President’s
The
Column.
At the end of September during a lovely spell of warm weather, (sunny
weather at last!) the York Section of the Yorkshire Sommeliers, chaired by Mike
Harrison and aided by his committee, organized a fantastic Saint-Emilion Dinner
at the Mansion House. The evening formed part of the 12th. York Festival of Food
& Drink and was well supported by York members, members of the public and
even a group of London members of La Jurade de Saint-Emilion, those with
epitoges (to us non-members of this élite, august body that’s a ‘shoulder sash’)
sporting them. It was a full house!
The Champagne Reception (Godme Brut Reserve, Premier Cru) was a
new one to me, from Verzenay and very delicious. Mike, having thanked his team
of helpers and the caterers, introduced the Chancellor of the Jurade for the North.
Tim Hartley and he spoke about Saint-Emilion and its wines as lovely pictures of
that ‘jewel’ appeared on screen behind him. Later he spoke about the nine wines
we were to drink with the excellent dinner.
Of the first three wines with the pâte, I preferred the 2002 Les Abeilles,
the second wine of Ch. Corbin-Michotte. With the succulent steak all three wines
showed well at our table but, as a fan of Ch. Bernateau GC, their 1998 took some
beating. The 2003 Ch. La Grâce-Dieu Les Menuts GC ran it a close second. With
a good selection of chesses came the top quality wines – 1998 Ch. CorbinMichotte GC, 2002 Ch. La Couspaude GC and finally 1997 Ch. Clos Fourtet
Premier GC. They all drank extremely well with the Fourtet still with time to
improve. What an amazing evening although I have to admit to having made a
slow start the following morning.
By the time you read this, some people from the Scarborough Section
(including me) will have been to Bordeaux via Tours, led by Section Chairman,
Howard Hunter. We travel by coach enabling us to bring wine home. We are
spending one day in Saint-Emilion and will visit Ch. Bertateau in the afternoon
having called on Ch. Figeac (Premier Grand Cru Classé) in the morning so the
York dinner was a taste of things to come.
We will also have enjoyed our Annual Dinner at the Royal Hotel in
Scarborough and our Chairman, Hazel, hopes the numbers will have exceeded
those of last year. I can now reveal that the sub-committee of Ron, Greta and
myself have chosen this year’s winner of the Ken Buchanan Award. He is Chri
Bowes of the Harrogate Section. Chris has long helped with the administration at
Harrogate, at times in difficult circumstances such as when Harrogate almost
folded. He also casts a professional eye over the Guild’s Accounts. He tells me he
now acts as a sounding board for his Chairman, Peter Ambler and his team. So,
congratulations to Chris and we hope he and his wife, Ruth, will enjoy the
contents of the Tantalus in their very new home by the Stray.
Well I am just about to head off on holiday so I’ll end by hoping that our
new Editor, Tony Fox, will not find the job a toil of pleasure! (sic)
Deirdre Buchanan.
Dame de la Jurade de Saint-Emilion.
(Just in case you imagine I was hurt by that last remark I must explain that the
President’s Column was accompanied by a card which wished me “Good luck
and best wishes”. I can only suppose our distinguished leader had been at the
Bernateau when she wrote the former!)
Chairman’s Notes
You may have noticed we now have
a new Editor of The Yorkshire
Sommelier. After several years and with
many thanks, Marjorie Gabbitas has
passed on this onerous task to Tony
Fox.
Tony is a long standing member of
the Scarborough Section and not only
has a considerable knowledge of the
wine industry, he also has editorial and wine writing experience.This
will be a great help when it comes to sorting out information sent in
from all sections of the Guild. Welcome aboard Tony and good luck!
The year is speeding by with such interesting tastings in all
sections. You are a lively lot! I must mention the excellent SaintEmilion Dinner and Tasting which the York Section organised in
conjunction with the York Festival of Food and Drink. I took
advantage of this annual event and lent a hand at the Bordeaux and
Port tutored tastings. Both were held in magnificent venues – the
former in the C18th. Mansion House, the latter in the Guild Hall.
Great! Make a note in your diaries for mid-September next year.
I look forward to another annual event namely our Dinner on
st
1 . November at the Royal Hotel in Scarborough and hope to see
many of you there.
The next date for your diary will be 27th. April 2009 when we
shall meet again for the A.G.M. which will take place in York.
Early Seasons’ Greetings and good tastings!
Cheers!
Hazel.
Bingley Section Report
In July we had a superb tasting of South African wines shown by Norman
Woffenden. Norman, now retired, worked in South Africa and has personal
contact with his producers. Bukettraube, Tinta Barocca and a Rhône look-alike
were unexpected and very good. The Pinotage, as usual, found few friends.
