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. 

Apple and Grapes: A review of iPad Wine Magazines

In the realm of technological gadgets, I would be considered a laggard. I use my devices for years until they give out and then suffer panic attacks trying to transfer my data into new, unfamiliar devices. You know it's bad when your parents ask if you've got WhatsApp and you have no idea what they're talking about. Last year, I was happily tapping on my Palm PDA (does anyone remember what a PDA is? Or Palm?) when the tech gods, fed up at my slow pace of adoption, caused it to slip out my hand (and its casing), subsequently landing face first onto the tarmac. And then a car ran over it.

Cursing (under my breath, as in my pocket was an ancient phone I hoped they hadn't yet noticed), I was forced to queue in line for the then newly released iPad 2. Fortunately, it is a joy to use. A wealth of applications means that the iPad possesses great versatility (although my niece is somewhat disappointed that she cannot find Angry Birds on it). I have found it an indispensable device for taking down wine notes and keeping tabs on appointments.

The large, clearly lit screen also means that the iPad is a great reading device. Despite initial concerns, I have not felt any eye strain from reading articles on it for an extended period. Wine magazines have started to expand into this new distribution channel, with varying degrees of success. Here's a list of some of the magazines available in the App Store.  

1. Decanter Magazine International

Official blurb
Decanter is Europe's leading wine magazine and is read by experts and enthusiasts alike. It has an exciting mix of news, interviews with leading wine personalities, regional profiles, plus recommendations from classic regions such as Bordeaux and Burgundy to the new wine stars of the New World and beyond.

Price
App is free to download, each issue costs US$7.99.  

Review

Decanter is probably the best wine magazine out there, with insightful articles and just the right amount of depth that will appeal to wine novices and experts alike. The iPad version is a straight copy of the print edition, which means that you have to zoom in to read the tiny font. The user interface could be improved. It took me a few tries before I found out that I had to tap on the bottom of the screen to bring up the menu, and if you want to e-mail an article, you have to go through the troublesome process of selecting the part of the article you want to send. There are also a few bugs with the application, for example, sometimes I was unable to scroll down to view all the issues available under the Store page. A sample issue is available. The iPad version is a surprising let-down considering the high quality of the magazine.

2. Wines and Vines

Official blurb

The Wines & Vines App is the one-stop for wine industry news, articles and wine sales channel data and analysis.

Price

Free

Review

A well written, in-depth look at winemaking. This magazine will appeal to hard-core wine geeks. Each issue is broken into several sections that are easily accessed via the Navigator button on the top left. The magazine makes use of digital features by embedding videos and providing a search function. Articles can be shared on Facebook, Twitter and via e-mail. Technicality of articles can be daunting for the wine novice. A recent issue focused on the use of oak to set tannin structure, improve colour through co-pigmentation and mask the vegetal characteristics of pyrazines. If that last statement didn't cause your eyes to glaze over, this mag's for you.

3. Palate Press

Official blurb
Palate Press is a modern electronic wine magazine, providing the most exciting and interesting wine content available today. Columnists, sommeliers, wine growers and wine lovers all contribute to the magazine, producing weekly feature stories from around the world, along with daily tasting notes, wine advice, and more.  

Price
App is free to download, each issue costs US$0.99

Review
The strength of this magazine lies in its diversity. There are articles on wine science, food pairing, health, wine trends, cocktails, regional reports and a book review, all in one issue. This tends to make the magazine less focused than others reviewed here. The iPad version contains additional content not found on the online version of the magazine. In terms of visual appeal, the magazine looks as though someone pasted everything in a word processor, added a few images and links, and converted it into a pdf. Interesting reads, but not enough value-add compared to just reading off the website.

4. Uncorked

Official blurb
Wine from Grape to Glass. Engaging and accessible coverage of the world of wine from an editor who's actually a vintner himself. Uncorked brings you wine news, discerning reviews, taste tests, and unexpected but delicious food pairings. You'll also get plenty of luscious photos and behind-the-scenes stories from vineyards and winemakers around the world.

Price
App is free to download. Subscription plans cost US$0.99 a month or $9.99 a year (for 48 issues).

Review
Beautiful, vivid photographs and accessible articles make this magazine a joy to browse through. The display is optimised for the iPad and is thus easy on the eyes. The content is well-organised; divided into news, human interest and tasting notes. It makes nifty use of the iPad features by embedding videos and slideshows, making reading a truly interactive experience. With several free issues available and a wallet-friendly subscription plan, this is a worthwhile addition to the wine lover's digital library. 

5. James Halliday's Wine Companion

Official blurb
The NEW James Halliday’s Wine Companion ipad magazine is essential reading for both new and established Australian wine lovers. The magazine features articles by James Halliday (who better to explain how to taste wine than the great man himself?), the most sought-after wine reviews, travel through the great wine regions of the world, wine and food news, lunch interviews with winemakers, cheese makers, cider makers, coffee roasters and even brewers.

Price
App is free to download, each issue costs US$6.99.

