Good quality
but small volume in Muscadet
In Muscadet this year’s harvest promises to yield very good quality but
limited volumes. An early and warm spring kick-started the vegetation
period. But a cold and humid summer caused problems with the flowering
(limiting the quantity) and also led to some problems with rot (mildiou).
But from the end of August the weather returned to sunny and warm and
harvest began on September 10. Thanks to the very nice autumn the grapes
were in good quality with good ripeness, but not very abundant.
Yquem for 4.5 million dollars
Nils
Stormby, the Swedish wine collector, recently sold most of his world famous
Chateau d’Yquem collection at Zachy’s auction house in New York. The sale
netted a very decent 4.5 million dollars.
Denmark gets its first ”AOC”
Perhaps a slight exaggeration - Denmark has had approved four regional
denominations for its wines. According to European regulations a “new” wine
district must first prove its capability of producing quality wines before
getting the right to use a geographically specific denomination (initially
it is simply “table wine”). Denmark has now graduated from “table wine” to
four regional denominations: Jutland, Fyn, Sjaelland and Bornholm. There are
26 registered wine producers sharing a grand total of 20 hectares. So one
hopes that this promotion won’t cause a surge in demand, because there
aren’t that much wine to go round…
www.wine-business-international.com
Seven new Masters of Wine
As we noted in the last Brief, Sweden now has it’s first MW, the highly
respected British wine diploma. At the same time, six other candidates
passed the tests and can now add the magic initials after their names: Craig
Dumond, partner in Garland Wines in Australia, David Le Mire, marketing
consultant and wine educator in Australia, Peter Mitchell, wine merchant at
Laytons in England, Pierpaolo Petrassi, product manager at Tesco in England,
Barbara Philip, wine educator and the first female Canadian MW, and Greg
Sherwood of wine merchant Hanford Wines in England. A big congratulation!
Champagne extends its AOC
limits
The
Champagne region has approved 40 new communes as (potential) producers of
champagne. Today, the Champagne region (the appellation) covers some 32500
ha and virtually all of it is already planted with wine. A project has
already been running for a few year to extend the limits of the appellation
in order to satisfy the growing demand. (They have already raised the limit
for maximum yield to around 100 hl/ha in the same spirit.) Approving the 40
new communes is only a first step. Next phase is to evaluate which specific
land plots will be included in the appellation. That is expected not to be
finalised until 2017. One can imagine the difficulties in the project. One
hectare of prime AOC land can be worth 1 million euro whereas a hectare of
plain agricultural land has a more modest price tag…
German harvest: big volume,
excellent quality
A sigh of relief can also be heard in Germany after this year’s harvest.
they had an early flowering and good weather during the harvest (but what
happened in between was perhaps not so great). This led to excellently ripe
grapes in all wine regions in Germany. The volume is estimated to 11 million
hl, which is 8% over the average.
www.wine-business-international.com
Warning for pregnant women
Well, its not the pregnant women who are dangerous of course, but
drinking wine while you are pregnant. At least according to the warning
texts (or alternatively a graphically illustrative symbol) that are now
compulsory on wine bottles in France. A new French law for this was approved
on October 2.
Anselme Selosse makes
Italian sparkling wine
Anselme
Selosse is one of the most respected independent wine makers in Champagne.
Together with Azienda Feudi di San Gregorio near Naples he has just launched
an Italian sparkling wine, from a region that otherwise is mostly known for
its still wines. The wine is called Le Dubl Greco and is made from the grape
Greco di Tufo. It is aged 36 months ‘sur lie’ (on its lees). They also
produce a wine called Falanghina, which as less ageing, and a rosé called
Dubl Rosato di Aglianico.
www.vinimarket.com
New appellation: Coteaux du
Languedoc Pézenas
The
new appellation Coteaux du Languedoc, with the suffix Pézenas (which is a
town in the region) is a red wine and should be made from Grenache,
Mourvedre, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsaut. Try follow this if you can:
Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah must make up at least 70%. No single one the
varieties Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah may make up more than 75%. Mourvedre
and Syrah must be included, singly or together, to at least 20%. If Carignan
is included in the mix then Grenache must also be included with at least
20%. Repeat please! In summary, and simplified, one can perhaps say that
Coteaux du Languedoc Pézenas is made primarily from Grenache, Mourvedre and
Syrah, may have some addition of Carignan and Cinsaut, and cannot by a
single variety wine. The yield (“rendement de base”) is limited to 45 hl/ha.