After the August break we tasted wines of Argentina with Graham
Coverdale of the House of Townend. The Torrontes was, perhaps, the best
received of the trio of whites but most votes went to the Malbec Reserva, a big,
brooding wine needing cellaring.
Peter Clayton.
Future Programme
November:- Sidney Irving, Loire.
December:- Christmas Dinner.
……………………………….
Caistor Section Report
Over the summer months Julia Whittaker, our chairman, held a barbeque at her
home, as a replacement for the visit to Castle Howard which had to be cancelled
for a number of reasons. Those who attended the barbeque thoroughly enjoyed
the event on a day enhanced by the weather.
Our next event was the September meeting at the Blacksmiths Arms, the guest
speaker being Peter Hopkins “A Spanish Tasting”. Peter is the ultra professional
and gave a splendid tasting with all the wines presented having a following. The
two stars of the show were a white 2005 Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha, Campo de
Borja (£14.85) and a red 2004 Sierra Cantabria Cuvée Especial (£16.75). This
was the unanimous view of the 42 members who attended that evening.
Robin Bell.
Future Programme
November 3rd Christmas Wine with Ports and Madeiras by James Long of
Corney & Barrow. Venue:- Stallingborough Grange.
December 6th Christmas Dinner at Kennick Golf Club.
Harrogate Section Report
Our July tasting was our first at Harrogate Golf Club. At last, we seem to
have found a venue with space for us that’s happy to be ‘taken over’ on a
Tuesday evening! Our speaker was Nick Walne of Playford Ros, who put on an
excellent tasting of Loire whites and Rhone reds. Highlights included the elegant
2006 Sancerre ‘La Guiberte’ from Domaine Alain Gueneau, and a firm but smooth
2004 St Joseph from Jean Louis Chave. Nick’s talk included a fascinating potted
history of the Chave family firm, which has been passed from father to son since
1481.
In August, we enjoyed a return visit from Martin Bayne of Harlequin
Wines, this time showing us seven wines from Alsace. These included a Tokay
Pinto Gris from Scherer – a 2005, so one of the last to be able to use ‘Tokay’ on
its label. Also from 2005, we sampled Loberger’s Riesling Vieilles Vignes, then
rounded off the tasting with two interesting Gewürztraminers. They were both
from Scherer’s 2000 vintage: the Grand Cru Eichberg and the seriously indulgent
Selection Grains Nobles.
We had a break in September, and for our October tasting (happening
just after we go to print), we’re looking forward to a session with Christine Austin
on New Zealand. If it’s anything like the South African tasting she did for us last
year, we’re in for a real treat.
Tony Gamble.
Future Programme
11th November
Stuart Calder of Red Robe Wines on Burgundy.
9th
Festive Dinner at Harrogate Golf Club.
December
13th January
Mark Ryan of Great Northern Wines (topic to be
Confirmed).
10th
February
Henry Laithwaite of Laithwaite Wines on making and
selling his own wine.
10th March
David Lawson of Chez Vin on Spain.
An Extract from “Clochemerle”, a Novel by Gabriel Chevalier
set in the Beaujolais Region, published in 1934.
(This is a grotesquely comic caricature of village life at that time.)
The new curé ….. set about recruiting and converting. But he realised he
would have no influence over the men unless he could be rated a good
connoisseur of wine, wine being the only concern at Clochemerle.
Intelligence was measured by the finesse of the palate. Whoever, on three
gulps swished round the gums, could not say: ‘Brouilly, Fleurie, Morgon,
Juliénas’, was considered a prize idiot by these fervent vine growers ….
Inspired with evangelical conviction, he began to frequent the inn
and to take a glass of wine with one and the other of Torbayon’s
Customers …..
The system did not bring a single soul back to God. But Ponosse
acquired real proficiency in the matter of wines, and thereby gained the
respect of the vine growers of Clochemerle ….
In fifteen years, Ponosse’s nose, the shade of which was somewhere
between canon’s purple and cardinalate crimson, inspired confidence in
the region.
………………………………………..
This is a C19th. cartoon from
“Punch”, drawn by
John Leech.
Underneath was the following
caption showing that little
changes:Jones: ‘I say, Brown, things are
deuced bad in the City.’
Brown: ‘Then I’m deuced glad
I’m at Epsom.’
Hull Section Report
In July our annual Summer Social was held at the home of Mr & Mrs
Nigel Green and a most enjoyable time was had by all.
September saw fellow Sommelier, Mary Sandham, as our guest speaker.
She took us through a whirlwind tour around the globe. Of the eight countries we
visited both the Lebanon and (although I’m loathed to admit it) France came out
on top for me, with a Lebanese 2000 Bekaa Valley, Château Musar (a blend
dominated by up to 80% Cabernet Sauvignon fleshed out with Cinsault and
Carignan) plus a 2001 white Burgundy, Meursault Clos des Tessons, from
Vincent Sauvestre being the favoured wines. The only downside of this was the
£25 price tag of the latter.
