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Piera Martellozzo,<br />
CEO of Piera 1899, founded<br />
by her grandfather Giovanni<br />
PROSECCO ROSÉ:<br />
PIERA 1899 AIMS<br />
FOR EXCELLENCE<br />
Winter 2021<br />
L 19045 - 46 - F: 7,95 € - RD<br />
PAGES 125-138<br />
OUR TOP WINES FOR WINTER 2021
Enter your wines now: en-vigneron.gilbertgaillard.com
CONTENTS<br />
– COLUMNS • REPORTS –<br />
8<br />
10 45<br />
111<br />
8 PERFECT HARMONY<br />
Cigars and Cape Brandies<br />
10 STYLES<br />
Champagne, where the variety of styles is endless<br />
15 RARE BOTTLE<br />
Champagne Maurice Vesselle<br />
24 BLENDING<br />
The fascinating success story of red wines from the southern<br />
Rhone<br />
36 INNOVATION<br />
Vins de France: The freedom to craft high quality wines<br />
45 TRAVEL<br />
Escape to Bordeaux, and visit some of its true gems<br />
52 WINE GROWER PORTRAIT<br />
From Entre-deux-Mers to the Médoc: Romain Roux, born to be<br />
an entrepreneur!<br />
56 DISCOVERY<br />
Cider: a whole host of choices waiting to be discovered<br />
64 RENAISSANCE<br />
Tokaj, at the dawn of a new era<br />
74 DESIGNATION<br />
Will changes to D.O. Cava help improve quality and sales?<br />
84 MARKETS<br />
Casa Santos Lima: Portugal’s standard-bearer abroad<br />
90 DISCOVERY<br />
Apulia and its wine revolution<br />
100 NEW APPELLATION<br />
Prosecco in the pink of health<br />
111 NEW VARIETIES<br />
Mother Nature sets the trends<br />
121 STARS & WINE<br />
Courteney Cox: “Just like in other areas, women bring a<br />
fresh perspective to wine”<br />
123 CONTACT DETAILS<br />
125 WINTER SELECTION 2021<br />
GILBERT & GAILLARD NEXT ISSUE SPRING 2022<br />
Cover: Courtesy of the estates<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 3
EDITORIAL<br />
– FRANÇOIS GILBERT –<br />
Editorial Director<br />
CAVA MAKES ITS ENTRY INTO THE 21 ST CENTURY<br />
The history of Cava admittedly began well after that of Champagne, but it<br />
is directly inspired by it. A clutch of wines from France’s Marne region began<br />
emerging in Spain at the turn of the 19 th century, and became a favourite tipple<br />
of the country’s well-heeled imbibers, particularly the royal family. Seeing this,<br />
Josep Raventos, the heir to wine cellars established in the mid-16 th century by<br />
Jaume Codorníu, took an interest in this style of wine and made several trips<br />
to Champagne in a bid to become proficient in the ‘Champagne method’. It<br />
is thought that he produced the first bottle of Cava in the year 1872. His son<br />
ingeniously chose to use, not Champagne varieties – Chardonnay, Pinot noir<br />
and Meunier – but Catalan grapes Parellada, Macabeu and Xarello, which<br />
distinctively shaped the character of the wine. Cava had finally been born and<br />
its development was consolidated by the First World War, which prevented<br />
Champagne from being exported for several years, boosting Cava sales in Spain.<br />
The DO was established in 1991 and the entire country was made eligible for<br />
the appellation. But in 2020, an in-depth reform led to a new classification<br />
comprising zones and sub-zones, along with new categories, Cava de Guarda<br />
and Cava de Guarda Superior. The issue is clearly about promoting the different<br />
vineyard sites of a wine whose industrial image had firmly taken root. But<br />
an image does not necessarily always reflect reality as our report on page 74<br />
followed by our Winter 2021 selection at the end of this magazine show.<br />
4 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
EDITORIAL<br />
– PHILIPPE GAILLARD –<br />
Editorial Director<br />
PROSECCO ROSÉ BECOMES A HUGE HIT<br />
After racking up an incredible track record over the past decade,<br />
Venetian producers decided to capitalise on the global success of Prosecco<br />
by pulling another ace out of their sleeves – Prosecco Rosé. Leveraging the<br />
world’s love of Prosecco combined with that of rosé was nothing short of<br />
a stroke of genius, with pink wines still growing exponentially. Just for the<br />
record, global consumption of rosé wine has been constantly increasing<br />
since 2003, growing by 28% between then and 2018. In actual fact, many<br />
Prosecco producers had already ‘turned pink’, prompting the Consortium<br />
to make the very wise decision to officially endorse the existence of the<br />
rosé version, mainly to safeguard the reputation and awareness of the<br />
original Prosecco. Production specifications are precise, particularly for<br />
the varietal range. The production method is inspired by pink Champagne<br />
– Prosecco rosé is made from the traditional grape variety Glera, along<br />
with 10 to 15% Pinot noir fermented as red wine. Predictably, the new<br />
version has been a resounding success, in spite of the global pandemic.<br />
As soon as its first vintage was released, Prosecco rosé broke records, with<br />
over 54 million bottles produced out of a total 425.5 million bottles of<br />
Prosecco DOC in nine months, equating to 13% of overall production.<br />
And what better proof of the relevance of creating the new category…<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 5
EDITORIAL<br />
– SYLVAIN PATARD –<br />
Editor in Chief<br />
CHAMPAGNE: A MATTER OF STYLE<br />
Above all else, Champagne is wine. The presence of bubbles, however<br />
appealing, sometimes seems to dull our ability to think. So, if you don’t mind,<br />
perhaps we should go back to basics, and investigate. Most of the grapes harvested<br />
in Champagne are Pinot noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, which are then<br />
crushed and settled – as white wines – then placed into tanks or barrels to<br />
ferment, again like white wines! Afterwards, the wines are blended to define their<br />
style. Batches of wines from that year’s harvest and different growths are carefully<br />
combined with reserve wines from previous vintages, shaping the profile of the<br />
wine to reflect the house style. There’s the first real clue! They are then placed<br />
into bottles – well, well – to promote a secondary fermentation which produces<br />
the bubbles. After disgorgement – which prepares them for marketing – the<br />
bottles are adorned with a label, a neck band and a cork stopper topped with a<br />
foil capsule and a wire cage. The secret’s out, all the clues point to one thing –<br />
Champagne is indeed a wine, and an incredible one at that.<br />
By drawing on the appellation area’s extensive 34,300-hectare vineyard, its<br />
identity can take on myriad aspects. But there is one hard and fast rule that<br />
cannot be broken, and that is the consistency of style encapsulated by its brand.<br />
This is the essence of this legendary wine which has long travelled the globe, and<br />
is also the topic of our major feature report in this issue.<br />
6 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
Cavavin N°46_Mise en page 1 27/11/2021 10:25 Page 1<br />
CHAMPAGNE BOLLINGER<br />
Spécial cuvée<br />
Champagne<br />
€ 42.90*<br />
DOMAINE EDMOND<br />
CORNU et FILS<br />
Corton-Bressandes 2017<br />
Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru<br />
€ 100*<br />
FOUR<br />
WINEMAKERS<br />
FOR<br />
WINTER<br />
2021<br />
Stéphane RINGENBACH<br />
CAVAVIN FONTAINEBLEAU<br />
103, rue Grande<br />
77300 FONTAINEBELAU<br />
( +33 1 64 31 27 96<br />
* fontainebleau@cavavin.fr<br />
CHÂTEAU MONTROSE 2012<br />
2 e Grand Cru Classé du Médoc 1855<br />
Saint-Estèphe<br />
€ 134*<br />
Sylvie PINOUT<br />
CAVAVIN NANTEUIL-LES-MEAUX<br />
ZAC des Prés Saints-Pères<br />
77100 NANTEUIL-LES-MEAUX<br />
( +33 1 60 44 04 52<br />
* nanteuillesmeaux@cavavin.fr<br />
Xavier ASNAR<br />
CAVAVIN AUBAGNE<br />
50, avenur Roger Salengro<br />
13400 AUBAGNE<br />
( +33 4 86 33 50 86<br />
* aubagne@cavavin.fr<br />
CHAMPAGNE<br />
VEUVE CLICQUOT<br />
Brut Rosé<br />
Champagne<br />
€ 52*<br />
Patrick Malval<br />
CAVAVIN AUBIÈRE<br />
34-36, avenue de Cournon<br />
63170 AUBIÈRE<br />
( +33 4 73 24 55 95<br />
* aubiere@cavavin.fr<br />
* Retail price including sales tax<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 7
PERFECT HARMONY<br />
– CIGARS AND CAPE BRANDIES –<br />
Don Rodrigo Cigars:<br />
tearing up the rulebook<br />
Patricia is Portuguese and now lives in Geneva, but her Don Rodrigo brand is named after her Spanish<br />
great-great-grandfather. We met an artist and entrepreneur with a love for life and people.<br />
By Sylvain Patard - Photographs: courtesy of the estates<br />
Her career path has been anything but linear. She<br />
started off as a flight attendant then ventured into<br />
the medical industry, speaks five languages and<br />
ended up in events and cigars by accident. Her<br />
motivation is simple: “Passion and empathy are<br />
what drove me to launch my own brand of cigars, after<br />
years of experience with Davidoff as an events hostess”. As<br />
a cigar enthusiast herself, Patricia would not only go on to<br />
establish her own brand, but successfully create extra special<br />
occasions for her clients by designing unique events at golf<br />
courses, luxury hotels and the most prestigious gatherings<br />
in Switzerland. “My audience is men and women who want<br />
to fully enjoy the finest things that life can offer and savour<br />
those exclusive, unforgettable moments with a cigar”.<br />
And increasingly, her target is younger people, the thirtysomethings,<br />
including many women drawn to a carefree<br />
range of very accessible formats. And it isn’t hard to<br />
understand why!<br />
8 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
PERFECT HARMONY<br />
– CIGARS AND CAPE BRANDIES –<br />
The range comprises four, very diffe rent formats that are<br />
hand-rolled: a Short Corona; a Robusto Extra; a Torpedo;<br />
and a highly unusual Figurado Short Salomon Bicolore.<br />
These are well-made cigars that are easy to light and burn<br />
THE DON RODRIGO RANGE<br />
consistently, making them the perfect choice for beginners<br />
as well as regular enthusiasts. The purpose here is not so<br />
much to seek out a powerful or complex cigar, but to<br />
enjoy a genuine smoke.<br />
– OUR RANKING –<br />
1. Torpedo - 2. Robusto Extra - 3. Figurado Short Salomon Bicolore - 4. Short Corona<br />
– OUR PAIRINGS –<br />
We decided to organise the improbable encounter between northern Hemisphere cigars and South African Cape<br />
brandies. These exotic brandies, created in 1672 by the Dutch, just like Cognac, show the same transgressive spirit as<br />
Don Rodrigo. The two are a match made in heaven!<br />
Torpedo<br />
Despite its impressive size, it in fact proved<br />
to be a very docile cigar – easy to light, with<br />
gentle smoke and initial notes of hazelnut<br />
flowing into roasted peanuts. Very delicate<br />
with beautifully consistent aromas and<br />
the last third more powerful yet balanced.<br />
A post-prandial style. €17<br />
Cape Brandies (Distell)<br />
96/100 – Richelieu Vintage Brandy<br />
Notes of hazelnut, smoke, fresh fruit and<br />
curry. Soft and elegant on the palate with a<br />
finish of roasted coffee. Gentle and refined.<br />
An excellent classic. €18 approx.<br />
The pairing<br />
A real fusion of aromas<br />
Robusto Extra<br />
Also a very regular draw as soon as it is lit,<br />
the smoke is powerful with no pungency.<br />
Soft, mellow characters rapidly establish<br />
themselves with quite elegant, heady,<br />
toasted, earthy aromas. In the heart of the<br />
cigar, savoury peppery notes emerge. This<br />
is a harmonious cigar for the start of the<br />
evening. €17<br />
Joseph Barry distillers<br />
92/100 – Muscat Cape Brandy<br />
Nose of grape, peach and apricot. The<br />
palate is fruit-forward, soft and elegant,<br />
with a more powerful finish offering up<br />
lifted Muscat-like aromas. €30 approx.<br />
The pairing<br />
A harmonious interaction<br />
showing composure<br />
Figurado Short Salomon Bicolore<br />
An unusual shape and two-tone wrapper,<br />
Ecuador and Connecticut. On lighting, notes<br />
of herbs and eucalyptus. Fairly slow start,<br />
