Sirromet – A Success Story

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Bill Warry

Frequently on my travels winegrowers tell me proudly how their lands have been in the family for generations and how experience and winemaking skills passed from Grandfather to Father to Son.

Here at Sirromet, things are different. This winery has hardly been going twelve years. It only opened in 2000. Yet it keeps winning award after award – both nationally and internationally. The wines command high prices – and people pay them. The Signature Collection – wines such as their Sirromet Shirraz Viognier and the Sirromet Viognier sell for 35 AU€ at the winery’s own cellar – that’s about £23.00. So you will see quite how much of a bargain it is to be able to buy for around £12 on our website here in the UK and, for an even shorter time, with a further 20% February discount – Just while an awareness of the wines is being built in the UK.

Just how do Sirromet achieve their extraordinary quality in twelve years flat? The terroir has got to have a lot to do with it. At their Mount Cotton Vineyards within the granite belt 800 meters above sea level, the cool weather combines with the granite soil to produce outstanding fruit from the vines.

But terroir alone is not enough to make superb wine. Human skill is needed too and Adam Chapman, the Chief Winemaker leads a whole expert team of oenologists dedicated to producing one award-winning wine after another.

There are some really interesting blends being produced, blends like Shiraz Viognier where a predominantly red wine has a touch of a white wine varietal. They also produce a very pleasant white single varietal Viognier. This itself has been achieving increasing popularity amidst wine aficionados. I remember being at a stand at a fair when someone stopped in their tracks and said “Oh Viognier. I must taste. It’s my favourite.”

Feedback from a customer trying out a special mixed case commented on the Shiraz Viognier, “Pick of the bunch for value, excellent value, got better with bottle left open for the evening.”.

 If you try out one new wine in February, I would urge you to try one of the Sirromets.

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Rioja Crianza – Best Rioja or a good Rioja ? Quasar from Bodegas Ondarre

Posted on January 14, 2012 by Bill Warry

So many Riojas from which to choose.  Which is the best Rioja to represent Rioja wines on my website? I am not looking for the best Rioja Spain produces; it will be too expensive for the bulk of my customers. Prices of Rioja are a cut above the average by their very nature. The regulatory body that gives them their DOC status requires that Rioja wines are produced with grapes costing 200% more than the average price of grapes used in Spanish wine production as a whole. I am not complicated. I am simply looking for a really good Rioja that also represents great value for money.

Many are the wine drinkers who will order Rioja when having a drink out, but you won’t learn about the subtleties of Rioja at a pub. Let’s consider a bit of background on the wine.

Rioja is a wine region in Northern Spain South of the Cantabrian Mountains which give protection from the fierce winds that frequently prevail in that part of the world. It is usually made from a blend of grapes,  Tempranillo being the most common. Viura, Garnacha, Graciana and Mazuelo varietals are also regularly included in Rioja blends.

Rioja is well known for its oaky characteristics. There are four categories of Rioja: Rioja, Rioja Crianza, Rioja Reserva and Rioja Gran Reserva. Rioja, plain and simple, will have spent less than a year in an oak-ageing barrel. Rioja Crianza will have been aged for at least two years with at least one in oak. Rioja Reserva will have been aged for at least three years with at least one in oak, and Rioja Gran Reserva will have been aged for five years or more with at least two in oak.

In selecting one Rioja, I feel a Crianza would be appropriate to adequately convey the oaky characteristics of a good Rioja wine. But it has to be a good Rioja. I am impressed to see that one Rioja producer making it to the American Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list for 2010 with 94 points out of a 100, is Bodegas Ondarre. I try their Quasar Crianza and compare to a variety of other Riojas. This is the one! In time I will probably expand to list the entry-level Rioja and the two Reservas as well. Try the Crianza for starters.  http://www.chateauselect.co.uk/shopping/product.php?productid=1352 .

It’s a nice, robust, warming wine – just right for these cold winter evenings and great with beef roasts and stews.

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Visit to Chateau d’Auzias – Carcassonne

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Bill Warry

I step out onto the Tarmac of Carcassonne airport. It is a cold and windy winter’s day, a far cry from the summer/autumn setting in which I am used to seeing this area, but the Mediterranean feel of the place still shines through.

I have come to see Dominique Auzias, owner of the 150 hectare Chateau d’Auzias and Publisher of the Petit Futé series of travel guides throughout the world.

I am struck by his unassuming nature that, combined with a quiet dynamism, brought him to the forefront of French wine export to Japan, India and China. As well as exporting bottles from his winery in Carcassonne, he has even set up a substantial winery in China itself.

