TIMES DECEMBER 2020
Famille Bougrier
Sixth Generation Family Winery
Wines in the Spotlight Porrais Duoro & Grati Chianti DOCG
Whiskey Galore Sliabh Liag Distillers
TIMES
by CLASSICdrinks
Happy Christmas
Content Famille Bougrier Sixth Generation Family Winery
Villa Huesgen 2020 Harvest Report
Meet the team Paul Savage
Prado Rey ‘Kings Meadow’
What’s my Job?
Marie O’Riordan European Market Manager, Seifried
Wines in the Spotlight Porrais Duoro & Grati Chianti DOCG
Beekon Batches The honey refresher
Whiskey Galore Sliabh Liag Distillers
It’s a load of Grapes
This issue covers the beautiful Chenin Blanc and Merlot grapes
Colm’s Cocktail Corner A festive coktail for the holiday season
Swirl & Spit
Join our very own Mark Donohoe for some Christmas wine recommendations
From the Editor The 5 P’s
The Best Of Loire Sixth generation
Since 1885, 6 generations have shaped the history of the BOUGRIER FAMILY
from Sancerre to the “Pays Nantais” with the successive creations of our 3 wineries: “Les Caves Tourangelles” in the Touraine region in 1995, “ Les
It all started in 1885, when Achille “GUENAULT-COUSIN” discovered the
Caves de l’Angevine “in Anjou in 2000 and “ Les Caves de la Nantaise” in
“Plateau des Hauts Lieux” in the Touraine region, in the town of Saint
Muscadet in 2008.
Georges sur Cher. A passion was born for this Terroir and for the potential of its wines.
Finally, through his trips, he became a true ambassador of our vineyard by developing the image of our House … This is why our wines are now served
He never left, and created the “Domaine GUENAULT. Since then,
worldwide on some of the best tables in the world.
several generations have participated in the development and fame of our terroirs and designations on this great vineyard that is the Loire
In 2015, it was Nicolas BOUGRIER who made his entry into the
Valley: Maria Guenault, Maurice Bougrier and Jean-Claude Bougrier, 4th
family home and 2 generations are now working side by side to carry out
generation, worked successively in this way.
our only goal: Reveal the best expression of the Loire Valley , with the greatest respect for men and our soil.
Since his arrival in 1988, Noël BOUGRIER, fifth generation, has given a new dimension to the Family House.
Sophie BOUGRIER, Nicolas’s sister, is never very far to represent the House, in France and abroad.
First of all, he made it possible to achieve the dream of the previous generations, by widening the cover of the House to the whole Loire Valley
2Villa0Huesgen 20 harvest Report START OF THE HARVEST: END OF HARVEST: AVERAGE YIELD PER HECTARE: PROPERTY)
15TH OF SEPTEMBER 2020 22TH OF OCTOBER 2020 56 HL/HA (ON THE TOTAL
We have never started our harvest so early, and it was a very long one with 7 weeks in total. On the first day we made a Saint Laurent grape juice. For the first time we have picked our Pinot Noir grapes from our Enkircher Steffensberg site for two new wines, Villa Huesgen Rosé and Villa Huesgen Pinot Noir. This was followed by our Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and finished with our Riesling selections from the Trabener Würzgarten, Enkircher Herrenberg and Enkircher Steffensberg. At the end we picked our Villa Huesgen Auslese Riesling noble sweet from the Enkircher Zeppwingert. We will be delighted to let you taste our new 2020 vintage “Made by happy people” soon!
With the vintage 2019, Villa Huesgen, has been awarded with the certificate FAIR’N GREEN for its sustainable viniculture. Fair And Green e.V., which was founded in 2013 as an association for higher standard of sustainability, supports its members to obtain a higher standard in conservation, environmental viticulture, higher biological diversity, protection of natural resources, fair wages, social engagement, preservation and improvement of the natural environment. FAIR’N GREEN sets minimum standards and supports constant improvements, from procurement to viniculture and wine making to the distribution. VILLA HUESGEN, since 1735 a family owned winery on the Mosel River, accepts, together with FAIR’N GREEN, the responsibilities for nature and man in the production of its fine wines.
HARVEST TEAM & HARVEST 2020
MEET THE TEAM!
PAUL SAVAGE | KEY ACCOUNTS & DUBLIN Why the Wine Business?