gradually becoming slightly more powerful<br />
after the first third with notes of coffee,<br />
roasted coffee and cacao. Balanced, but<br />
quite linear. Leaves you wanting more! €18<br />
Tokara<br />
91/100 – XO Potstill<br />
Compelling nose of dried fruits and apricot<br />
with tropical notes of lychee and pineapple.<br />
Elegant and refined with a gentle finish.<br />
€80 approx.<br />
The pairing<br />
Exotic aromas in unison<br />
Short Corona<br />
Proves to be very co-operative with a<br />
regular and quite fast temperature build-up.<br />
The smoke is pleasant and regular and the<br />
ash is very consistent. The earthy, toast<br />
aromas are augmented by spicy notes on<br />
the finish. This is an afternoon cigar offering<br />
some great relaxation. €14<br />
Backsberg<br />
88/100 – Sydney Back 15-Year Brandy<br />
Nose of nutmeg and sweet spices. Elegant<br />
and gentle on the palate with a persistent<br />
after-taste of dried fruits on the finish.<br />
€48 approx.<br />
The pairing<br />
Very soothing, shared simplicity<br />
Don Rodrigo Cigars are distributed in Switzerland<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 9
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
The variety of styles can be partly explained by the 34,300 bearing hectares across 5 departments<br />
Champagne, where the<br />
variety of styles is endless<br />
We often wrongly refer to ‘Champagne’. With a history spanning over 300 years,<br />
the wines currently come from 34,300 hectares of vines, spread over 5 French<br />
departments. It follows that, although they share common character traits, styles<br />
should differ significantly. Before we meet an exciting line-up of winegrowers,<br />
merchants and co-operative producers who will share their viewpoints with us,<br />
let’s quickly go back over some of the basic tenets of Champagne.<br />
By Alain Echalier - Photographs: courtesy of the estates<br />
10 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
Reserve wines stored in magnums on the lees at Bollinger<br />
Due to climate change, Champagne can no longer<br />
claim to be home to the only vineyards in the<br />
North of Europe. Vines are now grown in the<br />
South of England, Belgium and Luxembourg,<br />
at even more extreme latitudes. But these wine<br />
regions are limited in size, whereas Champagne produces<br />
an average of 230 million bottles a year – at a latitude of<br />
49.5 North! So the first characteristic to remember, and<br />
which stems from a harsh climate, is the freshness in<br />
the wines. This is a direct consequence of very moderate<br />
sunshine – Reims has 1,629 hours a year, compared with<br />
2,069 for Bordeaux.<br />
DISTINCTIVE SOILS<br />
The second trait shared by Champagne wines comes from<br />
the geology of the sub-soils, which are mostly formed<br />
of chalk. Not only do vines thrive on chalk, which acts<br />
as a storage receptacle for water due to its permeability,<br />
it is also essential for those who drink Champagne<br />
because it imparts distinctive minerality. Obviously the<br />
sedimentary outcrops can vary, from chalk to marl and<br />
actual limestone. Admittedly, in the Côte des Blancs<br />
region near Epernay, the chalk forms outcrops, whereas it<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 11
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
Denis Bunner, deputy cellar master at Bollinger<br />
is deeper on the Montagne de Reims and in the Marne<br />
Valley the soils are more marly or siliceous. Generally<br />
speaking though, Champagne contains and displays a<br />
hallmark ‘chalk taste’.<br />
SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES<br />
To transform such lively juice and cope with the<br />
vagaries of the weather some years, Champagne<br />
producers use a specific method. The first fermentation<br />
turns the juice into still wine. Then time plays its part.<br />
By maturing these still wines, followed by a secondary<br />
fermentation in the bottle, the bubbles are formed but<br />
the wine also improves. Its sharp acidity makes way for<br />
appetising freshness. Also, the secondary fermentation<br />
produces more complex, idiosyncratic aromas which<br />
add extra palatability.<br />
Blending wines from different vineyard blocks, as well<br />
as batches of reserve wines from previous vintages, also<br />
opens up a complex array of aromas. Lastly, dosage –<br />
the final addition of sugar to balance the wine – offers<br />
12 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
an opportunity for winegrowers to put the finishing<br />
touches to their work. Some use concentrated grape<br />
must, whilst others add mature wines, Cognac or honey<br />
from their own estate.<br />
This ‘recipe’, which has been copied countless times<br />
around the world, is called the ‘traditional method’. But<br />
Champagne is constantly mindful to ensure that it alone<br />
can call the technique the ‘Champagne method’.<br />
BOLLINGER: COMPLEX BLENDS AND SINGLE-<br />
VINEYARD AMBITIONS<br />
Bollinger, which is located in Aÿ, was founded in<br />
1829. It owns 178 hectares of vines and buys grapes<br />
in roughly the same proportions. Deputy cellar master<br />
Denis Bunner answers our questions. Formerly with the<br />
Champagne wine marketing board, as a winemaker, his<br />
first question after he joined Bollinger was, What is the<br />
Bollinger style? How can it be defined?<br />
Joint research work provided the answer – “fruit in all<br />
its phases”, in other words, fresh, ripe and dry. Fresh<br />
fruit aromas come from the year’s wines. To preserve<br />
them, the wines are made in stainless steel tanks. The<br />
ripe fruit aromas come from reserve and oak-fermented<br />
wines – the house uses a staggering 4,000 casks! Finally,<br />
the dried fruit aromas and toast can be credited to the<br />
reserve wines stored in magnums. This technique is<br />
novel because reserve wines are usually stored in large<br />
inert tanks. Here, though, they are stored on their lees in<br />
small containers of 1.5 litres with a cork stopper stapled<br />
in place. They then represent between 5 and 10% of the<br />
Spéciale label. The wine – the house’s non-vintage Brut<br />
– contains at least 60% Pinot noir and accounts for 80%<br />
of the range. It is stored for three years for the secondary<br />
fermentation and then around 6g per litre of sugar is<br />
added for dosage.<br />
Bunner explains how the ideal dosage is defined by<br />
tasting a flight blind where dosage ranges from 0 to 10g.<br />
Until fairly recently, dosage of 7 or 8g was the preferred<br />
choice, so why is it now only 6g? Quite simply because<br />
the base wines are naturally riper and require less dosage.<br />
This is just a tiny glimpse of the incredible work carried<br />
out in the winery, then blending by Bollinger.<br />
The house is also innovating. The vast majority of<br />
Barrels at Maison Bollinger which has its own cooperage<br />
The 4,000 barrels at Maison Bollinger<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 13
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
Besserat de Bellefon in the centre of Epernay, beyond<br />
the Avenue de Champagne<br />
its wines are blends of juice from different villages in<br />
Champagne. A very small number of labels, like the<br />
Vieilles Vignes Françaises or the Côte aux Enfants,<br />
a non-sparkling Pinot noir produced in the Coteaux<br />
Champenois area, are single-vineyard selections. But<br />
there is now an intermediary version – a single varietal<br />
Pinot noir blended from several vintages, but where the<br />
main growth is a village selected every year. The village<br />
is stated on the label, for those who can decipher it!<br />
‘PNVZ15’ means that the majority 2015 wine came from<br />
the village of Verzenay. This was also true of PNVZ16,<br />
with wine from the following year. But for the 2017s, the<br />
label still states PNXX17, because the choice of village<br />
has yet to be announced. Are these the first stages in a<br />
move towards a 100% single-vineyard wine? “Maybe”,<br />
smiles Bunner.<br />
Nathalie Doucet, chair of Champagne Besserat de Bellefon<br />
14 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE<br />
BESSERAT DE BELLEFON: QUALITY BUBBLES<br />
This old house, established in 1843, has belonged to<br />
the Lanson group since the 1990s and is now based in<br />
Epernay. Fifteen to twenty percent of the wines come<br />
from their own vineyards, with a balance stemming from<br />
supply contracts.<br />
Cédric Thiébault, the cellar master, has been with the<br />
house since 1999. First of all, he explains that the<br />
‘Besserat de Bellefon feel’ has now been extended to all of<br />
their labels. So what does it entail? Having a Champagne<br />
that looks creamy when you pour it into a flute glass,<br />
instilling greater lightness and silky mousse. How is it<br />
created? By deliberately reducing effervescence to around<br />
4.5 to 4.8 bar, when most Champagnes are around 5.5<br />
to 6 bar. The Champagne appellation does, indeed, allow<br />
producers to reduce pressure to as low as 3 or 3.5 bar.<br />
For lower pressure, less bottling liquor or ‘liqueur de tirage’<br />
must be used during the secondary fermentation. The<br />
idea arose in 1930 as part of a process to producer lighter<br />
Champagne that could pair with an entire meal. Less gas<br />
does indeed lead to finer bubbles, as demonstrated by the<br />
scientist Gérard Liger-Belair. At Besserat de Bellefon, this<br />
technique was first reserved for the Cuvée des Moines,<br />
but has now been applied generally across the range.<br />
Similarly, the special shape of the bottle for this label has<br />
now been rolled out for the entire portfolio.<br />
Continue on page 16
TASTING<br />
TASTING<br />
— RARE BOTTLE —<br />
– RARE BOTTLE –<br />
CHAMPAGNE MAURICE VESSELLE<br />
EXTRA BRUT GRAND CRU LES HAUTS CHEMINS 2011<br />
95/100<br />
Certified High Environmental Value since 2013, the vineyards belonging<br />
to this Champagne house are managed by two passionate winegrowers.<br />
The house is renowned for its mature vintages and vinous, food-friendly<br />
Champagnes. Grown along the southern slopes of the Montagne de<br />
Reims, the Pinot noir vines hived off for this 2011 Grand Cru fully<br />
encapsulate the complexity of their 100% classified site.<br />
The house was created in 1955 by<br />
Maurice Vesselle. His two sons,<br />
Didier and Thierry, now pamper<br />
their nine hectares of vines in Bouzy and<br />
Tours-sur-Marne all year round, as<br />
generations of winegrowers have done<br />
before them. They use techniques such<br />
as tillage, hilling up, ploughing back and<br />
soil amendments that were long<br />
considered fanciful. However, their quest<br />
for depth in the soils is now the envy of<br />
many wine regions. By taking such a<br />
conscientious approach to loosening<br />
their soils, the Vesselle brothers not only<br />
encourage the Pinot noir and Chardonnay<br />
vines to put down long-lasting roots,<br />
thereby revealing the full complexity of<br />
their Bouzy vineyard sites, they also limit<br />
the effects of drought and avoid the use<br />
of herbicides.<br />
When work in the vineyard is complete,<br />
the two growers transition to winemakers<br />
to produce their range of Champagnes.<br />
This Extra-Brut Grand Cru 2011 Les<br />
Hauts Chemins label is a single varietal<br />
Pinot Noir. It is fermented without<br />
malolactic fermentation like all the<br />
winery’s bottlings. This is a deliberate<br />
choice as it allows the wine to fully retain<br />
its freshness and minerality. It is then<br />
matured on lees in the estate's chalk<br />
cellars, alongside its collection of vintage<br />
Champagnes, before Extra-brut dosage<br />
(3.5 grams) is added. This Grand Cru<br />
displays a clear yellow-gold colour. The<br />
nose is mature and conjures up berry<br />
stone fruits. The palate is very full at<br />
point of entry with pleasant softness and<br />
