Meet the producer: Valquejigoso, Madrid, Spain

The Valquejigoso estate is located 45 km south of the capital of Madrid. We had a chance to meet the producer at the 2022 online fair brilliantly organized by Onvinum, a new Spanish platform to bring together producers, buyers and educators.

The Valquejigoso Domaine was bought by the Colomo family in February 1986. From 1992 the domain, previously known as a hunting cottage for the European aristocracy, was transformed into a winery. The first vines were planted in 1997. Very well-known French nurseries participate in the project like Renoux - based in Bordeaux - as well as other French teams who came to share their experience in the "fork" vine planting method, an ancient method which requires a painful manual work.

DEHESA DE VALQUEJIGOSO 

Blend of cab sauvignon, merlot, tempranillo, negral and syrah taken from 21 plots, no less!

It is the only wine we tasted of this producer. An intense nose with complexity and length. Also well balanced. I paired it by concordance with with a vegetarian pizza, both food and wine of medium structure. Drink now or wait a year or two.

Score 90

Bordeaux virtual master class and blind tasting

École du Vin tutors, Mike Turner and Leona de Pasquale took us through an introduction to Bordeaux.

By way of intro, we learned that Bordeaux is now 23% organic and % is growing.

Clairet can be seen as dark as Rose. Key differences between Rosé and Clairet are: Rosé: maceration normally for up to 12 hr or direct pressing Clairet: maceration 24-36 hrs Fermentation 18-20 °C and Clairet tends to go through MLF

They then challenged participants to a blind tasting to match the wines to their appellations before revealing their identities.

Leona de Pasquale was usefully on hand throughout the session to answer your questions in the chat box.

Here is what we tasted blind. I guessed two out of six right...

Wine n.1

Château Gaillard 2016 Saint Émilion Grand Cru
mod complex and long
merlot predominant 70%, 30% cab franc which still makes its presence strongly felt
50yo vines
aged in 225l barrels, one third new
14% abv

RRP £ 20-25
score 89


Wine n.2
Domaine Perganson L'Inattendu 2018, Haut Médoc
22% merlot, 23% cab sauvignon, 30% petit verdot, 18% malbec, 7% cab franc
aged 1 year in 225l barrels
still rough
avb 14.5%
RRP £ 14
score 84


Wine n.3
Clos du Notaire 2019 Cotes de Bourg
(CdBourg oldest vineyards in region, planted by Romans "Vitis Biturica"
merlot 100% organic, no barrel, no aging recommended
complex needs time to round out tannins
no oak and no sulphur
abv 15%
RRP £12-14
score 92


Wine n. 4
Chat La Freynelle 2020 rosé
100% cab sauvignon
20yo vines
direct pressing
Rosé made in whole of Bordeaux region, with many different soils and terroirs
short maceration method used to make rosé, a few hours max
fresh, strawberry
abv 13%
RRP £ 7-8
score 87


Wine n.5
Chat Haut-Rian 2020 Entre deux mères (two tides, comes from marée)
40% sauvignon blanc 60% semillon
35yo vines
4 months on lees
fresh citrusy
abv 12.5%
RRP £ 8-10
score 87


Wine n.6
Chat Faugas 2018 cadillac AOC
Semi sweet
late harvest
100% semillon
epoxy lined concrete
score 86
abv 13.5%
RRP £ 13-16
Score 88


Oenobordeaux App can be download for those who are interested.

Thank you Ecole du vins de Bordeaux

Meet the producer: Vignobles Chatonnet, Bordeaux, France

A new discovery for us this producer from the right bank in Bordeaux. The homeland of merlot, one of my favorite grapes, mellow yet powerful, velvety and structured. A touch of elegance in many Bordeaux wines from either bank, but a protagonist in Lalande de Pomerol, where the vignobles Chatonnet is based. 

Today we met with Andrea Giraud who is in charge of the international market at Paul Chatonnet. We asked about the peculiarities of this vineyard. Let's hear it directly from her.

 

Tasting notes:

Archange 2016, merlot 100%

A typical expression of this noble variety. Opulent, elegant, complex and long. A masterpiece merlot, at the pinnacle of rive droite interpretation of this grape.

Result of "lutte raisonnée", aiming at minimizing human intervention as much as possible but without ideological strictures.

Score 97

La Sergue 2016,  Merlot (85%), Cabernet Franc (12%) and Malbec (3%)

An original composition with the unique addition of malbec instead of the more familiar cab franc which is the normal third party of the Bordeaux trinity. The result is a balanced and moderately complex wine that is ready now but could wait a little longer.

Score 95

Away from the camera we also tasted:

Haut Chaigneau 2016, merlot 90%, cab franc 10%
Dark Ruby red, intense nose of red fruits
Fresh for a 2016, could use a few more years to round its edges but already balanced enough to be highly enjoyable with structured food. I had it with lasagne.

Score 89

   

Meet the producer: Thelema Mountain Vineyards of Stellenbosch, South Africa

Thomas Webb

Another interesting master class at the London Wine Fair 2022, this time with Enotria&Coe presenting the products of Thelema Mountain Vineyards of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Our speaker today was Thomas Webb, Director of Thelema. 