Château La Pointe and
Château Carignan sold
Château
La Pointe, a Pomerol property with 25 ha, has been sold for an estimated
32-35 million euro to the insurance company Generali. They already own Ch La
France in the region. Chateau Carignan has been sold for 11 M euro (it’s in
the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux) to an American based wine merchant called
Andy Lench.
decanter.com
New edition of the most
classic Bordeaux book
The first edition of “Bordeaux et ses Vin” (Bordeaux and its wines) was
published in 1850. It is an extensive collection of (almost) all the
properties in Bordeaux. It is often called ”Cocks & Feret” after the
original publisher. The 18th extended and revised edition has just been
published.
www.vinomedia-publishing.com
Whisky from Öland
As
opposed to many other internationally famous spirits (Calvados, Cognac,...)
whisky does not have a regionally protected name. You can make whisky
anywhere (e.g. in Japan, or on Ireland). Wannborga Distillery & Vineyard and
Ölands Farm Brewery have joined together in a project to make whisky on the
Swedish island of Öland in the Baltic sea. There is at this time no whisky
to taste, but we have tasted their grappa, “calvados”, and “cognac”.
Interested whisky fans are invited to invest in the future production –
perhaps we can call it “whisky primeur” – to get preferential access once
the product is ready. Wannborga is one of three Swedish vineyards on the
island of Öland.
www.wannborga.nu
Spitting competition (!) at
the Paris wine fair on November 22-26
We’re
not quite sure how it will be judged (length? precision? beauty? originalty?...)
but at the annual Salon des Vignerons Indépendants in Paris (a huge event
with 1000 exhibitors) they will have a spitting competition whose winner
will get the “Grand Prix du Cracheur d’Or”. (The competition is actually a
devious way to make visitors understand the importance of spitting when
tasting!). The Salon will take place at Porte de Versailles in Paris on
November 22-26 and the competition is on November 23 at 16.00.
vigneron-independant.com
”Le Grand Tasting” in Paris
30 November to 1 December
“Le Grand Tasting” (in bizarre Frenglish) is the name of another wine
fair in Paris. They present a more modest, but still large, number of more
specifically quality oriented producers. But all is of course a matter of
taste. This wine fair is organised by two ex-Revue des Vin de France
journalists, Michel Bettane and Thierry Dessauve, which is a promising basis
for an interesting selection of exhibitors. Why not spend a few days in
Paris and go to both events? With some time for Christmas shopping
in-between!
www.grandtasting.com
New economic perspective on
gastronomy and wine
The
Association of Wine Economists have joined together with the Society of
Quantitative Gastronomy (yes, they both exist!) to publish the Journal of
Wine Economics with a new profile. Once every year they will publish a
special issue focussed on gastronomy. In the next June issue they will for
example have an article on “is breakfast free when it is included in the
price?”. The AWE is a scientifically oriented journal that deals with
economic issues around wine, wine production and wine markets. It is of
course not free and you can subscribe (or join) on their site:
http://www.wine-economics.org/
(Photo: oxymoron. Just like 'congressional ethics', or 'computer science':
OxymoronList)
The state vodka company
grows its sales
V&S Vin & Sprit Group, the state owned company that primarily makes
Absolut vodka, announced in its third quarter figures that sales volumes
were up 9% to 7 million 9-litre cases, operating profits grew with 23% to
677 million SEK and profit after tax was 423 M SEK (+29%). Positive numbers
that may well help the planned sale of the company.
