THE WINE MERCHANT. An independent magazine for independent retailers
Issue 131, January 2024
Dog of the month: Pip The Wine Box, Torquay
A quarter of independent merchants are in London Despite rising rents and some demographic changes, figures show the capital remains the trade’s centre of gravity
L
ondon’s dominant position in the specialist wine trade has been
underlined by the latest figures for
independent merchants in the UK.
Almost a quarter of all specialist indie
wine shops are based in the capital,
according to data compiled by The Wine Merchant.
The number stands at 241, out of a UK-
wide figure of 1,013 stores, representing 23.8% of the total.
Those stores are run by 150 businesses,
representing a 19.5% share of the UK-wide total of 770.
The figures show that, while the past
decade has seen some huge growth for
independent wine merchants , in major conurbations as well as market towns
across the country, the centre of gravity remains in the capital.
This is despite rising rents and some
demographic changes that mean that some previously buoyant London businesses have struggled for footfall.
Casualties in 2023 included Connaught
Cellars in central London and Last Drop
Wines in Fulham, both of which found it
The new branch of The Good Wine Shop in St Margarets, south west London
hard to attract the level of local custom
which opened its fourth branch at the end
independents, running 20 branches.
in London as existing operators have
London.
London’s figure of one wine shop for every
they had enjoyed before Covid.
But there has been a flurry of openings
expanded their businesses and others
have entered the market for the first time. A recent example is The Good Wine Shop,
of last year when it took on the former
Oddbins store in St Margarets, south west Manchester, a city which has seen
a boom in its wine scene over the
past decade, now has 15 specialist
This equates to one wine shop for every 140,000 Mancunians, compared to 37,000 residents.
• Read more about The Good Wine Shop's latest branch opening on page 6.
Inside this month 4 comings & Goings Plenty of expansion still going on for established indie merchants
13 bright ideas How much would your customers pay to taste Screaming Eagle?
17 the burning question The injuries that wine merchants have sustained in the line of duty
22 david williams The wine trade’s traditions aren’t always what they seem to be
28 argentinian elections Why did wine regions vote for a chainsaw-toting populist?
GRAHAM HOLTER Editorial Our survey is our most important project of the year. Can you spare us 15 minutes?
E
very year since The Wine Merchant launched in 2012, we’ve run a
turnover and margins. It’s hugely helpful
purpose of the exercise is to take the pulse
wants to. Again, all information of this sort
reader survey. It should really be
called an industry survey, because the of the independent wine trade.
It’s that time of year again and everyone
who subscribes to our email updates will have received their link by now.
If you’ve missed it, visit the website at
winemerchantmag.com and you’ll find it there.
Once again, our partner in this year’s
30 merchant profile A trip to Bristol to meet natural wine purveyor Native Vine
survey is Hatch Mansfield, which has
been kind enough to offer five Coravins as incentives. Five randomly-selected respondents will each receive one.
Our survey is our most important
36 wines under £15 Suppliers present some compelling offers for indies
47 focus on australia Exploring a country that’s yet to achieve its true potential in the UK
71 Q&A: SAM LINTER The WineGB and Plumpton Wine College boss tells it like it is
There are some questions about
project of the year. It gives us a snapshot of how the independent trade is performing, how merchants are feeling about the
challenges of the year ahead, and what
they are likely to be doing to meet those
if you respond to these parts of the survey, but we understand that not everybody
is treated in the strictest confidence and never shared.
We process all the data from the survey
and report on our findings in the March
and April editions of The Wine Merchant.
The coverage is always very well received, presenting, as it does, the most in-depth
analysis of our corner of the UK wine trade. It takes about 15 minutes to take part. So
we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who can spare that time to tell us something
about their independent wine business.
With your help, we can continue to make sure our reporting and our events are as
relevant and helpful to our readers as they can be.
Footnote: Although, as mentioned, it’s
challenges.
not really a “reader” survey, there is one
to express an opinion in your own words.
We’re not fishing for compliments: we
confidential.
and have acted on many in previous years.
Many of the questions are simple,
question we always ask which is “what can
If we’re allowed to quote you, you can
genuinely want to know what improvements
multiple-choice items. Others invite you
we do to make The Wine Merchant better?”
simply opt in. Otherwise we assume it’s all
you’d like to see. We read every suggestion,
THE WINE MERCHANT MAGAZINE winemerchantmag.com 01323 871836 X/Instagram: @WineMerchantMag Unit 45a Newhaven Enterprise Centre, Denton Island, Newhaven, East Sussex BN9 9BA Editor and Publisher: Graham Holter graham@winemerchantmag.com Assistant Editor: Claire Harries claire@winemerchantmag.com Advertising: Sarah Hunnisett sarah@winemerchantmag.com Accounts: Naomi Young naomi@winemerchantmag.com The Wine Merchant is circulated to the owners of the UK’s 1,013 specialist independent wine shops. Printed in Sussex by East Print. © Graham Holter Ltd 2024 Registered in England: No 6441762 VAT 943 8771 82
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 2
Walker & Wodehouse ad supplied separately
Boundaries are broadened Simon and James Hawkins at Hawkins Bros Fine English Wines now have a pub as well as a second shop and, if things go according to plan, a new media career. The brothers bought The Cricketers in
James and I going to vineyards and chatting
Company, in 2020.
been a lot of fun.”
Bridport.
to people. It’s being pitched at the moment. If it comes off it will be great, but if not, it’s
Far from trivial pursuits in Dorset
Steep, Hampshire, in February last year,
Dorchester hybrid Morrish & Banham
Hospitality is not new to Simon. “It’s
The move came two months after
The group includes The Pursuit of
Hoppiness, an ale and wine house in
The relaunched Pursuit of Poppiness
sells the complete range from Bride Valley, along with other locally-produced wine, beer and cider.
• After spending the past nine years in a
gave it a full refurb and relaunched it in
relaunched in mid-November as a bar
converted grain store in the heart of the East
May.
called The Pursuit of Poppiness.
Sussex countryside, The Wine Merchant
something I’ve always done,” he says. “I just
founder Mark Banham and business
Newhaven Enterprise Centre, Denton Island,
had a hiatus of nine years while James and
really it’s my natural habitat. It’s just lovely
partner Alasdair Warren bought the Bride founded by the late Steven Spurrier.
extinguished the twin hazards of flooded
Warren, founder of the Electric Pub
as “exaggerated”.
I set up and managed Hawkins Bros, but
talking to people and making sure they’re all right.”
The brothers have been producing
and selling their own wine, along with a selection of wines from over 40 English
magazine has relocated to Unit 45a, Newhaven BN9 9BA. Assistant editor Claire
Valley Vineyard, the Dorset wine estate
Harries welcomed the move, which she said
2015 and went into partnership with
Editor Graham Holter described the claims
Banham set up Morrish & Banham in
roads and a spider-infested toilet block.
vineyards, from their shop in Milford,
Surrey, since 2016, and last November
saw the opening of their second shop, in Petersfield.
“I thought we needed to expand,” says
Simon. “I live in Petersfield and I know the demand for wine there.
“We’ve been doing various events there
over the years, things like festivals, and there’s a really good following for our wines.
“It felt like natural progression when this
space came up in a lovely little street full of artisan shops. It’s right next door to a
lovely new restaurant and it’s on the street that runs from the station down into the town, so there’s lots of footfall.”
In addition to the Hawkins Bros label,
which includes its flagship sparkling, still
rosé, Bacchus and Pinot Noir, all made with grapes from Essex, James and Simon also own Vincancan, an online canned wine shop.
“We’re working on a TV series as well,”
Simon adds. “We were working with an independent production company to
produce a series on English wines with
Simon and James Hawkins now run two wine shops and a pub
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 4
Two new stores, more on the way
butcher and the bakery, on a high street
Growth continues apace for French
wine. Over here … I think it’s worked very
with lots of passing trade, ideally near
where you can park and load your car with well so far.
retailer Cavavin with the number of
“We let the franchisee choose and we
franchises across the UK expected to
go and visit them. Then somebody else
reach 15 within two years.
in France does the market research on
the place itself to make sure that there’s
Currently there are branches in Sheffield,
enough footfall, look at the demographic
Hertford, Glasgow, Newcastle, Brixton
and Epsom, the latter two opening last
August and October respectively. By spring this year, there will be two more in as yet undisclosed locations, but Chichester has
Cavavin’s Epsom branch opened in October
been mentioned as a likely spot for one of
the products, including Champagnes, are
reports UK managing director Patrick
for the French market.
them.
“Brixton has been doing very well,”
Jouan, whose own branch is in Sheffield.
“Our shops have about 50% French wines, and 50% the rest of the world. Most of
exclusive to the buying group, and are not
available anywhere else – usually reserved “The market is different between France
and the UK,” Jouan continues. “In France, the shop locations are often next to the
and everything else.”
Founded in 1985 with a shop in La
Baule, Cavavin moved to a franchise model in 1996 and now has a network of over
150 franchisees across France and other
countries including Belgium, Switzerland, Guyana and Morocco.
“I think there’s 15 planned for Ireland,”
says Jouan, “and then in the UK, I would
say the idea would be to have 15 maximum in the next two years.”
TOP SELECTION AD
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 5
Head and heart behind expansion The Good Wine Shop opened its fifth store at the end of October in the former Oddbins site in St Margarets, south west London. Owner Mark Wrigglesworth says he’s
had his eye on this particular prize for several years.
“I probably wouldn’t have chosen to
open a new shop at the moment, and I
suspect there are a number of others in the industry who might have said the same,” he adds.
“It’s pretty tough out there at the
moment, but you can’t choose when these opportunities come your way.
“It’s very much a strategic move but
there’s an element of my heart in it as well, having lived in St Margarets for 30-plus years, and the business having started there.”
Working in his original store back in
2004, Wrigglesworth noted that Oddbins
had the superior location, being nearer the centre of St Margarets and just 50 metres or so from the train station.
He explains: “Back then I knew it was
one of the best performing Oddbins stores in London. So yeah, there was always just that kind of envy and I was thinking ‘one
day I’m going to get my hands on it’. Finally it’s happened!
“From a logistics and a personnel point
of view, it’s very easy for people to move between or work at individual stores.
The newly refurbished Blas ar Fwyd
for the entire estate.
He didn’t get the keys until October,
sessions with the Welsh government and
didn’t have time for a refurb,” he says. “I
behalf. And we’ve held meetings like the
which left him little time to turn it around. “If we wanted the Christmas trade, we
decided to do a kind of sticking plaster; fix the things that were really bad. My team
were amazing. The place was a mess. We
cleared out all the junk, got the electricity
and lights sorted out, gave the outside a lick of paint, put new tills in and filled it with
stock. Ten days keys-to-opening isn’t bad.”
Blas ar Fwyd in Llanrwst, Snowdonia,
has reopened its wine shop after almost four years of extensive renovations
or three miles. That gives us quite a lot of
Deiniol ap Dafydd and his team have been
agreed back in July, the pressure was
original, and now much-improved, shop
through this affluent section of south west
following flood damage.
brand strength.”
able to run the business from their nearby
Although purchase of the site was
on as Wrigglesworth was aware that,
with administrators offloading Oddbins’
remaining sites, there was potential for a
bigger company to swoop in and do a deal
some Welsh food and drink wholesale
suppliers so that we can wholesale on their North Wales Fine Food & Drink Cluster. “We’ve already held two tastings for
about 80 or 90 people and the next one
sold out within a couple of hours, so this
space is seriously useful and the welcome back that the community has given is so positive.”
Once work started on the 200-year-old
it was discovered that there were Flooding in, but in building, barely any foundations. “There was just a a much better way thin layer of concrete on some river stone,”
We’ve got a line right down the river
London, and now we have a shop every two
“We’ve been able to hold meet-the-buyer
Since the village was hit by storm Ciara,
premises. But they say the return to the
has been a boost for the local community.
“It’s reopened with a bang,” says Deiniol.
“There’s just a fantastic space for people to enjoy browsing and for events.
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 6
Deiniol explains. “We had to take out a
metre and a half in depth throughout the 200 square metre space.
“Previously we had a wine shop next
door to our original delicatessen and our sales office was in the back. Now
we’ve built new offices and rehoused the delicatessen next door to the kitchens.
“Over the road now, we’ve a business
with a café bar, and the delicatessen and the kitchens all housed together, which
works really well. The whole space on this side of the road is now turned over to one major wine shop with about 2,000 lines.”
Join us in 2024! 24 May - 2 June: Welsh Wine Week 15 - 23 June: English Wine Week June/July: WineGB Awards July: One Day Wine School 4 September: WineGB Trade Tasting For more information visit www.winegb.co.uk or contact julia@winegb.co.uk
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 7
DAVID PERRY
but ignoring human contact in favour of the internet. Despite every wine having
a few words on the shelf label and either myself or my daughter, Alice, being on hand to offer experienced advice and
knowledge, there are some people who
Irregular Thoughts The Vivino generation may have had enough of experts. But I haven’t
T
I was. Evidently I didn’t exist until I’d been
breakfast when we had B&B guests.
by his going on to ask what dreadful
here was a time when I accidentally
owned a pub (on paper anyway). As I had the shop I didn’t have much to
do with it other than occasionally cooking
On one of these occasions our sole guest
was someone I recognised as having been
at school with me, albeit in the year below. When I served his breakfast I introduced myself but he held up a hand to stop me.
He then did a web search and told me who
verified by Google.
It was possibly the twattiest thing I’d
ever experienced. Surpassed, perhaps,
life choices I’d made to end up cooking
breakfast in some godforsaken pub in the
middle of nowhere. I really hope I beat him up when we were at school.
A similar thing occurs quite frequently in
the shop. Not questioning my life choices,
have to Google it first or it doesn’t exist. I
find it infuriating. I stand there wanting to shout, “Hello! I’m just here. Talk to me!” But I just stare and seethe instead.
There was one memorable occasion
when an “entitled” young lady totally ignored me while ringing her father
frequently. “Yah, yah, it’s me Roobs again Pops. Can you look up Peconio. Yah, yah. OK. Thanks Pops”.
I knew that, at the time, we were the only
shop in the UK stocking Peconio because Dario from Vineyards Direct had bought some in on a pallet from Arezzo for me.
So I asked, out of curiosity, which website “Pops” had been looking at.
“Oh, apparently it was one called
Shaftesbury Wines.” You do know you are
in Shaftesbury Wines, don’t you? And those words you got your dad to look up and
read out to you – you do realise they were written by me, don’t you? I also wanted to ask her why she couldn’t look it up on her phone rather than pestering “Pops”, but I let that one go.
A
nd then there is Vivino. I have to
make an intervention if someone
whips out their mobile and starts
looking up one of my wines on that app in front of me. My enquiry is, at first,
seemingly innocent. “Oh, is that Vivino you are using? Is my wine actually on there? Any good reviews? Anyone reviewing it
who isn’t an absolute moron? Why don’t you just ask me instead?”
OK, I get what the platform is trying to
do. On some levels it gets people interested in wine and talking about wine. It is then monetised by having “partners” who
can flog you wine. Anyone who wants a
vox pop to help their decision-making is evidently suspicious that I’ll tell them a pack of lies – which I find insulting.
The problem I have with the app is that
the reviews are written by amateurs. Yessir, I’ve tasted 156 wines in my life and this one sure beats them all
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 8
Some consider themselves experts and are probably quite proud of their reviews. I’m
sure some may actually be knowledgeable about wine. I know this sounds snobbish
and elitist, but why would anyone choose the opinion of an enthusiastic drinker
over that of someone who has spent their working life studying and selling wine?
If you are not convinced then I invite you
to visit the site and read any of the 1,000+ five-star reviews of Gallo White Zinfandel. 3.5/5. (8,042 reviews). Sweet and light,
has a bright fruity flavor. Delicious, probably my favorite wine to date. Will buy again. (2008 vintage). This, presumably American, reviewer
has taken the time to give their opinion
on 156 wines and this is their favourite … so far. Evidently 2008 was a special year for Gallo White Zinfandel. For balance, I
scoured the one-star reviews and found one which states Too dry for me. What? It’s sugar water. Who buys this wine
and, having bought it, decides the world deserves to know their opinion, good or bad? You bought Gallo White Zinfandel.
Your life choices are already questionable. Do you wear a MAGA baseball cap? Surely
Evidently 2008 was a special year for Gallo White Zinfandel. But one review says “too dry” it’s something you would want to remain a heavily guarded secret. And that is why Vivino is ridiculous.
If you are still not convinced, take a
look at Mouton-Rothschild’s reviews. 833
one-star appraisals from people who have bought a very old vintage at auction and
have been surprised and disappointed that
it was shot to hell. 39,000 five-star reviews, mainly from people showing off. Great
value for money at £3,000. Honestly, do we need the subjective opinions of drinkers instead of, or as well as, the considered, objective reports of the experts?
For most £15 to £20 wines the reviews
are mixed. Some love them, some hate
them. That’s the issue. In most cases they are not assessing whether the wine is a
good example of its type, but rather are
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 9
stating whether it was to their taste, which
is of absolutely no use to anyone other than the person writing. That may have been
the original idea of Vivino: somewhere to
dump your wine notes as an aide memoire. A notebook does the same job. When you grow up you can burn the notebook but
your review of a sugary-sweet, confected, grape-based alcopop will be out there for ever. The internet never forgets.
I may have been a bit harsh on Vivino
because there are any number of “winechoosing apps” which offer the same
pointless service – “your own personal sommelier” – but Vivino is the big one. And that’s another thing. Isn’t a
sommelier a wine waiter? Do people use these apps in smart restaurants as well
as irritating their local wine shop? I can’t imagine that going down well.
The other day someone asked, as I
appeared to know a bit about wine, if that made me a sommelier. I explained that I
had never worked in a restaurant. Well, if you don’t count cooking breakfast in the pub.
