The Wines of Errazuriz

Executive Winemaker Francisco Baettig

The people of Viña Errazuriz have an impressive list of credentials. Its founder, Don Maximiano Errazuriz, was an accomplished businessman and diplomat in addition to being a winemaker. His descendant, Eduardo Chadwick has been guiding the winery since 1983 and was responsible for introducing Syrah to Chile in the 1990s, while Executive Winemaker Francisco Baettig was voted 2011 Winemaker of the Year by the Chilean Circle of Food and Wine Writers. 

I caught up with Francisco as he passed through Singapore earlier this month. He was calm and focused despite the airline having lost his luggage on the trip from Chile. With the foresight of a well-seasoned traveller, he had kept what he needed close to him and was well prepared for the trade tasting organised by Beam Global Asia. 

Errazuriz is recognised as a top quality producer based in the middle of the Aconcagua region. Nestled in a valley between a low coastal range and the Andes mountains, the climate is Mediterranean, with warm summers moderated by cooling breezes from the Pacific Ocean. The wines are divided into four categories; Icons, Max Reserva, Specialties and Estate.  In the 1990s Eduardo and Robert Mondavi from California embarked on a series of joint ventures, these were then acquired by Errazuriz when Constellation Brands bought the Robert Mondavi Winery. Of these joint ventures, the most significant is Seña, billed as Chile’s first “icon” wine.

With the goal of establishing Chilean wine as capable of going toe to toe with the world’s best, in January 2004 Eduardo organised a blind tasting pitting Errazuriz Cabernets against those from Italy and France. In what has come to be known as the “Berlin Tasting” (after the city in which the tasting was held), the 2000 Viñedo Chadwick and 2001 Seña came in first and second respectively, beating wines such as Château Lafite and Sassicaia. These tastings have since been held regularly (in different countries) to demonstrate the quality of Chilean wine to a worldwide audience. 

Asked what he thinks is the most significant development in Chilean wine today, Francisco replies that there has been great improvement in cool climate winemaking, especially with Chardonnay in the coastal areas. While Cabernet Sauvignon still dominates plantings, wines made from varietals such as Viognier and Carignan are becoming increasingly visible. “It’s very diverse now, very interesting,” says Francisco. 

Tasting notes:

Errazuriz Max Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2011 – Pale lemon with a youthful nose of gooseberry, nettle and passionfruit. Very fresh and vibrant on the palate, with lychee and gooseberry notes. 

Errazuriz Chardonnay Wild Ferment 2010 – Fermented using native yeasts to add complexity to the wine. Medium lemon appearance, toasty and nutty notes on the nose with green apple. Well integrated oak lending a subtle buttery note to the wine. Medium+ length.

Errazuriz Carmenere Single Vineyard 2008 – Deep ruby.  Takes a little time to open, but then exhibits intense mocha and dark chocolate notes. Very soft and ripe tannins, slightly stalky with notes of plum and spice. 

Errazuriz La Cumbre Shiraz 2006 – Part of the Icons range, the fruit for this wine was sourced from three vineyards in the Aconcagua Valley. Deep ruby robe. Youthful nose of rich, ripe fruit, with an aromatic lift that I would guess comes from the 3% Petit Verdot blended into this wine. Very plush tannins, with ripe forest fruits and great concentration. Well defined and structured. 

Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve 2006 – Bordeaux blend. Errazuriz’s flagship wine, named after its founder. Deep ruby with a garnet edge. Developing aromas of dark chocolate, blackcurrant and plum. Ripe tannins, approachable and harmonic, an intense palate with a long, flavourful finish.  

Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve 2007 – Developing slower than the 2006. Still quite impenetrable, with firm tannins and black fruit overlayed with fresh acidity. 

Errazuriz Viñedo Chadwick 2007 – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Viñedo Chadwick vineyards are located in the Maipo Valley, known for its high quality reds. This wine exhibited black fruits and cigar box aromas, with a generous palate of cassis, cedar and spice. Lush tannins, with medium acidity and a persistent finish. 

Errazuriz is distributed in Singapore by Beam Global Asia.

Chile Grows Up

Photo courtesy of Errazuriz

Chile, as a wine producing country, reminds me of a kindergarten kid who is perfectly happy playing alone in one corner. It is a country noted for its extreme isolation, due in large part to the surrounding geographical features that act as natural boundaries. To the north is the Atacama Desert, the driest in the world, while to the south lies the cold emptiness of Antarctica. The majestic Andes loom in the east while the blue expanse of the Pacific Ocean dominates the west. 

This isolation means that even though the history of wine in Chile spans several hundred years, starting when Spanish settlers arrived with the vine in the 16^th century, in a very real way the modern story of Chilean wine only started around the 1980s. Faced with falling domestic consumption and the removal of protectionist policies, winemakers were forced for the first time to consider exporting to international markets. Initially, the world did not pay much attention to this newcomer. What could a nation with outdated winemaking equipment, unexceptional varietals and cheap, rustic wine possibly offer? 

