15th December 2007: ASC invited Pierre Lurton, General Manager of both St. Emilion's Château Cheval Blanc and Sauternes's Château Yquem to give a specialist tasting and dinner at the Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing.

Before his arrival, Bertrand Carles, Buying Manager and Director of Bordeaux negociant Ginestet, gave a short introduction to the two properties, speculating on their markets in China. Carles had been travelling with Lurton throughout their tour of the country and was optimistic about the wines’ reception (hardly surprising, given the prestige of these propertites and Chinese consumers’ receptivity to French wines in general). As Carles joked, his problem is not one of selling top wines, but one of securing allocations in the increasingly competitive Bordeaux market.

Pierre Lurton first spoke about the diversity of soil types that characterize Cheval Blanc’s terroir (a mixture of gravel, sand, and clay). About 60% of the vineyard is given over to Cabernet Franc with Merlot making up the remainder. Lurton explained that in cooler vintages the early-ripening Merlot takes centre stage, but in hotter years Cabernet Franc plays more of a role. As Lurton put it, in warmer years, ‘Cabernet Franc invites Merlot for the long trip’, helping to produce wines that should have great longevity.

Whatever the assemblage, Lurton is adamant that Cheval Blanc's terroir dictates the style of the wine and its overall expression. He referred to Cheval Blanc's often silky tannins (or ‘cashmere’ tannins as Lurton put it); although this quality is presumably also achieved by care in the vineyard and limited extraction in the cellar. Cheval Blanc itself is made up from 25 different plots, all of which are vinified separately and then blended according to the nature of the year. Regular racking and fining are practised and the wine is unfiltered.

Here are our notes on the Cheval Blanc wines first. The notes on the 2004 and 1998 Château Yquem follow.

2004 Le Petit Cheval, St. Emilion

Appearance: medium purple-red, clear rim.

Nose: light red and black fruits (mix of plum and blackberry), fair bit of oak here, leather.

Palate: medium-bodied at most, good acidity, soft on tannins but these are definitely there. Not bad length.

Conclusion: 53% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Franc, this wine has some of the delicacy of the 2004 vintage. Although it could be approached now, it would be better to wait five years.

Rating: 17/20

2001 Le Petit Cheval, St. Emilion

Appearance: medium purple-red, orange rim.

Nose: shows much more tobacco on the nose than the 2004 Le Petit Cheval with similar fruit underneath (blackberry, plum etc.). Oak is less prevalent, but this is because it has settled down; plus the tobacco and leathery smell is traceable to the use of oak here anyway. Complex.

Palate: more structure and tannic backbone here than on the 2004 Le Petit Cheval and better length too; also features good acidity and impressive fruit.

Conclusion: 53% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Franc, this wine was more impressive than the 2004 Le Petit Cheval and should age for much longer.

Rating: 17.5/20

2004 Château Cheval Blanc, 1er Grand Cru Classé A, St. Emilion

Appearance: medium to deep purple-red, clear rim.

Nose: crushed berry fruits (red and black), very perfumed with some fragrant green pepper notes from the Cabernet Franc. Oak comes in later.

Palate: strong fruit, ripe coating tannins – smooth in texture, not chewy – lovely acidity with good length. Slightly tight and clearly very young at present.

Conclusion: 55% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot, this wine needs time. It is clearly sophisticated St. Emilion.

Rating: 18/20

2001 Château Cheval Blanc, 1er Grand Cru Classé A, St. Emilion

Appearance: deep purple-red, slight orange rim.

Nose: metallic first nose (iron, sanguineous kind of smell) followed by strong red and black fruits (chiefly plum and blackberry) along with integrated oak and considerable complexity.

Palate: ripe, silky and fully integrated tannins with excellent fruit, considerable length and fine acidity.

Conclusion: 60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, according to Robert Parker (but we’ve seen all sorts of different percentages for the assemblage on the same vintages of Cheval Blanc wines on the web!). This is clearly very fine St. Emilion which still has a long way to go to reach maturity.

Rating: 18.5/20

Pierre Lurton then talked in some detail about the production of Sauternes and the qualities of Château Yquem specifically. He described Yquem as ‘an icon of wine’, referring to the property as ‘the story of the Lur-Saluces family’ (rather than discussing the controversy of how Yquem ceased to be under Lur-Saluces control).

Like Cheval Blanc, Yquem is also typified by a varied terroir incorporating 130 hectares of gravel, sand, clay and chalk soils. These soils do not contribute directly to wine flavours (if at all), but do have different drainage and obviously different exposure in the vineyard itself.

Yquem is typically a blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc and Lurton explained the various risks inherent in Sauternes production, particularly given the need to wait for the right conditions over several trie (select harvests through the vineyard as noble rot develops). These separate pickings typically take place in the middle and end of September, the middle and end of October and conclude around the middle of November.

All in all, Lurton aims in Yquem to achieve a ‘clean, pure Sauternes with a good level of acidity’ to balance the natural residual sugar. It is certainly worth remembering that these are not particularly sweet wines (reaching about 130 g/l in sweeter years) - certainly alongside the likes of Ice Wine/Eiswein.

2004 Château Yquem, 1er Grand Cru Classé Exceptionnel, Sauternes

Appearance: medium-yellow gold.

