Fine Wine Blog

International Merchant of Fine Wine and Spirits

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A California State-of-mind

Matt Thompson, International Sales and Buying

(Above: Mountain vineyards in Caifornia’s Napa Valley.)

“What’s the best wine you’ve ever had?”

“What’s your favourite wine?”

I’m sure many us have been asked these questions time after time. For me, they are impossible to answer: I could probably tell you the five most memorable wines I’ve ever had, and the style or region I’m most enjoying at any given time, but never anything as specific as one favourite wine.

However, if it came to the crunch and I could only fill my cellar with wines from a single region, I would answer “California” in a heartbeat. This often raises an eyebrow or two among Bordeaux drinkers, and inevitably leads to questions and statements about style, quality, age ability, Robert Parker… It’s definitely a case of looking beyond the label, literally and figuratively.

Recognising the heritage and spiritual home

The wines of California are too often overlooked or dismissed by those of us who might stick to Bordeaux for their Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends. Given Bordeaux’s prestigious history and roll-call of famous Châteaux along both banks of the Gironde, why settle for anything less than Cabs and Merlots from their spiritual home? With centuries of experience behind their belts it’s not unreasonable to suggest the Bordelaise winemakers have the know how to produce the best ‘Bordeaux Blends’.

However, there are some interesting parallels between Bordeaux and California. Not only have they played a vitally important role in each other’s history with the exchange of root stocks and vines, both have bounced back from the brink of devastation. For Bordeaux, it was the devastation caused by the phylloxera pest in the late 19th century that destroyed virtually every vine across Europe and meant replanting the vineyards from scratch. For California, it was a man-made influence that all but killed the production of quality wine, in the guise of prohibition! Before this law was invoked there were incredible wines being produced in the vineyards planted by the 18th century Missionaries, but production came to a grinding halt once prohibition came in to effect. Even when the law was repealed in 1933, economic depression and the impending war meant that the industry remained all but forgotten. However, in the 1960s, riding on a wave of national positivity and economic growth, California began to rediscover its identity and the first generation of wines worthy of their peers in Bordeaux were produced.

David vs. Goliath tasting

The famous (infamous?!) Judgement of Paris Tasting in 1976 proved beyond a doubt that the best Bordeaux blends and Chardonnays could compete with France’s elite Châteaux and Domaines, and a string of incredible vintages through the mid- to late-1990s – and eye-catching scores from Mr. Parker – saw the region back in business when it came to fine wine.

It’s also telling that some of the great producers and Château-owners of Bordeaux have looked West for inspiration in the last few decades. From Baron Philippe de Rothschild’s collaboration with Robert Mondavi to form Opus One and Christian Moueix’s (of Petrus) purchase on the Napanook vineyards to establish Dominus in early 1980s, to Francois Pinault’s (of Château Latour) much publicised purchase of the Araujo Estate in 2013, the Bordelaise have seen how far the region has come and what a wealth of diversity is on offer.

(Above: Hundred Acre’s Few and Far Between Vineyard) 

It’s this final point that has fuelled my passion for the wines of California. With the best will in the World, a drive through the Médoc doesn’t exactly offer a wealth of beautiful views. It’s essentially a series of rolling, fairly featureless hills and woodland with the occasional, albeit it often breath-taking, Château along the way. It doesn’t scream ‘terroir’ in the quite the same way maybe Burgundy does. However, what a contrast the Napa Valley is: the region’s vineyards are located within 16 distinct AVAs (American Viticultural Areas – the equivalent of France’s AOC system) spread along a 30 mile valley floor flanked by the imposing Mayacamas Mountains to the west and the Vaca Mountains to the east, at elevations of up to 792 metres above sea level. The variation and diversity in soils and microclimates in unimaginably big, and the cooling effect of seas breezes and fogs from either end of the valley add to the wines’ complexity.

(Above: Vineyards on Bordeaux’s Left-Bank)

View More on Napa's Sub-Regions (AVAs) »

Howell Mountain AVA - Located above the fog line on the eastern side of the Napa valley, the AVA is warmer and drier than other AVAs. Noted for Powerful, firm, blackberry-currant flavours and good tannins, with excellent acidity for ageing.

Mount Veeder AVA - Cooler climate, with most vineyards above the fog-line, meaning warmer nights and cooler days. Low yields give red wines a firm, tannic structure with strong earth-berry aromas and rich, but powerful flavours.

Oakville AVA - Moderately warm, but also still strongly affected by night and early morning fog, which helps keep acidity levels good. Ripe currant and mint flavours, rich texture and full, firm structure tempered by rich fruit.

Rutherford AVA - Moderately warm, still marginally influenced by early morning fog and tempered by afternoon marine winds. Flavours are full, ripe, and notably currant with firm, but supple tannins for extended aging.

Saint Helena AVA - This, the narrowest part of the Napa Valley floor, is warm, due to greater protection from western hills, with less fog or wind incursions. The wines are deep and ripe, with firm tannins for structure and acid for long cellaring.

Yountville AVA - Moderate, with cool marine influence and fog contributing to cool summer mornings and the strong breezes of San Pablo Bay. Yountville favours Cabernet and Merlot with ripe, violet aromas and rich, but supple flavours and firm tannins.

Throw in significant vintage variations, and you’d be forgiven for wondering what all the fuss was about Bordeaux!

View Vintage Notes »

2009 - “A charmingly irresistible vintage, with plenty of front end-loaded fruit and purity, and the cooler year meant that lots of very perfumed wines have been produced.” - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2010 - “A very cold year, and the harvest dates were pushed back considerably, but there is no question that many of the wines have turned out to be brilliant. This should be a long-lived vintage.” - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2011 - “2011 is the most site specific vintage I have tasted in Napa. One big advantage of 2011 is that the successful wines are very precocious and evolved with soft tannins and low acidity. The best of them are endearing, charming wines.” - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

 2012 -“A great vintage that appears to be a no-brainer. Not a hot year by any means, this is a vintage for followers of classic, big, fruit-dominated Napa wines.” - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

There’s also a great sense of freedom, passion and adventure in California that is expressed in the wines and the winemakers – a level a charm and bonhomie that’s rare to find in other corners of the globe. For me, the combination of history, innovation and ever increasing quality is irresistible.

So, what’s the best wine I’ve ever had? I’d be hard pushed to choose between Château Margaux 2009, Hundred Acre’s Ark Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 and Leflaive’s Le Montrachet 2011. Or maybe Harlan Estate 1996… Or maybe Château Mouton Rothschild 1986… or maybe Vérité’s La Joie 2008 (I think you can see where this is going)…

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Restaurant Revolution – Bringing Your Own Bottle

There can be very few who have not baulked at the extreme mark-ups on wine demanded by many of the world’s restaurants. Whether it’s a 3 Michelin Star establishment or a rustic, local family-owned place, the frequent 70% mark-up has finally got diners up in arms and they’re calling for a revolution.

For years, the restaurant sector shrugged off the concerns of consumers who have been expected to put up with it. However, with the 'bring your own bottle' (BYOB) movement spreading around the world's top gastronomic cities, can we expect this to be the norm in the future?

What is BYOB?

Originating in low-end restaurants that were often perhaps unable to secure an alcohol licence; the BYOB movement became popular with trendy pop-up restaurants and allowed customers to feel involved in their dining experience by bringing bottles of their own wine. Eventually gaining momentum in New York during the 1990s, the trend quickly got picked up in Asia and Europe. However, fine dining establishments in London and the rest of the UK have only recently become more open to this idea.

It’s a start, but is it enough?

Foodies who were serious about pairing wine with gastronomic delights wanted to avoid the significant mark-up, and would end up compromising on the wine choice that would have perfectly matched the quality of the food being served. In the past 5 years though, BYOB has been adopted by some mainstream establishments and top Michelin Starred restaurants.

