Kremstal in
Austria becomes the first DAC on the Danube
The Austrian agricultural minister approve in December the DAC designation
for Kremstal for wines made from Grüner Veltliner or Riesling. Kremstal thus
becomes the first district along the Danube to get the DAC qualification (Districtus
Austria Controllatus, similar to the French Appellation Controlée). It is
split in two levels: Classic and Reserve. Classic is dry with medium alcohol
and should have no oak or noble rot character. Reserve is fuller-bodied and
may have some barrel tones and botrytis. There are previously three DAC
regions in Austria: Weinviertel DAC (2003), Mittelburgenland DAC (2006) and
Traisental DAC (2007).
The International Wine Convention in Cannes
That’s the name of an event held in Cannes on February 14-17. It is a
meeting place for vine importers and wine traders to meet producers from
France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. More info
www.winemeetings-cannes.fr (And conveniently planned just before ViniSud
so you can combine the two.)
Bad timing to expand
Champagne, says world leading expert
We
recently wrote about the plans in Champagne to extend the limits of the
appellation to allow for more production. Obviously a contentious issue. Tom
Stevenson, a world leading expert on Champagne, asks the question “Is an
expansion necessary?” His answer is perhaps both yes and no. There is an
obvious shortage of Champagne at the moment but are we not rapidly
approaching a new champagne bust? And in any case already today there are
enough grapes grown for an expansion, but due to AOC regulations parts of
the harvest are left to rot. (The permitted yield is almost 100 hl/ha today
(already high compared to many) but the average actual yield, says
Stevenson, was more like 146 hl/ha. The volume exceeding the permitted yield
is left on the vines or dropped on the ground.) Read his whole essay on the
future of Champagne on
wine-pages.com.
Carole Duval-Leroy, new
president of AV Champenoise, worries about yields
If
you read French it can also be quite interesting to read the remarks of
Carole Duval-Leroy, owner of Champagne Duval-Leroy: “If it becomes a norm to
produce 21,700 kg grapes (ed.: ~140 hl/ha) and then only use 15,500 kg (ed.:
90-100 hl/ha), what happens then when the reserve stocks are filled?”
(Reserve stocks are filled with excess volumes over the permitted yield.)
Read her comments here:
www.reussir51.com
Chateau Reifent-Auzias in
China (!) makes its first harvest
This
autumn saw the first harvest at Chateau Reifeng-Auzias in China. The
tradition in China is more towards quantity than quality, with yields
reaching 150 hl/ha. At Ch Reifeng-Auzias the ambition is more focused on
quality wines made from Syrah (10 ha), Cabernet Franc (10 ha), and
Chardonnay (3 ha) with yields as low as 29 hl/ha. The wines will primarily
be sold on the Chinese market at prices between 18€ and 78€ (!) per bottle.
A group of French and Chinese investors are behind the venture: Michel
Behar, Dominique Auzias (editor of the very popular guide book series Petit
Futé), Wu Feng and Mei Ling.
Films from Champagne Tarlant
Internet, with YouTube and others, has given us a completely new way to
communicate: video clips. Champagne Tarlant is one of the few (certainly in
France!) wine producers who are experimenting with this medium (without
allocating big ad budgets). And this gives us some, sometimes informative,
sometimes amusing, sometimes, oh well… occasions to make a virtual visit to
Champagne Tarlant and Champagne. For example, the ultimate anti-action-clip:
“Tank’s Insider” – watch wine fermenting inside the tank. Knowing a bit of
French helps. Watch it here:
champagne.typepad.com/podcast/
(And if you liked that you should drop in at the very early beta version of
BKWine TV:
www.youtube.com/bkwine)
Cheesy (!) campaign for
French cheese
We
thought last Brief’s feature on lightly clad females promoting Chablis was a
low water mark (Chablis Chic), but how wrong we were. The French association
of terroir cheese producers have produced a calendar with twelve completely
un-clad young ladies (“from-girls”), only covered in body painting
illustrating astrological signs. They are no doubt much better at cheese
making than at marketing. See the calendar here:
www.fromages-de-terroirs.com
Sotheby’s makes a record and
sells wine for $49 million
The
most expensive bottle ever sold at Sotheby’s was a jeroboam of Chateau
Mouton-Rothschild 1945 that fetched $310,700. Total sales reached
$49,287,329 which is +32% compared to 2006.
Sotheby’s wine course starts
on January 14
Not only can you buy wine at Sotheby’s but you can also learn about it
from their experts. Their new wine course starts on January 14 in London.
Contact Alexandra Floyd on ph 020 7293 5727 for more information.
V&S Vin & Sprit to be sold
at auction
The Swedish finance ministry has confirmed that V&S Vin & Sprit will be
sold. V&S is one of the world’s biggest spirits companies, owning the
Absolut Vodka brand, and is currently a state owned company. It has also
been confirmed that it will be sold to the bidder offering the best price
and the best overall conditions for the deal. The transaction is expected to
be finalized in 2008. Expected bidders are e.g. Pernod Ricard, Fortune
Brands, Bacardi, Diageo as well as venture capital funds.
A tour around the world in
wine
“Alex” used to be store manager at an Oddbins wine shop branch in
England. In August he left and embarked on a tour around the world in wine.