Nose: very ‘fresh’ nose (with botrytis only suggested, really). Instead, there’s more evidence of fresh orange and other citrus aromas. Candied fruit with slight honey.

Palate: not super-concentrated. More of the delicate candied, citrus fruits with an excellent balance of medium residual sugar to high acidity. Good length.

Conclusion: a delicate vintage for Yquem (which is not a euphemism for ‘lacking concentration’ – this is just a different vintage). Will repay medium-term keeping.

Rating: 18/20

1998 Château Yquem, 1er Grand Cru Classé Exceptionnel, Sauternes

Appearance: distinct orange gold.

Nose: intense candied fruit, marked botrytis, spice and other complex aromas.

Palate: superb fruit, fantastic balance of robust residual sugar to delicate high acidity. The balance here really is very, very good! Excellent length.

Conclusion: this is a superb wine. Super-intense, but hardly cloying because of the fine acidity and amazing integration of the total wine. A brilliant Sauternes!

Rating: 19/20

There were limited opportunities for questions as Pierre Lurton and Bertrand Carles were coming to the end of a fairly arduous Chinese tour. But I did manage to ask Lurton if he uses different types of French oak when maturing Le Petit Cheval and Cheval Blanc respectively or whether the wines see similar oak treatment but for different periods. Lurton explained that he works with five different coopers, but didn’t divulge the types of oak used. Instead, he pointed out that Le Petit Cheval usually spends about 12 months in oak whereas Cheval Blanc would usually receive about 15-18 months.

Fongyee also managed to ask at what point the grapes for Yquem’s dry white (the ‘Y’) are generally picked each year. The blend for the ‘Y’ is quite different: 60% Sauvignon Blanc with 40% Semillon; and the grapes are usually harvested, we learnt, just before the end of the vintage.

Labels: 1998, 2001, 2004, ASC, Cabernet Franc, Cheval Blanc, Featured Tastings, Ginestet, Le Petit Cheval, Merlot, Pierre Lurton, Sauternes, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, St. Emilion, Yquem

Gaia Gaja of famed Piemonte producer Angelo Gaja came to Beijing for a book-signing (at the Hilton Food & Wine Experience) and a special dinner arranged with importer ASC. She kindly consented to an email interview arranged around her busy schedule. Dragon Phoenix (hereafter DP) is very grateful to Gaia Gaja (hereafter GG) for her time and effort. With luck, she will be back in China in 2008.

DP: You recently visited Beijing to show-case your wines. What is your perception of the market for fine wines in China?

GG: The Chinese market is certainly one of the future, as China is a factor in all things: because of its growth and the increasing acquisition of wealth. Fine wine will undoubtedly be part of this expansion.

DP: How would you say Piemonte wines specifically are appreciated in China? Or is it too early for the market to understand the complexity of the Piemonte region?

GG: I believe our wines are accepted equally in China; just as all other fine wines in the world are. Their complexity is an added value which, with time, will be more and more appreciated.

DP: Your company has a number of business interests: including Gaja distribution, the Castello di Barbaresco as well as wine estates not just in Piemonte but also in Tuscany. How would you say your business experience has helped in establishing new markets for your wines in China and Asia as a whole?

GG: My mother has a little distribution company importing foreign wines to Italy (this is a business that concerns Italy alone). As to the Castello di Barbaresco, you are talking about the castle of Barbaresco which we bought in 1995 and restored. We were thinking of transforming it into a hotel but, in the end, we decided to keep it for the winery – so now there are offices and tasting rooms. So, we just make wine really. This is the only thing we know how to do and we will continue doing it just so.

We produce wine in Piemonte, in Montacino and in Bolgheri, as you know. The three wineries are working with different varieties: Nebbiolo, Sangiovese (in Montalcino), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (in Bolgheri). The three regions – what we call the ‘3 Bs’ of Italy, Barbaresco (and Barolo), Brunello and Bolgheri – are, in my opinion, the most prestigious in Italy. They provide the opportunity and real possibility of making long-ageing and complex wines. So, we have the same goal for the three wineries and the same style, but different expressions. The Chinese market can see the distinctive differences between these three wine regions with the distinctive Gaja flare in each case.

DP: Your family’s wine-making roots in Barbaresco date back to 1859 and Giovanni Gaja’s establishment of the winery. You have embraced both tradition and modern technology in your wine-making. How would you describe your company’s philosophy and outlook?

GG: My wines are easy recognizable in blind-tastings because they have a defined style that is obviously the style of our Barbaresco winery. The goal is to produce wines loyal to the area, and loyal to the history of the winery itself. To preserve their identity and dignity, we release them only in vintages when the weather conditions have allowed them to express all their beauties and to illustrate what Nebbiolo in Barbaresco can do.

The wines are, therefore, not produced every year. For example, our Piemonte winery did not produce any wine in 2002,1992,1984,1980 and 1972. The single vineyard wines (Costa Russi, Sori San Lorenzo, Sori Tildin, Sperss, Conteisa) were not even produced in 1994,1992 and in many other older vintages. Pieve Santa Restituta did not produce any wine in 2002 and in 2003; and Camarcanda was not produced in 2002 either.