But there was more to Chile than anyone suspected. By not mixing around with the other kids, Chile was spared much of the nasty viruses and diseases that spread like a contagion in the 19^th century. In particular, Chile had never contracted the HFMD of the wine world - the scourge known as phylloxera. Warm, dry summers and plentiful water for irrigation ensure a healthy, reliably ripening crop. Within a decade, more than 10,000 ha of vineyards were planted with international varieties and substantial investments had gone into modernising vineyards and wineries. Chilean wine soon became synonymous with good value and varietal expressiveness. 

That image, while beneficial to producers of low to mid-priced wine, presents a difficulty to those who now want to position Chile as a producer of high quality, premium wine. One of the greatest challenges for Chile is to move away from the image as a producer of cheap and good wines. In the September issue of The Drinks Business, editor Patrick Schmitt stated that Chile “needed to focus on higher-priced grape varietals allied to high-quality regions.”

Francisco Baettig, winemaker at Errazuriz, is aware of the hurdles Chilean wine must face. “It takes time to achieve recognition,” he admits. “Once people know the country, they really love it. That’s why we travel.” The country’s generic body, Wines of Chile, has also been active in promoting Chilean wine regions and organising tastings around the world. And of course, there is Chile’s star varietal, Carmenere. Rarely found in its native France today, Chilean Carmenere produces deeply crimson wine with lusciously rich fruit. At a tasting of Chilean wines at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards, it was the flight of Carmenere wines that most impressed me with their consistent quality. 

Certainly, Chile lost many opportunities in the course of its turbulent political and economic history. But with energetic advocates and exciting new wine regions, the future of Chilean wine looks bright. 

Next up: The Wines of Errazuriz

Taste Martinborough - Redefining Wine Royalty

In many winemaking countries, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are seen as the King and Queen of grapes. They are possessed of certain noble traits, such as the ability to relate easily to people and are quite adapt in acclimatising themselves to different environments. Like all royalty they have an air of sombre dignity, producing wines of superlative quality and ageability. 

However, there are some in the royal family who do not fit the typical mould. Feisty and strong-charactered, Sauvignon Blanc tired of the rigid trappings of her native France and established her own court in New Zealand back in the 1970s. The winemakers in New Zealand allowed her to express herself fully, and soon the world was falling in love with her forward style. Youthfulness and intense varietal character are the hallmarks of a Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc, and even those unfamiliar with the wine regions of New Zealand would be able to pick out the snow pea, grass and gooseberry flavours of this wine. 

For some time now, the search has been ongoing to find a suitable consort for Sauvignon Blanc, a red varietal to complete the vinous offerings of New Zealand. Winemakers believe they may have found an answer in Pinot Noir. Unlike the hardy and popular Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir is a dreamy poet. He can be selective and temperamental, and if the climate and soil are not to his exact liking, the result can be a disastrous harvest.  Fortunately, he took a shine to the Martinborough region, and it is from here that New Zealand Pinot Noir has earned the highest international acclaim. 

I had an opportunity to sample these wines at the Taste Martinborough Food and Wine Evening organised by The Local Nose. The tasting was held at Buyan and accompanied with a selection of appetisers such as Pirozhki (Russian Pastry with Meat and Cheese Filling) and Stchi (Russian Cabbage Soup). The list of participating wineries reads like a Who’s Who of top Martinborough producers, with names such as Ata Rangi, Craggy Range, Martiborough Vineyards and Schubert. The wineries differ vastly in size, with Ata Rangi and Cambridge Road representing the small but established players alongside larger producers such as Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyards and Craggy Range. Rounding off the list is a new crop of boutique wineries which include Haythornthwaite, Brodie Estates, Schubert and Vynfields. 

Martinborough Pinot Noir tends to be light to medium bodied, well-structured and with more fruity than floral notes. Alcohol levels range from 13-14%, but are well integrated so that they add flesh and body without detracting from the balance of the wine. A pleasant discovery was the range of other varietals at the tasting such as Syrah, Chardonnay and Gewurtztraminer, highlighting the diverse offerings of the region. 

The growth of Pinot Noir in New Zealand over the past few years has been nothing short of remarkable. It is now the second most planted varietal in New Zealand after Sauvignon Blanc, covering around 4800 ha. With its expressive varietal character and silky texture, it is easy to see why the local populace has seen fit to elevate Pinot Noir to the throne. As wine writer Jancis Robinson commented, “The best (NZ Pinot Noir) are nowhere near as good as the best red burgundy, but the worst are so, so much more delicious than the worst burgundy.”

Winery profiles and tasting notes:

Haythornthwaite
Established by Mark and Susan Haythornthwaite in the early 1990s. The first plantings were in 1992 with Pinot Noir, followed by Pinot Gris and Gewurtztraminer. Each wine is named after a family member or friend. 

Haythornthwaite Susan Gewurtztraminer 2008 – Enticing nose of starfruit and ginger. Off dry, with notes of honey, lime, pineapple and lychee that linger through to the long finish. 

Haythornthwaite Pamela Gewurtztraminer 2011 – Varietal character of rosewater, spice and lychee. Medium dry, with some heft on the palate although it doesn’t cross the line into cloying. 

Haythornthwaite Catherine Petit Pinor 2006 – The name Petit indicates that it comes from younger vines. Perfumed aroma, with notes of earth and forest floor. Light bodied with ripe medium- tannins, red fruits, beef extract and black cherry. 