TRIED & TESTED
Domaine Madeloc Serral Rouge Collioure 2020
Château Lapuyade Jurançon Sec 2022
At Hallgarten’s recent Roussillon tasting this silky GSM
The organic Petit Manseng grapes on this small estate
contributes to the texture but definitely doesn’t weigh it
much sunshine as the winemaker dares to allow. You
blend was served slightly cool, which accentuated its
red-fruit freshness. The 15 months in used oak certainly down. Winemaker Elise Gaillard has produced a lovely wine in a vintage that was anything but. RRP: £18.18
are given as much time on the vine as possible, and
fermented (in old barrels) when they have absorbed as
might worry about a lack of acidity, but this is actually a beautifully balanced wine, honeyed as well as earthy. RRP: £16.50
ABV: 14%
ABV: 14.5%
Vindependents (020 3488 4548)
Hallgarten & Novum Wines (01582 722538) hnwines.co.uk
vindependents.co.uk
Louis de Grenelle Platine Crémant de Loire Brut NV
Château de la Terrière Vin Sauvage à Poil Régnié 2020
Crémant continues to offer some of the best value in
The plot that’s dedicated to this thoroughly enjoyable
richness, this is the crowd-pleaser you probably
is healthy and highly prized, and is vinified with
Beaujolais dates back to 1911 and, not surprisingly,
the sparkling wine market. If you’re looking for fizz
yields are pretty low. But the fruit that does emerge
with some lemony vivacity, peachy depth and leesy
bunches intact and no added sulphites. Enjoy the
need. More proof that budget-end bubbly doesn’t
violets, herbs, black pepper and cool freshness.
need to be bland and boring. RRP: £17.99
RRP: £19.30
ABV: 12%
ABV: 13.5%
Hatch Mansfield (01344 871800)
North South Wines (020 3871 9210) northsouthwines.co.uk
hatchmansfield.com
Kelly Washington Chardonnay 2020
London Cru Pinot Noir 2022
New Zealand Chardonnay is becoming impressively
that some Pinot lovers will find delightful and others
There’s a lightness of touch to the winemaking here
consistent, and possibly has more fans in the
will think is rather underpowered. These are the
independent trade than Kiwi Sauvignon. This
Marlborough example has plenty of stone, oak and
fire and is built to last, but the delicate fruit and floral notes are just as integral to the project. RRP: £34.50
ABV: 13%
Jeroboams (020 7288 8888)
perils of working with such an opinion-splitting variety – though in this case 80% of the juice is
actually Pinot Précoce. It’s brambly, it’s bracing, it’s unmistakably British, working to its own template. RRP: £25
ABV: 11.5%
Lanchester Wines (01207 521234)
jeroboams.co.uk
lanchesterwines.co.uk
Bemberg Estate La Linterna La Consulta Malbec 2015
Champagne Ployez-Jacquemart Extra Quality Brut NV
Daniel Pi’s mission is to express the different terroirs
This family-run Champagne house prides itself on
and fragrant wines, which this certainly is, but it’s also
this Meunier-dominated blend, which spends up to
of Mendoza through the medium of Malbec. La
Consulta is rocky and dry and it tends to yield elegant
dense and grippy, and with a ruggedness that sits well with a roast dinner on yet another rainy Sunday. RRP: £77.99
ABV: 14.5%
Top Selection (0845 410 3255) topselection.co.uk
maintaining traditions dating back to its foundation
in the 1930s. But you don’t sense any complacency in five years on its lees and emerges with an immensely satisfying combination of freshness and richness. RRP: £34.49
ABV: 12%
Cachet Wine (01482 638877) cachetwine.co.uk
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 10
Business France VIN ad supplied separately
Rising Stars
Emily Bone Old Chapel Cellars, Truro
L
ouisa Fitzpatrick and Jamie Tonkin of Old Chapel Cellars took on three people via the government’s Kickstart scheme, which for a while provided funding to employers to create jobs for 16 to 24-yearolds. “They were all very different,” says Louisa. “It was more about offering some career coaching and, in one case, just helping to write a CV, but Emily stood out: she was a total dream. Just two months into the six-month parttime agreement, we offered her a full-time job because we could see not only how diligent and skilled she was, but how willing she was to learn.” Once a shy and not overly confident design graduate, three years on Emily is the company’s digital marketing manager. She has achieved a great deal in that time, including a complete rebrand, the creation of a new website, the tightening-up of the SEO and a new till system for the shop, all while “breezing through” her WSET Levels 1 and 2. “She’s a hard worker, and very conscientious,” says Louisa, “so we were wondering how we would replace her when she took time out to go travelling. When we first offered Emily a permanent position she had asked if her travel plans would affect our decision, but we’ve done our travelling and we know how important it is for wine knowledge, confidence and people skills, so we said ‘no, you absolutely have to go’. “We lined Meg [Stephens] up as her replacement and she was totally adept at retail and customer service with a really good background in social media. They worked together for three weeks, and they got on so well, to the point that Meg was sad when Emily left. “Jamie and I saw that, beyond all the rebrand and design work she’d executed, Emily excelled in planning, writing newsletters, running the website etc, but wasn’t so keen on the social media and events side of things, and that’s where Meg comes in. Jamie and I could see that there was room for them both in the business should Emily want to come back after her trip of a lifetime. They both have a brilliant approach and attitude and diligence that gets tasks done.” Emily now has responsibility for all things design and digital, which complements Meg’s skill set as marketing manager. Louisa says having a strong team frees up both
herself and Jamie to look at the bigger picture. Emily says it was the chance to take on a rebranding project that drew her to Old Chapel Cellars. “I studied interior design,” she says, “and I when I finished university I was a bit unsure of what I wanted to do, but I knew I really enjoyed the more technical side of design, so I was really pleased to hear at the interview that would be part of the job. “I was quite excited to have that opportunity to rebrand a business in real life and there weren’t many restrictions. Louisa and Jamie were open about it all and quite happy for me to take the lead, so it was the perfect job. It included designing the new wine list and implementing the new logo and branding across the business: exterior and interior signage, aprons, stationery and all that good stuff. “My travels took me to New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Bali. It was amazing, but I really was hoping that when I got home, there’d be a place for me back at Old Chapel.” Emily wins a bottle of Las Estelas Grand Vin 2019 courtesy of Ucopia Wines If you’d like to nominate a Rising Star, email claire@winemerchantmag.com
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 12
i g h t i d e a s three years in the future r b 51: Cult wine tasting Kasia Konys Dunell’s, Jersey
In a nutshell: A Taste in Time is an
What kind of people have signed up so
at a formal tasting in 2027.
bought Screaming Eagle in the past. We
far for the event?
opportunity for customers to purchase a
portion of Screaming Eagle, to be enjoyed
“So far they are customers who have
Tell us more.
demographic and the wines we can hold.
are comfortable here in Jersey with our
“Not everyone can justify buying some of
We have customers who invest in wine and
the world’s top wines. Their scarcity is
either they have their own cellar or we
such that they can be difficult to procure
store their wines for them. But we do see
and many of these wines will take years to mature, by which time the temptation to sell will probably outweigh the desire to
open a bottle, let alone break into a case.
We invested in a few vintages of Screaming Eagle and obviously they’re not ready yet,
so we’d like to share the moment and taste the bottles we’ve put aside when they are
people who are very young and would like something when they don’t have to think
‘what’s going to be happening in five years’ time?’”
There are a few Christmases between
just reaching their drinking window. We
now and then, so perhaps someone will
to sell on the day. We’ll be tasting four
as a gift idea. Especially nowadays, after
have secured stock of all the wines for the
get a portion as a present?
wines from Screaming Eagle: The Flight
the pandemic, people rethink the way they
tasting and all the vintages will be available
“Exactly. We pushed them pre-Christmas
2014 and 2019 as well as Screaming Eagle
buy gifts for their loved ones and, rather
2019 and 2020.”
How much are the tickets?
about new things to do with our regular customers to keep things exciting and
unusual. This is a big commitment, but if it works out, we will run similar tastings in the future.”
than a physical gift, experiences are really popular.”
portions for the tasting to be able to go
arrangements to mark the occasion?
advertising it last spring. This is the first
price. Once all the tickets are sold we will
ahead, as that covers the cost. We have
“We have put aside a bottle of Krug 2002,
time we’ve tried selling tickets for an event
organise a date that’s suitable for everyone.
already sold half of those. We started
so far into the future. I normally prefer
year, or for a few months ahead. I think
tastings like this. We’re always thinking
Have you made any additional
“£1,195 each. We will need to sell eight
to organise something for the following
to experiment and who would enjoy iconic
people are more comfortable to invest in
a glass of which is included in the ticket
We might invite the local newspaper but really it’s an event for our customers to
enjoy an experience rather than make a big hoo-hah about it.”
Kasia wins a WBC gift box containing some premium drinks and a box of chocolates. Tell us about a bright idea that’s worked for you and you too could win a prize. Email claire@winemerchantmag.com
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 13
Independent merchants sell the best wines in the country. If yours are among them, make sure they're tasted by our judges in The Wine Merchant Top 100.
CORKAGE IT'S REALLY NOT THAT COMPLICATED. BUT FEEL FREE TO ASK STAFF TO EXPLAIN IT. AGAIN.
Email claire@winemerchantmag.com
NOT YOU AGAIN!
ISSUED BY THE WINE MARKETING BOARD
customers we could do without
53. Janet Felchmore As explained, we’ve got 80 people arriving in the memorial hall at 7.30pm so if your man can deliver the wine by say half four that would be ideal … I saw you do free glass hire, so maybe 300 wine glasses, do you think? Well if 200 is your absolute limit I suppose we’ll just have to take that risk … hmm, when you say “return them clean” I can’t guarantee we’ll have enough volunteers for washingup duty at midnight after a long evening of general knowledge quizzing but we’ll see what we can do, I guess …
Supplier of wine boxes and literature • 12 Bottle carrier box with dividers • 6 Bottle carrier box with dividers • 12 Bottle mailing box with dividers • 6 Bottle mailing box with dividers • 4 Bottle mailing box with dividers • 3 Bottle mailing box with dividers • 1 Bottle mailing box with dividers
01323 728338 • sales@eastprint.co.uk • www.eastprint.co.uk
are you saying it’s our job to count any breakages, because surely your team on the night will keep tabs on anything
QUIZ TIME
like that … you know, as they’re pouring the wine and disposing of the empties etcetera … what do you mean, no staff included in the fee – not even for a Rotary Club fundraiser … I see … well in that case perhaps you would be so kind as to donate a prize as a goodwill gesture … thank you … yes, that looks nice, Drappier Champagne, I’ve heard of that … a case of those would be perfect …
1. In which year did the original version of Oddbins begin trading: 1963, 1966 or 1969? 2. Which wine critic has a Saturday column in The Guardian? 3. What is the main grape variety grown at Château Ausone? 4. Which European wine region recently introduced the Unitá Geographiche Aggiuntive (UGA) denomination? 5. What was Saddam Hussein’s favourite wine? Answers on page 57
THE THE WINE WINE MERCHANT MERCHANT January october 2021 2024 14
R E A D E R S U R V E Y 2 0 2 4
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BITS & BOBS
Favourite Things
Magpie
EU wines now need to list ingredients All wines within the EU are now required to feature labelling outlining ingredients and nutritional values. Manufacturers can either print the
information on the label, or use an
electronic means, such as a QR code.
The new labels will include details such
as the PDO, alcoholic strength, indication
of provenance, bottler’s name, producer’s
and Cinsault, Carignan and Morrastel
as secondary varieties, and requiring a minimum of one year of ageing. Decanter, December 14
Bordeaux Cellars boss faces charges
Wine Therapy, Cowes
name, or vendor’s name. Other information
defrauded fine wine investors out of
Favourite wine on my list
list of ingredients, and substances causing December 8
fraud conspiracy, wire fraud and money
Nichola Roe
I’ve just added Lía, a pét nat by Nivarius, to our range. It’s an absolutely delicious sparkling rosado which will make you smile even when the weather is so dire.
will include sugar content for sparkling
A British man has been charged
allergies or intolerances.
almost $100m.
wine categories, a nutrition declaration, a European Supermarket Magazine,
a scheme perpetrated through Bordeaux Cellars, a company that he operated.
Burton was extradited to the Eastern
I accidentally discovered that a gem in our range, 20,000 Leguas organic amber wine, is spot on with quite a spicy dahl dish I make sometimes. It’s a really interesting, dry wine which is slightly oxidative in style and balances with the dish perfectly.
District of New York from Morocco where he was arrested in 2022 after entering the country using a false Zimbabwean passport. His co-defendant, James
Wellesley, 56, remains in extradition
Favourite wine trip
Favourite wine trade person
Mark Isham from Richmond Wine Agencies is a top, top bloke who is always responsive and proactive. He’s everything you’d want from an account manager.
Favourite wine shop
We don’t know any other indies as such on the island, but we like what they’ve done at The Terrace in Ventnor in their wine room.
Stephen Burton, 58, is charged with wire
laundering conspiracy in connection with
Favourite wine and food match
I’m afraid I can’t decide between Burgundy or Champagne because both were magnificent. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Champagne are all my favourites.
with running a Ponzi scheme which
Vines in the Grés de Montpellier appellation
Subregion goes it alone in Languedoc Grés de Montpellier has become the newest Languedoc appellation
proceedings in the UK.
If convicted, both men face up to 20
years in prison.
The Independent, December 17
Novel expands with Croatia deal
following 20 years as a complementary
Novel Wines in Bath is set to acquire
geographic denomination under the
Croatian Fine Wines as it grows its
Languedoc AC.
wholesale operation and looks to supply
It will allow producers to label their
wines as Grés de Montpellier from the
its range to a national audience. Founder Ben Franks, who is stepping
2024 vintage, dropping the preceding
down as Novel Wines’ CEO, said: “We have
red wines only, made from Syrah, Grenache
business under the Novel Wines banner.”
“Languedoc” nomenclature.
The new appellation is designated for
and Mourvèdre as principal varieties
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 16
worked with Croatian Fine Wines for many years and it is very exciting to bring the Bath Echo, December 14
Chapel Down to AIM higher
?
THE BURNING QUESTION
What injuries have you picked up in the line of duty?
�
I injured myself quite badly lifting boxes, which still causes me pain in damp weather. We had taken in an order which was piling up at the door. I reached for a box too quickly, resulting in a badly torn shoulder. After two days the burning pain kicked in and a trip to the GP gave me two options: to have it operated on, or to let it work itself through. I took the second, because time away from the team would have been hard. Sometimes we think we are more flexible than we are.
Chapel Down has been admitted to London’s AIM market as it searches for new investors to back its plan to double in size between 2021 and 2026. “We believe that a move to AIM will
attract a wider pool of investors to
participate in Chapel Down’s growth,” said chief executive Andrew Carter.
In September, Chapel Down reported
a 21% rise in revenues to £8.4m in the
first half of the year and a 27% increase in operating profit to £685,000. The
company said growth had been driven
by better brand awareness thanks to its
sponsorships of events including racing at Ascot and a partnership with the England & Wales Cricket Board.
Financial Times, December 7
John Hodges The Vineyard, Dorking
�
Most of us know all about limits of storage space and having to use every nook and cranny. I’m 6 foot 4 inches tall, and some of the storage spaces are not, so it’s no surprise that I’ve had my fair share of blunt-force trauma to my head! I recently got laid out by a door frame when carrying two very large and fragile jugs. In the archetypal comedy cartoon style I ended up seeing stars, but the jugs survived. It was another lesson in slowing down when you’re working in restricted spaces.
”
Paul Auty Ake & Humphris, Harrogate
AI can sniff out the wine fraudsters
�
My injury happened on a work trip to Vinitaly. After a long day of tasting, I was kindly taken out for dinner at the expense of a producer that I use, and my ankle. It was an indulgent evening and the end of the night saw a bit of what should have been harmless horseplay. My colleague playfully punched me, I fondly kicked him, but misjudged it and ended up going over. The next day I had to get through three train stations and two airports with no crutches on a broken ankle – a memorable ‘trip’ for many reasons.
AI may soon have a part to play in combatting wine fraud. Scientists have trained an algorithm to trace wine to its origins based on chemical analyses. Alexandre Pouget and his colleagues at
”
the University of Geneva used machine learning to distinguish wines based on
subtle differences in the concentrations of scores of compounds, allowing them to track the wines back not only to a
particular vine-growing region, but to the estate where the wine was made.
A host of factors, from the grapes
and the soil to the microclimate and
the winemaking process, influence the
concentrations of compounds found in the wines at each château. While the
programme traced wines back to the
correct château with 99% accuracy, it struggled to distinguish vintages.
”
Adrian Shield H Champagne winner H Elodie’s, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria
�
We have an accident book which thankfully doesn’t contain anything extreme. The injuries range from Carol cutting herself on some secateurs pruning the pots outside, to the usual ‘Shane needing a plaster from a glass cut’ and the numerous splinter jobs from opening boxes. I remember a customer who, whilst opening a waxtop bottle, thankfully at home, put the corkscrew straight through his hand and bled all the way to Moreton-in-Marsh A&E. The lesson here being ‘don’t chip away, go straight in through the top’. Shane Slater Sheldon’s Wine Cellars, Stratford-on-Avon
”
Champagne Gosset The oldest wine house in Champagne: Äy 1584
The Guardian, December 4
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 17
DUNCAN MCLEAN
armchairs, and two empty bottles reclined in the log basket.
“Just in time,” said one of the guests,
waving at the empty glasses in front of
them. “We’ve finished the good stuff, and
Magnus was off to see if he could rustle up
Northabout The Wineman cometh, and there are chilling tales to be told over some Shiraz
D
seafaring ancestor.
where I was going – the frost glinted in the
in the bay windows of the front room, but
eliveries can be a challenge at this time of year. Last week, frosty weather brought ice to roads
and pavements, but at least I could see
moonlight. Now we’re back to the more typical rain, wind and darkness. House
names are obscured in the mirk, spectacles become mini windscreens without wipers,
and I have to walk like a matchstick man in
an LS Lowry painting, leaning into the wind at 45 degrees to save from being blown off my feet.
The reason I’m delivering in the dark
is that it’s dark all the time. The sun rises around 9am and sets at 3pm, but if it’s
cloudy (and it usually is) there’s barely any
daylight inbetween. The sun may be just 90 million miles away from Orkney, but it feels further.
My final delivery of the night was to
the Captain’s House, a Victorian villa on a hillside overlooking the fishing port
of Stromness. Our customer isn’t a sea
captain, in fact he’s a retired geography
teacher, but the house runs in his family, and so does its nickname, honouring his
I knocked on the door. No response.
There was probably a bell somewhere, but it was too dark to find: there were lights
none over the door. I knocked again, felt a rivulet of rainwater dripping icily under my collar, then gave up and went in.
Doors are usually left unlocked, at least
when there’s anyone home. When feeling antisocial I take advantage of this by
silently dumping the delivery inside the
door then tiptoeing away before anyone insists on conversation. It didn’t work
this time. As I bent to set down the case of six, an internal door opened, letting
laughter and a burble of voices escape, and throwing a blade of light across me.
Captain Geography stopped in his tracks,
opened the porch door, and beamed at me. “Wineman! We were just talking
about you.” He turned to call back into the lounge: “Lads, fresh supplies!” A cheer
went up from within, and he beckoned me and his order inside.
A fire was blazing in the grate, two
friends of the Captain were reclining in
some cooking sherry.”
“O for a beaker full of the warm South,”
said the other guest, “with beaded bubbles winking at the brim!” I recognised him now: he was a retired teacher too, of English.
“Well,” I said, “I do have a nice bottle of
Barossa Shiraz in here. I don’t think Keats was thinking about South Australia, but still …”
“The very thing,” cried Captain
Geography. “Do your level best with the
screwcap, Wineman, and top us up. Robbie here was just recounting a remarkable
experience on his fishing trip to Iceland.” Robbie leant forward in his chair and
fixed his audience – now including me, it seemed – with a slightly bloodshot
eye. “We’d had a good night’s fishing and had retreated to the hut at the edge of
the frozen fjord to warm up and refresh
ourselves. We dealt a hand of cards to pass the time and were just starting to sip our Brennivín. All very jolly, till suddenly –
BAM BAM BAM, ‘Get out of the shed!’ and flashlights shining through the window.” I poured generous slugs of Peter
Lehmann’s finest into the three waiting
wine glasses. No fourth glass had appeared. “So who was it?” I asked.
“It was the police, plain clothes,” said
Robbie. “Apparently a polar bear was on
the rampage nearby, and we were told to get in our pickup and drive back to town
without a moment’s delay. He had a taste for fish, it seemed.”
“And fishermen,” said the English teacher. “And Brennivín, actually,” said Robbie.
“When we went back next afternoon to
collect our gear, the bottle was empty. And our sandwiches were gone.”
Soon the Peter Lehmann was empty too.
And soon I was gone: out of the realm of fire and ice and back in the land of dark, driving rain.
Duncan McLean is proprietor of Kirkness & Gorie, Kirkwall
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 18
PORTFOLIO TASTING Monday 5th February 2024 Riverside Room, IET Savoy Place, London WC2R 0BL 10.30 - 20.00
35 winemakers & 250 wines
Introducing: Elizabeth Spencer Wines
Latest wines from: Egon Muller, Duckhorn, Penfolds, Szepsy and more...
Masterclasses: Weingut Tement & Charles Krug Winery with Peter Mondavi jnr.
Register at: events@topselection.co.uk Registration essential. Trade & Press Only.
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 19
I
t’s tempting to think of the south of France in terms of its sheer scale. It is, famously, a vast vineyard landscape. But appearances can be deceptive. Sitting within Languedoc-Roussillon is IGP Pays d’Oc, characterised by small, typically family-owned producers, either working independently or as part of one of the region’s thriving co-operative cellars. These producers have a palette of 58 grape varieties to work with, which means there is no shortage of surprises to be found among the range of IGP Pays d’Oc wines on the market, even if many are made in tiny quantities. Some of these were unearthed by Peter McCombie MW, to help a group of invited independents get a fresh perspective on an endlessly interesting region.