Johanne Coupland.
Future Programme
December 9th, Christmas Dinner.
“The Big Bunch” by Paul Flora, 2004
Château Monty
Wine writer turned
vigneron, 40 year old Monty
Waldin has courageously
attempted to establish a small
biodynamic vineyard in the
south of France. In this
photograph the backdrop of
the Pyrénées Orientales, the
sun and the vines make an
idyllic scene but for Monty it’s
been a struggle. He’s had to
Picture © Channel 4
contend with a bad back, wild
© Channel 4
boars, storms, financial problems and an unreliable assistant but,
with his contacts, he was able to find an English wine merchant
prepared to import much of his first vintage.
All this and more was documented by a recent six-part series
showing on Thursday evenings at 8.00pm (C4). The programmes
were not afraid of discussing biodynamic viticulture, soil types,
tannin extraction and marketing the vino rather than simply talking
about the taste and smell of the liquid.
“What is a biodynamic vineyard?” I hear you cry! Well, an
Austrian called Rudolf Steiner (1861 – 1925) founded a movement
known as anthroposophy – a sort of spiritual science. His teachings
have various applications, amongst others, in the fields of medicine,
teaching, architecture and farming.
The implications for a wine producer are too lengthy and
complicated to go into here – which means that I don’t fully
understand them but I’m sure York member, Dr Gareth Morgan,
could enlighten me! The techniques are similar to organic methods
except that they go a step further. Planting, pruning, harvesting,
bottling are all timed to coincide with certain
positions of the planets whilst that of the moon
seems to play a major role in planning operations.
What I do know is that several highly
respected wine personalities such as Oliver Zind
Humbrecht MW in Alsace or Noël Pinguet of Huët in the Loire were
converted and are now convinced that biodynamics produce better
wine.
In 2007 Monty made only a red wine from grape varieties
already in the 2.2 hectare vineyard when he rented it – 80%
Carignan, 20% Syrah with a splash of, unaccounted-for-in-thestatistics, Grenache and the white Maccabeu (called Viura over the
border in Rioja).
If you want to try the 2007 Monty’s Red, Vin de Pays des
Côtes Catalanes (£7.99) contact Adnams in Southwold, Suffolk on
(01502) 727222. It is possible to purchase a single bottle but the
transport will cost as much as the wine. If you buy a case of 12
there’s a free delivery service.
How does it taste? Answer - easy drinking, juicy with lots of
spicy, herby, aromatic fruit and refreshing acidity. As Monty himself
says, “It’s not Château Latour”. But, tasted alongside other reds
from Roussillon, I’d give him nine out of ten.
A map showing the position of the VdeP des Côtes Catalanes.
© Mitchell Beazley 2001.
Oddbins, a Return to the Glory Days ?
Do you remember those heady times when Oddbins ruled
wine sales on our high streets ? Back in the ‘80s & ‘90s they
consistently won the title of “Wine Merchant of the Year” in the
International Wine Challenge leading us to new vinous horizons,
first Australia, then Chile and later Greece.
Their award-winning wine lists were collectors’ items
illustrated by the great graphic artist, Ralph Steadman who in his
book, “The Grapes of Ralph” published in 1992, acknowledged
Oddbins “without whom, or which, none of us could survive.”
Members living in Harrogate, Leeds, Sheffield or near Shipley
were lucky. York had to wait until March 1994 for a branch to open
in Piccadilly but, sadly, they never came to the remote reaches of
Scarborough!
In their heyday, an Oddbins shop was a treasure trove for
wine lovers but then, in 2002, along came a French wine group,
Castel, who paid a reported £57m for the Oddbins name. From then
on Oddbins went downhill. Castel, who also own the Nicolas brand,
even changed the name of some southern branches to trade under
that title stocking their newly acquired outlets with a succession of
dull, overpriced wines.
The result was that profits deteriorated. 2006 losses were
rumoured to be a staggering £8.6m resulting in the chain being put
back on the market.
It was bought by a group led by Henry Young and Simon
Baile who, up to this point, ran two shops together – one in Surrey
and one in Paris. Have they bitten-off more than they can chew?
Only time will tell but Simon is the son of Nick Baile who ran the
company from 1973 to 1983 and knows just how good it can be.
His first wine promotions brochure is headlined “Expect the
Unexpected.” Underneath, he writes, “We are delighted to be buying
back the business of Oddbins after 25 years and intend putting the
‘Odd’ back into Oddbins to ensure that we become the best
independent wine retailer in the UK and Ireland.”
Already there has already been a noticeable boost to staff morale.