The Swedish monopoly grows
sales too
The Systembolaget increased sales from January to October with 5.1%
measured in ‘pure alcohol’. Wine sales grew with 5.4%. Anitra Steen, Chief
Executive, commented: “growing household income and a decrease in
travellers’ carrying alcohol with them from abroad is probably the cause”.
She must feel slightly divided in the interpretation of the results –
growing sales and increasing market share normally being a positive thing
for a CEO but at the same time being tasked with limiting the consumption of
alcohol in Sweden. Oh, the joys of a monopoly with political objectives…
54% market share for the
Swedish monopoly
Systembolaget, the Swedish retail monopoly, announced in its latest
newsletter that their market share in Sweden is growing (of course,
‘monopoly’ does not quite mean monopoly). Systembolaget now provides 54% of
all alcohol that Swedes consume, up from a low of 48% in 2004. The market
share of spirits was 39% (up from 36%). In other words, 61% of all spirit
consumed in Sweden does not come from Systembolaget. The market share for
wine is 74%. It must be a challenge being tasked with being the tool for
moderating Swede’s consumption when half of the consumption come from other
sources.
Nordic sommelier champion:
Thilde Maarbjerg from Denmark
Thilde Maarbjerg from the Kong Hans restaurant in Copenhagen won the
title in the Nordic Sommelier Championship in Helsinki. It is the third year
in a row that Denmark wins the title. This year it was a very feminine team
of professionals: second place went to Susanne Berglund-Kranz (Sweden) and
third place to Pia Peltoperä (Finland). Congratulations!
Spain’s first ice wine!
Icewine is made by picking the grapes in the winter, when temperatures
are below minus seven. It’s not exactly something that one connects with
Spain (not least with ‘global warming’). Bodega Vidal Soblechero de la Seca
in Valladolid, DO Rueda, is nevertheless the first Spanish winery to make an
ice wine!
Brazil
Some parts of Brazil are certainly tropical but it is a big country. In the
colder south, near the border to Uruguay, the climate is well suited to wine
growing. We visited the vineyards in this area this last summer (winter,
that is, on location) and were much impressed by the quality. Much of the
wine produced is sparkling, either with a second fermentation in the bottle
or in tank. Second fermentation in tank is called the ‘charmat method’ and
was introduced in Brazil in the 1950s by the Frenchman Georges Aubert. Some
charmat wines are even made with an extended aging in tank (on the lees)
which gives added complexity and toastiness. One example is the Domaine
Chandon (yes, the name is familiar!), who has specialised in charmat wines.
Moscatel Espumante is an important product and it is often made with grapes
coming from Vale do São Fransisco, with tropical climate almost at the
equator. They even get two harvests per year here! The Italian Moscato
Bianco is the main grape but they also grow Shiraz. Moscatel Espumante is
made in the same way as the Italian wines from Asti. The wine style was
introduced by Martini Rossi in the 70s. The wines work well as a slightly
sweet aperitif, low in alcohol with flowery and tutti-frutti aromas. Perhaps
a future low-alcohol fad?
The bulk of Brazilian wine production is very simple wines made from
American varieties and only sold locally. Wine that we need not spend many
words on. But some ambitious producers make wines from Vinifera varieties
and have replanting programs under way. One example is the Pizzato brothers
(on brother is getting some international experience at Herdade Espoao in
Alentejo in Portugal). They have specialised in Merlot. Pizzato is a small
producer in Brazilian terms, having no more than 26 hectares. The family
emigrated from Veneto in Italy in the 1880s and ended up in the Vale dos
Vinhedos on the border to Uruguay. The Italian root in the Vale do Vinhedos
is very obvious: you can eat superb pasta, many people speak Italian, there
are even many signs in Italian. Some of the larger producers that are
starting to become know internationally are Miolo, Salton and Casa Valduga.