The wine he produces is called ‘Cabardes’ an AOC of fairly recent years that combines the quality of wines on the Atlantic coast such as Bordeaux with the Mediterranean-facing ones. The blend from wines from the same Vineyard of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (Atlantic/Bordeaux style) and Syrah plus Grenache (Mediterranean style) brings about a lot of subtlety, softness and flavour. The blend is probably unique in France and typical to this region and this AOC (Appelation d’Origine Controllé). His white is also an interesting blend: Chardonnay and Muscat (10% Muscat), just enough to give it a lovely aroma of wild flowers and a softer edge over most Chardonnays.

At the Chateau he introduces me to his Estate Manager, Benjamin Baudry. Together they give me a conducted tour round the estate. We travel in a golf-style buggy.

 

 

 

 

They show me their technique of keeping grass on alternate rows between the vines (they rotate the rows each year). The long grass roots draw water up by capillary attraction and encourage the vines to grow their roots deeper and stronger in search of water.

 

Another natural technique I am shown along the way is the piling of pebbles along the foot of the vines. These capture the heat of the summer sun and act as a kind of solar blanket giving extra warmth to the vines.

 

 

We stop at an interesting small parcel of vines called “Les Vignes de Madame”. In this small plot, has been gathered one of each of three hundred grape varietals from around the world.

 

 

 

A remarkable feature of the Auzias wines is the amount of Gold and Silver medals they have won. His Japanese importer had told him “I don’t need to taste your wines, they have already been tasted and approved when they acquired all those medals”.

 

 

 

I certainly enjoyed them with our lunch. We had the wonderfully aromatic and flavoursome Chardonnay-Muscat as an aperitif and with our Whisky Gambas starter. Then with our steak, their range of reds. Although I delighted in the privilege of sipping away at their top of the range, it is the second one up that I see as commercially viable in the UK Once one has added the cost of transport and the government’s pleasure taxes (excise duties and VAT) , I guess the retail price will come out at £9 or £10 a bottle.

 

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About Lees

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Bill Warry

“How do the copious number of lees – that found themselves in the bottom of his glass – get there? And what do they say about the wine?” was a question recently posed in a comment on these blog pages.

Lees are residues of dead yeast and other particles that fall to the bottom of a vat after fermentation. Frequently in a process known as “racking” wine is transferred from its original vat to another vat to leave these behind.

Different winegrowers use different techniques to weave their art of winemaking – which makes wine such a varied and interesting subject. Some winemakers bottle their wines without this process of racking. Such wines are known as “Sur lie” (on the lees) wine. Montrachet wine is one such  with its toasty , nutty, flavours and exceptional complexity.

Sometimes the lees are actually stirred up during fermentation to enhance the taste of the wine. This process is known as “batonage”.

As I recollect, many of the d’Arenberg wines do not go through the racking process, any kind of filtration or fining. “Fining” is a process of bringing clarity to wine by the use of agents or substances. A substance often used is “egg whites” which attract certain particles floating in the wine.

Clearly the more organic a wine maker is in his approach, the less he will be inclined to use any additives and the more likely an organic wine is to show signs of sediment.

So it is not so much a matter of “how did the lees get there” as why did the winemaker not remove them, through racking, filtration and/or fining. The answer is probably that leaving them is an integral part of the creation of the final taste of these well reputed Australian wines that have been made to lay down and age in the same way as are many Burgundy wines.

If the lees are found cosmetically unappealing, the simple answer is to filter the wine by pouring it into a decanter.

I never realised just how many deposits are left at the bottom of a vat until in a recent Wines and Tours trip to Portugal during a visit to a Port Lodge I was shown little doors at the bottom of the big vats.This was for someone to climb in and chisel out the deposits at the bottom and sides of the vat.  They can only stay in for a limited amount of time because it has been known for people to pass out on the job from the fumes.  To see for yourself why not join the next Wines and Tours trip to North Portugal (www.winesandtours.co.uk). It starts in Oporto on Thursday 26th July 2012. However, if that time is inconvenient, other trips start on Thursday 30th August and Thursday 27th September.

 

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Champagne or Sparkling? Which gives best value?

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Bill Warry

The earliest record of a sparkling wine is the Blanquette de Limoux made near Lezignan in Southwest France around 1531. It was over 100 years later that an Englishman, Simon Merret, devised what is now known as the methode Champegnoise of inducing a second fermentation in the bottle that was responsible for the bubbles. Simon Merret used sugar to induce the second fermentation, though nowadays it is usually induced by adding several grams of yeast as well as rock sugar.

In France there are very strict rules (controlled by the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne) about what can and cannot be called Champagne. International treaties have extended many of the rules to all the EU, and many other countries have gone along with the geographical origin requirements, though the United States seem to go their own way and call many of their sparkling wines Champagne.

The rules and regulations extend not just to the Geographical boundaries of what can be labelled Champagne and the double fermentation technique, but also to the types of grape varietal that are permitted in the production of Champagne. These are principally, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier, Petit Meslier and Arbane. There is one Champagne that is quite unique in that it uses all these varietals at the same time. It is the Moutard 6 Cepages.