Te Kairanga
Established in 1984, Te Kairanga was the largest vineyard operator in Martinborough when it was bought by American billionaire Bill Foley in 2011. 

Te Kairanga Sauvignon Blanc 2010 – Typical Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc. Gooseberry and grass notes with an interesting squeeze of starfruit on the palate. Bright and lively.

Te Kairanga Chardonnay 2010 – Primary fruit characters of melon and apricot. Slightly muted on the nose. Vanilla and oak dominate on the palate. Creamy texture. 

Schubert
Established in 1998 by Kai Schubert and Marion Deimling, both graduates of the famed Geisenheim University in Germany. Having tasted the wines several times over the years, I would venture to say that they are consistently impressive. 

Schubert Marion’s Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 – Intense aromatics of red fruits, with charred oak. A crunchy character to the fruit, backed with refreshing acids. Medium+ alcohol but with masses of ripe fruit to balance it out. Long finish. 

Schubert Block B Pinot Noir 2010 – Made from plantings of newer Dijon clones. Raspberry nose, with a mineral undercurrent. Nervy and taut on the palate with earthy notes. Long and complex. 

Cambridge Road
The first organically managed vineyard in Martinborough, established in 1986. Proprietor Lance Redgwell now farms the vineyard biodynamically. 

Cambridge Road Pinot Noir 2009 – Earthy nose, reminiscent of clay, with raspberry. Some spice on the palate, with crunchy red berries. Light bodied with ripe medium- tannins. Elegant with great purity. 

Cambridge Road Syrah 2010 – An unusual blend of 91% Syrah and 9% Pinot Noir. Cool climate Syrah character was evident in this wine, with notes of blackcurrant, pepper and game. Slightly medicinal. 

Vynfields
Owners John Bell and Kaye McAulay embarked on a renovation of the vineyards in 1998, uprooting existing vines and replanting them with Pinot Noir. They did keep some of the Riesling as well as an unidentified varietal. Kai Schubert and Marion Deimling double up as winemakers for Vynfields. 

Vynfields Riesling 2010 – Minerally nose with lemon sherbet and lime. Slight bitterness on the palate with sharp acidity. 

Vynfields Mad Rooster 2010 – Made from an unknown grape that was present in the vineyards when John and Kaye took over. An earthy, almost sweaty nose with sour cherry fruit. Fresh acidity lending structure to the wine. Intriguing. 

Vynfields Pinot Noir 2009 – Pronounced intensity nose of boiled sweets, perfume and violet notes. Ripe, bright cherry fruit on the palate with a silky texture and a lasting finish. 

Ata Rangi
Justifiably Martinborough’s most acclaimed producer. “You can’t go wrong with Ata Rangi,” was a comment I overheard at the tasting. Their reputation is hard-earned, being one of the first wineries to set up in the region back in the 1980s. Founder Clive Paton along with wife Phyll and sister Alison laid much of the ground rules for growing Pinot Noir in New Zealand. 

Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir 2010 – The name of the wine refers to Project Crimson, a conservation trust set up to preserve New Zealand’s pohutukawa and rata trees. Vibrant and approachable, the wine has an alluring aroma of fresh red cherries and woodsmoke. The palate is framed by lively acidity, supple tannins and concentrated fruit.

Wine Tasting with Louis Vialard

Visiting Bordeaux is an unforgettable experience. The luxury of the châteaux accommodations, the excellent food (coupled with rich sauces) and the attention to winemaking detail speak to the importance of this region that is the largest producer of AOC (appellation contrôlée) wines in France. But ask to purchase a bottle of the wine, and more often than not you would be politely referred to the nearest retailer. In contrast to many other wine regions, cellar door sales are a rarity in Bordeaux.

The reason for this is the stratified business model of selling wine in Bordeaux. The producers make the wine, but it is the négociants (wine merchants) who sell it, sometimes taking over the responsibility for bottling and ageing the wine as well. Courtiers (brokers) act as intermediaries between the producer and the négociant, helping to source stocks of wine and advising the producers on what price the market will bear. For this they typically get a commission of 2%. 

One of the players in this marketplace is the company of Louis Vialard S.A.S., a négociant that was set up in 1969. Its current chairman, Eric Hosteins, is a supporter of the Bordeaux trade structure. He explains that the négociants, with their extensive distribution network, play an irreplaceable role in getting the wine to the consumer. “We can deliver to a person in the middle of the jungle,” he states confidently. 

Besides acting as a distributor, Louis Vialard also owns wineries in Bordeaux and the Languedoc region. Eric was in Singapore earlier this August to conduct a tasting featuring wines from their own portfolio. Asia is a key region for Louis Vialard, accounting for nearly 70% of sales, with China alone responsible for a third of the company’s turnover. Eric attributes the company’s success to two reasons. “We produce rather good wines. And we remain affordable.”

Château Cissac, a Cru Bourgeois from the Haut-Médoc is undoubtedly the company’s most prized asset. The vineyards are planted on sandy gravel over clay and limestone with a composition of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. The average age of the vines is 30 years. Maturation of the wine is in French oak casks (30-40% new) for 18-20 months. The 2008 poured at the tasting was in typical Bordeaux style, firm with notes of black fruit and toasted oak. Initially quite reticent, it opened up nicely after half an hour. 

