alphonse Mellot omfavner økologi og biodynamik som en hellig forpligtelse og værner om terroiret, der er hjertet i deres exceptionelle vine.

Wine Venturing in 2024

BY: NINA JENSEN

In a sip of wine, we are transported to a specific place and time. We discern the choices made, the care, and attention invested, as well as the circumstances under which it took shape. Enveloped in the enchantment of our senses, we find ourselves oscillating between the opulence of noble celebrations and the unpretentious authenticity of humble settings, endeavoring to comprehend how this wine has been savored and pondering the decisions made around those very tables. As we bear witness to a legacy carried onward, we experience both reverence and anxiety for what the near future might unveil – in wine and in the world. Also, we see progress, togetherness, and aspirations. A sense of promise to honor the past while fearlessly charting new ground and discovering the unknown, sometimes even the unbelievable. Surprises and disappointments await in the wines we are yet to share.

In wine, one achieves a different, deeper understanding from witnessing the wine landscape and the craftsmen firsthand. In doing so, we will always in the aftertime be taken on a vivid travel upon opening a bottle from that place. The quality of

acting as a time- and space capsule is inherent to wine. I can think of nothing where we literally digest time and place in the same manner. While we in other art- or forms of expression get to interact with- or observe the time and place, wine becomes a part of you, and leaves the question: What has changed since it was made? Sometimes it's an overwhelming transformation; other times, it may just be a few years ago, yet it serves as proof of how rapidly circumstances can shift.

In the discipline of blind tasting, we are sensing a wine under what could be termed a veil of ignorance. Relying solely on our olfactory capabilities to discern what lies in the glass, it reveals the depths and limitations of our knowledge as well as expose our view of the wine world. Often it comes with surprises that we should allow to lead to curiosity. At the same time, it can demonstrate how big a part of pleasure our imaginative associations provide – how powerful it is to mind travel.

Elevating wine to its rightful pedestal is permissible, as long as we routinely bring it down – for, after all, it is "just wine"

that originates from the earth. So, we must remain earthbound as to opposite directions in the wine world form: One where it continues to act a medium of creating bonds and moments and is within reach for everyone and its opposite, where it is for the few, an exclusive elixir impossible to afford, an object of investment. As Sommeliers, we are thoroughly dependent on forming our own idea about what ‘a great wine’ is and make an effort not to let the digital age dictate it for us: Try to see things from other perspectives and try new things. An effort to understand places and people to keep wine real.

To you, dear reader, I extend hopes for a 2024 filled with myriad wine travels – through the glass and, ideally, in the real world too. May these journeys lead you down unexpected paths, creating memories worth cherishing and prompting thoughtful questions.

And naturally I hope that you will find enjoyment in the pages of Sommelier Magazines throughout the year.

Cheers!

Nina Højgaard Jensen

96 points af

Oplev blandt andet “The Signature”. Vinen omfatter alt, hvad Yalumba og familien Hill-Smith står for og er en perfekt repræsentant for Yalumbas historie... Og så høster den flotte anmeldelser år efter år.

175 års jubilæum

I 175 år har familien Hill-Smith ejet og drevet Yalumba. Vinhuset har det hidtil største solcellesystem i et australsk vinfirma, deres eget ”vingartneri” og et arbejdende bødkerværksted. Yalumba er et ikonisk brand og laver fantastiske, bæredygtige vine med individuelle karaktertræk og masser af identitet.

Turn your passion for WINE into a career

UPCOMING

COURSES

Aarhus: August 12th 2024

Copenhagen: January 20th 2025

COST

DKK 49.500 (registrations up until 31th March 2024)

DKK 54.500 (registrations from 1st April 2024)

READ MORE AND REGISTER ON OUR WEBSITE www.dansksommelieruddannelse.dk

Please note, the course is taught in Danish only.

Since 2016, Dansk Sommelier Uddannelse has trained more than 200 sommeliers in Aarhus and Copenhagen. Our sommelier course spans over a ten-month period, with 36 engaging classes –making it the most comprehensive of its kind in Denmark.

Our instructors, consisting of industry experts and accomplished sommeliers from renowned restaurants, bring their rich expertise and specialized knowledge to the classroom.

From the art of decanting and wine service to glass selection, guest psychology, upselling techniques, and even wine list curation - our course equips you with a skill set that will contribute to creating a satisfying dining experience for guests and enhancing the overall wine service.

Embark on a journey into the world of wine and unleash your potential - join us today!

DSF new year’s focus tasting of

BY: KETIL

year’s easel: of central coast

Most sommeliers will at some point have tasted some of the ”big reds” of California, The bulky heavy, intense, deep colored Napa reds that fetch a high price on todays market. Giving birth to cult wines with catchy names such as Scarecrow ”Toto's Opium Dream Scene Cabernet Sauvignon” and Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon the premium Napa certainly have their following. But to just south of the San Pablo Bay everything changes.

The 5th of February on the occasion of Danish Sommelier Associations New Year’s Easel, we had the pleasure to try some of these wines with a focus on Central Coast with the AVAs of Sta. Rita Hills, Paso Robles and Santa Cruz Mountains. The fantastic René Langdahl, the tutor from the Danish part of ”Capstone California” an indepth course training in Californian wines, had the speaker podium this day.

SOUTHBOUND

Just south of San Francisco you will find the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, one of the first AVAs of USA, given appellation status in 1981 – and the first to be defined by its mountain topography. The appellation follows the fog line around the mountain and the elevation starts from around 120m (400 feet) in the west, next to Monterey Bay and around 240m (800 feet) in the east by San Fransisco Bay. Here the benchmark producer it Ridge Vineyards – always known for supreme elegance, Ridge came to rise as they placed 2nd in the red wine category in ”Judgement of Paris” of 1976, with their Monte Bello, and later their Zinfandel Geyserville that was served in California when President Barack Obama was hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping.

We tried 3 different wines, grapes and producers from the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and

Cabernet Sauvignon. What I noticed was the minerality, elegance and lightness of all 3 wines. Even the normally heavy and intense Cabernet Sauvignon had a great finesse that showed with fresh fruit and balanced acidity. I felt the connection of the AVA; the cool nights, sunny days, coastal fog and cool marine breeze.

Proceeding south, the middle-lower part of Central Coast AVA, we tried wines from Paso Robles AVA - Paso Robles feels a bit more ”Rock'n'roll” than other Californian AVAs with more than 60 different varieties planted, here there is a certain focus on Rhone varietals such as Syrah, Rousanne, Marsanne, Grenache and Viognier, which we also tasted. ”The heritage of Paso Robles” refers to Zinfandel, even though it only accounts for 8% of the plantings there is a specific connection that the quote gives away and an event every year with focus on Zinfandel - Vintage Paso:

Zinfandel Weekend. With all these different grapes in production, it's still Cabernet Sauvignon that is the star of the plantings with 39%.

