Terra Viva - SoaveCru, the new face of Soave

Soave is one of the best known white wines of Italy, the staple of trattorias from Catford to Cricklewood. There's no point though in denying that the great quantities of wine produced on the flatlands of the denomination 30 kilometres east of Verona have done little for its reputation. In truth,  bog-standard Soave has been the  'Grocer's Muscadet' of Italy - often thin, metallic and characterless - and like its French counterpart only capable of interest and real distinction  when it is hand-made in the artisanal way from superior sights that allows the fine lees to shape its mineral, savoury flavours. The good news this June  was the launch of SoaveCru, an association of 16 small producers who believe implictly in the historic inheritance of their volcanic soils in the hillier slopes of the Soave Classico and Colli Scaligeri subzones - their aim the crafting of a new image for the disciplinare. The area is lucky to have the elegant, small-scale town of Soave at its heart nestling beneath the Classico hills.

Renaissance street of Soave near the Castello

SoaveCru's  supreme aim is to interpret the great wine that these classic hillsides can nurture - an area recognized 70 years as one of Italy's first fine wine zones, a little later confirmed by Royal Decree. Yet as Sandro Gini, the President of the Association stresses, " it's not intended to be a elitist group, but rather a way of operating that is open to all who are happy to devote themselves to it." A strong synergy is being forged  by these vignerons, united in a love for their area. " we wish to communicate the passion we put into our work," says Sandro, " so giving added value and significance to the denomination, passing onto our childen vineyards that are  environmentally-friendly." The key interpreter of this special wineland is the Garganega grape, which has the chance to realize its full potential nowhere better than in this volcanic heartland of white wine in the Veronese. Particular focus is aimed onto individual vineyards in the best sub-zones, where respect for the land is rigorous.

On a visit to Soave in early June, I was intrigued by one estate MonteTondo, which is actually situated close to the autostrada down from the hills, some of its wines based on limestone, not the Volcanic basalt. But this is a dynamic forward-looking enterprise of 25 hectares founded in 1980 and one that also makes a Soave charmat- method sparkler.We were hosted by the daughter of the house, the diminutive ball of energy that is Marthe Magnabosca.

Her entry-level 2009 Soave Classico is 100% Garganega on calcaire, cold-soaked for 24 hours then into tanks till February.  Pale, green-straw, quite exotic fruits nose, easy and direct on the palate, a delicious straightforward wine, no pretensions.xx

 2009 single vineyard Foscarin Savinus Soave Classico Superiore DOCG  is made in a mix of tanks and barrels. The soil is volcanic and the yields reasonable (6,500/7,000 kg/ha). The tastes are the story of a very warm year, the dominant impression  ripe honeycombs and almost surmature
grapes. I don't think the wine has QUITE enough elegance and subtle complexity to satisfy a purist, like my good journalist friend Franco Ziliani, but I rate the wine and thought of all the good things I'd  want eat with it - sauced lobster, soft-shell crab and mountain gorgonzola. xxx

2006 single v'yd Foscarin Savinus Soave Classico Superiore DOCG - now we're talking, Foscarin Savinus from a much greater vintage -fascinating nose melding memories of more delicate  sauternes-like opulence, with the basalt minerals and bite of Volcania Soave. Superb balance of evolved fruit, benign oak scents and a developing vinosity, all the time fresh and vigorous with fine acidity. Vino di contemplazione. Remarkable, and all the more so for being from an up and coming estate. xxxx 

Classico vineyards high above Soave

Wrapped in a forgotten corner of France

bowl of vyds below chateau-chalon home to vin jaune

                                                           
On the last day of my fabulous holiday I drove up from the rocky outcrops of the Jura onto the bucolic plateau of the Hauts Doubs, 800 metres above sea-level. Less dramatic than the wooded craggy magnificence of Vin Jaune country, the plateau is a natural place for the Gentian bitter herb, one of the ingredients in vermouth and, notoriously, absinth: the exact length of Gentian's stem is said to foretell how harsh the next winter will be. On this glorious morning, the benign landscape was dotted with the red-spotted Montbeliard cows, whose milk makes fine Morbier and great Comte cheese. It's also a good place for horse riding and, come January, cross-country skiing. And if you like things simple, a gentle art de vivre thrives in a land of wine, aperitifs and Morteau sausage.