To work like artisans, following every detail from the beginning to the end: this is our philosophy. We do not buy in grapes but only use what we produce from our estate vineyards which have been selected over several generations. We also personally select the wood for part of the barriques we use, and we are working on several other details in the winery too.

DP: Piemonte wines are very food-friendly. Do you believe your wines will pair well with different Chinese cuisines?

GG: I don’t know enough about Chinese food, but I had the pleasure to pair several of our wines with different Shanghai-ese dishes (which were more oily and generally sweeter to the taste than some of the other Chinese regional cuisines I’ve heard of). They paired extremely well.

DP: Angelo Gaja was the first wine-maker to use French barriques and introduce international grape varieties to the Langhe. How would you describe the difference between your ‘international’ wines and your Barbaresco DOCG or is there no difference in your wine-making philosophy for these wines?

GG: Even the international varieties that my father introduced and started to produce in Barbaresco (Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay) are producing wines (Darmagi, Alteni di Brassica and Gaia & Rey) that are very Piedmontese in their personality. The grape varieties are a vehicle to express the flavours of the place where they are grown. Piemonte wines reflect minerality, earthiness, and can have fabulous ageing potential where the aromas develop exquisitely. All of these characteristics are expressed in the Darmagi, Gaia & Rey and Alteni di Brassica wines.

DP: Some of your top Barbaresco wines – Sori Tildin, San Lorenzo, Costa Russi – and the Barolos, Sperss and Conteisa, are ‘de-classified’ to Langhe Nebbiolo DOC because this allows you to add up to 15% of other grapes. Do you find that blending helps tame some of the more difficult aspects of Nebbiolo, e.g. its sometimes harsh tannins? Or is there another reason for blending?

GG: My winery has produced Barbaresco since 1859. And this is why Barbaresco is the most representative wine from our winery. The single vineyard concept was introduced in the late 1960s (in 1967 we produced the first single vineyard Barbaresco: Sori San Lorenzo). Clearly, Gaja became well-known through this Barbaresco, the only wine of the winery for generations; and the reason behind the re-classification of the single vineyards was to go back to Barbaresco as the only Barbaresco of the winery.

When we changed the denomination for the single vineyards, we discovered the advantage of being able to add, if we wanted, other varieties. The variety we are most interested in adding (and from 1997 did so) is Barbera: a local variety with very good acidity, excellent fruit and not too much tannin. In warm vintages Barbera is useful because it gives the wine a certain drinkability whilst also aiding ageing-potential. It works very well with Nebbiolo.

DP: Do you think it is easier for consumers to understand international grapes – for example, you make straight a straight Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Sauvignon Blanc – than the complexities of Italy’s DOC and DOCG system? Or is the Piemonte region itself of more importance to you and your customers?

GG: I think that one important reason why the international varieties are more understandable is that they are more well-known than the DOCs or DOCGs. So people are more used to drinking them and knowing what to expect from them. These varieties are like an international language that everyone can, on some level, speak and understand.

In Italy we have such a large selection of local varieties, all produced in such tiny quantities and areas, that it becomes very difficult to know them well. They are very much niche products. The international varieties give the chance to wine lovers to compare the results of certain grapes coming from different wineries and from different parts of the world.

DP: Nicholas Belfrage MW has written about your pricing policy, observing that this ‘seems to be paying off handsomely, with international buyers willing to spend any sum for a top name’ (Barolo to Valpolicella: The Wines of Northern Italy, p. 86). Belfrage does not dispute the very high quality of your wines, but wonders about global prices in the fine wine market. Do you think that buyers will continue to pay ‘any sum’ for top wines?

GG: The markets are undeniably growing and the new increasing demand cannot be absorbed by the offer of certain wines alone (as some wines cannot be produced in sufficient quantities to meet the demand). At the same time the production of wine is growing all over the world as well as the quality level (more countries are producing wines of better quality). So, for sure, in the case of certain top wines the prices will inevitably continue to grow. Fortunately, though, there will also be a good offer of wines at more moderate prices.

DP: In China, wine education should improve the market for fine wines as consumers become more confident in purchasing. How do you hope to support the appreciation of your wines in the Chinese market(s)?

GG: I like to explain my wines personally (and be there to explain them in person). I like to meet the people that drink and talk about my wines; and to hear their questions. This is one of the pleasures of my work. I will continue to come to China, maybe more often than I have in the past, and continue to explain what my wines mean to me to the people I will have the pleasure to meet. This is central to my life and work.

Labels: Angelo Gaja, ASC, Barolo, Bolgheri, Brunello di Montalcino, Cabernet Sauvignon, China, Gaia Gaja, Interviews, Italy, Langhe, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Nicholas Belfrage, Piemonte, red, white

ASC had Denis Horgan of Leeuwin Estate, the famous Margaret River producer, in town. Journalists met at the Blu Lobster restaurant in Beijing’s other Shangri-La hotel. Leeuwin Estate has three quality levels or categories: the Siblings range is entry level, the Prelude Vineyards is the mid-range and the Art Series wines are the well-known highest quality tier.