We tried different wines, different grapes and different producers. The wines we tasted once again showed what the AVA stands for with a Garnache from 2015, a white Rhone blend with 6 varieties – quite similar to a white Chateauneuf-dupape, a Zinfandel of good balance without too much alcohol and a Cabernet Sauvignon with power and structure. I felt there is great diversity in the area, with different climates within the AVA, varieties planted accordingly for the best quality of wine.

FIRM CHARACTER

In the southern corner of Central Coast AVA we find Santa Barbera County, with 7 different AVAs. The tasting had a focus on Sta. Rita Hills, which is a sub-AVA of Santa Ynez Valley, with Chardonnay and Pinot

noir as the focus. Sta. Rita Hills AVA is a strip of land about 10 miles long, that boasts of the longest growing season in California. The spring is warm and starts early causing the budding and flowering to also be early in the season. The summer is sunny but cooled down by cold, Pacific after-noon winds and morning fog. The California current running alongside the coast-line lowers the temperature of the waters here. At the same time the weather is dry thanks to the Purisima Hills as the northern boundary of the AVA and the Sta. Rota Hills on as the south border plus – looking further north and south. Sta. Ynez Moun-tains on the south and the Sierra Madre Range to far the north-east intensifies the rain-shadow effect. It is so dry that irrigation must be implemented to farm anything. The combination of the long, cool growing season with moderate heat spikes make Sta. Rita Hills an ideal home place for cultivaton of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The soils are a combination

of alluvial deposits and marine sediments with an elevated lime stone content. Even though the terroir really shows - with the wines we tasted it was easy to tell the differences of the producers – having both coastal influence and fog gives the area a cool climate which gives the wines quite a fresh balanced fruit character, depth, minerality and ageing potential. A single Syrah was also pre-sented made in the same cool style with fresh red berries and good acidity.

A fun fact is that Santa Barbera County is the home of the City ”Solvang” - that is known as ”the Danish capital of America”

The wines we tasted made good sense for the AVAs. Showcasing the diversity of the different AVA and a certain style that they promote. I think the ”value for money” and quality of the wines still see eye-to-eye in the Central Coastal AVA, especially for the Pinot noir and Chardonnays.

Grower-Champagner med mod og raffinement

PIERRE GERBAIS

“complex, refined, elegantly vinous Champagnes that are emerging as some of the region’s most compelling”

– Wine Advocate

I Celles-sur-Ource i det sydligste Champagne har Aurélien Gerbais bragt familiens stolthed til nye højder. Aurélien har studeret vindyrkning i Beaune, og hans erfaringer fra Grivot, Arnoux Lachaux samt Domaine Beaucastel mærkes i dag i hans Champagner, der har tillagt sig en usædvanligt mineralsk og vinøs stil.

Champagne Discoveries

BY: ANDREA SALA

In November, I had the chance together with some board members of DSF to visit the Champagne region, thanks to the CICV that hosted the trip.

The trip was organised meticulously, blending different producers, from the smaller grower-producers to the major

players of the region. Another important theme of the trip was the introduction of the new grape varieties in Champagne, an important project for the wine region powered by the CIVC.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

Some years ago, CIVC started

a research program to find a disease-free grape variety and answer an important question of peaceful coexistence between residents and producers. After many years of research by the end of 2022, Champagne was allowed the hybrid grape variety – Voltis.

Voltis is a fungus-resistant variety, and it is the first to be allowed for making wine in a French appellation (AOC), in this particular case in Champagne AOC. It is believed to be completely resistant to powdery mildew and downy mildew, two of the most common fungal diseases you can find through different vineyards around the globe but in particular in Champagne, where there is a high pressure.

Initially, Voltis is allowed to be planted up to 5% of the total surface of any estate and it will monitor over 10 years (trial time) span to collect different data about it is behaviour in the vineyards in Champagne. From the CIVC standpoint, it is an important step toward a more sustainable future, and it is an answer to better living harmony in the region between the householders and the wine producers. Vineyards could return

to be planted closer to houses without any fear because of the fungal-resistant grape variety allowing them not to use any phytosanitary treatments in the fields.

During the trip, we had the chance to participate in a blind tasting at the CIVC headquarters and the theme was about Voltis. The experiment consisted of blind tasting only 3 wines, there were:

1 wine – 100% Voltis

1 wine – 100% Chardonnay

1 wine – blended Chardonnay & Voltis

The outcome was not to be able to recognise the wines, but it was more about scoring the wines according to the different parameters they created. In the end, they revealed the result and Voltis unfortunately didn’t come up as first. The ranking was 1st the Chardonnay, fol-

lowed by the blended wine, and last 100% Voltis. It was fun and a great experience having the chance to try the grape no matter the outcome, so for this, I’m very thankful.

Nowadays, I’m aware that Drappier decided to plant the Voltis variety. This would not change too much now for his wines but maybe one day I will be able to taste again 100% Voltis Champagne and be positively surprised.

Leaving behind the major topic of the week, it is time to highlight some of the most exciting producers of the trip for me.

ERIC RODEZ

Overall, the Champagne houses visited were all great, but some of them left me a memory mark for different reasons.

Eric Rodez (8th generation) is a renowned small grower from

the Grand Cru village of Ambonnay in the Montagne de Reims. His wines were not new to me. I had the chance to work with them for many years now. Even though I knew his style, I thought it was fascinating to have him explain his philosophy. For some time now, his son joined him at the winery. Together they developed 3 different lines, or as he called them 3 different visions: Author’s wines, Terroir wines, and Single Vineyard wines.

Eric does an amazing job in the cellar when it comes to making the champagnes part of the Author’s wines, where he is free to play around with blending and shows truthfully his skills, creating wines with incredible elegance and depth. The aim for Eric is to develop an assemblage that is very complex where every year a new symphony is created. He is a music enthusiast, which is why he draws comparisons between his assemblage method to the creative process of musicians and composers.

There is no general rule for making its assemblage as mentioned before, he likes to go with his feeling of the vintage. He shared with us how important it is to vinify all parcels separately and use different tanks and barrels accordingly. Another crucial decision for him is malolactic fermentation. Sometimes it is allowed, other times it is not.

As a central line in the Author’s wines, the blend is made by 50/70% of reserve wines (on average), and the rest comes from the current year.

FAMILLE MOUSSÉ

Champagne Famille Moussé is a grower champagne house from the Vallée de la Marne in Cuisles since 1750.

