Geoffrey Dean, Author at The Buyer

By Richard Siddle on October 15, 2019

Wines of Argentina believes there is a lot of opportunity in Scotland

Phil Crozier on taking Argentina’s Barullo events to London & Edinburgh

If generic bodies like Wines of Argentina are going to get the message across to buyers and sommeliers across the country about how far their wines and styles are changing then it means putting the hard yards in. Which is what the autumn series of Barullo Sessions from Wines of Argentina is all about. The chance to take Argentine producers on the road and introduce them to key players both in and around London, but also in Scotland with a special event next week in Edinburgh. UK ambassador for Wines of Argentina, Phil Crozier, explains what they have in store.

Posted In: argentina, Barullo Sessions, slider, wine, wine event, wine tasting, wines of argentina

Tasting: Wine

By Roger Jones on October 15, 2019

Roger Jones on how Pommery Champagne matches complex dishes

Roger Jones used to think that Champagne Pommery was something of a one-trick pony. That is, until he was invited to a special cuvee tasting at Sketch in London, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Pommery’s prestige Cuvee Louise. Duly inspired by Cuvee Louise and Cuvee Louis and the way they paired with the complexity of Pierre Gagnaire’s cooking, Jones then decided to test the more modestly-priced Champagnes from the portfolio back at his top restaurant The Harrow at Little Bedwyn. He experimented with a variety of dishes before arriving at some stunning pairings to go with the Pommery Blanc de Blancs and the latest arrival the Louis Pommery English Sparkling NV.

Posted In: champagne, Champagne Pommery, Clement Pierlot, Cuvee Louise, Julien Lonneux, Pierre Gagnaire, roger jones, Sketch, slider

People People: Supplier

By David Kermode on October 13, 2019

Why Greencroft Bottling believes so much of wine’s future is in a can

We’ve all heard the talk about demand for wines in a can, but now that Greencroft Bottling, one of the UK’s biggest and most influential packing companies in the country has decided to invest over £2 million in installing the UK’s first canning line for wine, all that talk is turning into action. Greencroft has clearly seen and had enough demand from its customers, which stretch from major branded wine companies to the big supermarkets and on-trade groups, to take the step to have a dedicated canning facility. David Kermode looks at the opportunities that lie ahead for canned wine.

Posted In: can, canned wine, greencroft bottling, lanchester group, slider, wine, wine in a can

Insight

By Peter Dean on October 12, 2019

Long Read

Pol Roger opens the first ‘missing’ bottles from the 1900 cellar collapse

There are many special tastings in the world of wine and many special bottles – some of them with plenty of bottle age. But the tasting that took place three days ago in Epernay was in the realm of ‘I was there’. 119 years after its cellars collapsed Champagne Pol Roger opened the first two intact bottles it had managed to retrieve from the rubble of the 1900 catastrophe. So what would be inside the bottles? sludge? vinegar? surely not drinkable Champagne? Peter Dean was there to witness the preparation, painstaking disgorgement and taste the two wines, one most likely from 1897, the second from 1895 – the first vintage that was bought by Winston Churchill.

Posted In: 1895, cellar collapse, champagne, Epernay, Peter Dean, pol roger, Pol Roger Portfolio, slider

Tasting: Wine

By Mike Turner on October 11, 2019

Let’s Get Fizzical: Bibendum and its sparkling-focused Fizzics

Putting more of a focus into a trade tasting pays dividends, according to Mike Turner who praises the learnings he gleaned from Fizzics – the fourth iteration of a sparkling-focused tasting from Bibendum. Fizzics included: Champagne Palmer’s ‘Does Size Matter?’ (ooh err) focus; hearing about how a group of producers in Spain’s Penedès region have moved away from the Cava label; Ridgeview and sustainability; and Gianluca Bisol’s top Prosecco. Turner soaked it all up – as well as a fair degree of sparkling, it has to be said.

Posted In: bibendum, Bisol, Fizzes, Fizzics, Llopart, Mike Turner, Palmer, Ridgeview, sparkling wine

Insight

By Richard Siddle on October 10, 2019

Jackie Fast on why Okanagan is better than Napa Valley

As someone who was born and grown up in Canada’s Okanagan Valley, Jackie Fast is well placed to have seen how far it has grown and developed as a serious wine region in its own right over the last 20 plus years. As she says she has “watched first” hand to see how the quality of wine and the investment being made in the region has elevated the Okanagan to a level she believes can now give even the illustrious Napa Valley a run for its money.

Posted In: canada, Canadian wine, okanagan valley, sommeliers, wine, wine producers, winemakers

Tasting: Wine

By Roger Jones on October 10, 2019

Long Read

Roger Jones recommends the best white wines from Alto Adige

In this report top chef and Buyer contributing editor Roger Jones explores the white wines of the Alto Adige region with a special focus on Gewürztraminer – so often tasting of ‘granny’s face powder’ but here in the most Northern part of Italy produced in a dry style wine with a delicate fragrance of lychees, crisp Turkish Delight, pink grapefruit, very fine perfume with a lovely fresh acidity. Jones also highlights wineries that had exceptional white wine and those making wines made from unusual varieties such as Solaris.

Posted In: Alto Adige, Gewürztraminer, italian wine, Italy, roger jones

Insight

By Richard Siddle on October 9, 2019

Long Read

Where next for New Zealand as global demand increases?

It’s a nice problem to have. Too many people, countries, importers, restaurants and sommeliers want to get more than the fair share of your wines. So how do you juggle who gets what in a situation where you are running out of land to make a lot more wine. That’s the situation that New Zealand now finds itself in as global demand is increasing so fast it is starting to struggle to keep up. Richard Siddle assesses the opportunities and challenges the country faces in the coming years.

Posted In: new zealand, wine, wine demand, wine exports

Opinion

By Richard Siddle on October 8, 2019

Sam Coverdale is dedicated to biodynamic farming at Polperro

James Nathan: How do you source sustainable wine for a list?

Over the last few weeks The Buyer has been looking at what steps restaurants, wine buyers and sommeliers are taking to make their wine lists more sustainable. Be it the actual wines they are buying, through to the producers they work, the regions they come from. Is it time for the premium on-trade to be taking sustainable wine far more seriously? James Nathan at Pull The Cork certainly thinks so. In fact the business has been set up just to trade in sustainable wine. Here he explains what he means by sustainable wine and offers some advice and tips to buyers on how they might want to adapt how they source wine to put sustainability further up the buying agenda.

Posted In: restaurants, sustainability, sustainable wine, wine, wine buying, wine importers, wine lists

Tasting: Wine

By Peter Dean on October 8, 2019

Long Read

How Armit’s tasting went around the world in 80 wines

Setting aside its considerable range of Italian agencies was a bold move for Armit Wines at last week’s Autumn Portfolio tasting – and it worked, very well indeed. Showing just 80 wines the tasting was focused, showed off Armit’s international estates and also proved how contemporary many of the wines are. With new agencies Terroir Sense Fronteres and Château Maris present; new wines such as La Rioja Alta’s Viña Arana Gran Reserva there; and some interesting curios, this was a tasting where it was hard to overlook the strength and depth of the range. Peter Dean highlights a dozen wines that sommeliers should look out for.

Posted In: Armit, Bell Hill, Château Maris, Momento, Peter Dean, Terroir Sense Fronteres

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