Wine Woman & Song

With 2008 and 2009 in the market now, I dug up my 45 notes tasted in Serralunga d’Alba in 2011 and have included notes where re-tasted since then.

I had always learned Nebbiolo derived from the word, “Nebbia”, meaning “fog”, alluding to the fog that sets in on the hills in Piemonte during harvest. The true meaning I am told, by every winemaker I met from Piedmont, is that Nebbiolo was named after the Piemontese word “Nebieu” meaning Noble.

This may be the case, but these great wines made from Nebbiolo grape in Piemonte seem to be shrouded in fog – the fog of Italian classification laws. “We are very complicated in Piemonte,” said Pietro Ratti at the Symposium after the Nebbiolo Nobile tasting, almost as an apology.

Most know Barolo and Barbaresco, some may even know they are made from Nebbiolo, but there are also other wines: Nebbiolo d’Alba, Nebbiolo from Roero and Nebbiolo Langhe. They are made from the same grape but are different classifications of Nebbiolo, some that cross over the same territories, even the same vineyards, as Barolo and Barbaresco.

Law of the Land

Nebbiolo d’Alba must be 100% Nebbiolo grape, while Nebbiolo Langhe only has to be 85% Nebbiolo. Langhe DOC was formed in 1995 to be a “second wine of Barolo” but instead it quickly became a catch-all group for other grape varieties such as Langhe Chardonnay. Whereas Nebbiolo d’Alba was formed in the mid-70s, initially to make wine in the Roero region, but can be used as a classification across Langhe and can even be declassified to… Langhe Nebbiolo. On top of that, some winemakers make Nebbiolo Langhe or Nebbiolo d’Alba as a wine in itself, others see it as a vehicle for declassified Barolo.

Langhe Nebbiolo is not as serious as Barolo or Barbaresco yet, they share enough of their good qualities for the dramatically lower price (one-third to one-quarter less). They are food wines par excellence, which is not surprising when Piedmont is the home of wild mushroom risotto, white truffle oil and agnolotti pasta made with eggs and stuffed beef, pork, or rabbit, flavoured with sausage, parmesan cheese, eggs and herbs…

About the Vintages

The hot vintage of 2009 was a strong vintage across Europe. Generally, the Nebbiolo are ripe, high in alcohol with varying degrees of balance. For Nebbiolo d’Alba and Langhe Nebbiolo, the hot conditions seemed to favour some parts of the region over others. The wines from La Morra had the best balance between rich fruit and tannin, while Serralunga d’Alba seemed a little too rich with not enough tannin at this early stage. As Jancis Robinson recently said, “Wine tasting is not a spectator sport,” and even though technically the hot vintage conditions should be good for Serralunga d’Alba, some wines verged on over-opulent, which is fine if they are drunk in next couple of years.

The 2008 vintage benefitted from a long summer. The fruit is not as rich as 2009. The Nebbiolo Langhe and Nebbiolo d’Alba are ready to drink now.

Overall 2008 is more consistent than 2009, and while 2007 is often cited as a better vintage by popular press, there are some great wines in both 2008 and 2009. By a margin, 2008 is more consistent showing greater tension and restraint, which can be more interesting to some than the happy-go-lucky, sun-blessed fruit of 2007.

Some wines were obviously made as an after-thought to their main bread-winning wine (Barolo or Barbaresco), while others showed a level of care and attention that put it in the winning group expressing the region. In this group, Nebbiolo from near Nieve in Barbaresco showed a refinedness distinct from the softer Nebbiolo from the magnesium-rich soil and shallow hills of Roero. The powdery chalk in Cannubi can be tasted in the tannins of the Nebbiolo d’Alba made from there, which wrap around the luscious fruit like thin gauze.

Whether producers treat Nebbiolo as a second wine of Barolo or to treat it as its own style, this is the issue to resolve for the fog to clear.

* Asterixed wines stood out as exceptional at the tasting

2009 Nebbiolo Langhe and Nebbiolo d’Alba

2009 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Renato Ratti, La Morra Pale ruby colour with elegant rich fruit and clean chalky finish.

2009 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Giacosa Fratelli, Neive From the Barbaresco region, this has similar delicate colour to Barbaresco with beautiful rose perfume, good structure to the fruit tannins and slightly spicy finish.

