The wine-related sequence with Phil Tufnell starts after 10 minutes and 40 seconds.

More information on Domaine Leflaive’s wines on www.corneyandbarrow.com

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Two days, two regions, two producers… A once in a life time trip to Spain!

It’s no secret that Spanish wines are my true passion, so you can imagine my reaction when I was invited to accompany Alison and Adam on their annual buying trip to Ribera del Duero and Rioja. We would spend one full day visiting Peter Sisseck in Quintanilla de Onesimo / Pesquera de Duero and Benjamin Romeo in San Vicente de la Sonsierra. A once in a life time trip to go behind the scenes to appreciate the men behind their highly-acclaimed, much-loved and coveted wines.

Monday, 14^th June.

Up at 6.30, tired but raring to go.  We jumped in the car, drove to Quintanilla de Onesimo and met Peter Sisseck at Dominio de Pingus, situated very close to the Duero River.

Had a great tour of the office, lab, winery and cellars (pictured) all of which are a fabulous mix of traditional and modern architecture, décor and technology. An 18^th century cellar, a white-washed winery with vast glass panels, huge new open barriques for Pingus and state-of-the-art stainless steel vats. A small office filled with modern leather sofas, glossy white furniture, Apple computers, a Samsung sound system and a lab with all sorts of mind-boggling scientific equipment; bunsen burners, test tubes, monitors, you name it! All very impressive and credit to Peter’s vision and attention to detail.

Conscious of time, we cracked on with tasting. We were here to taste the 2009 vintage, to be released in the Autumn. A wonderful year in Spain according to Peter…

Psi (my score 18) was gorgeous. Black forest gateaux in liquid form. Ripe, supple, balanced, fine, fresh and long. A definite buy-to-drink or keep. “I have found my direction with this wine”, said Peter.

Flor de Pingus (my score 18-19) A-MAZ-ING! Sexy yet elegant. Warm christmas pudding with extra spice and citrus lift. Explosive flavours. Silky texture and well integrated, fruit coated tannin. Refined minerality. Hallmark freshness, purity and length. My desert island red. If only Peter made more!

Pingus (my score 19) Knock Out! SUPER CHARGED FLOR! Lost for words…

(All made from 100% Tempranillo).

We also tasted the four plots/16 barrels comprising of Pingus (T1, 2, 3 & 4 are pictured). I wont give away Peter’s magic formula but I will say that they are all very different in brilliant ways, hence the amazing complexity of the wine. We looked on with amazement as Peter orchestrated a blend for us.

And finally…a rosé! Earlier in the cellars Adam spotted a palate of bottled rosé…interesting, we all thought. Peter said it was just something he drank with friends in the summer and commented on the levels of glycerin being too high. Of course we had to try the wine when Peter offered.

Rosé 2009 (pictured) Peter was right about the texture, it was a little clawing. That said it was quite a serious, clairette style of rose – a little dry and in need of food.

Tasting over we made our way to Hacienda Monasterio, (Peter’s other estate, pictured) situated in Pesquera de Duero, a 10 minute drive away. This beautiful estate comprises of 113 hectares, 70 hectares of which are under vine. It lies between the famous vineyards of Pesquera and Vega Sicilia.

On arrival we met Carlos (co-owner) and Carlos (co-winemaker) and tasted the 2007, 08 & 09 vintages. I was most impressed by the recently bottled 2008.

Hacienda Monasterio 2008 (my score 17+). Cabernet Sauvignon (typically 75%) and Tempranillo. Cassis, wild herbs and underbrush. Generous layered black fruit. Could be riper? Well integrated fine tannin. Has the finesse, purity and elegance of a fine Claret.

I had a quick nose around the cellars, took more pics and then we sat down for a light lunch ‘cheffed’ up by Peter himself. We drank the beautiful, velvety 2001 with our Tortilla, Jamon Iberico and bread.

