June 2009
“Summer Time and my liver is queasy,” as the song goes.
Late June and at the time of writing, Helios’ golden chariot burns boldly in the celestial blue (or less pretentiously, phew it’s a scorcher!) and as St George’s street begins to resemble the promenade at Marbella, with varying degrees of ocular satisfaction, the danger is to get somewhat carried away in a climate which always seems like a good excuse for a refreshing ale, or a cool glass or two of a mouth tingling white or Rosé.
Beware the 14-15% new world rosés which entice you in with their seductive aromas of summery red fruits and then knock your head into oblivion half-way through the 2nd glass.
Beware the zingy, citrus fest of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs which beguile with their fresh, zesty, lip-smacking quaffability and then drag you quickly into a glorious, muddled world of deluded self-confidence.
Why not be radically sensible and try a nice little German number. “German?” I hear you cry, “surely you can’t mean that sweet, flabby alcoholic grape juice as typified by the likes of Liebfraumilch, Niersteiner etc…?”
“Nein” is the answer (and the question isn’t what’s four plus five!).
Germany’s wine industry has in recent times been judged on these mass produced, mass marketed wines whose easy-drinking style, accessibility and consistency of flavour for many years suited the (dare I say), unsophisticated English palate. This style of wine is one which blossomed from a wine industry almost completely devastated following the small matter of a couple of World Wars. Subsequently the great reputation Germany enjoyed for centuries as the producer of elegant, aromatic, pure white wines has been unfortunately over-shadowed. Thankfully the German viticultural reputation for quality is rising once again and few people are contributing more to this renewed profile of excellence than the somewhat reluctant wine-maker Ernst Loosen. The Loosen family for over two centuries has run the enigmatically named Dr Loosen (not a James Bond villain!) estate in the Mosel, and when more recently in the mid 1980’s the Estate found itself without an heir apparent. Ernst Loosen (pronounced Loh-Zen) gallantly took up the baton, having to sacrifice his keen archaeological interests. Ernst wasted no time in learning his new vocation, traveling the world to wherever great wine was being made and emerging with a style of wine-making which respects great traditions as well as the personality of the wine-maker and the Terroir itself.
“What has impressed me most about the great wines of the world, aside from the immense pleasure of drinking them, is the deeply rooted, fiercely held philosophies of the people who create them. The great winemakers I have met invariably possess a clear concept in their minds before the first grape is picked, of what their wines should be. It’s a vision that places terroir over technology, and grape quality over quantity. Their wines are great because they share a dedication to producing intense, concentrated wines that proudly proclaim their heritage.
This is the level of winemaking that we pursue at our two estates: Dr. Loosen on the Mosel and J.L. Wolf in the Pfalz. Our goal is to make wines that are delicious to drink and true to their roots. When I drink a Riesling from a grand cru vineyard like Wehlener Sonnenuhr, I want to smell the blue slate soil that nourishes the fruit. I want to taste the depth of the old vines. I want to experience the character of the vintage. I want authenticity; without it, a wine is simply another beverage.
Of course, the measure of any great wine is not where it begins, but where it ends — in your glass. I hope you enjoy drinking the wines as much as we have enjoyed making them.”
Ernst Loosen.
Here at The Last we stock the award-winning 2008 Dr L Riesling. A big favourite of James’ who extols the virtues of its rich grapiness and steely citrus qualities, and at only 8.5% ABV it can be drunk with gay abandon without fear of descending into a rambling, dribbling mess (a condition which Mr Sawrey-Cookson generally seeks to avoid!… with variable success) Great as an apéritif this Riesling is also a good match with spicy foods and maybe more interestingly is well worth trying with blue cheese.