2009 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Giacosa Bruno, Neive Pretty perfume, soft mouthfilling fruit, simple.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Cerrino, Trezzo Tinella * Six kilometres from Barbaresco. Nice bright ruby colour with cherry and raspberry fruit held in check by tannins. Simple, but my notes happily read – “A Joy!”

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Bricco Maiolica, Diano d’Alba Slightly heavier in style with rose colour very dry chalky finish. Very well-made wine with upfront fruit, which would suit new people to Langhe Nebbiolo.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Chionetti, Dogliani * Characteristic purple Dogliani colour with stewed plums and soft tannins.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Rosehip and iodine restrained with very strong acidity and perhaps still young at this stage from this quality producer.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Marchesi di Gresy, Barbaresco * Mouthfilling soft fruit, chalky tannins and pale rose colour, beautiful wine with deceptively simple elegance.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Cigliuti, Neive * Incense perfume on nose with good firm structure on the palate, pale pink rose with long aftertaste (retrogusto).

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Cascina delle Rose, Tre Stelle * Aged in steel, south of Barbaresco on top of hill of Tre Stelle, velvety fruit, cherry, taste of very fine chalk tannins.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Bataisolo Modern label and modern wine with rich fruit and very dry finish but not uncomfortably dry, either.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Marcarini, La Morra From the darker soil of La Morra, distinct iodine with savoury Merlot character. Light- to Medium-bodied but good balance between richness of fruit and tannins.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Elio Altare, La Morra Darker ‘La Morra” colour, richer and denser with mulberry and cherry fruit and clean tannic finish.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Osvaldo Viberti, La Morra Very rich fruit, slightly tomato ‘capresi” taste with a mineral-clean finish.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Brezza, Barolo Peach and wild fruit, with very elegant chalky finish. Beautiful label. Ready to drink now.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Cantina Mascarello Bartolo, Barolo * Still feels very young, excellent structure with long stewed fruit and an attack of fruit tannins on the tongue.

(Tasted again 26/5/11) Outstanding structure, very refined with wave of rich fruit over the palate with good bone structure. A long aging Langhe Nebbiolo and has the movement of a good Barolo. Distinctive.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Rinaldi, Barolo Deep purple in colour with a savoury (Merlot) taste coming through with a wave of fruit and velvet.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Elio Grasso, Monforte d’Alba * Incredible savoury cherry and toffee characters. My notes read: begs to be drunk with local agnioletti (lamb ravioli in butter).

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Domenico Clerico, Monforte d’Alba Taste of dry, unripe plums, simple but ok.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Gemma, Serralunga d’Alba Rich but elegant, baked fruit with vanilla sugar – darker glints, from the heat of the vintage in Serralunga d’Alba?

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Ettore Germano, Serralunga d’Alba Slightly paler than other wines from Serralunga d’Alba, with roundness and softness on palate and perfume.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Schiavenza, Serralunga d’Alba Overwhelmed by sweet fruit with not much structure but with good clean finish.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Guido Porro, Serralunga d’Alba Jammy fruit on the palate, not enough tannin to balance.

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Pira Luigi, Serrralunga d’Alba Stewed fruit, darker and fruitier with not enough structure expected from this area in a good vintage.

2008 Nebbiolo Langhe and Nebbiolo d’Alba

2008 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Cornarea, Canale * “Another joy”. Very soft, velvety mouthfeel with tobacco and cherry with great depth of fruit. Tannins there, but only tell-tale sign is as fine structure. (26/5/11) Plush mouthfeel with tannins making a last minute appearance after the flood of cherry fruit. Teeth drying finish.

2008 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Marco Porello, Canale A wave of soft fruit which doesn’t lead anywhere.

2008 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Matteo Correggia, Canale * Glossy colour with a lovely roundness on palate and “no attack” of tannins. High-definition perfumes of redcurrant, blueberry and good mineral core.

2008 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Bricco Maiolica, Diano d’Alba * Heavier, leather tobacco and earthy with not much primary cherry fruit character. Very distinctive, but drinkability? My notes read, “Interesting for a dinner party.”

2008 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Edoardo Sobrino, Diano d’Alba Weightier wine on the palate but with a disparate dry finish and edgy acidity.

2008 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Beppi Colla, Alba * Dark purple glints in the glass with voluptuous fruit and salty, black cherry jam. Was pointed out that this wine was, “Not aged in barrique”. Beautiful and distinct personality.

2008 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Ceretto, Alba * Elegant wine with taste of violets and cherry. Still very young but it has good structure to develop well.

