Commune 2 October 2020

EDITION 2

OCTOBER 2020

COMMUNE Commune is a regular digital newsletter produced by Neill Wine an independent importer of natural wines, craft beers and spirits from passionate, quality focused producers.

DECANT OR NOT? | DISCOVER BOURGOGNE | PIEMONTE PERFECTION | HARVEST TIME

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“We continue our quest to tempt wine drinkers with real, lovingly produced, great value wine” ROBERT NEILL

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A NOTE OF CHEER IN CHALLENGING TIMES

Welcome to our second edition of Commune. We’ve been delighted with the response so far. It seems that there are quite a few people out there who are as passionate about the wine they are drinking as we are.

The uncertain times continue and there seems to be no sign of a quick resolution so, like all of you, we’ve been concentrating on trying to carry on as normally as possible.

Call a Cave our free home delivery service has proven to be an enormous hit and we were delighted when our stores opened again as it gave us the opportunity to chat with our customers, meeting old friends and making lots of new ones on the way.

In this edition we feature Bourgogne, one of the oldest and most renowned wine locations in the world. So many of the world’s best loved wines are produced in Bourgogne from Chablis to Vosne-Romanée and many other stars of the wine firmament. Hopefully it will encourage you to visit us and try some of the outstanding examples we stock.

We recently enjoyed an amazing trip to see our friends at Alessandro Rivetto and Vini Balbiano in Piemonte.

Both wineries are amongst the best examples of the growers we love to support. Family run, independent, talented and passionate about the wine they produce.

On that note, as a quality driven, independent and local importer, we continue our quest to tempt wine drinkers with real, lovingly produced, great value wine. Cheers!

Robert & Team Neill Wine

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WHAT WE’RE DRINKING A selection of our favourites and recent additions to our range

BALBIANO FREISA DI CHIERI SURPREISA 2018

Piedmont, Italy|12%| £11.50

region|14.5%| £13.50

Full-bodied, red berries with good tannins and an interesting primary red fruit saturated aftertaste.

Produced entirely from Cortese grapes, this elegant white wine has a fresh, fragrant style and a delicate, green apple fruit character.

Aromas of Plum and succulent Black Berry along with a subtle cedar oak, well integrated into the wine and a dark fruit flavour on the finish.

Grape Variety: Freisa.

Food Match: Salami and cheeses.

Grape Variety: Cortese.

Food Match: Fish and light meats.

Grape variety: Shiraz.

Food match: Beef, lamb and game.

DOMAINE G.LAVIGNE SAUMUR-CHAMPIGNY 2017

HERVÉ KERLANN CHARDONNAY CUVÉE K HAUTES CÔTES DE NUITS

Rioja, Spain|13%|£22.95

Piedmont, Italy|13.5%| £14.95

NEIRANO GAVI DOCG 2019

Loire Valley, France|12.5% |£12.95

Burgundy, France|13%|£21.50

Aromas of red berries accompanied by floral notes on the nose. A firm attack at the beginning and the wine evaluates with refined tannins and an irresistible, velvety suppleness.

Rich intensity with floral notes. This is a crisp and rich wine offering tension and minerality finishing with a note of roasted almond.

Grape variety : Cabernet Franc.

Food pairing : Pork, beef, soft cheese.

Grape variety : Chardonnay.

Food pairing : Shellfish, salads, fish.

MR BORIOS SHIRAZ 2015

VIVANCO DULCE DE INVIERNO 37.5cl

Very pleasant, intense aromas of candied fruit, dried peaches, and quince jelly alongside elegant floral and cocoa notes.

Delicate, with fresh, well integrated fruity sweetness and a long tasty finish.

Grape variety: tempranillo, garnacha, graciano, mazuelo Food match: roquefort cheese,fruit cakes,

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A F E W W O R D S A B O U T | DECANTING If you’ve often wondered if you should decant or not - here’s the answer.

Carafage is especially suitable for younger red wines with a good structure but less so for most rosé and white wines due to the lack of tannins.

WHY DECANT YOUR WINE?

Decanting a wine aerates or oxygenates it, bringing out the aromas and reducing the dryness of the tannins. This can make the wine ‘rounder’ and gives it more finesse.

Decanting or ‘carafage’ is especially suitable for younger red wines with a good structure but less so for most rosé and white wines due to the lack of tannins.

Decanting is also essential for old vintage wines to separate deposits accumulated during ageing. A container with narrow walls and a stopper should be used to limit oxygenation and preserve the aroma.

WINE AGE

DURATION

LESS THAN 10 YEARS Rather light, easy to drink like a Pinot Noir or Gamay

20-30 min

LESS THAN 5 YEARS Rich and powerful wine with well presented tannins

60-90 min

10-15 YEARS Rich and powerful wine

45-60 min

MORE THAN 15 YEARS Use decanter with a stopper to limit oxygenation

45-60 min

Don’t forget, when you open a bottle of wine, serve yourself a glass and taste. Leave the rest in the open bottle for at least 30 minutes and taste the difference for the second glass!

