Hardly a week goes by where the controversial subject of aged
white burgundy is not raised in some form or another, and a lively
debate ensues of whether the rewards of one of these feared yet
revered bottles is worth the inherent risk. Some devoted Burgundian
fanatics swear to have a cellar full of white burgundy and to have
never encountered more than the occasional off bottle while others
have pledged that they will never again take the risk on a category
of wine so plagued with erratic problems. At the crux of this issue
is the uncertainty of what exactly is responsible for the
heart-breaking premature oxidation of many a cherished bottle of
white burgundy made prior to the mid 2000âs. The possible causes
have been attributed it to the lowered Sulphur Dioxide levels at
this time, poor cork treatments, the extent of batonnage, the
vigour of the press, how the wine has been stored or a combination
of all of these. Extensive research has been done on the subject
with incredibly detailed records of which producers and vintages
might be most likely to fall victim to pre-mox, but without knowing
for certain why this problem is so prevalent and when it can be
expected to strike, there remains a great deal of uncertainty of
whether the issue may occur again.
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With temperatures in London pushing well past those of our
neighbours to the south, the poor unaccustomed souls stranded in
the UK are doing what they can to beat the heat and devising a
sure-fire strategy to best quench your thirst is as important
concern as any. While delicate Provencal Rose, ice-cold Chablis and
celebratory bubbles are always popular summertime swigs, my
summertime drink of choice is unwavering (if not unsurprising) when
the heat wave sets in: German Riesling. Tailor made for the summer,
Riesling has succulent stone fruits and zesty citrus freshness that
is expertly balanced by mouth-watering acidity and refreshingly low
levels of alcohol.
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Our first Rhone 2013s
have started to arrive in bond â these Cotes du Rhones Villages,
Crozes Hermitages, St Perays and more are perfect for drinking now
and many are immediately available. The more serious and age-worthy
wines will start to arrive in the Autumn.
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We had heard good things about Clos des
Fees. The name Robert Parker, though he himself no
longer writes the reviews on his website, has that power â suddenly
after years quietly making wine an estate can be catapulted from
obscurity to celebrity. We were due to be in the region with a bit
of time to spare, and though it was a bank holiday in France, the
enigmatic Herve Bizuel agreed to receive us. Time was short, and as
we pulled up to the winery near Rivesaltes we felt⦠apprehensive. A
grouping of large, new buildings rose up in front of us, alien and
strange in their provincial surroundings. We had visions of endless
rows of brand new barrels inside, of showy modern wines, big price
tags. We went inside to the reception area, freshly kitted out to
receive tourists. It being a bank holiday in France, it was
deserted. We gingerly walked around, calling for anyone who might
be there. After a not-insignificant amount of time Herve Bizuel
walked down the stairs.
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Madeira is one of the few places left on earth where there
remains a treasure trove of historic wine, and Pereira
dâOliveira is without a doubt the best source. Founded
in 1820, the estate has always been owned and run by the same
family, meaning that whether you open a bottle from 1850 or 1993,
the wine inside was made by a dâOliveira. The wines have spent
their whole lives slowly maturing in cask, only bottled when
required. We have access to a wide range of vintages straight from
the cellars near Funchal going back to 1850, all these vintages and
all the different varietals maintain the house style of power,
structure, richness and a unique tangy freshness. It allows for an
incredibly exciting opportunity to not only own a piece of history,
but to experience this astoundingly complex wine in a variety of
different stages of life.
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When the first wave of Australian wines hit the UK market in the
1980s, they were met with an abundant amount of success from the
marketplace who welcomed their super-ripe and uncomplicated style
as well as their even easier to understand labels which clearly
identified the grape varietal (in English, no less!). With a highly
favourable exchange rate and the reliability of trusted and easily
identifiable âcritterâ brands, like Yellow Tail, wine buyers pushed
their Australian suppliers for large volumes at lowest possible
prices. The flaw in this cheap and cheerful strategy of selling
bulk Australian wine was recognised in 2001 when a combination of
factors began to deteriorate the strength of the Australian wine
export market; including a massive over-production of bulk wine and
the increase in value of the Australian dollar.
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This week we had the pleasure of hosting Vincent Avril, current
proprietor of the illustrious family owned Chateauneuf property
Clos des Papes. The estate hardly needs much
introduction, with a deserving reputation built on the focus of
each generation in producing the best single expression of the
multitude of terroirs under their stewardship. Indeed Vincent is
right in stressing the importance of the scattered nature of their
vineyard holdings. These allow him access to the fruit of
twenty-four distinct plots; each with their own character from
their particular cocktail of galet stones, gravel, sand, clay and
limestone.
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We are now entering that time that we look forward to all
winter⦠leaving work when it is still light out, long, lazy
evenings sitting outside with friends, eating asparagus,
strawberries and steaks on the barbie. Itâs summer, and we are just
so glad it's back. Just as whatâs on the menu changes at this time
of year, so too should the wine in your glass. Fresh, vibrant,
wines that show off the charms of warm-weather cuisine. Here is
what we are especially enjoying at the momentâ¦
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Dominik Huber and his son
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