2008 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Brezza, Barolo A heady combination of licorice and violets but quite rich and advanced. From between Barolo and Barbaresco. Good drinkability now.

2008 Langhe Nebbiolo, Negro Lorenzo, Monteu Roero Ready to drink now or next year with dark fruits, red flowers and lead pencil characters with fine tannins.

2008 Langhe Nebbiolo, Cascina Luisin, Barbaresco * Elegance epitomised. Harmonious characters of sour cherry with red fruit of forest and bright, mouth-watering acidity.

2008 Langhe Nebbiolo, Ca du Rabaja, Barbaresco Previously sold grapes to Proddutori del Barbaresco in Rabaja, one of the great areas. Perfectly balanced weight and cherry/violet fruit with clean tannins. Ready to drink.

2008 Langhe Nebbiolo, Piero Busso, Neive * Medium bodied with very fine tannins and a lovely clean line of purity of fruit and expression from perfume to palate.

2008 Langhe Nebbiolo, Gigi Bianco, Barbaresco * Only 2000 bottles made from this small producer, a perfect meshing of fruit and tannins. Beautiful clarity.

2008 Langhe Nebbiolo, Renato Fenocchio. Barbaresco Merlot very apparent in this wine, bordering on too funky – overshadows the Nebbiolo too much!

2008 Langhe Nebbiolo, Cascina Fontana, Perno * Raspberries and rose petals with a brooding richness and balanced by fine tannins. Perfect with fresh tomato and mozarella salad.

2008 Langhe Nebbiolo, Giacomo Conterno, Serralunga d’Alba Declassified Barolo, released after 2 years. Very fine tannins and a slightly cinnamon quality to the berry fruit. Slightly weighter style.

2007 Nebbiolo Langhe and Nebbiolo d’Alba

2007 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Brovia, Castiglione Falletto * Wild cherries and tar, this is a seriously good and pure Nebbiolo with depth of flavour that tastes like a baby Barolo.

2007 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Luciano Sandrone, Barolo Red ruby and clear colour. Dense and rich style with tobacco, blackberry and violets. Ready to drink now.

2007 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Eugenio Bocchino, La Morra Slightly cinnamon character with mouthfilling fresh blackberries and licorice with a long, notable finish.

2007 Langhe Nebbiolo, Vietti, Castiglione Falletto Ruby with brick highlights. Red fruits and violets with a velvety medium-bodied palate leading to a dry finish. As a fan of Vietti, not as impressed as I wanted to be.

2007 Langhe Nebbiolo, Massolino, Serralunga d’Alba Reminiscent of Barolo in style but with elegance rather than complexity it has a quiet perfume and violet, rose and raspberries. Easy to understand.

About the Langhe

Nebbiolo is very sensitive to varying micro-climatic conditions. This is why you may find Dolcetto taking up space on the lower slopes of top Barolo vineyards.

The Langhe is comparatively small at only 2000 square kilometres enclosed by the plains of Turin and Cuneo. The soil composition is influenced from when the Adriatic sea once covered the area and is a unique combination of iron, potassium, phospherous, copper, manganese and magnesium.

There are 11 townships in Barolo but there are five that are outstanding for Nebbiolo: La Morra, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba, Monteforte d’Alba.

The quality areas can be split up further between East and West.

To the West are the townships of La Morra, Barolo and Novello which are calcerous marl, in some parts so chalky to be almost as fine as baby powder. They are more compact, fresher and more fertile regions with wine that are softer, fruitier and rounder. La Morra has a distinct licorice character from the abundance of manganese and magnesium in soil.

To the East are Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba and Monforte d’Alba. The soils here are sandstone and quartziferous sand. Less fertile, the wines are more intense and structured with greater tannins with the ability to age longer.

Across the river from Alba is the Roero. Nebbiolo is indigenous to this area. The shallower hills and sandier soils lend themselves to a softer style. The wines become lighter and less complex as the soil becomes sandier the further north from Canale. The Manganese in the soil creates its own complexity, especially to the white wines from here.

What is the difference between Barolo, Barbaresco and Nebbiolo d’Alba?

Technically, Barolo has a minimum of 3 years aging, with 5 years for Riserva. Barbaresco has a minimum of 2 years; with 4 years for Riserva. Nebbiolo d’Alba requires one year of aging.

This exploration of Langhe – very nobly – culminated in this tasting at the Castle of Serralunga d’Alba in 2011 with a tasting of 50 great Nebbiolo in one place – a tasting organised by David Berry Green. 

