An Interview with Olympia Romba of Monteverro

Olympia Romba has had a hectic schedule since she joined Monteverro as their Sales and Marketing Manager. Her first two years with Monteverro were spent establishing the brand in Europe and the United States. This year, Olympia’s schedule includes seeking distribution partners in Asian countries such as Bangkok, Cambodia, China and Singapore. Over drinks at the Fullerton Bay Hotel, she shared some background on this Italian winery.

How did Monteverro get started?

We are located in the Tuscany region, approximately an hour’s drive north from Rome. The land was bought in 2003 by Georg Weber, whose family’s core business in Germany is garden centres. He searched for years and years for the right place to plant a vineyard, until a friend told him to look in the Maremma area in Tuscany. He contacted Lydia and Claude Bourguignon to do some soil analysis, and asked Michel Rolland to check the place. Everyone said that this would be a gorgeous place to plant vines, because the terroir is very rich in minerals, and proximity to the sea creates fresh, cooling breezes. The first vines were planted in 2004, and the first vintage was in 2008. 

Who are the other people behind Monteverro?

Our Technical Director is Michael Voegele, he constructed the cellar, which works on gravity instead of using pumps. Matthieu Taunay is our winemaker, he joined in 2008 for our first vintage. He is assisted by consulting oenologist Michel Rolland, Alpha Omega winemaker Jean Hoefliger, pruning expert Michel Duclos and soil experts Lydia and Claude Bourguignon. I joined in 2010 when the first vintage was bottled. Previously I was working in Bordeaux for fifteen years. 

What is the range of wines that Monteverro produces?
 
We make a limited quantity of Chardonnay from 1 hectare of vineyards located nearest to the sea, around 3000 bottles. We also make a Syrah/Grenache blend called Tinata from 2 hectares of vineyard, and we only produce 8000 bottles. These two are our niche products. The majority of our activity is Bordeaux grape varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Of our second wine, Terra di Monteverro, we are producing 30,000 – 35,000 bottles, and of our Grand Cru, approximately 15,000 bottles. 

The goal of Monteverro is to become the “Premier Grand Cru” of Tuscany. What does that mean?
 
Our wish is to be considered, in five, maybe ten years, equivalent in quality and reputation to the Premier Grand Crus of Bordeaux, like the Chateau Latour of Italy. 

And in price as well?
 
[laughs] For the moment, we are very affordable compared to some Bordeaux wines. 

 
Are you experimenting with any other varieties?
 
Starting around March or April this year, we will be releasing a Vermentino based white wine. It is a light and easy drinking wine for the local restaurants.
 
There is an unusually high percentage of Cabernet Franc in the two Bordeaux blends (around 40%). Why is this so? 

If you ask me and if you ask our oenologist, which is the most noble grape variety in our area, we would say Cabernet Franc. It grows well for what we want – we want elegant wines, very fine wines with a certain structure and aging potential, but not too blockbuster. If we were to produce a wine from a single variety, we would choose Cabernet Franc. 

What would you like people to think about when they are drinking a wine from Monteverro?
 
A lot of people who have visited our winery have said that we are the locomotive of this area. We are the pioneers to produce a high-quality, Super Tuscan wine in this part of Tuscany [Maremma], which is not as well-known yet as Bolgheri.

Cool Wines Seminar

Wein & Vin is holding a Cool Wines seminar on the 9th of March (Saturday) featuring wines from Austria and Germany (with a couple of top-notch Burgundies thrown in as well). The seminar is billed as a learning platform for cool climate wines - definition, climate, geography, terroir, taste profile, and styles. 

I would go just for the opportunity to taste these wines, but as icing on the cake the tasting will be guided by wine experts Annette Scarfe MW, Andreas Wickhoff MW, Joel Payne, and Singapore's own Tan Ying Hsien. 

Details as follows.

Date: 9th March (Sat)
Time: 9.30am to 6pm
Venue: Taberna Wine Academy
17 Binjai Park, S 589825
Price: Whole Day Seminar (including lunch) at $400 (save 20% - early bird package)
Registration after 1st March is $450.

To register e-mail Wein & Vin at info@weinvin.com or call +65 9009 3827. 

More info here.

