19 minute read
the british are rumming
It seems that rum is finally fulfilling long-held expectations by being the next big thing in spirits, as consumers look for exciting new places to go after gin.
One interesting micro-trend is a rise in British rums, either blended in the UK by enthusiasts buying casks from overseas, or those taking raw ingredients to create something completely fashioned on home soil.
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None other than legendary London spirits emporium Gerry’s, in Soho, has reported a surge in interest in British rums this year.
The emergence of new rum producers and brands plays into two bigger trends: the rising demand in craft spirits as a whole, and the interest in “local”, which has played out in numerous food and drink trends, including, notably, gin and beer.
Nigel Huddleston introduces a quintet of British producers who spell out what makes their rums stand out from the crowd.
Starting from … Scratch rum is, as the name suggests, made completely from scratch in the UK.
Doug Miller of the company says: “Our climate, being cooler, means that fermentation and maturation happens differently. “This impacts flavour profile and enables us to create a rum full of a broader spectrum of flavours – in our case, typically fruitier and sweeter in nature. “We’re super-transparent about our processes and don’t add anything postdistillation – an area that the wider rum industry has come under scrutiny for previously.”
Scratch uses a number of different spirit and wine casks for a variety of flavour profiles in its limited releases.
“Our Faithful and Botanical rums work amazingly well in a simple Daiquiri,” says Miller. “Our Golden goes great in a Jungle Bird [made with Campari and pineapple juice] and our aged Patience rum works well on its own or in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned.”
Variety through spice Scotland’s John Paul Jones is a Lowland rum that, says co-founder Finnian Gill, was created to “challenge the predispositions of the flavoured and spiced rum category”. Gill adds: “We age it in first-use, charred American oak, which is pretty rare, and then steep it in three botanical ingredients – ginger root, black peppercorns and handpicked Scottish seaweed – all fresh and at food grade. “We add no colouring, artificial flavours or sugar, which creates a balanced, drier and more honest spirit.
“It is incredibly versatile, delicious in a rum and tonic and in a rum Old Fashioned.”
Scouring the universe Dark Matter is a spiced rum assembled in Aberdeenshire from the best ingredients from around the world, including Oriental ginger, Thai green peppercorns, Indonesian long pepper and South American allspice berries. What is very much “a hands-on, batch process” creates “an explosive flavour profile”, according to owner Jim Ewen: “a distinctively rich, decidedly different and literal interpretation of spiced”.
Ewen adds: “Creating a humdrum spiced rum was never the plan. Dark Matter is the perfect accompaniment to a ginger ale for a Dark and Stormy. It’s simple to make and you don’t need a degree in mixology. “While a spiced rum isn’t traditionally a sipping rum, it’s purely down to personal choice and many drink Dark Matter straight.”
A bespoke, warming, Christmas serve involves the addition of cider and traditional mulling spices for a Mull It Over, garnished with apple and star anise.
Collective responsibility Cabal takes its name from a panel of consumers and rum experts who taste and approve selections of Caribbean and South American rums to go into blends created by Harpalion Spirits of Edinburgh. Founder Claire Kinloch says: “Our first expression, Cabal No 1513, is an aged rum that is a combination of pot and column distillation techniques, with rums that have been carefully selected from prominent distilleries in Guatemala, Guyana, Trinidad, Panama and the Caribbean, tropically aged at origin. “The liquid is then finished in Pedro Ximénez casks in Speyside, creating a distinctive and complex, yet smooth taste profile,” which is, she adds, “perfect for sipping neat, and offering an ideal base for a wide range of long drinks and cocktails”. The perfect marriage Mainbrace golden rum positions itself as “born in Cornwall, sourced in the Caribbean”.
“It stands out as it is made from a blend of two distinctive styles of rum that have never been bottled together before: English navy rum from Guyana and French agricole rhum from Martinique,” says co-founder Richard Haigh.