I am very fortunate to work at something that I truly love. I have been in this industry for nearly 30 years and from the start found myself gravitating to the wine side of each business at the time. A beer can be mass produced, a spirit similarly so, and these can be produced quickly and with no discernible difference on each occasion. Wine is magical in that each vintage can vary according to the climate, the soil, the wine makers influence etc. The emotions wines bring out in people are amazing, and when you see someone tasting a style, a grape, a region that they have never tasted it is inspiring. Being able to see the creation of the wines from the wineries from start to finish is magnificent, and I have been very fortunate to have visited some of the best wineries in the world and met some of the most inspirational wine makers over the years, Adrianno Del Bianco from Masottina in particular being one such man.
If not selling wine, what would you be doing?
Finishing school and on to college I initially did Motor Management and then marketing. Probably would have drifted in to motor industry in some way.
What are you reading at the moment?
Currently finishing last year’s Christmas Present of “Tall tales and wee Stories” by Billy Connolly.
What was the last wine you had?
Recently ordered up some of the Kreinsbacher Juhfark Somlo, and really enjoyed this Hungarian Gem.
What is your favourite music?
A huge ELO fan, so disappointed they cancelled this year’s concert.
Where is your favourite place?
Love West Cork, but similarly Wicklow mountain walks present some stunning scenery.
What are your hobbies?
Love golf and try to get out as many weekends as possible. I also love to paint, mostly with oil paint, I find it really enjoyable.
What’s your favourite saying?
“All of our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” ― Walt Disney.
fit for a king ‘KING’S MEADOW’
Francisco Martín (our oenologist in the left) and Jorge Rodríguez de Rivera (on the right, our Commercial Director) Below Fernando Rodríguez de Rivera (our General Manager) Both, Fernando and Jorge are grandsons of the founder, Javier Cremades Adaro.
Finca La Mina, so refined and elegant you can never have enough. Finca Real Sitio de Ventosilla (RSV) is so exceptional that has been only elaborated on vintages 1999, 2004 and 2009 with the best grapes of our vineyards, only when their quality is outstanding. As time goes by this wine shows more hues, gaining in scent and taste. Finca Valdelayegua, reflects the more classic version of Ribera del Duero, although due to evolution of consumers oak barrels presecence is now lower and wine currently shows more fruit.
Bodegas Pradorey is located in the highest and coldest part of Ribera de Duero area, within the Royal Estate of Ventosilla. Our estate has a surface of 3000 hectares with an altitude, terrain, climate and soil composition that makes it one of the top quality areas within the Ribera del Duero Designation.
The estate used to belong to the Royal family in the 15th and 16th Century. In 1982, the current owners, the Cremades family, started planting vineyards within the estate, becoming by far, the biggest vineyard owners in Ribera de Duero. We can proudly say we elaborate all our red wines with our own grape and currently have more than 545 hectares of vineyards, divided in 9 different vineyards (139 parcels/plots) with significant differences in altitude, orientation and soil composition that provide distinct single vineyard wines, some of which have been converted to organic. Nowadays, the winery produces under its inherited name of Pradorey (which means King’s Meadow) different wines from Tempranillo majorly, Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot grapes. In addition, some years ago we started working with some white grapes from the area such as Albillo Mayor.
Our oenologist, Francisco Martin, and our Board of Directors, which is still composed by Cremades Family members, help maintain the spirit of the winery, under an innovative vision but being respectful with traditions and highly committed to the environment since our origins. Pradorey is self-sufficient in electricity thanks to our hydroelectric plant by the Duero River and our solar photovoltaic farm, we use natural fertilizer for crops from our cattle, recycle all our waste and keep reducing our carbon footprint every day.
WHAT’S MY JOB?
