2014: A Great Vintage for Quartet

An article by Lauren Eads in The Drinks Business brings good news for Roederer Estate’s signature Californian sparkling wine.

“Despite a devastating earthquake, severe drought and wild fires, Californian vintners are hailing the 2014 harvest as one of the best ever seen, calling it the “third great vintage of the decade”.

The exceptional yield came as a result of a mild winter, producing the earliest harvest on record, and even ripening caused by moderate temperatures and minimal rainfall in September.

The president and director of winemaking at Francis Ford Coppola Winery Corey Beck said that 2014 was the best vintage he had ever seen in 17 years working at the winery.

With 2014’s batch of Quartet picked and fermenting as we speak, we eagerly await tasting the results of this fantastic year!

Click here to see the full article:
http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2014/10/california-hails-excellent-2014-vintage/

Tim Atkin MW – Pazo Barrantes 93 Points

Tim Atkin MW tasted our Pazo Barrantes Albariño this month and awarded it an amazing 93 points!

He said “owned by the same family that makes Marqués de Murrieta in Rioja (they were originally from Galicia). It’s a white pepper scented, bone dry style with plenty of texture and weight on the tongue, showing notes of stone fruit and pear and a crunchy, stony finish.“

Pio Cesare Barolo Masterclass

David Tomatis of Pio Cesare winery took to the floor at West London Wine School to give a Pio Cesare masterclass to a room of Barolo enthusiasts.

David talked about the history of the estate, now in run by fourth generation, Pio Boffa.

David also mentioned the variations in characteristics of the grapes grown in the two different soil types and the divide being the Alba-Barolo road which runs along the valley, separating La Morra and Novello to the west and Serralunga d’Alba and Grinzane Cavour to the east.

In the communes of La Morra and Novello the soils are younger, from the Tortonian period, largely calcareous marl, give perfume and delicate fruit characteristics to the wines, while the grapes from , Grinzane Cavour and Serralunga are grown in poorer, more compact and less fertile soils with more clay, giving structured wines with more tannin and greater ageing potential.

He explained that at Pio Cesare, they chose to blend parcels from four communes so that the unique qualities of the grapes from each vineyard combines to create a harmonious and perfectly balanced wine representative of the Barolo region.

Wines tasted:

• 2013 Gavi
• 2011 Barbera d’Alba ‘Best Value Wine’
• 2010 Nebbiolo Langhe
• 2009 Barbaresco
• 2009 Barolo ‘Wine of the Night’
• 2013 Moscato d’Asti

Chateau Pichon ‘On the road’ with Robert Parker

Wine critic Robert Parker has announced a plan to bring his “Grand World Tour” to London early next year.

During the tour, Parker will host a black tie “Gala Hedonist’s Dinner” at two-Michelin starred restaurant The Ledbury, where guests will enjoy a glass of Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1982 along with seven other outstanding wines, handpicked by Robert himself.

Click the link below for more information.

https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2014/09/parker-brings-100-pointer-roadshow-to-uk/?src=FWF&date=3-10-14

The creation of Brut Nature

Watch this video to learn more about the unique co-creation process for Louis Roederer’s Brut Nature 2006 made in conjunction with Philippe Starck – the first new product in 40 years.

93 Decanter Points for Pazo Barrantes Albariño

In the October edition of Decanter, Spanish expert Sarah Jane Evans MW selected her hottest buys under £25 and our very own Pazo Barrantes Albariño was the only Albariño selected.

Marqués de Murrieta, Pazo Barrantes, Rías Baixas 2013
93 Points

“A rounder expression of Albariño. This has all the yellow and white stone fruit of the variety, overlaid with a velvety mouthfeel and a creamy richness from four months on the lees.”

Launch of Louis Roederer Brut Nature 2006

Louis Roederer release Brut Nature 2006 co-produced with Philippe Starck

“The Brut Nature 2006 is the fruit of several convergences: between a historic terroir and a remarkable year, and between a Champagne House that respects nature and a creative genius with a free spirit.”
Frédéric Rouzaud, Managing Director

London 30^th September 2014 – Frédéric Rouzaud, MD, and Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Executive Vice President and Cellar Master at Champagne Louis Roederer, unveiled the newest addition to the Champagne Louis Roederer range – the Brut Nature 2006 – yesterday at The Royal Institute of British Architects, London.

The launch brought together sommeliers from the London prestige on-trade, retail partners and members of the press to discover the unique co-creation process behind the birth of the new wine.

Not only is the Brut Nature 2006 the first addition to the prestigious Grande Marque’s portfolio in 40 years (since the launch of Cristal Rosé in 1974), but is also the first time the maison has involved someone outside the industry to assist with the creation of the wine.

Enter Philippe Starck: thanks to a mutual appreciation of each other’s aesthetic values, Rouzard and Starck began a conversation some years ago about the ideal wine which led to the joint creation of the Brut Nature 2006.

To read more, download the PDF.

“World Champion USA” for Roederer Estate

Roederer Estate NV Brut Sparkling Wine has won the “World Champion USA” title in The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships.

This new global wine competition was launched by internationally renowned specialist writer and author Tom Stevenson. Along with Tom, Dr Tony Jordan and Essi Avellan, Finland’s first Master of Wine, were the specialists responsible for choosing the rightful winners.

See the link below for their tasting notes.

Schlumberger go West (London Wine School)

Following a recent visit to Domaines Schlumberger, Jimmy Smith of West London Wine School returned, enthusiastic to share his love of Alsace and the Domaines to a larger audience.

Severine Schlumberger hosted a consumer evening tasting with Jimmy Smith at the school for a group of 20 Alsace and Riesling fans.

After an introduction to Domaines Schlumberger, as the largest owner of vineyards in Alsace, and also the largest owner of Grand Cru in the region, Severine proceeded to explain the difference between Domaines, Negociants and Cooperatives and how to identify the difference on the bottle – bottled at Domaines, Maison and Cave respectively.

As a Domaines, having complete control over the winemaking process from growing the grapes to producing the wine, enables Domaines Schlumberger to maintain superior quality levels.

The wine tasted included:
Pinot Blanc ‘Les Princes Abbés’ 2012 – Voted ‘Best Value Wine’ of the tasting
Riesling ‘Les Princes Abbés’ 2011
Riesling Grand Cru ‘Saering’ 2009
Pinot Gris ‘Les Princes Abbés’ 2012
Pinot Gris Grand Cru ‘Kitterlé’ 2007 – Voted ‘Wine of Night’
Gewurztraminer ‘Les Princes Abbés’ 2011
Gewurztraminer Grand Cru ‘Kessler’ 2008

Castiglion del Bosco: Golf & Luxury Lifestyle Event

Castiglion del Bosco and Club Inc. Golf & Lifestyle hosted a joint networking event at the magnificent, Café Royal on Wednesday 10th September.

Teeing-off with a Q&A panel discussion lead by Niall Flanigan of Club Inc on hospitality, wine and the golf world with Simone Pallesi, CEO of Castiglion del Bosco (Golf), Mark Bingley MW (Wine) and Justin Ellis, Director of Food & Beverage at Café Royal (Hospitality). The experts shared their views of their respective sectors with the guests and ideas of how the three sectors could interact and work together were debated.

A introductory tasting of the Castiglion del Bosco estate and wines presented by Marco Paier, Sales & Marketing Director at Castiglion del Bosco and Mark Bingley MW followed, with a delicious informal lunch of bowl food, carefully prepared by the executive chef at Café Royal to show the wines at their best, served.

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