“Our Navy Strength is made from the same blend, but at a 54.5% abv rather than 40%.”
Its signature serve for the 40% rum is with tonic and a slice of orange.
“For Navy Strength, we would recommend a combination of lime juice and Mainbrace, garnished with a slice of lime. More adventurous cocktail makers could also make our Espresso Rumtini – Mainbrace, butterscotch, coffee, Kahlua and caramel syrup, garnished with an orange twist.”
FRENCH CONNECTIONS
This year’s French Connections tasting featured 37 French wine and spirits producers from all the main wine regions, showcasing more than 100 wines.
All of them are keen to do business with UK independents. Organised by Business France in partnership with The Wine Merchant, the London event attracted a group of wine professionals including independent wine specialists. Meet all of the producers in the following four pages, with details of the wines that stood out for the indies who went along.
DOMAINE DE FONTENAY
www.lechateaudefontenay.fr
Situated on the banks of the River Cher, Domaine de Fontenay cultivates 13ha of vineyards using integrated crop management. This exceptional terroir produces Sauvignon, Chenin, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Côt wines, with complex aromas, in the Touraine and Touraine Chenonceaux appellation areas.
LE SAUVIGNON 2020,
AOP TOURAINE: Lovely white flowers and herbal notes, and a chalky texture in this restrained and easygoing take on a popular variety.
CHAMPAGNE CHASSENAY D’ARCE
www.chassenay.com
Founded in Ville-sur-Arce in the Côte des Bar in 1956 by five pioneers, the Chassenay d’Arce house now encompasses some 130 families and three generations of winemakers. The house style is an expression of the family’s personality and the terroir they cultivate, using less familiar Champagne grapes like Pinot Blanc as well as the classics.
DOMAINE CLAUDE ET CHRISTOPHE BLEGER
www.bleger.fr
The Claude & Christophe Bleger estate is located at the centre of the Alsatian wine route. Vineyards are split into 30 parcels in four villages, allowing the domaine to express the differences of various types of soil. Working with the seven Alsatian grape varieties, the producer releases 20 different cuvées each year.
CRÉMANT D’ALSACE CŒUR
DE CRU 2017: An organic blend of Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois and Pinot Gris, with mouth-filling mousse, a burst of fruit and an appealing hazelnut undercurrent.
CHÂTEAU DE LABORDE
www.herve-kerlann.com
Hervé Kerlann is from Brittany but fell in love with Gevrey-Chambertin, and is now an honorary Burgundian, making wine in a 17th-century château in the heart of the Côte d’Or. From the prestigious 1er crus of Chambolle-Musigny and GevreyChambertin to the fresh terroirs of the Hautes-Côtes, and the fruit-driven regional appellations, Château de Laborde has a wine for every occasion.
HAUTES CÔTES DE NUITS CUVÉE K CHARDONNAY 2019:
Classic Chardonnay characters, including ripe apples and buttered toast, but a refined freshness too.
CHÂTEAU DE CHAZOUX
www.chateaudechazoux.fr
In the heart of the Macon region, Chazoux Estate has been in the same family for two centuries. Christophe de la Chapelle, a landscape gardener, is now at the helm with the aim of carrying on the tradition and authenticity of its wines, with a
DOMAINE DE VAUROUX
www.domainedevauroux.fr
The history of Domaine de Vauroux is intertwined with the rebirth of the Chablis winegrowing region itself in the 1970s. Olivier Tricon’s father, Jean-Pierre, and his uncle, Claude, planted their first vines in 1972. They subsequently acquired multiple plots, eventually creating an estate of 13ha in one contiguous area. Since then, the family farm has been almost exclusively dedicated to viticulture.
CHÂTEAU HENRI BONNAUD
www.chateau-henri-bonnaud.fr
Château Henri Bonnaud is located at the heart of the Palette wine area, close to Le Tholonet village in the south east of Aix-enProvence. The family-run estate produces AOC Palette, AOC Côtes de Provence and AOC Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire wines, as well as IGP Méditerrannée. The whole vineyard is organic and covers an area of 30ha, 14ha of which are classified AOC Palette.