Marie O’Riordan European Market Manager, Seifried
I have known the Seifried Family for around 16 years and have worked for them directly for 9 years. Up until March 2020, my job involved a lot of travel within the UK and Europe, but I have been “grounded” now for 6 months, because of Covid19. The global pandemic has meant that many of us have had to adapt to a new way of working. I have had an office at home for many years so that aspect was not difficult for me. However not being able to travel, or visit distributors and share the Seifried story and wines has been very frustrating. After lockdown was announced mid-March, I found myself spending a lot more time on the phone or attending “meetings” or “wine tastings” on Zoom or Microsoft Teams. It is wonderful to be able to connect with distributors and colleagues via these platforms but they are no substitute for in person contact. The absence of travel this year has given me more time to explore new markets and to look for distribution in countries where we are not already represented. This involves extensive research, talking to other wineries, making presentations, producing proposals and organising samples. MARIE O’RIORDAN AND OUR VERY OWN AIDAN MCNAMARA
Being the European Market Manager for Seifried, involves many phone calls and emails on a daily basis with our distributors and customers, discussing current business, orders, labels, looking for new opportunities, quoting for new business, briefing for new label development. As Seifried’s only overseas employee, I manage our European business from a well-equipped cabin in my garden. Sometimes the work can be quite mundane - organising couriers, packing up samples, printing off tasting notes. Seifried exports to 27 markets. Some of the largest export markets fall under my remit – UK, Russia, Latvia, Germany, Finland, Norway, Poland, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Romania, Kazakhstan and of course my beloved Ireland. In normal times I would travel in market at least a couple of times a month – training for importers’ staff and customers, hosting tastings and dinners for private clients, trade presentations and tastings. I particularly enjoy going into trade with the sales guys, tasting with prospective customers and (usually) getting listed! In addition, there are large international fairs to attend, such as Prowein. I also usually travel once a year to New Zealand. For example, in February this year we hosted our Russian distributor and twelve of their customers. In the past few years, we have hosted customers from Classic Drinks, the UK and Germany. Travel is one of the most exciting parts of the job, but it involves a lot of sometimes complex organisation, booking flights, cars, parking, hotels, applying for visas, poring over maps working out how to get from the airport to the hotel when the flight arrives late and you have to be up early for a full day of tastings. There are many “red- eye flights” into European cities to ensure punctual arrival at an event. Travelling through different time zones, staying in lots of hotels, early mornings and late nights is tiring. Rest and exercise are very important, but this can be difficult to fit in with a busy schedule of wine lunches and dinners. Each country has its own culture and protocols and I have to be mindful of this, you don’t want to make any cultural gaffes when you are trying to sell wine! Apart from English, I speak French, some German and I am now learning Russian as this is an expanding market for us and travelling in a country where you can’t even read the alphabet was rather unnerving. To do this job, you need to love the product, love the story and enjoy meeting people along the way. Seifried Estate is the longest established winery on New Zealand’s South Island, created in 1973 by Austrian-born Hermann Seifried and his New Zealand wife Agnes. In a corporate world this remains an entirely family-owned and run business.
WINES IN THE
SPOTLIGHT WINE: Porrais Duoro CODE: PO150 GRAPE: Códega do Larinho, Rabigato, Verdelho, Viosinho REGION: DOP Douro
The region extends along the Douro River, in about 250,000 hectares, and the vineyard area occupies around 40,000 hectares. Surrounded by the mountains of Marao and Montemuro, Quinta de Porrais is protected against the winds that are felt in this region. In 2001 the region was inscribed on Unesco’s world heritage list.
TASTING NOTE: This wine is very expressive aromatically with floral and citrus notes revealing good acidity in the mouth. On the palate the wine has tropical fruit and citrus notes and shows intensity and good character. Pair this wine with salads, seafood and fish dishes.
Wine: Grati Chianti DOCG Code: IL200 Grape: Sangiovese Region: Tuscany DOCG
The Grati family has been making wine for six generations in Rufina, the spot widely regarded as one of Tuscany’s finest. Down through generations the family have kept the tradition of quality over quantity. Their wines are seen on some of the world best tables. For the Grati family they believe tradition is the core of who they are.
TASTING NOTE: The intense ruby red shines before our eyes thanks to the great anthocyanin content of the Sangiovese. The visual characteristics of this wine only confirm its elegance. A wine of good intensity, the taste of this wine can be characterized as agile and velvety, coupled with its plentiful cherry flavours.
Introducing the refreshing,
Beekon Batches Beekon Batches is a new category of alcohol. Honey Refresher. Named after the founder, Karen O’Neill (KON), supported by her partner, Helen, this is something truly unique & differentiated, not to mention Irish made! Think 5% alc honey prosecco & add some fresh fruits/spice infusions. Now think Clean alcohol, Free from sulphites, additives, preservatives or any artificial ingredients. Now think, worth paying more for with a premium proposition, bottled in a bespoke, unique, shelf grabbing beehive shaped bottle & lastly, intriguing 3 flavours, Offering something mature & clean for conscientious consumers who seek better in their lives, a cleaner alternative that is an accessible alternative to wine. cider or beer. At our heart is to create impact as we go. We strive to support the bees through our urban pollinator program, where we provide accounts with wildflower bee bombs, bee hotels or sustainable education, in a bid to cultivate one the largest urban pollinator programs. Just imagine, if every hotelier, publican and store owner did one thing to help the bees?!! Most of all Beekon is more than a refreshing drinks brand. It is a refreshing way to think about life. We invite you to connect with what really matters. We invite people from all walks of life to reconsider their choices. To think about the impact you want to have, on your friends, on your world, on your own bodies & lives. It’s about creating the change you want to only only see but bee in the world.