Of Arcane Wine Gadgets and Wine Tasting

Somewhere in the not too distant future, a man bringing his wife out for a romantic dinner will chance upon a highly-rated restaurant in their neighborhood. Entranced by the gleaming, modern interior, the young couple decide to give it a try. Hoping to impress his wife, the husband orders an expensive wine using a tablet device provided by the waiter (printed menus have become so passé). The sommelier then sweeps in wearing an impeccably pressed uniform and trailing a faint whiff of Romanée-Conti. That’s when the fun begins.

"Thank you for joining us this evening sir. I notice that you have selected the Chateau Pretentious to accompany your meal. An excellent choice. May I recommend a glass to suit your wine?" The husband, somewhat confusedly, nods his head. "We have a collection of over twenty types of glasses. For your wine I would choose either the Riedel Sommeliers Bordeaux Grand Cru or the Spiegelau Vino Grande Bordeaux. Both are designed to enhance the subtle nuances of your wine and deliver greater drinking pleasure." The husband chooses the former as it is easier to pronounce and the sommelier efficiently delivers both wine and glasses to the table.

"How would you like your wine to be seasoned Sir?" "Seasoned?" asks the husband. "Yes sir, it's the newest trend in drinking wine. Just like how the flavour of food can be enhanced by a dash of salt or pepper, now we provide customers such as yourself the option to alter the taste of wine according to your preference. The tools that make this miracle possible use either frequency technology, metal alloys or magnetic fields."

The husband is starting to sweat. This discussion is definitely venturing into realms arcane. "Uh lets try the metal alloy thing." From a deep recess of his apron, the sommelier whips out a small device shaped like a comma. "Every second this is immersed in your wine, it ages the wine by a year." "That's amazing!" says the wife. "Lets see what this wine will taste like in 30 years!" The sommelier duly pours out two glasses and dips the device in each glass for exactly thirty seconds. The couple taste the wine and look at each other. It certainly doesn't taste like the wine had been aged for thirty years, but they are reluctant to override the sommelier.

"Ah, here come your appetisers now," says the sommelier. "I'll leave you to enjoy your dinner." A bustling waitress carrying a tray of food comes over to the relieved couple. "Would you like to have any other drinks?" she chirps. The husband and wife decide to play it safe and order water. 

"Certainly; we have tap, distilled, artesian, mineral, spring..."

Indigenous vs. International Varieties

Wine writer Jancis Robinson has just released a new book titled “Wine Grapes - A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours”. The ideal holiday gift for your wine-crazy friend, although at a hefty 3 kg, it would be challenging stuffing this into a Christmas stocking. A tasting masterclass was held last month to commemorate the book launch. A point of interest was that the featured wines included not a drop of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon or any other international and well-known varieties. Instead there were wines made from indigenous grapes such as Norton, Godello, and the tongue-twisting Öküzgözü. Unusual and obscure, these historical cultivars still play an important role in their domicile market.  

From one viewpoint, things have never looked brighter in the world of wine. The influence of oenological consultants and flying winemakers has raised the average quality of wine substantially. Domestic wine consumption is growing steadily year-on-year, fuelled by a vibrant dining scene. This in turn has led to more wine events and visits from producers keen to establish a local presence. As British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan said to his electorate during the post-war boom years, “You’ve never had it so good.”

But have we sacrificed diversity at the altar of familiarity? A quick browse of supermarket shelves reveals a wine selection dominated by a handful of varieties; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz for the reds, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling for the whites. The wine lists of far too many restaurants are filled with safe but bland expressions of the same repetitious varieties. This situation is a far different cry from the UK, a market so far unrivalled in the breadth and scope of wines available. 

In theory, we would all want to support having more wines made from indigenous varieties. We associate these wines as having more character and heritage, made in an artisanal style as opposed to mass-produced wines fashioned for an international palate. However, retailers have only so much shelf space to play with. Would they rather display an unproven wine or one whose label customers recognise? How much are we creatures of habit, and to what extent are we willing to experiment?

Winning consumer acceptance of an unfamiliar variety takes patience and effort. An effective and natural way is to promote these wines alongside their national cuisine. Recently, I was delighted to discover Blu Kouzina, an unpretentious Greek restaurant along Bukit Timah Road. The wine list contained an extensive selection of Greek wines made from indigenous varieties such as Assyrtiko and Xinomavro, which matched the food effortlessly. When a restaurant takes the time to craft a wine list that includes selections from the same locality as the menu, I am reassured that they are providing a truly authentic dining experience. 