tension carrying aroma over substantial<br />
length. This is a very fulfilling<br />
Champagne that should be set aside for<br />
only the finest delicacies.<br />
The site expressiveness of Bouzy is<br />
enhanced in this 2011 vintage, where<br />
bud-burst occurred early and the<br />
growing season was relatively short with<br />
a hot summer bringing harvesting<br />
forward to the end of August. Once<br />
again, Didier and Thierry have drawn on<br />
these conditions to produce a vintage<br />
Champagne which connoisseurs will<br />
enjoy for many years to come...<br />
Selected by<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 15<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 15
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
Cédric Thiébault, cellar master for Champagne Besserat de Bellefon<br />
The house’s signature style also involves not deliberately<br />
aiming for malolactic fermentation. It may occasionally<br />
occur in the bottle, but nothing is added to the wine to<br />
promote it, allowing it to stay fresher. This is a tack taken<br />
by increasing numbers of winegrowers, as pointed out by<br />
the cellar master.<br />
Here too, dosage is decreasing. Whereas 15-20 years<br />
ago, 11 to 12g of sugar were added before the bottle<br />
was permanently closed, that amount is now nearer<br />
to 8g. Customers are increasingly knowledgeable and<br />
Besserat de Bellefon targets a specific audience of<br />
educated connoisseurs which it reaches out to via topend<br />
restaurants and wine merchants.<br />
The non-vintage Brut, named ‘Bleu Brut’, is matured for<br />
three years and contains 50% reserve wine and the three<br />
classic grape varieties. But unlike many companies, at<br />
Besserat de Bellefon it only represents 50% of sales. The<br />
Elegance line, which comprises a Blanc de Blancs made<br />
from Grand Cru village wine, accounts for a quarter<br />
of sales. The house has kept an entire range, including<br />
16 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
some oddities. Although it does not have a Demi-Sec,<br />
the Brigitte Bardot label – mainly shipped overseas – has<br />
20g/litre dosage! “But it uses Pinot noir planted due<br />
North”, points out Thiébault. Which means, there is no<br />
excessive sweetness on the palate.<br />
MANDOIS – ORGANIC AND INVENTIVE<br />
Champagne Mandois is an old, no, a very old familyrun<br />
company whose roots date back to 1735. Its current<br />
incumbent is 60-year-old Claude Mandois who runs the<br />
business. He represents the ninth generation and returned<br />
to work with his father in 1982. The company is located<br />
in Pierry and boasts 37 hectares, 33 of them farmed<br />
organically. However, it takes three years to guarantee<br />
the soils are residue-free and Champagne is a timeconsuming<br />
wine to produce, so the first certified bottles<br />
will not be released for sale until 2024. The summer<br />
of 2021 was very wet, even if the Côte des Blancs and<br />
the Côte de Sézanne, where Mandois’ vines are located,<br />
were not the worst affected in Champagne. Mandois<br />
refused to succumb to the temptation of spraying his<br />
vines to combat mildew, however. Never mind the lower<br />
volumes, the family has stocks to fall back on. This is a<br />
winegrower with strong principles.<br />
Here, the non-vintage Brut represents 50% of sales.<br />
Due to its location, the house’s Blanc de Blancs – a<br />
2016 vintage Premier Cru – also sells well. The style is<br />
delicate, not massive, with good length – which is exactly<br />
what Mandois likes. Tillage of the soils also guarantees<br />
enhanced freshness in the wine. Dosage is 6g/litre,<br />
compared with 12g just twenty-five years ago. Lower<br />
levels of sugar are now the new norm. For Mandois, there<br />
are several explanations for this. Firstly, the wines are<br />
riper due to climate change and harvesting of riper fruit,<br />
so there is no longer the need to offset overpowering<br />
acidity. Similarly, the share of reserve wines in the blends<br />
has been increased here too, from 20 to 40%, and reserve<br />
wines always have slightly lower acidity than the latest<br />
vintage. Finally, consumer tastes have changed. Elitists<br />
do not want sweetness. Although Mandois still produces<br />
a Demi-Sec, it is mostly designed for loyal and older<br />
customers.<br />
The house also produces Clos Mandois, a small-batch<br />
Claude Mandois, the 9 th -generation representative of the family of winegrowers<br />
The entrance to Clos Mandois and its Pinot Meunier<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 17
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
Pruning Mandois vines in 2021<br />
Dom Caudron keeps some old presses and equipment to show its visitors<br />
label totalling 3 to 4,000 bottles made from a block of<br />
Pinot Meunier vines. Surrounded by a wall, hence the<br />
name, the vineyard is located in Pierry on the southern<br />
hillsides of Epernay, the traditional home of Meunier.<br />
Classified as a Premier Cru, the wine is naturally rich<br />
in sugar and acidity, which is great for producing topend<br />
wines. Matured for at least ten years, it is stoppered<br />
with a cork closure, spends some time in large casks, is<br />
stirred, non-filtered and does not undergo malolactic<br />
fermentation. Mandois describes it as an ‘after dinner’<br />
Champagne. Why? Because the complexity of the wine<br />
reveals itself with time, once it has been served in a large<br />
glass and warms up a little gradually. So it requires time<br />
to be savoured, which means there is no better time to<br />
enjoy it than in the evening.<br />
Lastly, a pair of wines – Cuvee Nord, from Chouilly, and<br />
Cuvée Sud, from Vertus – are sold in a unique gift box.<br />
The idea is a novel, educational way of demonstrating<br />
the difference between the two sites.<br />
DOM CAUDRON AND ITS PINOT MEUNIER<br />
This is a story well worth telling. At the turn of the 20 th<br />
century, Aimé Caudron, the abbot of the village of Passy-<br />
Grigny and a lover of fine fare, suggested to the village’s<br />
grape producers in whose homes he loved to make merry,<br />
that they join forces and make their own Champagne.<br />
In 1929, the Dom Caudron co-operative was founded,<br />
combining the resources of the 23 winegrowers. Others<br />
would later join the company. Mathilda Tedeschi, a new<br />
recruit tasked with the co-op’s PR, explains that there are<br />
now 90 growers, all of them based in the original village<br />
or nearby.<br />
This is the Marne Valley, with its marly, clayey or<br />
sandy soils. Pinot Meunier, which is better equipped to<br />
withstand the challenging weather, is the most widely<br />
grown variety. It produces supple, fruity wines which<br />
mature slightly quicker over time.<br />
The co-operative predictably describes itself as a “Meunier<br />
conjugator”. The Prédiction label is a non-vintage, single<br />
varietal Meunier Brut, with a small share of reserve wines<br />
but mostly the 2018 vintage in its current version. Its<br />
dosage is 9g. There is another single varietal rendition of<br />
Meunier made from vines over fifty years old, which is<br />
18 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
Mathilda Tedeschi from Dom Caudron<br />
not that commonplace in Champagne. The more developed<br />
root system produces more complex juice and therefore wine<br />
for the prestige blend.<br />
The co-operative also produces another Blanc de Noirs,<br />
entirely made from Meunier but half of which spends time in<br />
oak casks. This is quite unusual because use of oak is still a rare<br />
occurrence in the region and requires a very delicate touch.<br />
This is why the barrels are first saturated with water and the<br />
wines are regularly stirred. The resultant label, Cornalyne, is<br />
matured for 7 years and also has Brut dosage. It is designed as<br />
a food-friendly Champagne pairing with rich gourmet foods.<br />
The co-operative’s last offering is a blended Meunier rosé<br />
– fermented as a white and a red wine, with a touch of<br />
Chardonnay – which rounds off the range. Dosage is once<br />
again 9g/litre.<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 19
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
Gobillard’s cellar door facilities<br />
A sandstone tank for the new Gobillard Champagne<br />
J.M. GOBILLARD & FILS,<br />
AS BROAD-RANGING AS EVER<br />
Thierry Gobillard, who is just over 60, is now at the<br />
helm of this family-run company which produces over<br />
1.5 million bottles of Champagne a year. Although they<br />
do own 33 hectares of vines, the Gobillards buy contract<br />
fruit from the equivalent of 160 hectares of vines spread<br />
across the entire Champagne region and managed by a<br />
trading company. A significant share, however, comes<br />
from Hautvillers and the surrounding area. The house<br />
also runs a nursery. The family’s ancestors, Jean-Marie<br />
and Françoise Gobillard, began producing Champagne<br />
vines and this has been pivotal to their success.<br />
The business itself is based in Hautvillers, the village<br />
of the famous Dom Pérignon. In fact, the illustrious<br />
neighbour is buried in the village church and the abbey,<br />
along with his tomb, attract tourists from across the<br />
globe. This has prompted the Gobillards to open cellar<br />
door facilities for their Champagne, very nearby, where a<br />
broad range of Champagnes can be tasted. The decision<br />
has paid off because nearly 7% of the company’s revenue<br />
comes from direct-to-consumer sales.<br />
Thierry Gobillard explains that the company has always<br />
marketed an extensive range of Champagnes, so that<br />
they can be shown from every aspect. The non-vintage<br />
Brut therefore only accounts for a third of sales and has<br />
to compete with no fewer than ten other labels, not to<br />
mention the classic Ratafia made from pomace brandy<br />
and fresh grape juice. Producing such a large range<br />
requires a similarly large winery and countless tanks. It<br />
also makes the winemaking process complicated. The<br />
portfolio includes a Blanc de Blancs and a Blanc de<br />
Noirs, a vintage Champagne, the Cuvée des Moines – a<br />
Champagne matured in oak – and a rosé. It also produces<br />
a demi-sec Champagne recommended for drinking with<br />
desserts.<br />
But there are also the more off-beat labels. “People<br />
love something new”, explains Gobillard. The house<br />
obliges with Cuvée 5, an unusual blend where the three<br />
usual Champagne suspects that are Chardonnay, Pinot<br />
noir and Pinot Meunier rub shoulders with the much<br />
less familiar Arbane and Petit Meslier. These historic<br />
grape varieties, too, are permitted as per Champagne<br />
20 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 21<br />
The Gobillard family clan
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
Odilon de Varine and his deputy Gabrielle Malagu<br />
Odilon de Varine blending the wines<br />
regulations. A Cuvée 6 is also in the making, and will<br />
feature some Pinot blanc.<br />
With forty years of his life devoted to wine, Gobillard<br />
reviews the major trends. “You have to follow fashions”,<br />
says the frank company director. “Yes, obviously sugar<br />
content has dropped and dosage is tending to head<br />
towards Extra Brut levels”. Another aspect is singlevineyard<br />
selections. Eloge du Chardonnay was already a<br />
Blanc de Blancs label and the company’s first foray in this<br />
direction. But in 2022, the house will release a Premier<br />
Cru label sourced from an old vine vineyard site. The<br />
wines are matured in sandstone tanks to add complexity<br />
to the aromas.<br />
GOSSET, WHERE THE WINE MATTERS,<br />
NOT THE BUBBLES<br />
This long-standing trading company – Aÿ 1584 – is now<br />
owned by the Cointreau family. The fruit is all bought<br />
under contract, points out cellar master Odilon de<br />
Varine. As the house’s winemaker, he also specifies that<br />