Other areas of France that produce a sparkling with the same traditional method of double fermentation call them “Crémants”.

The Champagne area is well-known for the quality it produces, but is it worth the extra money its wines command? I have friends who swear by Champagne and won’t celebrate with anything else. Personally, I feel that some of the Crémants d’Alsace and Crémants de Bourgogne that I have tasted have been every bit as good as Champagnes costing several euros more. I also feel that New World countries, such as Argentina, produce some excellent value-for-money sparkling.


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What wine will you have with your Turkey?

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Bill Warry

Turkey is a food with which almost any wine goes well! If you prefer white, have white. If you prefer red, have red. Rose goes fine too.

The tricky bit is brought about by all the trimmings that go with the turkey – the stuffing, the cranberry sauce, the herbs, the gravy. You have lots of strong flavours swirling around your mouth.

Whether white or red (or pink),  my recommendation is to go for a really fruity wine. An Australian hospitality magazine comments on the suitability of Riesling. Generally very fruity and aromatic, it is a highly suitable white for your festive dinner. I would recommend a nicely chilled Riesling Kabinett 2009 from the Geil Estate.  A lovely soft wine, quite light (10% ABV) with plenty of grapey flavour. For something a bit stronger (12% ABV) you might go for a Silvaner also from the Geil Estate with delightful aromas of pear and citrus.

For those who favour red, again go for nice robust fruity wines. Bordeaux are a traditional favourite. The world-renowned d’Arenberg wines are extremely fruity and eminently suitable. The Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon is just bursting with flavours of blackcurrent and cassis. There is a special half price offer on during December at Bill Warry’s World of Wine. Select for a mixed case of d’Arenberg and Riesling A pleasant wine path to follow with your Christmas dinner would be to start off with a Riesling or Silvaner as an apperitif and with your starter, move on to Coppermine Rd with your Turkey, Port with Christmas pudding and finish off with Essensia Orange Muscat with coffee and chocolates. This is quite an extraordinary wine from California.

You should be ready for a siesta break by that time before starting on the trivial pursuit and other Christmas entertainments.

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Pairing Food and Wine

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Bill Warry

I was visiting a friend in Paris. I had been invited to a fish restaurant. “Let’s check out the white wines,” I suggested. “Well actually I would suggest a light red – slightly chilled,” replied my friend. I think we settled on a young Beaujolais.

The reasons behind the general assumption that only white wines should be chosen with fish are first that fish dishes are usually lighter than meat dishes and need a light wine to accompany them. Now there are more light white wines than light red wines.

The other is that red wines often have strong tannins that give the fish a rather metallic taste. When you do go for a red wine to accompany your fish, choose a light one with unpronounced tannins, such as a Pinot-based Gamay, Sancerre or Beaujolais. If you do go for a more traditional white do try out Trivento’s Chardonnay Torrontes.

In some situations it is best to follow tradition without deviation. When it comes to the rich flavour and texture of beef, whether roast, grilled or stewed, it is hard to imagine any circumstance where the traditional choice of red would not be apt. A medium to full-bodied Burgundy or Cahors would be ideal though a slightly softer, rounder, Medoc or St Emillion would also be a suitable accompaniment. From the New World for a sound, robust, wine you might go for a  d’Arenberg Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon or the lower-priced Fox & Hounds Shiraz-Cabernet.

It is such softer reds that are best suited to roast lamb or grilled lamb chops, though in summer a nice cold dry but fruity rosé can balance the fattiness of the lamb. Some meats: pork, chicken, turkey, go with a whole gamut of wines:- a dry Chablis, a rosé, a fine Aloxe Corton or Gevrey Chambertin from Burgundy. Again the new world has unexpected offerings such as Hazy View Pinotage from South Africa, Trivento’s Shiraz Malbec from Argentina or Head over Heals Shiraz from Australia.

Pasta also lends itself to pretty much any type of wine unless it has a creamy sauce such as Carbonarra. In this case a not too dry white would probably be best. The Portuguese D. Paio Velho Branco from the Douro Valley comes to mind. Riesling is another little-thought-of great choice that comes to mind. Try also the Riesling Kabinett 2009. Although dry, its intense fruitiness gives an impression of sweetness.

Liver and kidneys are very red-wine foods. Likewise sausages most of the time, but because these can be rather thirst-provoking, a crisp chilled white or rosé can be agreeably refreshing.

Cheese elicits a diversity of reaction. Port is a well-known accompaniment to Stilton. However, although I am in the camp that finds a bit of cheese and a glass of red to be a delightful finish to a good meal, many will prefer a flavour-filled white such as a Rheingau Riesling. I love the softness of Malbec and would consider Don David Malbec to be an excellent choice of red to go with cheese.

If you are planning a dinner and would like to ask for advice on suitable wines to go with your planned dinner, do not hesitate to ask via a comment to this blog.

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