Amongst wine critics, there is a disquieting worry that the globalisation of wine has caused a loss of distinctiveness. Jumping onto the bandwagon and emulating famous regions such as Bordeaux and Burgundy may yield short-term results, but in the long-term producers may find themselves in the uncomfortable position of competing with thousands of other identikit wines. More lamentable would be the irreparable loss of vine diversity and genetic material as indigenous grapes are uprooted and replaced with international varieties. 

How does the consumer fit into this debate? As our palates become more sophisticated, a sense of adventure is both healthy and a gateway to further wine knowledge. The joy of discovery is accompanied by bragging rights as well. A fellow wine lover may comment, “I had a glass of Château Mouton Rothschild 1996 last night…”, to which you’d reply “That’s nice, but have you ever tried a Narince from Central Anatolia?” Not very likely. 

Our collective appreciation and understanding of wines has progressed much in the last two decades. The next step is to move out of our comfort zones and actively seek out wine made from local varieties, which is usually more reflective of a region’s history and unique terroir than an international variety parachuted in to satisfy market demand. The day is surely not far off when we are as comfortable ordering a Nerello Mascalese as a Cabernet Sauvignon.


The above article was published in the December issue of Appetite Magazine.

Katnook Estate: An Iconic Winery, from an Iconic Wine Region

One of Australia’s most famous wine regions, Coonawarra (pop. 335), is also its most remote. Unlike the Hunter Valley, Adelaide Hills or Yarra Valley, which can be easily accommodated within a day’s itinerary from the nearest capital city, Coonawarra is a five hour drive from either Adelaide or Melbourne. Luckily for us here in Singapore, Coonawarra came to us instead, in the form of Katnook Estate during a dinner at Mag’s Wine Kitchen. 

Australia is a country shaped by brands such as Penfolds and Jacob’s Creek, yet in recent years a distinct focus on regionality has begun to take shape. As the Barossa Valley is inextricably linked to its rich, heady Shiraz, so too is Coonawarra associated with Cabernet Sauvignon. Coonawarra’s famous terra rossa soils, a reddish brown topsoil of clay and loam over well-drained limestone, is said to be ideally suited to the Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety. Including the word Coonawarra on the label now commands a price premium that was the source of acrimonious debate between winemakers and the courts over the boundaries of this region. 

The area where Katnook Estate now stands was once a fruit farm owned by John Riddoch, an Irish immigrant who founded Coonawarra. Katnook Estate has gone through several changes of ownership, culminating in its purchase by the Spanish conglomerate Freixenet in 2008. Continuity is provided by winemaker Wayne Stehbens who has been at the helm since the first commercial vintage in 1980. Under his watch, Katnook Estate has won two Jimmy Watson trophies and an inclusion in Langton’s Classification of Australian wine. The wines are divided into the following tiers starting with the top range; Katnook Limited Release, Katnook Estate and Katnook Founder’s Block.

The dinner got off to a good beginning with a plump, melt-in-your-mouth scallop carpaccio with pumpkin puree, soya and wasabi pearls. It was paired with the Katnook Estate Riesling 2009, a fruit driven wine with notes of lime, Chinese plum, guava and stone fruit. Pronounce mineral intensity and juicy acidity provide firm structure while the finish reveals a hint of kerosene. Discovering that an area known for Cabernet Sauvignon can also produce noteworthy Rieslings is somewhat of a surprise. Alison Harvey of Wingara Wine Group (an Australian offshoot owned by Freixenet) notes that there are other soils beside terra rossa in Connawarra, saying “The link between grape variety and region is not as straightforward as the Old World would have you believe”.  

The next wine, also white, served to reinforce this notion. The Katnook Estate Chardonnay 2010 displayed intense aromas of yoghurt, vanilla and melted butter overlaying citrus and pear fruit, a delicious expression of modern Australian Chardonnay. This was served with a 63 degree egg with sautéed lobster in chorizo oil and potato ribbons. The creamy texture of the egg yolk contrasted nicely with the salty cubes of chorizo, each bite giving a small explosion of flavour. 