Southern sens
Peter McCombie MW leads an IGP Pays d’Oc masterclass at London’s G r independent merchants, highlighting wines made from lesser-known gr the diversity of an exciting and dynamic region where producers love to
Cellier des Demoiselles, Bourboulenc 2022 (Seeking UK distribution) Peter is keen to show us what Bourboulenc can achieve in the Pays d’Oc. This example is only 11% abv but displays the “slightly savoury, slightly minerally, flinty, smoky character that we’re supposed to get”, he argues. “I really like the texture,” he adds. “There’s a little crunch to it; a nice freshness. It’s surprisingly long, I think.” James Brown of Brixham Wine Loft draws comparisons with Vinho Verde, but says this has “more flavour” than many wines from that region. Kat Stead of Brigitte Bordeaux in Nottingham adds: “It reminds me of a good Muscadet. I like the fact that it’s light in alcohol. You could drink it in the garden in the summer or have it with seafood.” cellierdesdemoiselles.com Campaucels, Crécerellete 2021 (Seeking UK distribution) This Rolle, Colombard and Muscat blend is one of many organic wines in the line-up. Peter is an avowed Rolle fan. “It can be fragrant and it can be mineral,” he says. “I really like the texture of this. I think the Rolle has a lot to do with it. A little bit of orange peel, maybe. There’s definitely something slightly phenolic – enough to make it interesting without being coarse.” For some, the wine doesn’t reveal its full charm on first sip. But we’re encouraged to pour
it back and forth between glasses, and suddenly it opens up. “Often southern French wine varieties can do with a bit of aeration,” Peter says. domaine-campaucels.com Les Jamelles, Roussanne 2022 (Seeking UK distribution) As in the Rhône, Roussanne is often blended, but Peter is keen to show us what it can do as a solo act. “You can get notes of apple and tea, maybe verbena,” he says. “It has quite good acidity so it can age. It has a tendency to ripen late, which actually becomes a virtue in the Languedoc. There’s
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 20
that slightly elusive perfume of apple skin, maybe floral spice. As a variety it’s often quite medicinal.” Julia Jenkins of Flagship Wines in St Albans enjoys the wine’s “soft, honeyed note”. les-jamelles.com Famille Fabre, Grande Courtade Alvarinho 2022 (Third Floor Wines) “I thought it would be really interesting to see how this variety performs in the Languedoc,” says Peter. “It’s a broader, riper style, definitely, with some lemon and flowers. There’s definitely a tang to it.”
sations Picture: Drinkinmoderation
roucho Club for a group of rapes which he hopes will illustrate o experiment
the Pyrenees is made entirely with Cabernet Franc. “Cabernet Franc is supposed to have red fruit aromas and a little hint of leafiness,” Peter says. “And for me leafiness, or herbaciousness, is the right kind of greenness. It’s not under-ripe; it’s less ripe.” Marcus Dickinson enjoys the “subtle spicy element”, adding that the wine is “quite refreshing on the finish”. Peter agrees. “For me it’s not especially fruity, which is a positive. It’s drier and leaner, and there’s a backbone to it. It could handle some spicy food.” domaine-girard.eu Les Collines du Bourdic, Simple Comme Un Bon Rouge 2022 (Seeking UK distribution) An 11.5% blend of Niellucio (Sangiovese), Cinsault and Syrah. “There’s a brightness to the fruit,” says Peter. “It’s slightly peppery; it’s super-drinkable and fresh. The tannins are really high quality, but not massive. I think it’s delicious.” Julia Jenkins says: “It’s very well balanced for a lower-alcohol wine, with lovely fruit.” Marcus Dickinson describes it as a “summer red” with some suggestion of rhubarb. Kent Barker of Eight Stony Street in Somerset adds: “Economically it’s very viable. A couple of glasses of that with a pizza … happy days.” collines-du-bourdic.com
There are differing opinions about whether the style fits into the template that UK consumers expect. For James Dickinson of Mill Hill Wines in London, this organic wine is “lighter and fresher than Spanish or Portuguese examples”. At around £15 RRP, Charlotte Dean of Wined Up Here in London thinks it’s great value. famillefabre.com Domaine Girard, Garriguette Rosé 2022 (Yapp Bros) This saignée rosé from the foothills of
Mus, Malbec 2022 (Made in Little France) “I couldn’t resist doing Malbec,” Peter says. “For me this smells French. I don’t think it smells new world. But I think it also smells like Malbec, so to me that’s quite exciting.” James Brown of Brixham Wine Loft says: “It doesn’t taste like it’s from the Loire. It definitely tastes sun-kissed.” Peter adds: “It’s a little bit chunky; there’s blue and black fruit perfume. One of the things that works with Malbec is that floral edge and there’s an element of that here. It’s a bit sturdy, but it’s not coarse, and not overripe, either. I think they’ve done a really good job of taking something that’s familiar and giving it a sense of belonging.” chateau-mus.com
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 21
Domaine Les Yeuses, Ô d’Yeuses Rouge 2020 (South Downs Cellars) Cabernet Franc is joined in the blend by Marselan, a variety that Peter finds intriguing. “It’s a crossing between Cabernet Sauvignon and Garnacha,” he reminds us. “It’s disease-resistant and actually quite high quality. “40% of this one has been aged in new oak – and I think it’s a brilliant use of oak. It’s not the first thing you notice.” Kent Barker agrees: “I think this is excellent. It’s really intelligent winemaking. They’ve done it very well.” alexanderkrossa.com/fr-fr/nos-vins Domaine Richardelle de Lautrec, Robert Nature 2020 (Superba London Wines) This organic wine is made from Caladoc. It’s a crossing of Garnacha and Malbec which is usefully resistant to coulure, and can yield full-bodied and tannic reds, as well as fruity rosés, Peter points out. Our tasters detect a certain degree of funkiness on the aroma, which Peter suggests is probably reduction, and indeed the dark fruit reveals itself with some gentle aeration. It’s perhaps a rough diamond, but Peter says there’s a lot to love here. “It’s a bit rustic: it’s not sophisticated, but it’s got a nice bite to it. It’s supposed to be a tannic variety, but I think the acidity is almost leading the structure.” languedoc-vin-bio.com
Sponsored feature paysdoc-wines.com
JUST WILLIAMS
Tradition isn’t always what we think it is The Wine Society celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. It’s a good time to acknowledge that, despite some ingrained preconceptions, very little in the world of wine stays the same as the decades glide past. David Williams has been learning a little history
S
trolling down St James’s Street
late last year, I was reminded, as I
often am in this smartest of London
addresses, of the power and romance of tradition.
This, after all, is the spiritual home of
the long-running boutique specialist shop. And whether it’s Lock & Co (the oldest hat shop in the world), James J Fox (the oldest cigar shop in the world), Truefitt & Hill
(the oldest barber shop in the world), or
finally, there on the corner with Pall Mall, Berry Bros & Rudd (Britain’s oldest wine and spirit merchant), it’s hard not to get
swept up in dreamy thoughts about how
you could, if you had the time and money, get a haircut in the same place as Charles Dickens, or buy a bottle of port from the
same merchant as Lord Byron or William Pitt the Younger.
I’m not alone in feeling this sense of
wonder. On the day I was there, a group
of American tourists was posing outside
Berry’s, taking selfies in front of the sign that reminds visitors that the company
has been trading since the 17th century.
Naturally, my instinct as I passed by was
to feel a surge of soft pride in my country’s
rich history, a kindly but rather patronising
attitude towards a people who, we always
assume, just don’t have that sort of history back home.
Googling later that evening, I soon
discovered there’s not much to support
this sort of condescension. Back in 2020,
the United States’ oldest still-extant wine merchant, Acker Wines, formerly Acker Merrall & Condit, celebrated 200 years
since setting up shop in New York City. Not quite a match for Berry’s (established in
1698) or its old rival on the other side of St James’s Street, Justerini & Brooks (1748),
but older than another storied store on the street, the bootmaker John Lobb (which
started on nearby Regent Street in 1866). And older, too, than another of the UK’s most august wine retailers, The Wine
Buyers hadn’t expected to see “Primitivo” as the only named Italian table wine on offer to Society members around the turn of the 20th century THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 22
Society, which this year is celebrating its
150th birthday after forming in the wake of a series of International Exhibitions at the Royal Albert Hall in 1874.
It was a Society briefing about its plans
for marking its landmark anniversary that had in fact brought me to St James’s in the
first place. I had been invited to join buyers Pierre Mansour and Matthew Horsley for the tasting and chat at 67 Pall Mall, the
relatively new London wine trade nerve centre and meeting place, which is just across the road from Berry Bros.
Mansour, Horsley and the rest of the
Society’s buying team have been preparing for years for this moment, combing
through the mutual’s impressively detailed archives, and negotiating with its longestrunning suppliers, to come up with a
selection of limited-edition anniversary wines which will be released in batches
throughout the year, as well as a series of dinners, tastings and other events.
The wines they showed were – as ever
with a company that I know provokes
mixed feelings for indie merchants – well
worth my tasting time, and you’ll no doubt be hearing more about them from me and
my wine-writing peers as the year goes by.
both of which were, as expected, present and correct on the Society’s early lists
– offering the most food for thought for lovers, like me, of vinous tradition.
In both the Mosel and Rioja, there is a
tendency to describe a certain style of wine as “traditional” or “classic”, and, in doing
so, to tacitly or explicitly cast wines made
using different methods as unconscionably “modern” and, therefore, inauthentic.
In the Mosel, it’s off-dry, medium and
other sweeter styles (from Kabinett to
TBA) that are sometimes presented as the true representatives of the historic Mosel way, with dry styles being the modern, new-wave fad.
In Rioja the “traditionalists” are all
about long ageing in American oak, while the “modernists” prefer French oak and somewhat shorter ageing times.
A
s Mansour and Horsley found out, however, late 19th-century Rioja wines – the earliest iterations of
the Bordeaux-inspired Rioja “tradition” – were in fact made using French oak,
with American only arriving as a more
affordable option once the French wine industry began to recover, and reclaim
orders for French oak, post-phylloxera.
Similarly, in the Mosel, records show that wines were largely dry until some years
All the best cellars have a dress code
But what was perhaps most intriguing
Society’s buyers and Puglian suppliers –
and Horsley as they presented the wines
offer to Society members around the turn
about the meeting were the nuggets of
historical information shared by Mansour – a history lesson that proved instructive
about the romance of tradition, while at the same time challenging a number of cosy
and common assumptions about the past couple of centuries of wine history.
While it was no surprise, for example,
to learn that the Society’s early wine lists were dominated by claret, hock and page after page of port and sherry, I – and the
certainly hadn’t expected to see “Primitivo” as the only named Italian table wine on of the 20th century. The presence of a
white wine from Bucelas near Lisbon and
of an unfortified Portuguese red is equally
surprising, even if it is explained by the fact that the Society’s origin story is based on
the discovery of a lost parcel of Portuguese wine in the depths of the Royal Albert Hall. Then there are the questions of style,
with two classic European wine names –
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 23
into the 20th century.
Such ironies don’t lessen the
romance and power of tradition – the
simultaneously dizzying and reassuring
feeling of continuity and consistency that comes with dealing with products and businesses with a long history.
But they do offer a reminder of an
important fact. Just as the sound of electric clippers now buzzes through the door at Truefitt & Hill and the digital ping of the
card machine has replaced the analogue
brrriiing of the cash machine at Berry Bros & Rudd, so no wine region is exactly the
same as it was 150 years ago. No matter how small or incremental, it’s only by evolving that tradition stays alive.
L
ike all Burgundy lovers, Xavier Badinand, estate director at the leading Côte
Chalonnaise-based producer Maison Chanzy,
is very much looking forward to the release of the region’s latest vintage. After all, as he explains,
Chanzy has been on an upward trajectory for several years. Its 2022 releases are a perfect illustration of what this progressive Burgundy house is capable of producing
the 2022 vintage, when high quality was finally
matched by ample quantity, “is where we had our smile again”.
In truth, Badinand and the team at Chanzy have
had plenty to smile about for some time now, with the maison having reached new heights during a
dynamic decade under new enlightened ownership – a feeling of rapid progress which even the low volumes of 2019, 2020, and (especially) 2021 couldn’t dispel.
Established in 1928 and given its current name
under the leadership of Daniel Chanzy in 1974, Maison Chanzy was already a highly respected
producer in Burgundy when the Olma Group, an
alliance of wine-loving investors with experience in premium food and drink, bought the maison and its holdings in 2013.
The new team wasted no time in building on the
solid foundations they acquired, buying up new
vineyards (the total holdings have since more than doubled to 80ha, including 66ha of planted vines), and adding an extra level of precision in vinegrowing and winemaking.
a special vintage for
Things took a further step forward during the
2020 vintage, when the talented and experienced winemaker Max Blondelle was lured to Maison
Chanzy from Domaine Chanson, leading to what
Badinand calls “a new stage of quality”, with new
single-vineyard bottlings launched and the wines becoming “much more precise”.
Blondelle and his team now have a magnificent
array of vineyards to work with, spread across an
enormous range of soils and expositions and taking in 38 appellations, including four Grands Crus and
13 Premiers Crus, and five “clos”, two of which form part of the monopole Chanzy vineyard.
“Aligoté is a wonderful grape variety with the potential to make an energised, fresh, sensitive wine” Max Blondelle
A
s all Burgundy-philes will know, the Côte
Chalonnaise has, like Maison Chanzy, been
on a pronounced upwards trajectory in the
past couple of decades.
“Cote Chalonnaise is a very exciting area,”
Badinand says. “Work has been done, and more
and more people realise that work has been done.
There is great excitement, and great terroir. The area is very different from the Côte d’Or: the landscape, the vineyards which are much more spread out, the range of altitudes and different exposures.” Despite the reputational gains, however,
according to Blondelle the region still has the
This enviable collection takes in top sites in the
capacity to “surprise with the quality, the different
Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. But the Chanzy
terroirs, and the results you can see in different
name is particularly strong in the Côte Chalonnaise,
types of wine – very, very interesting things.”
where it has significant holdings in the core
Chief among those “interesting things” is
appellations of Rully (17ha), Mercurey (13ha), and
Aligoté, a Bouzeron AOC and Chanzy speciality
the village where it is based and with which it is
with a reputation that has been transformed in
strongly associated, Bouzeron (16ha).
recent years, and for which the Chanzy team are
Furthermore, Chanzy is one of the few
compelling advocates. “Aligoté is a wonderful grape
Burgundy producers to achieve Haute Valeur
variety, with the potential to go against global
Environnementale Level 3 – the most highly
warming and make an energised, fresh, sensitive
regarded certification for sustainable agriculture in
wine,” says Blondelle.
France.
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 24
Three 2022 Maison Chanzy wines available en primeur Maison Chanzy Bouzeron Clos de la Fortune Monopole Aligoté 2022 RRP £29.99 Maison Chanzy’s flagship wine, Clos de la Fortune is a 100% Aligoté sourced from the eponymous 2.76ha walled vineyard with its south east exposition and limestone-dominated terroir of which Chanzy is the sole owner. A single cuvée harvested on a single day, part of the wine was vinified in barrels, 15% of which are new, the rest in stainless steel, “to bring a subtle, but not excessive, oaky touch”, according to Blondelle. Max Blondelle: “On the nose, it has a very elegant minerality, with a citrus touch: fruits and floral notes, a little flintiness, and subtle oak – a lot of complexity. On the palate, you can feel the ripeness of the fruits, but very well balanced with perfect acidity. You can age it for five to 10 years.”
Maison Chanzy Rully la Crée Blanc 2022 RRP £33.99
r a special maison “It’s very important, and it’s almost like a new
grape variety for Burgundy, because the old image that people used to have of Aligoté, particularly in France, has completely changed,” adds Badinand.
“More and more people are coming to Bouzeron to get this energy you can find in Aligoté, an energy
that is sometimes difficult to get from Chardonnay.
Mercurey Le Bois Cassien Rouge Monopole 2022 RRP £33.99
We have a special proposition.”
Indeed, Bouzeron is the only Burgundy village-
level AOC permitted to produce an Aligoté wine, and Chanzy is very much a quality leader in the
village, the proud possessor of arguably the finest Aligoté vineyard in Burgundy in the shape of the
east-facing monopole Clos de la Fortune, where the lean and shallow soils are dominated by limestone. As Chanzy export manager Loïc Cornuau says,
“2022 is a wonderful vintage for Aligoté, very ripe
Proving that the masters of Côte Chalonnaise Aligoté are no less adept with Burgundy’s most famous white grape, this Chardonnay is sourced from La Crée, a vineyard famed for its chalky terroir to the west of the village of Rully, just behind the famous Les Pucelles 1er cru. Maison Chanzy purchased its 1.74ha holding here in 2017, producing its first wine in 2019, since when it has lengthened the ageing in a mix of 228-litre barrels and stainless steel from 12 to 16 months. A wine that is a big favourite with Alliance customers for its “fantastic value”. Max Blondelle: “Very pure elegance, but with this specific vintage we also get the liveliness and intensity. We have two different Rullys at Maison Chanzy, this one is the more foodfriendly wine. You get that intensity of the floral aspect and a little bit of bitterness – a positive bitterness, something that we find a little bit more than in the past, because of the effect of global warming on the skin of the grapes. It adds something to balance the acidity. Great length.”
Published in association with Alliance Wine alliancewine.com 01505 506060
but very balanced, keeping the refreshing qualities, but with nothing overly acidic or disharmonious.” No wonder, then, that Alliance Wine has made
the Aligoté wines a significant part of the Chanzy
2022 en primeur offer – an offer that fully justifies the excitement that all Burgundy lovers feel about this very special vintage.
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 25
From a parcel at the highest altitude in Mercurey, this wholly-owned vineyard has very specific soil with a stony gravel similar to Châteauneuf-duPape, over an iron-oxide-rich subsoil that brings strength, power, depth, and longevity, which dovetails perfectly with the freshness brought by the altitude. Made, like all the Chanzy 2022 red wines, without whole-bunch, and with minimal pigeage, but with a lot of work on remontage, it was aged for 10 months in oak, and, according to Alliance’s Simone Williams, was “a standout among the Alliance team because it was immediately accessible. You don’t need to wait: it’s good to go now, which isn’t always the case in Burgundy.” Max Blondelle: “Nose of red fruit, cherry and strawberry with good acidity – this is very fresh due to the location, and quite long, with soft tannins. It’s a very elegant wine, and I think you can drink it very early or keep it three to five years.”
RIAZ SYED
there he uses a road haulage company
to bring everything over to the UK in a
single shipment. It makes sense because
the single trip is more cost effective than
multiple journeys. But of course, his first
Second Thoughts Direct importing has got more complicated, but there are benefits
W
hatever the economic
situation, there will always be a case for importing a
wine directly from source. Especially
if you’ve visited the winery in person,
there’s a connection to the winemaker, an understanding of who they are, and
first-hand knowledge of their methods
that effectively brings the customer closer to the wine. I’ve always loved being able
to tell a wine story when it’s a winery that I’ve visited.
But there’s a catch. There are a number
of obstacles when it comes to bringing that bottle back home as part of a commercial process.
Reecently I met with Ivo Varbanov, a
Bulgarian winemaker, married to an Italian concert pianist. Indeed Ivo is himself a
concert pianist. He is currently broadening his scope of activities to include a portfolio from Italy, in essence utilising the family connections beyond his homeland.
His EU hub is in Verona, and from
issue is getting everything to the central hub in the first place.