We said our goodbyes at 2.00, jumped back in the car and got straight on to the A1/AP-1 towards Logrono. We arrived at San Vicente de la Sonsierra at 5.00, dropped our bags and met Benjamin Romeo in the square. Soon after, we were whisked away to the vineyards in Benjamin’s BMW 4×4. I was to sit up front as this was my first visit, said Benjamin. Up and down slopes, in and out of woodland at SPEED; Benjamin drives very fast but is never out of control, knowing the vineyards like the back of his hand – he spent his childhood riding around them on a donkey. Benjamin comes from a long line of vine growers (Benjamin’s grandmother is pictured).

We saw so much on our vineyard tour; here are just a few of my highlights…driving down the river bank (Ebro) through trees, bushes, birds, insects and animals to reach an unusually sited vineyard planted with red and white vines…and being helped up the slope and Alison being caught on the way down. Looking out over ‘La Liande’ (pictured) which is the single vineyard of LaViña de Andres. Jumping out of the car to see a new plot/potential site for another Bodegas and being hit by the most intense scent of wild herbs (fennel, rosemary and lavender). Benjamin picking us wild flowers (ah).
Going to the ‘Cueva del Contador’ (pictured right) which is a cellar/cave beneath the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor and tasting Carmen (2007) for the first time – a wine dedicated to his mother. Finally arriving at the breathtaking Bodegas Contador (pictured left) first opened in 2008 which seamlessly integrates into the landscape. Like Pingus the design is modern, simplistic, clean and precise. No expense has been spared. The huge black and white Velázquez ‘The Drunks’ print in the entrance, the solid oak walls, floors and staircases and the flowers, herbs and vegetables planted in the grounds. I had seriously underestimated the size and competency of Benjamin’s operation and vision.

At 9.30pm our tour ended and off we trotted up stairs to the tasting room. We sat on high stools at a table which overlooked the vineyards at sunset…beautiful. We were here to taste 2008 reds and 2009 whites (released in the autumn) but Benjamin had something else, something very special up his sleeve – the first ever vertical tasting of La Viña de Andres from the first vintage, 2001 to 2008 (pictured). We were making history.

La Viña de Andres 100% Tempranillo. A cuvée dedicated to his father. Limited production averaging 5,500 bottles. Single vineyard ‘La Liande’ in San Vicente de la Sonsierra. Alluvial-calcareous soils. 1 kg production per vine! 18 months in new French oak.

Knock out vintages were 2001 (my score 18+), ‘04 (my score 19), ‘06 (my score 18) & ‘08 (my score 18+). Benjamin’s star and my buy is La Viña de Andres 2006. The ‘08 was so sexy it made me blush! ‘02 and ‘03 were great surprises; La Viña de Andres 2002 for its concentration in a wet year (“What Romeo has achieved in the challenging 2002 vintage is impressive”, Robert Parker) and ‘03 for its remarkable backbone. Benjamin has been working hard on balancing acidity, structure and minerality. The layers of flavours and complexity just build and build then explode in this wine. The consistency of style and quality was great to see. It was an emotional experience for all involved. Benjamin had shown to us, his friends, team and himself how great a wine maker he really is. He translates vintages and expresses terroir with passion and precision.

The quality of the 2008s is very high and the white 2009s are just spectacular – for relative value buy Predicador Blanco (my score 18) 35% Viura, 32% Garnacha Blanca and 33% Malvasia. Floral, ripe white fruit, citrus, mineral and fresh and La Viña de Andres (my score 18+) phenomenally pure, intense, explosive ripe fruit with sweet tannins and minerality…oh mamma!

Tasting over I glanced at my watch and it was 11.30…time for dinner?! Benjamin led us back down stairs, through the winery and into his kitchen/diner/patio. What better way to celebrate the day’s delights than with a BBQ cooked up by Benjamin and his team? We warmed by the embers as the mini lamb chops grilled under the moonlight. We finished off our fabulous day laughing and joking over a wonderful feast of lamb chops, hams, fresh vegetables, bread, cheese, chocolate and La Viña de Andres…not forgetting our starter of pickled white asparagus and Que Bonita Cacareaba 2003 (my score 17+) the perfect food and wine match.

I was so sad to leave at 2.00 am but very ready for my bed after nearly 19 hours on the go.

I smiled myself to sleep that night…what a very lucky young lady from Essex (sorry Peter, I couldn’t resist) I am!