ROLL CALL OF FAVOURITES:

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Cerrino, Trezzo Tinella

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Chionetti, Dogliani

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Marchesi di Gresy, Barbaresco

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Cigliuti, Neive

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Cascina delle Rose, Tre Stelle

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Cantina Mascarello Bartolo, Barolo

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, Elio Grasso, Monforte d’Alba

2008 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Cornarea, Canale

2008 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Matteo Correggia, Canale

2008 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Bricco Maiolica, Diano d’Alba

2008 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Beppi Colla, Alba

2008 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Ceretto, Alba

2008 Langhe Nebbiolo, Cascina Luisin, Barbaresco

2008 Langhe Nebbiolo, Piero Busso, Neive

2008 Langhe Nebbiolo, Gigi Bianco, Barbaresco

2008 Langhe Nebbiolo, Cascina Fontana, Perno

2007 Nebbiolo d’Alba, Brovia, Castiglione Falletto

Tasted April 2011, Nebbiolo Nobile in Serralunga d’Alba, Piemonte

Photo by Douglas Blyde

Image Aerei 1989 by Alihiero Boetti

“Umore Nero” Pinot Noir Oltrepò Pavese DOC Italy by Fugazza Castello di Luzzano

With a name like this (“umore nero” means black humour), you’d expect it to make light of its Pinot Noir clones from Burgundy, and sure enough, what you get is a deliciously dark and slightly disturbing rendition of a Beaune. Umore also happens to mean the juice from the grapes but there is nothing too funny here about the winemaking, it is fairly straight up: grown on limestone marl in Oltrepo Pavese at an altitude of 200-250 metres, this is a region in south-west Lombardy (just south of Milan), where when on the right soils, produces light mouth-watering reds but with a serious depth of macerated cherries and wild strawberries. It keeps developing in the bottle, and in the glass, making it more than a vinous one-liner.

A speech bubble? Everyone is a comedian. But Curb Your Enthusiasm, the only funny thing is it is almost impossible to find Oltrepo Pavese in the UK and most of it is drunk locally. As comedian Larry David would say, it’s pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty good. 5 pretty from me.

From Bottle Apostle £13.

100% Schioppettino is like hearing old Friuli on vinyl. Where digital music recordings on a computer contain only certain slices of sound at split-second intervals, then encoded into 1s and 0s, analog vinyl captures the full spectrum. There is a compression and translation when music is converted to digital. This traditional grape embraces with the warmth and depth of analog.

The ancient grape Schioppettino means “gunshot” and it can be heard loud and clear with the crackling of black pepper and a powerful core of spicy black fruit. It has the medium-bodied weight of a Pinot Noir but with the intensity of Northern Rhone. There is a swing back to traditional varieties recently in Friuli-Venezia Giuilia despite these grapes being more challenging to grow. French varieties are common in this region, and just as it is easier to download an MP3 than to go out and buy vinyl, it is worth attempting a 100% Schioppettino wine for the fullness in translation and to experience a traditional grape from Colli Orientali del Friuli. It is not perfect, but more importantly for hi-fidelity, it is Schioppettino without distortion. You can hear it.

Ermacora Schioppettino 2009

Image: Movie Poster High Fidelity

It was all a bit crazy on Tuesday night. Especially as it is the middle of Bordeaux (and 2011 Port) en primeurs. So I was up for an award from Fortnum & Mason for Online Drink Writer with Knackered Mother’s Wine Club (Helen McGinn, ex-Tesco) and Matt Walls (who won a special award for his book – Drink Me!). It was nice to be nominated and congratulations to Helen and Matt. All of us have a background in the wine trade, which I thought was quite interesting. At least I was in the right category – when originally asked to apply for the award it was for food writer! This is very funny when you know how I order at restaurants: wine chosen first and then the food has to work around it. And if doesn’t work around it, then I will stick to the bread.

Chatting afterwards with Financial Times’ John Stimpfig (nominated for Drink Writer Award) and his friends we got up the courage to speak to Mary Berry. A bit merry berry myself at this stage, somehow we got asking whether there were any links in the family to her. She was sad to say there were was no connection with us, alas. I guess we all wish she was related when we see her on television and surrounded by all that baking! One too many glasses of Fortnum’s Champagne, I asked if she was then related to wine merchants Berry Bros & Rudd. “I wish I was,” she laughed. Then, after discussing the possibility that the vats at Cheval Blanc are inspired by natural wine from Georgia with Julia Harding (“No!” said Julia, firmly) and after declaring my true feelings to Michel Roux Jr (“I love you!” I blurted out and then ran away), it was time to go home and have a nice cup of tea.