However, often those restaurants that do allow BYOB might prefer to avoid openly advertising the privilege, so many customers would not think to ask. As a result of this, if a customer has a special bottle of wine they have been aging in their cellar, they may decide to stay at home and cook rather than celebrating at their favourite eatery.

“Essentially, I got fed up of being mugged by punitive London mark-ups on fine wine… I was no longer prepared to pay the egregious, nonsensical prices that were being asked…In the end, I just ended up drinking wine at home and at friends’ dinner parties.” -  AWC Client Grant Ashton, 67 Pall Mall Founder and CEO

There’s little doubt that allowing BYOB can also be beneficial to the restaurant; Some restaurants have made some progressive steps by allowing BYOB, for a small corkage fee, at lunch or dinner on their quieter days. Not only does this help to keep their tables full, but if a customer invites friends, family, colleagues or clients, then they too could potentially become customers in the future. 

Creating the ultimate gastronomic experience

However, the paradoxical view might be that dining out at a top restaurant is an enjoyable and memorable, sensory experience. Browsing the wine list whilst mulling over the menu adds to the excitement of the occasion, and also offers the opportunity to discover new delights with the guidance of a knowledgeable sommelier - clearly a key source of pleasure when dining out.

Whatever a customer’s motivation for wanting to bring their own bottle, many restaurateurs have responded to the trend, such as: Chiltern Firehouse, which is currently one of London’s most exclusive restaurants, 2* Michelin, The Square in London, 3* Michelin, 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA in Hong Kong and 3* Michelin, Eleven Madison Park in New York.

Above: Chiltern Firehouse - currently one of London’s most exclusive restaurants.

Top restaurants like these and many more, are already allowing customers to bring their own wine (for a corkage fee), while also offering more choices by the glass or carafe, have more variety of wines, wine pairing menus and with the invention of the Coravin device, are able to provide the opportunity to drink older and rarer wines without having to buy the entire bottle.

“Allowing BYOB is certainly a positive step by restaurants and we’re increasingly witnessing more demand for it. We’re regularly asked and we manage this on an individual basis. If a customer wants to bring a particularly special bottle, and we’re informed in advance, we’ll consider every request and only ask for a suitable corkage fee.” – AWC client Romain Audrerie, Head Sommelier at Chiltern Firehouse

Dine in or dine out?

Today’s wine consumers are increasingly more knowledgeable about fine wine than ever before; with many building cellars and significant wine collections at home – (previously highlighted in First Press).

Perhaps 25 years ago dining out was one of the few ways to drink and learn about fine wines. However, as the trend for drinking and storing more wine at home has evolved, driven by the democratisation of wine through the internet and other media, the role of the restaurant with regards to wine is also evolving. Discerning wine enthusiasts are clearly no longer inclined to pay the large mark-up, so the traditional model will need to change. We anticipate that BYOB will become widely accepted, but will this be enough?

What do you think? Share your thoughts via the button below.

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Pure expression of a vintage – 2006 Dom Pérignon

Author: Nick Palmer, Buying Analyst

On Tuesday 6th October AWC Fine Wine buying’s team were invited by Moët Hennessy to taste the new release of the 2006 vintage of Dom Pérignon with their oenologist & winemaker Vincent Chaperon. Taking place in London at M restaurant, just a few streets from the Bank of England, I gratefully accepted their invitation.

Vincent Chaperon works alongside Dom Pérignon’s Chef de Cave, Richard Geoffroy, overseeing 600 hectares of Grand Cru and 1er Cru vineyards as well as nurturing and maturing its extensive cellars. He has seen many changes come through Champagne over the last decade, and used the tasting as an opportunity to talk about the wider issues the region faces, including climate change, the influence of technology and the global economy.

The effect of climate change

The 2006 was shown alongside a vertical of the four most recent vintages (2002 – 2005). This is the first time in Dom Pérignon’s history that it has been able to offer five consecutive vintages. It made for a fascinating tasting - the quintet offered a complete spectrum of styles that was in many ways to tasting a flight of white Burgundies vintages. You could really see how the variations of each growing season affected each wine. Vincent pointed out that this is entirely intentional; Dom Pérignon’s ultimate goal is to create an expressive, individual wine every year (remember they declared a 2003 when most other houses did not), and Vincent believes the changing climate of the region will allow them to achieve just that.

Since the 1990s the effects of climate change have had a noticeable influence on the whole Champagne region. Ripeness levels are up, yields are more consistent, and the impact of botrytis has drop dramatically (we were told that in the 1970s it would not be unusual to lose between 50% and 70% of the crop to botrytis, now a loss of even 15% would be a shock). Longer summers have also allowed harvesting to take place over a broader period, allowing individual plots to be picked at the optimal time rather than rushed in before inclement conditions arrived. The diligent checking of ripeness levels across vineyards and selective picking has long been the norm for premium producers in other regions of France, but only in the last decade or so has this been possible in the northerly latitudes of Champagne.

How the vintages compare

The 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 vintage were categorised by Vincent into a trio of distinctive groups:

2004 is on its own as the most restrained of the recent vintages, showing what Vincent referred to as a ‘classic’ level of ripeness and a high level of acidity. I thought it was delicious with plenty of oyster shell minerality on the nose and a taught, lean energy. It has shut down somewhat since I last tasted it and will need a few more years for its biscuit and hazelnut richness to show through. Unfortunately vintages in this style will become increasingly less frequent due to climate change.

2003 and 2005 lie at the other end of the spectrum. These are concentrated, broad wines with structure and weight that need time to evolve. Their showy fruit masks their acidity and structure when young but it is most certainly there. I thought the 2003 in particular has really evolved from a few years ago, throwing off its abrupt exuberance for a rich, plump brioche character. The upcoming P2 release of this wine (formerly known as Oenothèque) should be extremely interesting.

2002 and 2006 are, in Vincent’s words, about texture and succulence. These are vintages made from fruit that was able to acquire complexity and concentration right across the growing season, striking a balance between fruit, minerality and weight. Much like the superstar 2002 at release, the 2006 is deliciously drinkable now yet has all the components to grow into a seriously good Dom Pérignon. Meanwhile, the 2002 is now an absolute knockout – layered, rich and rounded with supremely long, well balanced finish. A few years in the cellar should allow the 2006 to shed its puppy fat and join it as this level.

I thank Moët Hennessy and restaurant M for their hospitality; this was a fascinating and enlightening tasting.

Dom Pérignon’s new 2006 release is available from AWC Fine Wine on allocation – click here for more details.

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Building a Cellar at Home

Fine wine is now enjoyed by much wider social groups and age ranges than ever before and there is evidence all around us that today’s wine consumers are increasingly intellectually and pleasurably engaged with fine wine. Where in the past, the image of the wine cellar was of a damp and underground cave hidden away where no one would want to go or spend time, today the cellar has been transformed into a centre for entertaining at the heart of the home. It is an asset and a talking point taking pride of place not only for its capability to store wine perfectly but for its design and ambience.

While appreciating and enjoying the aesthetic value of a home cellar can offer great pride and pleasure, the appeal of keeping wine at home goes beyond having direct access to a place where you can store and age wines yourself. Imagine sharing the experience of following your wines maturation process with friends and family, fully appreciating the enjoyment and the history that can be had when comparing wines and vintages over many years. A home cellar offers this opportunity as and when you please, ultimately creating unforgettable experiences.

But if you don’t already have a dedicated wine cellar, or if you have inherited one of those damp underground spaces that you would like to transform, where do you start?

AWC Fine Wine’s CEO, Stephen Williams, has spent the last 25 years advising wine connoisseurs on developing wine cellars to match their personality and lifestyle and is delighted to share some pointers on how to tackle it.   