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We interviewed three of our Italian producers who visited London to showcase their wines at the Definitive Italian Tasting at Lord’s.

Giovanna – La Tunella

Which of your wines are in currently your fridge at home?
La Tunella Sauvignon Blanc. It is fresh, fruity and easy to drink. I also chill the Pinot Nero in the summer – it is perfect with chicken

What would you typically eat with it?
Fish or a light risotto with vegetables. In Friuli we have a traditional dish of deep fried herbs ‘frittata’ with a very light batter. The herbs complement the wine brilliantly

What would you say is the key focus to La Tunella’s winemaking?
For us, our aim is to show the importance of regionality in Italy. Our pinot grigio, for example, shows great minerality, typical of our terroir; it is a far cry from the cheaper versions you get in some of your pubs!

What advice would you give to English wine lovers who find Italian wine hard to understand?
Italian wine is all about discovering diversity and regionality. So if you ever go to Italy, always ask for something local and typical of the region. That way, you will begin to understand the wines in their correct context

Your desert island wine?
Right now, I would Passopisciaro – it is tasting delicious!

Click here for more information on La Tunella

Sara Vezza – Josetta Saffirio

Which of your wines are in currently your fridge at home?
Our new Langhe Bianco, although my husband just loves the nebbiolo and I always find he has opened a bottle when he is cooking carbonara

What would you typically eat with it?
We love it with guinea fowl and salad. Otherwise, as an aperitivo with parmesan, olives and salami. I often serve it with sushi when we have sushi and pizza evenings!

What would you say is the key focus to your winemaking?
This is accessible wine that will age well. It is perfect for young people who are starting to lay down wines

What advice would you give to English wine lovers who find Italian wine hard to understand?
Trust your palette – that’s what I did. You don’t need to be trained academically. (Sara studied Ancient Greek and Communication!) Wine is only good wine and bad wine. Trust yourself to tell the difference.

Your desert island wine?
Champagne Salon –a lot of Barolo produces love champagne because it is so refreshing after the heavy Barolos!

Enrico Santini

Which of your wines are in currently your fridge at home?
Campo alla casa

What would you typically eat with it?
A whole range of things – from mushroom risotto to steak. We love it with anything

What would you say is the key focus to your winemaking?
These are wines to be drunk and enjoyed and not to be overly meditated on

What advice would you give to English wine lovers who find Italian wine hard to understand?
To compare – buy two bottles within the same price points and taste them both. The diversity will always give you something to remember!

Your desert island wine?
The Landonne 1991 from Guigal

Click here for more information on Enrico Santini

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A wine tasting with Japanese food was the perfect way to start this summer evening. La Tunella whites (Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc) are the perfect palate-freshener in this heat with their crisp acidity and delicate aromatic flavours. The reds (Pinot Nero and Cabernet Franc) were not bad either, especially as we were tasting them slightly chilled – two grapes that can really shine at ’cellar’ temperature.

We expected sushi to be the ideal accompaniment to the white wines, and it could have worked flawlessly had it not been for the ever-present and overpowering condiments wasabi and soy sauce, fiery and salty in turn. And actually we discovered that Cabernet Franc was the best match with wasabi! The most successful sushi and wine pairings were: Seabass with Sauvignon Blanc; Mackerel with Pinot Grigio, Salmon with Friulano and Tuna with Pinot Nero.

Next came the hot dishes: the delicious home-made chicken katsu curry was amazingly good with the Pinot Grigio and the Friulano. The freshness and the aromatics balanced the spices and carrot/apple sweetness of the sauce. If you prefer red, then go for the Pinot Nero. Pinot Nero again was our pick for the salmon teriyaki, with its  darker and richer sauce.

Cabernet Franc was the  maverick of this food and wine tasting but Denise (the Wine Sleuth and new fan of the Friulano grape) was praising it as the perfect partner for a chocolate brownie…What about chocolate and wine for our next food and wine matching exercise?