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V I S I T A V I N E Y A R D | MEET OUR SUPPLIERS We visit the vineyard of Alessandro Rivetto in Piemonte to find out what brings a smile to their faces

Alessandro Rivetto

Alessandro Bonelli

Mauro Adriano

A passion for wine and a long experience in the sector, which have developed over a lifetime of learning and observation, are integral parts to Alessandro’s personal story. They are also essential traits of the Azienda Agricola Alessandro Rivetto.

Alessandro’s grandfather Ercole introduced him to the vineyards and cellar, as did his great-grandfather Giovanni before him. Thanks to them, he began this love story and lifelong passion with wine.

Alessandro produces wines that excite through telling consumers about how they are made from hard work, pleasure, and an inclination for sharing.

For him, that dream today is a compelling exploration of what his vineyards are able to offer, year after year.

But it is also the challenge that he sets himself for new clients who discover and appreciate his wines in every part of the world. Because he’s certain that beyond growing vines, he enjoys cultivating wonder and the genuine smile that his work gives him.

Ercole had strong ties to his territory of origins. He knew how to transform his father’s intuition and use it as a launching point to explore new productive possibilities.

But more than anything else, he gave him the pleasure of working with a smile. He also learned this from him: “To love what I do and do what I love, bringing a smile to people I meet and those who taste my wine.”

1. AR BAROLO SERRALUNGA D’ALBA VIGNA RIONDA | DOCG 2014 | £65.50

He found this same spirit, stubborn yet lighthearted, mindful but not too serious, in 2012 in his business partner Alessandro Bonelli, an oenologist, who tends to all technical aspects of the winery’s production today.

2. AR BAROLO SERRALUNGA D’ALBA LAZZORITO | DOCG 2013 | £55.95 3. AR BAROLO SERRALUNGA D’ALBA | DOCG 2014 | £33.95 4. AR BARBARESCO | DOCG 2016 | £26.95 5. AR LANGHE NEBBIOLO | DOCG 2017 | £17.50

He also found it in Mauro Adriano, who added his extensive knowledge of the international market when he joined.

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6. AR LANGHE ARNEIS | DOCG 2018 | £13.95 VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR FULL DETAILS AND TASTING NOTES

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The view from the Cru Montersino Barbaresco, Langhe Hills, Piemonte North West Italy

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A F E W W O R D S A B O U T | B O U RG O G N E Rich history, special terroir, talented winemakers and unforgettable tasting.

CÔTE DE NUITS

CHABLIS

Chablis Chablis Grand Cru Chablis Premier Cru Irancy Petit-Chablis Saint-Bris

CÔTE CHALONNAISE Bouzeron Rully Mercurey Givry Montagny

Marsannay Fixin Gevrey-Chambertin Morey-Saint-Denis Chambolle-Musigny Vougeot Vosne-Romanée Nuits-Saint-George

CÔTE DE BEAUNE

Ladoix Pernand-Vergelesses Aloxe-Corton Chorey-Lès-Beaune Savigny-Lès-Beaune pommard Volnay Monthélie Meursault Auxey-Duresses Saint-Romain Puligny Montrachet Saint Aubin Chassange-Montrachet Santenay Maranges

CÔTE MÂCONNAISE Viré-Clessé Saint-Vérain Pouilly-Fuissé Pouilly-Loché Pouilly-Vinzelles

The world-famous Bourgogne vineyards produce some of the most prestigious and expensive wines in the world. The top wines are mostly produced on a narrow strip of land running south from Dijon, on the western fringe of the Saône plain, in the Côtes de Nuits and the Côtes de Beaune vineyard areas.

About 200 million bottles are produced each year (60% white, 29% red and 11% sparkling) which represents 0.5% of the world’s wine production.

The reputation of Burgundy wine is based on the use of barrel ageing and the excellent management of this process which results in outstanding wines. Ageing in oak barrels for wine is usually an exception (1% of wine in the world) and may last 8 to 24 months.

Unlike the vineyards of Bordeaux, Burgundy has classified terroirs with 21 Regional Appellations which represent 54% of production, 44 Appellations Communales representing 34% and 562 Climats where we find the Premiers Crus - 10% and the Grands Crus representing only 2%.