Photo of Claudia Winkleman presenting the awards

Tasting Gravonia on a cold Monday night while listening to the sneak preview of Daft Punk’s latest Access Random Memories album is like every 70s tropical sunset in the past but seeing it again projected in a fourth dimension. Both are what I can only describe as future-nostalgia. Lopez de Heredia’s wine are very old school Rioja, the one we long for… but have forgotten that is what we really want.

It is rolling and smooth – the texture is downright mellow – and touches you as gently as the orange air of a Bali sunset. The honeyed groove is like Nile Rodgers on the bass. Did I mention the texture? Oh yes? It rolls with a creaminess but then seems to REFRESH every 30 minutes. Defying time by becoming younger and younger. As NME says in the review for the album, there is a “wide-eyed sense of freedom… coursing through.”

An interesting fact I learned today is that the average age of the collaborators on the Daft Punk album is 45 years old with Giorgio Moroder (Midnight Express, Donna Summer), Nile Rodgers (bass for David Bowie, Madonna, everyone) and Paul Williams (David Bowie, The Muppets Movie (!), Bugsy Malone) joining the French robots. Access Random Memories reminds me of every great party in the past fifteen years rolled into one song but with a new fresh sound making me hope… for what? For more in the future. For the future itself? Maybe tonight. It certainly was a lucky combination to hear the first release of the album while tasting Gravonia 2003 – a wine I am sure aliens would like to take with them back to their galaxy as proof a great time CAN be spent on planet Earth.

Pharrell on working with Daft Punk:

This is what Bordeaux En Primeur week is like: it seems quite leisurely as we talk but it is really a quick yearly catch up on what has been happening since last time we met. This year CEO Thomas Duroux  stole us away from tasting Chateau Palmer to show us the new cellars. It is very interesting to hear how the yields must come down for organic viticulture, especially in Bordeaux – it is more humid down here than in Burgundy and needs constant labour-intensive (read: expensive) vigilance to keep away the mildew and pests so to keep the quality high.

From original post for 2012 Bordeaux En Primeur week on Bibendum Times.

2011 Concerto Jean Pierre Robinot

Masquerading as simply a light red from the Loire, on closer taste this is an entirely new wine, keeping the red wine tannins but swapping the fruit part with white characters: grapefruit pith, pomegranate seeds and campari orange. After an hour, the Pinot d’Aunis grape interrupts like a waiter with an oversized pepper grinder stopping the conversation. After this interruption it settles down again into a light-bodied red wine, and losing the funk, making the whole experience as unsettling to the senses as being lost in some South-East Asian market before the humidity rises and the fruits are unpacked in the cool early dawn.

Robert Parker would call his Anti-Pleasure Police, which is not such a bad thing, but I had myself reaching for my bookshelf. Jean Pierre Robinot could be said to be one of the founders of natural wine (along with Marcel Lapierre) so if you like wines made for modern air-heads this is not for you. However, if you are in to weird Loire grapes and intelligent winemaking this keeps you guessing the next move like a game of wine flavour chess.

Ps Pinot d’Aunis* is related to Chenin Blanc not Pinot Noir as expected

* Read comments below, these grape varieties really keep you on your toes – must be why I love them so.

This is from a great Wine Club mixed case from Robersons

Locked out of my house the night before I left for Bordeaux to taste en primeurs, I decided the best way to pass the time was to eat at my local Italian restaurant and read up on last year’s vintage conditions. I always wonder whether customers read vintage conditions. Are they only interesting to people who understand how a plant grows? The basic ideas: the sun increases sugar, too much rain causes mildew, different soil types can hold water to the roots differently – the same applies to any fruit, and grapes, after all, are a fruit. Perhaps if you listen to gardening programs on the radio this will be interesting. I am sure for a lot of people their eyes gloss over the vintage reports. If you can be bothered to read it then I recommend you do because it does unlock many mysteries of the wine.

It’s not all about the weather. This year it is also about the technology. The current taxation law in France encourages wineries to plough profits back into the infrastructure. After the big years of 2009 and 2010, this is quite evident in the number of cranes and scaffolds. And also the high technology adopted by many Chateaux.