CUVÉE QUINTESSENCE 2019:
Ugni Blanc, Clairette Blanche and Clairette Rose combine in an interesting blend that works well. There’s a lot going on with the aroma and flavour combinations. A well balanced and long finish.
DOMAINE GRAND PÈRE JULES
www.grandperejules.com
Located between Vaison La Romaine and Gigondas, the Domaine Grand Père Jules has been in the same family for five generations. Fully organic for more than 20 years now, its wines are mainly Côtes du Rhône, Plan de Dieu and IGP Méditerranée. All its wines reflect local traditions and the family history but with a modern flavour.
MAS ISABELLE
www.mas-isabelle.com
Isabelle Boulaire has 12 generations of winemaking expertise to inspire her efforts at this Lirac property, where the Grenache, Carignan, Syrah and Cinsault vines can be a century old. The 17ha are farmed using environmentally friendly methods, with a special few devoted to the special reserve Grand Roc wines. Isabelle gives special attention to the selection of lowyielding parcels, to the exclusively manual selective picking and to a classical style of winemaking which is as respectful of natural processes as possible.
CUVÉE BLANC ROC 2019: A blend of Roussanne, Grenache, Clairette, Viognier and Ugni Blanc, with 20% aged in barrel on fine lees. Ripe orchard fruit flavours and a serious, savoury note too.
POULET & FILS
www.poulet-et-fils.com
Family owned for four generations, with 25ha of High Environmental Value 25-yearold vines (on average) planted on chalkyclay slopes and shaley marls in the Rhône valley. Poulet is a sparkling wine producer, making Crémant de Die (dry) and Clairette de Die (sweet), but also a still red wine, Châtillon-en-Diois, which is 100% Gamay.
CLAIRETTE DE DIE TRADITION
NV: Lovely Muscat nose and palate. Fruity and sweet but with balancing acidity. Easy to imagine with Christmas pudding or even blue cheese. This wine really stood out at its price point.
DOMAINE LES BASTIDES
www.domainelesbastides.fr
A small family property at the north of Aix-en-Provence, certified organic for more than 30 years and composed of 65 acres of organic vines of Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Counoise, Mourvèdre, Rolle, Ugni Blanc, and Clairette. The domaine makes natural wines: red, rosé, white and vin cuit (a traditional Provençal dessert wine).
BLANC 2020: A fabulously pungent blend of Rolle, Clairette, Ugni Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, with a suggestion of warm haystacks. Delicious with strong, ripe cheeses.
LES VINS MARGNAT
www.vins-margnat.com
Based in Aix-en-Provence, the Margnat family was a famous producer and négociant for most of the 20th century, starting out as far back as 1895. There was even a Tour de France team bearing their name between 1958 and 1965. The Margnat brand was brought back to life in 2018 by Jean-Patrice Margnat, greatgrandson of the founder.
1895 CUVÉE: For Guy Dickerson at The Secret Cellar in Forest Row, Sussex, this was the tasting’s “top red by a long stretch”. An AOP Minervois blend of Grenache and Syrah with dark fruit, spice and vanilla depths.
ENCLOS DES ANGES
richard@enclosdesanges.fr
Enclos des Anges produces its organic grapes and wines in Calvi in Corsica. Grown on the estate’s 18 hectares are both indigineous Coriscan varieties (Niellucciu, Sciaccarellu, Vermentino) and typical Mediterranean grapes. Red, rosé and white wines are produced.
CUVÉE SESTO ROUGE
2018: Made with Niellucciu (a synonym for Sangiovese), Syrah and Sciacarellu (a synonym for Mammolo), this is a big, fullbodied wine, its full flavours balanced by plenty of acidity and tannin and a long finish. Ideal for wild boar casserole.