The vineyards are mostly with Meunier grapes, which here gets celebrated.

There is a lot of focus on sustainability in the winery and they adhere to the Lutte Raisonée approach.

A new modern winery was built in 2012 and designed by Cedric. Solar power panels and geothermal energy are the sources of electricity while underground springs provide water for the entire winery. Two examples of how much emphasis Cedric puts on being more sustainable.

Cedric's idea is to produce better and cleaner Champagne. As a consequence, winemaking is

pretty straightforward, with only stainless steel for fermentation. No need for wood, sulphur, oenological products, and dosage after disgorgement. In the vineyards, the focus is on preserving biodiversity and soil health. Particular note on their vineyards is the soil. Here they have a particular green clay (known as Illite) over limestone marl. An advantage of this soil is during long dry periods, as in summer, the green clay keeps the humidity necessary to provide water to the vines.

As mentioned before, Cedric doesn't use any "classic" sulphur per se but instead makes its own version. It is a raw natural version of sulphur that burns itself coming from a mine. He projects the machine as well for the production and transformation. Nowadays he is the only one using it but at the same time, he is trying to make

everyone aware of the possibility, giving everyone a chance to stop using sulphur coming from the distillation of petrol. Cedric has a strong drive towards zero carbon production. One big step towards it was to stop using the classic capsule foil but instead recycled paper.

I had never drunk Cedric's wines before and, it was a pleasant surprise. It was probably the most exciting visit for me.

CHAMPAGNE JACQUES SELOSSE GUILLAUME SELOSSE DE SOUSA LAUNOIS PHILIPPE LANCELOT MARGUET

FLEURY CHANOINE FRERES RUINART

KRUG DOM PERIGNON CLICQUOT PONSARDIN

EGON MÜLLER SCHARZHOF MAXIMIN GRÜNHAUS

SOFIA THANISCH SCHLOSS JOHANNISBERG

PETER JAKOB KÜHN EYMANN KAI SCHÄTZEL

NICOLAS JOLY LEROY DOMAINE LEROY

DOMAINE D’AUVENAY GUILLAUME VRIGNAUD

DOMAINE PIERRE MOREY DOMAINE J.C. RATEAU

DOMAINE CHANDON DE BRIAILLES LAURENT ROUMIER

DOMAINE DU COUVENT DOMAINE DES VAROILLES

DOMAINE DU TRAGINER MAS PAILLET NENU

CHATEAU CRU PEYRAGUEY CHATEAU GRILLON

CHATEAU MOULIN SANT VINCENT GRAND FERRAND

CHATEAU TOURNEFEUILLE CHATEAU ROCHEYRON

DOMINIO DE PINGUS PETER SISSECK QUINTA SARDONIA

GALIA TERRAS GAUDA CASA LOS FRAILES

Official training from the Comité Champagne

Mon voyage inaugural en Champagne

BY: CHRISTIAN MADSEN

I have been in the Restaurant business for only 3 years now, all the knowledge I have, is either from a book (red: Many books!) or from listening to my wonderful sommelier-collages across the country. So, ofcourse my expectations for “Mon voyage inaugural en Champagne” were sky high. I would like to extend a huge gratitude to the CIVC and “Dansk Sommelier Forening” for inviting me on this amazing trip, which hopefully, will be the first of many in collaboration with CIVC.

DISCOVERING AN ESSENCE

Let me start by saying THIS trip, changed my way of thinking about the wine-industry: Living in a present where wine is so rare and unique, and the prices of a bottle is rocked high, impacts our way of thinking of wine, especially mine. I’m

thankful that I work in a restaurant, where I can taste and serve dozens of these winesyet I still get goosebumps each time holding a bottle of truly rare Champagne. But until this trip, it was only because of the value and the status these wines possess. By living in an environment where everything rotates around money and “having rare bottles”, we risk losing sight of what the actual essential things are.

Firstly, Champagne comes such a wide range of styles, not only by taste, but also how and who is producing it. The CIVC has these 6 labling terms: CM: Cooperative Manipulant, NM: Negotiant Manipulant, RM: Recoltant Manipulant, RC: Recoltant Cooperateur, SR: Societe de Recoltant, ND: Negocicant Distributeur.

Together with some of the board members from DSF, Andrea Sala (Head Sommelier at Geranium) and I was lucky to visit a handful of some of these different types of producers. And just like the amount of styles of Champagne, the amount of different ways of greeting us was wild. From huge castles with butlers standing in the corner only waiting for refilling our glasses, to a musty little tasting room at a roof, with an old sofa and broken chairs. The diversity was incredible. The last mentioned was the visit that blew my mind. In the little city of Merfy, just 15 km out of the city of Reims, at Chartogne-Taillet, we met the owner and winemaker at the only RM estate in Merfy from 1683; Alexandre Chartogne.

Merfy, is not the first village that comes into your mind when talking about champagne, it is is located in the area called Le Massif Saint Thierry just North West of Reims, it was mapped and researched by the Benedictine munks in the 7th century. The soil are dominated by sandstone (Manly from the Thanetian age) and clay (manly Vermiculites and Illite clay) which is well drained with high proportions of silicon, magnesium and iron. Minerals that are essential for the style of wine that Alexandre is making at the estate.

To visit Chartogne-Tailliet you need to go through a huge wooden door, accessing directly from the main street. I use the term ‘main street’ loosely because even though the main road through Merfy is called Grand Rue, it’s hardly a motorway; in fact, it’s downright sleepy.

Alexandre is in the mid 30s, got schooled at the Jacques Selosse estate under the legendary Anselme Selosse whom he refers to as: “My wine Father”. In 2006 he took over the Chartogne-Taillet and became the 12th generation wine-maker at the family’s 14 hectare estate.

TURNING IT UPSIDE DOWN

When we entered the estate, we were not greeted with champagne, butlers or a bunch of communication workers. It was just Alexandre offering us a hug and a big smile. Alexandre doesn’t have any fancy tasting room, only a little loft room with some broken chairs and an old dusty sofa. It was fantastic. Although I’m a young boy in this business, I might have had one hundred wine tastings, but I have never had one tasting like the one with Alexandre.

The first sentence he told us then the tasting started was: “Terroir… I don’t want to talk about grapes or blends. I want to talk about terroir” – Something I really resonate with. We had a lot of great visits at the trip, but every tasting was about a specific grape variety, while at Chartogne-Taillet, it was about the terroir, and the grape was only chosen to reflect the terroir, and not vise versa. He might be a winemaker, but he definitely was a great story-

teller too. Sitting in that room, everything became magical. So much knowledge, so much passion and so focused on making great wine, over a fancy brand. Alexandre was rootless, he ran around the room to find paper so he could draw us the structure of the soil in his different plots. It was truly spectacular. Plot by plot, we went through his 7 wines, and were lucky to taste a few of them.