Also featured at the tasting were wines from Domaine de Saint Dominique, a winery located in the Hérault department of the Languedoc region. Eric jokingly refers to this as his “toy winery” but some of the wines are nonetheless worthy of serious consideration. I was particularly impressed by the 2007 vintage, a blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot and 10% Merlot. Although classified as a mere Vin de Pays due to the use of non-traditional varietals, the wine showed complex notes of leather, tea leaf, chocolate and well-defined black fruits backed with grippy tannins and a harmonious structure. Domaine de Saint Dominique also produces a range of varietal wines under the La Chapelle label which are meant for everyday drinking. The latter is sold mostly in restaurants in the Southeast Asia region.
 
Eric was upbeat about the future of the wine business, but it is undoubtedly a business that is changing rapidly. The shift from traditional wine markets to the Far East, coupled with fluctuations in the price of fine wine means that companies cannot adopt a “business as usual” approach. As Eric states succinctly, “The risks are higher now”.

A Cross-Cultural Marriage

In my youth, whenever we gathered for dinner at my uncle’s place there would often be a small plate of achar (pickled vegetables) prepared by his mother. The latter was a proud Peranakan matriarch who wore the traditional sarong kebaya until her passing. I sometimes wonder if her achar was a subtle way of imprinting on us the culinary richness of her heritage. Although a mere condiment, the crunchy snap of preserved cucumber and carrots is forever embedded in my taste memory. Its sweet, spicy and sour flavours perfectly summarise the character of Peranakan cuisine.

Those dinner memories stayed with me as I grew up, and it was perhaps inevitable that I would grow more curious about the Peranakan way of life, in particular its treasure trove of recipes. The fusion of Chinese and Malay cultures through the marriage of Chinese immigrants with local women gave birth to a cuisine blessed with a bountiful list of ingredients. Herbs and spices such as coconut milk, chilli, shrimp paste and lemongrass were introduced to a wide variety of meats and vegetables such as chicken, pork, water spinach and sweet potato. The menu in a Peranakan restaurant typically consists of thirty to forty items, but this is merely scratching the surface of a diverse cuisine.

When looking to satisfy my craving for Peranakan food, I turn to one of my friends who makes a particularly good version of itek tim. This heady, spicy broth of tender duck meat and salted vegetables is a bowl of gustatory delight, enough to get me salivating at the thought. Said friend also happens to be gifted with a liver apparently made of cement, thus we often enjoy pairing our meals with alcoholic beverages. It was his suggestion to try a glass of Hennessy VSOP to go with the itek tim and to my delight I found that the alcohol served to heighten the aromas of the dish profoundly, directing them right through the olfactory senses.

Emboldened by this success, I embarked on a quest to find the ideal wine pairing for Peranakan food. There was a twofold challenge to this; firstly, Peranakan dishes emphasise communal dining with many dishes served together and secondly, because of its rich assortment of aromas, flavours and textures. Discovering the right match for this cuisine is akin to selecting a new instrument for an orchestral ensemble. The candidate must be able to contribute a distinct melody that enriches the music, but at the same time not so dominating as to disrupt the harmony that is already there. Delicate Burgundies and aged Bordeaux would struggle to be heard. On the other hand, high alcohol fruit bombs would clash with the Peranakan spices and leave the tongue numb. The right balance is to be found in young, fruity wines.

A white wine such as the Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2010 from Margaret River ($39.85, from Cold Storage) goes well with many of the dishes in Peranakan cuisine. The wine’s tangy passionfruit and saline notes are a good match with sour-salty dishes such as hee peow (fish maw) soup and itek tim. It also pairs well with the ubiquitous ayam buah keluak (stewed chicken with candlenut seed) which is sour and mildly spicy. The high acidity of the wine helps to wash down the oily sauce and refreshes the palate for the next bite.

When faced with denser, spicier dishes we need to turn to a red wine. Dishes such as babi pongteh (braised pork with salted bean paste) and beef rendang (simmered beef cubes in coconut milk and curry) call for a fruity Merlot like the single-varietal Anakena Merlot 2009 from Chile ($36.00, from Top Wines). Soft and juicy with rounded tannins, the wine has enough character to hold its own against the flavours of the dish. Merlots from the Vins de Pays d'Oc region, which are similarly fruit-forward, also work well.

Peranakan desserts tend to be very sweet and often contain coconut milk. Chendol (pandan-flavoured strands with shaved ice, coconut milk and palm sugar) and sago gula Melaka (sago pearl pudding with coconut cream and palm sugar) have their origins in Malaysia and have subsequently become a common sight in Singapore food courts. Pair these with a Sauternes like the Chateau Filhot 2005 ($42.00 for a 37.5 cl bottle, from 1855 The Bottle Shop) and luxuriate in the creamy textures of coconut, honey and burnt sugar.

Experimenting with different combinations sometimes yields surprising and pleasant results. One of my favourite matches is udang masak nanas (prawns cooked in pineapple gravy) with the Trimbach Gewurtztraminer 2007 from Alsace ($41.00, from Cold Storage). The wine enhanced the sweetness of the pineapple gravy, providing a burst of flavour that lingered seductively on the palate.

