The 2000 and 2001 I refer to were both great but in very different ways.  The 2000 fresh, red fruited and juicy, amazing for a very first wine, lovely now. The 2001 is a more savoury, gamey and ultimately serious wine with a good structure still showing. If this is how the two first vintages have come along then the estate is even more “one to follow”.

Find out more about Enrico Santini and available wines here.

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After an introduction to the estate from Jean-Luc Pépin (Head of Sales & Marketing), who interestingly referred to the Domaine as “Vogüé” not “de Vogüé” as seems to be the UK way of doing things, we started the first wine. Bourgogne Blanc 2007, now much has been written about both the Domaine and this wine, but in brief it is de-classified Musigny Blanc Grand Cru as there is no appellation for white wines below the Grand Cru until you come to Bourgogne Blanc.  If the same thing happened in red then Musigny would (and is, see next two wines) de-classified to Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru. So why is this done? Well, essentially the last Musigny Blanc Grand Cru was 1993 and from then on, due to the need to re-plant large plots of the vines, it has been Bourgogne Blanc.  It will according to Jean-Luc go back to Musigny Blanc in the next 5-10 years when they are satisfied with the vine age and that the wine is 100% worthy of Grand Cru status. This 2007, served with Seared King Scallops, showed really well (better than the 2005 that I had recently and is at a more awkward stage) with good acidity but richness in a butterscotch, almost smokey “savoury sweetness” – picking a fruit to describe it, it is quite tropical and maybe there is apricot there. What I like is that it has such unique personality. It will age for years, was taut now but still very easily appreciated now.

The next two wines Chambolle-Musigny Villages 2002 & Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru 2003, sound and appear like they ought to be similar but really couldn’t be much more different. The Villages is from de-classified wines of all but the Musigny and includes Les Baudes & Les Fuees, both of which are 1er Crus in their own right. The 1er Cru is exclusively young vines of the Musigny Grand Cru. But what makes these wines even more different than the different plots that they come from is the vintages. The 2002 is a very together wine with some development showing (several 2002′s in my opinion are showing too much of this) a lovely blend of fruit but also the more savoury forest floor elements appearing. It is very lively but also due to its balance just a wonderful drink now. The 1er Cru by contrast is richer, very primary in that it is densely fruited, it needs time – impressive more than charming at this stage, it is a little Rhonesque. It was 60% down in production in 2003 sure to the excessive weather patterns. So extreme that it was picked on August 23rd (very, very early). As a pair they were a great contrast, I would rather drink the 2002 but the 2003 is a wonder bottle to have in the cellar. Both wines worked well with the Brest of wood Pigeon on Puy Lentils.

Even given the quality of what has gone before you can argue we now took a step up in quality as the next pair was Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 1996 & Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 1991 with Chateaubriand of English Rose Veal. I think that as much as people can argue over which 1er Cru could/would/should be promoted to Grand Cru, there is a strong argument for the one vineyard that is a 1er Cru but that consistently makes wines (that are, and sell at the prices of Grand Cru): namely Amoureuses. This 1996 which had two hours of decanting was on sparkling form. 1996 is not an easy vintage to show as it is a masculine vintage with considerable structure and overwhelming acidity that has hidden much of the fruit, until now it would seem. Indeed it is the first time Jean-Luc had thought it ready to show at a dinner and that is at 16 years of age. There was a perfect balance between fruit, development and structure and this showed immediately. After an hour in glass I felt the wine showed the structure again – if I owned it, I would still plan to leave it at least four more years. It is however a complete wine and one of superb class. The Bonnes-Mares was themost discussed wine of the night on my table and many others. There was, and this at 21 years of age is not surprise, quite a bit of bottle variation. The vintage was a hard one for Vogüé.  There was hail on 22nd August and the production was 50% down. A team of 60 people was hired to come in with tweezers (no optical sorting tables then!!) to select grape by grape. The bottle I had, showed earthy richness with an aroma of struck match.  I enjoyed it for a more masculine style than the other wines on the night.

Then it was time for the last pair – Musigny Grand Cru Vieilles Vignes 1998 & Musigny Blanc Grand Cru 1991 – both were served with Welsh Rarebit (and a good one too). It may seem strange to serve a red and white at the same time but this worked. The Musigny was, if such an award is necessary, the wine of the night for me. Musigny manages to be both deeply, almost broodingly, intense but also feminine at the same time. 1998 was not an easy year, with a large selection required in August and a need to remove any dried berries. This wine will go on for years but is a joy now as well. The Musigny Blanc is an amazing wine and it would have been wrong to have it alongside the 2007 as it has such weight and intensity.  It is one of those wines with developed aromas that make you expect sweetness but deliver dryness. The nose has that gunflint edge, a wine at its peak now. On the palate there is almost a toasted tobacco aroma, it has freshness of fruit but that fruit is very tropical and intense. It is like no other white Burgundy, although the intensity does remind me of the mighty Montrachet.