Horgan’s first visit to China was in 1976 and he has been returning repeatedly, particularly in the last seven years when his wines have been available in mainland China. Leeuwin Estate itself was set up in 1973, when a nursery was first planted. Horgan had cottoned on to wine following the interest of Robert Mondavi who had inquired about land Horgan owned in the Margaret River. Mondavi even went to Horgan’s lawyer (who dutifully informed Horgan). Mondavi and Horgan then met over a bottle and Mondavi became a kind of ‘mentor’, as Horgan happily confesses. In 1974 the first vines were planted and the estate now operates some 370 acres. This is the kind of maximum size at which Horgan is happy to maintain quantity and, moreover, quality.

Horgan pointed out that it was always the mission of Leeuwin Estate to think internationally and to produce consistently excellent wines that would appeal to an international audience. He summed up this mission succinctly: ‘To produce wines that rank among the best in the world’. Back in the mid-1970s Western Australia was not just isolated geographically: Leeuwin Estate was the pioneer in wine production in the region as well as being at the forefront of developing wine-and-food matching (hence the early creation of its restaurant).

The Art Series wines – inspired in part by the example of Château Mouton-Rothschild with its labels created by famous artists – began with the commissioning of local artists; and, in some cases, the collaboration has since made the names of various Australian artists. The first Art Series wine was the 1980 Chardonnay. Since that time, Horgan has also attracted musicians and other artists to the estate: open-air concerts are a frequent feature and some 200,000 people now visit the winery each year.

Thankfully, as wine quality is so high, no one can claim that the estate’s wider cultural activities are there to fill a gap. Quality is paramount and Horgan explained how, originally, his Shiraz vines were planted in the wrong soils – where the Sauvignon Blanc is now planted – describing how he replanted his Shiraz vineyards in the right soil with the right kind of exposure for the style of wine he has always wanted to make.

We then tasted the current Art Series releases (some wines are held back and aged before being released to the market):

2006 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Sauvignon Blanc

Appearance: medium green colour.

Nose: lovely mineral nose with ripe but not too aromatic fruit: gooseberry, guava predominant.

Palate: very good acidity, lovely fruit with more mineral notes and impressive length.

Conclusion: lovely Sauvignon Blanc with the kind of ripeness they would envy in Sancerre but without the overblown characters of some heavier New World Sauvignons. Elegant.

Rating: 18/20

2004 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Riesling

Appearance: medium green-gold.

Nose: lime fruit, floral, lots of minerality (stony notes).

Palate: restrained lime fruit, mineral and savoury flavours, excellent acidity and lovely length.

Conclusion: under screw-cap – in fact Horgan aims to convert to screw-caps for all of his wines in the future – and a lovely example of Australian Riesling in a more mineral and more floral style, perhaps, than most Australian Rieslings, particularly generic wines from the Clare and Eden Valleys. No kerosene aromas on this Riesling yet.

Rating: 18.5/20

2003 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay

Appearance: Medium to deepish gold.

Nose: ‘full-on’, developed nose with butter aromas, restrained pineapple fruit, balanced non-intrusive oak.

Palate: good acidity here, minerality, powerful but still restrained pineapple fruit. Excellent length.

Conclusion: interestingly, the acidic grip here is due to the fact that the wine does not go through malolactic fermentation. It receives some 11 months in 100% new French oak, but there is such fruit ripeness that the oak does not really stand out – there’s also obviously been some ageing here. The wine is also aged for a further two years before it leaves Leeuwin Estate; so it is already showing some development, although will age well for some time to come. Lovely to drink now, however! I noted it tasted a bit like a richer and riper version of a Meursault because there was some fatness and plush fruit but with good acidity and impressive minerality.

Rating: 18.5/20

2004 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Shiraz

Appearance: dark purple, clear rim.

Nose: immediate pepper, black cherry and blueberry nose with slight tea-tree oil (sometimes a quality of high-end Australian Shiraz), good oak.

Palate: fantastic palate, elegant; very good acidity, beautiful medium chewy tannins, very integrated oak, wonderful fruit flavours with more of the pepper quality that survives in Syrah/Shiraz only in ‘cooler’ climates (it tends to dissipate when the grape experiences warmer conditions). Very good length.

Conclusion: very, very good cool climate Shiraz. Horgan does not actually put his range into wine shows probably for fear that his elegant and sophisticated wines will not stand out alongside hefty Australian Shirazes or Cabernets or any other grapes made in warmer, bigger styles.

Rating: 19/20

2002 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon

Appearance: black colour with an orange rim.

Nose: crushed blackcurrant, cedar, pine, French oak, still quite youthful.

Palate: excellent acidity, ripe lovely tannins, strong fruit with more cedar and pine aromas. None of the leathery notes of aged Cabernet, but certainly showing some development if still young.

Conclusion: obviously very high quality. Not quite as exciting as the Shiraz, in my book, but a lot of people will like this wine. It is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon with probably either Merlot and/or Cabernet Franc thrown in to fill out the hole in the middle palate Cabernet Sauvignon usually brings.

Rating: 18.5/20

Labels: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, ASC, Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Featured Tastings, Leeuwin Estate, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Western Australia

Barolo Cerequio, Michele Chiarlo, Vertical Tasting

Presenting his wines at Aria restaurant in a tasting organized by ASC, Michele Chiarlo revealed that the family owns some 6 hectares of the Cerequio vineyard or about 40% of the total (with the likes of Angelo Gaja, Roberto Voerzio and Aldo Conterno controlling the rest of the vineyard).

