Tasting Archives | The Buyer

Buying decisions from trend setting trade and The Buyer tastings

By Simon Field on October 20, 2019

rioja 10x10 tasting

Simon Field MW on the new-look Rioja 10X10 at the Tate Modern

Fresh from a trip to Rioja, ex-Berry Bros buyer Simon Field MW had the right context in which to cast a critical eye over the latest 10X10 Rioja tasting. With new classifications being used, the ‘Saber quién eres’ generic streamline still in place and Tim Atkin MW and Sarah Jane Evans MW still curating a wonderful selection of 100 Riojas, there was plenty for Field to get his teeth into. Now into its fifth year, 10X10 had successfully moved across the river to the Tate Modern, where the latest wines were being shown across 10 categories. Field tasted through the range and also recommends 10 Riojas that you should be looking at getting on your list.

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Posted In: 10X10, Rioja, Saber quién eres, Simon Field, slider, spanish wine

By David Kermode on October 18, 2019

Chakana’s Gabriel Bloise on what to leave out of winemaking

Winemaking the world over is currently in a ‘less is more’ phase, where it is often more important what is being left out of the process than what is being left in. So, out goes trophy-hunting, overworked wines with high degrees of polish and in comes wines made with organic, biodynamic, minimal intervention and ‘natural’ winemaking principles – whatever that means. For Chakana winemaker Gabriel Bloise, the past seven years has been one of experimentation, as he has led the mission to improve the soils of his estate through biodynamics and also testing the waters with what is achievable in his bold portfolio of wines.

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Posted In: argentina, Ayni “Gravas”, Bonarda, Chakana, David Kermode, Gabriel Bloise, mendoza, Torontes

By Justin Keay on October 17, 2019

Corney and Barrow

Justin Keay’s preconceptions are challenged at Corney & Barrow

Not having gone to a Corney & Barrow tasting for a while, Justin Keay was expecting to find wines mainly from France and the wine buyers to be mainly wearing pin stripes. How wrong you can be. In selecting his ‘Seven Magnificent’ wines from the Autumn Portfolio tasting held at Mayfair’s Nobu restaurant, Keay found that none actually came from France instead they are from South Africa, Chile, Greece, Argentina, Portugal, Germany and Italy – reflecting the massive strides that the buying team at Corney & Barrow has made in diversifying its portfolio.

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Posted In: C&B, Corney & Barrow, Justin Keay, wine tasting

By Roger Jones on October 15, 2019

Roger Jones on how Pommery 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.

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

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.

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

By Roger Jones on October 10, 2019

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.

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

By Peter Dean on October 8, 2019

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.

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

By Anne Krebiehl MW on October 6, 2019

Anne Krebiehl MW on Jenkyn Place’s first ever Blanc de Blancs

The summer of 2015 was not spectacular in Hampshire, but it was long and dry and the Chardonnay it produced was out of this world. Anne Krebiehl MW hears first hand from Jenkyn Place’s Camilla Jennings how this led the English winery to make its first ever Blanc de Blancs, under the watchful eye, as always, of consultant winemaker Dermot Sugrue. Jennings explains how the brief was to make a wine that had great elegance but also approachability – being able to be drunk in all manner of situations.

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Posted In: Anne Krebiehl MW, Blanc de Blancs, Dermot Sugrue, Jenkyn Place, Jenkyn Place Blanc de Blancs 2015

By Sarah McCleery on October 2, 2019

Sarah McCleery: Six of the most exciting new wines from Chile

When a country or wine region is renowned for doing something well, there is often very little motivation to do things differently. The consistent and value-driven wines were out in force at the 2019 Wines of Chile tasting in London last week. There was also a fair smattering of the premium-led wines that have been grabbing headlines of late. But in terms of envelope pushing, for Sarah McCleery, the wines from Loncomilla, La Ronciere and Viña Laurent were the ones that piqued her interest most. Using a range of ancient varietals, vinification formats and techniques these estates are currently pushing the limits of what is possible in the country, both philosophically and geographically.

