Richard Siddle, Author at The Buyer

By L.M. Archer on July 25, 2021

How Burgundy is aped by Lugana Riservas and Bardolino reds

Wine expert LM Archer discovers Lugana Riserva white wines and Bardolino reds from Northern Italy from producers Le Morette, Le Fraghe, Rizzardi, Zenato, and Ca’ Lojera and argues that they are a match for red and white Burgundy at a fraction of the price. The Consorzio di Tutela Chiaretto e Bardolino has been busy of late, putting its weight behind a charm offensive to promote this ancient wine region at the southern tip of Lake Garda, showcasing its two-year aged white Riservas and reintroducing three historic sub-zones developed during the 19th century. These include the northern foothills of Montebaldo, the morainic, more Mediterranean, lakeside hills of La Rocca, and – warmer still – the, southern, gravelly hills of Sommacampagna.

Posted In: Bardolino, Ca' Lojera, italian wine, Le Fraghe, Le Morette, LM Archer, Lugana Riserva, Rizzardi, Zenato

Opinion

By Amanda Barnes on July 23, 2021

Amanda Barnes: 5 reasons why Itata will be Chile’s next big thing

South American wine expert Amanda Barnes is in no doubt – Itata really does have it all. Incredible old vines, artisanal producers, ancient granite soils, unique grape varieties and a mild climate where dry farming and sustainable viticulture come with ease. It has old vines to rival the pre-phylloxera ‘ancestors’ of Barossa Valley in Australia, its revolution is just as notable as that of the Swartland in South Africa, and yet, Itata is still somewhat under the radar for most wine drinkers. Here’s why Barnes think that’s set to change.

Posted In: amanda barnes, chile, chilean wine, itate, wine

Tasting: Wine

By Peter Dean on July 23, 2021

Why the Clos des Mouches is still Joseph Drouhin’s beating heart

Every wine producer has a vineyard or site that gives that little bit more and works that little bit harder – with the wines produced from it being synonymous with the name of the estate. For the great Burgundy producer Joseph Drouhin that place is the Clos des Mouches, a 14 hectare vineyard acquired 100 years ago by Maurice Drouhin, that sits between Corton Charlemagne, Pommard and Puligny Montrachet. The red and white Premier Cru wines that come from this rare monopole are legendary in Burgundy, but that wasn’t always the case. In the 1980s the family realised the soil was dying and something had to be done quick to bring it back to life.

Posted In: burgundy, Clos des Mouches, Côte de Beaune, Joseph Drouhin, Peter Dean

Awards

By Richard Siddle on July 22, 2021

Majestic has enjoyed weeks of sales it usually expects to get at Christmas as it has switched its shops to dark stores to handle online and home deliveries

London Wine Competition 2022 targets retailers & merchants

The London Wine Competition is looking to build on the success of its 2021 awards by calling out to supermarkets, specialist drinks retailers and wine merchants to enter the 2022 awards and give their wines an extra push by vying for Golds and Trophies in the only major international drinks competition that judges wines by their quality, their price, value for money and what they look like. Any business that enters their wines before August 31 can take advantage of Super Early Bird pricing.

Posted In: drinks retailers, london wine competition, wine, wine merchants

People People: Producer

By Richard Siddle on July 22, 2021

Stephen Cronk: how Mirabeau is a lifestyle brand in its own right

In just over a decade Mirabeau has become not just one of the most recognisable, influential and fastest growing Provence rosé brands, it has successfully crossed a line few wine brands have been able to achieve and become a lifestyle brand in its own right. So much so that other household lifestyle brands, particularly from fashion and health and beauty, are keen to bask in the halo effect from the aspirational, escapist Provence imagery that Mirabeau has captured so well. Here founder Stephen Cronk, in the second part of his extensive interview with The Buyer, explains how the business plan for Mirabeau was to create a brand from day one and the steps they have taken to make it happen.

Posted In: jeany cronk, Mirabeau, provence, Rosé, stephen cronk, wine, wine brand

Tasting: Wine

By Douglas Blyde on July 22, 2021

‘In Verdicchio Veritas’: Douglas Blyde in praise for the wines of Sartarelli

The fine wine world is increasingly taking stock of the great Italian white wines that are on offer, as their quality improves. One case in point is Verdicchio which often used to be just about the Anfora bottle and nothing else – this was a white wine that punters used to chill with ice cubes. One of Italy’s leading Verdicchio producers, Sartarelli, showed its latest vintages to wine consultant Douglas Blyde, who explains the background to the wines and why this Marches-based producer is consistently picking up the major gongs at the wine competitions.

Posted In: Douglas Blyde, italian wine, peter mccombie, Sartarelli, slider, verdicchio

People People: Supplier

By David Kermode on July 21, 2021

Lanchester Wines responds to New Zealand wine shortage

Nika Tiki is a Lanchester Wines best-seller, a flagship Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc that’s a firm favourite with the on-trade and its customers. So Lanchester’s director of purchasing, Lesley Cook, was facing a potential crisis when it became apparent that Marlborough’s 2021 vintage was going to have incredibly small yields. To make matters worse, such was the popularity of the previous vintage that there was nothing left from 2020. Add in a sharp increase in shipping costs and it looked like the perfect storm. Here, Cook tells David Kermode how she needed to work fast, to secure an alternative supply from South Africa, creating a new wine, Moloko Bay, that replicates the characteristics of Nika Tiki, without replacing it.

Posted In: lanchester wines, lesley cook, new zealand, south africa, wine

People: Producer

By Geoffrey Dean on July 21, 2021

The inspirational story of Doddie Weir’s bespoke red blend

Former Somerset cricketer and wine expert Geoffrey Dean reports on the inspirational story of Doddie’5 Red Blend 2019, a unique South African red blend which has many parts to it but one purpose – to raise money for ex-Scotland rugby player Doddle Weir OBE, now suffering with Motor Neurone Disease. Weir wore the No.5 shirt for Scotland while Schalk Burger, who made the wine with his son Tiaan, wore the No.5 for the Springboks. In another homage to the wine’s sporting provenance the blend is made of five grape varieties with £5 from every bottle sale donated to Weir’s MND charity and Burger constructing the wine as if it were a team of legends.

Posted In: Doddie Weir, Doddie’5 Red Blend 2019, Geoffrey Dean, Motor Neurone Disease, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, Schalk Burger, Tiaan Burger

People People: Producer

By Richard Siddle on July 20, 2021

Derek Mossman Knapp Picture Matt Wilson. Www.MattWilson.cl

How Garage Wine Co is reviving Chile’s old vineyards

Here’s an en primeur system of paying for wine in advance that gets to the core of real winemaking, dedicated to reviving, and in some cases, bringing vineyards back from the dead. Derek Mossman Knapp of Chile’s Garage Wine Company explains how he has helped introduced a ‘Revival’ winemaking programme focused on neglected vineyards across rural Chile. A project that is both helping to rediscover old vines and create unique new wines, but has also captured the imagination of major producer and distributor, Freixenet Copestick, that is helping to part fund the initiative as well as sell Garage’s wines in the UK.

Posted In: chile, derek mossman, freixenet copestick, Garage Wine Company, wine, winemakers