I am very keen to bring over a pet nat, a
natural sparkling wine from the Danube/ Thracian Lowlands that Ivo introduced
me to. I asked if he had stock in the UK. He paused. He smiled. I asked when I might
be able to get hold of some. Another pause. “Well, it’s hard to tell.” He explained that the wine was a very small production of just 1,000 bottles. Not enough to fill a
pallet, so he would be dependent on the number of orders across his range and,
in particular, orders from the Bulgarian
regions. If he gets the orders, then I can have my natural sparkling wine!
S
peaking to UK-based operators with retail outlets, the story takes on a new twist.
Marc Hough’s Cork of the North business
has two branches in the Greater Manchester area. Operating as a hybrid, it has an
impressive turnover. In a good week, they expect to shift a pallet of sparkling wine. Marc lists Brexit, Covid, fuel and duty
increases as additional factors that have
made importing straight from source more complicated.
However, Marc wants to keep his range of
wines fresh and was aiming for a portfolio change of 33% for the recent Christmas
season. He reasons that adding new wines is the best method to hold his customers’
attention and there is still a strong case for direct importing. Despite the additional pressures he highlights, he has been
looking at different areas of France that
are able to offer good value to those buying direct.
For Marc, France represents a lower risk
as UK consumers have a familiarity with
the wines, if not the regions. Having said that, he has found great success with an
unexpected country and grape, Uruguayan Tannat.
Marc likes to coin a phrase. He describes
the Tannat as “the pound shop Malbec”,
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 26
but it does share a similar profile to the
better known Argentinian varietals: it’s full-bodied, with a deep red colour, and
concentration of black fruit without being overly complex.
Bodega Garzón is located in the
Canelopes region just outside Montevideo. The grape came to Uruguay via Basque
communities leaving the Pyrenees. Some
will know Tannat if they have come across
wines from the Madiran appellation, or the black wine of Cahors, where it has been used as a blending grape.
Rather than set up a whole new
importing network, Marc sources Bodega Garzón through Liberty Wines. Originally
planting just the Tannat grape, the winery has since grown and added Albariño and
Viognier, plus the red varieties Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc.
W
hile Marc will continue to
import directly, the role of suppliers like Liberty will
likely grow in importance this year if the economic situation remains tough. This
viewpoint is echoed by Camilla Wood of The Somerset Wine Company in Castle
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Carey, who puts value on the role of suppliers and their flexibility.
“I have established relationships with
my suppliers,” she says. “I can set the price point and often they will find me a wine that meets my criteria.”
Camilla has imported directly but adds
that a pallet requires storage space as
well as the financial outlay involved in
transportation, storage and, of course, paying the winery. She envisages less
importing this year and more negotiations with existing suppliers to find the wines that she needs, at the price points that work for her customer base.
Marc reasons that adding new wines is the best method to hold his customers’ attention and there is still a strong case for direct importing
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 27
ARGENTINA HAS ELECTED A CHAINSAW-TOTING RIGHT-WING MAVERICK WITH IDEAS THAT MANY PEOPLE FIND ECONOMICALLY INCOHERENT, IF NOT PLAIN BIZARRE. YET THE WINE INDUSTRY DARES TO HOPE THAT LIFE UNDER JAVIER MILEI MAY BE LESS PAINFUL THAN WHAT IT'S ENDURED IN RECENT YEARS. BY GRAHAM HOLTER
A
rgentina’s new president is a chainsaw-wielding anarcho-
capitalist who reportedly consults
cloned dogs for economic advice. Yet
Javier Milei won a comfortable victory
in the November election, with support
from large sections of the country’s wine industry, despite promising economic
reforms that stand a fair chance of making
life even more difficult than it’s been under the Peronist regime.
Mendoza, which produces 70% of the
wine in Argentina, was more enthusiastic about the far-right maverick than almost any other region. Here, Milei took 71.1% of the vote, and he also enjoyed solid
endorsement from San Juan (60.6%), Neuquen (60.4%) and Salta (57.8%).
From an outside perspective – even
from a continent as prone to right-wing
populism as Europe – Milei’s victory looks like yet more evidence of a world gone mad. But there are solid reasons why
people in the wine industry were prepared to support him.
The first thing to consider is Argentina’s
almost crazily scary economic woes, with the peso tanking (and being traded at a range of exchange rates) and inflation
running rampant: 140% at the time of writing. But as Lee Evans of specialist
South America importer Condor Wines
explains, those aren’t the only problems.
“They had the terrible frost in November
2022, going into December, and that wiped away more than 30% of the crop in some areas, and in others it was 50%,” he says. Yet producers have still taken a hit on
their export prices, recognising that the
kind of inflationary increases they pass on at home would be impossible to achieve internationally.
“They hope for better things on
the horizon,” Evans adds. “And in the
meantime, they want to protect their
export markets. OK, in Argentina they’re changing pricing every week, every day. But they can’t do that in international markets.”
Laurie Webster runs another South
American specialist, Ucopia Wines.
“I’ve never, ever known a more stoic
nation when it comes to that ability to bite down on their lip and hold the prices as
much as they possibly can, in order not to
regime there and it’s obviously really, really
says.
and make a living, invoicing in dollars,
lose market share and commercial edge, in the context of what they have to face,” he
“It’s really quite unbelievable that their
wines are still affordable. I think our
government’s done more to increase the
price of Argentine wine than the Argentine government.”
D
oing business with Argentina requires a certain amount of
creativity. Privately, there are
stories shared about how a percentage of a wine’s import price – typically 25% –
will be diverted to a third party, perhaps in New York or Jersey. The invoice will
refer to “marketing expenses” or perhaps dry goods. This arrangement allows the
exporting producer to realise more value for its wines than if the entire bill was being processed through the banking system in Argentina.
Anyone from the UK wine trade who
visits Argentina will quickly realise that exchange rates vary wildly. As Laurie
Webster explains, there is the official rate and the so-called blue rate.
“The blue rate has always existed,” he
says. “But there’s never before been such a discrepancy between the two that I’ve felt
the need to buy currency on a street corner. “However, at the moment [speaking in
late November], the official rate is around
380 pesos to the dollar, and the blue rate’s about 1,000 to the dollar. When [sales director Phil Crozier] and I arrived in
Argentina, we took eight $100 bills with us. “Strictly speaking, the blue rate is illegal.
But it’s sort of tolerated, to the extent
that we walked into a high street Western Union and changed our eight $100 bills
for pesos at 900. So almost three times the value of the official rate. The lady in the
Western Union filled one and a half little backpacks with massive wads of cash. It
was like Phil and I had just robbed a bank. It was crazy.
“The serious side to this is that if you’re
a wine producer in Argentina, and you’re
invoicing people in dollars, as they all do, they can only expect to get around 350
pesos per dollar from the central bank.
So they’re being brutally ill-treated by the
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 29
bad for the economy in general.
“If you’re somebody that’s trying to export
you’re just not making any real money.
“And nothing is keeping up with inflation.
So every month, wineries are having to increase their payroll. But even if they
wanted to try and keep up with inflation, it wouldn’t be possible because it’s so out of control.”
A
large part of Milei’s appeal is his promise to push through free-
market reforms that Argentines
hope will make doing business easier. “The previous government was
incredibly controlling,” says Evans. “There
were times where you couldn’t get certain bottles because wineries couldn’t import them. They weren’t allowed to import
because they’d gone past their quota, and the domestic market doesn’t make those bottles.
“It’s not easy to do business in Argentina
but, because of that, they’re very entrepreneurial and creative.”
Daniel Pi, one of the best-known figures
in Argentina’s wine industry and chief
winemaker at Trapiche, is sanguine about the recent political earthquake.
“I think that Milei’s vote is more against
corruption, privilege and the political
establishment than for his proposals,” he says. “He is a symbol of society’s fed-up
people, especially the young generation.”
Many in the trade have noted that Milei
has moderated his language, and his more extreme policy ideas, since taking office.
The plan to dollarise the economy has been shelved, but the exchange rate issue still needs a solution.
“This huge spread of exchange rates
makes everything very uncompetitive
for the industry,” says Pi. “It makes wine
artificially very expensive, and the profit
very low for the entry level, so we are not competitive in entry-level wines.
“I think the future will be positive. I’m
very optimistic. At the beginning it will be difficult, but in two or three years things will become more stable and hopefully
people will start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Merchant Profile: Native Vine Charlie Jones, Bedminster, November 2023
A NATURAL FIT FOR BRISTOL THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 30
R
ebellious Bristol unshackled itself from its grim past when the statue of slave trader
Edward Colston was toppled into the harbour.
The city was Britain’s first European Green
Capital and, says Charlie Jones of Bristol’s Native Vine, eating out is very much farm-to-fork here.
Now, the natural wine specialist is bringing its
sustainable wines, spirits and ciders to the masses.
Crowned Britain’s first Green Capital, it’s not surprising that Bristol is wholeheartedly sustainable about its food. Now, natural wines are surging through the city, thanks to specialists such as Native Vine, which took root in a sourdough bakery during lockdown. Bee Costello-Bates meets Charlie Jones
Native Vine’s bottle shops and wine bars are
found in three sites across Bristol. They operate inside trendy sourdough bakery and café The
Bristol Loaf – a sibling company founded by chef-
unemployed but knew Gary from my previous jobs
neighbourhood of Bedminster, a stone’s throw
work in a wine shop with me?”
in wine wholesale and sustainable packaging. He
entrepreneur Gary Derham in 2017.
called me up one day and said: “Do you want to
We headed to its bottle shop in the edgy
Dan Briggs then came in as consultant. His
from the regenerated docklands of Spike Island and
background was Majestic; he has a wine diploma
Wapping Wharf. With its modern restaurants, a
and had imported for London’s private members’
nearby artists’ residence and contemporary wharf
clubs and high-end restaurants. He saw a
apartments on the way, Bedminster feels much like
commonality with low-intervention farming and
the Battersea of the 90s.
saw the natural wine scene bubbling in London.
The locals are a heady mix of artists, chic business
We took off from there, sourcing wines that were
folk and students. And it wouldn’t be a city suburb
farmed well, artisan, high quality and affordable.
without the kebab shop, the massage parlour,
the busy Asda bus stop, or the substance-user
What’s the ethos of Native Vine?
slinking past in a daze, sporting a trench-coat and deerstalker hat.
It’s around trying to make wines as accessible
soulful beats. The café seats 70 for breakfast and
natural wine movement is supposed to be about
as possible. Inaccessibility in wine exists both
Inside The Bristol Loaf’s funky grey-brick-and-
in natural wine and in classical wine, right? The
glass building you’re struck by the happy vibe and
a freeing, a breaking of shackles and shedding of
lunch in industrial surroundings – think grey-tiled
rules, but there’s also an exclusivity to it. We try
floors and a ceiling bursting with plants. Fresh
to be as open as we can to everything. We’re not
organic produce is available to buy from wicker
dogmatic about the wines we source, we just find
baskets on the way out.
good wines made by good people.
Native Vine’s retro-fluorescent hanging sign
guides you to its floor-to-ceiling walls of colourful,
You opened in the middle of Covid. How was it
artisan wine labels.
for you?
Bristol’s largest venue, Colston Hall, re-opened in
A rollercoaster! But we were allowed to stay open
December as the Bristol Beacon following a £132m
because of the greengrocer and café selling fresh
revamp, and natural wines are the only ones served
produce. Like many wine merchants, we did tastings
at Native Vine’s new wine bar there.
With 2,500 visitors and two shows a day, the
Beacon offers this funky retailer a captive audience for its high quality, natural wines at affordable prices.
How did Native Vine and its focus on natural wine come about? Our overarching company is The Bristol Loaf,
which was started by Gary Derham as a sourdough bakery. In lockdown, Gary had space here when
another business pulled out and had to fill it. I was
“The natural wine movement is supposed to be about a breaking of shackles and shedding of rules, but there’s also an exclusivity to it”
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 31
over Zoom and deliveries.
Tell us about your range. It’s stylistically broad and changes frequently, which reflects the type of wines we work with. We focus
on small-batch production, very seasonal and highly sought-after. We have a bit of a running joke that
we’ve got some 250 wines but at some times not a single Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Pinot Grigio, sometimes not even a Rioja or Bordeaux.
But for me, it’s about making sure there is
always something that fits that gap. We like to
keep things interesting and customers like to learn,
seeing something different every time they come in.
Bedminster is a trendy part of the city near the recent Spike Island and Wapping Wharf developments
What would you supplement for, say, a claret?
One winery that I love is Contrà Soarda in Veneto. They make some really amazing red blends with
Merlot and it changes every year with Marzemino Nero, Pinot Nero and local indigenous grapes. It’s also quite a traditional bottle.
Do you lay your wines out by country or by style? Basically, it’s laid out from light to intense.
Customers often might not know the grape variety or region or, even if they do, there are different
styles within it. So, if someone comes in and says, “I’m looking for a white wine,” we just start with,
“do you want something light or something heavy?”
and botanic. And when you’ve got five-year-old
lesser-known countries or regions get left out. By
I think wild wines have a place for people who want
Instantly you find people trying new stuff.
fermented chilli bean paste on your plate, or Wagyu
We felt that laying out by country means the
beef, or crazy flavours, it’s a match made in heaven.
positioning, say, Austrian Blaufränkisch next to
to drink something more unusual and see the other
Pinot Noir people will have a look and see it’s in a
end of the spectrum.
similar sort of realm.
What’s your demographic?
Is it 100% natural wine on the shelves?
Genuinely, it’s mixed and spans all ages. Maybe it’s
I’d say 99%. A few of our wines have small
all part of being affiliated to The Bristol Loaf but
amounts of sulphur added. Currently, everything
lots of our customers come into the café with no
is wild fermented and a few wines are classified
intention of buying wine and end up in the bottle
sustainable. Quite a few come from slightly larger
shop.
projects like co-operatives.
We have students too but predominantly the 25-
For me it’s more of an ethos about being as low
40 age group would be our core and typically the
intervention as possible, and as organic as possible,
average spend is £15-£20.
but I’d rather have a good, sustainable wine by a
Are the wild wine drinkers within that 25-40
producer with stability.
age group?
Tell us about your Wild Wine tickets in the shop
Yes, and within that, they are the more curious.
and online.
Often, they’re chefs or sometimes they’re not from
Some people may think a wine is off, so we have
Wild Wine tickets to highlight wines that are a bit more challenging or unusual. But we have some people who come in and look for the Wild Wine tickets because they like the unusual flavours.
What do Wild Wine drinkers look like – heavy metal fans, Camra members? [Laughing] Not necessarily! Sometimes our Wild
Wine people come to food pairings. We just had an
amazing dinner at a Korean restaurant. One orange wine from Roussillon was big, warm, aromatic
a wine-drinking background. They just have an
“The wines are basically laid out from light to intense. We felt that laying out by country means the lesser-known regions get left out”
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 32
interest in flavour and tend to have a bit more of an open mind towards natural wines. They’re really fun because they don’t have preconceptions.
Do customers know before they get here that you only sell natural wine? No! I’d say the majority of our customers aren’t coming to us because they like natural wine.
They’re coming in to buy a bottle of wine and then
we have regulars who come to us to be challenged. It’s opened up a new part of the wine world to
them. With others, they care more about the natural ethos of the wines.
In the bottle shop, we always have wines on
tap – we have four keg lines and we normally have a couple of things in bag-in-box. The café’s glass
list offers 10 to 12 wines and people can also pick
wines straight from the wall and drink in. Corkage is £12.50.
This wine label just has half a percentage sign – as its label. Is it common to just see a graphic? That’s right, the artisan producer doesn’t put a lot on the label so they’re relying on you, or the label,
to make their decision. I guess we’re one degree of separation from the artisan winemaker.
A lot of our suppliers have quite small portfolios
“We always have wines on tap. We have four keg lines and normally have a couple of bag-in-box”
education and to communicate it in a creatively-led way.
Do you have natural wines that look clear in the glass? Oh, 100%. A few of our producers will do bentonite
filtration but that’s not common. There’s one winery we work with and you can tell whether the wine’s
from the beginning or end of the batch. The earlier ones are super-clear and the later ones have a bit more haziness.
But we always talk to people about it – some
regulars prefer the challenge.
What lessons have you learnt in the short time you’ve been trading?
and will only be focused on maybe 40 or 50
We used to run our wine festivals around October-
they’re coming from, so we can tell their stories.
We also have quite a strong cider offering and were
growers. It means we can have quite personal
conversations with them, understanding where But their vibrant colours and pretty labels are
sometimes enough to get customers into the shop. They’re a fantastic vehicle. I studied a creative
subject and have a bit of a dream to develop wine
November but it was that tricky time during harvest
and we were struggling to get winemakers to attend.
really keen to promote cider in-store and through the festival.
But last year, one of our cidermakers had to run off
because one of his fermentations had burst the
Charlie Jones and Gary Derham, as they might feasibly be immortalised in street art
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 33
Moths are a recurring feature of Native Vine’s marketing. Charlie admits that maybe he’s drawn to them – he even has a moth tattoo on his neck
“It’s hard to do natural wine for less than £10 per bottle. But within the mid-range, you can get some really amazing products that don’t have the same prestige as Bordeaux or Burgundy but are made with just as much love and care”
container, so he had to abandon his table in the
middle of the festival.
Any British natural wine producers in the range? We work with Ancre Hill and Limeburn Hill, and we have a new wine from Hastings by someone who
used to work for Davenport. It’s a wild-fermented Bacchus with no filtration or fining and the label
was illustrated by Quentin Blake – it’s one of only 808 bottles [£28.50].
events this year and the nice thing is the space
gives us opportunities for business events and food pairings.
In the evening, the café is empty, so tonight
we have a chef’s 10-course tasting dinner. Next weekend another chef is cooking a seafood-
based tasting menu and then we’ve got a post-
cider harvest celebration. It was one a week till
Christmas, so it’s definitely a growing part of the
business and the affiliation with the café is strong.
How much does Gary Derham get involved in the
What’s in the glass cabinet?
business?
Rare and collector wines, so they’re either a high
Gary runs The Bristol Loaf and is a great ideas man
Cornelissen’s wines, which are highly sought after.
events.
price point or small batch. We’ve got some that
are a single hectare on Mount Etna, such as Frank
He has a cuvée called Magma and it’s the first ever natural wine to get any Parker points. It’s multi-
– he’s very good at understanding our market and the customer and he helps to curate some of our
Do you have three tips for independents looking
vintage and one of our £99 wines [Cornelissen’s
to sell natural wines?
How does your business break down into shop
able to work with you to find the right wines.
wines reach up £695].
One, find the right wholesaler. If this is a new
sales, online and wine bar?
Nothing is definitive in natural wine. There is
Retail is still dominant. Second is an uptake in
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 34
project, you need someone who’s supportive and something out there for you, there’s just real
diversity. [Native Vine works with Les Caves de Pyrene].
Two, natural wines are not all cloudy and funky –
that’s the fun side of it. They’re not all recognisable labels or grape varieties but the rewards are super interesting wines and appellations.
Three, some people think natural wine will be
more expensive because it’s smaller scale, and that’s true to a point. There’s a slightly higher
minimum price point as it’s hard to do things for
less than £10 per bottle. But within that mid-range, you can get some really amazing products that
don’t have the same prestige as Bordeaux or grand cru Burgundy but are made with just as much
TAKE FIVE
love and care and quality ingredients. They offer
the customer something really special and if £50 Burgundy is out of their reach, then I think there
Charlie talks us through his bestsellers
are ways to fill it.
What does the future hold?
1 Grüner Veltliner handcrafted in Austria by Martin and Anna Arndorfer, £17.50. It’s a slight step into natural wine with loads of character and fresh apple. It’s a vibrant white, perfect for any food that you squeeze a lime over the top of.
It’s difficult to answer, partly because everything’s
changed so many times. Now, tastings are a big part of our business but once upon a time we weren’t able to taste with customers.