The next two wines were from the Founder’s Block range, a Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz both from the 2010 vintage. Alison states that whereas the Katnook Estate series requires some time in bottle, Founder’s Block wines can be appreciated immediately. Another difference is that grapes for Founder’s Block are bought in while the Estate label is sourced entirely from Katnook’s own vineyards*. The Cabernet had a distinctive nose with notes of black fruits and bell pepper while the Shiraz had softer, riper notes of spice and plums. Accompanying these wines were the two most sinful dishes of the evening, a marbled, umami-rich wagyu tataki with garlic honey soy, and smoked duck breast with onion confit and deliciously chilled flakes of foie gras. 

The final wine of the evening was a real stunner. The first vintage of the Katnook Limited Release Shiraz, made from young vines, managed to win the Jimmy Watson Trophy in 1998 straight off the bat. The early success of this wine led to it being named “Prodigy”. Along with the “Odyssey” Cabernet Sauvignon, both wines are the flagships of Katnook Estate. We sampled the Prodigy Shiraz 2008, which was admittedly far too young to fully appreciate, but already showed marvellous complexity on the nose and palate. Dense and tight at first, it was persuaded to yield intense plum, forest fruits, spice and blueberry flavours when paired with chef Magdelene Tang’s generously portioned lamb rack with root vegetables. 

Thanks to Crystal Wines Pte Ltd, the local distributor of Katnook Estates, you can obtain the wines in Singapore instead of travelling to Coonawarra, but if you decide that nothing beats the authentic experience, you will be welcomed by friendly staff and a newly renovated cellar door that stays true to its 19th century architecture. It’s a fairly long trip, but as the saying goes, getting there is half the fun. The other half is the Odyssey. 

* 27/11/2012 - Alison has informed me that fruit for the Founder's Block range is now 100% sourced from Katnook Estate's own vineyards.

Bordeaux 2009: Three Years On

In 2009, I visited Bordeaux twice, once in September and again in October. There were already murmurings about the quality of the vintage then, with a lot of pleased grins and rubbing of hands. The constant hyping of Bordeaux made this writer cast a cynical eye over the comments, but undoubtedly winemakers were looking very relaxed as they perused the grapes coming into the winery. The weather was also very fine during my stays, misty mornings giving way to bright sunshine during the afternoon. I took advantage of this by jogging around the vineyards in the morning, keeping an eye out for the wild boars that I had been assured were a possibility. Unfortunately none materialised and I was deprived of the opportunity to drag back a carcass for lunch.

Thanks to the efforts of Ch'ng Poh Tiong, author of the well-researched book 108 Great Chinese Dishes Paired, I had the opportunity to revisit the vintage this month. The thirty wines on show covered the major Bordeaux appellations, the Left Bank being represented by wines from St-Estèphe, Pauillac, St-Julien, Margaux, Graves and Pessac-Léognan while wines from Pomerol and St-Émilion acted as proxies for the Merlot-dominated Right Bank. There were even a couple of sweet wines from Barsac and Sauternes. 

It became obvious fairly quickly that these were wines that you did not have to wait decades further to enjoy. The soft, rounded tannins and sweet fruit made them a joy to be consumed today. Another attractive factor was the lushness of texture, a plush, gentle caress that swathed the tongue while firm acidity lent structure to the wines. This was even more apparent in the dry white wines, brilliant examples of singing fruit and waxy smoothness. Alcohol levels, while being high due to the ripeness of the vintage, were for the most part well-integrated and barely noticeable. 

One of my friends wondered aloud if these were wines that could keep, considering how plush and ripe they are today. It is a valid question - the wines are certainly showing very well now, with only a few (mostly from Pauillac) displaying slower evolution. There is a risk that as they age, the baby fat will overwhelm the acids, leading to overweight, flabby wines. The wines that will age well are the ones with enough structure and freshness to go the distance. 

Tasting notes (all from 2009 vintage): 

Château Chantegrive Rouge (Graves) - Deep ruby, rich and concentrated nose with some menthol, grilled meat, baked clay and blackcurrant. High acidity, ripe medium tannins, medium+ alcohol, medium+ body with a velvety texture and long finish. 

Château Belgrave (Haut-Médoc) - Deep ruby-purple. Ripe and forward nose, medium+ intensity with dark fruit. Medium acidity with well defined black fruit if a bit simple, finishing with crunchy black cherry. Medium length. 

Château Sénéjac (Haut-Médoc) - Medium ruby. Medium+ intensity nose, slightly vegetal. Medium acidity, ripe tannins, black fruit with medium intensity, medium bodied, fruit is a little light. In a classic style.