The way of understanding wine, talk wine and taste wine blew my mind, and it really touched me. The atmosphere was calm and pleasant. There was no talk about price, fame, allocations or any of those things that normally runs through my head, then speaking about wine, it was so relieving.

Alexandre is making 7 different wines, 7 different styles, all reflection a certain terroir. This is a few of them which I found to be extraordinarily good.

LES BARRES:

- The first vintage that Alexandre produced after returning to the estate in 2006. This plot is gifted with almost 3 meters of sand soil, before coming to the chalky bedrock. The sandy soil have allowed the wines to be protected from the phylloxera. It is a 100% Pinot-Mounier planted in 1952.

The intervention in this little 1.3 hectare plot is kept to a bare minimum. The sandy soil compacts easily, and is too fine to be ploughed, although Alexandre only uses horses.

The Wine is processed in 228l French oak, with elevated oxygen exchanges to promote the mineralization, which makes the varietal aroma disappear

in favor of the terroir and saltiness.

SAINT ANNEÉ ( 2021 ) :

- The Saint Année cuvee is a translation of wines from different terroirs. It is a so called “Entry Level Wine”, but it punches well above its weight. The complexity of this wine is extraordinary! It is a blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% red grapes (mainly pinot Noir) coming from Merfy. These wines aren’t single vintage, although most of it is harvested in the same vintage. Vinified on 228-,350-,2000 liter barrels and the reserve wines are kept in tanks.

The 2021 vintage is quite special. During 2021, Champagne was hit by meldew, causing the grapes to hang loose on the vine. On top of that, Merfy was hit by a typhoon which destroyed almost all the vinyards at the Chartogne-Taillet estate. So in order to make the Saint Anné in 2021 Alexandre called his “Father of wine” and asked for grapes. Which means that the 2021 Saint Anné is based on grapes from one of the most legendary producers in champagne.

Danmarks eneste kvalitetsvin er den mousserende vin DONS (BOB)

Danmarks første Beskyttede Oprindelses Betegnelse:

DONS (BOB) fra vinområde Dons - EU’s nordligste appellation. BOB svarer til AOC eller DOC.

Skærsøgaard’s mousserende vin DONS har været kendt gennem 20 år og har opnået mere end 100 præmieringer.

Den nærproducerede vin forespørges af kunder til det Nordiske Køkken –senest ved 10 Nordiske Michelin restauranters festmiddag, Stars du Nord, i Stockholm.

Rekvirer engrosliste for direkte levering på salg@dansk-vin.dk Giv kunderne mulighed for at opleve den danske certificerede kvalitetsvin.

En hyldest til Antinoris historiske vin

Villa Antinori Rosso

EN GENFORTOLKNING AF DEN TOSCANSKE KLASSIKER.

EN VIN I TOPKLASSE MED SIN HELT EGEN UMISKENDELIGE STIL.

2020 CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA VILLA ANTINORI, DOCG

Sangiovese /Cabernet Sauvignon

Fadlagret 12-15 mdr.

Lyst/mørkt kød /fjerkræ

Riedel Cabernet/Merlot

93 point - Wine Spectator

EN BLØD OG LEVENDE VIN, FULD AF SMAG, MED EN FRUGTIG OG KRYDRET KARAKTER.

UTROLIG DELIKAT, DEDIKERET OG MEGET ELEGANT MED MASSER AF CHARME OG STRUKTUR.

HÅNDLAVET EUROPÆISK VIN

VINOVA.DK - TLF. 20 80 50 22

CHAMPAGNE ROGER COULON

DEPUIS 1806

”Roger Coulon remains one of the under-the-radar names in Champagne. I find a purity in these Champagnes that is hard to fully describe with words. It’s a sort of transparency - an expression of vintage, variety and place - that is both singular and compelling.” (Vinous.com)

HERI HODIE 1. CRU EXTRA BRUT (90 points Robertparker.com)

L’HOMMÉE 1. CRU EXTRA BRUT (95 points Vinous.com)

ESPRIT DE VRIGNY 1. CRU BRUT NATURE (93 points Vinous.com)

2013 MILLESIME BLANC DE NOIRS (95 points Robertparker.com)

CHAMPAGNE ROSÉLIE ROSÉ DE SAIGNÉE (91 points Robertparker.com)

One World of Wine

BY: NINA JENSEN

GLOBALIZED JUDGING

Since producing the very first Master Sommelier in 1969 (UK) and establishing the international examining body in 1977, the Courts of Master Sommeliers have become a global authority in the world of wine. A key point of their globalized judging parameters has been the distinction between "old world" and "new world" wines; a conceptual division encompassing production approaches, resulting wine styles, and perceived quality – and with significant sociocultural and economic implications: In the distinction the “Old World” (most of the time European) wines are lighter bodied, lower in alcohol and more terroir-driven, in contrast to the fuller-bodied, less place derived “New World” wines. These distinctions were attributed to environmental and cultural factors, including a longer winemaking heritage and stricter production rules in the Old World. In later years those implications have spiked many de-

bates, only made more relevant with the increasing difficulty in distinguishing one from the other. For a wine professional it becomes harder to resonate with, the more you know of the great terroirs in the “New World” to the point where it can almost seem suppressive.

SIGH OF RELIEF

In an announcement made through its American arm in the December 2023, the organization declared a significant change: Starting in 2024, the Court of Master Sommeliers will no longer utilize the terms "Old World" and "New World" in its published materials or examination assessments. The decision stems from a commitment to historical accuracy, the elimination of cultural bias, and recognition of the challenges in distinguishing between these categories. The organization's goal is to align its tasting process with the dynamic wine landscape and evolving styles.

This shift in terminology reflects the organization's recent endeavors to promote diversity and inclusion, echoing a broader trend in the industry. It also underscores the evolving realities of global wine production.

It is a sigh of relief, to feel that things such as the oldest Syrah wines in the world are in Australia, but considered New World or to let go of the question where Georgia should be placed – the Ancient World? –and instead shifting the focus to how much producer and consumer efforts- and habits have changed the wine landscape of the world. The decision made by the CMS is likely to catalyze change of global magnitude influencing the WSET-programmes, Institute of Masters of Wine as well as the general perception and understanding of wines amongst wine professionals.

DOMAINE DE BELLENE

Bourgogne’s bæredygtige elegantier - velegnet til at køre på glas.