The family now owns 180 hectares of land and does not plan to increase its size, rather they want to focus on quality. He explained how the origin of their name comes from François Rabelais a monk, doctor and writer in sixteenth-century France who imagined a utopian abbey on the banks of the Loire. In stark contrast to the religious orders of his day, this community admitted both men and women and encouraged them to live together in great luxury. This was the Abbey of Thélème, which ultimately lent its name to our vineyard on the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain: Thelema. (from their website)

I asked about how the various ethnicities of South Africa are getting involved in the wine industry, but the answer is more than in earlier times but not much. Wine was not part of the traditional culture of the Ndebele, Xosa, Zulu...

They use thermal imaging of the vineyard to monitor maturity and decide when to pick at the exactly perfect moment. Which means picking at different places on different days.

thermal imaging of Thelema vineyards

They use screw caps, they believe it will allow for more homogeneous aging in the bottle.

Here is my notes from their best wines tasted today:

Thelema Chardonnay 2011
Pressed in steel tanks and fermented in French oak barrels.

A mature wine, round and complex, with a perfect balance.

Score 93.

Thelema Chardonnay 2018

Still quite fresh and fruity, moderate length.  Definitely needs more time in the bottle.

Score 87.

Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

De-stalked, manual sorting of berries, crushed in steel then pressed and left for 20 months in French barrels, 50-50 new and old. Incredible fresh for a 21-year-old wine.

Ready now, but can benefit for a longer period in the bottle to round the tannins a bit further.

Score 90

Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Incredibly, this is smoother than 2001, ready now.

Score 93.

Thelema Rabelais 2015

Cab sauvignon 80%, petit verdot 15%, merlot 5%.

Perfect marriage of fruit and structure. Excellent balance, length and complexity. Ready now.

Score 95

Thelema Rabelais 2019

Same grapes as 2015 but no merlot. A tad disappointing after tasting the wonderful 2015.

Score 87

Meet the producer: Ixsir of Lebanon

Unique master class at London Wine Fair 2022 organized by Enotria&Coe on Lebanese mountain wine produced by Ixsir. The name comes from "elixir", an arabic (Al-iksir) word meaning the purest of all substances, a secret potion that will give eternal youth and love.

Our speaker today was a Spanish man, Gabriel Rivero, a co-founder and te4chnical director. He was educated in oenology in Madrid and then grew professionally in Bordeaux and then worked in Lebanon before founding Ixsir in 2008.

Most wine lovers know Lebanese wines from the Bekaa valley, but this producer focuses on wines from the mountains of the country. Cool climate allows for better acidity and there is plenty of water, no need for irrigation.

Today Ixsir owns 6 vineyards all over the country and in addition 85 families work in communities and provide Ixsir with their grapes. These are all international varieties, there are precious few local ones and they are mostly used for distilled products.

Lebanon has been making wine for over two and a half millennia, but the Ottoman period almost completely wiped out all enological traditions. The wars in the second half of the XX century only made things worse. Now there are about 70 vineyards or so that are seriously back in business and each tries to mark his or her own personality, and avoid just copying other Mediterranean styles.

Uniquely, Lebanon does not have any system of controlled denomination (like AOC in France or DOC in Italy) so producers are free to experiment to their heart's content! What France did leave was a lot of grape varieties and know-how but the industry was in a shambles when the French left. Only after the end of the civil war in the 1990s did it really begin to flourish.

Today Ixsir produces close to 500,000 bottles per year, and do not want to grow bigger. Focus on improving quality instead.

Below some tasting notes from this masterclass.

Grande Reserve White 2019
Viognier 60%, Sauvignon blanc 25%, Chardonnay 15%

Biodynamic wine even if certification has not yet arrived. Perfect balance between acidity and smoothness, vanilla, good length and complexity. Trade price GBP 20.

Score 90

Grande Reserve Rosé 2019

Mourvedre 40%, Cinsault 40%, Syrah 20%

Sourced from three vineyards located at 450 to 1400 meters above sea level, steel only.

Elegant, smooth, easy Summer wine. Trade price GBP 18.

Score 86

Grande Reserve Red 2015

Syrah 50%, Cab sauvignon 39%, Arinarnoa 11% (a tannat/cab sauvignon cross made in France)

Sourced from different sites between 950 and 1150 meters above sea level.

Matured in French oak for 12 months, one third each new, second and third use.

Smooth elegance but still good fruit and structure make for a perfect balance. A complex wine to drink now. Trade price GBP 23.

Score 89

Grande Reserve Red 2012

Syrah 50%, Cab sauvignon 39%, Arinarnoa 11%

A bit rough, will need time to hopefully smoothen out. Trade price GBP 23.

Score 85

El Ixsir Red 2015

Syrah 45%, Cab sauvignon 45%, merlot 10%

Sourced from vineyards at various altitudes including one at 1800, possibly among the highest in the world. French oak barrels for 24 months, half new and half second use.

Balanced, and mod complex and long, ready now. Trade price GBP 42

Score 93

El Ixsir Red 2012

same grapes and vineyards as previous wine.