Château Beaumont (Haut-Médoc) - Medium ruby. Ripe black fruits with some toasty oak influence on the nose. Well-defined blackcurrant on the palate, with medium acidity, ripe medium tannins, medium+ alcohol, and medium+ length. Supple texture and good fruit concentration.

Château Petit-Village (Pomerol) - Deep inky ruby. Restrained and brooding nose with a lot of underlying power. High acidity, medium+ resolved tannins with black plum, licorice and forest fruits. Complex and long lived.

Château Canon (St-Émilion) - Deep purple. Savoury fruit with notes of plum and sandalwood on the nose. Medium acidity, medium tannins with black plum and savoury notes, medium intensity. Shows good balance. 

Château Laroze (St-Émilion) - Medium ruby. Nose is rather closed. Medium+ acidity, medium- ripe tannins, medium body, medium- intensity, with raspberry and black plums. Medium length.

Château Monlot (St-Émilion) - Medium ruby. Black plums and slight hint of menthol on the nose, with medium+ mouthwatering acidity, generous fruit, gentle but persistent tannins and medium+ alcohol showing a slight warmth in the finish.

Domaine de Chevalier Rouge (Graves) - Deep ruby. Medium+ intensity, dense and toasty nose with black fruit and earth. Medium+ acidity, ripe black fruits, very polished. Deft use of oak adding texture and body. Medium+ length. Modern.

Château Haut-Bailly (Pessac-Léognan) - Deep ruby. Medium intensity nose, savoury with tobacco notes. Palate has medium acidity, medium tannins with black cherries and a hint of vanilla. Slightly hollow midway. 

Château Olivier (Pessac-Léognan) - Deep ruby. Rich warm nose, even a bit nutty. Heady. Medium acidity, warm bricks on the palate, shows richness, lush texture and warmth backed with masses of fruit. Medium+ length.

Château Smith Haut Lafitte Le Petit Haut Lafitte (Graves) -
Deep ruby. Rich cassis nose. Medium+ acidity with solid fruit and harmonious structure. Medium length. 

Château Ormes de Pez (St-Estèphe) - Deep cherry ruby. Earthy and funky nose with hints of capsicum and sulphur. Medium acidity and medium+ tannins on the palate with black fruits. 

Château Phélan Ségur (St-Estèphe) - Deep cherry ruby. Noticeable oak on the nose, charred toast and vanilla. Black fruit with deft oak handling on the palate, very modern, rich and concentrated with fully ripe tannins.

Château Brane-Cantenac (Margaux) - Deep ruby. Elegant and perfumed nose with a suggestion of violets. High acidity, generous fruit with dark chocolate. Well structured.

Château du Tertre (Margaux) - Deep ruby. Slight rubber notes on the nose with toasted oak and spice. Palate has medium+ acidity, medium+ body with a soft and velvety texture. Blackcurrant throughout finishing with exotic spices. Medium length.

Château Giscours (Margaux) - Deep ruby. Sous bois nose, medium+ intensity, dense. Medium acidity, medium resolved tannins, bell pepper and crushed black fruit on the palate with medium length. 

Château Kirwan (Margaux) - Deep ruby. Ethereal, complex nose with notes of lead pencil, violets and black fruit. Full bodied and quite grippy on the palate with medium tannins and a long finish. Brawny and powerful. 

Château Rauzan-Ségla (Margaux) - Deep ruby. Toasty nose with loamy earth. Medium acidity, concentrated fruit, juicy and almost jammy. Underscored by oak. Medium length. Beautifully balanced.

Amiral de Beychevelle (St-Julien) - Deep ruby. Typical Bordeaux nose with slight dustiness and ripe black fruit. Ripe and rounded on the palate with a hint of blackcurrant gummies. Medium+ length.

Château Beychevelle (St-Julien) - Deep ruby. Steely, iron like nose. Medium+ tannins, rich black fruit with spicy notes and hints of cinnamon. Long and warming finish.

Château Langoa-Barton (St-Julien) - Deep ruby. Oak on the nose with some floral undertones. Plum and black fruit with hints of game fill the palate. Supple texture. Medium length.

Château Léoville Barton (St-Julien) - Deep purple. Youthful nose with primary black fruit. Sweet and ripe tannins. Long finish.