What a great array of wines with six different plots shown and six different vintages.  It showed the Domaine in a glowing light and the scary thing is that as with many people in Burgundy, I feel the wines they are making now are even better!! Exciting stuff…

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By Robert Dudgeon

On Tuesday 6^th March we arrived at Bodegas Zugober in Lapuebla de Labarca, Alava Spain and were greeted by Manuel Bernardo.Soon after his Mother, Maribel Bernardo (Eduardo was away on business that day) arrived and they showed us around their modern winery. This was a well laid out with modern equipment; all in good order and well looked after. The vats here were stainless steel, as would be expected. We were next shown the cave where the wine was stored. The different oaks from many sources used for the storage casks were pointed out and their influence on the finished wine explained.

We were then taken on a tour of their vineyards. Their wine was produced from vines in four locations locally. Two areas were on the banks of the river Ebroin Lapuela and two on higher ground. We were first taken to the river side vineyards, where their grandfather had started his wine making in the village a 100 years ago, to see one block of mature vines and another where the vines had recently been replanted and were to produce their first grapes this year. The third block of vines was on higher ground. The fourth block of vines had recently been purchased by the Bodegas and was on much higher ground where it was cooler and windier. Pruning of these vines, grown without training wires, had almost been completed. Some of these vines were 80 – 100 years old and all looked in good health.

All the vines were growing in cultivated soil to avoid any competition from grass within the rows. The stony, chalky nature of the ground ensured the soil was free draining.

Having vines at three altitudes reduces the risk of bad weather and spreads the picking period for the Bodega. In this way they can make best use of the eight hand pickers they traditionally use at harvest time. The other vineyard work is done by Manuel, who likes the tractor work, and the family.

On returning to the village we were then taken back to the old winery where we tried their wines. There were four red wines that we tasted. The Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva were a good colour, very fresh, well balanced and full of fruit and complex, a true modern Rioja. All are very drinkable and well worthy of their reasonable price. For us the star of the Bodega was an experimental wine blended by Maribel. This was an exceptional wine that, if successfully launched, will be well worth adding to any cellar.

It is evident that the whole family are passionate about their grapes and wines. Their vines are tended with love and care to produce the best grapes. Maribel Bernardo studied viniculture atMilanUniversitybefore gaining further experience at vineyards inBordeaux. She undoubtedly has a great skill in blending as all the wines we tasted at Bodega Zugober were well made, interesting and very drinkable.

We will be following these wines with interest.

Our new exclusivity Belezos, from Bodegas Zugober, is a small family winery in Rioja. Click here to buy available wines.

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Source: CNN

Click here for more information about Cakebread Cellars and to view available wines.

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Christian Moueix at home with a general and, as always, honest appraisal of 2011 Bordeaux.

Interviewer: Adam Brett-Smith, C&B Managing Director
Camera man: Graham Moss, C&B Sales Team
Location: Bordeaux

Part 1:

Part 2:

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François Mitjavile of Tertre Roteboeuf and Roc de Cambes in forthright and philosophical mode on 2011 Bordeaux.

Interviewer: Adam Brett-Smith, C&B Managing Director
Camera man: Graham Moss, C&B Sales Team
Location: Bordeaux

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Patrick Maroteau from Château Branaire-Ducru on the 2011 vintage (during a lot of background noise in the cellar).

Interviewer: Adam Brett-Smith, C&B Managing Director
Camera man: Graham Moss, C&B Sales Team
Location: Bordeaux, St-Julien

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Peter Sisseck of Château Rocheyron and Dominio de Pingus, in an informal and rather noisy setting at lunch in St-Emilion.

Interviewer: Adam Brett-Smith, C&B Managing Director
Camera man: Graham Moss, C&B Sales Team
Location: Bordeaux, St-Emilion

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Paul Pontallier from Château Margaux is interviewed by Adam Brett-Smith, Corney & Barrow Managing Director about Bordeaux 2011.

Interviewer: Adam Brett-Smith, C&B Managing Director
Camera man: Graham Moss, C&B Sales Team
Location: Bordeaux, Margaux

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Anthony Barton talks to Corney & Barrow about this 2011 vintage.

Interviewer: Adam Brett-Smith, C&B Managing Director
Camera man: Graham Moss, C&B Sales Team
Location: Bordeaux, St-Julien

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