Here’s hoping they make a success of the venture. It will take time
to clear inherited stock but a special-offer price reduction has shifted
some after only about a month under the new owners (as I write). It
would be wonderful to see Oddbins restored to it’s former glory
A Wine Quiz
Tasting wine is our primary raison d’être.
Anyone can sniff, slurp and spit but how
many answers to novices’ frequently
asked questions can you supply?
A A blind tasting is where we:1 Blindfold the tasters.
2 Cover the bottles/labels.
3 Taste in a darkened cellar
B What are the first three steps to follow
when assessing a wine?
C How many portions for tasting should
you get from a 75cl bottle?
D How many glasses for drinking, as
opposed to just tasting, do you expect to pour from a 75cl
bottle?
E Why do tasters suck in air, chew the wine and often
make a gurgling noise?
1 Most of them, like Oz Clarke, are natural comedians.
2 It brings out the different qualities of the wine they’re
assessing.
3 It’s a natural reaction to some of the foul stuff they
have to taste.
4 The exercise helps to activate the taste buds.
F Why do tasters spit out the wine?
1 Because it tastes horrible!
2 If they swallowed all the wine they would be drunk!
3 The act of spitting aerates the mouth and heightens
the sense of taste.
4 If you swallow you get a nasty after-taste which ruins the
palate for the next wine.
G Why are Bath Olivers/water biscuits and mineral water
provided at all professional tastings?
H
What’s the sense behind the old trade adage/advice when
dealing in wine, “ Buy on an apple but sell on cheese.”?
I
If a wine is described as being ‘big’ does it mean:1 The container is larger than the normal 75cl bottle.
2 It’s full bodied.
3 It’s high in alcohol.
J Sometimes a wine is described as having ‘tears’ or ‘legs’. Does
this mean:1 It’s so acidic it makes the taster want to cry.
2 There are long lines of wine which run down the glass after
the contents have been swirled.
3 This tasting term was coined by a male chauvinist pig.
K When tasting correctly and spitting out, according to Jancis
Robinson MW, how much wine is still absorbed through the
mouth tissue?
1 For every thirty wines tasted and spat out, one glass.
2 For every ten wines tasted and spat out, two glasses.
3 For every fifty wines tasted and spat out, ten glasses.
Answers will be revealed in the next exciting edition (No 33) of The
Yorkshire Sommelier. Unfortunately, I’m told, we can’t afford any
prizes but remember it’s taking part that counts. All answers on a
postcard or e-mail the Editor at foxandgrapes@talk21.com
Leeds Section Report
On August 3rd we miraculously managed to dodge the
monsoon and held a garden party at Lorraine & David Collett’s.
A Champagne reception with canapés followed by salmon,
prawns and crayfish. The main course was ham and beef with
cheese to follow. All this was supplemented by salads &
puddings supplied by those attending. Members also brought
along their own wine and many excellent and varied bottles
were enjoyed.
The attendance was 40 including our President, Deirdre
Buchanan and Chairman, Hazel Hart. It was a great occasion at
the amazing cost of £12.50 a head! Thanks go to all who
contributed to its success.
Monday September 8th saw Leeds Section at a new
venue - YoYo Restaurant in Shipley. The tasting was given by
Robert Hoult of Hoult's wine merchants in Huddersfield.
We tasted six French wines - a Provence Rosé, Château
Montete, a Côtes de Gascoigne Gros Manseng/Sauvignon
blend and a St Veran. All very good wines with the Alain
Brumont Gascoigne outstanding.
The reds were a Dom-Terres Georges Minervois, a Dom Terres
Georges Vin de Pays d'Oc made from Merlot and Cabernet
Sauvignon and Les Coteaux Schisteux Séguret 2003. All terrific
wines with the Vin de Pays d'Oc and Séguret superb.
As always Rob's presentation was entertaining,
informative and funny. The meal following the tasting was an
excellent mix of Chinese and Thai dishes. All in all a great
evening.
Jack Hesketh.
Future Programme
November 10th
December 8th
tasting.
James Long of Corney & Barrow – Festive
Tasting.
Christmas Dinner & Member’s Choice
Scarborough Section Report
July 7th brought more rain together with Paul Tate-Smith and a
Champagne tasting to cheer us all up and compensate for the weather. Sales of
Champagne are increasing rapidly in the new market areas of Russia, China and
India!
There are now over 7,000 different brand names of Champagne, but we
sampled just seven! Three of the Champagnes were from the Henri Blin cooperative’s group of 95 members which included the ‘House’ Champagne of
Ryedale Vintners. Also a Pol Roger was as popular as ever.
The overall winner was a N/V Louis Roederer Brut Premier (£25.75).
Howard would not push the boat out for the Cristal but we still enjoyed their basic
offering.