It is certainly no coincidence that most sommeliers and wine experts proclaim Riesling as their favourite grape variety. A grape regarded as being amongst the Nobility in the wine world, it is also considered to be one of the grape varieties which best reflects its “Terroir” or whose unique identity is a result of its specific surroundings. Cultivated in this Germanic region of Europe since the 15th Century, Riesling is a late-budding grape and so works well in cooler climates. This wine has lip-smacking acidity producing zingy citrus, apple and peach flavours when young and developing startling aromas of petroleum and perfumed, aromatic flavours with age. Small, round berries with a greenish-yellow skin when ripe can also produce stunning sweet wines. When a short rainy period is followed by sustained dry weather, the grapes will be sometimes be affected by “Noble Rot” the unusual case of a desirable fungal infection which makes the great wines of Sauternes possible. The resulting concentration of sugars in the grape produces the famous “Vendange Tardive” Rieslings (Late Harvest) in Alsace and the Trockenbeerenauslese (selected harvest of dried berries) in Germany. Although few of us would have the opportunity or indeed patience to test this claim it is reported that some of the best Riesling wines (even of the dry variety) can be enjoyed 100 years after production!
What of the Reds? Well, both Alsace and Germany produce some fine red wines with the Pinot Noir grape, more sharp acidity than its Burgundian neighbour but light and fruity and delicious served chilled with spicy sausage, a dish difficult to avoid in this region! However the real promise from Germany comes from a relative new-comer called Dornfelder, first bred as recently as 1956 and a cross of 2 little known indigenous German varieties (Helfensteiner and Heroldrebe) It is an early ripening grape which displays uncommon depth of fruit and colour for this region and offers rich flavours of plum, cherry and blackberry, well worth looking out for!
The Germans do love their beer, and in this respect, like their British and Scandanavian cousins have a very much Northern European attitude to drinking to which the famous beer-guzzling Oktoberfest is a testament. This however hides a certain sophistication in the art of wine-making which stretches back centuries just as the stereotype of Germany as an efficient, rather stoic, humourless nation belies the great cultural contribution of a nation historically refered to as “Das Land der Dichter und Denker” The land of poets and thinkers… and great wine drinkers!
February 2009
At Last, the eagerly anticipated second instalment of our wise wine words and latest news from the grapevine. Christmas has come and gone and as we dip our toes tentatively into the first rippling wavelets of 2009, the colour of the moment far from being black seems to be pink!
The growing popularity of rosé wines in the last couple of years has culminated in a veritable explosion at the end of 2008; the reasons are manifold. The emergence of Pinot Grigio as the new Chardonnay and tipple of choice for a new generation of wine drinkers coupled with the easy-drinking style of “blush” wines from California has made Pinot Grigio “blush” a marketer’s dream. “Blush” wines have a sweeter edge to them and with the current popularity of all things Italian (thanks largely to Jamie Oliver) the Pinot Grigio variety is booming.
The obvious attraction of rosé is also that it resolves the dilemma between a choice of white or red. So often when a red is too rich and powerful and a white too dry or acidic, a good rosé seems an ideal alternative. Winemakers in recent years have woken up to the potential of rosé wine and have begun to improve the quality dramatically. There had previously been a sense that rosé was a by-product, an afterthought with the quality of the flavour secondary to its “novelty” value.
Perhaps the most obvious reason for the growth of rosé is the nostalgic value it holds as we try to recapture lazy, languid, care-free days sipping the local rosés of Provence, Tuscany or Catalonia under a warm, comforting sun. Unfortunately the true quality of some of these wines is soon exposed when taken out of this idealised context. The same wine loses its edge somewhat when sampled on a wet Wednesday in Wymondham. (No offence to Wymondhamites, I was just going for all the Ws!)
There are essentially three ways of making rosé wines. Firstly, when black grapes (mainly Pinot Noir) are pressed directly and a proportion of the subsequent juice fermented without contact with the skin, as in white wines. This technically produces what is known as a “vin gris”. This method is rare and often simply a means to add more concentration and colour to the remaining juice which has been left in contact with the skins, creating a more powerful, tannic red wine. However Champagne producers sometimes use this method and it can be recognized on the label as “Blanc de noirs”
Secondly there is the “saignée” or bleeding method where the grapes are de-stalked but not crushed, and then vatted for 12 to 24 hours (the less time, the paler the colour). The juice is then run off and fermented without skin contact. Again, this is often a way of intensifying the juice of the remaining grapes to produce a more concentrated red.