He is travelling from one winery to the next, discovering many for away wine
regions and wine makers. All along his journey he continually updates his
blog (winetraveller.net)
with what he is doing now, where he is and what wines he’s tasting. So you
can follow Alex around the world in a virtual tour. In his latest post
(January 6) he is at a winery in Yarra Valley in Australia. Read more
winetraveller.net
Texas fifth biggest grape
grower and wine maker
Unexpectedly
perhaps Texas is according to the latest statistics the fifth biggest grape
grower and wine maker state in the US according to a new report by the Grape
Growers Association. They have 3,700 acres (1500 ha) of vineyards owned by
220 family wineries (and presumably quite a bit of table grape production in
addition). Most vineyards are located in Texas Hill county that, according
to WilsonCountyNews.com, is similar to Italy and France. They make wine from
Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, Riesling,
Viognier and even from strawberries. Read more:
wilsoncountynews.com
2007 smallest harvest since
2000
The latest statistics from SCEES shows that 2007 will be the smallest
harvest in France since 2000. Only 47.1 M hl will be produced. The decline
is biggest for Vin de Table in Languedoc (due to dry weather) and in the
cognac producing region (due to bad weather and rain). In the northern
region (Champagne, Alsace, Bourgogne) production is on the contrary rising.
vinimarket.com
Germany harvests ice wine
On
November 18-19 weather was cold enough in Germany to harvest the famed ice
wine, Eiswein. 1500 l Riesling and 1200 l Pinot Noir (!) were harvested in
freezing weather in Baden. Rheingau, Nahe, and Franken also made some ice
wine, as well as small quantities in Mosel. This years abundant German
harvest made more growers leave some grapes on the vines in the hope of
having the possibility to make some of the exclusive Eiswein.
wein-plus.com
Martin Scorsese makes
commercial for Freixenet with Hitchcock theme
Martin Scorsese Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Departed…) has made a
commercial (advert) film for the big Spanish cava producer Freixenet. The
film stars Scorsese himself and tells the story of a lost and found script
for a never-made Hitchcock film called The Key to Reserva. Scorsese decides
to make a film from the found Hitchcock script. But… one page is missing!
What happens? Lots of references to old movies for the film buff to enjoy.
The 10 minute long film can of course be viewed on YouTube
YouTube
EU reform of agricultural
wine polices agreed, but watered down
It
was a weakened reform that was agreed with the agricultural ministers just
before Christmas. Hardly cause for celebrating with a bottle of champagne,
except for the champagne producers and other northern winegrowing regions
who had argued for continued permission to add sugar to the grape must (chaptalisation)
to compensate for weak musts – and won the argument. Other aspects of the
reform: grubbing up of vines will continue but less than proposed (170,000
ha instead of 400,000 ha). Possibilities to specify grape varieties and
vintage on the label on wines without a specific geographic provenance (or
where it is not permitted to indicate the provenance on the label). More
budget to promote EU wines (but not within the EU, of course, where the
lobby is rather for ad band on wine). Less restrictions on new plantings of
vines. Etc. Perhaps the reform could have used a bit of sugar in the brew to
make it less watered down.
iht.com
Vins Rares Peter Thustrup
sold to Everget Capital
Peter
Thustrup has for many years been one of the leading merchants and traders in
rare and exclusive wines through his company Vins Rares Peter Thustrup.
Originally from the cosmetics industry he Started VRPT in the early 80s as
an extension of his hobby and passion for fine wines. VRPT has now been
acquired by Everget Capital who also owns the Paris wine shop Legrand Filles
& Fils and a parallel wine trading and wholesale business.
French wine shows: Millesime
Bio, Loire & VinSud
January and February is a busy time for the professional visitor to wine
shows. First out is Millesime Bio, January 28-30 in Perpignan, a wine fair
focusing on organic wine (ok, ok, wine from organically grown grapes):
www.millesime-bio.com. Then you have Le Salon des Vins de la Loire,
essential if you want to get a deep insight into what’s happening in the
Loire valley: February 4-6 in Anger:
www.salondesvinsdeloire.com. This is followed by ViniSud. Even if it has
a focus on wines from the south of France (Languedoc-Roussillon, Rhône,
Provence, Corsica, Sud-Ouest…) they also present numerous producers from
other Mediterranean countries: Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece,… In
Montpellier February 18-20:
www.vinisud.com Book your flights now!
Mouton-Rothschild 2005
designed by Guiseppe Penone
Each year, since 1945, a new artist is chosen to decorate the label of
the Mouton-Rothschild bottle. The latest vintage to be released, 2005, will
be carrying a ‘top banner’ (to speak in internet terminology) drawn by the
Italian artist Guiseppe Penone, sometimes categorized in the Arte Povera
movement. See the label here.
vinimarket.com
VDQS to disappear
VDQS (Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure) will cease to exist as a
classification. VDQS is a not very well know and little used category that
is placed between Appellation Controlée (the highest group) and Vins de
Pays. It has often functioned as a waiting room for regions aiming at
becoming AOC. France has now decided to eliminate this category entirely by
2011, perhaps since it is in reality little used. Current VDQS districts
will have to choose between (trying to become) AOC, with corresponding
stricter rules, or Vin de Pays.
Have a news
item you'd like to see here or have a news tip? Send me an email:
winebrief@bkwine.com
En français
Pelle
is the name of the chef and ”hos” in Swedish is the same as the French
”chez”, so you’re at Pelle’s Place. The restaurant is very small, elegant
and modern design and happily free from loud music. A modest walk away from
the centre of the city – stroll through the old Haga part of Gothenburg and
you’re there. In the evening they have only a set menu: you can choose
between a few main courses (at least two guests at your table have to take
the same): e.g. wintry filet of deer, or coley with turnips, pears and
parsley. To start with you get today’s selection of three starters and to
finish you also get a trio of desserts prepared by the kitchen. All is
elegantly presented and delicious, sometimes with some interesting and well
prepared choices of vegetables. Very reasonably priced at 350 kr. You can
opt for the “wine package” for 250 kr which will give you a different wine
to each course. At lunch time they have a more classic style lunch service.