The yield is generally at 35 hl/ha. He affirmed the care taken in extracting the better tannins from Nebbiolo before the bitter tannins take over: something the grape can easily show in less carefully made examples. 33% of production is sold in Italy with the rest going overseas, principally to the US and UK.

2003 Barolo Cerequio, Michele Chiarlo

Appearance: deepish purple-red, orange rim.

Nose: Very ripe red cherry, some ‘heat’ from the alcohol here, but there are still Nebbiolo characters coming through with some tar aromas. Oak is not over-dominant and with most of these notes I’ve hardly talked about oak because it’s well-integrated and almost hidden as Nebbiolo takes over.

Palate: big fruit, tight and close but ripe tannins; has impressive acidity for such a difficult vintage, some almond character and also peppermint and clove.

Conclusion: a very good wine for such a demanding vintage. Sensibly, they did not de-leaf in this vintage knowing that the grapes hardly needed much exposure to the sun in the fierce 2003 heat. Good, but it will never be a great Barolo year, not even from this vineyard and this producer.

Rating: 17.5/20

2001 Barolo Cerequio, Michele Chiarlo

Appearance: Medium to medium-deep purple-red, orange rim.

Nose: toasty first nose, a lot more immediately perfumed than the 2003 with a gamey aroma and beautiful red fruits (cherry, redcurrants, even cranberry).

Palate: has ripe large grainy tannins, excellent acidity and considerable finesse. There’s a great balance here on the palate with delicacy, freshness and lovely length.

Conclusion: Very good. A lovely expression of Barolo in a fine year.

Rating: 18.5/20

2000 Barolo Cerequio, Michele Chiarlo

Appearance: Deep purple-red (deeper colour than the 2001 certainly), slightly orange rim.

Nose: More tar on the first nose than perfume. Lavish fruit: more black cherry here than the red fruits you’d normally expect from most Piemonte Nebbiolos (at least those that haven’t had a bit of Barbera added!).

Palate: tannins are ripe and chunky. Considerable black fruits, but there isn’t the staying power here of the 2001 and there’s a slight problem with the palate. It’s not that the wine is short in length: there’s a gap between the generosity of the nose and a palate that gives a little less.

Conclusion: the palate notes here sound overly critical; but I can see why Chiarlo himself has more time for his 2001. This won’t last as well as the 2001 and will be an attractive earlier drinker, still of impressive quality.

Rating: 18/20

1999 Barolo Cerequio, Michele Chiarlo

Appearance: Medium to medium-deep purple-red, orange rim (similar in colour to the 2001).

Nose: Very perfumed indeed – in that way that Nebbiolo at this level is indescribably perfumed, just like great Pinot Noir. Very concentrated ripe red fruits.

Palate: has the feel of ‘sweet’ fruit on the palate, excellent acidity and gripping, ‘angular’ tannins (whereas the tannins on the 2000 were chunky and chewy).

Conclusion: very, very good indeed and, along with the 1997 and 1990, probably my favourite (with the 2001 being a close contender).

Rating: 19/20

1998 Barolo Cerequio, Michele Chiarlo

Appearance: dark purple-red, orange rim (but orange rim is less extensive than that on the 1999).

Nose: has an immediate clove nose with tar, pepper and ripe cherry fruit.

Palate: tannins are chunky here and the palate is very much like the 2000 but with a better overall structure, i.e. the ripe cherry fruit is more integrated and there’s a better balance between fruit, tannin, acidity and alcohol.

Conclusion: very interesting to taste comparatively. Obviously similar to the 2000 in style, but better overall. Although the below rating is the same as the 2001, I think I prefer the 2001 to the 1998, at least in this tasting.

Rating: 18.5/20

1997 Barolo Cerequio, Michele Chiarlo

Appearance: Medium to dark purple-red (I know this sounds strange, but these wines are a real mix of colours and hues)

Nose: first nose has lots of violets, perfume and also rose petal. Throughout, there is the ‘sweet’, ripe red fruits of the 1999 vintage.

Palate: similar to the 1999 with ripe red fruits and perfume, but the tannins are bigger here. Excellent length.

Conclusion: the 1999 is more ‘delicate’ or lighter on the nose and palate than the 1997, but the 1997, with its relative burliness, might last longer. There are both wonderful vintages, however, and point-for-point, this and the 1990 were my top wines.

Rating: 19.5/20

1996 Barolo Cerequio, Michele Chiarlo

Appearance: dark purple core with a real spread of red to orange in the rim.

Nose: shows a very clove and tarry nose – like the 2000 and the 1998 – with concentrated, even closed, red and black cherry fruit.

Palate: fruit is riper and ‘sweeter’ on the palate than expected with very big, chunky tannins and good acidity.

Conclusion: this wine will need a lot of time. Could do 10-20 more years and may well be superb eventually.

Rating: 18.5/20 [but could be higher with further age]

1995 Barolo Cerequio, Michele Chiarlo

Appearance: deep purple-red, orange rim.

Nose: lots of peppermint, tar and perfume with a mixture of red and black cherry fruit.