Pont de l'Ain en route for Pontarlier

Passing through a quiet village called (I kid you not) Pisseenvache, hunger pains made me look at my watch: 1.15pm and time for lunch! Five minutes later, I fell on my feet in a neat little resto with a board advertising menu du jour 13 euros. It turned out to be exceptional value for honest food of true flavours: a super tranche of tete de cochon made by the butcher/livestock farmer & father of the young patron; paupiette de porc with spaghetti: a great wedge of Comte, a demi-pichet of vin de pays de Vaucluse; apricot tart &coffee, all in. Vive la Vieille France ! And to add a modern twist, the pretty blonde patronne and a subtle voice for her husband looked as if she would feel as much as home in Paris's rue du Cherche Midi as in the Doubs.

Engagingly, she confessed she much preferred Burgundy to Jura wines: if one was forced to make the choice, who wouldn't! Jeune Madame also told me that the nearby town Pontarlier was a rich place, as many of the inhabitants worked across the border in Switzerland, where they could earn four times what they would in France. I drove on to Pontarlier, sizzling in 34 C degree heat, slaked my thirst with a cold beer, then more comfortably crossed the border into a heavenly green fir valley and descended to the Lake of Neufchatel & Swiss Pinot country. Another story for another day.

great local hostelry, Bevier, Lake Neufchatel

                                                            

Delicate Burgundies of the Maranges

Last Friday I drove over from Arbois to the little hamlet of St Gilles on Burgundy's Canal du Centre. On the other bank of the canal high above Santenay are the Maranges, the last southerly villages of the Cote de Beaune, even if the post code is Saone et Loire. I had come to stay with my friend Amanda Regan and her companion Remi, who provided the most blissfully simple & delicious food of pate en croute, jambon persille, escargots and the freshest cheeses and salads. That first afternoon we went to visit the Domaine Jean-Louis Bachelet in Dezize les Maranges. Jean-Louis and his son Bertrand's wines may not have quite the fashionable pull of their cousins' domaine of  Bachelet-Monnot just down the street, but they showed a varied range of burgundies that would give a lot of pleasure for early drinking, reflecting this pere et fils' sunny natures. I liked particularly their straight Chassagne villages and a delightful, less extracted Pommard  especially in 2010, from the Volnay side of the village.

Jean-Louis & Bertrand Bachelet

Back in St Gilles,  I was very struck by the supple flavours and delicacy of  the very different wines we drank at supper - fresh aligote in an aromatic minor key, supple Hautes Cote de Beaune of little red fruits, more mineral & elegant flavours in Maranges Ier Cru La Fussiere - all three 2010s- then genuine class in a gently maturing Santenay Clos Rousseau 2008, the sort of wine that says wait a bit and I will show you everything in my own good time. Tho' I had determined to hang up my tasting glass on holiday, curiosity got the better of me: Amanda, bless her, got me an appointment with the creators of these delicate natural beauties - none with much more than 12.5% alcohol - at the Domaine Fernand Chevron in Cheilly les Maranges. I quickly checked the Hanson bible and Anthony in  his inimitably discreet but telling way seemed pretty keen on the wines of Fernand & his sons.

I wasn't  to be disappointed. On saturday afternoon, sharp at 3 pm, under a fierce August sun (35 celsius) a fit older man,  trim with iron-grey moustache, in a crisp white shirt gently approached my car and looked in a kindly quizzical way at my Swiss number plates, until I assured him that I was the Anglais, ami  of Amanda. I instantly warmed to Fernand, for tho' I'm sure he would have rather been sitting in the cool of his stone manor house, he never showed it and gave me plenty of time at very short notice to taste in his cellar. Now officially retired, Fernand's modesty and honesty shone through. " I'm now taking a back seat, giving my boys their head; and to be frank, the wines have improved a lot since 2007 when Vincent & Pablo bought une table de trie and the grapes now drop by gravity into the fermenting cuves. The wines are more supple, the tannins plus fin." They sure are, but a little more credit should be given to Fernand for his foresight in going organic some years ago, and since 2007 in converting to biodynamie (certified in 2010). The domaine has 17 hectares, six of their own, the rest worked en fermage. Winemaking is an intelligent mix of tradition & modernity, cuves used for some whites like the lovely fragrant 2011 Aligote. The stars in the cellar are the precise and beautifully defined Maranges 1er Cru la Fussiere (rouge) 2010 and the dramatically fine Santenay Clos Rousseau 2011, quietly evolving en fut, and a step up I reckon from the already excellent 2008. A little of the domaine's wines have been imported to London by Top Selection, agent among others for Henri Giraud of Ay & of course Egon Muller.