Thirdly, and most commonly, is when black grapes are crushed and the skins are allowed to remain in contact with the juice for a short period of around two to three days. This is essentially an abbreviated red wine vinification. The grapes are pressed but then the skin which imparts the colour is discarded and the pale coloured juice is then left to continue its fermentation separately.
Possibly a big misapprehension about rosé wines is that they are simply a blend of red and white wines. This is hardly ever practiced and would almost always result in a wine of poor quality, with the possible exception of the odd alchemical miracle at a student party.
The “blush” wines are really the result of an accident during the wine-making process whereby the yeast dies off before all the sugar has turned to alcohol producing a semi-sweet, very faintly pink wine. This method which was initially used with the Black Zinfandel grape to produce a “white Zinfandel” soon became very popular in California from the 1980s onwards. More recently in Italy the discovery that the grape variety “primitivo” was essentially a “cousin” of the North American Zinfandel has led to many Italian wine-makers seeking to get in on the act, riding the “blush” wave of popularity and possibly sacrificing a little integrity on the way.
So what are our favourites I hear you ask… Oh go on, please ask!
Well, both James and I share a cautious approach to the new world rosés currently being produced which blow your head off after a couple of sips. The alcohol levels in wines such as Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon rosé hovering around the 14% mark have potential dangerous consequences when drunk on a hot sunny summer afternoon if ever we have the good fortune of being able to enjoy one. These styles of rosé are, however, very popular, showing an easy-drinking abundance of fruit with powerful flavours, and as such are a good alternative to a red wine.
James’ favourite rosé of the moment is one from Corbières in the Languedoc Rousillion region in Southern France: Château Ollieux Romanis Corbières Rosé. Château Ollieux Romanis is situated at Montseret (also renowned for its Rosemary honey!) and has been in the Bories family since the mid 19th Century. The vines are planted on red clay soil and face south-east on a sheltered hill-side. The Carignan grape is king here and this rosé is a blend of hand-harvested Carignan with a little Syrah and Grenache. Spicy with a savoury edge it is ideal with richly flavoured rustic dishes. James has recently enjoyed a bottle of this with a bourride (a rich Mediterranean seafood stew) and suggests it is also a perfect match for grilled meats or indeed can be simply enjoyed on its own. Should this have got the old taste buds tingling then feel free to contact us and we will put you in contact with the charming Monsieur Jérome Lambert of Bijou bottles at Wroxham, who will, in his inimitable style, furnish you with this fantastic wine.
As for myself, whilst not wishing to seem disloyal to my Gallic grounding and bearing in mind James has probably nicked the best one, I would like to celebrate the softness and simplicity of the Rosato Veronese Veritiere, a seductively light wine from the Veneto region of Northern Italy with soft red fruit flavours but with a fresh crispness which means that there is often very little time elapsed between sips. It is made with the black Corvina which is a grape rather than a 1980s wide-boy’s mode of transport. It is the same grape used to make Valpolicella and displays similarly light, summer fruit flavours and at 11% does not leave you incapacitated after a glass or two. This wine is available from Enotria Wine Cellars and is very affordable.
So, at this time of year when cupid sharpens up his arrows and ambitious young men book tables at restaurants in their thousands (often with somewhat presumptuous haste), it has been good to explore the virtues and vices of the romantic rosé. What power this pink product yields! Sexy, seductive, soft and soothing, and just the thing to make a lady blush!
See you next time.
Ecky and James
October 2008
Welcome ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, to the first of our regular columns celebrating our love affair with the fruits of the versatile, virtuosic, vinis vinifera.
James and I have deliberated, cogitated and often locked horns to bring to The Last’s list a unique identity which reflects both our personalities and our relationship with wine. I grew up in a French environment with pretty much the impression that wine came in two forms, Muscadet or Côtes du Rhone, with an occasional fuss being made over something “special” from Bordeaux which I was never going to get anywhere near -- understandable really considering that, until I was about fourteen, my wine would be served with a significant “splash” of water. So the foundations of my appreciation and evaluation of the thousands of bottles I would one day, for professional purposes (in the most part) have to sample was to be built on watered down cheap red Rhône.