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Posted In: Corney & Barrow, La Ronciere, Loncomilla, malbec, Pais, Sarah McCleery, Viña Laurent, Wines of Chile Tasting

By David Kermode on September 29, 2019

What are the most Collectible & Covetable Californian wines

Having dispatched the USA rugby team in the morning at the Rugby World Cup, it was England’s turn in the afternoon to be shown the sheer power and majesty of the US – or the Californian wine scene to be more precise. Two of the hottest wine tasting events in London were being held at the US Embassy – Collectible California and Covetable Napa – and our man with the ‘golden tickets’, David Kermode, braved apocalyptic weather conditions to get there. Once inside he discovered a treasure trove of wines, including 14 of Napa’s most iconic wine estates each showing two vintages, a decade apart.

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Posted In: california, Collectible, Covetable, David Kermode, Harlan

By Justin Keay on September 27, 2019

Australia's First Families of Wine

First Families of Wine shine at Australia Redefined tasting

Anthazographobia is the fear of being left behind, ignored or forgotten. Martin Scorsese’s anti-hero Travis Bickle had it in Taxi Driver and Justin Keay reckons he’s a sufferer too. Aussie maverick winemaker Chester Osborn had a cat that was exactly the same which is why he named a wine after it called The Anthazographobic Cat. But there is no chance that the iconic wines from the other of Australia’s First Families of Wine will suffer this fate. At a monumental tasting called AFFW Unlocked, which was a highlight of last week’s Australia Redefined event, an embarrassment of riches from Australia’s finest winemakers had a point to prove – and that was that ‘Australia does premium wine’ – ones that really will leave a legacy on the world of fine wine.

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Posted In: AFFW, Australia Redefined, Australia’s First Families of Wine, Australian wine, Justin Keay

By Peter Dean on September 25, 2019

Sparkling Tea: one of many fresh ideas at the E&C Autumn tasting

Copenhagen Sparkling Tea, a Bolé Spumante from Italy’s newest DOC, a range called Ulterior of amphora-vinified wines from one of Spain’s hottest new winemakers in La Mancha, egg-fermented Savvy Blanc from Yealands, a new Dry Pink Pepper Gin and a terrific new range of wines from Swinney in Western Australia, all these and more fresh ideas gave the Enotria&Coe Autumn tasting a real buzz this year. Peter Dean reports

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Posted In: Bolé, Copenhagen Sparkling Tea, Enotria&Coe, Peter Dean, Pink Pepper Gin, Roquette e Cazes, ssparkling tea, Swinney Vineyards, Ulterior, Yealands

By Simon Field on September 24, 2019

Simon Field MW: does Armand de Brignac have the Midas touch?

Armand de Brignac is a Champagne brand that everyone has a view about – irrespective of whether it has been tasted or not. The juxtaposition between the humble Pinot-driven Cattier family and owner Shawn Carter (Jay-Z) is a fascinating one; there is the ostentatious packaging, the stratospheric price tags and the flamboyance and technical mastery of the 30-litre format. Which all leads to the same question – is this a Champagne House that has the Midas touch or not? So who better to answer that question than Simon Field MW, ex-Champagne buyer for Berry Bros & Rudd, who accepted The Buyer’s invitation to a first tasting of the third assemblage of its prestigious cuvée Blanc de Noirs A3 alongside all of the other new releases.

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Posted In: A3 Blanc de Noirs, Armand de Brignac, Cattier, champagne, new generation wines, Simon Field

By David Kermode on September 24, 2019

Why Alto Adige’s Lagrein & Schiava are back in vogue

While the white wines of Alto Adige are all about their floral notes and complexity, the reds are a different proposition altogether. Made largely from Lagrein and Schiava the reds have muscular tannins and sometimes-searing acidity. They are, however, very much in vogue and requiring the assistance of good sommeliers to explain their undoubted benefits to on-trade customers. In this unique corner of North Italy for the biennial Alto Adige/Süd Tirol wine summit, David Kermode gets to grips with these wines and also recommends his top 6 Alto Adige reds.