The new programme started with a Rioja tasting on 1st. September
brought to us by our fellow member from the York Section, Terry Herbert. It was a
horizontal tasting of the 2001 vintage – one of the best in recent years since 1994
– so we were treated to an evening of ‘posh’ Riojas.
All the wines tasted had a minimum of 80% Tempranillo and had spent
time in American oak. It’s this that gives Rioja a distinct vanilla nose with some
sweetness on the palate.
Single vineyard Riojas are now very rare so we were fortunate to be able
to sample two, a very traditional one and the first wine. 2001 was an excellent
vintage however, all the wines tasted will benefit from further ageing although
they were drinking well now.
An excellent start to our new season.
Linda Ibbotson.
Future Programme.
November 3rd Danny Cameron, Portugese Wines
December 1st H & C Wines.
December 11th Christmas Dinner.
January 5th
Roberts & Speight, German Wine.
February 2nd
Graham Coverdale from the House of Townend,
Alternative Spanish Wines.
March 2nd
Chris Mooney from John E. Fells & Sons, French
Wines.
Sheffield Section Report
On Sunday 22nd. June, instead of the usual barbeque, lunch had been
arranged at Whitley Hall – the normal venue for the Sheffield Section’s indoor
meetings. Lunch commenced with a méthode champenoise sparkler from New
Zealand. The two courses which followed were a very enjoyable experience for
the 38 members who attended.
The guest of honour was the 94 year old mother of one of our members.
She seemed to enjoy this celebration of her birthday and everyone joined in a
rousing “Happy Birthday” which helped to make this a memorable occasion.
The tasting on Monday 29th. September had been arranged with the
Aussie Wine Company but the committee experienced great difficulties
communicating with them and, in the end, they failed to turn up. However, as
doubts grew about the situation, Michael France had formulated Plan B so that
seven ladies were asked to choose a wine to present to members. In the absence
of any communication from the Aussie Wine Company Plan B went ahead and
the ladies gave a concise description of their chosen wine from their tasting notes.
The evening opened with Michael France offering us a glass of Crémant
de Jura – a fizzy Chardonnay from Aldi. Anne Guest presented a New Zealand
Sauvignon Blanc which was very acceptable. Maureen Sheety continued with a
De Grendel Winifred from South Africa – another good wine this time from
Oddbins. Sybil Cartwright gave us a 2007 Cuvée Montagny, made from vines
over 35 years old – ‘to be drunk with light dishes’ we were told. The complex,
deep flavours were much appreciated.
Moving onto the reds, Joan Hadfield told us that she had always liked
Beaujolais and presented a Te Mata Gamay Noir from New Zealand. This was
indeed in the true Beaujolais style. Margaret Anderson’s offering came from Chile
– an Isla Negra Cabernet Sauvignon which was flavoursome and good value at
£3.74 (a half-price offer). Then Marlene Roper presented a deep, red Claret – a
2004 & 2005 Château Pey la Tour. The 2005 won a silver medal. A well
balanced, peppery wine which seemed to go down well. Finally, Pat Lindley had a
‘pudding’ wine for us – Pineau des Charentes – at 18% abv this was treated with
great respect but sipped with pleasure!
The efforts of these ladies were received with lots of humour and
participation by the 30 members present. It was a very different kind of evening
but a most informative and entertaining one especially as we had been let down
by a professional wine company.
DMR/RR
Book Review
The Wines of Bergerac by Phil Hargreaves, Highgate Publications, 24 Wylies
Road, Beverley, HU17 7AP, June 2008, £12.95, ISBN 978-1-902645-51-3
Mention Bergerac to an average person and they will think of
the popular ‘80s TV crime drama of that name, set on Jersey,
starring John Nettles.
There is, however, an older, non-ficticious, more historic
connection for Bergerac is the name of a French, Dordogne wine
producing area, inland from Bordeaux and north of Entre-de-Mers. It
consists of 13 individual appellations offering a wide diversity of
tastes from the reds of Pécharmant and Montravel to the rich, sweet
whites of Monbazillac and Saussignac – largely wines seldom seen
or understood
over here.
Now Phil
Hargreaves (of
Sigglesthorne
near Beverley) has
produced the
most detailed guide
currently
available in English,
dealing
exclusively with the
region. He,
together with his
wife, MarieClaude,
has visited
nearly all of the 92
properties
described in the
book and tasted
every wine
mentioned.
So, if you
aspire to broaden
your vinous
horizons, do buy
and make use of this guide.
Printed on quality art paper and illustrated throughout in
colour, it features 92 of the best producers, together with maps and
details of how to visit them. Information about importers/retailers is
also included although, sadly, many entries have to record the fact
that there are no UK importers.