James’ first flirtations with wine, although post-amphora, do stretch back considerably further than mine. He has cloudy recollections of his father, a lover of fine wines, topping up his water bottle with a drop of Burgundy when he was as young as three! A prelude to a young adulthood in 1970s London of bacchanalian over-indulgence, bathing in inviting pools of sleek Mosel Rieslings and earthy Riojas that would sing of the joys of Spain. All this goes some way to explaining his now legendary refined “nose” and finely-tuned palate.
Unsurprisingly, therefore, a common thread between the two of us has been our euro-centric appreciation of wine. The advent of New world wines to the British market, which was to become a full scale invasion in the 1990s, was certainly a mixed blessing. On the one hand it had the very positive effect of introducing wine to a much wider audience with both its easy drinking style and accessibility in terms of price, and encouraging the public to learn more about specific grape varieties. A noticeable change here at the Last, for example, was that regular Liebfraumilch drinkers were very soon to become lovers of Australian Chardonnay. A certain element of snobbery and exclusivity in the world of wine was being challenged, and the simplistic “it does what it says on the tin” approach to the wines and their labeling was to be a welcome change to most people, for whom the confusing, undecipherable labels of the “old world” seemed to require an esoteric knowledge for the initiated only. People began to discover Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon amongst others and recognize their distinctive, different characteristics.
However, it seemed that a certain integral role of wine as being a drink to be enjoyed with food was being sacrificed to give the consumer this “explosion” of fruit. This new wave of wine-making was creating entirely fruit-driven wines which were often little more than alcoholic fruit juices; “gluggable” became the buzz word of the day but in many cases the wines were fairly one dimensional lacking the backbone, structure and complexity to really excite the palate and often with such a high percentage of alcohol as to knock your head off with one glass!
Fortunately we now appear to be able to enjoy the best of both worlds. Traditional wine-making regions such has France, Italy and Spain are having to significantly improve the quality of their wines at the cheaper end of the market to stay in the running, and winemakers in the new world are recognizing the trend towards a more subtle style of wine and also catering for a “going out” culture which is now much more food orientated.
So as James and I wrestle with the task of providing our customers with a balanced, interesting wine list, our aim is to celebrate the great diversity of wine and, more importantly, to show wines which reflect their place of origin, whilst obviously attempting to allow for the broad range of people’s tastes. The many wine tastings we are forced to attend for your benefit can obviously be fairly exhausting and we will often leave these events with our heads spinning with the important decisions to be made. A recent South American tasting had us trying in the region of 80 Argentinian Malbecs, before we could eventually agree on the “Ruca Malen” which is now such a favourite on our list. Tough work I think you’ll agree!
The truth, however, and in essence the beauty of wine is that there are no rules and there is no right or wrong. James and I will make certain judgements of what we think will have a general appeal, whilst obviously allowing ourselves a certain element of self-indulgence. We are though fortunate to have several regular customers who will soon let us know if we have made a mistake (won’t you Ken!). The task of wine-buying is also greatly facilitated by working with good wine merchants of which a list of our favourites appears on the wine list on our website. In the restaurant business as well as in a personal capacity there are great rewards in having a good relationship with a wine merchant who understands your tastes and requirements and who can provide a personal touch which supermarkets fail to deliver.
It is easy to understand how the world of wine can generate so many obsessive enthusiasts. In my younger days I can remember finding the pantomime of wine-tasting and the apparently disproportionate superlatives á la Jilly Goolden (“mmm this wine tastes like the grapes have been gently crushed beneath the sweaty armpits of Spanish fishwives”, and so on) fairly comical. However, the great thing about wine is this ability to stir the senses, to evoke nostalgia, to bring out different reactions in different people depending on their own personal sensory history. It is a subject which is not only inexhaustible and ever-changing but unique to each individual. The opinion of someone drinking their very first glass of wine is as valid as a master of wine who has spent a lifetime of swallowing and spitting (if you’ll pardon the expression!).
James and I, in this regular column, will share our thoughts and personal impressions with you, discussing favourite wines, current trends, wine regions of particular interest, subjects ranging from the benefits or otherwise of screwcaps, to the realistic advent of England as a major wine-producing country. We hope we can very humbly endeavour to be both informative and entertaining.
See you next time,
Ecky and James