RAW - the priceless treasure of obscure grape varieties

Dr José Vouillamoz presenting at the RAW Wine Fair

Attended a fascinating tasting at the RAW Wine Fair given by Dr José Vouillamoz. Dr Vouillamoz is a vine geneticist who has an unbridled passion for rare grape varieties. He presented 10 wines (6 white, 4 red) made from very rare varieties.

Durella, Nosiola, Spergola, Friulano, Rkatsiteli, Enantio, Caberlot, Nerello Mascalese, Kadarka... I had never tasted any of these varieties either. The only familiar grape was an ungrafted Chardonnay from Guillot-Broux from the Mâconnais (alas the vineyard recently succumbed to phylloxera and is no more). Only the wine remains.

Several whites had been made with extended skin contact; one, the Friulano, was even given cap punching (pigeage).  They were all interesting, in the way exotic unknown fruits can be, with surprising taste and aroma combinations.

The Friulano for example was slightly oxidised, had tannins and yet had an undertone of apricots and marmalade rather like a botrytised white.

The Rkatsitseli also surprised with its licorice and tar on the nose, spicy taste with added quince and tropical fruits.

Of course, a lot of the taste was down to the winemaking techniques - skin contact for the whites, qvevri for the Rkatsitseli, fermentation in amphora for the Nosiola etc. Nevertheless tasting these wines gave me the desire to taste more, and reinforced my own love of obscure varieties, or novel, often very traditional winemaking.

We should do all we can to treasure these old varieties and taste them whenever we can. Loss of genetic material can be forever, and we never know when it might be needed.

It was after all only less than 150 years ago that phylloxera was first seen in European vineyards. It nearly wiped out wine production for good. A recent discovery of vine genetics is the missing link in the makeup of Merlot which happens to be an almost extinct (only about 10 vines still remain) variety from Brittany and the Charentes. I certainly hope that this Magdeleine noire des Charentes is preserved.

Look out for José's forthcoming book 'Wine Grapes', (co-authored with Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding, due out in October through Allen Lane, Penguin Press).

Details http://www.rawfair.com/talks-monday

Wine: leave it open - it will often taste better !

Read an interesting article by Robert Petronio in the May 2012 edition of La Revue du Vin de France on how the taste of wine changes according to whether you drink it straight out of the bottle, decant it or simply open it and leave it for two days before drinking it.

It seems that the effect can be significant. In most tastings done for this article the wine opened two days before came out on top. Most of us have experienced something similar, regretting not having waited before drinking a wine which seemed a bit rough at the beginning, but which left to itself develops into a much more rounded and elegant drink.

The experiment was carried out very simply (and not scientifically) by taking three bottles of the same vintage (2008) from 5 producers in different appellations. One bottle was tasted two minutes after opening; a second was decanted and left for two hours before tasting; a third was opened and left for two days in bottle with the only contact with the air being through the neck of the bottle. At all times the wine was kept at service temperature.

The results are below.

A Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Château Jean Faure 2008 which seemed green and tannic just out of the bottle, became much softer and more approachable after two hours in a decanter and was positively transformed into an elegant and refined offering after remaining open for two days.

Jean-Claude Boisset's Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Cazetiers 2008 underwent the same treatment, but being decanted contrary to Burgundian practice was not kind to this wine which seemed to close up. It was much better just out of the bottle and best of all after two days where it revealed itself especially balanced and graceful.

Similar outcome for a Châteauneuf-du-Pape Clos de l'Oratoire 2008: OK just after opening, disappointing after 2 hours in a decanter, and wonderful after spending two days in an open bottle, having gained in complexity during this time.

The Côte-Rotie 2008 from Michel and Stéphane Ogier reacted badly to being poured into the glass just after the cork was extracted, and fared little better after two hours in decanter but burst into life after two days developing more complexity and an intense floral aroma.

Last but by no means least the Vin de pays Côtes du Brian Lo Vièlh 2008 from Clos du Gravillas, a well-known producer among those who follow the natural wine scene. Out of the bottle it was pure fruit, delicious to drink. After two hours in the decanter the result was more ambiguous. There was a broader aroma spectrum but less freshness. Two days opened in bottle however did wonders for it in terms of elegance and showed just how good Carignan can be.

So there you are. The next time you have a bottle of wine don't drink it straight away (difficult, I agree..). Leave it open for a couple of days (in the fridge of course, or the cellar if you are fortunate enough to have one) and then drink it.

You could match it with that stew or cassoulet you have been reheating and which has tasted better and better each time. Bon appétit !






 

Everyday Drinkers (3) update

The 2011 vintage of this wine is on sale now, at the same price. It is even better than the 2010. So do take advantage if you can. Cheers !

Grape futures (4)

You can now see how the fruit has formed and is starting to swell (very slowly). All being well the grapes will be ripe or thereabouts by mid-August. Of course this vine is more or less under glass and has not had to endure the cold, wet conditions we have experienced recently; in outdoor conditions in England grapes would be ripe in late September or early October, perhaps later depending on the conditions.

Vive la France !

You have to admire the French peoples' love of democracy. The second round turnout in yesterday's Presidential election was around 80% (same as the first round) and people were genuinely interested and concerned about the outcome. A similar enthusiasm can be expected for the French parliamentary elections next month.

Compare this with the pathetic figures for the recent elections - both for London mayor and local - in this country and you wonder why people should continue to deserve the right to vote, hard won and fiercely defended by our forebears.

True, local government in this country is often no more than a rubber stamp for central government decrees from on high but it is the foundation of our democracy. If more people vote in elections and take more of an interest then the more relevant the institutions will be.

The not so old adage must apply:  use it or lose it.

Grape Futures (3)

The caplets are starting to fall now and the vine is officially in flower (over half the caplets have fallen). Now the suspense of waiting to find out whether the fruit will set !

Everyday Drinkers (4)

This is for anyone looking for a white Burgundy - not a steely Chablis style wine but a more rounded one from the southern part of Burgundy around Mâcon, a region close to my heart where I have sampled many a good wine. The countryside is also a marvel with its small villages and white limestone buildings, Romanesque churches and great views.

This is a good drinkable wine from the Chardonnay grape, and when you look at the price you wonder which miracle accomplished it. It is currently selling for £4.99, and at this price is excellent value.

It was bottled in or around Prissé, which is in the heart of this appellation area.