Spiciness of syrah prevails, backbone is provided by cab sauvignon, elegance by merlot. a good interpretation of the Bordeaux blend. Trade price 45 GBP

Score 92

Simply Italian Great Wines (selection from Tuscany)

Sorry I forgot to shave before work today!

Most interesting tasting of Italian wines in London, smoothly and expertly organized by Jane Hunt MW of www.huntandspeller.com. This time I chose to focus on wines from Tuscany.

The producers who came to the tasting were an excellent selection, and here below is a totally subjective choice of a few who impressed me the most.

Azienda Agricola Malenchini

Thank you Alice Brizioli for the presentation of your wines. Now certified bio (organic) according to European standards.

Chianti DOCG 2020

A solid product that still needs time to evolve. Score 88.

Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG 2019

90% sangiovese and 10% canaiolo, An excellent Chianti. Score 90

Chianti Superiore DOCG 2018. 

This one takes 5% pf pulitello grapes, another top Chianti that will be at its peak sooner than the other two. Score 90

Vin Santo (100% malvasia), Score 88

Canaiolo IGT 2020.

A fruity interpretation of this so-called "minor" grape of Tuscany, usually blended with sangiovese in Chianti. Score 88

Bruzzico 2017.

The "Supertuscan" of their range. 50% sangiovese and 50% cabernet sauvignon, aged separately for five years: cab in large barrels and sangiovese in barrique. Ready now, still good potential. Excellent body and balance, very complex and long. Score 93. RRP 25 euro

Azienda Camperchi

These wines caught my attention, thank you Martina Marrini for your explanations.  Organic certified since 2018.

Campidivini La Cornia, (bio) 2018

Fruity pinot noir, reminds me of some New Zealand wines, sunny and lively. Score 90.

Campidivini La Chiusa, IGT blend 2015

Round and long, an excellent price/quality ratio at 10 euro RRP. Score 94, ready now.

Grand Collection, Anno 0, IGT 2015

70% sangiovese and rest cab sauvignon, merlot and petit verdot

A smooth, round wine with great body and complex tertiary aromas. Score 92

Azienda Fattoria Montecchio

Primum 2017 and 2016 Chianti classico DOCG.

95% sangiovese and 5% alicante, 18 months in large barrel. An imposing wine, round and compex, with great potential for further evolution. Score 92 for the 2017 which is in my opinion the better of the two.

Pasquino Primum 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG.

Sangiovese 100%, 30 months in barrels and amphoras. Clay slows evolution, this wine has a purposefully rough character which conveys it imposing personality. Score 94. RRP 38 euro

Vignano

A most interesting encounter with a family who moved around the world, from italy to Mauritius, South Africa, Singapore and back to Italy to make excellent wines in Tuscany. Thank you Nicolas for a great tasting. Certified bio-organic production. 

Chianti Riserva 2017 DOCG. 

Easy nose, more aggressive in the mouth. Score 88.

Il Primo 2016, Chianti Superiore 2016 DOCG.

100% sangiovese, full round smooth. Score 92

Matrio 2016 IGT Toscana malbec

The biggest surprise of the day, an Argentinian grape in Tuscany, well done. A complex wine, perfectly balanced, harmonious. Score 94.

  

Film review: Bottle Shock (2008) by Randal Miller, ****

Synopsis

The build-up to the famous 1976 Judgement of Paris competition between French and Californian wines. Napa Valley's Jim Barrett (Lost Highway's Bill Pullman) has been plugging away for years with minimal success. A former attorney, Barrett runs Chateau Montelena with his wayward son, Bo (Chris Pine, the Star Trek prequel's Captain Kirk), who would rather do anything than assist his stern father. Bo's co-workers include Gustavo (Six Feet Under's Freddy Rodríguez) and Sam (Transformers' Rachael Taylor), who long to produce the perfect chardonnay. 

Naturally, the young men compete for the favors of the beautiful blonde (the movie's least interesting angle). Across the Atlantic, Steven Spurrier (Alan Rickman) struggles to keep his Parisian wine shop going (cheapskate American Dennis Farina is his only regular customer). Then Spurrier conceives a contest to attract customers.


Review

While based on a true story, the film takes some liberty at embellishing the facts with romance and family feuds, but this does not detract from it being highly instructive for wine lovers.

The title is a pun: the "bottle shock" is what may ruin a wine because of vibrations and temperature variations during protracted and unprotected transportation. It is also the result of the tasting, which shocked the wine world for what a bottle of California wine was able to produce.

The competition itself should have been given more time in the movie in my view, as it was the event that justified making the movie in the first place and changed the world of wine ever since.

Also, the movie does not make it clear that the competition was only for a few varieties, ie Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blends, and as such can in no way be interpreted to be an overall match between Californian and French wines.

Finally, one can not help but notice somewhat of a pro-Californian bias in the movie, but this is perhaps inevitable given the nature of the real historical events. I would like to see a film of the 2006 rematch, which California, again, won hands down, in fact by an even greater margin.

See the book "The Judgement of Paris" which I reviewed in my personal blog.