Review
James Halliday is Australia's best known wine writer and the leading authority on Australian wines. So when he decides to put out a magazine, you can be sure it's going to be well-written and informative. I love the ease of navigation, interactive displays and array of fun and interesting articles. The magazine makes full use of the iPad's capabilities. For example, you can tap on a gorgeously detailed picture of a steak to reveal the recipe, cooking method and wine match. It's a magazine that will appeal to anyone who has an interest in food and wine. Well worth the price. 

Anyone for Chocolate-flavoured Wine?

One of the more interesting things about wine is how each grape has its own character. The tangy passionfruit and vegetal notes of Sauvignon Blanc presents a marked contrast to the citrus and tropical fruit notes of Chardonnay. The use of oak, when carefully applied, can add rich vanilla and coconut overtones to the wine, providing complexity while supporting the fruit. Some winemakers treat winemaking like a craft, tweaking the wine here and there, ensuring that its colour, acidity, alcohol and ripeness are in balance. Others believe that the vineyard is paramount, and any adjustments in the winery strip out the natural character of the wine.

Perhaps it was just a matter of time before a new way of thinking about wine emerged. It's a commercial product right? Do we need to understand the history of the wine or where it comes from to enjoy it? When we open a bottle of wine with as much thought and ceremony as we give to opening a can of Coca-Cola, it becomes just another fast-moving consumer product. And if we can flavour Coca-Cola with cherry and vanilla to make it more interesting, why can't we do the same with wine?

The concept of flavoured wine, or to use the EU term aromatised wine, has in fact been around for some time. Traces of pine resin have been found in Greek wine amphorae dating back to the thirteenth century B.C. It is known today as retsina, as important to Greece as port is to Portugal. Vermouth, a fortified wine flavoured with herbs and spices was originally promoted as a medicinal drink, but today is primarily used as a component in cocktails. The main reason to flavour wine in the past was to disguise poor quality or to improve the taste once it started to sour.

Thinking that retsina and vermouth were the two main categories of flavoured wine, I was surprised by the number of chocolate-flavoured wines I encountered when browsing through wine shops in the United States. Curiosity prompted me to buy a bottle, and I went with the one which was the most popular according to the shop assistant. It was called Chocolate Shop, and the label touts it as "Red Wine with Natural Dark Chocolate Flavours". It was attractively packaged in a traditional Bordeaux-shaped bottle with a rich dark brown label and gold lettering. The wine was duly opened during dinner at an Italian restaurant with other wine professionals a week later. While I must admit that the wine was not to my liking, others considered the wine at least drinkable. It found greater acceptance with the girls than the guys in our group. The chocolate character was pronounced on the nose, similar to a bar of Hershey's, while the palate was a combination of sugary sweetness, chocolate and raspberries. The wine has a residual sugar level of 70g/l and alcohol of 12.5%. The retail price was US$10.99.

The wine may have found only muted acceptance at that dinner, but elsewhere it is flying off the shelves. Precept Wine, the maker of Chocolate Shop, reports that 1.2 million bottles were sold last year in the US retail market. It was especially popular during Valentine's Day and Easter Sunday. The wine was launched in the UK and Australia last year, although the base wine is different from the US version. According to Wine Spectator, chocolate-flavoured wine is one of the hottest growing segments in the alcoholic beverages market.

I am of two minds regarding this development. As a consumer, I love to see new innovations and prefer that the market decide whether a product will succeed or fail. The drink lends itself to experimentation with chocolate-based desserts, or perhaps as part of a cocktail mix. As a wine professional, I feel that this marks a new low in the image of wine. With the quality of wine at an all-time high, artificially adding flavours to a product that can be rich, complex and interesting by itself is a short-cut approach and obviously profit-driven. When it is the added flavourings and not the natural fruit characters of the varietal itself that are the centre of attention, then surely much of the romanticism and allure of wine is lost. So, please call it a chocolate drink with added wine flavours and not a wine with added chocolate flavours.

A Left Vs. Right Bank Tasting (but not where you’d think)

Traditional Old World wine region? Check. Produces high quality, long lived wines? Check. Historically blends different varietals? Check. Of all the wine regions in the world, perhaps none match the ethos of Bordeaux quite as much as Rioja. When phylloxera devastated the vineyards of France in the late 19^th century, it was to northern Spain that many Bordeaux winemakers and merchants turned to. The winemaking industry in Rioja boomed and it was during this period that Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (The Northern Spanish Wine Company) was founded. Today, it is more commonly known by its acronym CVNE (pronounced “ku-nay”).

The company was established in 1879 by two brothers from the Real de Asúa family and it is still controlled by its direct descendants. It now consists of three wineries; the original Cune winery, and two newer wineries called Viña Real and Contino. The similarity between Cune (the winery) and CVNE (the company) is due to an early misspelling that eventually entered the lexicon. Cune is located in the sub-region of Rioja Alta while the other two are located in Rioja Alavesa. Just as in Bordeaux, a river divides the two sub-regions and there are differences in soil types between the two areas. Rioja Alavesa, located on the north and right side of the river has calcareous and clay soils while Rioja Alta on the left bank has clay with a high proportion of iron, lending a reddish colour to the soil. Both areas share a climate that is influenced by the Mediterranean and Atlantic oceans.