Changes on the rise in the GIs of Argentina

BY: NINA JENSEN

In recent years, Argentinean Geographical Indications (GIs) have undergone a significant transformation, shedding the shackles of administrative divisions and embracing the rich tapestry of terroir. Notably, until a decade ago, these GIs lacked credibility, lacking recognition in Europe and making Argentina the only major wine-producing country without European Union-accepted regions. However, a paradigm shift has occurred, with emerging now rooted in terroir and viticulture principles.

Over the past ten years, GIs such as Vista Flores and Paraje Altamira have emerged, challenging traditional notions, and redefining the Argentinean wine landscape. Unlike the past,

the recognition of these GIs is not imposed by authorities but stems from the efforts of winegrowers and their associations. Since the beginning of 2022, five new GIs have joined the fold, bringing the total count to an impressive 112 GIs in Argentina.

Let's delve into these five most recent and very promising terroir-focused GIs that are reshaping the Argentinean wine narrative:

BALARCE GI

Recognized as the third GI in the province of Buenos Aires in July 2022, Balcarce stands 60 kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean. Once largely abandoned in the 1930s due to legislation restricting wine production to

the Andean Cuyo region, Balcarce experienced a rebirth led by Jorge Pérez of Bodega Puerta del Abra who planted 12 hectares of Chardonnay, Riesling, Albariño, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Bonarda and Tannat to create the El Vallecito Vineyard. The soils were studied by the infamous Lydia and Claude Bourguignon who noted a significant presence of clay and limestone. The average Summer temperatures (January) are 21,1C while in winter (June) it is 7,6C. The region is classified as Winkler II and benefits from strong winds year round as well as rain during the growing period. Bodega Puerta del Abra remains the solitary winery in this burgeoning region.

SARMIENTO GI

Approved in May 2023, Sarmiento finds its place in the province of Chubut in Patagonia. In an area renowned for lamb and agricultural crops, Otronia Winery owns 51 hectares of vineyards stretching along the shores of Lake Musters and making a substantial contribution to the 75 hectares planted in total in Chubut. Led by Juan Pablo Murgia, selected as "Young Winemaker of the Year 2021" by MW Tim Atkin, Otronia Winery is the southernmost commercial vineyard globally and specializes in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

For Argentina, the altitude are a modest 260m above sea level.

There are four major soil types: Clay, gravel, sand and fragments of the mother rock. Facing the challenges of continental weather with strong winds, the region has an annual average temperature of 11.5°C making it a Winkler I. Despite the risk of lethal frost, the rewards include wines with great character and searing acidity. Juan Pablo Murgia reflects, “We have great luminosity at this latitude, so despite the cold temperatures, we get great phenolic ripeness.

At first, we thought we would only be able to make sparkling wine here, but we were completely wrong because all the grapes ripen well. We are in the heart of Patagonia with winds coming in from the Pacific with great ferocity and frequency. It is a risk, but with good wind breaks, it has become an advantage, making it possible for us to work organically.”

THE GREEN ICON

Elixir of life, bartender’s handshake, digestif and vital cocktail-ingredient: of all the jewels in a well-stocked bar, few shine as bright as the emerald Chartreuse. Now, 400 years after its first formulations, the iconic liqueur is probably more popular than ever before.

In 1605, the monks of the Carthusian Order were gifted a mysterious manuscript detailing a secret recipe for an “elixir of long life”. They spent years researching and refining the recipe, which is said to contain 130 ingredients. That same recipe is still the basis for the liqueurs now made in Aiguenoire in the Chartreuse Massif. The contents are unknown to all but 2 men, but the liqueurs themselves are perhaps the world’s most famous.

With appearances in movies by Hitchcock and Tarantino, The Great Gatsby and the music of

Frank Zappa, ZZ Top and Tom Waits, Chartreuse has long been a fixture in popular culture. But now the liqueur’s popularity has reached new heights, and many have found the bottles to be rather elusive, which in turn has spawned nervous speculation on the status of production.

Has it decreased? Stopped, even? Or is my neighbor just hoarding bottles like toilet paper in a pandemic? Those lucky enough to acquire a bottle might even feel tempted to flaunt it on Instagram using hashtags like #MonkJuice. Rumors spread like wildfire, with numerous YouTube videos popping up on Chartreusealternatives and recipes for making it at home, further fanning the flames of FOMO.

But the answer is that it has neither decreased nor stopped. The monks have simply chosen

not to increase production despite the growing demand and despite having just opened a new distillery in Aiguenoire. In fact, increased capacity was not the motive for building the new distillery. The reason for not scaling up, is that the monks want to “protect their monastic life and devote their time to solitude and prayer”. How many internationally recognized brands would make that decision when faced with overwhelming demand? The brothers make liqueur to live, not the other way around. With increased demand, the supply is spread thinner, and some markets are not receiving the allocations they are used to.

Today, distribution is focused on on-trade channels as per the monks’ wishes. If you are interested in an allocation, see contact below.

EL PERAL

Established in January 2023, El Peral finds its place in the northern part of Tupungato, the northernmost region in Uco Valley. With vineyards ranging from 1100 to 1525 meters above sea level, this historic Mendoza terroir boasts a treasure trove of old Sémillon and Malbec vineyards. Tupungato, dubbed "The Walnut Capital" due to its thriving walnut crops,

is a subregion of Uco Valley with over 10,000 hectares of vines planted. The geography is defined by the Loas de Jaboncillo and the Lomas de el Peral Mountain ranges which provides varied soils for each slope, but generally in a very rocky composition. In the higher altitude chalky soils are more frequent while in on the lower sites clay, loam and pebbles are more often encountered. While

Tupungato has witnessed significant investments and expansion since the 1990s, El Peral remains relatively unexplored. The rural feeling of El Peral might change soon as we see international brands such as Chandon entering the scene –they have planted the highest altitude vineyard of the region, intended to produce sparkling wines.

VISTALBA

Long renowned in Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Vistalba takes a new turn as Bodega Vistalba's founder, Carlos Pulenta, relinquishes brand exclusivi-

ty. In August 2022, the official designation of origin received approval from INV, allowing producers such as Nieto Senetiner, De Angeles, Fabre Montmayou, and Kaiken to

use the Vistalba GI on their labels. Encompassing 521 hectares with an average altitude of 980 meters, Vistalba stands as one of the highest growing regions in Luján de Cuyo. Alluvial

soils, sandy topsoil, and layers of gravel and clay characterize this promising GI. The hope is that the GI designation can help

curb urban development, which has led to the unfortunate loss of some of the oldest vineyards in the region.