Château Talbot (St-Julien) - Deep ruby. Medium- intensity nose, restrained. Inky black fruit on the palate with milk chocolate, ripe tannins, well structured and youthful. 

Château Lynch-Bages (Pauillac) - Deep ruby. Rich and perfumed nose with notes of forest floor and licorice. Medium acidity, ripe medium+ tannins, and medium alcohol. 

Château Pichon-Longueville (Pauillac) - Deep ruby. Rich cassis and black fruit aromas. Ripe and concentrated palate with steely mineral notes. Medium tannins and fresh acidity. Medium+ length.

Château Chantegrive Blanc "Cuvee Caroline" (Graves) - Pale lemon. Pronounced nose of toast and hazelnut. Crisp acidity and oak frame a lemon and waxy palate. Long and elegant finish.

Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc (Graves) - Pale lemon. Restrained nose with a hint of grass. Mango and tropical fruits lead the palate. Full bodied with a lush texture, backed by medium acidity.

Château Doisy-Védrines (Barsac) - Pale lemon. Pronounced pineapple and waxy aromas, intense richness and depth on the palate with concentrated notes of tropical fruit and citrus framed by lively acidity. Nice and fleshy with a long finish. 

Château Suduiraut (Sauternes) - Pale lemon gold, tropical and stone fruits on the nose. Medium intensity, full bodied with citrus and tropical fruits, refreshing acidity, medium- alcohol. Long finish.

The Great Bordeaux 2009 Tasting

This Saturday offers a rare opportunity to taste the Bordeaux 2009 vintage. At three years old, has it lived up to its hype? Details as follows:

What: The Great Bordeaux 2009 Tasting
When: Saturday 17th November 2012, 2 to 5 pm
Where: Salon by the Pool, Level 4, Conrad Centennial Singapore
Who to contact: Ms Ruby Manansala or Ms Sharon Teo  (65) 6432 7489 / 87 (during office hours)
How much are the tickets: SGD33++ per person

The list of wineries and their appellation within Bordeaux are:

• Château Beaumont (Haut-Médoc)
• Château Belgrave (Haut-Médoc)
• Château Beychevelle (St-Julien)
• Château Brane-Cantenac (Margaux)
• Château Canon (St-Émilion)
• Château Chantegrive (Graves)
• Château Doisy-Védrines (Barsac)
• Château Giscours (Margaux)
• Château Haut-Bailly (Pessac-Léognan)
• Château Kirwan (Margaux)
• Château Langoa-Barton (St-Julien)
• Château Laroze (St-Émilion)
• Château Léoville Barton (St-Julien)
• Château Lynch-Bages (Pauillac)
• Château Monlot (St-Émilion)
• Château Olivier (Pessac-Léognan)
• Château Ormes de Pez (St-Estèphe)
• Château Petit-Village (Pomerol)
• Château Phélan Ségur (St-Estèphe)
  
• Château Pichon-Longueville (Pauillac)
• Château Rauzan-Ségla (Margaux)
• Château Sénéjac (Haut-Medoc)
• Château Smith Haut Lafitte (Graves)
• Château Suduiraut (Sauternes)
• Château Talbot (St-Julien)
• Château du Tertre (Margaux)
• Domaine de Chevalier (Graves)

Experiencing the lightness of Koshu

If you are establishing a winery in a region heretofore not known for producing quality wine, you could perhaps benefit from including the word “grace” somewhere in its name. One of the definitions of that word is a manifestation of favour, and it seems true that eponymous wineries have found a measure of fame and success. Grace Vineyards, in the Shanxi province of China, rocked the wine world by producing credible Bordeaux-style blends and is continuing its medal winning streak in international wine competitions. Even further east, Grace Winery in Katsunuma, Japan, has been pushing into international markets and trumpeting the merits of Japanese grape varieties such as Koshu. 

Although sounding like a noise you would make when suffering a cold, Koshu is certainly nothing to sneeze at. The grape is large and thick skinned, which helps it resist the wet and humid climate whereas other varieties would succumb to mildew and rot. The vine is extremely vigorous, and to manage the foliage producers often use an overhead vine-training system, a method known locally as tanazukuri. The Yamanashi prefecture (within which the town of Katsunuma is located), is home to almost all plantings of Koshu in Japan.  