Neal Martin makes an excellent and strong point in his introductory post on Bordeaux 2012 and notes this year, in particular, “optical sorting machines became part of the winery “furniture”. Instead of Sandrine sorting the grapes, there is a “dead eye” machine that scans for imperfections and removes the grapes. These are the same machines are used for other fruits, too. Again, grapes are a fruit. (I know I keep stating the obvious, but bear with me). It may be a first-growth fruit but it is still a fruit. The downside is that the grapes that remain post-machine are perfectly alike. And I have to say, my impressions of some wines that were very good was that they were also somewhat the same.

“I remain opposed to their introduction,” Neal states unequivocally (in bold).

The problem with perfection

If anyone has pushed the quality, and style, of Bordeaux over the decades it has been Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. So I can imagine the Chateaux owners throwing their hands up to the sky when they read Neal’s post, “Alors! What do you want from us? You, TWA, put us in a 100-point score system. Push us away from the rustic style and then criticize us for trying to be as perfect as we possibly can be.”

It is a tricky high-wire act for Neal to criticize the Chateaux attempts at perfection. Even though he has different scores than Robert Parker, he does use the same SAT High School style 100 point system. And despite many winemakers despising it, many also have a perfectionist streak – and perfectionists tend to have the neurotic need to compare themselves with others. So, in fact it must drive them mad on many levels. As the author of Pomerol – the most Burgundian commune of Bordeaux – perhaps Neal’s idea of perfection is closer to the hands-on approach found in Burgundy.

Now, I am not a perfectionist. As anyone who reads this blog will know I will often press ‘publish’ a little bit before I should because the moment feels right – real perfectionists become stuck. It is a blog, rolling over time, not a magazine with a team of editors. I always prefer truthful emotions rather than punctuation. The ink drips on the Zen calligraphy show the particular moment never again to be repeated. I would rather read @crimershow stories on twitter than a dry technical wine note that only makes me want to buy a fruit salad for lunch rather than have a night with my friends.

So I agree with Neal and feel uncomfortable about optical sorting machines and what they are doing to the idea of “vintage.” They say Bordeaux can “blend away” a vintage, but this is something else. I would prefer Sandrine to the dead eye machines. I prefer Le Crock to Troplong Mondot; Chasse Spleen to a modern Cos d’Estournel. These are real wines I could drink every damn day of the week. Even in the so-called “bad” vintages.

1945, 1961… 2012?

Back to the Italian restaurant I was sitting in, with a very flirtatious waiter I have to say*, and the story of the vintage conditions.

Weather is widely seen as A Problem in 2012. I do not envy the winemaker one bit: even in London, I remember all that rain last Summer. But it made me think, if 2012 was not perfect, then what does perfection look like in a vintage? So I looked up the vintage conditions for two great vintages of the twentieth century to see if I could find a skeleton key: 1945 and 1961.

What are the differences between these great vintages and 2012? Both have harvests in the middle of a perfectly dry September. In 2012, most of the Left Bank had a later harvest in a wet October. In a perfect vintage, the rain seems to have come at exactly when it was needed. In 2012, the rain came exactly when it was not needed. In 1945 August had perfect cold nights and hot days. I haven’t tasted both vintages at the same time but I am going to put all my chips on 1945 just looking at the weather conditions. Although the croupier may still rake in my chips. The weather can help with the average odds but it can not ever predict the freak lightening bolts like 1961 Palmer or 1945 Mouton.

There are some lightening bolts in 2012, too. And then there are plenty of impotent sheet lightening wines in all vintages – perhaps even in 1945 and 1961 at some level. Those vintages did not have the benefit of today’s technology and viticultural knowledge. One winemaker told me in Bordeaux that wines before 1995 have quite a different character for this reason.

All that is certain is that nature has its own score. We want great bottles of wine to drench us like a walk in an electrical storm as we hide under a steel umbrella. We can vainly guess what wines they will be in the future, but who really knows when they will strike us to our heart. Technology may simulate this but I hope our hearts do not become hardened by these little shocks of perfection when the lucky strike comes along.

* Yes, friends who work in restaurants will be embarrassed by this anecdote. There is nothing more annoying than customer service mistaken for anything else – I do know better. But still, is it wrong to hope against hope he may have thought I was a travelling genius with a notepad and a bowl of pasta. No chance. But it did brighten up my evening between starters and a main. I also enjoyed a very nice glass of Planeta La Segreta.

Image Emiliano Ponzi