Read more about Brazilian wines on
www.winesfrombrazil.com
Australia top-seller in
Sweden
The ranking of the most popular wine countries at the Swedish monopoly
retail chain Systembolaget (September 2007) is as follows. Australia has
grown with 25% mainly due to a few successful launches of bag-in-box and
tetra wines. (Percentages indicate market share)
1. Australia 17.3%
2. South Africa 16.1%
3. Italy 15.5%
4. Spain 14.6%
5. France 9.2%
6. Chile 7.2%
7. USA 5.7%
8. Germany 4.7%
9. Hungary 3.1%
10. Argentina 2.2%
Swedish Hill pioneers new
hybrids?
Melody, Corot Noir, Valvin Muscat are perhaps not the best known grape
varieties with wine lovers. They are all “hybrids”, i.e. crossings that are
not the pure European Vitis Vinifera. Such hybrids can be much more
resistant to diseases and to cold weather but have a reputation to produce
wines that are not necessarily very tasty. Perhaps this is going to change.
In the Finger Lakes district (cold and not too suited to Vinifera) in
northern New York Cornell University is carrying out research to improve the
hybrid varieties and they have come up with some interesting results.
Swedish Hill Vineyards is one of the local wineries that are trying out many
hybrid varieties with (we are told) good result.
cornellsun.com
Antinori launches Napa wine
and expands with Stag’s Leap
Piero Antinori, head of the famous Tuscan Antinori wine family has
presented the first vintage of his new wine from Napa Valley. The winery is
called Antica Napa Valley and the wines are a 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon and a
2006 Chardonnay. The wine is made in collaboration with St Michelle Wine
Estates who is also a partner in Antinori’s acquisition of the legendary
Sag’s Leap Wine Cellars
winesandvines.com
Namibia – the next wine
country?
A Britsh born business man has planted a vineyard in Namibia, just on
the border to the desert. Allan Walkden-Davis so far only makes 3500
bottles, made from Shiraz and Merlot. Five sources contributes to make the
vineyard fertile although it is virtually in the desert. Namib Red 2004 is
described as "absolutely stunning, amazing wine, with nice dark berries,
slight acidity, plums, and just a little bit of that peppery Italian
leather" by the South African wine consultant Micael Oliver. Stunning, yes
we can believe that.
telegraph.co.uk
Port wine
Christmas as getting worryingly close and it is perhaps time to bring
out one of those old bottles of port you have in the cellar and crack it
open to the stilton cheese or the walnuts. The port district exports 80
million bottles every year. These are the biggest markets:
1. France (2.9 million 9-litre cases)
2. Holland (1.6)
3. Belgium (1.3)
4. Great Britain (1.1)
5. USA (0.5)
6. Germany (0.3)
7. Canada (0.24)
8. Spain (0.15)
9. Denmark (0.15)
10. Brazil (0.1)
(Source IVDP)
Argentina’s exports
The
major markets for Argentinean wines:
1. USA
2. UK
3. Brazil
4. Canada
5. Holland
6. Denmark
...
11. Finland
12. Sweden
Bordeaux builds new wine
research centre
L’Institut des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin (ISVV) is the French name
for the new research centre that is being constructed in the Bordeaux area.
It will bring together research activities that has previously been spread
out in several different locations. They will have 200 researchers and
technicians – possibly the biggest wine research centre in the world. The
scientific focus for the centre will be on three themes: oenology,
physiology and polyphenols & health, but it will also have a broader
vocation including collaborations in the area of social sciences, economics
and marketing.
www.isvv.fr
Sweet white wines from
Bordeaux – not just Sauternes
“Vins
d’Or de Bordeaux” (Golden Wines from Bordeaux) is a theme under which
Bordeaux wants to publicise the sweet wines from the region, and perhaps in
particular some of the lesser known appellations. Sweet whites are produced
on 4068 hectares, which represents only 2% of the total area of Bordeaux.
The appellations included in Vins d’Or are:
- Bordeaux Supérieur
- Côtes de Bordeaux Saint-Macaire
- Graves Supérieur
- Premières Côtes de Bordeaux
- Sainte-Foy Bordeaux
- Cadillac
- Cérons
- Loupiac
- Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, and of course
- Barsac and
- Sauternes
... all well worth tasting.
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