Palate: has ‘dusty’ big fruit, hefty and chunky tannins, acidity that seems higher here than on other vintages (or is more noticeable).

Conclusion: obviously impressive, but not as conversation-stopping as some of the other wines. Still very good, however.

Rating: 18.5/20

1993 Barolo Cerequio, Michele Chiarlo

Appearance: deep purple-red, orange rim.

Nose: has a very ‘Christmas cake’ first nose with clove, cinnamon and candied fruit.

Palate: shows more peppermint on the palate with lovely red fruits, decent marked acidity and ripe ‘fresh’, i.e. light, tannins (no doubt mellowed with age).

Conclusion: Ready to drink, although will still improve. A lighter, attractive vintage.

Rating: 18/20

1990 Barolo Cerequio, Michele Chiarlo

Appearance: medium purple-red, orange rim (still has considerable colour but has a wider gradation of orange rim than the other wines)

Nose: white truffle nose – the first wine to have this truffle quality – also other mushrooms, red fruits and some perfume.

Palate: mellowed but still lean tannins with generous fruit, complex truffle flavours and great acidity.

Conclusion: this wine still needs time in my book. It’s obviously a massive vintage and it would certainly be better to drink the 1993 before this wine. Stupendous and extremely generous of Michele Chiarlo to bring this over from his personal cellar.

Rating: 19.5/20

Labels: 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, ASC, Barolo Cerequio, Featured Tastings, Italy, Michele Chiarlo, Piemonte, red, white

Interview: Michele Chiarlo brings Barolo to Beijing

(see also Featured Tasting: The Wines of Michele Chiarlo including a vertical of his Barolo Cerequio)

I found Michele Chiarlo giving a class to the service staff of Aria restaurant. Afterwards we sat down and talked for an hour, joined by Giovanni Oliva (Asia Brand Manager for Grandi Vini d’Italia who represents Chiarlo in Asia) and ASC’s Cindy Jia. Chiarlo explained that his first visit to Beijing had been about 12 years ago and that his wines had been on the ASC list for some 8 years.

He likened the development of the Chinese market to that of the US or Japanese fine wine markets several years ago: with the exception that China is set to grow much more quickly in the early stages. He agreed that international wines will only make sense in this new market if they are paired with China’s many diverse cuisines and he recalled a successful wine-and-food matching dinner hosted by ASC in 2006 showing both Chiarlo’s wines and those of Umbrian producer Lungarotti; although he also confessed that it can be hard to make clear the virtues of Italian wines in general and Piemonte wines in particular to Chinese restaurant managers.

Chiarlo is from a family that has been working the Piemonte slopes for seven generations. They have vines in the Barolo, Calamandrana and Gavi zones (owning 50 hectares themselves with access to some 110 hectares overall). His son, Stefano, is currently the wine-maker working alongside oenologist Gianni Meleni. Michele himself has seen some 51 vintages, a tall, modestly dapper gentleman, equally modest in his conversation, but bursting with enthusiasm.

Chiarlo talked of the progress of the 2007 vintage: the weather was consistently mild throughout the year, although there was just enough rain when needed. Most of the grapes – even the fiendishly difficult Nebbiolo with its very long hang-time – achieved great phenolic ripeness. Average daily temperatures in August were around 30 degrees Celsius, with nightly temperatures of down to 14 degrees (ideal for preserving acidity). Whilst many of the wines will be impressive, Chiarlo was particularly excited about the Moscato harvest.

I asked about the developments he’d seen over his career in the vineyard and cellar. Chiarlo began green-harvesting about twenty years ago around 1984-5, following the innovations of Elio Altare, Angelo Gaja and Aldo Conterno. When pressed over the ‘traditionalist’ v. ‘modernist’ debate of the 1990s - basically, the choice between preserving traditional methods but making wines that are hard to drink young OR adopting new techniques to produce fruitier, softer wines for early drinking but ones which can lack varietal character – Chiarlo explained that producers had now learnt from both schools.

On Chiarlo's view old style wine-making can indeed keep varietal character but too many wines have tended to suffer from rough edges, unripeness and unruly acidity. New techniques such as ageing in French barriques (or adopting micro-oxygenation to make wines softer and more approachable) can obviously compromise varietal character and mask origin, but then the new attention to fermentation and what’s done in the cellar has reaped huge benefits. Most producers now have a composite approach.

Such observations have brought about changes in the Chiarlo cellar. Traditionally, Chiarlo used to macerate his Nebbiolos for about 35 days: now he opts for 15-16 days of skin contact to extract the best rather than the bitter tannins. But he still favours large barrels instead of barriques because of his desire to keep grape character and terroir intact.

Above all, Chiarlo wants wines of freshness, finesse and with enough concentration that they will express grape and vineyard/region exactly. He doesn’t want wines that will blow your head off or even ones that should be taken too earnestly. As he remarked: ‘drinking wine is not an exercise but a pleasure’. The question is, as Chiarlo then asked, ‘how much of a particular wine would you be happy to drink? One glass or more?’ This is the ultimate test of a wine’s appreciation.

