Stars of the 2013 SA Trip- Where are they now?

Hey Everybody,

One of the most important things in winemaking, at least in new world countries where vintage variation is less of a factor, is consistency.  As a writer I would rather be effective across a smaller range of topics than create a broad-ranging array of articles with little focus.  To that end I am writing today about a few tastings I've conducted over the past month with a few other South African wines with which I have become well-acquainted in recent years.  Keeping up on how wines age and how producers develop from vintage to vintage is very important to me.

Two wineries are in the spotlight here: Raats and De Trafford, both wineries I consider to be at the forefront of top-quality production.

I wrote last year upon my first encounter with Raats Wines (an article that can be found here) and was impressed by both a vineyard management style that can be described as 'harsh' and a range of wines that can be described as 'awesome.'  At last I managed to revisit two wines of the Raats lineup and was not disappointed by what I found.  The Old Vine Chenin Blanc and the Red Jasper both presented themselves marvellously with all the subtlety and power I remembered from them.

The Old Vine Chenin is still one of the true greats among South African Chenin.  As a varietal that is more and more frequently blended with Viognier and other Rhône varietals at the highest level (to great effect at Sijnn and Keermont), it is comforting to see that Bruwer Raats has put forward a Chenin that exhibits a freshness and linearity that is difficult to rival outside of the Loire Valley and Chablis.  Mineral-laced and lively, it shows off the great character of the decomposed dolomitic granite soils that make this regions terroir so exciting.  The 2012 vintage is easily as good as the 2011 I tasted last year and could easily age for a few years with excellent results.

The Red Jasper is a beautifully fresh, yet full-bodied example of Cabernet Franc in a leading role.  It is a rare thing to see Cab Franc take over the role of Cab Sauv or Merlot and lead a rich Bordeaux blend with such class and poise.  The Red Jasper is one of those wines that is effortlessly enjoyable upon release but has the balance and durability to spend a few years in a forgotten cellar before being gleefully rediscovered a decade later.  I may just neglect a bottle for a bit myself... if I can help myself!

Another wine I was particularly excited to taste again came about entirely by coincidence.  I was lucky enough last year to taste a definitive range of verticals from David Trafford's range.  Both his Stellenbosch wines and his Sijnn project (the 2007 of which I recently revisited here) are truly excellent wines, and I was very fortunate to be able to taste pretty much every vintage of every wine as well as several non-vintage blends.  I recalled tasting the 2005 Blueprint Shiraz as a surprising highlight of the tasting.

Even more surprising was finding two bottles in a loveless state liquor store in Pennsylvania.  I obviously bought them and was overwhelmingly satisfied with my purchase.  Showing beautiful earthy aromas, leather and dark chocolate, along with just a whiff of black olive and ferrous minerality.  I also know for a fact that the Merlot 2004 has withstood the test of time just as beautifully developing some of the qualities of mature bordeaux, while maintaining a smoky richness that is, for me, classically Stellenbosch.

I will continue to hunt for as many wines from my trip as I can, which may be difficult here in New York, but I will do my best and report my findings as I go along.  Til then...

Much Love,

G

Revisiting and old Friend- Sijnn 2007 Red

Hey Everybody,

Today's wine is a common theme on this blog; Sijnn.  I'm just putting in a brief tasting note as I revisit this monopolic gem from the Western Cape.  As I sit here in my couch less (there are cushions on the floor) Brooklyn residence I am happy to report that this wine along with several other South African beauties has arrived into my current place of employ- September Wines in the Lower East Side.

I was somewhat surprised to discover, however that the current vintage in the US is the inaugural 2007 release.  A bit of a stunner as the wine is so difficult to come across anywhere else, so I can only assume that Sijnn is yet to make significant inroads into the US.  Hopefully that will change and we can move onto the 2008 at some point in the near future!

At any rate I took a bottle home for my churrasco tonight and popped it open to see what it's been doing these past seven years.  I last checked in on the 2007 last year at the Malgas property with winemaker David Trafford and it was showing beautifully.  A year along I am impressed once again.  A touch of a brickish rim around the inky core is a mere hint towards approaching maturity.