And I laugh because Gary loves new toys and
doing new things and looking for opportunities
2 Recaredo 2019, Terrers Brut Corpinnat, £33. Twenty Spanish growers got together, all producing cava with biodynamic farming and extended ageing on lees. They wanted something on their label to differentiate from cava so they added Corpinnat. This is my go-to: it’s a very clear sparkling wine from a really special grower.
so who knows. But in the short-to-medium term
we’re focusing on Bristol Beacon – it’s a mammoth
project. It’s then the utilisation of this [Bedminster] space – we’d really like to be doing more events as it’s always been a bit of an untapped market for us, perhaps more semi-permanent evening
offerings. And website sales – we’ve been working
on our website since we opened in 2020 and we’re
3 Salamandre 2022 from Château de St Cyrgues, £15.50. It’s from a tiny place in Costières de Nîmes. It’s Grenache Blanc with a light skin maceration. We have a lot of interest in orange wine and this is a perfect introduction – it’s clean, fresh and fruitful with more concentration than you might expect.
confident with what we’ve built.
There seems to be a moth connection between your Instagram page and some wine labels. Do you have some sort of moth cult following? There’s nothing conscious behind it. But I have a moth wing tattoo behind my ear. It’s something that’s recurring and maybe I’m drawn to them. One of our producers uses butterflies on
their label, because they began making wine
biodynamically 30-plus years ago and started
noticing rare forms of butterfly in amongst the vineyards. We still hear it a lot, where cleaner
farming practices create a broader and ecological
sphere and winemakers start seeing a wider range
of species, so it’s quite nice to have that connection to nature.
“In the short-tomedium term we’re focusing on Bristol Beacon – it’s a mammoth project”
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 35
4 Half a percentage sign – it’s actually called Artefact #1 Tempranillo from Castille, Spain, £12.50. This is our go-to for easy-drinking light-hearted red wine. It’s fruit-forward and a little bit spicy. 5 Fred X from Slovakia, £25.50. The grape varieties are quite unusual – Alibernet, Blauer Portugieser and Dunaj. This is great if you want something full-bodied and structured and something with richness.
WINES UNDER £15
IS it possible to be proud of the wines you offer on shelf for below £15? Over the following pages, we present a selection that suggests that it is
Charlotte Shek
Shekleton Wines, Stamford, Lincolnshire “We have quite a few wines around about £15, which I think generally speaking are quite good value for money. I would say our average purchase price is a little bit higher than that, at around £18-£19. My best-selling wine is just under £19. “At the £15 mark we have a few from Sicily. I think they’re very good value: not too heavy and not too light – they’re all-rounders. “I’ve got the usual Portuguese and French but not much new world. They’re a little bit more expensive. But I always think that South Africa offers very good value for money. “It’s definitely harder to source wines [at this price point] now, particularly with all the duty increases. “We sell less lower-end stuff and more higher-end now because our average price has gone up a bit. The people who are spending £10 a bottle will probably go to the supermarket. “The higher spenders haven’t started buying less expensive wine, but they might buy two bottles rather than three.”
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 36
VIGNERONS DE FLORENSAC PIQUE & MIXE PIQUEPOUL-TERRET 2022
FUNKSTILLE GRÜNER VELTLINER 2022
CAMÍ DEL DRAC CARIGNAN NOIR 2022
IGP Côtes de Thau Blanc Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Niederösterreich, Austria
IGP Côtes Catalanes, France
A classic, gourmet style of Piquepoul blended with Terret to create a characterful Mediterranean white from the south west of France. The grapes are harvested in the cool of the night to preserve freshness from sustainably cultivated vines.
The Funkstille wines produced in the Niederösterreich region of Austria offer archetypal styles of the country's most famous grape varieties, including Grüner Veltliner. Vineyards are managed sustainably, with an emphasis on improving the soil structure and the vitality of the vines, all contributing to the production of balanced and expressive wines.
Terres Fidèles captures the very spirit of its extraordinary location in the Côtes Catalanes, producing authentic, limitedvolume wines from this wilder side of the Roussillon. It boasts 50 to 60-yearold vines, rooted in the hills of the north west of Perpignan on clay and limestone terraces alongside the Têt River.
“A fresh and fruity aroma marked by notes of lemon and grapefruit; exotic, lively and vibrant in the mouth, revealing a beautiful richness supported by citrus flavours and textured length.”
“Subtle exotic hints, ripe pear and fresh citrus exude from this dry wine with complex flavours. The palate is rich with melon and grapefruit characters and a refreshing, zippy finish.”
“Expressive, aromatic and rounded. Ripe black fruits combine with red berries and a touch of savoury smokiness through to the finish.”
Alliance Wine RRP £10.99
Alliance Wine RRP £11.99
Alliance Wine RRP £13.99
MONTSABLÉ RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2022
RALLO AZIENDA AGRICOLA VICOLETTO CATARRATTO 2022
MAS OLIVIER FAUGÈRES ROUGE 2021
IGP Haute Vallée de l’Aude, France
IGP Sicily, Italy
Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Montsablé Réserve represents the pinnacle of site selection from the Haute Vallée de l’Aude, a notably cool region despite its Mediterranean location, due to altitude and influence of the Atlantic wind, the Vent Cers. This, combined with limestone-rich soils, produces outstanding fruit, with great precision, elegance and freshness.
A fragrant, organically-grown Catarratto skin-contact wine produced by the Vesco family at Rallo, high up in the hills of Alcamo, Sicily. They practice a sustainable approach to organic farming, with grapes harvested in the cool of the morning. There is no stabilisation, fining or filtration, creating a wine with very low sulphur levels.
In 1959, a group of like-minded wine growers created a co-operative dedicated to the production of highquality wine. Today the co-op produces more than half of Faugères’ bottled wines and is well regarded for its quality through a philosophy of ‘lutte raisonnée’ and organic principles.
“The floral aromas and white peach flavours are complemented by subtle vanilla, toasty notes, a lovely creamy texture and mineral tones through to a classy finish.”
“The bouquet is a beautiful mix of citrus, grapefruit, apple with white flesh fruits on the palate.”
“Plentiful ripe fruit, value and character. Complex and elegant aromas, with black fruits and a subtle hint of oak. Supple tannins and a bright fruit packed finish.”
Alliance Wine RRP £13.99
Alliance Wine RRP £13.49
Alliance Wine RRP £13.99
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 37
BELLEPLANE SYRAH 2020
CHICHIBIO MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO 2021
SPIER WINE FARM GOOD NATURED ORGANIC CHENIN BLANC 2022
Languedoc-Roussillon, IGP Pays D’Oc, France
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, Italy (Organic/Vegan/Vegetarian)
Stellenbosch, South Africa (Organic/Vegan/Vegetarian)
Belleplane is a 100% Syrah from claylimestone soils on south-facing slopes influenced by the Mediterranean climate. The label was designed by local painter, Marielle Loussot, and depicts springtime in the Languedoc vineyards with the Black Mountain range in the background. The aromas are welcoming with black cherry, plum, cedarwood, and black olive tapenade. This is a smooth, juicy and full-bodied wine with great concentration on the palate and a characteristically spicy lift of liquorice on the finish.
Organically grown in the Chieti Province, there is a grippiness to this Montepulciano d’Abruzzo that moves away from the classic medium-bodied fruit-driven style we are used to. Instead, this wine delivers sour black cherry, bright violet notes, and pink peppercorn spice. The bouquet is intense and complex yet on the palate it brings balanced acidity, harmonious layers of fruit, and a silky finish. This is an all-rounder that suits an array of midweek meals.
Spier Wine Farm is at the forefront of regenerative practices, recently being shortlisted for The Drinks Business’ Amorim Sustainability Award 2023. Their renowned Chenin Blanc has vibrant fruit expression and acidity. This wine has a delicate golden hue with aromas of quince, lemon and honeydrizzled peaches. The palate unfolds with juicy lychee and pineapple and finishes refreshingly zesty. The texture is rounded from lees ageing, showcasing Spier’s commitment to crafting exceptional wines at accessible prices.
Jascots RRP £14.30
Jascots RRP £13.40
Jascots RRP £14.90
Alex Griem
Chilled & Tannin, Cardiff “With all the price increases that have been coming in over the last few years, I would say that the £10 to £15 range has probably become the most important part of our business. “Finding really good quality wines for less than £10 is increasingly difficult, unless we’re importing it ourselves. We’ve been getting more really good wines at around the £15 mark, maybe some at £12 or £13, which means that the quality is there. A lot of our customers are quite happy to pay that now. “These are bottles we can insert into some of the bundles and packages that we do, like a wine box. So this sort of price range is the sweet spot for us now, and it’s what we’re looking for most when we are going to tastings. “We’re often looking for wines with a sustainability angle, whether they’re certified or practising, and we prioritise that over country or region. It’s easy to get Spanish or Chilean wines within that sort of price range, but I would say with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in particular, finding something decent between £10 and £15 is actually quite challenging, so that is something we’re actively looking for at the moment. “I think people who were spending £10 or £11 are now quite comfortable paying £13 or £14. A lot of the stuff we’re talking about on our social media is probably sitting in that £10-£15 bracket. I’m sure we've got some people who maybe buy wine elsewhere for a higher price and then they’re seeing that we’ve got a good range within £10 to £15 – and maybe they’ve started buying from us instead.”
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 38
MALBICHO MALBEC 2022
OJOS DEL SUR PINOT NOIR 2022
VIÑA SALORT ALBARIÑO 2023
Mendoza, Argentina
Neuquen, Patagonia, Argentina
Canelones, Uruguay
Malbicho, in Argentine slang, is someone who doesn’t play by the rules, who challenges the status quo and aspires to be unique, different and expressive. This estate-bottled Malbec is sourced from specially selected vineyards in Mendoza and 50% aged in French oak. It offers aromas of red fruits and plums alongside floral and subtle, toasty vanilla notes; medium-bodied in the mouth, the style is soft, juicy and well-balanced with delicious red and dark berried fruits to the fore.
Named after a local butterfly, this certified-sustainable Pinot Noir hails from one of Patagonia’s newest wine regions: Neuquen. In this windy, desert environment, grapes are carefully selected from vines planted in ancient Pleistocene terraces, and 20% of the wine is aged in French oak. Subtle cherry red in colour with aromas of strawberries and cherries. Very fruity with some notes of spice and vanilla. A fresh, balanced and elegant wine.
Third-generation family winery Familia Traversa has been at the epicentre of the Uruguayan wine industry for over 60 years. This wine is named after Maria Josefa Salort, wife of founder Carlos Domingo Traversa. Grapes are handharvested from Paso Cuello vineyards, managed using sustainable and traditional agricultural techniques. Classic Albariño aromas predominate; herbal notes intertwine with stone fruits and citrus. Textural and rounded with a little grip on the finish. Refreshing acidity cuts through rich, flavoursome fruit.
Condor Wines RRP £12.29
Condor Wines RRP £14.49
Condor Wines RRP £12.29
PATRIA NUEVA RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020
LOS HAROLDOS ESTATE BONARDA 2020
SANTA ALBA MOSCATO 2022
Central Valley, Chile
Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
Itata Valley, Chile
Founded by Santiago Achurra Larrain in 1961, winemaking at Viña Requingua has been overseen by Frenchman Benoit Fitte since 2001. 85% of this certifiedsustainable Cabernet is aged on its lees for six months in French oak, whilst the remaining 15% spends eight months in French and American oak. It delivers an intense nose of dark cherry, strawberry, cedar and liquorice. Juicy and round on the palate; firm tannins combine well with dark fruits, prunes and roasted nuts before a toasty finish.
Today this fourth-generation family winery continues the story that started in 1939 when “Don Lolo” Falasco began to sell wines from his bicycle basket. Argentina’s Bonarda is Corbeau, a French grape from the Savoie. This outstanding example offers abundant strawberry and blueberry fruit on the nose. The complex palate is layered with notes of cinnamon, cherry, tobacco and plum. Finely structured tannins provide texture whilst a clean acidity maintains freshness. The long finish displays blueberry compote, sweet smoke and dark fruit.
This certified-sustainable Moscato comes from cool-climate Itata. Grapes are hand-harvested and pressed immediately to preserve the fresh aromatics. The wine is then aged in stainless steel on light lees until it’s bottled. Winemaker Eloisa Uribe captures a delicious balance of fruit and freshness in this semi-sweet wine. A bright gold colour with aromas and flavours of white peach, lychee, quince and exotic fruits. Good body and volume, with fresh notes of white fruits and citrus to finish.
Condor Wines RRP £12.99
Condor Wines RRP £14.49
Condor Wines RRP £9.79
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 39
LAND OF PLENTY SAUVIGNON BLANC
DON’T TELL GARY SHIRAZ
Piedmont, Italy
Cape Coastal, South Africa
Victoria, Australia
A delicious wine, straw yellow in colour with light green highlights. This wine has a delicate floral bouquet, while the flavour is harmonious, fresh, pleasant and lively in the mouth. Made from Cortese grapes from the Gavi area in north west Italy, from vineyards 200 metres above sea level, with all-year-round sunlight.These local grapes ripen slowly due to the altitude and the sea breeze. Here, the Cortese grape thrives on fossil-rich soils, which are great for the production of white grapes.
Somewhere close to Cape Coastal there is a mythical Land of Plenty, where Sauvignon Blanc flows in rivers down from Du Toits Peak to the clear blue sea. This southern hemisphere Sauvignon Blanc offers a fresh, zesty palate with tropical fruit and green apple. Lemon and lime tease the palate into a crisp refreshing finish with long lasting fruit. The wine was styled to taste similar to a Marlborough and became an instant hit with consumers, who continue to seek outstanding Sauvignon which excels in both quality and price.
A beautiful dark garnet colour with black cherry, blueberry and mixed spice on the nose. Hints of pepper and soft oak spice are beautifully integrated with blackberry fruits and medium bodied silky tannins. Minimal intervention. Purity of fruit. This wine is a labour of love – one the accountant (Gary) didn’t know about. Winemaker Joanne Nash discovered an exceptional parcel of Shiraz which she gently crushed, then tucked away in expensive French oak barrels to age for 12 months. All the while a secret to Gary.
Lanchester Wines RRP £14.49
Lanchester Wines RRP £12.49
Lanchester Wines RRP £14.99
MARCHESE LUCA SPINOLA GAVI DI GAVI DOCG
Jefferson Boss
Starmore Boss, Sheffield “It’s hard to actually source really good quality stuff at £15 and under, but 100% this is an important category for us. “We’ve got a very diverse customer base at our Sharrow Vale shop, so it is more important here. And we find it’s better to pick a good selection, which are finely curated, rather than have loads and loads. “Our middle display section in the store has everyday favourites, so we put things that are £15 and under on there. They are super important for us, and they do make up a big part of what we do. They’re also very important in fulfilling our orders for our mixed boxes. “They are harder to find – but one of the challenges of running a wine shop is being able to find stuff that fits into those different categories. “We’ve still got stuff from Portugal, which is great. Sicily is really good, and Romania too. “Our ex-wholesale wines that have gone up with the duty increase have been moved across to retail while we try and find some cheaper bits and pieces. “With anything that’s under 15 quid, because it’s in the kind of grab-and-go section, you don’t have to spend as much time with the customer. Essentially they’re going to go home, drink it maybe with food, maybe watching the telly. So you don’t have to work as hard for those customers, explaining the provenance and the story behind it. Really these wines sell themselves.”
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 40
Armit ad supplied separately
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 41
BOCCANTINO FIANO APPASSITO
BOCCANTINO PRIMITIVO ROSATO
GERGENTI GRILLO
Salento IGT, Italy
Salento IGT, Italy
Sicilia DOC, Italy (Organic)
Another gem from southern Italy! This appassito-style white is partly aged in wooden barrels for three months. With elegant aromas of citrus and tropical fruit and hints of almonds, this Fiano is fresh, aromatic and slightly off-dry on the palate, with a long and pleasant finish. Ideal with shellfish and soft cheeses, but lovely and quirky on its own!
This Primitivo Rosé from Puglia is elegant, with hints of strawberry, passion fruit and orange peel. Juicy red berries on the palate balanced with a streak of minerality and acidity. The finish is dry, long and clean. Perfect as an aperitif, with fish and shellfish.
This organic white is a very elegant and typical example of how good Sicilian Grillo can be. The grapes are handpicked and then gently pressed, followed by a slow fermentation for about 15 to 20 days. The resulting wine is clean and soft, with crisp acidity reminiscent of Sicilian citrus.
Buckingham Schenk RRP £13.99
Buckingham Schenk RRP £13.99
Buckingham Schenk RRP £12.99
BRUNILDE DI MENZIONE
CASALI DEL BARONE 150+1
RIVANI CHARDONNAY SPUMANTE
Brindisi, Puglia, Italy
Piemonte DOC, Barbera, Italy
Trentino Alto Adige, Italy
Produced in Puglia, this wine is a blockbuster! Made from Negroamaro grapes, it is aged in oak barrels for 10 months which adds complexity and depth of flavour. On the palate, it is fullbodied with intense flavours of cherries and dates, hints of vanilla and liquorice, delicate tannins and a long finish. Brunilde di Menzione Brindisi is the perfect wine to go with meaty dishes, game and mature cheeses.
Made from a blend of 85% Barbera and 15% Nebbiolo, this wine is aged in small oak barrels for three months. Intense ruby red colour with ripe red fruit aromas. On the palate, it is full-bodied and round, with a soft finish of dark chocolate and black pepper. It is ideal with cold meats and mature cheeses and perfect with chocolate desserts.
A cracking alternative to Prosecco, this Chardonnay Spumante is light straw yellow with greenish hints. An intense, elegant and fruity bouquet with hints of apple and fresh crusty bread. Fresh in the mouth with hints of apple.
Buckingham Schenk RRP £13.49
Buckingham Schenk RRP £11.99
Buckingham Schenk RRP £14.99
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 42
RIVERA MARESE BOMBINO BIANCO 2022
RIVERA PUNGIROSA BOMBINO NERO ROSADO 2022
RIVERA SALICE SALENTO 2020
Castel del Monte, Puglia, Italy
Castel del Monte, Puglia, Italy
Salice Salentino, Puglia, Italy
Rivera sets itself the challenge of making a monovarietal Bombino Bianco which captures all of the grape’s individual qualities, instead of blending it with other varieties, as is customary. The ultra-ripeness of the harvested fruit, evident in the wine’s complex, rich fragrances, finds a lovely counterpoint in the crisp acidity typical of Bombino Bianco. Marese is a lively, refreshing wine to be enjoyed young, especially when partnered with antipasti and seafood dishes.
Taking advantage of the most modern winemaking practices, Rivera has succeeded in crafting a distinctive rosé that reflects the unique characteristics of the Bombino Nero grape, a variety that is so peculiar to the Castel del Monte area yet so suitable to rosé wine production that it boasts the only DOCG status in Italy. Pungirosa is a crisp, refreshing rosé bursting with flavour, with a forward, vivacious fruitiness that makes it a great companion to most dishes.
Salice Salentino is produced mainly from Negroamaro, combined with a small amount of Malvasia Nera. The modern winemaking yields a wine that’s bright purplish red, with intense aromas of black fruit and a fresh palate characterised by a slightly bitter finish typical of the variety. Served at 16-18°C, the wine is very versatile in food pairing.
Vinicon RRP £14.95
Vinicon RRP £14.95
Vinicon RRP £12.95
FINCA AMBROSIA CASA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022
FINCA AMBROSIA CASA MALBEC 2022
FINCA AMBROSIA CASA CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Valle de Uco, Gualtallary, Argentina
Valle de Uco, Gualtallary, Argentina
Valle de Uco, Gualtallary, Argentina
This Sauvignon Blanc is an expressive dry white wine with crisp acidity and great varietal typicity that are evident in every sip.
The Casa Malbec is a youthful and pure-fruited wine making for a delicious, youthful, and approachable unoaked Malbec, at great value for money. On the nose, it shows notes of sweet raspberry marmalade, very ripe cherries and blueberries. On the palate, the wine is bright and fruit-forward, with great density and defined Malbec typicity. The moderate tannins are ripe and velvety, adding to the wine’s overall appeal.