Peranakan cuisine truly is a labour of love, with recipes being handed down from one generation to the next. However, the long and laborious preparation for these dishes means that fewer and fewer people are picking up the tricks of the trade. It is a great loss as this cuisine, unique to the region, offers so much variety of flavour. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to get one hooked onto Peranakan food. Maybe just a humble plate of achar during dinner. 

The above article was first published in Appetite magazine in August 2012.

Pic Saint-Loup and the wines of Domaine de L'Hortus

Surely everyone knows the tale of Little Red Riding Hood? One of the earliest versions, titled Le Petit Chaperon rouge was written by French author Charles Perrault. In his telling, the one who has a happily ever after ending is the wolf, who lures the innocent lass into bed and devours her shortly after. The author ends the story by warning ladies to beware of talking to strangers, especially those who are sweet and charming. Advice that has fallen on deaf ears apparently, considering the number of illicit liaisons that have flooded the news of late. As an allegory, the wolf has been used rather unfairly, used to represent predators, savagery and wickedness.

© Gabriel Baker

Recently though we have come to look upon wolves more favourably (could this be due to the Twilight franchise?). The area of Pic Saint-Loup in Southern France (Loup means wolf in French) is dominated by a 658m tall mountain from which it takes its name. Some have fancifully described the mountain as resembling the teeth of a wolf, but local folklore has it that the mountain is named after Thieri Loup, one of three brothers in love with the maiden Bertrade. Upon their return from fighting in the Crusades and discovering that Bertrade had died, they lived out the rest of their lives as hermits on three neighbouring peaks.

This is the Wild West of French winemaking, a place filled with energetic producers who care little about rigid appellation laws. A good thing too, as the regulations which cover the Languedoc-Roussilon area can only be described generously as "messy". In 2007 the Coteaux du Languedoc AOC (of which Pic Saint-Loup is a subregion) was changed to Languedoc AOC and its borders greatly increased to cover more than 38,000 ha. The various regions within the Languedoc AOC are now fighting to establish a tiered system of classification. Pic Saint-Loup, which applied for AOC status way back in 2001, is still waiting to be confirmed. Meanwhile, the consumer's best guide to this region would seem to be in seeking out reliable producers rather than looking at the appellation.

One of the best, and indeed pioneering, producers of Pic Saint-Loup is Domaine de L'Hortus. This winery was the focus of a recent tasting held on the 12th of July at Praelum Wine Bistro. What was initially planned as a selection of small bites turned out to be a full-fledged five course dinner.

Domaine de L'Hortus, founded by Jean Orliac in the 1970s, is situated in a valley between the mountains of Pic Saint-Loup and the Montagne de l'Hortus. The climate is Mediterranean, but the altitude of the vineyards (around 150m) and cool nights produce wines of greater elegance than one would expect from a region this far south in France. The region is filled with scrubland and various herbs, with the soil having a high proportion of limestone. The labels are decidedly modern, with clean white labels and easy to read script.

Tasting notes:

2010 Domaine de L'Hortus Grande Cuvee Blanc - As the Pic Saint-Loup denomination is only for red and rosé wines, there is no indication of it on the bottle. A blend of varietals with Chardonnay dominating, the wine had a medium intensity nose of tropical fruits, pineapple, lemon and guava. The palate exhibited fresh vanilla bean with lemon and tropical fruits. Fresh and balanced with well integrated oak and good fruit concentration.

2008 Dolines de L'Hortus Rouge Coteaux du Languedoc - A youthful ruby robe, with aromas of red cherries, licorice, violets and leather. Medium+ alcohol with notes of black cherry, black olives and Provençal herbs on the palate. Ripe, medium+ tannins. Warm finish. A delicious, food friendly wine. 

2010 Bergerie de L'Hortus Rouge, Pic Saint-Loup - Rather closed nose with notes of chalk, blackcurrant and violet. Savoury and gamey on the palate with blackcurrant and olive notes. Alcohol shows through. Will need a few years to show at its best. 

2009 Clos du Prieur Rouge, Coteaux du Languedoc - The nose has notes of herbs and garrigue, very typically Languedoc. Well-structured on the palate, with firm acidity and intriguing notes of charred meat and black olives. Grippy tannins lend body to the wine. Very good. 

2009 Domaine de L'Hortus Grande Cuvee Rouge - Deep ruby. Violets and black fruit on the nose. Full bodied with high alcohol and medium+ tannins. Good concentration and ripeness, with notes of black fruits, black cherry and raisins. Needs some aging. 

Wines from Châteauneuf – Approved by the Pope!

An interesting distinction of French wine is how every region displays its own unique personality. Bordeaux boasts stately chateaux and is the jewel of French wine, having achieved fame early due to its location as a prominent shipping port. At the other end is Burgundy with its image of industrious rather than flamboyant winemakers. During the French Revolution, vast tracts of land were seized from the church and sold off piecemeal, resulting in the fragmented vineyards we see there today. To truly appreciate French wine one has to delve into the rich history of each region.  
 