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Posted In: Alto Adige, Alto Adige red wine, David Kermode, Italy, Lagrein, Schiava

By Justin Keay on September 22, 2019

Justin Keay: Why ‘you had to be’ at the Wine GB tasting 2019

As he waits for his Irish passport application to be considered, and works on his Australian accent, a Brexit-battered Justin Keay crawled out from under his sofa to visit the Wine GB tasting last week. At first scoffing on how we can promote ourselves as ‘Unapologetically British’ Keay spent the day at the tasting and came round to the belief that this was a watershed tasting – that the breadth and depth of English and Welsh wine had never before been showing so strongly. Keay picks out six wineries that he thought stood out particularly well at the tasting and gives his reasons why, as well as giving special mention to the other wines that he felt were just starting to bring back some British pride to his deflated self.

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Posted In: Black Chalk, Bolney, english wine, Greyfriars, Harrow&Hope, Hattingley, Justin Keay, Langham, Simpsons, wine gb

By Peter Dean on September 21, 2019

How Tyrrell’s teamed up with Yalumba to launch The Caley 2014

The Caley is only into its third vintage but with the launch of The Caley 2014, Yalumba is proving that it justifies rubbing shoulders with Grange and the other new super-premium Aussie blends that have recently taken the stage. To launch the wine, Yalumba boss Robert Hill Smith drafted in pal Bruce Tyrrell, booked a Royal Family hangout, shipped over a load of new and old beauties – including a Maurice O’Shea Hermitage 1942, amongst many others. Jancis Robinson MW, Steven Spurrier, Matthew Jukes and our man at the table Roger Jones were suitably wowed. Warning – this feature contains a fair degree of smugness.

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Posted In: 4 Acres Shiraz 2006, australia, Bruce Tyrrell, Octavius, Robert Hill-Smith, roger jones, The Caley, The Caley 2014, The Virgilius, Tyrrell's, Tyrrell's Vat 47, Yalumba

By Kate Hawkings on September 19, 2019

Berkmann’s Bristol ‘Wine Lab’ was an experiment worth taking

The crusty old farts in red trousers are a dying breed, argues Kate Hawkings, who welcomes the smart, engaging wine merchants who have replaced them and are keen to interact in the wine marketplace with different formats, new style events and who are even, God forbid, willing to take a wine tasting down the M4 to Bristol. Such was the case with Berkmann’s ‘Wine Lab’ event which had innovative themes to mix up the styles of wine, keep everyone on their toes and look at well known labels with an entirely new perspective. There was a much sought-after Tignanello-vertical masterclass in which Hawkings learned that our PM is a big fan, although he wasn’t there – he seemed to have a little bit of business elsewhere.

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Posted In: berkmann, bristol, kate hawkings, regional tastings

By Peter Dean on September 17, 2019

How Wakefield entered the luxury game with The Legacy

Australia has traditionally had a dearth of premium and super-premium wines, Penfolds Grange being the exception to the rule. Now a whole clutch of estates are releasing top dollar cuvees destined for the luxury end of the market. Clare Valley winery Taylors – known as Wakefield in the UK – was always inspired by the 1966 vintage of Mouton-Rothschild when it established 50 years ago. Now, to celebrate that landmark anniversary the winery is launching Wakefield The Legacy, a $1000 wine, launched in London last night by Wakefield’s Neil Hadley MW. Peter Dean got a ringside seat.

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Posted In: australia, Neil Hadley MW, Peter Dean, premium wine, Taylor’s, The Legacy, Wakefield

By Roger Jones on September 16, 2019

Roger Jones: How Liberty Wines continues to champion Riesling

The boring old journalists who trot out the line “Only the trade likes Riesling” really have met their match with Liberty Wines, argues top chef and wine expert Roger Jones. A Liberty customer for over 20 years, Jones has its annual Portfolio Tasting inked into his diary before many importers’ events. And it is their championing of Riesling that Jones believes is the company’s greatest achievement – something that has played all the way to consumers who have grown to better understand and love the grape. Jones picks out 10 of the 30 on show and gives full tasting notes as well as being wowed by the wines of Steven Spurrier’s estate, Bride Valley.