All the more reason for visiting this beautiful part of France
and, if this inspires you to make the trip, contact Phil on (01964)
532746 or
e-mail him at hengate@aol.com – I’m sure he could get you an
entrée to most of the properties and, as all us Yorkshire Sommeliers
recognise, there’s no better way of discovering, appreciating,
sniffing, sipping, slurping and swallowing new wines than seeing the
place where they’re born and nursed to maturity.
About the Author
Born in Skipton in the days when men drank beer,
women something sweet & sticky like Tia Maria or Cream
Sherry whilst only the better-off and (in the then common
argot) ‘poofs’ drank wine, Phil grew up to be a clever lad.
He won a place at Nottingham University which
culminated with a degree in French. During his studies he
had to spend some time staying in France where he
acquired a love of French wine.
During this time he taught in a teacher’s training
college and gained a French girl friend from Périgueux.
Later they married and after 40 years of visiting her home Phil feels he knows the area and
its wines pretty well.
They settled in England where Phil became a modern languages teacher,
amongst other places, at Beverley High School. Since 1988 he has also been a wine
merchant, trading as Hengate Wines. I’m sure some of you remember the small shop in
Hengate which sold specialist coffees and teas as well as vino.
Early retirement from the chalk-face allowed him to devote more time to his love
of wine. He now runs a wine school based in Bishop Burton, East Yorkshire and the
Premier Cru Wine Club
meeting in the Beverley Arms hotel.
In 2003 he was invited to join the Confrérie Saint Etienne d’Alsace in recognition
of his work in promoting the wines of Alsace and now he’s playing his part in reviving the
image of Bergerac – always, in the popular perception, seen as poor men’s Claret. Phil
thinks it’s high time for the region to assert its own strengths and cease hiding in the
shadow of its famous neighbour, Bordeaux.
“I hope”, he says of his new book, “this guide will help you discover the charming
wines and equally charming people of the Dordogne, their passion to create the best
possible wines from their terroir and the warmth of their welcome.”
A Handsome Japanese Cartoon Wine Critic is Driving
Women to Drink
Entire 20,000 bottle shipments of Burgundy sell out within
hours if he so much as looks at a glass. Sales records have been
smashed because he has uttered a dreamy sigh over a 2006 New
Zealand Riesling or closed his eyes in appreciation of a St-Aubin
Premier Cru.
Enoteca, one of Japan’s top-end importers, admitted that this
character has even begun to influence its
stock ordering decisions.
In the rarefied world of superstar
sommeliers, there may be none greater than
Shizuku Kanzaki. The only snag is that he is
a cartoon character.
Shizuku, the hero of Kami no Shizuku
(The drops of the gods) has proved to be an
extraordinarily potent mover in Asian wine
markets – far more so, say some in the
industry, than flesh-and-blood wine critics.
His adventures are read by about
500,000 Japanese each week and book
collections of the comics have sold millions
of copies. Wines that feature in his weekly activities regularly
become overnight hits, particularly for Japan’s frenetic online wine
markets.
In the story Shizuku is on a quest for the world’s 12 greatest
wines and this has served to push Japanese wine drinkers towards
a more sophisticated, complex experience. Sommelier courses for
Japanese women are fully booked!
(seen in The Times, Sept. 11th, 2008 – not quoted verbatim)
Is there, one wonders, an opening here for The Yorkshire
Sommeliers? Could we boost our membership figures by advertising
ourselves in Asia? Maybe we might even arrange for eager
Japanese ladies to come over for intense instruction? I’m sure there
would be plenty of willing tutors.
Whitby Section Report
July
An informal evening at a member’s house: apéritifs on the lawn, a
delectable buffet and a flight of Châteauneuf-du-Pape vintages to
accompany it. What more could one ask? A view perhaps? On an evening
with the thickest moors mist of the summer so far, a goodly number of
Whitby Section members gathered for a most enjoyable evening in Egton
to taste 20 years of Châteauneuf wines conjured up by Nigel Green and
to appreciate an excellent spread provided by a local caterer.
August
After a day which foretold a cold and damp evening, an enthusiastic
group of Whitby members met at Nigel & Andrea Green’s cottage to be
greeted with a balmy and gentle evening in the best Whitby tradition.
White wines and mezze on the terrace, fish medley and more white wines
after the sun went down, ham and chicken with a range of reds, then
some seriously impressive sweet wines with home-made desserts. Whitby
folk really know how to do it in style! Scintillating company,
impressive wines and a faith supper of epicurean proportions.
Highlights must be a Coteaux du Layon ‘Rochefort’ 2003 part-owned by a
member, a 12 year old Côtes de Nuits Villages from Louis Latour, a 1976
Beerenauslese and a 1986 Eiswein – the latter two being half-bottles unearthed
from a member’s wine cache.