EN SMAG AF FAMILIENS ARV OG ALICANTES SKØNHED

Vi vil gerne præsentere dig for et af vores nyeste “familiemedlemmer”:

Casa Balaguer fra Alicante, der producerer vine der er udpræget af minimalt intervention.

Casa Balaguer er drevet af Marta Ribera og Andrés Carull, som begge har en stor kærlighed til flora og fauna.

Drevet af deres lidenskabelige overbevisning og livsstil, besluttede de at tage en udfordring op: at lave økologiske vine samt naturvine, der ikke ligner nogen andre.

Med to landbrugsejendomme, der er placeret 25 km fra hinanden og i meget forskellige mikroklimaer, er Casa Balaguer eksperter i at udvælge de fineste vinmarker til at producere naturvine af højeste kvalitet.

Casa Balaguer er et vidunderligt eksempel på, hvor forskelligartet naturen kan være på et lille område!

Det er derfor, Casa Balaguer er her: For at bevise, at økologisk- og naturvin af høj kvalitet kan være let tilgængelig for alle, der søger den.

CORDÓN EL CEPILLO

Approved in December 2022 and located in Mendoza's department of San Carlos within the Uco Valley, Cordón El Cepillo represents a significant addition. Requested by Bodegas Esmeralda, it joins two other GIs, Paraje Altamira – perhaps the most recognized of all GIs, known for calcium-carbonate content in the soil and old vineyard sites – and Pampa El Cepillo, on the surface of the alluvial fan of the Tunuyán River.

With a cool terroir birthing wines with attractive precision and high-pitched aromatics, Cordón El Cepillo is positioned in the southwest sector. Silt, sand, clay, and gravel constitute the topsoil which can be as thick as 4 meters before

reaching the alluvial pebbles, offering a unique environment for producing some of the most intriguing Malbecs. San Carlos is positioned with a greater distance to Mendoza and has cooler temperatures, meaning it is the least visited part of Uco Valley.

The spring frost risk is greater here and water scarcer. Overall the both Pampa El Cepillo and Cordón El Cepillo shows great promise and might be the only true qualitative competitors to Paraje Altamira.

In conclusion, the evolving landscape of Argentinean GIs paints a picture of innovation, resilience, and a newfound emphasis on terroir. As the wine map of Argentina continues to

be redrawn, these emerging GIs stand as beacons of promise, adding depth and character to the nation's viticultural identity.

Bliv klog på Californisk vin

Capstone er en række hybrid-kurser i californisk vin lanceret af Wine Institute i foråret 2021. Wine Institute er en brancheorganisation for de Calforniske vinproducenter, som repræsenterer over 1000 vingårde i Californien. Men Capstone er også en omfattende vidensbank om Californisk vin, druetyper, klima og jordbundsforhold, AVA’er, vinhuse mm.

Kurserne er både undervisning og smagning. Capstone er opdelt i fire niveauer: Introductory Level, Intermediate Level, Advanced Level og Expert Level. Sværhedsgraden og den tid man skal bruge vil stige derefter.

INTRODUCTORY LEVEL 1

Introductory Level er beregnet til 6 timers vinstudier, som begynder med de vigtige perioder i den californiske vinhistorie. Desuden vil man:

Lærer hvorledes Californiens geografi, Stillehavet og bjergkæder påvirker vindyrkning og vinstile. Opnå fundamental viden om vindyrkningspraksis og gennemgang af de vigtigste druesorter der dyrkes i Californien.

Introduktion til American Viticultural Area (AVA)-systemet. Udforske en række af Californiens ikoniske vinhuse som fx. Ridge Vineyards, Frog’s Leap Winery og Robert Mondavi Winery.

Få mulighed for en guided smagning af 8 vine.

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL 2

Intermediate Level bygger videre på Introductory Level med 20 timers studietid og en obligatorisk smagesession. Studiet vil dække vigtigere begivenheder i den californiske vinhistorie og nøglepersoner som var med til at forme statens vinindustri. Desuden vil man:

Lærer om væsentlige geografiske faktorer i de store californiske regioner såsom floder, dalbunde og vigtige bjergkæder som Coastal Range, Mayacamas Mountains, Vaca Range og Santa Cruz Mountains.

Få et nærmere indblik i syv af Californiens vigtigste druesorter.

Få en forståelse for vinplantens årlige vækstcyklus. Lærer om fundamentale vinfremstillingsprincipper. Dykke dybere ned i historiske AVA’er i Lodi og Sacramento Delta, Mendocino County, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo County, Monterey County og Santa Cruz Mountains. Få en guided smagning af 16 vine.

Advanced Level og Expert Level vil blive introduceret i Danmark senere.

I Danmark er det Vinakademiet som gennemfører kurserne, som gennemføres som online-selvstudier med en afsluttende online-eksamen, bestående af en række spørgsmål til det gennemgåede materiale. Efter bestået eksamen får man certifikat og diverse fordele afhængig af niveau. Til hvert niveau er der knyttet smagesessioner med uddybninger af teorien bag vinene forestået af René Langdahl Jørgensen, der har et indgående kendskab til amerikansk vin.

Læs mere på vinakademiet.dk/capstone og Capstonecalifornia.com

Tip of the iceberg:

Covering the basics of Reduction and Oxidation

BY: NINA JENSEN

The highly relevant and rapidly adopted terms of reduction and oxidation are a part of every-day Sommelier talk about wine. But, what does the terms of reduction and oxidation really mean? How does it impact wine flavor throughout the life of a wine? In the realm of winemaking, the terms "reduction" and "oxidation" serve as silent architects, orchestrating the

evolution of wine from grape to glass. While truly understanding all the simultaneous RedOx reactions we are confronted with in a glass of wine would require a deep knowledge of biochemistry, this article aims to sketch out some of the most important basics about each.

At a molecular level, a Red-Ox (reduction-oxidation) reaction

is characterized by the movement of electrons. A classic illustration of this phenomenon is the rusting of iron in the presence of water. In this scenario, the oxygen molecule undergoes reduction by acquiring an electron, negatively charged, from iron. Consequently, the reduction in the charge of oxygen occurs, marking a reduction process.

In the realm of chemistry, every substance carries electrons, influencing their overall charge. In the specific case of iron, it exhibits a tendency to relinquish electrons, while oxygen demonstrates an affinity for acquiring them. Substances that lose electrons are designated as reducing agents, whereas those gaining electrons are identified as oxidizing agents, with oxygen – obviously – as one of the key elements.

OXIDATION

At the heart of our exploration lies oxidation, an indispensable protagonist in the winemaking

narrative. Beyond a mere chemical reaction, oxidation transforms the very essence of wine over time. Characterized by flavors of yellow apple to honey to browning apple and nuttiness as well as deep color with possible amber or even brown hues. Oxidation can also be as subtle as the absence of the sulfur compounds, absence of the pure, high pitched fruit tones.