Read full article >> Read more on AWC Fine Wine’s Cellar Services >>

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Word on the Vine – Bordeaux 2015 Harvest

“Without tempting fate, rumblings from producers and Négociants that I am talking to say they are hopeful for some stunning wines from this year’s harvest - the kind of vintage badly needed in Bordeaux” - AWC Fine Wine Buying Manager, Jim Baxter

Exciting news from our associates in Bordeaux who announce that we are on the eve of a great vintage, with near perfect conditions throughout the growing season. May, June and July were among the hottest on record creating just the right amount of water stress at the beginning of July to start the ripening process. By early August the véraison (colour change) was magnificent, with the grapes red by the middle of the month.  

AWC Fine Wine’s CEO, Stephen Williams, recently spoke to Château Margaux who declared that they are “truly delighted with both quantity and quality” of the vintage. They also announced that the harvest for their white grapes started on 3rd September and finished on Tuesday 8th September, while they expect to start picking the reds on the 18th/19th and have their pickers lined up to be in full swing by the 21st.

The potential for great reds is there, but totally dependent on a few more weeks of good weather. For sweet white wines, the Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes are slowly coming to maturity, but as with every vintage, botrytis  - the essential fungus called Noble Rot – holds the key. While the grapes may not all in the basket yet, the outlook is great, so keep your fingers crossed!

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AWC at Masterpiece 2015

With just two days remaining, if you have not already paid a visit to the prestigious Masterpiece Art Fair, then there is still the opportunity to be inspired by works of art from a range of disciplines. The exhibition closes at 9pm on Wednesday 1st July, so be sure to come by to stand B14 to pay AWC a visit today or tomorrow.

Here is a chance to catch up with what has been happening.

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2014 Bordeaux En Primeur – Part One

Craig Buckland, Marketing Associate

[Above: the AWC team ready for a busy day of châteaux visits]

Much like the 2014 vintage as a whole, my first trip to Bordeaux for En Primeur brought with it excitement, a hint of anticipation, an overall curiosity over how well the wines would perform and, of course, most importantly, what the release prices will look like.

Read about the 2014 vintage conditions in Bordeaux >>

Early Morning Tasting

After a drizzly early Monday morning start, the first stop for us was the Haut-Médoc, for a négociant tasting at Château Belgrave. Comprising over 200 wines, we selected half a dozen flights covering the most important areas from Bordeaux’s Left and Right banks, giving a rough overview of all the different communes before we descended on the individual Châteaux. Tasting the wines in this manner was extremely rewarding, and by far the best way to understand the different styles, terroirs and micro-climates of Bordeaux’s wine producing regions.

[Above: a comparative flight of Pomerol wines, including the high-scoring Château La Conseillante]

Starting with the Right Bank, we compared a flight from Pomerol and one from Saint-Émilion. Straight away it was clear that the wines from the 2014 vintage were going be very classical, with incredible freshness and purity of fruit. After tasting around 20 wines from both regions we were able to make the assessment that Pomerol had performed better than Saint-Émilion, with Château La Conseillante receiving the highest scores from our team. Moving onto the Left Bank we sampled the Margaux appellation. These displayed pretty floral aromas, good acidity and the elegance which is often associated with this appellation. Château Lascombes was already showing great complexity - with flavours of candied cherry, bacon fat, as well as currants and blueberries – it was very refined and was a clear winner for me, and it also scored well with my colleagues.

Following this were two flights from Pessac-Léognan and Graves. This was our first opportunity to sample some of Bordeaux’s dry white wines, which are without doubt some of the finest in recent years. Offering generous fruit concentration, crisp acidity and fantastic length, the whites from 2014 are very promising indeed. Often over-looked in En Primeur, they could potentially present great value purchases.

Touring the Left Bank Châteaux

[Above: the tasting room at Château Ducru-Beaucaillou]

Armed with a broad overview of the vintage, we were ready to tackle the individual Châteaux of the Left Bank. After a quick stop at Château Léoville-Poyferré, we arrived at Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. According to my colleagues Ducru-Beaucaillou was consistent with its showings in previous years, presenting incredible concentration of pure fruit. The Grand Vin always uses new oak, however apart from the obvious notes of vanilla and spiciness the oak seemed very well integrated, with a firm structure but also very polished tannins. This is a 2014 to keep an eye out for, especially for mid-to-long term ageing.

[Above: Managing Director Paul Pontallier introduces the wines at Château Margaux]

Our next stop was one I was really looking forward to; visiting the iconic Château Margaux was a real privilege, and also offered up a surprise personal highlight. We began by tasting Pavillon Rouge, which as Margaux’s second wine gave us a glimpse of what to expect from the Grand Vin. At first the Grand Vin wasn’t very expressive on the nose; however this can be quite typical when tasting barrel samples. With a bit of aeration it revealed notes of cherry, cassis, coffee and cedar wood, while the palate was very clean, elegant and pure. This wine is exactly what you would expect from Château Margaux’s unique terroir and it promises to be a real classic.

The final wine we tasted was the exceptional Pavillon Blanc – a real ‘wow’ moment for me. Incredibly clean and displaying pure fruit, it was almost crystalline on the nose, with distinctive notes of citrus fruit, preserved ginger and fresh herbs. The amazing palate built up layer upon layer of crystal clear crisp fruit, as well as peaches, grapefruit, lime zest and a creamy rich texture - absolutely stunning. The dry whites have been exceptional this year and clearly offer real value.

[Above: barrels at Château Palmer]

After leaving Château Margaux slightly shell-shocked by the quality of their wines, we made the short journey to neighbouring Château Palmer. I’ve always been a fan of Palmer’s wines and they didn’t disappoint this year either. Both Alter Ego de Palmer and the Grand Vin showed extremely well, with fantastic complexity, perfectly fine, rounded tannins, and once again the compelling freshness that the 2014 vintage seems to be displaying overall.

Ending the day in Pessac-Léognan

Our final appointments of the day were in Pessac-Léognan, including a visit to the appellation’s only First Growth, Château Haut-Brion, for a showcase of Domaine Clarence Dillon’s portfolio. Overall I found many of the reds fairly closed on the nose, however Château La Mission Haut-Brion and Château Haut-Brion were already very complex and well balanced - exactly what you’d expect from these two estates. The Château Haut-Brion Blanc and Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc were also very good, once again confirming the quality of the vintage for Bordeaux’s dry whites.

[Above: AWC’s Purchasing Team sampling the wines at Château Pape Clement]

We finished the day on a high at Château Pape Clement, which offered up some of the highest scoring wines of the day, certainly ones we’d happily recommend – depending on price of course.

As per last year, AWC will only be recommending the wines we feel are of real quality, represent fair value and are wines that we’d be happy to drink ourselves. Keep up-to-date with the latest releases by registering your interest.

Coming Soon: Part Two of our trip continues in the Left Bank, including Château Lafite-Rothschild and Château Mouton Rothschild.

Register your interest for 2014 Bordeaux En Primeur »

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Up Coming New Releases: 2005 Dom Pérignon

Craig Buckland, Marketing Associate

Moët et Chandon’s tête de cuvee Dom Pérignon is named after the Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon, a figure who has been inadvertently credited with being the father of sparkling wine. However, while being an important pioneer for increasing the quality of Champagne’s wines, Dom Pérignon did not discover the method of secondary fermentation.

Despite this misunderstood myth, Dom Pérignon is undeniably one of the most recognisable wine brands in the world. The annual releases of Dom Pérignon’s latest vintages are always highly anticipated, extremely sought-after and are globally considered as some of the finest wines produced in the Champagne region.

Setting the benchmark

Originally Dom Pérignon was produced from regular Moët & Chandon vintage Champagne that was transferred to the special 18th Century-style bottles after extended cellaring. It was, thus, effectively an "Oenothèque" (now called Plénitude 2) release, which due to spending a longer period of time on its lees produced a richer, more complex style of Champagne. From the 1947 vintage onwards, Dom Pérignon has been produced separately from the beginning of the process. Using only the finest fruit, every release ultimately strives to set the benchmark for quality and will only be made in years that are deemed suitable.