Aromas of blackberry jam and cassis liqueur waft out alongside polished leather, dusty earth and gentle spices.  It is surprisingly restrained initially considering it's age but it does develop nicely in the glass offering up notes of forest floor, black olive and stewed plums.  Just a touch of oak ties it all together and serves as a frame.

The palate is firm, tannins have held up nicely and acidity is still keeping everything tightly wound.  The palate needs a bit longer to open up but when it does, its very deep and beautifully layered.  Flavours are rich, with a dark chilli chocolate character coming out in the mid palate transforming into a satisfyingly bittersweet finish.

I predict that this wine is not even half way to being past it's time.  I'll certainly be checking in on this vintage and the others regularly for some time.

Much Love,
G

3 Malbecs

Good evening everyone,

This evening I am writing to you regarding a trio of Mendoza Malbecs I have tried over the past few days.  They represent three separate price points and in fact three styles that I find essential to Argentine wine.  The best things tend to come in threes, so why shou
ldn't Argentine wine follow suit?

I'll distil how I feel about these three wines into very straightforward terms here; the chocolate covered sour cherry; the smoke from the parrilla; the Parker-pointer.

1. Malbec 2011 from Argento-  This is a Malbec which (perhaps inadvertently) harkens back to Argentina's past.  The colour is bright and pretty, not opaque in the slightest but certainly deep.  The aromas are of sour cherries initially and while they hold up, the nose picks up some dusty cocoa and earth along the way.  For me that is Italian all the way.  It reminds me of some lovely Barbera d'Alba. It is delightful and begs for a burger off the grill.  Even a bolognese would suit it just fine.  Its a wonderful wine for a great price.

2. 154 Malbec 2011 from Alberti- I'll go ahead and call it fitting, but there is a remarkable aroma drifting off the glass which makes an impression before I've even properly had a look at the colour.  Smoked pork.  Bacon or sausage or even grilled lamb chops... At any rate it evokes mental images of the grill and coming from a nation so thoroughly entrenched in it's outdoor cooking traditions, this makes perfect sense.  The primary fruit is restrained but the secondary aromas are forward and intriguing.  Smoky and appetising, a glass of this before attacking the Churrasco... there will be nothing left on the plate!

3. Malbec 2011 Primus- This is the Parker wine!  Inky colour introduces a nose of big, bright blackberry and blackcurrant fruit jumping out of the glass alongside some lovely smoky spices.  there is a note of leather but it remains confidently in a supporting role, as the earthiness holds back as well.  After a while the barrel and overt fruit aromas blow off a bit and the wine becomes a bit more Bordelaise in style (or perhaps Cahors would be a better comparison).  It is elegant and balanced and with time a certain gravel driven minerality emerges which even begs a comparison to Graves or Madiran.

All three are exceptional wines for their niches.  They are all undeniably Malbec, but they all fill a separate role in their approach to the variety.  The more I read and learn about Argentine wine and the journey of Malbec, the more I come to love the variety.  I'll leave you with this delightful picture which should remind us all just what Malbec is really for!

Much love,

G

My food photography skills leave something to be desired but this mini-asado was awesome!

Arrival Notes- New York City

Hey Everyone,

After a long absence I am returning to the wine trade in New York City with a fabulous company named September Wines.  Located in the Lower East Side, they are a great group of people with a real passion for their product.  No one word describes the range of wines on offer at September, but 'exciting' scratches the surface.







Though I am overwhelmingly excited about returning to the US wine trade to work with an exciting and energetic company, I have my concerns about my newfound market.  They are far from unique an in fact mirror the problems facing the UK wine trade.

One of my main reservations about wine consumption amongst both the casual drinker and the more curious wine-lovers around the world is that there is often a positive prejudice towards certain wines that leads to the neglect of a vast world of excellent produce.  In my last establishment in Britain we were able to stock a selection of nearly a hundred Australian wines, fifty South Africans, and over one hundred Italians.  That all pales in comparison with the quantity of French wines from across the major regions.