The Casa Cabernet Sauvignon is lively and easy-going on the palate, with finegrained tannins that give it a smooth mouth feel.
Vinicon RRP £14.95
Vinicon RRP £14.95
Its clean fruit flavours of tropical mango and pineapple are not overpowering but instead complemented by moderate herbaceous undertones, making for a round and refreshing palate.
Vinicon RRP £14.95
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 43
It delivers aromas of delicious juicy red and black fruit notes and an underlayer of grilled green pepper. It offers a clean fruit profile and bright acidity, making it an approachable and enjoyable unoaked red wine for any occasion.
SUPPLIER DETAILS
ALLIANCE WINe
HATCH MANSField
BUCKINGHAM SCHENK
jASCOTS
condor wines
lanchester wines
ENOTRIA&COE
vinicon
Email orders@alliancewine.com 01505 506060 alliancewine.com
Email info@HATCH.co.uk 01344 871800 hatchmansfield.com
Email info@buckingham-schenk.co.uk 01753 521336 buckingham-schenk.co.uk
Email enquiries@jascots.co.uk 020 8965 2000 jascots.co.uk
Email orders@condorwines.co.uk 07508 825488 condorwines.co.uk
Email sales@lanchesterwines.co.uk 01207 521234 lanchesterwines.co.uk Email orders@vinicon.co.uk 07815 107006 vinicon.co.uk
Email customerservices@enotriacoe.com 020 8961 4411 enotriacoe.com
sponsored editorial wine descriptions have been supplied by importers
Created by nature; Crafted by artisans. Drawing inspiration from the unique soils and surrounds of Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. Meticulously made analogue wines that will inspire the soul as well as delight the physical senses.
Available from Hatch Mansfield. T. 01344 871800 E. orders@hatch.co.uk
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 44
ESK VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023
ESK VALLEY PINOT GRIS 2022
ESK VALLEY CHARDONNAY 2022
Marlborough, New Zealand
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Part of Esk Valley’s Estate range, these are wines that receive the care and attention normally lavished on reserve wines. The result is a range of elegant, intensely flavoured wines.
Esk Valley is a boutique Hawke’s Bay winery, where minimal influence and a ‘less is more’ approach leads to wines showcasing the delicious simplicity of grape varieties in their purest form.
Esk Valley aspires to channel the artisanal soul and creative energy of Hawke’s Bay into wines that authentically express the region’s diverse palette of soil types and grape varieties.
Powerfully concentrated and pungently aromatic, this is Marlborough in a glass. Using grapes from carefully selected vineyard sites, Esk Valley puts its own unique stamp on New Zealand’s signature calling card. The 2022 won the coveted Great Value White Wine trophy at the recent IWC Awards.
In New Zealand, Pinot Gris is rapidly gaining ground on Sauvignon Blanc in terms of popularity. This richly aromatic Pinot Gris showcases exotic fruits, enhanced by a small portion of barrel ferment adding richness and complexity to this delicious and highly drinkable wine.
Hawke’s Bay is fast gaining a reputation for its full bodied yet elegant Chardonnays and this is a textbook example. Careful site selection and fermenting parcels separately has enabled the creation of a complete and complex Chardonnay with texture and depth, showcasing peach and citrus.
Hatch Mansfield RRP £14.90
Hatch Mansfield RRP £14.90
Hatch Mansfield RRP £14.90
ZUCCARDI LOS OLIVOS MALBEC 2022
ZUCCARDI LOS OLIVOS CHARDONNAY 2022
KLEINE ZALZE CELLAR SELECTION BUSH VINE CHENIN BLANC 2023
Uco Valley, Argentina
Uco Valley, Argentina
Coastal Region, South Africa
Malbec but not as you know it. Sourced from Zuccardi’s Uco Valley vineyards in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, this fresh and elegant wine showcases Sebastián Zuccardi’s belief that wine should speak of its ‘place’. Classic blackberry and plum flavours are balanced with a hint of white pepper and a soft rounded finish thanks to a combination of concrete and oak ageing. Awarded Best Value Red Trophy by the Wine Merchant Magazine in 2023 (2020 vintage).
Although Argentina isn’t as well known for its white wines, Sebastián Zuccardi is on a mission to change this and believes that Chardonnay brilliantly expresses the terroir of the Uco Valley. His Los Olivos Chardonnay is bright and vibrant with notes of peach and citrus fruit. Aged partly in oak and partly in stainless steel, it has a beautifully balanced finish. A great food wine and a perfect introduction to the whites of Zuccardi.
RJ Botha, Kleine Zalze’s charismatic cellarmaster, simply excels at delicious, award-winning Chenin Blanc and the Stellenbosch winery produces a wide range of styles from its old vine vineyards across the Cape. This offering is sourced from vineyards in Stellenbosch and Paarl, where bush vines are carefully managed to ensure all parcels are harvested at optimum ripeness to create this rich, elegant Chenin Blanc with citrus and tropical flavours, a balanced finish and soft mineral notes.
Hatch Mansfield RRP £13.75
Hatch Mansfield RRP £13.75
Hatch Mansfield RRP £12.80
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 45
REMOLE ROSSO FRESCOBALDI 2021
REMOLE ROSÉ FRESCOBALDI 2021
MOLINO A VENTO NERELLO MASCALESE 2022
Toscana, Italy
Toscana, Italy
IGT Terre Siciliane, Italy
A blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet that exhibits a captivating purple-red hue. Its aromatic profile reveals a luscious fruitiness, featuring vibrant notes of red and black fruits, including blueberry, plum and cherry. Delicate aromas of liquorice and cardamom add a rare touch. Enjoyable and persistent, the wine boasts a smooth tannic texture. Highly versatile, it pairs well with cold meats, flavourful first courses, and a diverse range of dishes.
Visually captivating with its clear and bright light pink hue, this rosé entices the senses with a fruity bouquet. Dominated by citrus tones, it features a distinctive note of blood orange complemented by hints of small red fruits. The fragrance carries subtle wild rose undertones, creating a fresh and inviting aromatic profile. This rosé maintains a pleasing persistence on the nose, while the palate enjoys a harmonious interplay of freshness and savouriness. Ideal companions include pizza and pasta dishes.
Molino a Vento Nerello Mascalese boasts a captivating deep ruby-red hue. The nose welcomes an intense burst of red berries, prominently cherry and raspberry, with subtle floral hints and a touch of spice. On the palate, the wine unveils a harmonious blend of fruitiness and acidity. Soft tannins contribute to a velvety texture, while the finish lingers with a trace of minerality.
Enotria&Coe RRP £14.40
Enotria&Coe RRP £14.40
Enotria&Coe RRP £12.75
MOLINO A VENTO FIANO 2022
ARNALDO-CAPRAI ANIMA UMBRA ROSSO 2019
ARNALDO-CAPRAI ANIMA UMBRA BIANCO 2022
IGT Terre Siciliane, Italy
Umbria, Italy
Umbria, Italy
Molino a Vento Fiano offers a brilliant straw-yellow hue. The nose opens with a bouquet of tropical fruits, such as pineapple and ripe peach, accompanied by floral undertones and a hint of citrus zest. On the palate, this Fiano unfolds with a lively acidity, showcasing flavours of crisp green apple and a touch of honey. The wine's refreshing character is complemented by a subtle mineral note, creating a well-balanced and expressive tasting experience.
Anima Umbra Rosso, a Sangiovese blend, undergoes refinement in French oak barrels and spends a minimum of three months in the bottle. Expressive notes of currant, plum, and floral nuances with a dry and fresh profile and delicate tannins. Ideal pairings include dry or stuffed pasta dishes featuring meat and tomato sauces, roasted meats, cold cuts, and young or medium-mature cheeses.
Anima Umbra Bianco, predominantly from Grechetto grapes, undergoes three months' refining in steel tanks followed by a minimum of three months of bottle ageing. Delight in its fruity bouquet, featuring notes of yellow peach, freesia and a subtle mineral touch. The wine offers a dry, refreshing palate with a pleasing almond finish. Best enjoyed chilled, it stands alone as a refreshing choice or pairs exquisitely with appetisers, fish, and white meat starters.
Enotria&Coe RRP £12.75
Enotria&Coe RRP £13.95
Enotria&Coe RRP £12.75
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 46
Advance aUSTRALIA fair David Williams takes stock of a country whose potential in specialist UK merchants is far from realised
T
he past couple of years have not been easy
tariffs introduced by the Chinese government
for Australian wine. Indeed, as the chair of
as part of a wider trade war between the two
Wine Australia, Dr Michele Allan, put it in
countries, Australian wine sales to China had fallen
her introduction to the organisation’s 2022-2023
from a pre-pandemic peak of A$1.2bn in the year to
annual report, (which includes data up to June
January 2020, to a mere $8.1m by October 2023.
2023): “It would be an understatement to say the
That loss has inevitably had a knock-on effect. As
past 12 months have been difficult for the Australian
Steve Daniel, head of buying at Hallgarten & Novum
grape and wine sector.”
Wine, says: “One of the biggest challenges facing
Top of the list of the “range of factors” that
Australian grape growers is the current oversupply
Allan identified was “lower demand” in what
many producers are facing. Many growers have seen
she described as “a complex and changeable
grapes left on the vine or tanks full of red wine, with
international export market”. In the year to June
no market to sell them to due to restrictions placed
2023, Australian wine exports were down 10%
on exports to markets such as China.”
in value to A$1.87bn (£1bn) and 1% in volume to
According to Allan in the Wine Australia report,
621m litres (or 69m 9-litre cases).
“wine inventory pressures for red wine [were] a key
The fall in sales comes in the wake of a difficult
contributor to the lowered national crush in 2023”,
beginning to the decade, in which the Australian
with the red wine grape harvest down 26% on 2022
wine industry has struggled to cope with the sudden
and 10% on the 10-year average to 711,777 tonnes
and almost complete disappearance of one of its
as producers capped yields, took whole vineyards
most significant markets. Thanks to swingeing
out of production, or saw their uncontracted
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 47
FOCUS ON AUSTRALIA
grapes go unsold.
There are signs, however, that at least some of
these pressures are about to be eased. At the time of writing, negotiations between the Chinese and
Australian governments had led to a promise from the Chinese to review the tariffs on wine, and with
the Australians optimistic that the review will lead to a positive outcome after the Chinese withdrew
similar tariffs on Australian barley in the summer.
Meanwhile, the small crop in 2023 – which had its
severe natural (ie the coolest growing conditions in a generation) as well as human causes – has done
its bit to balance inventories, with producers using up excess stock to, in Daniel’s words, “bolster the
current vintage”. What’s more, Daniel says, “white wines are currently in relatively short supply and prices of bulk whites are rising.”
Global and local challenges Australia’s export difficulties cannot be entirely
explained by its performance in China, however.
As the Wine Australia report makes clear, sales fell across its main markets, not least its biggest, the UK, which was down by 14% in value and 3% in volume for the period up to June 2023.
But it’s worth placing those figures in the context
of a global wine market that has been in long-term
decline. According to market researcher IWSR, total
The big brands can look after themselves, but the 3,000+ other producers, often producing site-specific wines, have been overlooked by the UK
global wine consumption fell by 3% in 2022. The
“The single biggest challenge is to convince the
trade just how exciting Australian wines are,” Gleave says. “The big brands can look after themselves, but the 3,000+ other producers, often producing small quantities of regional or site-specific wines, have been overlooked by the UK.
“Despite what is happening in Italy, parts of
France, Germany, Austria and South Africa, I think Australia remains one of the most exciting and
dynamic countries in the world of wine. In order to convince the trade, we need to get more wines in
front of them: wines that exemplify this dynamism
struggle to adapt to this worldwide shift in drinking
and diversity.”
habits is not unique to Australia, in other words –
Michael Hill-Smith MW, joint managing director
and neither are many of the other issues with which
of Shaw+Smith in the Adelaide Hills, agrees, arguing
it is currently grappling.
that what’s needed more than anything else in the
“Like with many wine-producing countries there
coming year is to “clearly articulate Australia’s
is a catalogue of challenges – the rising costs of
fine wine message. Showing the world just how
everything: labour, dry goods, energy, shipping,
fabulous the best Aussie wine are – exciting wines
increased tariffs (China) and duty (UK) to name a
of international relevance”.
few,” says Katie MacAulay, business development
Myth-busting
manager for Robert Oatley Wines. “The warming
of the climate is also another consideration, with
Part of the challenge laid down by Gleave and Hill-
drought, fires and floods. But none of these are
Smith involves challenging some of the persistent
singular to Australia.”
myths about Australian wine.
Clearly, however, there are some challenges
For Gleave, the most irritating of these
which are unique to the Australian industry and
misconceptions is the idea “that all Australian wines
its relationship with the UK market, or at least
taste the same”. Hill-Smith breaks it down further,
have their own very particular local flavour. David
complaining about “the cliché that all Australian
Gleave MW, chairman of Liberty Wines, for example,
wine regions are warm. A significant number of our
believes Australia’s principal challenge in the UK in
regions are cooler than Bordeaux and in some cases
2024 will essentially be one of marketing.
as cold as Champagne”.
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 48
The island of Symi, in Dodecanese
For her part, MacAulay “is constantly surprised
it might be harder to apply than it would once have
by consumers – not trade – telling me they don’t
been.
like Chardonnay. Many still have the ‘sunshine in
“We need to get out and show the wines to as
a bottle’ image of tropical fruit, oak and alcohol
many people as possible. Australia broke down
lingering in their minds. It’s amazing how long it is
barriers in the UK 30+ years ago by getting people
taking us to shake off that image.”
to taste the wines. We need to do that again. It would
Stephen Jones, export director at Wirra Wirra
help if Wine Australia could find the funding for a
in McLaren Vale, is bothered by the tenacious idea
series of regional masterclasses around the UK.
among many consumers that “Australian wines are
“In Wine Australia, the country used to have the
plonk” and that their “reputation [has been] ruined
best generic body of all,” Gleave adds. “A lack of
by the big brands”.
funding means this is no longer the case. As a result,
“In reality,” Jones says, “Australia is one of the
it is up to importers and merchants to step into the
largest, most widely diverse wine-producing
resulting void and shout about these wines.”
nations. A vast continent with an almost endless
Diversity and other strengths
array of stylistic possibilities, producing a diversity of wines with great complexity.”
Even if they may have some frustrations with how
Australian bulk wine market. However, as we know,
wine at the great strides made by the industry over
Daniel agrees and suggests some ways of busting
well the message is communicated, there is no lack
the myth. “A lot of emphasis is placed on the
of confidence among those working in Australian
there is far more to Australian wine than big, jammy
the past decade.
Shiraz and over-oaked Chardonnay,” he says.
“Entry-level Australian wine represents brilliant
value for money. And further up the quality and
price range we have a chicken-and-egg situation
in the UK. To prove the diversity of the offering we
need to regenerate interest from sommeliers, indie retailers and journalists. Without their buy-in, the gates are closed.
“To drive this, generic bodies, such as Wines
of Australia, need to invest to get more opinionformers out to Australia.”
Gleave has a similar solution, although he thinks
“In an ever-changing world and with well-
Australia is a vast continent with an almost endless array of stylistic possibilities, producing a diversity of wines with great complexity
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 49
informed consumers, the industry needs to
become more adaptable. And with a shift towards
sustainability, low alcohol, new varieties and styles, the face of our industry has improved for the
better,” is how Jamie Bennett, managing director at
Berton Vineyards, puts it. Jones at Wirra Wirra boils it down to three words: “Innovation, reinvention and diversification.”
“We are seeing more and more diversity coming
out of Australian wine production, with winemakers using different grape varieties from
FOCUS ON AUSTRALIA
Assyrtiko, Durif, Vermentino and Fiano as varieties
What excites you most in Australia?
before,” adds Gleave, taking up the theme. “A
generation ago, Australian producers focused on
Steve Daniel
been very firmly on the vineyard. This has led to the rise of regional specialists – producers from
are looking for silky
refined red wines with
around the world,” says Daniel, who picks out
to watch.
“Australian wine is more diverse than ever
the winery; over the past decade, the focus has
“Grenache. Consumers
great wine producing regions like Margaret River,
soft tannins and it is
Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, McLaren
very difficult to find
Vale, the Yarra, Hunter and Geelong as well as
good Pinot Noir at prices
Tasmania – which in turn has spawned wines from
consumers are willing to
a broad range of varieties that reflect the areas and
spend. The work Australian winemakers have been
vineyards in which they’re grown.”
doing with Grenache has resulted in more elegant,
Of course, it’s all very well expanding the range
refined wines, that are very consumer-centric.”
of varieties, but what makes the evolution of
Australian wine truly compelling is the quality
David Gleave MW
of the wines produced from them. As Gleave
says: “Australian Chardonnay, from any number of regions, has been transformed beyond all
recognition, with the best wines displaying a
vibrancy and ability to age that few other countries can match.
“The same transformation is now happening with
Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet.”
“The advancements in viticulture and winemaking
are immeasurable over the last 10-20 years,” adds MacAulay. “Winemakers and viticulturalists, now
The winemaking fraternity are fiercely proud and hardworking and are constantly striving for better
in their 50s, have travelled and worked extensively
“I am excited by
Chardonnay and the
balance the best wines display, whether from
Margaret River, Adelaide Hills, the Yarra, Geelong
or Tasmania. I am also excited
by the potential for revolutionising the style of
Shiraz that Australia can produce: I think the 2020 Balhannah Shiraz from Shaw+Smith and the 2022
Rockwood Wild Shiraz from Jeff Grosset both do this.
in many key wine-producing countries around
“But on a personal level, being involved through
the world, returning home with a greater sense of
Willunga 100 with the work being done to revive
questioning and analysis in what they are doing,
Grenache – once Australia’s most widely planted
making amends where necessary to site, varieties,
grape variety – in McLaren Vale is as exciting as it
clones and yields etc.
gets.”
“The winemaking fraternity is fiercely proud and
hard-working and constantly striving for better.
Examples of this would be Australian Chardonnay,
Michael Hill-Smith MW
producers and now several can stand up on the
wines of great
now some of the finest in the world, and Pinot Noir:
“Tasmania – small but
global stage.”
tension, flavour and
20 years ago, Australia had one handful of worthy
exciting, producing
But it’s not all about the top end. As Daniel says:
individuality. Blewitt
“The quality of wine coming out of the country has
Spring – old-vine Grenache
improved drastically, particularly in the bulk wine
with perfume, concentration
sector where entry-level wines can be relied upon
but with ethereal lightness. Chardonnay – in
to fill a space on wine shelves.
particular the best producers from regions such
“The wines are more refined, elegant and
as Margaret River, Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills and
appealing to a UK consumer’s palate.”
Tasmania.”
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 50
Modern expressions from the Barossa Valley The Gravel Track range from The Barossa Valley Wine Company offers a fresh take on a world-famous terroir
T
he Barossa needs little introduction, widely recognised as the most prestigious wine region in Australia for its powerful yet elegant wines. It’s home to the Barossa Valley Wine Company, based in one of the region’s cooler, southern
areas.