The unique complexity of Dom Pérignon is due to the slow ageing process the wine undergoes while in bottle for seven or more years prior to release. Today the distinctive style of Dom Pérignon is upheld by Richard Geoffroy, Chef de Cave since 1990, who is solely responsible for declaring a Dom Pérignon vintage.

Geoffroy will blend still wines produced from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. In most vintages the majority of this fruit comes from the Grand Cru vineyards of Aÿ, Verzenay, Mailly, Bouzy, Chouilly, Cramant, Avize and Le Mesnil, along with some fruit from the Premier Cru vineyards in Hautvillers. However, in certain vintages, Dom Pérignon may be made exclusively with fruit from all seventeen of Champagne’s Grand Crus.

The latest release

This week Moët & Chandon launched Dom Pérignon’s 2005 vintage, which we expect to be available for purchase in the next few weeks.

The 2005 vintage was full of contrasts. The summer weather was mostly warm, with very little rain. A heat wave in August was followed by cool, rainy weather in September, washing away initial enthusiasm and hope for the vintage. In the end, a drastic selection in the vineyard ensured a limited volume of exceptional quality. Richard Geoffroy has described 2005 as small in quantity but has having “exceptional quality”, displaying “a never-before-seen aromatic maturity”. Geoffroy goes onto declare that, “The wine’s remarkably rich bouquet reveals itself in successive waves…Notes of praline and coriander complement the whole. The wine has a strong character and a powerful presence…Overall, it is structured, focused, firm and dense. Its intriguingly spicy, flowery finish remains present in each sip.”

It has also been tasted by noted wine critic Antonio Galloni:

“The 2005 Dom Pérignon opens with the classic Dom Pérignon bouquet. Warm toasty notes meld into expressive fruit in a supple, silky Champagne endowed with stunning depth, nuance and complexity. Sweet floral notes add lift as the wine opens up in the glass. Overall, the 2005 is a relatively delicate, gracious DP, but what it lacks in depth it more than makes up with persistence and its open, totally inviting personality. Today it's hard to see the 2005 making old bones, but it is a gorgeous wine to drink while the 2004 ages. In 2005, the release is scheduled to last about six months, which means production is down around 50% over normal levels. All I can say is the 2005 is fabulous, especially in a vintage that required considerable sorting to eliminate rampant rot in the Pinots.”  – 95 Points, Antonio Galloni, VinousMedia.com

Next week Martin Tickle, AWC’s Fine Wine Director, will be sampling this latest release and will offer his own thoughts on the wine. We anticipate it will be released shortly afterwards, and as usual it will no doubt be highly sought-after. Be sure to keep an eye out for our announcement for the release of 2005 Dom Pérignon, or alternatively contact us immediately to register your interest in an allocation.

Read more about Dom Pérignon »

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2014 Bordeaux En Primeur Expectations

Martin Tickle, Fine Wine Director

Next week our Fine Wine Director and Purchasing Team will travel to Bordeaux for the annual En Primeur tastings. As ever, with a new vintage comes renewed excitement and curiosity over how well the wines will perform and, ultimately, what their release prices will look like. It’s another new year in Bordeaux and that means a wealth of new chances for the châteaux to put their best efforts forward for us all - the front line representatives of the fine wine trade and the industry cognoscenti - to closely evaluate.

For additional vintage context as we head into this new campaign and the En Primeur season, please review our opening preview coverage from the last two vintages here: 2012 and 2013.

However, we’ll begin our preview with the solemn promise not to use the term ‘miracle vintage’ this year. After the last three En Primeur campaigns, a true miracle vintage would be one in which the châteaux demonstrated that they actually understood the very legitimate concerns of the wine trade and the purchasing populace. The miracle would take shape as a significant, 180 degree turnaround on release pricing strategy and it would mean allowing the opening value of the releases the opportunity to gradually rise in value over the next 18 to 24 months prior to the wine’s physical availability. The real miracle would be to provide fine Bordeaux with the ability – via seriously attractive initial pricing - to once again find its way into the cellars and onto the dining tables of wine lovers around the world on a regular basis instead of simply as an occasional experience.

Now, with the history and that disclaimer out of the way, what we know and what cannot be denied is that the 60 days of beautiful weather that commenced at the end of August 2014 completely changed the direction of the vintage we’re about to sample...

[Above: vineyards at Château Palmer]

After a wet and relatively warm winter the vines were set for an early start. Given the mild temperatures in the spring there was relatively little frost damage and, whilst May remained somewhat damp, June was gloriously sunny. This allowed for good fruit set and optimism was high. The remainder of the summer was warm yet not exceptionally so, with just three days over 30C in July and none at all over 30C in August. This meant that ripening was gradual but there was no risk of sunburned grapes. September was both the third driest and third hottest of the last 100 years and the weather continued through to the end of October, allowing for a long and full maturation period for the bunches.

As we head to Bordeaux to taste the 2014 barrel samples, it will be interesting to see how the (presumably) high levels of flavour concentration and alcohol that are likely to have been achieved due to the extended and warm autumn are integrated with the lower pH levels and higher acidities that likely occurred during the early, cooler months of the summer. It is our hope that the winemakers will have been able to coax the best characteristics of these disparate and competing qualities to create wines with fresh fruit character, while maintaining a sense of richness and concentration on the mid-palate. Once again, it is likely that this will be a somewhat irregular and non-homogenous vintage, so it will be fascinating to see how each appellation and individual château has fared.

[Above: Château Pontet-Canet was one of 2013′s outstanding performers despite the difficult vintage conditions]

Until this week, relatively little has been spoken about the vintage in the press, however the pre-tasting campaign push has now begun to gather steam. A group of UK merchants has publically called for pricing to return to 2008 levels. However, by all accounts, this request has been largely dismissed by the châteaux owners. In a few weeks’ time we’ll know the full intentions of these managers, so all we can do at the moment is sample as many wines as possible and wait. What we do know is that, outwardly, this appears to be a better vintage than the three that have preceded it. Therefore, even if prices remain the same as 2013 then the current, rapid depreciation of the Euro against the Pound should result in lower pricing.

Given the continued conglomeration of estates in Bordeaux under large holding companies (eg. insurance, finance, telecom) with demanding boards and shareholders, we feel that a widespread return to 2008 pricing is unlikely. What is undeniable though is that what must happen is a return of a ‘feel good factor’ for buyers. The whole point of En Primeur, the true, original intent, needs to be resurrected in order for the system to survive. The incentive to buy must be that there is a noticeable return on investment, as shown by an increase in case value, by the time the wines are bottled.

The other big news prior to the tasting is that Robert Parker will no longer taste and review new Bordeaux vintages from barrel. The British critic Neal Martin will be taking over tasting duties and it will be interesting to see how the market responds to the change. Neal has been visiting Bordeaux and tasting En Primeur for 18 years, and authored the acclaimed book ‘Pomerol’ in 2012, so the region appears to be in safe hands.

Above all, what we would really like to see is a good, but not great vintage, with great, and not merely good, pricing!

Register your interest in 2014 Bordeaux En Primeur »

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A Pioneering Super Star – Tenuta San Guido’s Sassicaia

Craig Buckland, Fine Wine Journal Editor

The iconic star at the centre of the Sassicaia label doesnot only represent a family emblem, but it also links to the Stellone d’Italia(Star of Italy), an ancient symbol which would supposedly protect the nation. Today it could be argued that this symbol now signifies creativity, defiance and innovation. Despite being less than 50 years old, Sassicaia’s significance on Italy’s - and the worlds - oenological history is without a doubt one of the most important in the past century. The now iconic wine is single-handedly responsible for launching the Super Tuscan movement and remains one of the most highly sought-after wines in the world.

An ideal terroir

Before Sassicaia was first released, it was unheard of to produce a wine crafted from Bordeaux vines on Italian soil, especially in a region that had not yet been viticulturally established. Despite an abundance of successful vineyards already located in Tuscany, the area of Bolgheri was exposed to sea winds and salty air which producers thought would create wines of a lesser quality. More importantly, the DOC and DOCG viticultural laws restricted the use of certain grape varieties, therefore limiting the potential of the Bolgheri terroir.