Oscar assessing the wine

Oscar Urrutia, Key Markets Director for CVNE was in Singapore on the 7^th of March to hold a vertical  tasting of Cune Imperial Gran Reserva and Viña Real Gran Reserva. Both are the flagship wines of their respective wineries, offering a rare comparison of wines from Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. The wines were both launched in the 1920s and represent old-school Rioja at its best; long barrel aging, moderate alcohol levels and very fine tannins. The Imperial Gran Reserva is made from a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo and 10% Graciano while the Viña Real Gran Reserva has 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano. Mazuelo (otherwise known as Carignan), provides colour to the blend while Graciano contributes aromatic character.  

The tasting was notable in that it featured wines from very old vintages, going all the way back to 1968. In fact, the youngest wine that we tasted was 24 years old from 1988. Few Bordeaux wineries would have the stocks to conduct such an extensive tasting, but mature Rioja has for now escaped the attention of investment bankers and wine collectors. They represent excellent value; at a Christie’s auction last September four bottles of the 1951 Imperial Gran Reserva went for just £600. By comparison, the 2009 vintage of Château Latour is currently trading at £1000 according to Liv-Ex. That’s per bottle by the way.

Given their age, I would have expected the wines to have dried-out fruit with tertiary characters of game and leather, but instead I found wines with vibrancy, consistent quality and rich colour, a testament to Tempranillo’s ability to age magnificently. CVNE has the benefit of sourcing fruit from low yielding, old vines and employs meticulous hand-harvesting methods. “You cannot make quality wines if you do not have quality grapes,” expounds Oscar. The younger wines we tasted exhibited black fruits, underpinned with charred, toasted oak that evolved gracefully to sweet red fruits, picking up spicy notes and a savoury edge. The Viña Real Gran Reservas were slightly more aromatic and approachable than their counterparts across the river. Perhaps to underline this difference the bottles are Burgundy-shaped while the Imperial Gran Reservas are Bordeaux-shaped.

While the modern style of Rioja may be all the rage right now, the pendulum is bound to swing back eventually. When it does, wine aficionados will discover wines with a winning price to quality ratio that challenge the greatest French reds in terms of longevity. A good bottle of Rioja, slowly maturing to perfection, should be an essential component of every wine lover’s collection.

Tasting notes (all the wines tasted were poured from bottle (i.e. not decanted) to preserve their fragile aromas and flavours):

CVNE Viña Real Gran Reserva 1988 – A very good vintage as rated by CVNE. Some chunky sediment in the glass. Clean, pronounced intensity nose with bacon fat and charred wood. Savoury, slightly metallic attack with bright acids and clean black cherry with toast and forest floor. A long, fruit-packed finish.

CVNE Viña Real Gran Reserva 1978 – Rated as a very good vintage. Slight hints of smoke and toasted oak on the nose. Still very fresh and structured, with fine tannins and a long finish.

CVNE Viña Real Gran Reserva 1976 – Rated as a very good vintage. Perfumed aromatics, slightly dusty. Has an interesting Burgundian delicateness. Attractive red fruit profile, complex with a touch of floral notes on the palate. A very elegant wine.

CVNE Viña Real Gran Reserva 1973 – Rated as a very good vintage. Floral, raspberry and strawberry aromas. Fresh acids, with leather and gamey notes on the palate. Displayed more tertiary character here than clean primary fruits.

CVNE Viña Real Gran Reserva 1968 – Rated as an excellent vintage. Medium intensity nose with lifted floral aromatics and spice. Elegant and smooth on the palate, with red fruits and a firm backbone. A wine at its pinnacle.

CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva 1988 – Rated as a very good vintage. Milk chocolate on the nose. Classic Tempranillo character on the palate, with spice on the finish. Beautifully balanced.

CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva 1987 – Rated as a good vintage. Slightly dusty and chalky on the nose, a touch volatile. Palate displays red berries, with a full texture and long ripe finish. A forward wine that still packs a punch.

CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva 1979 – Rated as an average vintage. CVNE made this wine to commemorate its 100^th anniversary. Although not as complex as some of the other vintages, I found this wine to be quite approachable, with soft tannins, juicy fruit and sweet red berries. Moderator Ch’ng Poh Tiong commented that “A great winemaker shows success in adversity” and I could not agree more. This was a delicious, elegant wine.

CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva 1976 – Rather shy nose with smoky hints. Oak still evident on the palate, with red cherries. A long finish. Fresh and still very vibrant.

CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva 1968 – Light intensity nose of red fruits and warm spices. Light bodied, with integrated, barely perceptible tannins. Sweet, savoury red fruit with a hint of coffee. Compared with the Viña Real Gran Reserva from the same year this wine seems to have evolved faster.

The Straits Wine Company is the Singapore distributor for CVNE.