ON THE ROAD WITH A MASTER

On The Road...

Notes from the world of wine, with Andrew Caillard MW

Explore Shorty's Champagne range

CHAMPAGNE

48.9169° N, 4.1514° E

A visit to the pretty village of Hautvilliers, where Dom Pérignon is buried, is a romantic introduction to Champagne. The village, nestled on the edge of a forest, looks down on the various plots of vineyards towards the River Marne. Many of the Champagne houses around Reims have magnifcent underground drives where Champagne is left to mature. Some of these chalk cellars date back to Roman times. Many of the Champagne houses ofer visits but my favourites are Charles Heidsieck (Reims), Bollinger (Ay) and Joseph Perrier (Chalons). Reims, Épernay, Aÿ and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger are great destinations. The fascinating Musée de la Reddition (surrender) is where the armistice was signed in 1945 concluding the war in Europe. Champagne was in the fring line of both 1st and 2nd world wars. Notre Dame de Reims cathedral, which took 64 years to build (1211-1275), has remained a resilient symbol of civilisation. Although severely damaged by bombardment in 1914, restoration work was completed in 1938 with the addition of Marc Chagall’s stained glass windows in 1974. Musée de Beaux Arts in Reims is a lovely art gallery with an impressive collection of paintings by Camille Corot and many other works by celebrated artists including Auguste Renoir, Pierre Bonnard, Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin etc. The Brasserie Le Jardin Les Crayeres set in beautiful parkland in Reims is a great place for lunch or dinner.

CENTRAL OTAGO

44.9566° S, 169.3988° E

Flying into Queenstown in Central Otago is one of the most exhilarating experiences as the aircraft’s wings almost touch the sides of the mountains on fnal approach. The spectacular rugged landscape and beautiful lakes set the scene for a great holiday getaway. Winter sports, especially skiing and snowboarding, or summer trekking, mountain biking or rafting can be combined with visits to the many wineries and restaurants in the area. The biodynamic Rippon Vineyard on Lake Wanaka is often described as the most beautiful vineyard in the world. You could include a side trip to the nearby Warbirds and Wheels Museum (which includes a Canberra jet my father few in the 1950s!). Most of the key wineries including Felton Road, Mount Difculty, Akarua, Valli (Kinross cellar door), Chard Farm, Mount Edward and Amisfeld welcome visitors. But actor Sam Neill’s quirky and fun Two Paddocks winery, including its free ranging pigs, will only welcome cellar club members.

Explore Shorty's Central Otago wines

I love the history of the Rioja region. A few years ago, I wrote a book, 'A Travel Through Time', about the region’s oldest winery Marques de Riscal (1858) and centred the story around an historic vertical tasting of wines from 1862 to recent times. I have never tasted so many 19th Century wines in one day. The 19th Century facades, labyrinthine cellars, state-of-the-art winemaking, templelike barrel maturation and the sublime modern architecture of Frank Gehry are marvellous. Marques de Murietta, also

established 1858, has also gone through a superb detailed restoration. The Reserva wines from both these estates are wonderful and probably the best value fne red wines in the world. The remarkable museum of wine culture at Bodegas Vivanco is also a must visit. The collection of artefacts, artworks, implements, machinery and displays combine the history, art. science and culture of wine into an extraordinary immersive experience. The corkscrew collection is amazing.

RIOJA 42.2871° N, 2.5396° W

Mendoza is Argentina’s wine capital and produces around 70% of the country’s wine production. It is most famous for the Bordeaux grape variety malbec which was brought out during the 1850s. The wines are simply fabulous with amazing density, generosity of fruit and vigour. Mendoza’s Achaval Ferrer, Altos Los Hormigas, Trapiche, Catena Zapata, Decero, Kaiken, Lagarde, Ricitelli, Rutini, Santa Julia and Santa Paula all produce

exemplary expressions of the variety. The region is dotted with amazing winery architecture and remnants of late 19th early 20th Century visions – some of which are still in working order. South America’s most famous chef Francis Mallmann’s 1884 Restaurant is situated in an old 19th Century winery on the outskirts of Mendoza at Godoy Cruz. His signature open-bbq cuisine ofers the very best of Argentinian fare in a superb relaxed garden setting.

MENDOZA 32.8895° S, 68.8458° W

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PROVENCE

44.0145° N, 6.2116° E

The biodynamic Chateau La Coste is the most exciting and progressive wine estate in Provence. Combining wine, food, art, architecture and hospitality, the property is a paradise for wine and art lovers from all-walks-of-life. The gravity-fed winery, designed by the great French architect Jean Nouvel, comprises a marvellous underground cellar. A sculpture park representing many of the world’s greatest modern and contemporary sculptors (Tadao Ando, Louise Bourgeois, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Sean Scully and Alexander Calder), surrounds the vineyard. The estate has a wonderful luxury hotel, several restaurants for every budget and planned accommodation for backpackers. The stylish rosé wines, based on grenache, syrah, cinsault

and cabernet sauvignon are at the cutting edge of the Provençal aesthetic. They are modern, expressive, minerally and lovely refreshing styles. Chateau La Coste might not have the celebrity of Miraval or Whispering Angel, but it’s a wine project of great beauty, imagination and generosity of spirit. A must visit!

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BAROLO

44.9566° S, 169.3988° E

Barolo is one of the most magical wine regions of the world with a unique wine and food culture. Within driving distance of Milan and in the shadow of the Italian Alps the dramatic topography of sweeping vineyard plots, ancient villages and hairpin roads is inspirational. It is here that Nebbiolo and La Dolca Vita reaches its glorious zenith. There are 11 communes in the region including Barolo, Castiglione Falleto, Serralunga d’Alba and La Morra each has its own distinct

personality. Trattoria della Posta at Sant’ Anna near Monforte d’Alba, made more famous by the 2014 flm The Trip to Italy with Rob Brydan and Steve Coogan, is a truly wonderful place for traditional Piedmontese cuisine. The wine list is quite amazing. Roberto Voerzio, Vietti, Ceretto and Aldo Conterno are my favourite producers but I have a special soft spot for Michele Chiarlo who makes some of the best value wines of the region.

Explore Shorty's Prosecco wines

PROSECCO

45.9013° N, 11.9959° E

Prosecco, a grape variety as well as an Italian DOC or DOCG, is famously associated with the sparkling wines of the Veneto and Friuil Venezia Giulia wine regions of North East Italy. These styles are fun, relatively inexpensive and a great alternative to champagne. They also capture the relaxed, noisy and efervescent Italian lifestyle. Venice is really the gateway to Prosecco. While it can be very touristy during the height of summer, it is a great place to walk for hours along the narrow streets and canals. My favourite place is the Guggenheim museum of modern art on the Grand Canal. Verona – where vinitaly takes place – is a chaotic but charming ancient city with a wonderful Roman Amphitheatre. Santa Margherita at Villanova Santa Margherita (Venezia) and Zonin at Gambellara (Vincenza), which both produce beautiful proseccos are wonderful places to visit. They ofer really interesting guided tours of their wineries and informative tastings.

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