The Tenuta San Guido estate was established by Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, who had the vision, confidence and defiance to plant forbidden varieties on this unique site. In the Tuscan dialect Sassicaia actually means ‘stony ground’, which refers to the gravelly soil of its vineyards, similar to those found in the Médoc and Graves – therefore an ideal terroir for the Bordeaux varieties that were planted on the estate. The first cuttings of Cabernet Sauvignon were planted in 1948, originally used to produce the personal wine for the Marchese and his family. It was rumoured that these cuttings came from legendary Bordeaux estate Château Lafite-Rothschild, however this was dismissed by Mario's son, Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta, who declared the vineyard was planted from cuttings from 50-year-old vines from a friend’s estate near Pisa.

[Above: the vineyards at Tenuta San Guido]

Striving for perfection

Harvesting is all done by hand, which only yield 5-6 tonnes of grapes per hectare, ensuring that each vine produces the finest fruit. When the vineyards expanded to 75 hectares in the 1960s, a new winery was built near the church of San Guido. The estate took this opportunity to introduce new equipment, such as temperature-controlled stainless steel vats for separate fermentation of individual plots. They also began using small French oak barriques, of which a third are renewed each year, to age the wine for 20 months. The wine is then further aged in bottle in the Tenuta San Guido cellars for 6 months before being released for sale.

Despite the international recognition and appreciation of Sassicaia as one of the greatest wines in the world, it would be easy for the Tenuta San Guido winery to drop the ball, sacrificing the quality to meet demand. However, nothing could be further from the truth. The philosophy here is to make exceptional wine that displays the individual character of the vintage from their unique terroir and ultimately the best grapes.

Following the 1994 vintage, Sassicaia’s success eventually prompted the Italian government to grant the wine its own appellation, Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC - what higher plaudits could one ask for?

Be sure to keep an eye out for the latest release of Sassicaia. We anticipate it will be released within the next few days and that it will be highly sought-after. Please contact us immediately to register your interest in an allocation.

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Robert Parker's "Matter of Taste" Review

Matt Thompson, Senior Account Manager

I was fortunate enough to attend Robert Parker’s much anticipated ‘Matter of Taste’ event at The Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea last month. I can’t ever remember seeing such an eclectic and prestigious collection of producers at a single wine event before, so it felt very much like being a grown-up kid in the proverbial sweet shop!

[Above: attendees taste wines in front of Camouflage Elvis Blue, by Gavin Turk]

What made the event even more incredible was the venue itself – it was a privilege to taste wines in the shadow of great works of art from the likes of Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons – however, it did get a bit harder to navigate the small stairwell and meandering corridors to find the various exhibitors as the event filled up. For myself, I can assure you that these movement difficulties certainly had nothing to do with the number of stands previously visited, but I cannot vouch for the other attendees. Nonetheless, this event offered a rare chance to taste both recent and aged releases from many of the world’s greatest estates and vineyards.

The divine 2013 Rieslings from Dönhoff and Leitz were a sensational reminder of just how high the standard of German whites currently is – why is it that we’re not all filling our cellars to the rafters with these? The great Napa Cabernet Sauvignons of Araujo Estate (purchased by Château Latour in 2012) and Harlan Estate were mind blowing. I can only liken them to trying the 2009 Bordeaux 1st Growths en primeur, such was their intensity, complexity and the length of their finishes. A big nod must also go the Vega Sicilia’s superb 2010 Valbuena (96 RP). If ever there was a wine punching about 5 classes above its weight, this is it.

However, the highlight of the show for me was sampling Nicolas Catena’s two, single-vineyard 2010 Chardonnays, the White Bones and White Stones. Both are produced from high-altitude vineyards in the Andes, above Mendoza. While I retain a soft spot for the greats from California, I would stick my neck out here and say that these are the two best New World Chardonnays I have ever tried, right up there with Kistler and Felton Road. Dry, mineral-driven, rich and deep, yet somehow still crisp and elegant. If this is any sign of things to come for Argentine whites, the future is looking extremely bright. The Stones was rich on the nose, with great dry extract and a very long, complex finish. The Bones is the deeper of the two, with a delicious hint of coal smoke on the nose. What a fantastic duo.

[Above: Stephan Reinhardt, in front of Alexander Kosolapov’s Hero, Leader, God]

For the main course, so to speak, I attended two of the day’s masterclasses: Cristal Champagne with Stephan Reinhardt, and Vieux Château Certan with Neal Martin. At the Cristal event, Stephan introduced five vintages - 2006, 2004, 2002, 1999, and 2000 (tasted in that order). This hour was all about elegance, refinement and acidity.

Stephan made the interesting point that in an age of ‘grower Champagnes’, Cristal is quickly forgotten as fitting perfectly into this category, and is perhaps the ultimate example due to the small vineyard holdings manner in which it is produced. While all five vintages were sensational, each in its own right, it was the boundless energy of the 1999 and the towering structure of the 2000 that stood out for me.

For the VCC tasting, Neal Martin – perhaps Pomerol’s biggest champion – held a fascinating double-act with estate owner, Alexandre Thienpont. We worked backwards through the 2008, 2006, 2005, 2000, and 1998 vintages, with Neal posing questions about each. Alexandre was frank in his answers and offered an honest insight into the annual travails of a winemaker in Pomerol. Indeed, when pushed, he was happy to say categorically that, for VCC, 2010 will always be the superior vintage when compared with 2009. It’s usually like trying to get blood from a stone when posing this question to the Bordelaise, and his willingness to answer all of the questions posed by Neal and the attendees was refreshing.

This was a beautiful line-up of wines, and I would quite happily recommend all of them, but I’d have to say that the 2006 was the biggest surprise, and it gave both the stunning 2005 (lots of patience still required) and the classic 2000 a run for their money.

I’d highly recommend making a beeline for this event when it’s next in London or in a city near you. With such a mind-boggling array of wines available, it’s an amazing opportunity to expand your fine wine horizons. I, for one, will be looking at South American Chardonnays in a whole new light....

[awcfinewineblog]

An Alternative Spring Starter

AWC's in-house chef, Danny Jack, has worked in some of London's and Edinburgh's top restaurants. This month he suggests an alternative and light starter, perfectly suitable this spring.

Sea Bass Ceviche with Lime, Apple and Crème Fraiche

Ingredients

1 fillet wild sea bass

1 Granny Smith apple

7 limes

Small knob of diced ginger

¼ red chilli

100ml crème fraiche

Dill and Pea Shoots to garnish

Pinch of sugar

Pinch of sea salt

1. Source the freshest possible sea bass fillet (make sure it is the wild variety). Remove the skin from the sea bass, cut into bite-sized pieces and put into a mixing bowl.

2. Add the juice of 7 limes, plus the zest from 2 of them, and a good pinch of castor sugar. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The fish will be cured by the lime juice.

3. While the fish is curing, dice the apple and set aside. Pick some nice sprigs of dill and pea shoots - other herbs can be added or substituted, such as chives or chervil.

4. When the fish has cured, the flesh will have turned slightly opaque from the cure and be a little firmer. Brush off the excess juice and put on a plate, ready to serve.

5. Place some diced apple over the fish and sprinkle with the finely chopped ginger and red chilli. Dot some crème fraiche around the fish, and finish with the herbs and a pinch of the sea salt.

Serve as a summer or spring starter with a glass of a young, fresh, crisp Champagne, such as:  NV BRUT GOLD, ARMAND DE BRIGNAC or an off-dry Riesling like 2012 KABINETT RIESLING, J.J. PRUM.

This dish has always been a particular favourite of mine, with very clean, vibrant and refreshing flavours it always goes down brilliantly when serving at private dinners or for friends and family.