ANNE DE JOYEUSE
www.annedejoyeuse.fr
Anne de Joyeuse was created in 1929 by a group of winegrowers who decided to dedicate this cellar to the production of red wines from the start. Its name was inspired by the history of the Aude, in particular by the Duc de Joyeuse, born in 1560 in the Château des Ducs de Joyeuse near Couiza. It aims to produce exciting wines from the vineyards of Limoux and the upper valley of the Aude river.
DOMAINE PARPALHOL
www.parpalhol.fr
Domaine Parpalhol (meaning butterfly in the Occitan language) is a story of two friends with a passion for authentic wines and symbols of Languedoc treasures. The estate covers almost 30ha, near Béziers and Corneilhan. It’s an exceptional landscape planted by Romans centuries ago, now farmed organically: Ecocert accreditation was granted in 2015.
GRES SAINT-PIERRE
mas.isnard34@gmail.com
Domaine d’Isnard has been a family estate since 1760, located in Languedoc on the exceptional terroir of Méjanelle. The vineyards are mainly located around Montpellier, but also at Jacou, Saint Aunès,
Castelnau le Lez and Le Crès. Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Merlot is grown for the reds, Chardonnay and Viognier for the whites, and Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah for the rosés.
JOSEPH CASTAN
www.josephcastan.com
A specialist in Languedoc and southern Rhône Valley wines. Vianney Castan visits estates across the south of France in search of producers who, like him, are in love with their terroirs. Joseph Castan Fine Wine finds, produces and vinifies wines from estates that are close to his heart. The permanent range includes Château SaintJean D’Aumières and Château Saint-Louis La Perdrix, as Vins de Pays (IGP) and AOC wines from the region.
LA VIGNE D’ULYSSE
contact@groupelvu.com
A family estate for three generations located between Limoux, Carcassonne and Castelnaudary. For 30 years it has specialised in bag-in-box packaging and has technically adapted the entire vineyard, made up of about 15 grape varieties, in order to ensure the best quality/price ratio.
CHÂTEAU DE PERRON
www.chateaudeperron.fr
Dating back to the early 17th century, Perron operates within two appellations: AOC Madiran for the red wine and AOC Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh for the white. Its vineyard is principally Madiran, of which the dominant grape variety is the emblematic Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. AOC Pacherenc de VicBilh is made from Petit Manseng and Petit Courbu.
AOC PACHERENC DU VIC-BILH:
A wine described by one taster as “a joy”, full of tropical fruit richness and floral exuberance.
CHÂTEAU DES PEYRAUX
www.vinbiochateaupeyraux.com
A small organic vineyard of 5ha in the appellation of Fronton (south west France), made up of indigenous and historical grape varieties such as Négrette. Great attention is given to the soil and to natural rhythms, and the manual care on the vines is meticulous right up to the harvest by hand. Its first cuvées without added sulphites were created in 2019.
CUVÉE PETITE NÉGRETTE
2019: Dark and inky. Crunchy red and black fruit on the palate. Something interesting and different and very good price.
CHÂTEAU LAMARTINE
www.cahorslamartine.fr
One of the best-known properties in Cahors, with 37ha planted among the Lot valley’s oldest terraces. The southern exposition of the vineyard allows Malbec to mature perfectly. Brother and sister team Lise and Benjamin represent the fourth generation of the Gayraud family to farm this land, making “typical wines from Cahors appellation which combine sincerity, balance and freshness”.
DOMAINES LATRILLE - CHÂTEAU JOLYS
www.domaineslatrille.fr
Pierre-Yves Latrille, an agricultural engineer, could see the potential of Jurançon and in 1958 bought Château Jolys – while neighbouring farmers were switching to crops other than grapes. Over 10 years, he completed the planting and production of 30ha of Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng. Aimed at the premium market, the wines seduce with their finesse and include dry wines and sweet styles, aged in vats or in oak barrels.