every tasting is always conducted blind. And contrary to<br />
what people commonly believe, the share of Chardonnay<br />
now prevails over that of Pinot noir.<br />
Malolactic fermentation is carefully avoided for all the<br />
wines. Tartaric acid and malic acid naturally occur in the<br />
grapes so there is a duty to preserve them. “Ageing on<br />
the lees is what gives the wine palate weight”, he stresses.<br />
“Similarly, Champagne is first and foremost wine, the<br />
bubbles are just one of its components. The vineyard site<br />
and time spent on the lees are what matters”, he claims.<br />
“The wine is what matters, not the bubbles! Let’s not talk<br />
about the bubbles”.<br />
The Grande Réserve is Gosset’s non-vintage Brut. Its<br />
bottle is an exact replica of the one used by the family in<br />
the 18th century. It accounts for approximately 45% of<br />
sales. “It is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot noir with a<br />
touch of Pinot Meunier. Reserve wines only account for<br />
15%”, explains de Varine. That’s because the Champagne<br />
method involves ageing on the lees. The reserve wines are<br />
usually stored in tanks and used in small amounts, like<br />
spices for cooking. Dosage is around 8g/litre.<br />
The Extra Brut label is new to the range. “Yes, a lot of<br />
people want lower dosage, for a number of reasons”,<br />
22 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
Odilon de Varine, the cellar master at Gosset<br />
adds de Varine. “In fact, for the Brut, dosage is in the range of 5<br />
to 8g, whereas it used to be 11 to 12g. In reality, however, not<br />
everyone necessarily enjoys very low dosages. Fashions come<br />
and go”. At Gosset, unlike some of the large houses, dosage has<br />
never been adjusted for different export markets. The Extra Brut<br />
is made from a different blend – mostly Pinot noir and Pinot<br />
Meunier from the Epernay area, grown on soils with chalky<br />
outcrops. In this case, malolactic fermentation, which reduces<br />
the perception of acidity, is possible. It produces balance on<br />
the palate whilst displaying very light dosage. The bottle used<br />
is therefore different.<br />
Celebris is the company’s high-end line, matured for at least<br />
twelve years. So why not state the disgorgement date on the<br />
back label? “Most Champagne is not stored by consumers,<br />
but in our case, it is”, says de Varine. “This wine really is only<br />
produced in outstanding years, vintages when the freshness<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 23
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
The charming Gosset facilities in Epernay<br />
was special. Admittedly, after disgorgement the gas will<br />
gradually be released. But after a while, the bubbles have<br />
served their purpose. The important part remains the time<br />
spent on the lees!”<br />
BARFONTARC,<br />
THE FRUITINESS OF PINOT NOIR<br />
This curious name stems from that of three villages – BARoville,<br />
FONTaine and ARConville in the Côte des Bars region, in the<br />
very South of Champagne. It is here, in 1962, that winegrowers<br />
partnered to create a co-operative near Bar sur Aube. Nicolas<br />
Vallée, the new sales manager since April, explains that the<br />
co-op is a crush facility for others and markets the equivalent<br />
of thirty or so hectares under the Barfontarc brand. The<br />
company has remained relatively independent, and that’s what<br />
its members like. “Some of our co-operative growers are now<br />
third-generation. Their number stays the same and the spirit is<br />
still local, and humble”.<br />
The region has its own distinctive climate. Vallée, who lives<br />
in Reims and makes the daily journey to Bar sur Aube, never<br />
knows what to expect when he reaches his destination. The<br />
region’s Pinot noir has structure, but less than in the Montagne<br />
24 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
Nicollas Vallée, sales manager with the<br />
Barfontarc winery<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 25
CHAMPAGNE<br />
– STYLES –<br />
The Barfontarc co-operative winery<br />
de Reims. Its predominant trait is its fruitiness, and its<br />
sun-ripened characters. The Champagnes are therefore<br />
more easy-drinking, he points out. Pinot noir is the<br />
dominant grape here, accounting for 95% of the varietal<br />
range. The Brut Tradition thus inevitably contains 80%<br />
Pinot noir, with a balance of Chardonnay, and accounts<br />
for approximately 80% of sales. The bottles currently<br />
being marketed have a backbone of 2016 vintage wines,<br />
with 24% reserve wines. “Four years’ maturation for<br />
a non-vintage Brut has become rare”, stresses Vallée.<br />
Particularly when it has a price tag of €22. The reason<br />
for this is that most of the cooperative’s members are<br />
winegrowers, and don’t have another job. They are<br />
therefore mindful to keep their Champagnes affordable,<br />
so their pricing policy is deliberately restrained.<br />
The Blanc de Noirs label, made entirely from Pinot<br />
noir, could almost be a non-vintage Brut because of the<br />
level of fruitiness in the Pinot noir. Despite this, it is<br />
powerful and works particularly well with Parma ham<br />
or parmesan.<br />
Just before Covid, building work was carried out on the<br />
co-operative so that it could welcome visitors and serve<br />
its Champagnes with local produce. The house’s priority<br />
is about spending time welcoming visitors, remaining<br />
accessible, reaching out to all audiences, providing<br />
consensual wines and making people want to hold their<br />
flute out for a second glass, all of which contribute to its<br />
style and image.<br />
The Barfontarc winery welcomes visitors with open arms<br />
THE MYRIAD ASPECTS OF CHAMPAGNE<br />
Evidently, there are countless ways of hitting the<br />
right notes and as many instruments to do it with.<br />
Consequently, it is difficult to refer to ‘Champagne’ and<br />
more relevant to speak of ‘Champagnes’. Do you prefer<br />
the laser-sharp freshness of a Blanc de Blancs? Or the<br />
delicate balance and complexity of a Champagne by a<br />
prominent house that has matured for several years? Do<br />
the full body and vinous aromas of a Blanc de Noirs take<br />
your fancy? Or rather the gratifying flavours of an Extra<br />
Dry or a Demi-Sec? The magic of this extensive wine<br />
region is its ability to provide an extensive array of wines,<br />
where everyone can effortlessly find what they’re looking<br />
for, both in terms of style and price points.<br />
26 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
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RHONE VALLEY<br />
– BLENDING –<br />
At Domaine Martin harvesting is a crucial time for the wines<br />
The fascinating success story<br />
of red wines from<br />
the southern Rhone<br />
For several decades, red wines from Drôme and Vaucluse have been well-received<br />
by the public. Restructuring work began in the vineyards and is already reaping<br />
rewards with fresher, less oaky, palatable reds that consumers are embracing.<br />
By Christelle Zamora - Photographs: courtesy of the estates - © DR - © Christelle Zamora - © Alain Reynaud<br />
28 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
RHONE VALLEY<br />
– BLENDING –<br />
Château Isolette is a 45-hectare vineyard located in the Luberon national park, between the Rhone Valley to the North<br />
and the Côtes de Provence region<br />
Bought in 2018 by well-heeled Polish investors Mariusz<br />
and Marta Gawron, Château Isolette in the Luberon<br />
is undergoing major restructuring. With forty-five<br />
hectares under vine, thirty of them entitled to Luberon<br />
appellation status, this very old estate located between<br />
Bonnieux and Apt sells the balance of its wines under the Ventoux<br />
appellation and as varietal wine labelled IGP Méditerranée.<br />
Over the last twenty years, explains estate director Olivier<br />
Rouquet, the profile of the wines has changed: “The Luberon<br />
used to grow a lot of Carignan, which we have grubbed up and<br />
replaced with Syrah and Grenache. Consumers want rounded,<br />
tannic wines, so maturation in large and small barrels is reserved<br />
for age-worthy wines”.<br />
Most of the estate’s red wines are tank-fermented. Its high-end<br />
offerings can be matured for 18 to 24 months, but the estate’s<br />
signature style is to steer clear of overt oak influence: “For our<br />
reds, our priority is to preserve the fruit and roundness, so barrels<br />
are only used to micro-oxygenate the wine. We use French wood<br />
from the Tronçais forest (in the Allier region) with a very tight,<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 29
RHONE VALLEY<br />
– BLENDING –<br />
Views out over Château Isolette’s vineyards, between Bonnieux and Apt<br />
in the Luberon appellation area<br />
fine grain and delicate toast”, adds the property’s technical<br />
director. At Isolette, oaky wines are set aside for a small<br />
clientele of enthusiasts.<br />
Current restructuring of Isolette’s vineyards implies<br />
replanting Mourvèdre. Rouquet believes that adverse<br />
weather is making Mourvèdre a great ally for red wines<br />
because it is a late-ripener. The variety counterbalances<br />
alcohol levels in the earlier-ripening Grenache, and<br />
although Syrah seems to be adapted to drought conditions,<br />
its alcohol content can be high, whereas Mourvèdre makes<br />
a great blender.<br />
The varietal trio Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre will<br />
produce the red Rhone wines of the future, although leaf<br />
removal and irrigation will be required to rein in alcohol.<br />
At Château Isolette, everyone is busy replanting five<br />
hectares of vines.<br />
Château Isolette, recently bought by Polish investors,<br />
is the oldest estate in the Luberon<br />
THREE PRIORITIES FOR CÔTES DU RHÔNE<br />
Denis Guthmuller is the chairman of the Côtes du Rhône<br />
and Côtes du Rhône Villages producers’ organisation<br />
and since 2014, he has also co-chaired the economic<br />
committee at Inter Rhône, the regional wine marketing<br />
board. Originally from Alsace, he has been farming forty<br />
hectares in Sainte Cécile les Vignes, Vaucluse, with his wife<br />
Florence since the late 1990s. His sense of public duty<br />
quickly led him to a number of collective tenures. He was<br />
chairman of the Cave Cécilia co-operative winery for many<br />
years before it merged with the co-operative in Cairanne,<br />
which he now co-chairs. He converted his family farm to<br />
organic in 2009, and took a proactive role in establishing<br />
the South-East France organic wine marketing board in<br />
2019, which he also chairs.<br />
Although his work at the head of the producers’ organisation<br />
is a seamless transition from his previous tenures, Denis<br />
Guthmuller has set himself several priorities. The first is<br />
to boost winegrowers’ income through yields, a key factor<br />
in profitability, while maintaining a high level of quality.<br />
His second priority is to ramp up activities that favour<br />
protection of the environment and biodiversity. His goal<br />
is anything if not ambitious, and that is to make the<br />
Côtes du Rhône appellation a national benchmark for<br />
sustainability. He feels the Rhone climate is relatively<br />
conducive to ethically-focused environmental practices<br />
30 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
Olivier Rouquet at Isolette<br />
RHONE VALLEY<br />
– BLENDING –<br />
and that this is a genuine opportunity to enhance the image of<br />
Rhone winegrowers. His third priority is to review the profile<br />
of the wines, across the colour spectrum, to adapt to global<br />
warming but also to meet the expectations of tomorrow’s<br />
consumers.<br />
THE SOUTHERN GRENACHE-SYRAH DUO<br />
In the Rhone Valley, many appellations and growths have<br />
overhauled the aromatic profile of their wines, both blends<br />