What I love about my work with AWC is the challenge presented by the variety of our clients requirements. Using wine and food in such an engaging way, for example hosting a birthday dinner featuring wines from the same years as the birth dates of the guests, is something that needs lots of research and planning, It’s especially rewarding when everyone has such a good time.

Should you wish to host your own private lunch or dinner with Chef Danny Jack and AWC, please contact us via [email protected], or [phone].

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A Day In The Life Of... Matt Thompson

A brief description on yourself and what you do for AWC...

I’m one of AWC’s Senior Account Managers, based in our London office. I’ve worked in the wine trade since... well, let’s just say I still had a full head of hair when I started! My role is to respond to my clients’ individual requirements and to seek out interesting and rare parcels that meet their specific needs. For this, I liaise with our Fine Wine Director and Purchasing Team whose fantastic connections across the fine wine world provide us with access to some of the most elusive properties and estates. Keeping a close eye on the movements of the fine wine market, as well as the latest industry news, is a vital part of my job and helps me to keep my clients as informed as possible. I also look after AWC’s key, UK-based hotel and restaurant accounts, matching up our exclusive wines, such as the fantastic Pinot Noirs from Ken Wright Cellars in Oregon, with the right establishments. Needless to say, this does have its perks! Outside of work, I’m a dedicated cricketer (in that I turn up every week and eat the sandwiches) at Kew Cricket Club, and enjoy long weekend walks throughout the year, as well as some winter skiing.

What first drew you to the wine trade?

My first job was working part-time for a branch of the now defunct retail chain Wine Rack, up in Leeds. I’d moved up there to ‘broaden my horizons’ and desperately needed to earn some more money for my then landlord – my sister! I successfully applied for the position and within a few weeks was hooked on the world of wine, plunging straight into the WSET examinations. I’ve subsequently been fortunate enough to travel overseas regularly with my work and can’t imagine working with any other product.

What excites you about coming into work?

We’re a relatively small team at AWC and a close-knit one at that. I relish working alongside all of my colleagues and feel fortunate to have the opportunity to do so daily. I guess the main attraction though, must be the wine itself. I’m lucky in that my job involves tasting some of the greatest wines ever made. It’s simply not possible to become bored, as there will always be more wines than one person could ever try. With all of the variations that come with each vintage and with every new region across the globe, there are few jobs that involve such constant variety.

If you weren’t working in fine wine what else would you be doing?

I’ve always thought I’d make a reasonable sports coach (although my waistline might not indicate this...). I used to teach a karate class for children and adults up in Leeds and have rarely experienced as much pride as seeing my class move up through the belts. However, I think my two dream jobs would have to be a winemaker (I’d go for Central Otago or California, so as to not be far from a ski slope but not have to learn a new language) or a commentator for Test Match Special.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

I’d have to say making it to Everest Base Camp in 1998, and completing the coast-to-coast walk from Holy Island to Ravensglass in 1997. Both were arduous and extremely draining but involved being part of a team and ensuring that everyone you were with made it to the end. I don’t think I’ll ever forget being part of the King’s School Choir that sang for the Queen at The Royal Albert Hall in 1991, part of the 450th anniversary of the schools by Henry VIII. And then my voice broke...

What was your most embarrassing wine related moment?

Probably presenting a talk on the Clos de Vougeot in front of my peers and describing the Cistercian monks as ‘caesarean’. It doesn’t sound like much, but resulted in plenty of guffaws at my expense! And I daresay I’ve missed the spittoon at the odd tasting...

What is your most treasured case/bottle of wine?

D’Oliveira Boal Madeira 1968 – I try and keep a bottle of this in the house every year. My fiancée and I travelled to the island a few years ago and a friend suggested I drop D’Oliveira a line. Luis D’Oliveira invited us in an, completely unprompted, and spent over 2 hours with us opening bottles back to 1907! The 1968 blew my sock off and he kindly gave us a bottle to take home. I’m onto my third one now (once the cork's out, good Madeira famously lasts for years without being affected) and will continue to keep one to hand. I’m also rather fond of 2009 Château Gloria – a wine I’ve tasted from the barrel and several times from the bottle. It’s always hard for me to resist opening this one whenever a bottle is around.

What is the most stand out bottle you’ve ever tried?

Despite being asked this countless times, I’m not sure I could ever pick out just one. Some of my all-time favourites would have to be: 1996 Harlan Estate, 2009 Château Margaux, 2008 Vérité La Joie, 2012 Le Montrachet from Domaine Leflaive, 2001 Dominus, and 1978 Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves from Domaine Lafarge.

What challenges do you envisage the fine wine trade will have to overcome this year?

Bordeaux En Primeur. There’s no way of getting around it but the 2014 vintage campaign is a watershed moment for Bordeaux and the En Primeur system as a whole. The quality sounds promising (we’ll report our findings when we taste them later this month) but the pricing has to be perfect. Merchants and consumers alike are crying out for a well-priced vintage, ideally back to 2008 levels. If the release prices are too high the wines simply will not sell.

What new releases are you most looking forward to this year?

Well, having said all of that: 2014 Bordeaux En Primeur! There’s so much enthusiasm and energy in the market and, after several years of stripping the enamel from our teeth with overly acidic and often brutally tannic cask samples, the early word from Bordeaux is that quality is very much up. I’m also a huge sucker for Californian Cabernet Sauvignons and look forward the top releases every year, particularly those from Hundred Acre Wines in Napa Valley.

View Matt's Fine Wine Recommendations »

[awcfinewineblog]

Wine with a Female Touch

Stephen Williams, AWC Founder & CEO

To coincide with International Women’s Day, Stephen Williams, Founder & CEO of AWC writes for Oracle Capital Group, an independent multi-family office dedicated to providing personalised services to high net worth individuals, about the influence of some leading ladies in the world of fine wine.

[Above: Portrait of Madame Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin]

As recently as the 1980s, the world of wine was almost entirely European-focused and, for many, it was seen as a somewhat elitist environment, a male-dominated industry of pin-striped suits, aloof leadership, and inaccessible London Livery Clubs. As with many other professions, fine wine presented itself as being very much “a man’s world.”

Although this may well have been the historic outward appearance, the reality is quite different, particularly with developments over the past three decades. Indeed, some of the longest standing fine wine brands owe their success to female inspiration, energy and talent, and, in the current fine wine world, the gender ratio has become significantly more balanced.

Widows of Champagne

Numerous female pioneers arose in France’s Champagne region as early as the eighteenth century. Perhaps the most famous is Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, better known by her married name of Madame Clicquot. Upon her husband François’ untimely death in 1805, Barbe-Nicole took control of the family business, thereby becoming one of the first women to run a major Champagne house. While many women at the time ran small, household enterprises such as inns and textile manufacturing operations, Madame Clicquot was a pioneer due to the spectacular size and prestige of the business she both managed and successfully expanded. Her distinctive looping signature, reading ‘Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin’ (‘The Widow Clicquot Ponsardin’), is still seen today on the yellow labels of the house’s Champagnes.

As well as having a fine head for business matters (keeping the books balanced during the Napoleonic wars was no easy feat), Madame Clicquot was also a gifted winemaker. Her invention and refinement of the remuage technique (i.e. the use of ‘riddling’ racks, which are free-standing wooden boards that allow Champagne bottles to be placed neck down and gently rotated until all the sediment from the secondary fermentation is settled in the neck of the bottle for easy removal) would eventually become a standard industry practice. This method created brilliantly clear and clean Champagnes, and remuage is now a core part of the Champagne production process.

In 1810, Madame Clicquot introduced vintage Champagne – made from grapes from one specific vintage harvest. Today the house’s homage to Madame Cliquot is their tête de cuvée called La Grande Dame (The Great Lady). First made in 1969, La Grande Dame is the pinnacle of Veuve Clicquot’s style. Elegant, refined and delicate, this is a rich, smooth and finely textured Champagne, with stunning complexity and extraordinary length – a fitting tribute to a woman with such an important legacy.