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a wine region in Southern Rhône, holds a fascinating story in its past. The name translates to “Pope’s new castle” and refers to a time when the Pope ruled not from Rome, but from the French city of Avignon, a short distance south of Châteauneuf. Many of the Avignon Popes were accustomed to the finer things in life, including wine. The first of the Avignon Popes, Clement V, had a winery in Bordeaux, now known as Château Pape Clément. During their reign, the Popes did much to raise the profile and quality of the wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is a region that now produces some of the most unique and quirky wines of France.
 
Overshadowed by the more famous regions of France, opportunities to taste wines from Châteauneuf-du-Pape are rare, but thanks to the efforts of J&D Burleigh (well-known for their portfolio of fine Italian wines), those in Singapore were able to sample wines from marquee producers such as Domaine du Pegau and rising stars like Château Simian. Was it coincidence that the tasting was held at the Raffles Hotel Steak House? These rich and alcoholic wines practically begged to be paired with food, and a juicy steak would have fit the bill admirably.
 
With the exception of Château de la Font du Loup, these are classic wines; deeply coloured, concentrated and with perceptible warmth due to the high alcohol content. In fact, Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines have the highest alcohol in France, averaging around 14-16%. This is due to a combination of factors; the warm Mediterranean climate, unique football-sized stones (called galets) that reflect heat and the use of late-ripening varietals. The bottles are stylish and heavy, embossed with the papal coat of arms and keys of St. Peter. Both visually and in taste, they have an air of solemn dignity.
 
Winemaking here has traditionally followed a set path. Low yields in the vineyard to concentrate the flavours of the fruit followed by fermentation in stainless steel or cement tanks (as Grenache, the backbone of the blend, tends to oxidise easily). The wines are matured in old oak barrels or large casks known as foudres. The toasty and vanillin flavours of new oak, common in Bordeaux wines are not welcome here. A staggering 13 varietals are allowed in this appellation, but in practice Grenache, Syrah, Mouvèdre and Cinsault are the most widely used for the reds. White Châteauneuf-du-Pape is somewhat of a rarity, but this tasting included a delicious example made from Grenache Blanc, Roussane, Clairette and Bourboulenc.
 
Céline Sabon of Clos du Mont Olivet had this to say about the philosophy of Châteauneuf-du-Pape: “Châteauneuf still has that peasant mentality which places a big emphasis on friendship. We are not that good on marketing, but I think that many people like our wines because they know the owner is working in the vineyards. It is a good quality of CDP because we speak from the heart.”

Winery profiles and tasting notes: 

Laurence Ferraud and her daughter

Domaine du Pegau
One of the superstars of the appellation, in the same tier as Château Beaucastel and Château Rayas. The winery was established in 1987 by Laurence and her father Paul Ferraud. Although sales were tough during the initial years, by 1992 the wines had achieved critical acclaim and were being sought out by wine collectors around the world.

The Cuvée Réservée line is made using ultra-traditional methods, forgoing de-stemming and temperature control for better extraction. Natural yeasts were used during fermentation and the wines are aged for two years in old oak casks. The Cuvée Laurence is made from the same blend of grapes, but sees an additional two years aging.
 
Domaine du Pegau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 2007 – Tight and focused, packed with flavours of briary fruit, horse saddle and redcurrants.  
 
Domaine du Pegau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 2008 – A pronounced nose of black cherries, ripe black fruits and earthy tones. Very clean flavours, backed by plump tannins. A savoury, bitter cherry finish.
 
Domaine du Pegau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Laurence 2004 – Distinctive nose with notes of spice, herbs, stewed plums and tar. The additional years in oak really shows in this wine, giving it a more aged character and sacrificing primary fruit flavours for complexity.
 
Château de la Font du Loup
Helmed by the bubbly Anne-Charlotte Bachas, the wines are as irreverent as the winemaker herself. At first glance, the hilltop location and north facing orientation of the vineyards, coupled with sandy sedimentary soils do not seem conducive to winemaking in this region. As Anne puts it, the reason her great-grandfather chose to buy this particular plot was because of its remoteness and scarcity of neighbours. Her ancestor’s love of isolation has given us a style of wine that is quite unlike the rest of Châteauneuf. It may be an oxymoron to call Southern Rhône wines delicate, but that is what these wines are.
 
Château de la Font du Loup Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2010 – A refreshing white with notes of mandarin orange, apricot, white flowers and pear. Harmonious and balanced, this wine delivers punchy fruit flavours accented with a delightful perfume. Medium length.  
 
Château de la Font du Loup Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2009 – Aromatic with notes of incense, red fruits, boiled sweets and pepper. Lush and elegant on the palate, with juicy acidity and a profile of red berries.
 
Château de la Font du Loup Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Le Puy Rolland 2007 – No relation to the Michel Rolland, the parcel of land which provides fruit for this wine was planted by a man who shared the famous oenologist’s last name. The wine is 100% Grenache from vines that have an average age of 90 years. The ’07 had expressive varietal character of strawberries with silky tannins and moderate alcohol. A lasting finish with notes of white pepper.  