Before the vertical tasting of his Barolo Cerequio, we turned to the characteristics of particular vintages and how Chiarlo decides on what to do each year. Generally speaking, Nebbiolo is not merely the last grape to be harvested: it also needs enough time in barrel before deciding what to do with it (age for longer in new oak or older wood, decide how much fining should be used, when to rack etc.).

Although, Barolo is famed for its longevity, Chiarlo insists that certain vintages have been hyped: although 2000 was a good year, for example, he would not agree with Wine Spectator’s 100 point award for the vintage (‘Perfection in Piemonte’ ran the header). Like many Piemonte producers, he prefers 2001. 1996, 1999 and 2001 are all high-quality Barolo years for the long haul. 2004 also looks to be very strong, but the excessive heat of 2003 will not, generally, give long-lived wines. The early 1990s were difficult with only 1993 pulling some weight in terms of quality and ageability; although many 1993s are essentially ready. The dreadful weather in 2002 also forced Chiarlo not to make any Barolo or Barbaresco, a difficult decision but an honest one. This integrity is reflected in the overall quality and purity of the Chiarlo range.

(see also Featured Tasting: The Wines of Michele Chiarlo including a vertical of his Barolo Cerequio)

Labels: 1993, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, ASC, Barbaresco, Barolo, Barolo Cerequio, Interviews, Michele Chiarlo, Moscato, Nebbiolo

We met Dr. Sandro Boscaini, President of Veneto producer Masi at the Grand Hyatt, Beijing, at the invitation of ASC.

Dr. Boscaini mentioned that he had come to China on several occasions and had once even transported a gondola to Beijing to display in the Kempinksi Hotel! On this visit, he was happy to talk to journalists about the slowly improving China fine wine market and share his thoughts for the future.

In effect, Masi wants to embrace the new fine wine culture - which is little different, on Boscaini's view, from the worlds of fashion or other consumable designer products - whilst keeping a keen eye on the company’s traditions and innovations. The desire to be ‘glocal’, both global and local was voiced. But Boscaini is hardly satisfied with marketing-speak alone. Conversation soon moved to Veneto wines and the Masi range; and Boscaini’s great passions came to the fore as we drank his excellent 2003 Amarone Costasera (Rating: 18.5/20 full tasting note available below).

Boscaini reminded us of Masi’s 1964 innovation in producing its Campofiorin, essentially a Valpolicella Ripasso produced with the skins of already fermented Amarone grapes (the same three grapes that make up Valpolicella: Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara). What we didn’t know about was the development in the mid-1980s when Masi began to use semi-dried grapes in the Campofiorin. Thus Campofiorin became more of a wine based on appassimento (grape-drying) than ripasso as such and with annual sales of 3 million bottles, the quality-price ratio (still favourable to consumers) speaks for itself. Semi-dried grapes are also used in the production of the white Masicanco (with dried Pinot Grigio grapes blended with Verduzzo).

Whilst it is great to have such reliable Amarone in China, we asked Dr. Boscaini why there was not more Recioto, especially Recioto della Valpolicella, mentioning that this wine would appeal to Chinese tasters. This precipitated a discussion about the fate of Recioto della Valpolicella and the confusion that has existed since regulations insisted on the combination of Recioto della Valpolicella and Recioto della Valpolicella Amarone as categories.

Dr. Boscaini felt that the wine should simply be called Amarone and be dry in style, thereby differentiating it easily from Recioto della Valpolicella. Masi actually makes four different Amarone wines (Costasera, Mazzano, Campolongo di Torbe, Vaio Armaron) and three different Recioto wines from Corvina et al. (Mezzanella Amandorlato, Casal dei Ronchi, Amabile Degli Angeli). The company distinguishes between these carefully in promotional material and on their website.

We also asked about the role of botrytis in Amarone, learning that it is only the relatively thinner-skinned Corvina that tends to attract noble rot. Dr. Boscaini pointed out that levels of decent quality botrytis are acceptable and even desirable; and that the real problem can be the development of mould on drying tables during appassimento (Masi has developed techniques to minimize this problem). Control of tannins in both the Amarones and Recioto wines has also been an issue right from 1964 when the Amarone skins were first used in making Campofiorin.

The fate of Bardolino was also lamented, a wine that became a bit of a joke when awarded DOCG status when it was clearly not in the same league as Barolo and Barbaresco, for example. Dr. Boscaini is proud of the Masi Bardolino and hopes the wine can be rehabilitated both in the region and internationally. It’s another red wine we feel Chinese consumers would like.

All in all, Boscaini said that, for him, there are three flagship Masi wines: the Campofiorin, the Masianco and the Amarone Costasera. What impressed us is the comprehensiveness of the Masi range. Purists may find Amarone or Soave producers they prefer, but Masi really does keep high standards across a broad spectrum of wines.

2003 Amarone Costasera, Masi

Appearance: deep red colour with orange rim

Nose: warm intense red-cherry nose with some marzipan and sweet-smelling spices (cinnamon, cardamom).

Palate: palate is very elegant with fine acidity, great concentration of fruit, very mellow low chewy tannins and very good length. At 15% alcohol this wine does not actually seem alcoholic, largely because the wine-making is so good.

Conclusion: lovely Amarone and an inspiring expression of the style.