and single varietals. Vinsobres is one such example. The wines,<br />
which were very full-bodied in the 1990s, are now fruitier<br />
and fresher. Great efforts have been made in Cairanne, where<br />
the grapes must be harvested by hand, old vines are seen as a<br />
legacy that needs to be protected, grape sorting is mandatory<br />
and very few sulphites are added.<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 31
RHONE VALLEY<br />
– BLENDING –<br />
A Grenache vineyard at Domaine Martin in the<br />
southern Rhone Valley<br />
In Rasteau, the dry red wines are very structured and<br />
aromatic, with Grenache, the main grape variety,<br />
imparting abundant roundness. Old-vine Grenache<br />
produces wines with a silky tannic backbone and aromas<br />
of ripe fruit and spices, whereas Syrah lends the dry reds<br />
an intense colour and appealing notes of black fruit,<br />
violet and pepper. Although Grenache is the most widely<br />
planted grape variety in the southern Rhone, Syrah is the<br />
dominant variety in the northern Rhone Valley. Here,<br />
it is fermented as a single red grape variety, although it<br />
can be grown alongside the white Viognier in Côte-Rôtie<br />
and with Roussanne and Marsannne in Saint-Joseph and<br />
Hermitage. In Cornas, Syrah is grown as a single varietal<br />
across the 136-hectare appellation. The very pronounced,<br />
long-standing dichotomy between Syrah in the North and<br />
Grenache in the South of the Rhone valley is still true<br />
today. Syrah has gained currency in the cooler southern<br />
and Languedoc vineyard sites in the Pic Saint-Loup and<br />
Terrasses du Larzac appellations, where it is preferred to<br />
Grenache, unlike in the southern Rhone.<br />
In the southern Rhone Valley and at Châteauneuf du Pape, limestone shards<br />
lend the wines at Maison Ogier elegance and pronounced minerality<br />
JUDICIOUS USE OF WOOD<br />
Founded in 1859, Maison Ogier - which belongs to the<br />
Advini group - is based in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the<br />
heart of the most prestigious of the southern French<br />
appellations. In order to interpret the subtle variations<br />
in the vineyard sites in the Côtes du Rhône, Ogier has<br />
honed its knowledge of the appellation’s soils - pebbles,<br />
fawn-sands, red sandstone, limestone fragments – and<br />
then adapted its fermentation and maturation techniques<br />
accordingly. Its century-old cellars house more than 8,000<br />
hl of wooden tanks, tuns, demi-muids, barrels and conical<br />
wooden vats. But this in no way implies that the wines are<br />
over-oaky. Quite the contrary. “Although each label has<br />
its own identity, our fruit is co-fermented (several grape<br />
varieties in the same vat) to produce unique balance and<br />
complexity through this intimate fusion of grape varieties.<br />
Although some of our wines are matured in concrete<br />
tanks to preserve fruit, most of our red wines benefit from<br />
being matured in oak barrels to preserve their typicity<br />
whilst at the same time gaining in finesse and freshness.<br />
The northern growths, which are mainly Syrah-based,<br />
spend some time in new oak, as do some of our southern<br />
32 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
RHONE VALLEY<br />
– BLENDING –<br />
Edouard Guérin, the winemaker at Maison Ogier<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 33
RHONE VALLEY<br />
– BLENDING –<br />
David and Eric run Domaine Martin together<br />
appellations (Gigondas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape) for up to 6 to<br />
8 months depending on the quality of the vintage”, comments<br />
Edouard Guérin, the winemaker at Maison Ogier.<br />
For the other growths, the choice of demi-muids is preferable<br />
so that vineyard site selection can continue to be built upon.<br />
As larger containers, they allow very low oxidation-reduction,<br />
whilst small interactions with the wood beautifully enhance<br />
structure and promote the wine’s finesse and velvety feel. The<br />
length of maturation varies from 12 to 24 months, depending<br />
on the potential of the wine.<br />
“So our red Côtes du Rhône starts an initial phase in concrete<br />
tanks, before moving on to large wooden containers such as<br />
tuns or conical vats to refine the tannins”, adds Guérin. At Ogier,<br />
the cellars are as much part of the company’s heritage as its<br />
vineyards, enhancing each wine, according to the vintage, and<br />
lending it that much sought-after drinkability.<br />
Between Vaison la Romaine and Orange in Vaucluse, David and<br />
Eric Martin took over the namesake family estate twenty years<br />
ago. Their ambition was to grow bottled wine sales and exports.<br />
The two first cousins are the great-grandsons of founder Julien<br />
Martin who established the estate in 1905.<br />
They currently farm 78 hectares of vines in Côtes du Rhône,<br />
Côtes du Rhône Villages (Plan de Dieu, Sainte Cécile les Vignes)<br />
and in the Rasteau and Cairanne growths. Specifications for the<br />
34 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
RHONE VALLEY<br />
– BLENDING –<br />
appellations stipulate that Grenache must account for<br />
40 to 50% of the varietal range, with Syrah and Mourvèdre<br />
complementing the blends. The estate currently sells<br />
250,000 bottles, including 80,000 bottles of generic Côtes<br />
du Rhône, half in France, half for export to England and<br />
the United States. The Plan de Dieu village-designated<br />
appellation is a roaring success across all markets. The<br />
wine is matured in old tuns bought by the cousins’<br />
grandfather over 60 years ago, where the majority of their<br />
wines are matured. “We only use second-use wine barrels<br />
to mature Cairanne for 3 to 4 months to differentiate it<br />
from the other wines. This produces light oaky notes that<br />
preserve the fruit”, they explain.<br />
CONSUMER TASTES HAVE CHANGED<br />
At Domaine Martin, David and Eric Martin have noticed a<br />
change in consumer habits. “Twenty years ago, consumers<br />
were looking for tannic wines and would let them age.<br />
Nowadays, they prefer wines that are not very mature<br />
and fruit-driven. Because of urban storage facilities, not<br />
everyone can let the wines improve with age”, comments<br />
Éric Martin. In export markets, he is pleased to sell his Côtes<br />
du Rhône Plan de Dieu in Kenya via an airline company.<br />
He also claims that since the appellation was officially<br />
recognised in 2004, its sales have grown incrementally.<br />
Domaine des Arches near Nyons is a family farm that<br />
has been growing a range of crops for six generations.<br />
Ideally situated on the road to the Alps, between Vaisonla-Romaine<br />
and Nyons, it farms 14 hectares of vines in<br />
AOP Côtes du Rhône and sells 15,000 bottles locally.<br />
The estate’s patriarch, Daniel Ravoux, explains that in<br />
very hot years, which are increasingly frequent, the wines<br />
have very generous alcohol levels and need to be matured<br />
before being released for drinking. He remains convinced<br />
that the wines are much better and much more enjoyable<br />
when they are drunk at their peak. But consumers and<br />
wine merchants alike are pressing him to produce earlydrinking<br />
wines. As the family waits for its vines to be<br />
classified as Côtes du Rhône Villages Nyons, there is one<br />
major reason for it to rejoice, and that is the progress in<br />
the quality of Rhone wines. And when you spare some<br />
thought for the age-old style of the region’s wines, you<br />
realise what a quantum leap has been achieved.<br />
Eric Martin in his vineyards<br />
The vineyards at Domaine des Arches on the land around<br />
Mirabel-aux-Baronnies in the Provencal part of Drôme<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 35
Tasting wines at Domaines Auriol<br />
VINS DE FRANCE<br />
– INNOVATION –<br />
Vins de France:<br />
The freedom to craft high<br />
quality wines<br />
Vins de France have torn up much of the rule book that dictates the way<br />
appellation wines are made. However, the category should not be viewed as a<br />
downgraded version of AOCs. Among its key features are some high quality,<br />
differentiated wines, as shown by our survey of winegrowers and merchants...<br />
By Jean-Paul Burias - Photographs: courtesy of the estates - © Antoine Martel<br />
36 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
VINS DE FRANCE<br />
– INNOVATION –<br />
Harvesting in September 2021 at Bougrier family estates<br />
From the amphorae of Antiquity to the major<br />
appellations of today, the wine market has evolved<br />
over time to satisfy consumer demand. In what is now<br />
a global sea of wine ruled by fierce competition, where<br />
the Grands Crus reign supreme, for many winegrowers<br />
success lies in the ability to produce distinctive, easy-drinking,<br />
quality wines at competitive price points. That’s where the<br />
Vins de France category comes in. Although it does comply<br />
with production rules, the conditions are not strictly laid out<br />
by law to include demarcated production areas, minimum<br />
alcoholic strength, maximum yields, vineyard management<br />
techniques or analytical and aroma and flavour standards.<br />
What the wines do offer is the promise of spending some<br />
enjoyable, relaxing moments with others. Vins de France<br />
allow winemakers to get their creative juices flowing, but they<br />
also require specific marketing teams, especially overseas.<br />
Very often, future customers are not familiar with the category<br />
and have no real benchmarks. Winegrowers must therefore<br />
ramp up their sales pitch and promote wines that deserve to<br />
be known and have already garnered success in restaurants<br />
and export markets.<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 37
VINS DE FRANCE<br />
– INNOVATION –<br />
Sophie, Noël and Nicolas Bougrier<br />
FAMILLE BOUGRIER:<br />
A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE<br />
Famous for its fine Loire wines, the Famille Bougrier estate,<br />
created in 1885, produces remarkable Vins de France.<br />
Noël Bougrier took over the company reins in 1988 and<br />
successfully gave the family estate fresh impetus by extending<br />
its coverage to the entire Loire Valley. He was joined in 2015<br />
by a sixth generation of winegrowers, his son Nicolas, then<br />
in 2020 by his daughter Sophie. “We have been working<br />
with the Vin de France category for a long time with a<br />
comprehensive range of historic Loire Valley grape varieties<br />
- Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Gamay noir<br />
and Pinot noir”, explains Nicolas Bougrier. “The aim is to<br />
offer an introductory approach to our vineyard sites with<br />
easy-drinking, fruit-forward, fresh wines. Through their<br />
easily understandable positioning that combines the estate,<br />
a grape variety and France, we aim to recruit new consumers<br />
with these wines for pleasure”. The flagship grape varieties<br />
of the Loire Valley have found their audience. Concurrently<br />
with this, the estate has launched more unusual wines<br />
for the French market and export destinations. “Exports<br />
38 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
VINS DE FRANCE<br />
– INNOVATION –<br />
represent 85% of our markets”, says a delighted Sophie<br />
Bougrier. “However, we are also driving sales of our ranges<br />
in the French market where the prospects are good, there is<br />
good feedback from our customers and our Vins de France<br />
are reaching higher price points”.<br />
BARTON & GUESTIER: THE JOY OF EXPORTS<br />
The story of this key component of French wine heritage<br />
began in 1725 when Irishman Thomas Barton settled in<br />
Bordeaux. He was soon considered one of the 18 th century’s<br />
best maturers of French wine. Today, Barton & Guestier<br />
continues to select, produce and ship the finest French<br />
wines and exports account for 95% of its sales. “Our<br />