Winemaker Roxanne Kloppers, a native Barossan who honed her skills in the Napa and Rhône valleys, has a wealth of old vines to work with, from vineyards that thrive on varied soils and in a range of microclimates. The Barossa’s heritage and traditions are important to the company, but so is creativity, and the range of wines that Roxanne and her team have crafted illustrates how many different styles can be achieved through judicious blending and oak ageing. The Gravel Track range – available in the UK exclusively through Lanchester Wines – is made in a fruit-forward style. “The wines are a modern expression of the Barossa with less new oak influence than our Stockyard and Farms ranges, and a greater use of French oak,” Roxanne says. “Stylistically these are all about juicy fruit on the palate, and soft tannins, making them approachable when young.” The fruit comes from vines on rich, deep alluvial soils and is fermented at cool temperatures for up to 10 days. The wine mostly ages in French oak for 12 to 14 months, depending on the variety. The GSM spends less time in oak to allow the beautiful redcurrant Grenache flavours to shine. Whatever the variety, the aim is always the same: to create “a delicious, contemporary wine that showcases the Barossa Valley in all its glory”. In association with Lanchester Wines lanchesterwines.co.uk
01207 521234
Instagram: barossavalleywinecompany
bvwc.com.au
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 51
Gravel Track Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Lifted notes of cassis and blackberry characters on the nose with hints of spice and cigar box which flow through to a rich, yet soft palate packed with dark fruit flavours. Juicy and fruitdriven, powerful yet elegant. Hints of black spice through the mid-palate. RRP £17.49 Gravel Track GSM 2019 Lifted aromas of red cherry and plum complemented by hints of liquorice and vanilla on the nose. A rich, fleshy palate. Soft velvety tannins provide a silky yet persistent finish punctuated with bright redcurrant and blueberry characters with a subtle background of oak spice. RRP £17.49 Gravel Track Shiraz 2018 Vibrant plum and blackberry characters on the nose with hints of chocolate and earthiness flow through to a rich, bold palate packed with dark fruit flavours. Juicy and fruit-driven, powerful yet elegant and with hints of black pepper spice which lead to a rich, velvety tannin finish. RRP £17.49
THE HOULTS WONDER WALL
S
tep inside Hoults in Huddersfield and you’ll soon come across two
collages featuring the adventures
of owners Rob and Bridget Hoult.
“The wall is all about showcasing
the history of the business and
showing just how much fun it is doing this for a living,” says Rob.
“After 30 years of it I feel a little out
of place, occasionally, with all of the
new, cool kids opening very different types of wine shop: crikey, we don’t even do T-shirts!
“I have to remind myself that it is
fun, that it is what I do for a living
and that getting paid to do it is really rather silly.
“Bridge has only been doing it
for five years and still has all of that
youthful joy about her. I have to look at the wall to prove to myself that
I’ve still got a few more years of fun to have. And maybe it’s better than keeping the pictures in the attic.”
These photos show what happens when you go to a Boutinot portfolio tasting followed by a Negociants portfolio tasting, then have dinner at Harvey Nic’s in Manchester and then find a hat and some of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest living winemakers. ow These pictures sh to meet t ge that we don’t just ities whilst out on wine-based celebr upon a time shows that once work trips. It also e shop. It to the name of th in rt fo ef ro ze t we pu and Rousseau ttle of 1972 Arm also features a bo ened with de Beze which I op Chambertin Clos at it was selling ithout knowing th Gordon Russell w 72 was was rubbish, too: It . 00 ,6 £1 r fo e onlin a gift so e. Luckily it was not a great vintag nt to be drunk. it was always mea
This one features a bit of a blast from the past, a promotional flyer from 1986 when we were still a corner shop. All prices are per dozen, and who doesn’t want 12 bottles of EEC White Blend?
Me on the aforementioned volcano in Chile when I was 30 and my father on Beaujolais Nouveau Day in the corner shop in 1985 when he was 33.
These are proof that Bridge and I do actually work together and som etimes are lucky enough to persuade som eone to invite the pair of us. Plus she does n’ t really like the pic of her with Dec. There is one with Dermot O’Leary somewhe re but he was ve ry dr unk, and the one with Greg Da vies just makes he r look even shorter, and she will very readily tell you that she is above aver age height.
Bull running in Pamplona, climbing a volcano in Chile, wine tasting in Victoria and a pressie from a friend of the shop!
THE WINE MERCHANT january 2024 53
THE DRAYMAN
“About Camden Town Brewery” section of its press bumf makes no mention
of this, merely that it was founded by
Jasper Cuppaidge. Nor does it mention that Cuppaidge stepped back from the
An innovation too far HP Sauce collab is more evidence of the creeping infantalisation of beer
S
ometimes you just want to throw your arms up in despair. Camden Town Brewery has got into bed
with Kraft Heinz to make a beer designed to look and taste like HP Sauce. It’s called HP Brown Ale and,
naturally, comes in a bottle that looks
very like a bottle of the famous fry-up accompaniment.
grocery brands is a worrying, if not
alarming, trend and further evidence of the creeping infantilisation of beer and
its packaging over the past decade or so. The craft beer movement has done
immense amounts to make beer more exciting and accessible, but it is also
responsible for some of its more heinous innovations.
country with a new sauce [their italics]
I
Dad or best mate”, implicitly ruling out
of the first in the UK craft beer sector,
It will, we are told, “unite generations
of beer and brown sauce fans across the
of conversation” and can be “sipped over dinner, supper or tea with your Nan,
consumption with other members of families or friendship groups.
Rather than add HP directly into the
t might be over-egging things
to suggest that HP Brown is the
inevitable commercial end-game of
Camden’s acquisition by Big Beer, one
by AB InBev in 2015. Interestingly, the
business to a consultancy role in 2020. Maybe this is a red herring. After all,
the hitherto sane, and still independent, Leeds brewer Northern Monk also has form in this area.
It has teamed up with local institution
Aunt Bessie’s for a range of specials
with the Yorkshire pud brand’s post-war
country-kitchen look. Should the delights of a beautifully balanced spicy and tangy session IPA not prove satisfying enough,
you can now try instead Apple Crumble & Custard and Jam Roly Poly & Custard pale ales, Sticky Toffee Pudding & Custard porter and, wait for it, Roast Dinner brown ale.
This sort of cross-category thing
goes on in spirits, but there’s a certain common-sense compatibility in a co-
branded Jack Daniel’s & Coke or Absolut & Sprite RTD that is merely mimicking, rather than gimmicking, an on-trade serve.
But pale ale, jam roly poly and custard?
No thanks. As Greg Wallace might say:
“There’s just too much going on on the plate.”
brew (“save that for your butties!” –
what, really, add sauce to beer and then it put on a sandwich?), it’s been given
its HP-esque flavour by the addition of
a sweeter grade of malt and some date purée.
It was no surprise that the beer
dropped at an e-commerce-lead-timefriendly distance from Christmas,
accompanied by branded T-shirts and
baseball caps. No, kids, dad would not love one of those.
The buddying-up of breweries with
The craft movement is responsible for some of beer’s more heinous innovations
From left: Nan, Dad and best mate
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 54
S
ingle-vineyard wines fascinate me. They are the epitome of place: the
exclusive taste of the vineyard. The
differences are often acute, and analysing
CONOR STRUTT
them gives me a serious buzz. But are normal wine drinkers as enthralled?
I recently visited Austria, courtesy of
Clark Foyster. Our group tasted through a line-up of Blaufränkisch cuvées from
Roland Velich of Weingut Moric. The estate blend was phenomenal.
The single-vineyard wines were, as
expected, even more impressive. Roland talked us through them, explaining how
the subtle differences translate from the land.
Counter Culture I love terroir wines. But do customers feel the same, and can they afford them?
Back in London I ran a tasting to give my
customers a snapshot of the Austrian wine scene.
become visible in the company of the
single-vineyards were far too expensive
characteristics are muted. And it is these
other wines, so despite being delicious
As delicious as they were, at over
in isolation, some of the comparable
twice the cost of the regional blend, the
characteristics (along with the smaller
to use in a wine tasting where the ticket
production) that leads to such premium
price was £40 a head – including snacks.
pricing. Tasting just one of these wines
During the event I referenced them and
feels like missing half the story.
their wonderful nuances, then instantly
Compare this to the estate blend that
regretted it.
is designed to sing without context. It is
I felt like I had dangled a selection of
the most fundamental expression of the
semi-mythical, outrageously delicious
wines in front of the guests and poured them the cheap option. And technically that’s exactly what I had done. Internal
the slightest change in aspect can influence
wines with various excuses. I even played
graphitey-mineral spine. Or how the
panic ensued. I attempted to downplay the
significance and intrigue of single-vineyard the price card, reasserting we were in the realm of “affordable”. It’s safe to say I was flustered.
Despite my sweaty palms and wordy
backtracking, the guests hardly batted an
eyelid. Largely because by this point, bored of my rambling, they had all tasted the
wine and been completely enamoured by
it. As I mentioned earlier, it is phenomenal. But this was a room full of keen, curious
drinkers. So why hadn’t they felt as
disappointed as I thought they might? It made me ponder the role of such wines
more generally. Who are they made for? And what is the point?
I came to the conclusion they are made
for me (and other wine nerds), so we
can gush over them and marvel at how
amazing our career-matter is. Where even
the wine’s final tannic structure. Or how the depth of the topsoil can increase the
drainage in the vineyard affects a wine’s concentration.
We are taught to detect and cherish these
differences. And when tasting a sense of place, the general wisdom is the more
precise the better, Burgundy being the prime example of this.
T
he point of all this becomes
apparent during moments such as the one in Roland’s cellar. Tasting
side by side and analysing these marked
differences in the company of people who are also super into it and happy to go
deep on the finer details of terroir. It was
a marvellous and insightful couple of hours. However, out of this context the
relevance of the single vineyard diminishes. The nuances are often acute and only
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 55
winemaker’s style, the foundation that everything else diverges from. It is for
people who are interested in cepage, region and winemaker, rather than lieu dit (most people). Testament to this: Roland’s top
wine from the village of Lutzmannsburg is made with a blend of grapes grown from
vineyards all around the village – a holistic reflection of place that just happens to be superb.
Focused terroir explorations are
beautiful but rarely afforded to wine
professionals, let alone the general wineconsuming population – which is OK
because generally they’re less interested. When the brief is a wine that shows
varietal typicity, a sense of place, reflects the winemaker’s individuality, and won’t
break the bank, the Moric Burgenland ticks this box perfectly. I must remember not everyone is into soil as much as we are.
Conor Strutt is general manager Reggio Emiliaof Peckham Cellars in south London
CAT BRANDWOOD The Long Run The only people I judge are the people who judge other people’s wine choices
“I
s it wrong that my friend drinks
recently.
her red wine with ice cubes in
it?” I was asked during a tasting
A big part of me wanted to express my
horror but instead I gave a shrug, replying that her friend should do what she wants. There was surprise round the table – the group clearly expected disgust from me.
very strict set of indecipherable rules.
To the outsider, this makes a wine shop intimidating and the people running it doubly so.
So, once you’ve stepped inside the shop,
no judgement will be thrown your way here. I don’t like Gewürztraminer but
think this wine “smells like cat’s piss in a teenager’s shoe”? Yes, that was a real
tasting note. I don’t have teenagers, my cat doesn’t piss in shoes, maybe that is exactly what that particular wine smells like. I clearly wouldn’t know.
I don’t normally consciously think about
our modus operandi anymore but I got
into an internet argument recently and it really got me thinking about whether my
knee-jerk, reactionary response had been
the correct one. Given that I already know
I am a massive arsehole, hence why I work for myself, I did actually have to put some thought into this.
It was a silly argument about a wine that
was deemed by a blue-tick account (cue pre-emptive eye-rolling) to be “not real
wine”. Now, having posted that my wine
club had really loved it and that many of
my customers would too, I didn’t take this criticism well. I instantly leapt to defend the wine, my customers and indeed my integrity and told the account to stop
gatekeeping wine. I’ve spent 11 years
telling people their taste in wine is valid,
As an “expert” I must enforce the “rules” of
because it is. I’m not going to let some self-
wine drinking. However, I stopped judging
important internet troll unravel that and
others a long time ago.
Oh, OK, yes, obviously I am still
sow the seeds of doubt.
T
judgemental, but I’ll do my best to make
his is the behaviour that puts
everyone feel welcome in my shop. Notable
people off wine. It stokes the belief
exceptions include (but are not limited to)
that as a consumer you know
arseholes who ask questions and then talk
nothing, and that puts fear into people
over my answers, arseholes who say “I’m
about trying something new – what if it’s
just browsing” instead of responding to my
not the “right” wine? I don’t care where
cheery “hello”, and anyone rude to any of
my drinkers start; I love spending my time
the team.
developing their palates, introducing them
Let’s get back to me pretending I’m not
to wines they never thought they’d like,
(privately) judgemental. Snobbery is the
and building a relationship. Yes, we’d all
biggest barrier to new drinkers (and we
love to pretend that our customers only
need all of those that we can get), and
want to drink family-owned estate wines,
the wine world is presented as having a
I’m not going to let some self-important internet troll unravel the integrity of wines I sell and sow the seeds of doubt. This is the behaviour that puts people off wine
I’m not judging anyone who does. You
but that’s not a Tuesday night reality.
Perhaps that’s never going to be a priority. So I tell my customers: tear up that rule
book! Like/hate orange wine? I’ve got your back. Only drink sweet pink wine? I can
find you something you’ll love. Just don’t
tell me that sulphites give you headaches. Cat Brandwood is the owner of Toscanaccio in Winchester
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 56
MAKE A DATE
VIN French Wines Tasting
The WineBarn Portfolio Tasting
Organisers claim this is the largest
Winemakers from across the company’s
French wine tasting of the year in the
portfolio will travel from Germany
UK.
to pour their wares, underlining the variety to be found across the country’s
This event offers the opportunity to taste
everything from Alsace to Jura, Provence
diverse regions.
attending.
to elegant Spätburgunder, Lemberger
The tasting will feature over more
to the Loire, with selected UK importers
and producers seeking UK representation
than wines, from world-class Riesling,
the “sparkling roulette” table and the
cuisines. It will introduce three new VDP
and Trollinger, to suit all budgets and
Highlights of this year’s event include
winemakers: Grans-Fassian from the Mosel
announcement of the Wine Champions
region of Leiwen, Matthias Knebel from
award winners.
Winnigen (also Mosel) and Ellwanger from
For more information about the
Winterbach in the Württemberg region.
tastingand to register, contact pandora.
For more information and to register,
mistry@businessfrance.fr. Thursday, February 1 RHS Lindley Hall Elverton Street
Gerhard Grans with daughter Catherina, a 13th-generation Grans-Fassian winemaker
Monday, February 5 The RAF Club 128 Piccadilly
London SW1P 2QW
Australia Trade Tasting
contact elliott@thewinebarn.co.uk.
Top Selection Portfolio Tasting The event showcases the London
London W1J 7PY
Astrum Portfolio Tasting
A fixture in the city for more than
importer’s award-winning line-up
30 years, this Edinburgh tasting
of smaller, family-owned producers,
Astrum hosts its biggest individual
will include wines ranging from
and unveils the latest additions to its
event yet, with more than 40 producers
international superstars to small
portfolio.
attending in person to showcase their
boutique newbies. There will be more than 300 wines on
show, spanning 40 Australian regions. It will include low and no-alcohol
wines, wines in cans and sustainable
winegrowing, all from classic and emerging grape varieties.
The London event takes place on January
31 at RHS Lindley Hall, as previewed in the November edition of The Wine Merchant. For more information and to register,
contact uk@wineaustralia.com. Thursday, February 1 The Balmoral Hotel 1 Princes Street
Registration is essential to attend by
contacting events@topselection.co.uk. Monday, February 5 IET London Savoy Place London WC2R 0BL
QUIZ TIME Answers to questions on page 14 1. 1963 2. Fiona Beckett 3. Cabernet Franc 4. Chianti Classico 5. Mateus Rosé
Edinburgh EH2 2EQ
wines from across Europe and beyond. The team will be pouring wines from
long-standing suppliers such as Cantina Terlano and Produttori del Barbaresco, and new portfolio additions including Monteleone and Poggio Scalette.
There will also be the opportunity to
participate in one of two masterclasses
being hosted by leading Italian wine expert and author Ian D’Agata.
For information and to register, contact
marketing@astrumwinecellars.com. Tuesday, February 6 Mall Galleries The Mall London SW1Y 5AS
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 57
The Vindependents tasting takes place on March 21
T
he wineworld is full of corkscrews,
and Polish and has drinking buddies
a wise rep once told me.
for both. I imagine the Gaelic and Polish
You can’t dismember a
tribes on separate sides of the pub until
lunchtime avocado with a corkscrew,
at some point the linguistic differences
experience has told me.
You can’t have Tunnocks Teacakes for
Lunch, nobody has told me (recently) but
then, you’ve got to figure some stuff out for
yourself because essentially you’re alone, as I told the teary, red-eyed Full Time Hippy from the Hippyshop yesterday which, on
reflection, might have been the wrong thing to say but at the same time she might have just been high.
I see my role in the shop as part-time
drug pusher and most-time disseminator of poorly researched life lessons. A psychiatrist of sorts.
I have two psychiatrists. In the shop.
I gave up therapy years ago after my
lose their form and they realise they’ve
36. THERAPY WITH A TUNNOCKS BALL Phoebe Weller of Valhalla’s Goat in Glasgow has options when it comes to psychiatry. The best involves one of Scotland’s most beloved marshmallow-based snacks
vouchers ran out and I saw my therapist
a Matrix-y aesthetic, in that he has a big
a Beatles song and has not many teeth and
she can keep him, even if he speaks Gaelic
stifling a yawn.
One (shrink not voucher) is named after
leather coat. He drinks stouts marketed for pre-pubescents. He is Jordan’s and
been speaking the same language all along but with different accents, a bit like the policeman and his bicycle.
T
he other psychiatrist drinks wine and reads books and is therefore infinitely better. He is named
after the drummer from D:Ream (first not last), has not many teeth and a Withnaily aesthetic, in that he doesn’t have a big leather coat.
Our friendship began when he
commented that I had been pregnant
continuously, for years now, which, as I have never been pregnant, stung a bit. He drinks only sparkling wine because he collects
plaques from the tops of bottles, which he trades like boozy pogs next to Catalonian fountains. He also collects wrappers for
citrus fruits and steals menus from places where he has Amazing Lunches. I’ve got
something to show you, he said, last time, pulling out a Tunnocks Teacake in the
shape of a ping-pong ball from his pocket. What is this? I said.
It is a ball made from Tunnocks Teacake
wrappers, he said.
Have you eaten all these Teacakes? I said.
No, he said, I buy them for the nurses and
demand that they return the undamaged wrappers.
The Tunnocks Teacake Ping-pong was a
marvellous thing, perfect and dense and too heavy and flawless. I wanted it very
much and wanted to put it in my mouth
and feel it sting against my fillings, but I
handed it back and went to bother some Meadlords who were cluttering up the corner of the shop with their helmets.
I would suggest that it is not just the
The teacake man demands that nurses return his wrappers
THETHE WINE MERCHANT January WINE MERCHANT march2024 2023 5858
wineworld full of corkscrews, but the
whole thing. How does that make you feel?
MAKE A DATE
New Zealand Winegrowers Tasting This flagship annual tasting features 50 exhibitors showing more than 200 New Zealand wines. Oz Clarke
will present a
masterclass to celebrate 50 years of the
Marlborough
wine region and how it put New Zealand on the international wine stage.
All wines presented are produced in
accordance with one of the country’s
recognised sustainability programmes.
For more information and to register,
contact sarah@nzwine.com.
Louis Latour Agencies Tasting
New York Wines Tasting
This year’s annual portfolio tasting
This Manchester event offers a taste of
promises an illustrious selection of
50 wines from New York State.
wines and two masterclasses. There will be a morning session on Louis
Latour and its Burgundian history, looking at the domaine wines and the negociant side of the business including the 2022 vintage.
The second masterclass will focus on
the Provence Cru Classé of Château Sainte Roseline, with an in-depth look at its rosé wines and the versatility of the award-
winning whites and reds that sometimes go under the radar.
For more information about the event
Wines on show will be from the Finger
Lakes and Long Island, as well as smaller
AVAs including the Hudson Valley and Lake Erie. The event will begin with a short
masterclass with winery representatives followed by a walk-around tasting.
Places are limited. To register, contact
eleanor@randr.co.uk.
Thursday, February 8 The Fountain House 14 Albert Square Manchester M2 5PE
and to register, contact marketing@ louislatour.co.uk.