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The barrage of releases tend to render blogging instantly out of date so rather than give my thoughts on every release – that’s what the email offers and twitter are for – I thought I would summarise at what I guess is the moment when things are about to go vertical/exciting/silly depending on who you are. It is interesting at this point to start looking at the earlier releases and compare them to the “top” wine. For instance a case of the just released La Mission Haut-Brion (we will offer all the firsts and assorted other wines later) is worth 22 cases of Phélan-Ségur or 20 cases of Rauzan-Gassies. Quality often has a premium but it actually strikes me that the drinker can do very well out of 2009. The people I feel sorry for are those that have always followed a certain wine that then gets the plaudits and rises out of their price range. The obvious candidates that fall into this category are Pontet-Canet, Haut-Bailly and Lascombes. Now nobody, and least of all us, begrudges quality wines getting a good price and the quality has been rising steadily at the likes of Pontet-Canet but is it sustainable and does it offer the “traditional” advantages of buying En Primeur? Getting the stock? Well yes, if you do and you have to be quick. Choosing format? Again yes. Getting the best price? Now this is the tricky one, in the case of the first of the three Châteaux mentioned then yes but for the other two? Possibly not.

The pecking order amongst the Châteaux due to fashion, who is on form etc is always liable to change and let’s face it everyone looks at house prices and things “they’ll never go over £????” but then I guess that happens all the time. All I feel, and this is my view, is that wine has to be very careful to remain close to the drinker, as soon as the gap between investment or the need for an increase in value and drinking becomes too large the whole thing is liable to risk bursting….as ever I guess only time will tell…in the meantime my advise is to stock up on wines like Phélan, Rauzan Gassies and other wines you like in that sub £300 bracket.

See all the latest releases and price on http://www.corneyandbarrow.com/s-55-bordeaux-2009.aspx

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Last Thursday was the turn of 50 lucky, private customers, who came to the Groucho Club in Soho for a celebration dinner. Brut NV bubbles kicked off the evening with a quick word from Adam and Didier about the relationship between Corney & Barrow and Champagne Delamotte and Salon; we have been lucky enough to be exclusive agents for Delamotte for 15 years (and Salon for almost 10.)

Le Mesnil-sur-Oger should always be said in the same breath as Delamotte, Adam then stressed, referring to the most prestigious of villages in the Côte des Blancs, where both Delamotte (and Salon) are based. This unique location means that the grapes used in Delamotte’s blanc de blancs non-vintage and vintage cuvées are 100% Grand Cru – a little known point of distinction for Delamotte.

We matched Delamotte Blanc de Blancs NV with potted crayfish; this style is so quintessentially Delamotte, at once soft and delicate but precise, its minerality cutting through the richness of the starter.
The main course was a sea bass with roasted fennel, paired with the Delamotte Blanc de Blancs 1999, the current vintage release from Delamotte. This wine is showing beautifully now, having emerged from its chrysalis in the last year. Its white blossom aromatics, ripe citrus flavours and incisive minerality proved an excellent match to this dish, and demonstrated yet again how well Champagnes can partner food. Our next glass was Delamotte Blanc de Blancs 1990, a special and rare treat for Corney & Barrow customers as there are no further stocks available for purchase; Didier very generously provided these bottles from Delamotte’s precious library archive, for the 250th dinner. Guests were not disappointed; the 1990 is the perfect evolution of the 1999, showing more complex aromas yet retaining its freshness and flavours of stone fruit and white flowers. The wine blossomed in the glass, developing notes of baking bread, brioche and mushrooms. The palate was perfectly balanced showing great finesse, power and elegance.

A birthday isn’t a birthday without a cake! We had Delamotte’s 250th anniversary cake hand made to a special recipe containing ground almonds and topped with delicate wild berries, the perfect match for a glass of Delamotte’s elegant saignée Rosé with its delicate acidity and fresh raspberry and cranberry notes.

Salon hits the big 100 next year, so more celebrations in store. Watch this space…

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The start of En Primeur and other things have got in the way of writing up the evening when 1 Thomas More Street hosted a seriously memorable Presentation Dinner. Two months of work by Adam, Bernadette and Davina saw the office converted out of almost all recognition – the entrance to the sales floor had a trio of musicians in it, the drawing room furniture had evaporated and two soldiers stood on guard at the entrance!! Even before crossing the threshold the change was appreciable from the flags – one British and one French. All this for as deserved an award as you can image in the World of Wine – Aubert de Villaine being “crowned” Decanter Man of the Year. Now we at C&B are very privileged to have the relationships we do but you could really see just how lucky from the wines on display that evening.