wines show the hallmark features of their appellations<br />
and grape varieties”, explains Philippe Marion, deputy<br />
director of Barton & Guestier, Patriarche and Listel. “Our<br />
international presence requires us to develop qualities<br />
catering to the major consumer markets in the world.<br />
Vin de France helps us to do this. The strength of these<br />
branded wines lies in their consistency and quality<br />
stability”. Rosés, Pinot noirs and, more broadly speaking,<br />
all the grape varieties that are difficult to source in a<br />
single region are best sellers, with top-end wines currently<br />
on-trend. “The grape variety is the number one cue, the<br />
brand ranks second and the price third”.<br />
Philippe Marion, deputy director of Barton & Guestier,<br />
Patriarche, Listel<br />
DOMAINES AURIOL: A HISTORY OF PASSION<br />
As a child, Claude Vialade would accompany her father<br />
Jean in the vineyards and cellars of Château de Pech-Latt<br />
where he was the manager. After studying business, this<br />
passionate wine enthusiast began her career distributing<br />
wines in the international market for a producers’ group.<br />
After a stint as manager of the Corbières appellation, she<br />
created her own company in 2000. Today, Domaines<br />
Auriol is a superb standard-bearer for Languedoc wines.<br />
“Our Vins de France have a Mediterranean profile and<br />
the vast majority have an environmental endorsement”,<br />
explains Vialade. “Occitanie wines offer the flexibility<br />
to adapt to each market. Also, the ability of company<br />
executives to think outside the box and drive innovation,<br />
securing good international recognition, should be<br />
commended”. For the estate, marketing a wine under<br />
the Vin de France designation offers greater latitude to<br />
adapt each offering to its destination market in terms of<br />
sweetness, oakiness or tannins.<br />
Claude Vialade and Jordi Salvagnac, operations director at<br />
Maison Auriol<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 39
VINS DE FRANCE<br />
– INNOVATION –<br />
Laurent and Jean-Michel Poiron, two brothers in the trees<br />
DOMAINE POIRON-DABIN: A FAMILY AFFAIR<br />
Set in the heart of the Muscadet appellation, Domaine<br />
Poiron-Dabin has also carved out a reputation for itself<br />
for its remarkable Vins de France. Here, vine growing<br />
has been in the family since 1858. In 1962, Jean Poiron<br />
married Thérèse Dabin who added her name to the<br />
estate. In 1990, their sons Laurent and Jean-Michel<br />
joined them until their respective retirements in 1999<br />
and 2004. On this 69-hectare High Environmental<br />
Value-certified (HVE) estate, the two brothers produce<br />
wines from the Nantes region across a superb variety<br />
of colours and aroma profiles by drawing on an<br />
extensive range of 15 grape varieties, including Melon<br />
de Bourgogne, Chardonnay, Côt (Malbec), Berligou,<br />
the noble grape variety of the Dukes of Brittany, and<br />
Pinots gris and noir used to produce white, red, rosé<br />
and sparkling wines. “Our Vins de France are primarily<br />
fresh wines for pleasure”, says Jean-Michel Poiron.<br />
“They are unpredictable, surprising and sometimes<br />
40 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
VINS DE FRANCE<br />
– INNOVATION –<br />
even disconcerting wines for the region due to their<br />
novel grape varieties such as Gewurztraminer and Petit<br />
manseng”. Matching the current zeitgeist, they ride the<br />
crest of modernity and align with genuine demand for<br />
instant gratification and moreish pleasure. “Producing<br />
novel grape varieties gives another meaning to our<br />
profession as winegrowers by rooting our vineyard sites<br />
firmly in the modern age”, continues Laurent Poiron.<br />
“Our Vins de France are bold yet delicate, and thanks<br />
to them, we are currently developing our business in<br />
Asia. Our choice of labels, which are both humorous<br />
and modern, helps promote them. In fact, the only<br />
challenge lies in the fact that they are niche wines that<br />
are difficult to promote at their true value”.<br />
BADET CLÉMENT: THE KEYS TO SUCCESS<br />
The fifth-generation representative of a family of<br />
Burgundy producers and merchants and an acclaimed<br />
winemaker, Laurent Delaunay founded the Badet<br />
Clément trading company with his wife Catherine<br />
in 1995. Marketing 16 million bottles each year, two<br />
thirds of which are exported to more than 50 countries,<br />
the company specialises in producing and marketing a<br />
broad portfolio that includes appellation wines from<br />
Burgundy and Languedoc, PGI (Protected Geographical<br />
Indication) wines from Languedoc and several ranges<br />
of single-varietal Vins de France. “In general, we aim to<br />
produce precise, elegant, well-balanced wines with good<br />
drinkability”, says marketing and communications<br />
director Emmanuel de Salve. “They all benefit from<br />
very carefully designed packaging down to the smallest<br />
detail. This attention to detail, from the vine to the<br />
bottle, obviously comes at a cost and their price points<br />
are slightly above the average for their category”. Within<br />
this broad range, the successful brands belong as much<br />
to the Vins de France category – including La Belle<br />
Angèle – as to the IGP category such as Les Jamelles or<br />
Burgundy appellations with Edouard Delaunay. “Vins<br />
de France are not destined to be stuck at the bottom<br />
of the ladder”, claims de Salve. “Numerous initiatives,<br />
both within our company and among our colleagues,<br />
prove that these wines can be successfully marketed<br />
at price points on a par with or higher than those for<br />
recognised appellations”.<br />
Catherine and Laurent Delaunay, the founders of Badet Clément<br />
Winemaking and ageing facilities in Monze, Languedoc<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 41
Nicolas and Sophie Bougrier<br />
Laurent Prada in Patriarche’s cellars<br />
Jean-Claude Bougrier in his<br />
vineyards in 2010<br />
Maryline Gianna, winemaker for Patriarche<br />
Jordi Salvagnac of<br />
Domaines Auriol<br />
tasting wines<br />
Claude Vialade, the founder of Maison Auriol<br />
Laurent and Jean-Michel Poiron in front of their van<br />
Mathieu Paquet of Paquet-Montagnac tasting wine in his cellars<br />
Catherine Delaunay in the cellar where<br />
some of her wines are matured
VINS DE FRANCE<br />
– INNOVATION –<br />
DOMAINE DE L’ERM<strong>ITA</strong>GE:<br />
MENETOU-SALON GEMS<br />
Laurence de la Farge has a major connection with the<br />
Menetou-Salon appellation. Her father, Bernard Clément,<br />
was one of the founders of the Appellation d’Origine<br />
Contrôlée in 1959. In 2003, with Géraud de la Farge, she<br />
created Domaine de l’Ermitage. She was joined on this<br />
9-hectare vineyard, 7 of them planted to Sauvignon and<br />
2 to Pinot Noir, by her son Antoine. “The reason I am<br />
winegrower today is because of my grandfather who has<br />
always shared his passion for growing wine with me”,<br />
recounts Antoine. “We produce pleasurable, gratifying<br />
wines that illustrate the terroir of each appellation and<br />
show distinctive finesse and freshness. In a niche wine<br />
region with rare wines offering good value for money,<br />
the key is quality and food pairing possibilities that<br />
run the gamut. Here, Vins de France have found their<br />
audience”. Exports generate 25% of revenue and are<br />
growing on the back of new markets.<br />
Madeleine, vineyard supervisor at Domaine de l’Ermitage<br />
PAQUET-MONTAGNAC:<br />
BEAUTIFULLY EXPRESSIVE<br />
Mathieu Paquet has complete control over his wines and<br />
likes to convey the history of a region and vineyard sites<br />
but also of encounters with others and shared pleasures.<br />
His trading company, Paquet Montagnac, distributes a<br />
wide range of Burgundy, Beaujolais, Rhone Valley and<br />
Provence wines, as well as Vins de France. “These are<br />
expressive, accessible and ready to drink wines with nice<br />
freshness”, stresses Paquet. “Our objective is to promote<br />
the Burgundy grape varieties, Pinot and Chardonnay, by<br />
offering affordable prices as well as sizeable volumes for<br />
foreign markets”. The strategy has been highly successful,<br />
and with 98% of sales in export markets, the brand has<br />
now secured global recognition<br />
REVOLUTIONISING CONVENTIONAL CUES<br />
It took a long time to overcome the image of entry-level<br />
table wine, particularly in France, but that page has now<br />
been turned. Admittedly, some consumers seek out the<br />
authenticity of estate-grown wines when buying French,<br />
and often an appellation is a bonus. But swelling ranks<br />
of consumers are convinced that they can find real gems<br />
elsewhere and for them, the Vin de France category is no<br />
longer viewed as a basic category but as a complementary<br />
Antoine de la Farge in his vineyards at Domaine de<br />
l’Ermitage<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 43
VINS DE FRANCE<br />
– INNOVATION –<br />
Mathieu Paquet who founded Paquet-Montagnac<br />
gateway to terroir-driven wines. Some labels are priced in<br />
excess of 15 euros, their quality alone allowing them to<br />
break through the glass ceiling. By promoting vineyard<br />
sites located outside recognised appellation areas, Vins de<br />
France have everything it takes to grow and attract novice<br />
consumers who feel lost amidst a complex sea of French<br />
appellations. Vins de France also offer almost limitless<br />
freedom for creatively blending new or forgotten grape<br />
varieties. At the core of a crowded and competitive market<br />
place, they provide a timely alternative to the major<br />
appellations. Their choice is both broad and varied, with<br />
wines that are often fruity, easy-drinking and versatile<br />
from a food pairing perspective, matching every drinking<br />
occasion. At the end of the day, the quality of the wines and<br />
strength of the brand make all the difference.<br />
44 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
Sweeping vistas of the Tour Castillon vineyards<br />
opposite the Gironde estuary<br />
BORDEAUX<br />
– TRAVEL –<br />
Escape to Bordeaux,<br />
and visit some of its true gems<br />
Of all the world’s wine regions, Bordeaux is home to the most prestigious wines,<br />
but their crown is studded with some true little gems. Although less eye-catching,<br />
they have the ability to take you by surprise. From the Graves to the Médoc via<br />
Saint-Emilion, we offer a glimpse of what to expect.<br />
By Camille Bernard - Photographs: courtesy of the estates<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 45
BORDEAUX<br />
– TRAVEL –<br />
Nicolas Ballande, owner of Château Palais Cardinal<br />
Some 9,000 winegrowers call the Gironde department home,<br />
working year in year out to offer wine enthusiasts the<br />
best of their expertise. Across nearly 120,000 hectares<br />
spanning myriad sites, they perpetuate over 2,000 years of<br />
winegrowing traditions. This variety allows Bordeaux to run<br />
the gamut in terms of wine styles, which each appellation harnesses to<br />
form a consistent yet unique whole. Over the years, these appellations<br />
have witnessed the birth of wines that are so prestigious that their<br />
reputation now comes with a hefty price tag.<br />
Pomerol, Saint-Emilion and Margaux, to name a few, are the cradle<br />
of properties that are so renowned that their reputation spills out<br />
over national borders and has helped garner Bordeaux’s global<br />
acclaim. But just a stone’s throw from these standard-bearers, on the<br />
same soils whose quality is unrivalled and undisputed, are estates<br />
producing wines that are admittedly lesser-known but can hold their<br />
own in comparison with their neighbours. Tended to by men and<br />
women showing faultless determination and passion, these properties<br />
successfully combine quality and accessibility so that consumers can<br />