[Above: Madame Lily Bollinger]

The wartime years of the twentieth century saw another Champagne widow rise to fame when Madame Lily Bollinger took over the family business in 1941. A marketing machine, Bollinger travelled the world promoting the brand, ultimately finding such success that Queen Elizabeth invited her to Buckingham Palace and bestowed her with a Royal Warrant in 1955. Just a year later, James Bond drank Bollinger for the first time in Ian Fleming’s novel Diamonds Are Forever. This sparkling moment kick-started a long and enviable relationship with 007, which still continues to this day, with Daniel Craig uncorking some 1990 Bollinger La Grande Année in the film Casino Royale.

In 1961 Lily Bollinger created the concept of R.D. (Recently Disgorged) Champagne. This was an aged, vintage wine that was kept in the house’s cellars until it’s later than usual release, meaning that the collector could enjoy perfectly mature Champagne that had been mellowed in the very cellar in which it was made. Today, Bollinger R.D. is one of the most sought-after and exclusive Champagnes.

The Sweet Taste of Success

Luckily, you don’t have to be a widow to become a key player in the “haut de gamme” wine business. Modern times find quite a number of dedicated women winemakers at the top level, who, like Madame Clicquot, employ the latest technologies and work to promote their wines to a global audience whilst maintaining a strong sense of identity.

[Above: Sandrine Garby, Château d’Yquem winemaker]

In 1998, aged just 31, Sandrine Garbay became the winemaker at Château d’Yquem. This landmark hire made her the first female winemaker of a Premier Cru Classé in the history of Bordeaux. Surprisingly, when she began her oenology training as an eighteen year old student she admits that she did not really enjoying drinking wine. However, this has now changed and there’s no doubt that Sandrine has the necessary talent to produce astounding bottles, a skill especially evident in the Château d’Yquem vintages of 2001, 2006 and 2011, all years that are acclaimed as being amongst the greatest sweet wines on the planet.

Pinot Perfume

In Burgundy, home to the fragrant Pinot Noir grape, Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy (Domaine Leroy) co-managed the famous Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) starting in 1974 and, over the following twenty years, built Romanée-Conti into one of the most sought-after wines in the world.

New Horizons

During my own 25 year career at the helm of AWC I’ve witnessed a growing number of new world wines that have become quality contenders to the French classics. Napa Valley is a prime example as it is the source of two iconic wines that have benefited significantly from the female touch. Ann Colgin, an avid art collector and dedicated philanthropist from New York brought her first vineyard here in the early 1990s, and experienced significant success from the start. In fact, noted wine critic Robert Parker has awarded Colgin a stunning set of perfect, 100 point ratings, describing the estate as “nirvana.”

[Above: Ann Colgin, Colgin Cellars]

Finally those wanting to raise their glasses with something really special on International Women’s Day should appreciate that Screaming Eagle, the 57 acre estate in Napa, was founded by local real estate broker Jean Phillips in 1986. She made the prescient decision to hire Heidi Barrett as her winemaker and in the many vintages that followed, this double-female managed property has produced wines that command prices greater than those of Château Pétrus.

[awcfinewineblog]

Artfully Crafted Wine…Bottles!

Craig Buckland, Fine Wine Journal Editor

[Above: A Selection of Château Mouton Rothschild's iconic labels]

From Canvas to Glass

For hundreds of years the wine industry has had an association with fine and classical art; from the grand architecture of Bordeaux’s various Châteaux, to the rich aristocracy who lined their Châteaux and chais with incredible pieces of rare art and, obviously, the talented winemakers who try to depict the unique expressions of their individual terroirs and each vintage. Therefore it is of no surprise that Château Mouton Rothschild decided to reaffirm this connection on their labels. The First Growth Bordeaux Château has been doing this for well over 60 years creating 68 unique and iconic bottles for every vintage since 1945.

[Above: 1924 & 1945 Château Mouton Rothschild labels]

Beginning with the 1924 vintage, and continuing every year from 1945, the initiative to create bespoke Mouton labels was originally started by the legendary Baron Philippe de Rothschild. The first unique label, for the 1924 vintage, was created by the famous poster designer Jean Carlu. Baron Philippe wanted to signify that from this vintage all of Mouton’s wines would be bottled at the estate, a first for the industry. This creative move proved to be avant garde as when it was repeated in 1945, when the baron commissioned Philippe Jullian to create the “V” for victory label, which saluted and celebrated the end of World War II - it became both an instant hit and a serious collectable, although certainly helped along by the fact that the vintage itself was fabulous. Ultimately, the ‘45 Mouton has become one their most valuable and highly sought-after vintages.

Every year since that time, some of the greatest contemporary artists from around the world have been commissioned to paint original artworks for Mouton’s Grand Vin labels. Some of the most notable include: Dali, César, Miró, Chagall, Picasso, Warhol, Soulages, Bacon, Balthus, Tàpies, Jeff Koons, Prince Charles (Prince of Wales) and more recently for the 2012 vintage, Miquel Barcelò.

[Above: 2012 Château Mouton Rothschild label]

The artists are allowed complete creative freedom, however reoccurring themes, such as vines, the pleasure of drinking and of course the ram, the Mouton Rothschild emblem, are inevitable.

Only twice in the history of these iconic labels have there been two labels used for the same vintage. The first occurred in 1978 when Montreal artist Jean-Paul Riopelle submitted two designs. Baron Philippe loved them both so much he split the production run and used both designs. The other instance was the 1993 design. The original label was rejected by the United States’ Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms on the grounds of indecency. The label in question depicts a pencil drawing of a nude reclining nymphet by the French painter Balthus. In the end Mouton had to sell the 1993 bottle in the U.S. with a blank label where the image should have been, which, interestingly enough, meant that both versions are now highly sought after by collectors.

[Above: Château Mouton Rothschild's controversial 1993 label & their U.S. replacement label]

In 1981, Baron Philippe‘s only child, Baroness Philippine Mathilde Camille de Rothschild revealed to the public all of the original artworks illustrating the First Growth labels in the form of a travelling exhibition, 'Mouton Rothschild – Paintings for the Labels'. Despite the Baron believing the exhibition wouldn’t generate much interest; it has now been warmly welcomed in over forty museums around the world.

Year of the Mouton

The popularity of Mouton’s artist labels is also reflected by consistent market and auction prices for older and more collectible years, which has allowed the estate’s wines to retain their value better than any of the other Bordeaux First Growth Estates.

The most recent auction of Château Mouton Rothschild on January 30th 2015, in Hong Kong smashed records and exceeded all expectations, fetching a total of US $4.1m – more than double its pre-sale estimate. 

The up-coming turn in the Chinese calendar is the most likely influence for this surge in popularity. Chinese New Year on the 19th February 2015 is Year of the Ram (mouton), and as one of the more popular animals in the zodiac it is no surprise that the Asian market is displaying an increased interest in Mouton Rothschild. Naturally, the labels which actually depict the Mouton’s ram have been the most popular, with artists featuring - Pierre Alechinsky (1966), John Huston (1982), Keith Haring (1988), Georg Baselitz (1989), Raymond Savignac (1999), the engraved Augsburg Ram (2000), Xu Lei (2008), and Miquel Barceló (2012).

Continuing the Ram’s Success

Mouton’s art labels have become so successful that they have inspired other wineries/winemakers around the world to release their own ‘Artist Series’ editions: Napa Valley’s Amuse Bouche, Champagne’s Taittinger, and Spain’s Vega Sicilia and Bodegas Altanza, amongst many others.

[Above: Baroness Philippine Mathilde Camille de Rothschild inside Mouton's Grand Chai]

In August 2014, Baroness Philippine sadly passed away. The achievement of Baron Philippe and Baroness Philippine will undoubtedly be recognised and depicted on Mouton’s labels in years to come, thus reaffirming that the appreciation of Mouton’s wines goes on long after the liquid in the bottle has been enjoyed. Each vintage and label depicts its own individual story, allowing the consumer to become part of that story by attaching their own experiences and memories to the bottle and year. Stunning pieces of art in their own right, each individual, uniquely designed label possesses the potential to reinvigorate the pleasurable memories of when - and with whom – it was enjoyed.