While there are token wines from Jura and Savoie and other minor appellations, the omission is in these examples.  It's not that there are no wines from Cahors, it's just that there is so little demand for them in favour of Australian Cabernet or Argentine Malbec that the only Cahors on offer is a lonely little £10 bottle that is rarely in stock.  Meanwhile in the US I have worked in three wine companies and saw a grand total of 6 wines from South Africa on offer.  5 of those are at September wines meaning one company completely neglected a country with some of the most historically revered wines in the world.

If the tastes of the UK and the US wine trades could somehow be combined, I feel that there would be no region left out in the cold.  It is the demand for new experiences which lead to the surge in popularity among Prossecco, Sancerre and Riesling. The greatest danger to these gains is feeling like the customer's potential experience is maximised.  The important thing to remember is that there is always more wine.  New vines are cultivated every day, new regions will emerge on a yearly basis, old regions long dormant will resurge and the old favourites will fade into the past.

Its all about education and the most exciting thing about wine is that if a new experience is placed before you why not take it?  There is so much to experience in the wine world (this goes for the rest of the world as well) and once you find a nice place to pick up a bottle of something new, I say go for it!  It will be well worth your while.

Much Love,

G

Le Grappin- The beginnings of a legendary producer.

Hey Everyone,

Today I am writing to you in the aftermath of a tasting conducted by my good friend and longtime Colleague, Mr. Peter Wood (www.thetastingnote.com).  Peter has always had a true knack for identifying future sources of excitement in wine and his most recent achievement is perhaps his most intriguing to date.  Burgundy has always had a sonorous resonance in it's very name and with the land parcelled out and much of it spoken for by various domaines, cooperatives and large negociants, it is rare that something new and exciting comes along.

There was a time when Frederic Mugnier was the cause of great excitement, with wines stunningly over-performing for their price, but of course when the word gets out, a well kept secret becomes a part of the status quo of excellent, and appropriately priced wines.  That is why the rise of a new producer in Burgundy, snatching up the best grapes in Savigny-le-Beaune is exciting for anyone looking for a good bargain that is sure to attract attention in the very near future.

Le Grappin, from Australian winemaker Andrew Nielsen is living proof that the wine world is never exhausted, never done throwing out surprises, and with his wines focused on the excellent, underrated terroirs of Savigny's vineyards he is quickly turning heads.  Producing a minuscule amount of wine each year (sometimes as little as two barrels!) he only makes what he is sure will be phenomenal.

Negociants like Mr. Nielsen are often larger companies that will happily purchase grapes from a large plot of land, ensuring their supply and the flexibility to sort the best grapes from the lot.  Andrew however, will go into the vineyard and select such small parcels of grapes, that it often comes down to a question of rows or vines, rather than vineyards or blocks.  Combine this highly selective process with the quality of vineyards such as le Boucherottes and Grèves (both proven premier cru sites) and you have a recipe for a truly exceptional wine.

One of the most exciting aspects of the Grappin range is that he never overcharges for his wines.  At least not yet.  He produces his basic level Savigny red and white wines and they sell for around £30 per bottle.  It is enough to emphasise the quality of the wine, but not enough to put off the enthusiastic wine lovers who want a reasonablly priced bottle to cellar for a few years and drink on a special occasion. However, it is the premier cru wines where the value becomes truly apparent.  both the red from Boucherottes and a rare example of a white from Grèves generally sell for only a few pounds more than the entry level.  The result?  Wines capable of facing the test of time in the cellar and rewarding careful storage with what is almost certain to be sublime stuff in maturity.

As it stands now, his wines are often bottled and released in the space of a few weeks, leaving the bottle maturation to the customer, but hopefully as his business becomes as strong as his wines we will see them released later with more bottle age.  For now, you should defintely get your hands on his wines as quickly as you can because they won't stay at £30 for long!

Much Love,

G