indulge, without breaking the bank. On our trip across Gironde,<br />
we met some of these winegrowers who think outside the box and<br />
make a point of producing elegant, no-fuss wines. These are wines<br />
that manage to offer an honest, elegant rendition of their distinctive<br />
vineyard sites, yet remain affordable. To achieve this, some producers<br />
have freed themselves from appellation rules to gain greater freedom<br />
in terms of varietal choices, whilst others have enthusiastically made<br />
the demanding commitment to switch to organic. Whatever the tack<br />
46 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
BORDEAUX<br />
– TRAVEL –<br />
taken, none of them lack ideas for revitalising the image of<br />
Bordeaux wines. The following is a selection of some real<br />
gems that deserve your whole-hearted attention.<br />
CHÂTEAU PALAIS CARDINAL:<br />
WHERE INNOVATION SHOWCASES TRADITION<br />
Château Palais Cardinal is an integral part of Saint-Emilion’s<br />
heritage, and rightly so. “The wine property dates back to<br />
1843 and is named after Cardinal Gaillard de la Motte who<br />
helped extend it in the 16th century and matured his wine<br />
here”, recounts Nicolas Ballande, its current owner.<br />
Although vines have always been grown here, “the vineyards<br />
reached a turning point between 2008 and 2019 when<br />
they increased from 4 to 30 hectares”. The plantings have<br />
gone hand in hand with implementation of sustainable<br />
winegrowing techniques for 12 years, making the estate<br />
eligible for HVE 3 and Terras Vitis certifications. The<br />
Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vines,<br />
whose average age is 40 years old, thrive on the local<br />
soils where biodiversity is the norm, reverting to “farming<br />
wisdom similar to that of our great-grandparents, aimed at<br />
protecting us from the vagaries of the weather”.<br />
Here, a return to tradition does not preclude the use of<br />
innovation. The fruit is sorted using a density meter, the<br />
wines undergo cold pre-fermentation soaking, the tanks<br />
are temperature controlled and the wines are matured in<br />
concrete tanks, barrels or even amphorae depending on the<br />
vintages. The result is four unique labels where the mineral<br />
expression of the soils is the avowed aim, “with differing<br />
focuses on power”. Consequently, there is something<br />
for everyone, across the globe. “Our wines are mostly<br />
distributed through a network of wine merchants and<br />
restaurateurs in France, Belgium, Italy, South Korea, Japan,<br />
Hong Kong, the Philippines, Germany, the United States,<br />
New Caledonia, Tahiti and Austria”.<br />
The tasting room at Château Palais Cardinal offers panoramic views of the<br />
estate’s vineyards<br />
CHATEAU TOUR CASTILLON:<br />
AGE-WORTHY WINES<br />
Although the history of Chateau Tour Castillon is closely<br />
linked to that of the Viscount of Castillon, who developed<br />
winegrowing here in the 11 th century, the present-day<br />
vineyards are the legacy of four generations who have<br />
been the property’s incumbents for over a century. “My<br />
great-grandfather acquired the property in 1914”, recounts<br />
Laure Peyruse, its co-owner with her brother Sébastien. He<br />
The vineyards of Château Tour Castillon<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 47
BORDEAUX<br />
– TRAVEL –<br />
Laure Peyruse, owner of Château Tour Castillon<br />
produces the wine, she is its ultimate ambassador through<br />
the wine tourism business she has grown over the past<br />
twenty years.<br />
“For a long time, vines grew amidst the cows, so the soils<br />
are replete with fertilisers”. A dozen or so hectares of<br />
Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot<br />
and Carmenere now thrive here under the AOC Médoc<br />
Cru Bourgeois appellation. The property’s environmental<br />
ethos advocates “a hands-on approach to maintaining the<br />
vineyards so that the high quality sites that we have been<br />
given in an ideal location opposite the Gironde estuary<br />
can be sustained for the future.” This attention to detail<br />
is applied in the winery too, where the wines undergo<br />
lengthy, bespoke vatting before being matured in barrels<br />
or amphorae.<br />
“This allows us to produce elegant, gratifying wines which<br />
are designed to be enjoyed in their youth but are also very<br />
age-worthy. These are wines with staying power.”<br />
Although they can be found in the estate’s online store,<br />
they are also exported to Canada, the United States, Japan<br />
and China.<br />
48 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
A hot-air balloon display at Château Palais Cardinal<br />
The magnificent wrought-iron gates<br />
at Château Palais Cardinal<br />
Château Palais Cardinal shrouded in clouds<br />
A visit of Chateau Tour Castillon for wine tourists<br />
The barrel cellar and amphorae at Château Tour Castillon<br />
A tasting of wines by Château Tour Castillon along the Gironde estuary
BORDEAUX<br />
– TRAVEL –<br />
Château Tourteau Chollet<br />
CHÂTEAU TOURTEAU CHOLLET:<br />
“THE QUALITY OF A GRAND CRU”<br />
Located South of Bordeaux, Château Tourteau Chollet<br />
boasts a history spanning over 260 years. It began in<br />
1760 when Etienne Tourteau planted the first vineyard<br />
block on deep gravel soils. The years passed and the<br />
vineyards more or less weathered a series of industry<br />
crises. Since the turn of the 21 st century, they are in the<br />
capable hands of Maxime Bontoux.<br />
“In 2003, Maxime realised that climate change was an issue<br />
and planted more suitable varieties such as Petit Verdot and<br />
Malbec”, explains Sébastien Labails who manages Maxime<br />
Bontoux’s vineyards. On the property’s 56 hectares under<br />
vine, the two grape varieties reside comfortably alongside<br />
the more traditional Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot,<br />
Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon vines. From these, five<br />
different labels are produced under the AOC Graves<br />
appellation and one as AOC Bordeaux. “Our wines spend<br />
the summer in concrete tanks to preserve their freshness<br />
and for the reds we use pre-fermentation soaking at low<br />
temperatures to develop their primary aromas”.<br />
This sensitive approach to winemaking creates the signature<br />
style of Tourteau Chollet wines where “elegance is always<br />
aimed for”. Work carried out beforehand in the vineyard is<br />
just as essential. After pioneering the use of environmentallyfriendly<br />
techniques, the estate continues to roll out ecological<br />
initiatives and began to switch to organic last April.<br />
This environmental pledge enhances this exquisite<br />
vineyard site, producing wines that “show the quality of<br />
a Grand Cru” and are sold in France, Benelux, the United<br />
States and Hong Kong.<br />
−<br />
Arriving at Château Tourteau Chollet surrounded by vineyards<br />
DOMAINE DE LAURANCEAU:<br />
THE ART OF TRADITION<br />
On the high quality clayey soils South of Bordeaux, the<br />
Montagne family has been growing vines since 1890.<br />
“My great-great-grandfather bought a few hectares a long<br />
time ago”, recounts Sébastien Montagne, representing the<br />
5 th generation. “Land was bought over the years and the<br />
vineyards were acquired at Lauranceau in 1976”.<br />
45 hectares are now farmed by Montagne who has “not<br />
used pesticides since 2018” and is entering his third year of<br />
conversion to organic farming. Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon,<br />
Sauvignon, Sémillon, Colombard and Muscadelle are now<br />
spared of any chemical inputs, from the vine to the bottle.<br />
50 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
BORDEAUX<br />
– TRAVEL –<br />
Sébastien Montagne improvises a tasting at Domaine Lauranceau<br />
All work in the winery is carried out traditionally. Here, “there is no<br />
thermovinification”, but rather cold maceration followed by vatting<br />
then maturation in underground tanks along with barrels sourced from<br />
a Grand Cru Classé. “We use great quality wood”, which undeniably<br />
lends the wines the remarkable balance that sets them apart. That’s<br />
not the only reason, however, as Montagne conscientiously adapts<br />
his winemaking methods to suit each individual vintage. So from one<br />
year to the next, barrel maturation can “be up to 18 months” with the<br />
wines subsequently blended with “varying amounts of wine from the<br />
underground tanks”. In terms of sulphites, “I prefer to keep the carbon<br />
dioxide to avoid using sulphites as much as possible”. By tweaking his<br />
wines in this way, Montagne crafts some lovely offerings bound for the<br />
French, Chinese and American markets.<br />
Some properties help Bordeaux wines to flourish in their own subtle<br />
but sure way. Some of them have allowed us in so that we can hear<br />
their story, told with passion and humility. These treasured wineries<br />
offer more than just wine. Their winegrowers willingly share their love<br />
of the land and endeavour to preserve its environmental integrity. These<br />
vineyard sites, the repositories of several centuries of winegrowing,<br />
have something exceptional and unique which their growers strive to<br />
safeguard and show off. Men and women create infinite combinations<br />
of time-honoured wisdom and entrepreneurship, constantly innovating<br />
to offer the finest renditions of their vineyards. They also provide an<br />
excellent opportunity to discover Bordeaux in a different light.<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 51
BORDEAUX<br />
– WINE GROWER PORTRAIT –<br />
52 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE<br />
Romain Roux in his Médoc<br />
vineyards at PuyCastéra
BORDEAUX<br />
BORDEAUX<br />
- WINE GROWER PORTRAIT -<br />
– WINE GROWER PORTRAIT –<br />
FROM ENTRE-DEUX-MERS TO THE MÉDOC<br />
ROMAIN ROUX,<br />
BORN TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR!<br />
The four chateaux are his pride and joy.<br />
You can’t help but like Romain Roux. Possibly a little gruff, by his own admission, but<br />
this immediately disappears behind his loquaciousness, his joviality and his ability to<br />
listen to others. After dreaming of a career in finance, he ultimately chose a job that<br />
brings him down to earth every day. And he certainly is not complaining.<br />
By Sylvain Patard – Photographs: © Sylvain Robin<br />
Romain Roux did not want to be a winegrower, and he<br />
explains why: “It’s hard work, and not necessarily<br />
well-paid. But if you can make a living out of it, it’s the<br />
best job in the world”. He actually wanted to become a<br />
trader. “I sleep very little and I used to take great pleasure in<br />
watching stock markets open around the world”.<br />
Unfortunately, in 2000, his father had a serious health<br />
problem, so after passing his Baccalauréat, Roux attended<br />
agricultural college so that he could help him at the end of<br />
his course. “I realise now that because of this, I have been<br />
able to spend time with my family and my childhood friends<br />
every day, whereas if I had found a job in finance in London<br />
or somewhere else, I would probably have only seen them<br />
once a year”, he admits.<br />
COMPANY DIRECTOR AT 26<br />
In 2005, he considered no longer working with his father<br />
because of a disagreement. In the end, his father suggested<br />
he establish a company that Roux would manage, realising<br />
that his son needed independence and only one person<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 53<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 53
BORDEAUX<br />
BORDEAUX<br />
- WINE<br />
– WINE<br />
GROWER<br />
GROWER<br />
PORTRAIT<br />
PORTRAIT –<br />
-<br />
“Being a winegrower is hard work and not necessarily wellpaid. But if<br />
you can make a living out of it, it’s the best job in the world”.<br />