Before (and during!) the big group photo outside the office Salon 1997 was poured from magnum with Didier Depond in attendance. The 1997 was tighter (as you would expect) from magnum than bottle, a brilliant start to the evening and as much a wine as a Champagne as Salon always is.

As one of the pouring team, I am afraid that from here my version of events will be different from those that will no doubt appear in Decanter as we were behind the scenes checking the wines and then serving them. First up from the the cellars of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti was Le Montrachet 2003, now this I going to sound absurdly understated but it was gorgeously drinkable and balanced already. There was real depth but no hint of hot 03ishness (if that’s a word). The glass we poured changed through the evening and was spectacular throughout. From this most magical of starts we moved to the two reds – La Tâche 1991 & Romanée-Conti 1971 – both these and the Le Montrachet were direct from the Domaine’s stocks and had been shipped for the event. The Romanée-Conti 1971 had been re-corked at the Domaine in 1996 and was awesomely consistent across the bottles and quite honestly the best wine I have tasted with so much ripeness whilst being developed yet youthful, simply extraordinary. The La Tâche by comparison was younger tasting and more primary (everything is relative). The two wines next to each other just showed the Domaines prowess so well, one majestic example of basically “perfection” the other a brilliant example of the Domaine’s consistency and skill at making great wine in less glamourous (compared to it’s predecessors) vintages. After the presentation (another glass of Salon 1997 served – poor things!) we served together – Fine de Bourgogne 1991 and Fonseca 1963 – some people had both, some were more restrained and went for the Port. Both were cracking examples of their type, the Foncesa to my mind was still youthful but at the same time drinking brilliantly. The Fine – and I always think I shouldn’t be suckered into these things – was lovely too, elegant but not with out punch, ok so no a patch on the wines but a lovely thing to have at such a unique evening.

A note on serving, the wines were all just opened and poured from bottle, no decanting, except for the Fonseca which was decanted at 5pm. The temperature was deliberately cool to allow evolution in the glass.

The evening ended gradually with a few of the home team making use of the garden for a chat and a cigar (Petit Robusto from Hoyo de Montrerry – but I digress into one of my other passions) over a glass of the Fine. And that was that, a night that was without doubt the most unique since we moved to 1 Thomas More street and probably a lot longer…it will live long in the memory.

Read more about this event on Decanter, Jancis Robinson and Anthony Rose’s websites:
http://www.decanter.com/news/297988.html (additional filmed interview)
http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a201005184.html
http://www.anthonyrosewine.com/journal/2010/5/man-all-seasons-aubert-de-villaine-domaine-de-la-roman%C3%A9ee-conti

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Then on to this week where there was a significant release – Gazin (545) – this sold very fast, faster than expected in honesty. As I sit here nothing else has come out. It will be interesting to see if other things do appear this week. We will end the week on a high with the release of the Moueix and Mitjavile offers – both will be on allocation.

More news to follow

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A quick update following the first week of releases (not many of them!). Last Tuesday saw d’Angludet out at £219, demand seemed steady, it’s a wine that tasted well this year and has a good following. The other three wines we offered last week were all quite different “beasts” – the Sweet Doisy-Vedrines (£245 or £255 in halves), I won’t tell you the in house nickname, some sold but I think people like to wait and see what the Sauternes prices are like as a whole before selecting – although a few will be in big demand and therefore worth grabbing if you want them. Then there was the deep and serious Certan de May (£725) which sold well, I had been very impressed with this when tasting it in London on the day before release. The last wine of the week and a real C&B drinking favourite was Ch Lamarque (£130) a Haut Medoc on the up and up – selling well as people who know the wine “shove” a case or two away to drink at home in a few years….

So what will happen this week? Quite honestly nobody knows…there will be more press reviews out…a Chateau or two will no doubt come out but it still looks like the campaign will be more of a marathon than a sprint….

