WINE NOTES

TINDALL ESTATE, MARLBOROUGH

This Estate is a rarity in Marlborough, where there only a few wineries who process fruit entirely from only their own vineyards. Here are a few interesting figures - 80% of the New Zealand wine industry is owned by overseas giants who buy in vast quantities of wine. There are over 550 wine growers in Marlborough alone, and most of them are supplying grapes to the big guns. For instance, the iconic ‘boutique winery’ image of Cloudy Bay is erroneous. It is owned by the multinational LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Moet, and Hennessy) conglomerate. Yes, they do have their own vineyards, but they also buy in a huge amount of grapes from contract growers in order to fuel the financial desires of the French shareholders.

Terry and Linley Sowman of Tindall, do it their way. Their family-owned spread of 22 hectares was purchased in 1993 and was originally a cherry orchard, and as the vines were planted in 1995, they are beautifully mature now. They allow the grapes to hang a little longer than most “to ensure long, slow ripening which gives delicious flavour profiles. We are not fans of the overtly aggressive Sauvignon Blanc style”. The vineyard provides 100% of the grapes for their production – no purchases from other growers. Their winemaker is superstar Dr. John Forrest.

Terry and Linley put it succinctly:
“We are proud to put our face behind our label. Small family producers such as us must survive to ensure the passion and romance associated with wine.”

WHEN TO DRINK BEAUJOLAIS

We have been promoting the best of Beaujolais since 1973. Not the mass market stuff made by the big Houses, but the finest wines from top growers. Beaujolais doesn’t come any better than the produce of Jean–Marc Laforest, Frédéric Bénat and Gaël Martin!

Here are a few tips on how to enjoy the stuff:

• An ideal refreshing white or red pick-me-up at MIDDAY
• At LUNCH it’s the perfect accompaniment to meat, seafood and salads
• A perfect glass for quiet reflection in the AFTERNOON
• The best of all reds for PRE-THEATRE DINING as the lightness of being allows one to stay awake for the play
• With DINNER it is a glorious mix of style and substance
• Its intrinsic gaiety supplies the perfect AFTER THE SHOW glass.

Otherwise...... Don’t touch the stuff!

DON HEWITSON CHAMPAGNE

In 1989 Macmillan published my book The Glory of Champagne, which won the Prix du Champagne Lanson. In the chapter “Names To Search Out” I raved about the house of GARDET in Chigny-les-Roses, right in the heart of the Montagne de Reims; Pinot Noir territory.

“Discovering this small, modest house has been one of the great delights of my champagne-drinking of the past few years …Over the years I have shown Gardet wines to numerous champagne enthusiasts who appreciate the classic style ... extremely good value”.

Well, after such a positive description I was able to persuade them to be the supplier for my House Champagne.

DON HEWITSON NON VINTAGE
The cuvées for this wine come from mainly Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay in equal quantities. Aged for four years – considerably longer than most other Non Vintage champagnes. Marvellous fine bubbles with complex style and a brilliant, fragrant finish.

DON HEWITSON PREMIER CRU BLANC DE NOIRS
100% Pinot, made from the Premier Cru vines in Hautvillers – the commune which is one of the main sources of grapes for Dom Perignon. Luscious, toasty ‘classic’ flavours.

DON HEWITSON ROSÉ
Equal quantities of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from Premier Cru vines over 30 years old. Full bodied with lashings of strawberry and raspberry flavours which linger in the mouth. Pink champagne doesn’t get much better than this beauty!

DOMAINE DU GRAND MONTMIRAIL GIGONDAS & VACQUEYRAS

The sleepy village of Gigondas is right in the heart of the Southern Rhone. It is in an archetypal micro-climate, lying in the shelter of the Dentelles de Montmirail mountain range, tucked away from the cursed Mistral wind. Yves Cheron’s 35 hectares estate is beautifully situated - sunny south facing slopes at 350 metres altitude, just below the rock face.

The clay and chalk soils are littered with cannonball-sized boulders; these glacial deposits act as storage heaters and produce ripe voluptuous fruit – 80% Grenache from 50 year old vines, 15% Syrah and 5% Mourvèdre. The wine has supple red fruit flavours with an oh so smooth toasty finish. Glorious stuff …Our Steak Sandwiches with Mustard & Herbs de Provence Butter will taste even better with a bottle of this!

CASTELLO VICCHIOMAGGIO, CHIANTI

I met up with John Matta at the Cork & Bottle recently. We had a glass to celebrate the International Wine Competition awarding him “Italian Winemaker of the Year” for the third time. I have been buying Vicchiomaggio from John since 1975. In this time he has transformed the family’s 150 hectares spread of vines, olive trees and forest into one of the region’s superstar estates. He has classified the 32 hectares of vines according to soil type and exposure and his wines are named after specific areas of the vineyard.

SAN JACOPO CHIANTI CLASSICO VICCHIOMAGGIO is one of his finest bottlings. It is lovely classic Chianti – 90% Sangiovese and 5% each Canaiolo and Colornio. The San Jacopo grapes are vinified separately from the rest of the estate and aged in large oak casks for six months. The result is a lively wine flaunting full-frontal fruit with a beautifully expressive style and a soft lingering finish.

And, the “Vicchiomaggio Experience”: John and his wife Paola have renovated the castle, a national monument dating back to the 1400’s. (Leonardo da Vinci stayed here whilst painting the Mona Lisa) You can rent a self catering apartment on the estate or cocoon yourself in one of the luxury suites. There is a church on the estate, so it is the perfect place for a wedding and reception.

JIM BARRY WINES, CLARE VALLEY

Drive north of Adelaide in the wonderfully clear, morning light; past the ghastly suburban sprawl created for the “£10 Poms” and, after 40 kilometres you arrive at the small town of Gawler (population 20,000). Here on the main road due north there is a local café that regularly wins the annual award for “South Australia’s Best Meat Pie”. I always stop here for a late breakfast of espresso and one of their wonderful creations; an unctuous creation of superb flaky pastry, with tender chunks of beef and terrific, slightly spicy oozing gravy.

Suitably fortified, it’s time to hit the road north to the Clare Valley. For sixty kilometres you drive through land that is so dry that it’s a wonder anything flourishes. The soils is an ochre colour with water wheels and gum trees scattered around – and scraggy sheep foraging for miniscule pieces of sustenance.

Then, suddenly the scenery changes and everything is lush green. The Clare Valley, a marvellous sleepy place that time seems to have passed by. This is Riesling and Shiraz territory and Peter Barry, the son of the legendary Jim is the Valley’s master of both.

We list the superb LODGE HILL RIESLING, McRAE WOOD SHIRAZ and the sublime THE ARMAGH, which James Halliday rates as “One of Australia’s very best wines”, and I certainly prefer it to Grange! These three wines come from the family’s vineyards in the heart of the valley.

Peter also produces three beauties from elsewhere. He is a cricket fanatic, so they all have a name associated to the noble game. SILLY MID ON is a Sauvignon Blanc–Semillon. He says, “I wanted to make the best possible easy drinking white and use my finest fruit from the Coonawarra and the Adelaide Hills”. THE COVER DRIVE is Cabernet Sauvignon from the Clare and their vineyard in Coonawarra.

It has soft, blackcurrant fruit flavours with lingering nuances of cassis and eucalyptus. This is the biggest selling Australian premium wine on our list. And finally there is THE FIRST ELEVEN Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, named in honour of Australia’s greatest cricketing legends. This is a brilliant crafted classic only produced in the finest vintages, and scarce as hen’s teeth.