CHÂTEAU JOLYS CUVÉE
CÉLEBRATION 2018: With its slightly wild character, marmalade tartness and bready warmth, this is a lovely example of Petit Manseng’s charms.
CHÂTEAU AMANIEU D’ALBRET
www.damanieu.fr
Located in the commune of Cardan, near Graves, spread over 11ha, making a range of wines spanning the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur Appellations. Combining modern technology with traditional methods, the château strives to produce high quality wines, “unique and atypical to these appellations”. Minimal inputs are used in the vineyard or in the cellar – and the products that are used are naturally based.
CHÂTEAU D’ARCHE, GRAND CRU CLASSÉ 1855
www.chateau-arche.com
Château d’Arche is a magnificent 70ha estate producing great Sauternes wines as well as a dry white wine, a rosé, a red and a traditional method sparkler. Its new cellar is at the cutting edge of sustainable development and symbolises the owners’ commitment to reducing their ecological footprint. In the vineyard, as in the cellar, innovation is at the heart of every project as the business pursues its ambition of precision viticulture in line with its values: purity, naturalness and ecology.
CHÂTEAU DE CHELIVETTE
www.chelivette.com
Just outside Bordeaux, this 70-acre property overlooking the hillside of Ste Eulalie and St Loubes has seen a real revival since 2014 with the conversion of the vineyard to organic. Wines are classified Bordeaux Supérieur and Côtes de Bordeaux. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec are used to make reds, and Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris for whites.
LE CLAIRET DE CHELIVETTE
2020: A textbook example of why clairette can be so much more interesting than bland rosés. An explosion of flavour with red fruit, iron, blood and roses.
CHÂTEAU DU PETIT PUCH
www.chateaupetitpuch.com
A family-run estate in the AOC Graves de Vayres, bought in 2004 by Marie-Paule and Bruno de la Rivière, opposite Fronsac, Pomerol and St Emilion. Wines are made available when the couple think they are ready to drink, generally after four years of ageing. In the 12ha vineyard, sustainable HVE farming is practiced, with low yields to allow a natural concentration of aromas and flavours.
CHÂTEAU MEYRE
www.chateaumeyre.com
Situated in the heart of the Médoc and the terroirs of Moulis and Margaux, the estate has been listed since 1876 among the first crus of Avensan. It has been classified Cru Bourgeois since 1932, joining the ranks of the newly-created Cru Bourgeois Superieur in 2020. Committed to sustainable agriculture since 2008, the property obtained organic certification in 2011.
DOMAINE BONABAUD
www.domainebonabaud.fr
Domaine Bonabaud covers 25ha
surrounding a series of small, but contiguous, vineyard plots forming Château Gauthier and Château Nézereau. The estate sits at the confines of the Blaye, Bourg and Fronsac wine appellations, at the heart of the broader Cotes-de-Bordeaux region. Its wines may be best enjoyed after three to five years, or kept for ageing for up to 15 years. In 2020, the estate was awarded HVE certification for its outstanding farming practices and efforts to protect biodiversity in and around the vineyard.
DOMAINE DE SAINT AMAND
domainedesaintamand.fr
Working within two appellations, Cadillac Côtes-de-Bordeaux and Bordeaux, making red, white, and rosé wines including four special blends and the flagship wine, L’Exception du Domaine de Saint Amand. The grape varieties are Merlot, Malbec, Sémillon, and Sauvignon. The packaging reflects the modernity of the wines. The aim is to produce honest, quality wines with good balance, offering excellent value for money.
FAMILLE DUBOIS DISTRIBUTION
www.vignobles-dubois.com
Laurent Dubois represents the ninth generation of winegrowers. There are 140ha of vines, with a production of 1m bottles a year. As early as the 1990s, the estate installed a weather station to prevent risks and reduce interventions in the vineyard and it has been a pioneer of green viticultural initiatives. The four châteaux of the Dubois family – Château Les Bertrands, Château Bellerives Dubois, Château de Cor Bugeaud and Château Le Chêne de Margot – offer a wide range of wines representative of all the styles of Bordeaux, classified as AOC Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux (red and white), AOC Bordeaux (red, rosé, white and sweet), and Vin de France.