On other fronts we had two notable tastings last week.

Olivier Leflaive and his winemaker, Franck Grux, were in London to present the (now offered 2009’s) to the entire team…22 of us crammed ourselves into the tasting room. The wines were so much easier to assess than the 2008’s which had more pronounced acidity. The 2009’s looked lovely, lush and full but with underlying structure…white burgundy fans now have quite a trio of vintages to “play” with in 2007,2008 & 2009 – all will have their fans and all are good just with different characters.

Secondly Edouard Moueix was in town on Thursday night to host a really enjoyable and relaxed dinner at Papillon (which stayed open especially for the night). Rather than hype the 2009’s we focused on a slightly forgotten but good value vintage – 2006. Edouard took us through the wines in amusing style with many a story along the way. The tasting order was spot on as each wine built on the former. A full “Menu” of the wines and food is below…a really great night on which the really style and balance of Magdelaine was the highlight for me, saying that I feel guilty as the La Grave 2001 was so delicious…

Tasting

St-Emilion

Barrail du Blanc 2006

Franc Bigaroux  2006

Côte de Baleau  2006

Belair 2006

Pomerol

Bourgneuf 2006

Hosanna 2006

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Champagne Delamotte NV

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Dinner Wines & Menu in Order

Terrine of rabbit and ham, herb salad, pickled Mushrooms

Les Songes de Magdeleine 2006

L’Hospitalet de Gazin 2006

Roast chump of lamb, potato gratin and rosemary jus

La Grave à Pomerol 2006 & 2001

A selections of farmhouse cheeses:

Brie, Fourme d’ambert, Comte and St Maure

Magdelaine 1er Grand Cru Classé St-Emilion 1999 & 1997

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Anyway, enough of the venue, on to the wines. Sylvan Pitiot the manager of Clos de Tart had flown in specially to present this flight of wines. He joined the Domaine back in 1996 and is almost solely responsible for putting Clos de Tart firmly back on the map after a number of years in the wilderness. The history of this incredible piece of land is unique, having only had three owners since the 12th century. Today it is in the hands of the Mommessin family.

Although there is only one vineyard in the Domaine, in some vintages (but not all) a second wine is produced, La Forge de Tart. We kicked off the tasting with the two most recent vintages, 2007 and 2008. Both were delicious and impressive but in very different styles. The 2008 has a wonderfully rich, succulent feel to it, bursting with bramble and sweet raspberry fruit with just a hint of spice. The 2007 was more floral and elegant and a little more closed after the exuberant 2008. It was then on to the grand vin. Again we tried first the 2008 and then the 2007. As with the Forge de Tart, the 2008 exploded out of the glass with a profusion of rich, sweet fruit, violets, roses and minerals. The 2007 was a more reserved, quieter, older sister but with wonderful depth and complexity. Having thoroughly enjoyed the two vintages of La Forge, one quickly became aware of it limitations when compared directly with the grand vin. The step up in concentration, intensity and depth was impressive.

The next flight took us back to the beginning of the century and 2001, 2002 and 2003 although not actually in that order. 2002 was first up. Still amazingly youthful, the fruit here was rich and sweet again but there was a hint of VA on the nose. Certainly the raw materials are all there for this wines’ future but it was just not on top form tonight. The 2001 by contrast was arguably the wine of the evening. Again young but absolutely singing with fruit, leather, game, violets a full orchestra or flavours and aromas. Sylvain mentioned that he believes the 2008 will turn into a very similar wine – wow. Last wine of this flight was the controversial 2003, a marmite vintage and a marmite wine. Hedonistic is the word that springs to mind when tasting the 2003. It is luscious and voluptuous and heady and totally atypical but somehow it works. Probably not one for the burgundy purist but if you are a pleasure seeker then you will be in paradise.

Our last wine was a visit to Sylvain’s first vintage at the Domaine, 1996. Such an amazing contrast to the 2003 that preceded it; paler in colour, more tertiary and savoury in its aromas and with more marked freshness and acidity. Wonderful wine though and a glimpse into what this wine can become.

We all departed in very good spirits having been captivated by this incredible piece of land.

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