Sliabh Liag Distillers is the first distilling company in the county for over 175 years, established with the purpose of reclaiming the distilling heritage of Donegal. Two Scatterlings have returned to Sliabh Liag with their Meitheal (work-gang or team) to create a legacy that the whole community can be proud of. Located on the Sliabh Liag peninsula, the two distilleries are surrounded by one of the world’s most striking landscapes populated by resilient people, steeped in folklore and with a legendary distilling heritage.
Silkie was awarded
88 points (silver medal) by the Beverage Testing Institute in 2020
The legendary Silkie is a blended Irish whiskey bottled by Sliabh Liag Distillers . While they build their whiskey distillery, they have sourced the finest double and triple distilled malts, soft grain whiskey and a hint of peated malt, inspired by the legends of the Donegal Coast.
Sliabh Liag Distillers have taken a bold step with The Legendary Dark Silkie in reintroducing consumers to rich, smoky, peated Irish whiskey. Inspired by Donegal whiskeys of days gone by, they have sourced the finest double distilled single malts and triple distilled peated single malts with soft grain whiskey.
Dark Silkie was awarded
93 points (Gold medal) by the Beverage Testing Institute in 2020.
Chenin Blanc
Merlot Merlot is a dark blue–coloured that is used as
Chenin blanc is a white grape most famously
both a blending grape and for making wines on
from the Loire Valley and South Africa. With its
its own. Its believed that the name came about
high acidity it means it can be used to make
from a French word for blackbird, due to its
everything from still wines to sparkling’s and
colour.
even desert wines.
Its
combined
In South Africa it is known as Steen. It is
with its earlier ripeining, makes Merlot a
softness
and
“fleshiness”,
believed to have been the first grape grown in
popular grape for blending with the firmer
South Africa back in 1655 by Jan Van Riebeeck.
Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines tend to be medium to light with There are two styles of Merlot - The New World
fresh crisp acidity and soft round sweetness.
Merlot which with its late harvesting gives a
The grape can produce wines from sweet to
lovely freshness
and produces inky, purple
off dry. There are versions of oaked Chenin and
coloured wines that are full bodied and
even oaked and old vine Chenin which our only
high in alcohol. They are lush, with velvety
outstanding and can really shoe the potential
tannins and intense, plum and blackberry
this grape has.
fruit. While the Old World style is practiced by many Bordeaux wine makers – this involves
Overall it is a grape that tends to get over
harvesting Merlot earlier to maintain ACIDITY
looked on a wine list. It is a perfect match for
and producing more medium-bodied wines with
a lot of vegetable dishes or salads, rich fish or
moderate alcohol levels that have fresh, red
cream-based dishes.
fruit flavours (raspberries, strawberries) and potentially leafy, vegetal notes. MA220 Ai Palazzi Merlot Riserva Piave DOC Veneto | Italy
MP100 | Mooiplaas Bush Vines Stellenbosch | South Africa Grape: Chenin Blanc
Grape: Merlot
IT’S A LOAD OF GRAPES!!
It’s that time of year again! Hot drinks by the fireplace. This cocktail is ideal for these cold winter nights. The humble Irish Coffee. I used to have to line the bar with 40/50 Irish coffee glasses for American tour groups as they descended on the bar after their Guinness Stew or Wild Irish Salmon Screaming for their Irish Coffees like impatient children in a sweetshop. The Irish Coffee originates back to a flying boat airport in Limerick 1943! A man named Joe Sheridan created the drink for some American tourists that had just landed and needed some warming up. There are so many unique twists on the Irish coffee. Bartenders adding flavoured syrups instead of sugar, Infusing the cream or swapping out whiskey for Baileys. Two that have caught my eye recently are The Belfast Coffee and the Gen-Z Irish Coffee. The Belfast coffee from bar 1661. They use cold brew coffee & poitin instead coffee and whiskey. The poitin is legal! I think. Gen-Z Irish Coffee created by the very talented Irish bartender Ali Haze . I came across this on Instagram where she makes her own vegan Cream to replace the original dairy cream.