Fernand Chevron

Domaine Chevrot et fils, 19 route de Couches, 71150 Cheilly les Maranges e contact@chevrot.fr www.chevrot.fr

English producers aping Champagne (?)....come off it!

The media -savvy Sam Lindo of Camel Valley made a big splash recently with his dig that  " English producers should stop aping Champagne". A minute's thought should convince any lover of great fizz that Sam's argument needs probing. For when top English sparkling producers (Ridgeview, Nye Timber, Coates & Seely, Herbert Hall) stick to the three classic champagne grapes, they are just acknowledging that, with 300 years experience, the Champenois still know best which sparkling grapes work best in a marginal maritime-influenced climate  - one which Southern England and the Marne share, most of the time.

enjoying great pinot at les artisans de champagne (april)

It is certainly hard to argue with Nick Hall's measured reply. " We want an 'Englishness' in our wine and I think that comes through terroir -but in our climate the building blocks have to be the three classic varieties, if we are to make really good wine. Top restaurants want to be able to distinguish English from Champagne so they have something different to offer - but they also want finesse and real quality." Could Dornfelder & Reichensteiner deliver the same sparkling dash and elegance as Chardonnay & the Pinots? I don't think so, much as I like German wine.

In the pink - Herbert Hall at the Summer Solstice

tucking the leaves of the vine at Herbert Hall June2012

Summer so far in Southen England has seen remorseless rainstorms - the darker face of Climate Change. Champagne, too, has been soggy & damp, then hot & sticky, mildew afflicting the vines in mid-flowering. If that was not enough, hail has devastated  the Barsuraubois sector of  the Aube - Michel Drappier reporting the loss of 75 percent of his Pinot crop in a 15 minute devastation. So, it is fitting that last monday the 19th the weather was sunny & kind for Nick Hall, a great talent and charmer, who deserves some luck as the maker of, for me, the best, silkiest sparkling wine in Southern England. A troop of his best customers that included Paxton & Whitfield and the Caprice restaurant group caught the 9 40 along the old Hop route to Marden in the heart of the North Weald. I felt as if I was coming home, my mother's family were Kentish apple farmers.

Nick Hall explains his winemaking

                                                                   

We walked from the station the half mile to Nick's top vineyard, on a fine south- facing slope that sits on a bed of gravel that lends focus and elegance to his wines. The view, too, is rather special, open elegant country with mature oaks on rolling hillocks - one might have been in Burgundy in the pretty byways of Bouzeron, Rully and Mercurey. The lower vineyard has more clay and gives a substantial boost to the cuvees. Nobody can pretend that 2010 was an easy vintage in England - the acidity levels were scarily high - and as Nick's Plumpton guru, the good Peter Morgan, honestly admitted, a sizeable dosage of 13 g/l was needed to make the wine palatable: natural methods can only do so much when nature is cruel.

Against the odds, Nick has made a fine  champagne in 2010 with more chardonnay in the mix to give long-life and structure. But his rose is the ace, just pressed a little longer to give a subtle tint of colour and aromatic little red fruits,the work of a man with real feeling for his passion. I had a great talk, too, with Nick's son, Alexander, now at Charterhouse, a bright hope and maybe an assured successor one day.

Damn the weather, press on!

Tastes of the Langhe Hills chez Vajra

The Langhe Hills

Aldo and his daughter

I thought I knew all about acidity in young wines, as someone hardened in the school of Champagne vins clairs tasted each February in glacial Marnais cellars. But I wasn't quite prepared for the dense impenetrable acids and tannins of 2008 Grand Barolos and Barbarescos  at this month's Nebbiolo Prima in Alba. It was, nevertheless,  a fascinating new learning curve;  five days and 300 wines + later, an impression formed in my mind of the different tastes of the Albese, village by village,  parcel by parcel, every 500 metres. I began to feel at home- this was the same wine ethos as the Cote d'Or.

There is though a problem of perception for these potentially great wines: sadly, fewer and fewer wine consumers have the patience or the inclination to wait 10 to 12 years for an uncompromising classic Barolo to shed  its sinewy character and reach its prime. Fortunately, Piedmont in general and the Albese in particular has one of  the most varied wine cultures in Italy. So I made my way to a benchmark domaine, where as elegant and distinguished a Barolo as anyone's is made by the gentlemanly Aldo Vajra - in manner and gentle courtesy, he reminds me of Aubert de Villaine of the Domaine de la Romanee Conti. Like Aubert, Aldo is a thinking man with the same broadness of vision to know that his homeland has so much more to offer than one great wine from one great grape in a priviledged Grand Cru site." here we don't makes wines for competitions but to be drunk with the greatest pleasure at the right moment in their lives," says Aldo.