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Posted In: Bride Valley, Liberty, Riesling, roger jones, steven spurrier

By Chris Wilson on September 15, 2019

Chris Wilson’s six Braai-matching wines from South Africa

Matching wine with barbeque is never the easiest task. But then add in a bit of kudu or Braaibroodie and you could be forgiven for throwing in the towel. So it was at the WOSA Winemaker Braai in London when, after a long day at the New Wave South Africa tasting, winemakers showed how their wines could match their national ‘dish’ – barbequed meat, and lots of it. Toothpick in hand, Chris Wilson went along for the ride and picked his 6 best Braai-matching wines as well as listened to the winemakers hopes and fears – that largely were based around the Rugby World Cup. (Do they play rugby over there? – Ed)

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Posted In: Braai-matching wines, Braii, Chris Wilson, south africa, WOSA Winemaker Braai

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I’m not a massive fan of Savvy Blanc from Marlborough, but this style I love – fruit picked ripe, whole bunch pressed, wild yeast ferment in old barrels. The wine has lots of the tropical fruit notes (passion fruit, guava, limoncello) you might expect but there’s a refinement to the overall flavours, a salinity, and a nice mineral zip to the acidity. No sweat or cats pee. Crisp, textured, vibrant – a class apart. £18.90 DPD.
A non-vintage still Pinot Noir from low-yielding 60 year-old vines, produced by an always-fascinating Champagne house – what’s a sommelier not to love?! Matured in wood for two years, never fined or filtered, this is a crunchy style of Pinot – cherries and blackberries on the nose, strawberries on the palate, with the added complexity of Christmas spices on the finish. Would benefit from up to 10 years cellaring but will also make a fascinating by-the-glass menu pairing. (£25.15 DPD)
After some years of blending with other varietals, this @marchesimazzei estate in Sicily is now using 100% Nero d’Avola The vintage is hailed as one of the best ever, with exceptional quality of fruit. The freshness of the wine is its singularly defining character- it registers well on the palate and has nice depth to the fresh blood and black fruited aromas and flavours. 14.5% but you’d never know it.
This is the new Gran Reserva from La Rioja Alta which is aimed at a younger palate, making it the only house in Rioja to boast three Gran Reservas. The style is more fruit-forward with earlier drinking in mind. That, combined with the freshness of the 2012 vintage and backbone of linear acidity, makes it open, accessible with delicious fruit flavours. If you had a Bounty bar with a blackberry coulis that pretty much sums up the delicious mix of flavours. £24 DPD
New Cuvée from Kent-based estate whose Chalklands sparkler has just won a gong at this year’s Champagne Sparkling Wine World Championships. The wine is pale wheat-coloured; attractive aromas, pure, elegant slightly reticent nose; the palate is beautifully balanced (5.3 gms r/s) with a lively but fine-beaded mousse, nice bite of acidity in the attack, and then the mid-palate fleshes out with red, orchard and citrus fruit and a touch of sea spray; attractive fine texture, mineral notes, long finish. I can see this ageing well. Elegant and classy. 26 months on the lees, disgorged in June, released Nov 1 for an RRP of £45.
Terroir Sense Fronteres, Montsant, Guix Vermell, 2017. Old vines, high altitude, organic and biodynamic principles with minimum intervention, foot-trod grapes for gentle extraction. The Guix Vermell is referred to locally as ‘Garnacha finer’ – the fruit is grown at 800m on limestone/ clay soils – and produces light, fruit-driven wines of great elegance, power and complexity, putting them right at the very top of what Spain can offer. This is POA (it’s in the £250 a bottle ballpark) and has to be tried, the Vertebra-Figuera is from fruit grown on clay at 650m and is £25.35 DPD.