1. HERVÉ KERLANN BOURGOGNE HAUTES CÔTES DE NUITS CUVÉE K 2016 |100% Chardonnay | 13% | £21.50 2. BOUCHARD PÈRE ET FILS MEURSAULT LES CLOUS 2016 100% Chardonnay | 13% | £45.00 3. CHÂTEAU DE MIRANDA MACON-VILLAGES 2018 100% Chardonnay | 13% | £14.50

GRAPES Pinot noir, Gamay, Chardonnay and Aligoté. Also a small proportion of Pinot gris, le César, le Sacy, le Melon de Bourgogne and Sauvignon Blanc.

CLIMATE & SOIL Cold winters and frequent frosts, even in spring. Summers are hot and autumns are dry. Due to its extensive size there are various climatic influences: continental in the north, oceanic in the east, and Mediterranean in the south. In Burgundy, the wines produced on two terrains a few meters apart have different characters, this difference is due to the micro-climate and the very varied geology of the soil and subsoil.

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4. HERVÉ KERLANN BOURGOGNE HAUTES CÔTES DE NUITS CUVÉE H ROUGE 2016 |100% Pinot Noir | 13% | £22.50 5. DOMAINE CLAUDE NOUVEAU GRAND CLOS ROUSSEAU SANTENAY PREMIER CRU 2018 | 100% Pinot Noir | 13% | £23.95 6. DOMAINE A-F GROS, VOSNE-ROMANÉE, CLOS DE LA FONTAINE 2015 | 100% Pinot Noir | 13% | £65.00

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A F E W W O R D S A B O U T | H A RV E S T I N G It’s the most important time of the year for every vineyard. The challenges, pitfalls and rewards.

In the northern hemisphere grape harvest usually occurs between August and October and in the southern hemisphere between February to April. Winemakers test the ripeness of the fruit using sugar and acid levels as a guide although highly skilled winemakers will also go by taste.

Hand harvesting is traditional and practised by all quality focused wine producers. Experience and discernment of the picker is crucial for spotting faulty or diseased grapes.

Mechanical Harvesting picks everything so there is no sorting of diseased grapes and is used especially in Australia as there are a lack of people to pick and mostly the grapes are used for mass produced, lower quality wines found in

HARVEST IN GRAND CRU

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supermarkets and big retail chains. As a result these wines will also be much higher in sulphites caused by damaged grapes.

Global warming and climate change is also now affecting when harvests are happening and is consequently changing traditional styles of wine. Consistently more and more regions are harvesting up to ten days earlier than they did twenty plus years ago.

Pacherenc du Vic Bihl, Madiran, in South West France, harvest some parcels of grapes on 31st December so they are the last wine harvested in any calendar year. The very dehydrated grapes produce an intense sweet wine. This wonderful dessert wine is available at Neill Wine.

VIEW OUR INSTAGRAM POST

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T H E G R E Y H O U S E | H O LY W O O D C O. D O W N An experience like no other, we’re delighted to be working with this unique and stunning venue.

THE GREY HOUSE, although self catering, can also offer its guests the option of private chef hire.

Working with two renowned local chefs they can provide any level of catering, whether it’s fine dining, tasting menus, a lobster BBQ on the lawn or a more casual dining option or buffet. Only the finest local produce is used and every budget is catered for.

We are excited to announce our new partnership working with guests and private chefs on wine pairings to make a dining experience that’s a little bit more special! We also provide an exclusive wine menu for guests to avail of during their stay. Wine selections can be delivered free of charge by Neill Wine Call a Cave, the same day.

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CRAFT BEERS & SPIRITS Have a look at our unique range, including all our local favourites

Bullhouse Brew Co | Newtownards Small Axe | Session IPA | 44cl | £3.30 Road Trippin’ | Citra Pale Ale | 44cl | £3 Copeland Distillery | Donaghadee Copeland Classic Irish Gin | 70cl | £34 Jones 1778 Navy Strength | 70cl | £44.99

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Hillstown Brewery | Randalstown The Goat's Butt Wheat Beer | 50cl | £2.50 The Horny Bull Stout | 50cl | £2.50 Massey Red Ale | 50cl | £2.50 The Squealing Pig IPA | 50cl | £2.50 The Drunken Donkey Lager | 50cl | £2.15

Modest Beer | Holywood Modest NE Pale Ale | 33cl | £2.15 Modest IPA | 33cl | £2.35

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W H E R E W E A R E | G RO O M S P O RT & H E L E N ’ S B AY Pop in for a chat and a browse - we’d be delighted to see you

GROOMSPORT 49 Main St, Groomsport, Bangor BT19 6JR | Email: info@neillwine.com FIND US ON GOOGLE MAPS

HELEN’S BAY 2 Station Square, Helen's Bay, Bangor BT19 1TN | Email: info@neillwine.com FIND US ON GOOGLE MAPS

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CLICK & COLLECT | OR WE’LL DELIVER You can call & collect at our Groomsport shop - otherwise browse & order online and we’ll come to you

ORDER ONLINE NEILLWINE.CO.UK

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