Often confused with oxidative traits is the Maillard reaction which occurs as a reaction between amino acids and residual sugar. Maillard becomes relevant to winemaking on sever-

al occasions but is most often mistaken for oxidation when it comes to Champagne or TBAs. During the autolysis process amino acids are produced within the yeast cells hence, they release during the break down of the yeasts. The longer and cooler Maillard process is, the more refined and elegant are the characteristics developed. What we refer to as “autolytic” notes in Champagne is often really Maillard derived qualities such as brioche, toasted. If the process is fast or warm these qualities can become more rancid toward bitterness, brown sugar and slightly burnt caramel.

THREE DIFFERENT TERMS:

OXIDATION – Noun (Process). This term captures the gradual transformation of a substance when exposed to oxygen. In the context of winemaking, this evolution occurs over time, and the pace is contingent on the rate at which oxygen interacts with the wine. Purposeful oxidation is linked to the aging process.

OXIDIZED – Verb (Action). Describes a physical change of a chemical compound as a result of oxygen exposure. In wine this refers to the state of the wine on the spectrum of RedOx Reactions.

OXIDATIVE – Adjective. Describes the oxidation. Related to the process of being oxidized. A lot of the time constitutes a stylistic reference and describes the process of winemaking, encapsulating the intentional approach of winemakers

WHAT DOES OXIDATIVE WINEMAKING ENCOMPASS?

At times oxygen is critical while at other times it can be fatal. Encouraging oxygen exposure is a tool that can be used all the way through winemaking, but it takes on its most significant role in connection to fermentation ultimately impacting all wines. A winemaker must learn to interpret the cues given by the smell of the fermentation to know when to act. For white wine, Oxygen is a vehicle of stylistic expression while for red wine is crucial to the stability: Acetaldehyde is a key molecule in this discussion. During fermentation there is always as much Acetaldehyde as there is Ethanol. Acetaldehyde is implicated in color stability for red wines, where it is essential to soothe the tannins. Acetaldehyde is used to bind with the color molecules, forming longer chained molecules with a more refined tannic feeling on the palette – and Oxygen essentially makes that reaction happen. There are a range of methods a winemaker can take into use including:

• Browning of juice: Rapid oxidation of color compounds in fresh grape must. This is particularly used in white wine making to avoid color issues such as pinking longer down the line. Especially with the pink-skinned green varietals, such as Pinot Gris, it might be a relevant technique.

• Hyperoxidation of juice: Pumping oxygen from a tank into the juice to accelerate the browning of the juice.

• Splashing juice/wine during fermentation: Ambient oxygen in for the health of the fermentation in most cases by splashing

• Splash racking: After fermentation when you just wish to get some oxygen into your wine which can be particularly helpful when conducting the fermentation in tanks. Pulling it off and splashing it into another tank so a larger amount of oxygen is introduced.

• Extreme examples such as Sherry or Madeira: Purposeful oxidative aging where the wine

is deliberately exposed to oxygen over time.

• Choice of vats for fermentation and elevage: Does it have high or low permeability?

REDUCTION

Reductive winemaking stands as a deliberate choice to exclude oxygen from the harvest point throughout the winemaking process, representing as much of a stylistic preference and choice as that of oxidation. As a method it can have its benefits – benefits that have been on an upgoing trend in the past couple of years.

Oxygen suppresses the production of acetate esters, appreciated for contributing fruity and floral tones to wines. This is achieved by reducing the activity of enzymes responsible for their formation. Additionally, reductive winemaking facilitates the retention of volatile sulfur compounds, particularly thiols, that otherwise would oxidize.

In certain instances, these compounds are even considered varietal traits, as exemplified in the characteristic profile of Sauvignon Blanc.

Beyond flavor components, a wine crafted through reductive methods tends to have an extended shelf life. The intentional reduction of oxygen exposure slows down the progression towards an oxidized phase, preserving the wine's freshness and vitality over an extended period. In essence, reductive winemaking emerges as a strategic approach.

THREE DIFFERENT TERMS:

REDUCTION – Noun (Process). The process or result of reducing or being reduced. In wine we reference this as a smell or taste but is a process.

REDUCED – Verb. The action of moving one electron. When something undergoes or causes a reaction in which electrons are gained by one atom from another. In wine this refers to the state of the wine on the spectrum of RedOx reactions and shouldn’t be used as a way to describe it.

REDUCTIVE – Adjective. Related to chemical reduction. In wine we refer to this term as a stylistic reference when a winemaker is actively discouraging oxygen to be involved with the winemaking process. Can also be a description referring most commonly negative associations to describe off aromas. The term we should be using rather than saying: It smells reduced. Aromas includes canned corn, cabbage or rotten eggs. Some lighter reductive aromas might blow off by aerating, as long as it is free hydrogensulphite while if it is a fixed sulphite compound it can be almost impossible to get rid of. Real copper can be used to immediately remove any free sulphites (such as 50 øre).

REDUCTIVE WINEMAKING TECHNIQUES:

• Applied often for whites, less commonly used for reds but seen in some styles such as the classic Beaujolais with carbonic maceration (enzymatic breakdown of at a cellular level which produces a lot of acetate esters).

• KMBS (short for Potassium MetaBiSulphites) added to harvested grapes in the field, especially seen in combination with machine harvesting to preserve fresh fruit aromatics.

• KMBS or Sulfurdioxide added to the fruit at the winery for the same reason as above.

• Dry Ice to pres pan

• Carbondioxide or Nitrogen gas in the lines and tanks prior to moving wines

• Inert gas added to the headspace of finished wine

• Characteristic signs: On the positive side: Pure fruit, lots of Thiols, Esters and Terpenes (Floral), Extended age-ablity, Light Matchstick (sometimes

equated to minerality such as flinty or smokey). On the Negative side because of stressed yeast: Rotten Eggs, Canned Corn or asparagus, Mercaptan (natural gas smell), Extreme Matchstick.

”KOMPLEKS OG RAFFINERET ENGELSK VIN”

”ANERKENDT AUSTRALSK VINHUS MED ØKOLOGISK FOKUS”

VISION FOR KVALITET OG NYDELSE

Høj kompetence og erfaring siden 1979 ligger bag Adriats spændende sortiment, der omfatter vine fra vingårde i hele Italien. Flere hører til blandt verdens førende producenter, andre er på vej, og nogle er stadig ukendte. Alle er de omhyggeligt udvalgt med samme store kærlighed til vinen.

www.adriatvinimport.dk

Det bedste fra Valpolicella

7 generationers vinekspertise

Familien Speri har produceret eksklusive vine i Valpolicella siden 1874, og gennem 7 generationer har familiens passion for højkvalitetsvine gjort Speri-vinene til et vartegn for italiensk vinfremstilling.