Clos du Mont Olivet  
The Sabon family have been making wine in Châteauneuf-du-Pape since the early 20th century and Clos du Mont Olivet is now run by the fourth generation comprising of Thierry, David, Céline and Mylène Sabon. The estate includes 28 ha in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 17 ha in the Côtes du Rhône and a further 1.5 ha used to make table wine. The geographical distribution of the estate allows for various expressions of terroir.
 
Clos du Mont Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tradition 2009 – Cranberries and dried raisins on the nose with aromatic lift and spice. Very rich on the palate, but not overripe, maintaining a nice balance between texture and freshness.
 

Clos du Mont Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Cuvée Du Papet 2009 – This wine is produced only in extraordinary years from 100 year old vines. The ’09 exudes a crystalline purity and ripe, rich fruit character. Both the Tradition and La Cuvée Du Papet employ partial de-stemming, which may explain the plush tannin structure. This seems to me to be a more modern style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
 
Château Simian

A winery more known for its Côtes du Rhône range rather than Châteauneuf-du-Pape. 80% of its wines are exported, mainly to the USA and London. This is one of the smaller estates with only 4 ha of vineyards in Châteauneuf.
 
Château Simian Côtes du Rhône Villages Jocundaz 2007 – The vineyards for this wine are planted on a mountainous area with sandy soils. Notes of game, wild berries and raspberries. An easy drinking wine.
 
Château Simian Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Les Grandes Grenachières d'Hippolyte 2009 –This mouthful of a wine is made from 95% Grenache. Powerful and dense with red berries, raisins and crushed grape skins. Well-balanced with a dry finish.

The WSET Diploma Exams - A Sherlock Holmes Approach

A curious sort of Zen falls over me when I enter an exam hall. It is the result of nerves stretched so taut that they've finally snapped, and a brain deprived of oxygen due to hyperventilation. In this dreamlike, surreal state, everything comes into crystal clear focus, including the minute actions of other candidates. The blonde girl beside me sits with balled fists resting on her lap, knuckles white with exertion. A slight rustle of papers as the person behind me adjusts his sheets. The air is thick with tension. "Five minutes till we begin," says the blue-shirted invigilator.

I am in London, sitting for one of the exams required to complete the WSET Diploma. The past few months have seen a near caveman-like isolation, surrounded by arcane treatises on vino-related matters. I've explored the Caribbean, peered over the shoulders of 19th century monks and engaged in tax rebellions in Scotland. And as a diversion in-between studies, I delved into the life of Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous creation, Sherlock Holmes.

Four minutes. A Nirvana-esque revelation that there is a striking symmetry in the methods of the world's greatest detective and how one should approach a wine exam. Firstly, abstaining from food. Sherlock extols the virtue of starvation in The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone. "The faculties become refined when you starve them... you must admit that what your digestion gains in the way of blood supply is so much lost to the brain. I am a brain. The rest of me is a mere appendix. Therefore, it is the brain I must consider." Sharpened by hunger, I am aware of the myriad scents wafting around me. Fear and anxiety have scents too.

Secondly, the importance of facts. In A Scandal in Bohemia, Sherlock advises that "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts." This is a common error when tasting wines, one that is highlighted repeatedly by the examiners. A candidate forms a conclusion about what the wine is before evaluating all its components. Inaccurate data is then entered to justify the false inference. As the tasting samples make their way around the room, I focus only on what I see.

Three minutes left, and a third lesson. In The Boscombe Valley Mystery, Sherlock solves the case by noticing that the murderer's footprints pointed to a lame person. "You know my method," he says. "It is founded upon the observation of trifles." Many a candidate has been led astray by rashly reading through the exam questions. A case in point is the unfortunate soul who misread Austria as Australia and proceeded to submit a lengthy essay almost entirely opposite to what was required.

Two minutes. "Everything in this world is relative, my dear Watson." Tasting blind is very much like solving a mystery. Follow the clues without bias. Build upon the evidence, looking for the threads that link them. A singular piece of data, viewed in isolation, can be misleading. "It may seem to point very straight to one thing, but if you shift your own point of view a little, you may find it pointing in an equally uncompromising manner to something entirely different." Is high acidity the result of a cool climate, varietal character, or manipulative winemaking? Without taking into account the other elements of a wine, all are reasonable conclusions.

As the final minute ticks down, I am acutely aware that I am more Watson than Sherlock. Jet lag gnaws at the edges of my senses and I struggle to recall facts memorised just a day before. Yet it is a comforting thought that these exams are based on a foundation of logic and systematic assessment. The ghost of Sherlock imparts a final guidance before he leaves me to my trials. "You know my methods. Apply them."

Presenting Her Majesty, The German Wine Queen!

German Wine Queen - Annika Strebel

The message has oft been repeated; German wine has changed. The sweet, fruity whites of yore have been replaced by delicate, bone dry styles with steely acidity and complex flavours. Serious reds, based on the Pinot Noir varietal, are being crafted in regions such as Ahr and Baden. The buzzword now is quality rather than quantity. 

Caviar canapés. An excellent start at BLU.

Admittedly, the message gets through far more effectively when presented by the lovely Annika Strebel (Germany’s newly anointed Wine Queen) than by a stuffy wine writer. I had the pleasure of meeting this poised and articulate woman during a wine dinner jointly hosted by the German Wine Institute (DWI) and local wine merchant Wein & Vin. The latter has been instrumental in bringing top German wine producers such as Dönnhoff and Meyer Näkel to our sunny shores. 