HOREAU BEYLOT
www.horeau-beylot.fr
Created in 1740 by Pierre Beylot, HoreauBeylot is the oldest négociant on the right bank. It owns 15 prestigious châteaux in this area of Bordeaux and is a distributor of classified growths. The company employs 20 people and markets nearly 2m bottles per year.
www.maisonkavaklidere.com
In 2008 Ali Basman, head of Kavaklidere, a Turkish family-owned wine producer, met Stéphane Derenoncourt. The pair bonded over their very precise and empirical approach to vine growing and winemaking in order to express the uniqueness of each terroir while respecting the natural balances at work. So Maison Kavaklidere was born, allowing four generations of Turkish know-how to apply itself to the Bordeaux terroir.
MEDEVILLE COLLECTION
www.medeville-collection.com
The wines are a result of the careful selection by Arnaud Medeville, whose family has been here since 1826, from 180ha of vineyards. This range consists of only environmentally friendly wines from vineyards accredited with High Environmental Value, Environmental Management System, TerraVitis and organic status. The estate is divided into 11 châteaux on both banks of the Garonne. Medeville Collection represents a complete range of Bordeaux appellations.
GRAVES ROUGE 2019: A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Lively, fresh and herbaceous, with some deeper tarlike notes.
SCEA DU VIEUX PUIT
www.vignoblesbouillac.com
SCEA du Vieux Puit is a viticultural and vinicultural production company. In 1996 the first vines were planted and the first wine was the Château du Vieux Puit, whose emblem has always been present on the family estate, which produces mainly red wines.
LE LOUVETEAU 2014, AOC BLAYE
CÔTES DE BORDEAUX ROUGE: A mellow, wistful, medium-bodied Merlot/Cabernet blend which seems tailormade for Sunday roast.
VIGNES SECRETES / DUMONT, DORLAND & CLAUZEL
www.vignes-secretes.com
Vines at this 14ha vineyard are primarily planted in two south- and west-facing slopes on clay-limestone, using sustainable methods. This diverse terroir is conducive to the production of various blends characteristic of Château La Tuilière. The grape varieties are representative of the Côtes de Bourg: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec. Cuvées are aged according to several methods, depending on the quality of the harvest, the vintage, and changes in consumer trends.
CHÂTEAU LA TUILIÈRE TRADITION 2018, AOC CÔTES DE
BOURG: Juicy, warming blend of Merlot, Cabernet and Malbec, full of dark fruits and savoury edges.
VIGNOBLES CHAIGNE ET FILS
www.chaigne.fr
Château Ballan-Larquette and Domaine de Ricaud have been family-owned estates for several generations. The family company Vignobles Chaigne et Fils was created in 1992 when Régis Chaigne joined his parents to take care of the family’s vineyards. Today, the vineyard totals 27ha of vines classified as Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur and Entre-deux-Mers. The HVE label was awarded in 2018 and the conversion to organic farming began in August 2019.
BLANC 2020, AOC ENTRE-
DEUX-MERS: Tasters loved the exotic flavours of Muscadelle, the floral notes of the Sémillon and the freshness of the Sauvignon Blanc in this blend.
DISTILLERIE HEROULT
www.distillerie-bretagne.fr
A micro-distillery established in southern Brittany in 2019. It makes four types of gin – Avis de Tempête, Abysse and Ephémère (Autumn and Winter), all winners at the London Spirit Competition 2021. New cereal-based products will be made this winter, under the Irresistible name.
ABYSSE YELLOW: Original takes on gin are rarer than ever, but there’s something very special about the grapefruit and saline characters found in this cloudy spirit.