This year will be Aldo's fortieth harvest since he returned from university to the family vineyards, centered on the hamlet of Vergne, on higher slopes above the commune of Barolo in the lee of the Alps. The great strengths of these privileged sites are the deep roots of soils, formed a million years ago as a mosaic of white calcareous marls called Sant'Agata . "They bind our family to this land." comments Aldo, with quiet conviction. The decision of which vines to plant where absorbs him as keenly now as when he started in 1972. Barolo, Barbera, Dolcetto,and the ancient cepage Langa Freisa - all have their natural nursery and home in ideally chosen  plots.

After the robust tannins of the morning's prima tastings in Alba, it was an invigorating delight to taste Vajra's Rhine Riesling ("so much better than its Italico cousin") from a small vineyard that is a tribute and commitment to the great German grape: all peaches and apricots  shaped by the Albese soils, which also give the wine an added touch of minerality. I was also taken by the very classy Barbera d'Alba Superiore from Aldo's top vineyard,  Bricco della Viole  ( 'the hill of violets') in 2008. with its exceptional soft gentleness and a texture like cashmere. If you want a taste of junior Barolo that is friendly on the purse and palate try Vajra's Langhe Nebbiolo from young vines in the communes of Sino and Barolo itself; and for the real thing at a realistic price, Barolo Albese from a blend of La Volta, Fossati and Coste de Vergne vineyards gives exemplary balance and early drinking pleasure for a plate of homemade taglionini with mushrooms. These last two wines are also 2008s, but such is the light touch in the winemaking that they are absolutely ready. Vajra's top vineyard wine, the 2007 Barolo Bricco delle Viole needed that extra time to show its  paces but will develop further complexities over the next decade, in a filigreed finely textured style that is inimitably "Aldo Vajra." Bravo!

Pinot Noir for Brunch at the Finborough Wine Cafe

When I lived in the Finborough Road hinterland in the early seventies, I never thought this rat run between Chelsea and Kangaroo Valley could ever be the right spot for a peaceful wine tasting:  It's taken me forty years to realise how deliciously wrong I've been, for early this month I fell upon the Finborough Wine Cafe, jutting like a proud ship's bow above the racing traffic. Amazingly peaceful inside, it has a lovely ambience and the sight of good grilled bread and hams set me up for a long session. We were here to appreciate the breadth of the Awin Barratt Siegel (ABS)'s Portfolio of Pinot Noirs, with special emphasis on Germany.The blurb quoted Raymond Blanc who lauded the young staff for really knowing their stuff..... "I have discovered so many new wines through them," trilled the jolly professional Frenchman and culinary maestro of BBC 2. Great Raymond wasn't wrong. This was a riveting tasting, a journey across the world with fine things on at least three continents.

ground hog engrossed

    The centrepiece for me was the Burgstadt Franconian estate of Paul Furst and his son Sebastian, the golden boy of Spaetburgunder who presented the wines in London, also in Badneuenahr -Ahrweillwer the week before. Sebastian studied in Beaune and the Cote d'Or is clearly his lodestar;  even if the flavours of Burgstadt are sensibly different from Burgundy, the Franconian emanating from sandstone and weathered loam soils, rather than the argylo-calcaire of the Cote. Sebastian's two finest wines, Grosses Gewaechs  Pinots Noir Centgrafenberg and Hunsruck in the sensuous 2009 vintage are fine grands crus by any standard - the Centgrafenberg of poised, layered fruit and spice, the Hunsruck -over red sandstone - stronger, of great depth and gravitas. The prices though are stiff, neither giving much change from £80 a bottle RRP. Named German Red Wine Collection in 2011, this accolade has magnified the fame of the estate, the downside of which is the pricing policy.

Sebastian Furst

Don't despair,  also shown was the Pinot Noir Tradition 2010 of Jean Stodden of  Rech in the Ahr, a respected leader in the valley but a new entrant to the ABS portfolio. Fully worth £21, of clear shimmering ruby, a class act of freshness, energy and burgeoning vinosity, this intellectual wine showed that you can make very fine Pinot over slate. And, finally,the bargain of the Tasting was the Chamonix 2010 Pinot Noir Reserve (£16.99) - redolent of delicate woodland red fruits touched by the mineral deposits from the great  peaks above Franschhoek in South Africa's Cape. Surely one of the most beautiful places on earth? Enjoy.