[awcfinewineblog]

Spanish Wine Royalty

Craig Buckland, Fine Wine Journal Editor

[Above: Branded wall inside Vega Sicilia's winery]

Few fine wines in Spain, or in the world for that matter, have a history as notable as that of Vega Sicilia. Its top cuvée, Único, was Spain’s first great wine and is collected and coveted by wine connoisseurs from around the world.

Frequently described as the "Lafite of Spain",Vega Sicilia is legendary for its superior quality and unlimited cellaring potential. However, it is also set apart because it was one of the early Spanish estates to begin utilising small amounts of Bordeaux varieties in their blended wines.

The Don Returns

Situated in the Ribera del Duero, east of Valladolid and around 2 hours away from Madrid, the estate covers around 1000 hectares, of which 250 are under vine, creating an estate that is often considered to be the finest of the entire Iberian Peninsula.

[Above: Location of Vega Sicilia]

Vega Sicilia was founded in 1864 by Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves upon his return to Spain from Bordeaux. In his luggage he brought along a selection of vine cuttings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Carménère and Pinot Noir, which he subsequently planted alongside the indigenous variety, known simply as Tinto del Pais ("Country Red") but today is known as Tinto Fino or Tempranillo. Unsurprisingly, it was the indigenous Tempranillo that produced the superior wine, and it therefore normally represents at least 80% of the final blends.

Over the next half century, ownership of the estate changed hands several times, leading to instability in its management and the unfortunate production of inconsistent wines. In the early 20th century, under the new ownership of Antonio Herrero, Vega Sicilia’s reputation began to grow once again as it garnered a number of international awards and enjoyed wider global distribution. However, it was the Alvarez Family (that took over the estate reins in 1982) and their exceptional attention to detail in the vineyard and winery that has propelled Vega Sicilia to its current level of world-class recognition.

Modernisation and Innovation

Through intense modernisation efforts, the Alvarez’s ensure that innovation remains at the forefront and that the traditional practices which have defined Vega Sicilia for generations are still respected. These complementary practices are the key to the immaculate wines produced at the estate.

[Above: Vega Sicilia's Vineyards]

Controlling the yields is essential for the estate and green-harvesting is employed to ensure concentrated, quality fruit is produced. The severity of the selection process allows the unique character of the terroir to come through in the opulent, seductive wines that are produced. These wines have such a high level of concentration that they are aged for many years in oak barriques, and then further bottle-aged prior to their release.

The estate produces two principal wines - the Único Gran Reserva, which is a vintage bottling, and the rare Reserva Especial, which is a multi-vintage blend (usually three historic vintages) that express the finest aspects of Vega's winemaking style and is only released at specific intervals.

The Único Gran Reserva receives over 7 years of oak ageing and at least another 3 years in bottle before release. Valbuena (formerly known as Valbuena 5º) is the second wine, produced with the same grapes used in the Único Gran Reserva, but from lesser vintages. Be that as it may, winemaker, Javier Ausás Javier insists that this is not in fact the second wine of the more expensive Único, and that Valbuena is actually a unique wine in its own right, with a style all of its own. Despite the prolonged barrel ageing, Único is never over-oaked or overly-dry – a testament to the quality of the grapes and the winemaking.

[Above: Vega Sicilia's Chai]

In the 1990’s Vega Sicilia embarked on an aggressive expansion programme, acquiring the nearby Alion estate (which makes wines intended for early consumption) in 1991 and an estate in Toro called Pintia in 1997, which makes 100% Tempranillo wines.

Growing fame and desirability

With the recent decrease of the Bordeaux indexes over the past few years, this has allowed other regions to become even more attractive as collectors and investors look to diversify their cellars and stock holdings.

Today, the secondary market for older releases of Vega Sicilia is already pretty scarce and thus with increasing demand the supply has dwindled. Even recent vintages of Único, released only when they are at least ten years old, arrive in small allocations, therefore commanding values that accurately reflect the quality of product and effort required to bring them from vine to market.

With that in mind be sure to keep an eye out for the new releases from Vega Sicilia, we anticipate they’ll be released within the next few weeks and that they will be highly sought-after. Please contact us immediately to register your interest in an allocation.

[awcfinewineblog]

Bordeaux Market Analysis

Matt Thompson, AWC Senior Account Manager

[Above: Vines and pebbles in a Bordeaux vineyard]

‘Bordeaux’ has been economically challenging over the last few years, with the values of many of the top wines from 2009 and 2010 experiencing a downturn in values not seen in quite some time. While 2011 and, perhaps more so 2012, have turned out to be better than expected when tasted from the bottle, 2013 seems as though it will forever remain in the same category as 2002 and 2007 – vintages for which the term ‘drinking Clarets’ was certainly coined.

However, this year we may be treated to a return to better form with the 2014 vintage apparently shaping up to be really quite good. We will be approaching this spring’s en primeur tastings with cautious optimism, however it seems as though there may finally be vintage worth snapping up upon release. But – and it’s a big one– will the Bordelaise respond to the demand for sensible prices? Watch this space!

The second and much more significant event this year is the 10th anniversary of the 2005 vintage. Highly rated when tasted in the barrel, yet treated a bit harshly from the bottle by Messrs. Parker and Co., it’s remained something of an enigma. The main trait has been a complete lack of accessibility (I recall decanting a bottle of Château Léoville-Las Cases for 5 hours earlier last year before even the faintest trace of a nose was apparent), and epically proportioned tannins that simply refused to release the fruit they were jealously guarding. However, throughout 2014, repeated tastings have shown the wines have begun to enter the early stages of maturity, and they are proving to be simply glorious.

[Above: Château Léoville-Las Cases Vineyards]

Neal Martin recently revisited the vintage (eRobertParker.com) and declared it to be the joint best vintages (alongside 2009) of the noughties, commenting, “If you do not like these wines then either you don't like Bordeaux Cabernet/Merlot or you may want to consider being teetotal.”

With that in mind, the most notable event in regards to 2005 was Robert Parker’s upgrading of Château Mouton Rothschild from 96 points to an incredible 99+ points in December 2014, stating, “The greatness of this vintage is increasingly apparent as the wines throw off their cloaks of tannin.” There is great anticipation that Parker may even re-review all of the 2005s later this year. If this commentary is an indication of how he feels these wines have improved, this certainly seems like the time to snap up as many cases as you can for your cellar. With prices at their lowest ebb for three years and demand likely to increase dramatically if Parker upgrades the top wines, it is certainly a buyers’ market.

[Above: 2005 Château Mouton Rothschild ]

This trend is a reasonable reflection of the market as a whole, with marginal yet positive growth for over 6 months on the Liv-Ex Fine Wine 100 Index and all of the exchange’s sub-indices showing growth so far in January 2015. There seems to be a general feeling that Bordeaux prices are now too low, even by historical standards, as huge amounts of 2009s and 2010s were dumped recklessly onto the market in 2013 and 2014 by speculative buyers, particularly from Asia, pushing values down too far. At AWC we've seen a significant resurgence in demand for Bordeaux, in both recent vintages and for the icons of the past. Could 2015 finally see a return to the sustainable market conditions that were maintained for nearly 30 years? The signs are certainly positive.

Our Sales and Buying teams usually attend the Bordeaux en primeur campaign towards the end of March to meet the Châteaux managers and winemakers to assess the vintage and taste their efforts. Due to our relationships with the Châteaux we can usually accommodate a small number of clients who wish to share the experience of visiting Bordeaux to taste the primeurs – to register your interest in attending please complete this contact form. 

View Matt's Fine Wine Recommendations »