Wednesday, February 7 Haberdashers’ Hall 18 West Smithfield London EC1A 9HX
Tuesday, February 6 RHS Lindley Hall Elverton Street London SW1P 2QW
Jascots Wine Portfolio Tasting
Kueka Lake vineyards, New York
The Best of Rioja Tasting
Richmond Wine Agencies Regional Tasting
Jascots Wine Merchants introduces its
The London agency business will be
producers, including Castelvecchio from
wines from the region.
as Bolney Wine Estate, Domaine Francois
Growths as well as producers he has
heading for Bristol to pour a selection of highlights from its wide portfolio. These include some new arrivals from
Chile, Australia and Austria. Contact tim@ richmondwineagencies to register. Tuesday, February 6 The Airstream
2024 portfolio with over 200 wines on show and a focus on its regional hero producers, championing indigenous
The tasting is based on this year’s
grape varieties.
Special Rioja Report by Tim Atkin MW,
The tasting will introduce new
the Carso region and the Sicilian Barone di Villagrande, alongside existing ones such Villard and Sartarelli Estate.
For more information and to register,
contact jessica.walker@jascots.co.uk. Wednesday, February 7
highlighting the best producers and It will showcase wines Atkin has selected
to appear in his list of First and Second
highlighted as rising stars and the ones to watch.
For more information and to register,
contact clare@island-media.co.uk.
Paintworks Events Space
Westminster Chapel
Bath Road
Buckingham Gate
One Great George Street
Bristol BS4 3EH
London SW1E 6BS
London SW1P 3AA
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 59
Tuesday, February 13
MAKE A DATE
Hallgarten & Novum Wines Portfolio Tasting
picked selection of her acclaimed Douro Valley and Lisbon wines.
Koshu of Japan Tasting
Monday, February 19
Koshu of Japan returns to London for its
Surgeons Hall, Prince Philip Building
15th annual trade tasting.
Email gail.black@corneyandbarrow.com.
This event returns once more to Lindley
Nicolson Street
Hall to showcase the breadth of the
Edinburgh EH8 9DW
Hallgarten portfolio to the UK trade. The team will be joined by many of their
partner producers to pour over 700 wines
from their award-winning range, including new producers and vintages.
For more information and to register,
Fells Annual Portfolio Tasting
contact sarah.charlwood@hnwines.co.uk.
The company will be showing a
Monday, February 19 & Tuesday,
portfolio of world leading, family-owned
February 20
producers, together with new wineries
RHS Lindley Hall
that have recently joined its roster.
Elverton Street London SW1P 2QW
Berkmann Wine Cellars Tasting
selection of wines from its entire
The tasting will feature two
masterclasses, details of which will be available online.
To register, visit fells.co.uk or scan the QR
code on page 9.
Tuesday, February 20 2 Savoy Place
years at the heart of hospitality at their
London WC2R 0BL
annual tasting. For more information and to register
berkmann.co.uk.
Monday, February 19 The Grand
Walker & Wodehouse Spring Portfolio Tasting
Station Rise
The indie-focused division of Bibendum
York YO1 6GD
is billing the event as Wine Emporium, featuring a snapshot of 135 from its
Corney & Barrow Trade Tasting A chance to discover wines from across the portfolio, with highlights including Portuguese masterclasses with
Winery, Chateau Mercian and Suntory, will be presenting a diverse range of wines, showcasing the breadth of styles that
the Koshu grape can produce, including sparkling, still and orange.
Highlights include masterclasses hosted
by Isa Bal MS and Sarah Jane Evans MW. These will cover 12 wines, looking at
Koshu across its various styles and the
differences in Koshu wine by production area, vineyard location and age, and viticultural practices.
For more information and to register,
contact rebecca.wallis@thisisphipps.com. Wednesday, February 21 67 Pall Mall London SW1Y 5ES
IET London
The Berkmann team celebrate 60
for the event, contact vanessa.williams@
Leading wine producers from the
Yamanashi Prefecture, including Lumière
roster of producers. The selection includes “new finds and
beloved favourites”, the company promises. Register by emailing events@
walkerwodehousewines.com or scan the QR code on page 3.
Tuesday, February 20
All Points North Tasting This year’s event in the heart of Edinburgh will bring together a selection of wines from 11 importers. Exhibitors will include Hatch
Mansfield, Maisons Marques et Domaines,
WoodWinters, Hallgarten & Novum Wines, North South Wines, Richmond Wine
Agencies, Terroir Wines, Vinicon, Walker
& Wodehouse, Wine Events Scotland and Bermar.
For more information about the event
and to register, contact pippacarter@hatch. co.uk.
Monday, February 26
winemaker Sandra Tavares of Quinta de
The Light Bar
The Balmoral Hotel
Chocapalha and Wine & Soul.
233 Shoreditch High Street
1 Princess Street
London E1 6PJ
Edinburgh EH2 2EQ
Tavares will be showcasing a hand-
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 60
New Zealand Winegrowers return to London for the flagship New Zealand Annual Trade Tasting. Discover a wide range of varieties from across New Zealand’s major winegrowing regions, including the latest releases, with 50 producers showing more than 200 New Zealand wines. This is the largest collection of New Zealand wines available to taste in the UK and all wines presented are produced in accordance with one of our recognised sustainability programmes.
TUESDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2024 Lindley Hall I Royal Horticultural Halls Elverton Street I London I SW1P 2QW Business Briefing I 9.30am Tasting open I 10am-5pm
Oz Clarke OBE will present a masterclass following his recent trip to New Zealand, showcasing his latest discoveries. There will be a Self Pour Feature Table of Regional Heroes, showcasing classic styles from across New Zealand’s Wine regions. A Business briefing for buyers and media will take place in advance of the tasting to provide an update on the New Zealand wine category.
Register to Attend, scan QR code
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 61
A château in vineyards near Sopot, Plovdiv Province, Bulgaria
MAKE A DATE
Specialist Importers Trade Tasting
Viñateros Spanish Tasting This new-wave tasting returns to London with over 90 vineyard-focused
ROB ROY It seems Scotch whisky frequently has to take a back seat to sweeter bourbon and rum in dark spirit cocktails, so International Scotch Day on February 8 offers a chance to reconnect with Scotland’s finest export. The Rob Roy is essentially a Scotch version of the more famous US whiskeyled Manhattan, and sometimes appears on menus as a Scotch Manhattan. It’s attributed to New York’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel in the 1890s, taking its name from an operetta about the life of the Scottish folk hero being staged at a nearby theatre.
SITT returns to Manchester and London,
and low-intervention growers from
bringing together specialist importers
across Spain pouring their wines.
and independents from across the on and off-trades. For more information and to register,
contact lee.sharkey@agilemedia.co.uk. Monday, February 26 11 Portland Street Manchester M1 3HU Wednesday, February 28 RHS Lindley Hall Elverton Street London SW1P 2QW
Enotria&Coe Annual Portfolio Tasting Producers and suppliers from all corners of the globe will be at Enotria’s annual portfolio tasting.
6cl blended Scotch whisky 3cl red vermouth Eight drops of Angostura bitters Orange zest Cocktail cherries
Raul Perez, Pepe Raventós, Willy Pérez and Envínate, as well as rising stars
Javier Revert, Jose Gil, César Márquez and Victoria Torres Pecis.
There will be two masterclasses, with
Alvaro Ribalta MW talking about the
diversity of quality sparkling wine in
Spain, and the second focusing on classic regions with new ideas.
For more information and to register,
contact jo@indigowine.com. Tuesday February 27 RHS Lindley Hall Elverton Street London SW1P 2QW
Mentzendorff Annual Tasting
It will showcase wines and spirits from
Mentzendorff’s most important event
Cantabria, Quinta do Crasto, Ken Forrester,
company’s range of wines including
over 100 exclusive producers including
of the year brings together winemakers
Seresin and Susana Balbo, and spirits from
Champagnes, fortified wines, spirits
contact ej.bailey@enotriacoe.com.
event and to register, contact eve@
The Brewery
Wednesday, February 28
wines from Bertani, Trimbach, Sierra
from all over the world to share the
Nonino, Castarede and Neft Vodka.
and more.
For more information and to register,
Stir all the liquid ingredients with ice. Strain into a glass and garnish with a twist of orange zest and a cherry.
The viñateros (wine growers) attending
include trailblazers Telmo Rodriguez,
Monday, February 26
For more details about the London
mentzendorff.co.uk.
52 Chiswell Street
One Great George Street
London EC1Y 4SA
London SW1P 3AA
THE WINE MERCHANT TOP 100 JUDGING DAY IS MONDAY, APRIL 15 THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 62
SUPPLIER BULLETIN
LOUIS LATOUR AGENCIES
Louis Latour Agencies Annual Portfolio Tasting, 7th February 2024 10am–4pm. Location: Haberdashers’ Hall, London EC1A 9HQ
12-14 Denman Street London W1D 7HJ
Join us and our visiting producers, Eléonore Latour, the 12th generation of the Louis
Latour family, as well as Marion Bosquet (Louis Latour Ardèche), Jgor Marini (Banfi),
Paul Espitalié (Simonnet-Febvre), Bertrand Verduzier (Gosset/Cobalte) and Thomas
Soret (Frapin) plus many more, for the year’s most comprehensive tasting of wines and spirits from Louis Latour Agencies portfolio. To register, please scan the QR code.
0207 409 7276
11am: Maison Louis Latour Masterclass with Christophe Deola
enquiries@louislatour.co.uk www.louislatour.co.uk
Meet Christophe Deola on his first visit to the UK as Domaine Director for Louis Latour in Burgundy. Christophe will focus on the Hill of Corton, guiding us through various vintages of the infamous CortonCharlemagne, followed by various reds from the Grand Cru site.
2pm: Château Sainte Roseline Masterclass with Patrick Pouvatchy One of only 18 Provence Cru Classé estates left, with a history dating back to the 12th century, Patrick will be joined by winemaker Marco
Bealessio, who will talk us through the organic white, red and rosé wines, looking at the use of indigenous grape varieties, as well as a clever comparison of their sister estate, Château des Demoiselles.
hallgarten wines Mulberry House Parkland Square 750 Capability Green Luton LU1 3LU 01582 722 538 sales@hnwines.co.uk www.hnwines.co.uk @hnwines
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 63
SUPPLIER BULLETIN
gonzalez byass uk The Dutch Barn Woodcock Hill Coopers Green Lane St Albans AL4 9HJ 01707 274790 info@gonzalezbyassuk.com www.gonzalezbyassuk.com @gonzalezbyassuk
walker & Wodehouse
Enter the Wine Emporium with Walker & Wodehouse
109a Regents Park Road London NW1 8UR
Join Walker & Wodehouse on Tuesday 20th February 2024 in London for our annual portfolio tasting – Wine Emporium.
0207 449 1665 orders@walkerwodehousewines.com www.walkerwodehousewines.com
@WalkerWodehouse
Taste rare and exclusive wines, new curiosities, and cherished favourites from our award-winning portfolio of wines.
This year’s selection will focus on wines from North America & South America, alongside an incredible selection of sustainable wines. Why not start from a selection of the best orange and rosé wines for summer or discover a new sparkling alternative. Annual Portfolio Tasting Event The Light Bar, Shoreditch, Tuesday 20th February 20, 12pm-5pm
To RSVP, please contact your account manager or or email events@ walkerwodehousewines.com
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 64
mentzendorff The Woolyard 52 Bermondsey Street London SE1 3UD 020 7840 3600 info@mentzendorff.co.uk www.mentzendorff.co.uk
buckingham schenk Unit 5, The E Centre Easthampstead Road Bracknell RG12 1NF 01753 521336 info@buckingham-schenk.co.uk www.buckingham-schenk.co.uk
A truly unique range of wines from one of the oldest wine estates in Valencia. Biodiversity and respectful viticulture are at the forefront of renowned winemaker Víctor Marqués’ philosophy. Each of the wines have their own personality, reflecting the unique setting where they are produced. Fresh, bold and fruity Mediterranean reds Rocha Candeal, and Manzan,or the bold and fragrant white Trena.
@BuckSchenk @buckinghamschenk
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 65
SUPPLIER BULLETIN
jeroboams trade 7-9 Elliott's Place London N1 8HX 020 7288 8888 sales@jeroboamstrade.co.uk www.jeroboamstrade.co.uk
@jeroboamstrade
vintner systems The computer system for drinks trade wholesalers and importers 16 Station Road Chesham HP5 1DH sales@vintner.co.uk www.vintner.co.uk
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 66
thorman hunt 4 Pratt Walk, Lambeth London SE11 6AR 0207 735 6511 www.thormanhunt.co.uk @thormanhunt sales@thormanhunt.co.uk
hatch mansfield New Bank House 1 Brockenhurst Road Ascot Berkshire SL5 9DL 01344 871800 info@hatch.co.uk www.hatchmansfield.com @hatchmansfield
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 67
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Fells Fells House, Station Road Kings Langley WD4 8LH 01442 870 900 For more details about these wines and other wines from our awardwinning portfolio from some of the world’s leading wine producing families contact: info@fells.co.uk
www.fells.co.uk
@FellsWine je_fells
marta vine 2 Wells Road Walsingham NR22 6DJ 01328 641357 sales@martavine.co.uk MartaVineLtd
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 68
richmond wine agencies The Links, Popham Close Hanworth Middlesex TW13 6JE 020 8744 5550 info@richmondwineagencies.com
@RichmondWineAG1
RWA is now stocking a range of low and no-alcohol products including Wild Life sparkling wine made in Cornwall These are award-winning refreshing and dry ultra-
low alcohol sparkling wines with an uplifting elixir of vitamins, minerals and botanicals.
At only 0.5% abv and 60% fewer calories than
traditional sparkling wines, every 125ml glass of Wild Life delivers a minimum 15% of the recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals.
Ask your account manager for pricing and
promotional offer.
#bubbleswithbenefits
With lots of lovely new wines having just arrived from Chile, Australia, Austria etc along with some old favourites, we would like to invite you to our 2024 regional tasting in Bristol. DATE: Tuesday, 6th February 2024
VENUE: The Airstream | Main Courtyard | Paintworks Event Space | Bath Road | Bristol | BS4 3EH
TIME: 10am to 4pm with a light lunch and coffee available RSVP: tim@richmondwineagencies.com
AWIN BARRATT SIEGEL WINE AGENCIES 28 Recreation Ground Road Stamford Lincolnshire PE9 1EW 01780 755810
VISIT ABS AT THE 2024 AUSTRALIA TRADE TASTING And try a small selection of our Aussie range from cool climate regions to big Barossa styles and everything in between. LONDON • 30th Jan • The Royal Horticultural Halls, SW1P 2PB EDINBURGH • 1st Feb • The Balmoral Hotel, EH2 2EQ
orders@abs.wine www.abs.wine
@ABSWines
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 69
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liberty wines
Matthew Jukes’ 100 Best Australian Wines
020 7720 5350
We’re thrilled to see 22 of our wines featuring in the 18th edition of Matthew Jukes’
order@libertywines.co.uk www.libertywines.co.uk
Pleasant, Peter Lehmann and Shaw + Smith are among the 40 most featured wineries over
@liberty_wines
selection of “the finest 100 Australian wines available on the shelves in the UK for the coming 12 months”. Charles Melton, Cullen, Grosset, Mitolo, Mount Horrocks, Mount the two decades of this report’s publication and all make the latest 100 Best, as do By Farr,
Chambers Rosewood, Dandelion Vineyards, Giant Steps, Henschke, Morris of Rutherglen and Willunga 100, alongside debut appearances for Chatto and Jane Eyre.
To highlight a few of Matthew’s picks, the Mount Horrocks Clare Valley Semillon 2022
is “a charmer … an excellent switch-sell from dry Riesling”, while Mount Pleasant’s Estate
Grown Hunter Valley Semillon 2022 is “as vital and electrifying as any I have tasted over nearly four decades from this world-renowned property …” The Willunga 100 Smart
Vineyard Clarendon Grenache 2021 is “classy and elegant…an edge-of-the-seat experience already”, while Dandelion Vineyards’ Lion’s Tooth of McLaren Vale
Shiraz/Riesling 2021 is “without any doubt, the finest Dandelion red (excluding Red Queen, which is positioned at an entirely different price
point) I have tasted.” Cullen’s Diana Madeline Wilyabrup Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2021 is “an incredible Aussie Cabernet that rivals
even the finest wines from both sides of the Gironde” and the Henschke Mount Edelstone Eden Valley Shiraz 2018 is “a genuinely outstanding Mount Edelstone, with glorious fruit and multi-layered complexity.”
top selection 23 Cellini Street London SW8 2LF www.topselection.co.uk info@topselection.co.uk Contact: Alastair Moss Telephone: 020 3958 0744 @topselectionwines @tswine
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 70
Q&A “I find I get energy by having people round, chilling over a glass of wine” Sam Linter Plumpton College and WineGB
Who’s your favourite music artist? I have a lot. If I go back to my formative teenage years it would have to be Duran Duran. I could pick out Queen or Barbra Streisand too. Any superstitions? No, none. Sorry!
Who’s your favourite wine critic? I really love Oz Clarke. I’m a great fan of Olly Smith as well. Oz is a genuinely nice, good person and I like the way he writes.
What’s your most treasured possession? My grandmother’s French mantel clock that my mother inherited. It’s got a lot of memories surrounding it. What’s your proudest moment? Apart from having my children, when Bolney won UK Wine Producer of the Year in the IWSC in 2012. It was for a 2007 Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine that we made. I had a goal of winning a trophy in an international competition and that was the first time we did it.
Sam Linter was born in 1968 and moved from Surrey to Sussex aged four. She joined her parents’ Bolney Wine Estate in 1995, where she became one of England’s highest-profile winemakers. She is chair of WineGB and the new director of wine at Plumpton College. What’s the first wine you remember drinking? Probably Mateus Rosé. My father was a big red wine drinker and Chianti and Rioja were his favourite wines, so there were a lot of those in the house that he would be drinking. When we were younger my parents used to give us a glass of water with a tiny bit of wine in it. They occasionally drank Mateus Rosé and used the bottles as candle holders. What job would you be doing if you weren’t in the wine trade? I’m quite fascinated by forensic pathology but it’s probably a bit too highbrow for me. I would probably have been a vet. I do love animals and working with animals.
How do you relax? I do a lot of walking. I like spending time with people. I find I get energy by being out with friends and having people round, chilling over a glass of wine.
What’s the best book you’ve read recently? I’ve just finished The Boys from Biloxi by John Grisham, which is absolutely brilliant. I’ve just read another really fascinating book, Memphis by Tara Stringfellow, which is about three generations of black women and what their lives are like.
Give us a Netflix recommendation. I’ve been watching this weird detective show called Walter Presents. Every series is in a different country with a different set of characters. I’m waiting for The Crown to come back on Netflix. I really enjoyed that. Do you have any sporting loyalties? I’m a Sussex girl so it has to be Brighton & Hove Albion. But I actually prefer rugby, at a national level.
THE WINE MERCHANT January 2024 71
What’s your biggest regret? I always had a really difficult relationship with my father and I regret we weren’t able to have a better father-daughter relationship. I always feel quite sad about that but I don’t know if it could have been different, to be honest.
Who’s your hero? I have quite a few. I find Michelle Obama quite inspiring. Jancis Robinson is really inspiring, just because she’s a woman who’s broken through the ceiling and been highly successful. Any hidden talents? I can paint; I’m not a bad artist. Not amazing, but if I see something I can draw it and it looks like what it’s meant to be. I like watercolours but I use acrylics and oils sometimes as well. I paint landscapes rather than anything abstract.
What’s your favourite place in the UK? I do love Sussex, and Devon is an amazing place. But I think Yorkshire is very special. So let’s say Yorkshire. If we could grant you one wish … Find a much better way of dealing with mental health in this country. A lot of problems, like homelessness, stem from mental health.