September
We returned to ‘No.4 The Parade’ for a range of wines from the
entertaining duo of Andy Hattam and John Clarke who are officially H&C
Wines of York. They provided a liquid Tour de France, showing some
interesting wines from lesser known French regions. A very drinkable
Crémant de Limoux at £7.95 started the evening off, followed by a
Sauvignon Blanc ‘Pré Baron’ ’05 with markedly gooseberry nose and then
a genuinely dry ‘One Block’ Muscat ’06 from Dom.Treloar. A very
interesting Dom.Roc Châteauvieux Pinot Noir ’05 at £6.45 had a good
Burgundian nose and soft flavours – it comes from the Loire and I
thought this good value but the tannins were still a bit assertive for
a light/medium weight wine. Also good value at £6.75 was
Ch,Lamothe-Vincent C.S.+ Merlot ’05, this would be worth keeping
longer. Up a notch to a Séguret ‘Les Coteaux Schisteux’ CdRhone ’03 at
£8.75, a very intense morello nose and a smooth palate. Finally with
dessert Dom.Miselle ‘Soleil d’Automne’ ’05 at £7.95, 100% Petit Manseng
but not late harvest: a very peachy nose and reasonably priced but less
complex than Jurançon Moelleux. H&C are also holding a tasting in York
on Saturday 29th.November, contact them for more details.
Richard Evans
York Section Report
For our August meeting we joined up with the Slow Food Movement and
110 of us met at the Chantry in Bishopthorpe just outside York. The Chantry is
the beautiful home of one of our committee members, Diana Naish. We met
under canvas in the extensive grounds of the Chantry whose next door neighbour
just happens to be the Archbishop of York. The weather was kind and thankfully
the rain kept away. The evening had a Lebanese theme and there were a
selection of Lebanese wines to taste in the form of a mini trade fair prior to a most
sumptuous Lebanese buffet catered by Diana and her team.
The following month we have held two meetings so October was a fallow
month for the York section. On the 1st of September we met at the Churchill hotel
to learn about “Spain beyond Rioja”. We were exceedingly well entertained and it
is just a pity that this occasion could not have been better supported.
Nevertheless all present were assailed with a veritable cornucopia of
Spanish wines - 13 in all (yes one, three THIRTEEN!) We started with the
obligatory Cava, Mas Macia Brut and proceeded to taste another 9 wines prior to
enjoying a further two with dinner and just to make up the bakers dozen a sweet
Moscatel with our dessert. With such a long race-card it would be trivial to name
any particular favourite but our Spanish journey took us to Rueda, Campo de
Borja, Toro, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y Leon and Majorca. Suffice it to say our
presenters took several orders on the night so the select audience must have
been extremely satisfied.
At time of writing we have just concluded our most adventurous project
yet and grateful thanks to all members of the York committee for all their support,
hard work, patience and perseverance for putting on what, without a doubt, was
the flagship event of the Festival. In association with the York Festival of Food
and Drink we invited Tim Hartley, Chancellor of La Jurade de Saint-Emilion to
present nine wines with dinner.
Tim personally selected wines to complement the four course dinner
superbly catered by “Dine” Catering Company of Leeds. The historic surroundings
of York’s Guildhall created a truly atmospheric ambience that was enjoyed by all
120 diners. Of the assembled company 50 members of the York branch attended
as well as a welcome delegation from the Jurade itself. The remaining 55 tickets
were sold to the general public and it was a great opportunity for all Sommeliers
to extol the virtues of our organisation. Amongst the guest list we were delighted
to welcome our Guild Chairman, Hazel Hart and our President, Deirdre
Buchanan.
Mike Harrison.
The Story of the Rise and Fall of
Beaujolais Nouveau
(Beaujolais Nouveau is synonymous with Beaujolais Primeur. - export markets favour the
former, French the latter.)
At the beginning of the last century, it was commonplace for
the new vintage’s wine to be sold on or after the 11 th. November (St.
Martin’s Day) just after the new métayage (land tenancy)
agreements had been negotiated between the vigneron and landowner. This changed to the 15th. November in 1919 as the date
clashed with Armistice Day which fell on the 11th.
In the 1930’s, the cafés and restaurants in Lyon started the
trend of selling the new wine (Primeur) in November and this
continued throughout the war years in the 1940’s.
During the war, many Parisian journalists moved to the ‘freer’
environs of Vichy-controlled Lyon and became avid imbibers of the
new Beaujolais when it appeared in November. On their return to
Paris in 1945, a hard-core of these new Beaujolais aficionados
persuaded their local bars and cafés to sell this deep-purple ‘nectar’.
From that moment on a legend was born.
The French Government officially recognised Beaujolais
Primeur in 1952. Ten or so years later the likes of Clement Freud
raced the new season’s wine over the Channel soon to be emulated
by others all over the country. The craze really took hold in the
1970’s and 1980’s peaking in 1992.