Rating: 18.5/20

Labels: Amarone, appassimento, ASC, Campofiorin, Dr Sandro Boscaini, Interviews, Italy, Masi, red, ripasso, Veneto, white

2006 Norton ‘Lo Tengo’ Torrontes, Mendoza, Argentina

Appearance: gold with orange tints.

Nose: distinctive Torrontes nose of lychee and mango, but not really the rose-petal or gingerbread quality of Gewurztraminer (nor the orange blossom aspect of Muscat). Torrontes is apparently related to Muscat, but it remains an Argentinian thing really.

Palate: palate was rich with strong tropical fruit, distinctive bitterness and even slightly salty in taste with low acidity, highish alcohol and some length. More pleasant on the nose than palate.

Conclusion: fascinating to taste, but we're not sure we'd want to drink a whole bottle. A good deal at 88RMB, however (from ASC).

Rating: 15.5/20

2004 Moscato d’Asti, Castello del Poggio, Piemonte, Italy

Appearance: characteristic cheerful green colour with orange tints and some sparkle.

Nose: pleasant Moscato nose of highly aromatic grapes. It certainly has not deteriorated into that geranium smell you get on oxidized Moscato d’Asti.

Palate: good fruit, refreshing acidity and balanced medium-high residual sugar.

Conclusion: we were concerned that the bottle-age – which is desirable only in very high-quality Moscato d’Asti wines – might be a problem here, but the wine had held up very well. Good and well-priced for the Beijing market at 134RMB from Palette Vino.

Rating: 16.5/20

2006 Indis Shiraz Rosé, Great Southern, Western Australia

Appearance: purple-pink.

Nose: strong strawberry and red cherry fruit on the nose and even some spice (white pepper?).

Palate: decent palate showing the same strong red fruit qualities, nice acidity and not too high alcohol (weighs in at 12.5%).

Conclusion: A real find from the Beijing wine club Big 9. Indis wines are under the flag of Forest Hill, a really good Western Australian producer. Well-priced at 165RMB.

Rating: 17/20

Labels: 2004, 2006, Argentina, ASC, Castello del Poggio, Indis, Italy, Mendoza, Moscato d'Asti, Norton, Piemonte, rose, Shiraz, sparkling, Torrontes, Western Australia, white

Château Loudenne Dinner at Le Bistrot Parisien, Beijing

ASC invited Florence Lafragette of Château Loudenne to present her wines accompanied by a decent menu from Beijing's Le Bistrot Parisien. We chatted with Ms Lafragette about Loudenne and our visit there in 2004 when taking part in the Vingt sur vin competition organized by Jean-Michel Cazes of Château Lynch-Bages. Like Cazes, she is a strong ambassador for the region.

It was a fun evening and the food was well-prepared and well-presented (it was certainly all a good deal at 200RMB per head as there was copious wine). The only thing that didn’t work was the first red with the bream (in fact, the Loudenne White would have been much better!). It's certainly worth experimenting with reds with various fish - particularly meatier types of fish - but red Bordeaux with a vanilla sauce (see below) is not to be recommended:

Tartare de Thon et de Concombre à la Crème Ciboulette

2003 Château Loudenne Blanc, Médoc

Appearance: pleasant gold yellow colour.

Nose: citrus fruit with marked oak and some waxy aromas. Complex.

Palate: strong fruit, good oak, some fresh acidity (the wine does not actually go through malolactic) and lovely length.

Conclusion: this is 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon and was really well put together despite the problems of the 2003 vintage. Impressive dry white Bordeaux and refreshing to find this kind of thing in the Medoc rather than just in Graves or Pessac-Leognan.

Rating: 18/20

Filet de Dorade Rose Rotie, Sauce Vanille, Julienne de Légumes Croquantes

2003 Pavillon de Loudenne (the 2nd wine)

Appearance: medium purple-red, clear rim.

Nose: we both picked up green tints and possibly unripe notes on more than one of the bottles which suggests that the grapes had to be picked with the highish sugar levels that the 2003 heat would have created but without their being physiologically/phenolically ripe (hence the unripe green nose).

Palate: more 'green' notes, but with some red and black fruits underneath. Tannins are not so unripe here, so maybe this wine has a better future than the nose suggests. Quite good length.

Conclusion: this wine is 76% Cabernet and 24% Merlot. You cannot, therefore, say the green notes are traceable to Cabernet Franc (which can show that green pepper nose). But they may not be unripe Cabernet Sauvignon either. Other bottles would have to be tried.

Rating: 17/20

Medaillon de Fillet de Boeuf, Sauce Porto, Pommes Forestieres

2002 Château Loudenne Rouge, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur

Appearance: purple-red, clear rim.

Nose: pleasant nose of blackcurrant fruit and French oak (although the fruit has the restraint of the 2002 vintage).

Palate: has refreshing medium acidity on the palate which makes it very drinkable at this stage, medium slightly chewy tannins (although not that pronounced) and agreeable fruit. Pretty balanced and with promising length.

Conclusion: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, this is a pleasant blend and was well assembled. We liked it, although the 2003 Château Loudenne Blanc carried the day.

Rating: 17.5/20

Labels: 2002, 2003, ASC, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Featured Tastings, France, Jean-Michel Cazes, Loudenne, Malbec, Merlot, red, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Vingt sur vin, white