Familien producerer udelukkende vine af egne druer fra deres 60 hektar vinmarker i hjertet af Valpolicella Classica. Og familiens fokus på kvalitet har da også resulteret i en perlerække af priser og anerkendelser fra vinanmeldere over hele verden!

Portrait of one of Veneto's iconic wine families

The birth of Speri Viticoltori dates back to 1874, as attested by the old barrel still in the cellar next to the Speri family home. The winery is in the heart of the Valpolicella Classico zone - deeply rooted in their terroir, with centuries-old experience in cultivating indigenous grape varieties, the Speris are today

a point of reference locally, nationally, and internationally.

The Speri family's winemaking tradition has a long history. In early 1908, the company with Benedetto Speri received an

award for quality from the Italian Association for the Development and Trade of Rome and Verona.

In 1933 the Speri family bought the company's iconic property: the Sant'Urbano estate, which consisted of about 12 hectares (today it has reached 22) and a farmhouse with a cellar and drying loft on the hills of Fumane between 280 and 350 meters above sea level. This was a privileged position for growing vines and olives, but particularly difficult to cultivate and manage, especially for that time.

After the World War II the winery accelerated its development thanks to a general economic recovery and the new forces in the company, with the four Speri brothers (fifth generation) - Giuseppe, Eliseo, Benedetto and Carlo, by their father Sante.

THE OFF - SET

In the 1950s, the terracing of the Sant'Urbano vineyard began, to facilitate cultivation and increase the quality level of production. In those years, in 1958 to be precise, the first Speri Amarone was released, making Speri one of the first producers of the iconic wine of Valpolicella.

Also between the 1940s and 1950s, with Speri Sante, the first bottles of Recioto Speri were on the most prestigious tables in Verona, and in the 1960s Speri wines were already appreciated not only in local restaurants and those in northern Italy but also in those beyond the Alps, in Switzerland for example.

As early as the 1970s, in order to enhance the uniqueness of each plot of land, the Speri family began vinifying the grapes from the individual plots separately, producing the first single-vineyard wines: “Amarone Classico Sant'Urbano”, “Valpolicella Classico Superiore Sant'Urbano” and “Recioto Classico La Roggia” are the superb wines produced, each of which bears the name of the vineyard of origin.

With the Speri brothers led by Carlo, a farmer-entrepreneur of great charisma and farsightedness, the first overseas exports began in 1971, to the United States, kicking off a prosperous expansion for the company which, relying on privileged partners for distribution, began to make its products known throughout Italy and beyond, so much so that today Speri wines are distributed in over 60 countries.

At the same time as the devel-

opment of the markets, the Speri family, always attentive to production with an eye to the agricultural aspect continued to expand its estates, purchasing prestigious vineyards exclusively in Valpolicella Classica until it reached the 60 hectares of today.

INTO MODERN TIMES AND THE FUTURE

From the mid-1970s until the early 2000s, the 6th generation gradually began to enter, first with Alberto, the oenologist who is now responsible for production and quality, then Giampaolo (administrative manager) and Giampietro (agronomist), and finally Luca (sales manager) and Chiara (marketing and hospitality manager) until the 7th generation with Giuseppe, a young oenologist who, as well as following the company's certifications, also assists his father Alberto in production.

Two more representatives of the 7th generation are arriving, namely Pier Francesco and Sara, who, although still engaged in their university studies, are already operative in the company, working alongside the family in all production tasks.

The Speri Winery vinifies only Valpolicella native grapes. In addition to the three traditional grape varieties, Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara, small quantities of other lesser-known but long-standing varieties are used like Oseleta, Rossanella, Pelara, Cabrosina, etc.

The Speri family, with respect for the biodiversity of the territory and with the objective of maintaining very high levels of quality, was the first to make significant modifications to the

traditional Pergola Veronese training system at the beginning of the 1990s, after years of trials and observations in the field. The most important improvements concerned the inclination of the metal arm on which the shoots rest, opening up a central area to bring in more sunlight and improve the ventilation of the bunches. This new vine training system is called 'Open Inclined Pergoletta' (Pergoletta aperta inclinata), but many also call it 'Pergoletta Speri'. Today it has become the most widespread system in Valpolicella and the most effective way to cultivate vines in the hills and produce Amarone.

Hillside vineyards are cultivated on terraces made using dry stone walls, also called “marogne”. These, besides being a valuable means for improving hillside cultivation by slowing down runoff and making the soil safer, also have high historical and ecological value. These walls, thanks to the exposure to the sun, become solar collectors during the cold season. And a drywall terrace in the hills practically becomes a condominium for a variety of different insects, which find shelter in the wall and maintain the equilibrium of the ecosystem. All kinds can be found, from the largest to the smallest. By safeguarding a “marogna”, you safeguard biodiversity.

Exclusive use of natural products against vine diseases (non-synthetic, so no pesticides or herbicides). We use bark against downy mildew, sulfur against powdery mildew and algae against botrytis and other types of rot;

Leaving permanent grass on the entire vineyard area (thus guaranteeing the presence of organic substances; Speri have not used herbicides since 2004);

Production of their own special herbaceous mixtures 'Sant'Urbano mixture' to be used as permanent grass in the vineyards.

The 'Sant'Urbano mixture' is a blend of herbs selected to give the best results with the type of soil, climate, location, etc.

Today, the Speri family produces wine under the motto “Always the same and always different”, excellently captured in each of the 5 Speri wines:

Valpolicella Classico, Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore, Valpolicella Classico Superiore Sant'Urbano, Amarone Classico Sant'Urbano and Recioto Classico La Roggia, authentic interpreters of Valpolicella Classico.

SPERI VITICOLTORI IN NUMBERS:

VINEYARDS: 60 hectares of proprietary vineyards in the heart of Valpolicella Classica at altitudes ranging from 120 to 350 meters above sea level.

PRODUCTION: Speri produces wines only from its own grapes – it does not buy any grapes and wines from others, in order to guarantee 100% quality control.

ORGANIC PRODUCTION: 100% certified organic production.

SUSTAINABILITY & BIODIVERSITY: the company achieved the Sustainability Certification in compliance with the Equalitas standard and the Biodiversity Friend Cerification.

BOTTLES PRODUCED: 450.000 per year – only DOC e DOCG of Valpolicella.

HOS ROBERT PARKER