The resulting rapid cash flow was a winemaker’s dream but there
was a price to pay as this left little incentive to produce the more
serious stuff.
Fashions come and go in the wine drinking world, just as they
do in any other walk of life, but what turned Beaujolais Primeur into
a joke was a French wine writer named François Mauss who wrote
in Lyon Mag (in 2001) that Beaujolais of this ilk was “not proper
wine, but rather a sort of lightly fermented and alcoholic fruit juice.”
He went on to brand it as “vin de merde” which needs no translation
but then the proverbial hit the fan, especially in the courts, where it
became known as “The Shit Wine Case”.
It is possible to produce fresh, simple, purple-coloured, juicyfruity wine from the Gamay grape rather than one smelling of nailvarnish,
bubble-gum or bananas and tasting of pear drops.
This taste/aroma sensation is caused by the wide-spread use
of total macération carbonique (where the grapes are fermented
whole before crushing, with the help of carbon dioxide) a technique
which can be helpful if used judiciously - when restricted to not more
than 10% to 20% of the wine. However, in Beaujolais it was
employed for rapid fermentation to hasten the new wine to market.
Beaujolais Primeur was never intended to be taken too
seriously by anyone and no producer of the stuff would claim it’s a
fine wine. It should be fun, made to be quaffed in copious quantities
but, alas, there will be no serious quality Beaujolais Primeur made
until the rules & regulations for this AOC are totally overhauled.
The result of all this is that these “lollipop” reds (as the trade
call them) have disappeared from the shelves. The races to bring
them back to Britain are a thing of the past and the likes of Italian
‘novello’ don’t seem to excite the same interest.
Is Beaujolais Primeur also a thing of the past? Only time will
tell.
Vineyards come
to North
Yorkshire.
For some years
now wine buffs have
been joking with friends
about the implications
of global warming on
North Yorkshire’s
possible potential as a
wine producing region
facetiously naming
certain sites such as Côte d’ Oliver’s Mount, Coteaux de Foxholes
or even wishfully dreaming of single vineyard sites such as Château
Howard or Domaine du Duncombe Park.
Well, jest no more for two intrepid Huddersfield folk, Stuart
and Elizabeth Smith, have planted over nine acres of vines at
Westow near Malton, four of which are organic. The latter had black
polythene placed over the vines to keep them weed free without the
use of chemicals.
Among the 8000 or so vines are familiar names such as
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc but there are also new
varieties, bred especially for a cooler climate, such as the German
Solaris.
George Bowden, at Leventhorpe Vineyard on the edge of
Leeds, is now offering – as well as his old favourites - a sparkling
wine so who’s to say what delights are to come from Ryedale
Vineyards?
All this happened back in April 2006 but the couple are
planning ahead. Vineyard tours will be a feature although Elizabeth
has already established a popular, high quality bed & breakfast
facility. How appealing! Set in this quiet, gently rolling countryside;
en-suite rooms, a listed building in a vineyard with all the delights of
Ryedale on the doorstep – it should be a winner!
Stuart has been in the wine business for more than 22 years
(importing vines for both UK vineyards and garden centres) thus has
established a useful list of contacts plus a wealth of expertise.
A wide selection of table wines is envisaged ranging from dry
to sweet wines, rosés and sparklers. Many grape varieties have
been planted but, of course, time and experience will eventually
determine which ones are kept.
They picked their first grapes on the 23rd & 24th of September
this year (see picture of Elizabeth, Stuart, Philip and Simon bringing
in the harvest). The Solaris was very ripe with sugars of 82 on the
Öchsle scale – used to estimate the ripeness of the grapes and
predict eventual alcohol levels.
The red Rondo was about 75 Öchsle so Stuart added a little
Solaris to make a rosé but he reports that there was no worthwhile
crop on the Ortega, Pinot and Chardonnay. He’s not making a red
this year - delayed flowering, due to bad weather in July, put paid to
that! Then the winery itself is still in the process of construction!
So we can only wish them every success and look forward to
a tasting sometime in the future.
(Incidentally, one of the York Section members, Dr. Gareth Morgan,
is a regular consultant and helped with the vendange.)
Picking the first Grapes in the Westow vineyard this September.
Section Membership Numbers.
Paid up members as of October 2008.
Bingley
22
Caistor
65
Harrogate
43
Hull
44
Leeds
64
Scarborough
90
Sheffield
65
Whitby
32
York
117
Grand total
542
A Note from your Editor
All material printed in CHANCERY CURSIVE has been written by
myself and I take full responsibility for any comments, opinions or
inaccuracies contained therein.
Everything else appears in ARIAL font and, where applicable, the
author has been named.