Feminists may express outrage at the idea of using a beauty pageant to promote an industry, but the road to becoming a German Wine Queen involves more than just looks. The contestants, who hail from each of Germany’s 13 wine-growing regions, must speak on a multitude of wine-related issues in front of a jury of 80 professionals from the wine industry, politics and the press. This helps them to prepare for the ambassadorial role of a German Wine Queen. The ability to answer questions about German wines confidently and competently is a necessary skill for the winner, who will be speaking at over 200 engagements around the world during her reign. 

These engagements will bring Annika to many locations around the world. Singapore is in fact her first international stop before going on to Beijing. While she was here, she participated in numerous events as part of the first ever “Riesling Week” held from the 14^th to 22^nd of April and gave a talk at the Wine & Spirits Asia exhibition. She tells me of one of her more unusual events, involving an underwater wine tasting in Germany. Weighed down by a heavy belt and surrounded by photographers, she confided that she had a slight worry about choking as the belt would have prevented her from quickly ascending to the surface. But like a true professional, she handled the event with ease and her trademark vivacity (for a glimpse of this surreal setting, search for “unterwasser weinprobe Annika” on Youtube). 

Annika charming the audience

Annika’s favourite varietal is naturally Riesling, a grape that has naturally high acidity and ages well. She is also partial to Silvaner, a little-known German varietal that finds its best expression in Annika’s home region of Rheinhessen. As befits her royal title, Annika is a staunch nationalist and believes that the native varietals of Germany should be promoted over international ones such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. “We should concentrate on our competencies,” she asserts. “If we make Cabernet Sauvignon like the French, we can be as good as them but not better.”

Besides having a sharp palate when it comes to wines, Annika displays a keen interest in food as well, frequently enquiring on the ingredients of our dinner menu. She was excited about trying out Singapore’s local specialities such as chilli crab and laksa, although I was confused when she admitted a distaste for “organics” (I later realised she was talking about organs). Her opinions of the food and wine pairings during the dinner were precise and succinct, displaying an in-depth experience that belied her youthful 24 years. The German Wine Queen competition has been around for a long time (since 1949 in fact), but Annika will be setting a precedent as the first wine queen to engage Asia in a big way. 

Her Majesty's ring representing the German wine regions

Her travelling schedule means that she has had to put her viticultural studies at Geisenheim on hold this year, but once her duties as the German Wine Queen are over, she intends to complete her studies and join the family winery, Weingut Strebel. I ask her what qualities she would look for in a German Wine Prince to aid her work. There is only the briefest of pauses before she replies with a twinkle in her eye, “He’d better be able to help me carry my bags!”

The throne only has room for one. Long live the Queen.

Exploring Wine & Spirits Asia

In 2010 when I went to Wine & Spirits Asia (WSA) I was struck by how lacklustre the event was. Lingering concerns over the economy, coupled with travel issues due to the volcanic ash put a dampener over the exhibition. It still proved to be a fruitful outing for me personally as I made several new friends during that day whom I still keep in contact with. 

This year could not have been more different. There was a palpable excitement in the air and a horde of visitors. Long jams were seen at the entrance to the Expo, and come closing time, the number of people seen at the MRT station would have been enough to make one wonder if the train system had broken down again. Try as I might, I could visit a fraction of the booths during the two days I attended. 

Michael turns part time promoter for Amedei

It was my luck and pleasure to bump into renowned pastry chef Michael Lau while I was there. All I can say is, freebies start appearing when you are accompanied by a person as keen on his craft as Michael is. Listening to him rattle on about complicated production methods is alien to me, but at least I know there's a technical reason why good stuff tastes good.

The wine talks were worthwhile, and I wish that I had time to attend more of them. Local wine expert Lim Hwee Peng, in conjunction with Sopexa, gave a detailed breakdown on the Languedoc-Roussillon region that went into wine styles, terroir and the assorted AOPs (Appellation d'Origine Protegée). Sopexa has long been active in Singapore and I am glad that they are continuing to promote French wine. They were not the only generic body at WSA though. The Deutsches Weininstitut or German Wine Institute were also actively promoting German wines. They had a powerful weapon in their arsenal in the form of Annika Strebel, the attractive 24-yr old German Wine Queen. 


When associating an alcoholic beverage with Singapore, you can't get more iconic than the Singapore Sling, a cocktail created by barman Ngiam Tong Boon at the Raffles Hotel around the beginning of the last century. What I didn't know was that the drink was apparently created for a British colonial to assist in his wooing of a woman at the bar. A fanciful story perhaps, but it adds to the allure surrounding the cocktail. The ingredients for this drink are gin, Cointreau, Grenadine syrup, Dom Benedictine, cherry brandy, Angostura bitters and pineapple juice. Soda water may be added for froth. Nowadays, the cocktail can be found in pre-mix bottles, needing only pineapple juice to complete the drink.

The food and wine events calendar continues to be packed. Next up is the World Gourmet Summit which runs from 23rd April to 3rd May.