I had originally intended to visit Grace Winery, but my timing clashed with their 10th anniversary celebrations for the Akeno vineyard and the facilities were closed. My contact, the ever-efficient Yuka Ogasawara from the promotional body Koshu of Japan, arranged a visit with two other wineries, Haramo and Rubaiyat. The train ride to Katsunuma from Shinjuku, via the JR Chuo line, took one and a half hours. Timetables can be accessed here (look under the heading “Limited Express trains on the Chuo line” and be sure to take note of whether your travel is on a weekday or weekend). Upon reaching Katsunuma, I was faced with a long queue of people waiting for taxis. Apparently I was not the only one who was interested in Japanese wine.

A meeting with Shintaro Furuya, winemaker and President of Haramo Wine, shed some light on the organisation of the wine industry in Japan. The Yamanashi prefecture is known for producing quality grapes, which can command higher prices when sold for eating rather than making wine, so growers are understandably reluctant to reduce yields. Large companies dominate wine production, although smaller growers such have a better reputation for quality wine. Due to the small size of vineyard holdings, producers rely heavily on bought-in grapes. For the smaller wineries, business continuation is an issue, as the younger generation is reluctant to get into the physically demanding work of winemaking.

Through decades of experience, Japanese winemakers have learnt how to extract the best qualities out of the Koshu grape. Maturation on the lees (the spent yeast added during winemaking) is common to add flavour and texture to the wine. At Rubaiyat, owner Haruo Omura explains that he uses hyperoxidation for the white wines to reduce the phenolic content and bitterness that result from the thick skin of the grape.  Fermentations are kept at low temperatures using a heat exchanger. Oak treatment is the exception rather than the norm for this variety. 

Koshu is a versatile variety. It is most commonly found as a dry white wine, although I have tasted (less impressive) sparkling and rose versions. The wines are light bodied with exotic perfumed notes reminiscent of Muscat, and a lean mineral streak on the palate. Shintaro-san recommends drinking within two years, five if the wine has been aged in barrel. There is something quintessentially Japanese about these wines. Perhaps it is the touch of refinement, so often found in Japanese cuisine, or the delicacy of the wines, with flavours that tease rather than stand out. 

By happy coincidence, I was able to taste wines from Grace Winery back in Singapore during the Wine Fiesta organised by The Straits Wine Company. By the time I reached the booth though, the Koshu wines had finished and only the reds remained. A sign of its popularity?

Winery profiles and tasting notes:

Haramo Wine
A small winery established in 1924 as a cooperative and then converted to a family-owned business in 1973. Annual production is around 70,000 bottles, with Koshu accounting for half the total. International varieties include Chardonnay and Merlot. 

Haramo Koshu 2010 - Very pale water white. Floral aromas with hints of grapefruit. The palate is dry and light bodied with notes of green apple and a slight bitterness. Unoaked. 

Haramo Chardonnay 2008 - Stewed vegetables aromas. Fruit salad on the palate with crisp acidity and a hint of oak. Medium+ length. 

Haramo Merlot 2009 - Medium ruby appearance. Red cherries and some vanilla on the nose. Palate is slightly restrained, with medium+ acidity and a medium body. An international and recognisable style with clear varietal characteristics.  

Rubaiyat Wine
Medium-sized operation with annual production of 160,000 bottles. Grapes are sorted by hand and fermentation is done in cement tanks. An impressive cellar, with old cement tanks (still with tartrate deposits on the walls) used to store wine in bottles. Look out for owner Haruo Omura’s eclectic collection of corkscrews. The winery name is taken from a set of ancient Persian poems that celebrate the pleasures of wine. 

Rubaiyat Koshu ‘Sur Lie’ 2011 - Pale water white with grape and lime aromas. Medium bodied with a mineral streak and lively acidity. 

Rubaiyat Muscat Bailey A 2010 - Muscat Bailey A is a local hybrid variety. Sweet, confected nose of red fruits and maraschino cherries. Off dry on the palate, light bodied with a profile of crushed berries. Decidedly an acquired taste. 

Rubaiyat Petit Domaine 2007 - A Bordeaux-blend of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon from locally-grown grapes. Nose exhibits a perfumed lift with slight stalkiness. Medium+ intensity with a good depth of flavour on the palate. An approachable, medium bodied wine with soft tannins. 

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