THE IRISH COFFEE 1 teaspoon Demerara Sugar 50ml Silkie Irish Whiskey 120ml Freshly brewed coffee Cream
Garnish: grated nutmeg
COLM’S COCKTAIL CORNER In e ac h e d ition Col m ou r c oc ktail g u y wil l p ic k on some of t he Cl as s ic Coc ktail s of th e Wor l d .
SWIRL Christmas &SPIT With each edition we will be asking one of our team what they are drinking.
MARK DONOHOE
FINE WINE SPECIALIST M: + 353 (86) 820 2999
Wines
GUSBOURNE BRUT RESERVA, KENT – ENGLAND It might sound a little crazy, but trust me, the best sparkling wines are being made in England these days! The wine is wonderfully aromatic with notes of raspberry and red cherry, brioche, croissant, batch bread, cinnamon and clove. Perfect to whet the appetite before the Christmas dinner (or if you are like me, with smoked salmon and scrambled eggs first thing in the morning!). TERRAS GAUDA, ‘O ROSAL’, GALICIA – SPAIN The perfect for the start of a meal or any seafood starter! This sensational blend, made of mostly Albarino offers a wonderfully aromatic and complex wine with notes of pineapple, peach, elderflower, sage and whipcrack minerality. On the palate the wine is dry and fresh with fantastic mouth-watering acidity, intense fruits and a crunchy mineral finish. JEAN LORON, DOMAINE DES BILLARDS SAINT AMOUR, BEAUJOLAIS – FRANCE For a wine that will compliment perfectly both the leaner white meat of turkey and the richer meat of the ham, look no further that the elegant Beaujolias Cru of Saint Amour! This 100% Gamay noir from old vines offers notes of bright red fruits, strawberry, raspberry, goji berry & cherry are accompanied by notes of chocolate, violets and spice. ANGOVE RARE TAWNY 15 YEAR, RIVERLAND – AUSTRALIA For Christmas pudding, look no further than this fortified, Solera-aged beauty. On the nose the wine is developed and complex with aromas of dried red fruits, walnuts, candied citrus peel, toffee and caramel. On the palate the wine is sweet and fresh with intense dried fruit and lifted mouth-watering acidity leading to a chocolate, caramel finish.
ANOTHER
WIN FOR
FAMILLE BOUGRIER
GREAT NEWS FOR ANGOVE Angove McLaren Vale The Medhyk McLaren Vale Shiraz 2017
S I LV E R M E DA L CO N C O U RS G É N É RAL AG R I C O L E
SILVER M E DA L C O N C O UR S GÉ NÉRA L AGR IC O LE “Disciplined attention to detail has produced a perfectly balanced medium to full-bodied palate that has supple, juicy and smooth plum and blackberry fruit with a hint of dark chocolate, integrated cedary oak and built-in tannins. It sings from start to finish. Drink to 2042, screwcap, 14.5% alc” James Halliday 13 November 2020
From the Editor THE 5 P’S
As we approach the Christmas month and come to the end of a year that will go down in history, it is also a good time to reflect and plan. A time to look at what your business is really offering? what is the business goal? What does the business stand for? What make makes the business different? etc.
P U R P O S E
Here I have outlined a framework that might be of help if some are looking to have a fresh look at their business to see how they can press a refresh button. The best results are when your team are involved in each of the topic discussions, this way they take ownership and it also creates a stronger willingness to see it true. It becomes the Team Vision and not just the managers or owners vision. I hope its of use.
P A S S I O N
Mindset
Assessment
Organisation
Intention
Vision
Mission
Enthusiasm Skills
P E R F O R M A N C E
Competition Customers Competences Communication
P R O F I C I E N C Y
P R E S E N T A T I O N
Boomerang
Tonality
Excellence
Objectives
Artistry
Engagement
Marketing
Sell the Sizzle
Slogan
CLASSICdrinks Wine Specialist
CLASSICdrinks
CLASSICdrinks Courtstown Industrial Estate, Little Island, Co. Cork
T: +353 21 451 0066 E: sales@classicdrinks.ie W: www.classicdrinks.ie
Wine Specialist
I would just like to take this opportunity of wishing all our amazing customers, brilliant suppliers and or course our super staff a
Very Happy Christmas and a fantastic well deserved 2021. See you all on the other side.
From the Editor