could head up the business. Roux comments: “This took me<br />
by surprise because he has a strong personality, but in his<br />
mind things were clear. He realised that this was the<br />
preferable option for the business to be successful. So at<br />
age 26, Roux’s journey began. Aiming to succeed at all costs,<br />
he spared no effort and worked all hours. He expanded the<br />
business by picking up his phone and calling supermarket<br />
buyers, which he gradually brought on board. Then he<br />
started exporting, which raised issues. The business was<br />
growing strongly, but how should it develop? What<br />
opportunities should be considered? After an audit<br />
designed to shed light on these issues, he decided to<br />
diversify by purchasing Château Taffard de Blaignan (Médoc)<br />
in 2013. In just five years, the property was totally overhauled<br />
and went from 21 to 68 bearing hectares. It was sold in 2018<br />
to buy three other chateaux, representing four brands:<br />
Plagnac, Pontey, Holden and Puy-Castéra. The latter of these<br />
was not really on the agenda, but its location near the<br />
prominent Médoc properties blew Roux away. The challenge<br />
henceforth was to produce the finest wines, whilst<br />
honouring the inherent features of each vineyard site. Plagnac<br />
is a Médoc offering everyday luxury, as Roux so eloquently<br />
defines it, retailing for between 5 and 7 euros. The wines are<br />
relatively early-drinking and therefore quickly accessible,<br />
which is a strategic asset. Pontey is denser, more earthy and<br />
complemented by beautiful tannin finesse imparted by a<br />
share of new oak and 90% Merlot, which is very rare in the<br />
Médoc. Roux has learned a lot from Pascal, who is tasked<br />
with winemaking and will soon retire. But the future lies with<br />
27-year-old Etienne, a winemaker and agricultural engineer,<br />
whom he has recruited to manage the three properties. As<br />
Roux says: “He has the technical background and an<br />
innovative vision that I don't necessarily have”.<br />
Holden is part of the Puy Castéra vineyards (11 hectares). It<br />
is more animal and wilder, but also very fruit-driven. Puy<br />
Castéra itself epitomises fullness, finesse and elegance, along<br />
with lovely concentration guaranteeing ageability. Eighty<br />
thousand bottles are produced and there is even a second<br />
wine: L'Octave de Puy-Castéra. The name is both a nod to<br />
music and to his wife's grandfather. Laboratory and<br />
consultancy services for the wine are provided by Eric<br />
Boissenot who has long partnered with the greatest Médoc<br />
chateaux. Roux has not rested on his laurels and has ventured<br />
54 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE<br />
54 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
“The most important<br />
thing is to have a<br />
“The most important<br />
vision, a project and<br />
thing is to have a<br />
challenges to<br />
vision, a project and<br />
address”.<br />
challenges to<br />
address”.<br />
Romain Roux was<br />
blown Romain away Roux by was<br />
PuyCastéra. blown away by<br />
PuyCastéra.<br />
The environment<br />
is The a core environment issue<br />
at PuyCastéra,<br />
is a core issue<br />
where at PuyCastéra,<br />
bee hives<br />
stand where close bee to hives<br />
the stand chateau. close to<br />
the chateau.<br />
Combining<br />
Combining<br />
rugby<br />
rugby<br />
and<br />
and<br />
wine,<br />
wine,<br />
his<br />
his<br />
two<br />
two<br />
greatest<br />
greatest<br />
passions.<br />
passions.<br />
into into other other prestigious appellations, with with the the same same core core aim aim<br />
of of moving moving upmarket and and diversifying. He He now now owns 2.8 2.8<br />
hectares in Saint-Estèphe, 0.8 0.8 hectares in in Pauillac and 0.3<br />
hectares in in Margaux.<br />
MAKING PEOPLE HAPPY<br />
When When asked asked what what his his next next dream is, is, his his answer is is above all all<br />
that that of of a a husband and and father, which is is to to spend time regularly<br />
with with his his wife wife and and children. But But from a a professional<br />
perspective, the the hyperactive Romain Roux immediately<br />
waxes waxes lyrical lyrical about about his his forthcoming projects. He He plans to to<br />
establish establish a new a new brand, brand, Provenance, labelled IGP IGP Terres du du<br />
Midi, Midi, across across the the colour colour spectrum spectrum and and including boxed<br />
wines, wines, with with 10 10 million million bottles. bottles. And And as as he he concludes<br />
pragmatically:<br />
pragmatically:<br />
“My<br />
“My<br />
main<br />
main<br />
dream<br />
dream<br />
is<br />
is<br />
to<br />
to<br />
make<br />
make<br />
people<br />
people<br />
happy,<br />
happy,<br />
which<br />
which<br />
makes<br />
makes<br />
me<br />
me<br />
happy<br />
happy<br />
too.<br />
too.<br />
But<br />
But<br />
I'm<br />
I'm<br />
not<br />
not<br />
just<br />
just<br />
a<br />
a<br />
philanthropist<br />
philanthropist<br />
either”.<br />
either”.<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 55<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 55<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 55
CIDERS<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
At the height of the season, over one million tonnes of apples are harvested<br />
at the Cidrerie de la Brique, before being crushed so that the juice can be collected<br />
Cider: a whole host of choices<br />
waiting to be discovered<br />
Ciders are the perfect match for current drinking trends. Great for socialising,<br />
relatively low in alcohol, inexpensive and less mired in the pomp and circumstance<br />
that accompany wine tasting, they attract a wider clientele.<br />
Nine prominent French cider firms explain why.<br />
By Jean-Paul Burias - Photographs: courtesy of the estates - © Thierry Houyel - © Alice Bertrand<br />
56 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
CIDERS<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
In the west of France, the orchards of Normandy and<br />
Brittany are part and parcel of the landscape. This year’s<br />
apple harvest started quite late – at the beginning of<br />
October – and volumes are lower than in previous years<br />
due to a dull summer and adverse weather conditions.<br />
This is bad news for an industry providing 15,000 jobs<br />
and boasting 600 cider works, which has already had to<br />
cope with the pandemic and a drop in stocks. Cider is<br />
rooted in French tradition and has many assets. Produced<br />
by fermenting apple juice, its flavours and low alcohol<br />
content, ranging from 2 to 8% ABV, are a magnet for<br />
consumers. In France, apple orchards account for a quarter<br />
of all fruit orchards, equating to 35,000 hectares, 9,000<br />
of which are planted to specific varieties for producing<br />
cider. At less than 2 litres per year per capita, French cider<br />
consumption is significantly lower than for wine or beer.<br />
This can be ascribed to its highly seasonal nature – sales<br />
peak at the beginning of the year and in the summer, and<br />
outside Brittany and Normandy consumption is relatively<br />
low. The marketing board and several brands have grasped<br />
the nettle by rolling out PR campaigns to promote cider<br />
and broaden the consumer base. We met the main players<br />
in a market that is decidedly bubbly!<br />
The La Sapinière cider works<br />
LA FERME DE LA SAPINIÈRE:<br />
A PASSION FOR CIDER<br />
Near the D-Day landing beaches and the American<br />
cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, the orchards belonging to<br />
Philippe and Michel Legallois invite visitors to discover the<br />
Ferme de la Sapinière. The two ‘flavour artisans’ have been<br />
producing Pommeau de Normandie, Calvados, apple juice<br />
and of course cider since 1991. “Our organically-farmed<br />
orchards are home to 35 different varieties of cider apples”,<br />
says Michel Legallois. “The ciders are vintage-labelled<br />
and produced by natural fermentation in the bottle with<br />
no added carbon dioxide”. Here, customer relations are<br />
prioritised. Cellar door sales account for 70% of the total<br />
and exports 4%, mainly to Germany, Belgium and Mexico.<br />
Apple Oak is a naturally fermented cider. It matures for the<br />
first 5 months in tanks, then it ferments in relatively new<br />
Cognac barrels. The resultant cider shows distinctive balance<br />
between fine tannins and acidity, delicate effervescence and<br />
a long finish driven by notes of mature spirits.<br />
Michel Legallois of the La Sapinière<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 57
Loïck and Jean-Marie Gouret from Cidrerie Kerloick<br />
CIDERS<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
CIDRERIE KERLOÏCK: HEIRLOOM RECIPES<br />
Loïc Gouret and his wife Anita established their business<br />
in 1999 before being joined by their son Jean-Marie in<br />
2016. This Breton cider works farms 40 hectares of organic<br />
orchards. About fifteen varieties of apple trees are used<br />
to produce structured dry ciders showing intense aromas,<br />
as well as medium-dry and sweet ciders which display<br />
distinctive lightness and fruity flavours on the palate. “As<br />
an orchard owner and producer, we can control every<br />
stage of production”, stresses Jean-Marie Gouret. “All our<br />
farmhouse products, ciders, juices and spirits are made<br />
on our farm”. Exports account for 10% of volumes and<br />
are tending to grow due to the care taken across the<br />
different ranges.<br />
CIDRERIE VIARD: THE REGIONAL FORCE<br />
Three kilometres from Bayeux with its medieval centre,<br />
Notre-Dame cathedral and famous namesake tapestry, the<br />
Viard cider works is one of the oldest family-run businesses<br />
58 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
CIDERS<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
in Normandy. Established in 1932, it houses a superb<br />
18th century farmhouse. In this enchanting setting, the<br />
company honours its native Normandy with full-flavoured<br />
ciders. “Our ciders are made from apples harvested less<br />
than 60 kilometres from the farm”, explains sales manager<br />
Vanessa Sagot. “We select the most aromatic varieties and<br />
only press apples of excellent quality. The Guillaume,<br />
Odon and Edouard labels are defined by controlled<br />
fermentation using exogenous yeast customarily used<br />
for wine, which develops specific aroma and flavour<br />
characteristics. These are exceptional ciders, which we<br />
rated 93, 92 and 90/100 respectively.<br />
CIDRERIE KERISAC:<br />
THE FAMOUS CENTENARIAN<br />
In the Guillet family, expertise and tradition are passed<br />
down through the generations. In 1920, Jean-Edmond<br />
Guillet founded a company focused on producing cider<br />
– his ambition was to spread traditional Breton knowhow<br />
outside his regional boundaries. A century later,<br />
Laurent Guillet, his great-grandson, is the sales director<br />
of a company with a staff of 40 which has a made a<br />
pledge to protecting the soils and orchards. “Our ciders<br />
show hallmark fine bubbles, freshness and tannins”, he<br />
explains. “Our blends are produced from typically Breton<br />
apples”. Cellar master Marion Dubarry makes fresh,<br />
complex ciders. The dry, sweet and traditional dry Cuvée<br />
spéciale stems from a unique production process with<br />
lengthy maturation in tanks that harks back to the roots of<br />
traditional cider making.<br />
Sébastien Malherbe and Margaux Desheulles tasting cider at the<br />
Bayeux cider works<br />
LES CELLIERS ASSOCIÉS: EXPORT FOCUS<br />
This cider co-operative is one of the key industry players.<br />
In 1953, 12 apple producers from the Val de Rance<br />
area combined their production and marketing resources<br />
driven by a passion for excellence. On 5 hectares of<br />
land along the banks of the Rance, Les Celliers Associés<br />
boasts 355 member producers and 115 employees. This<br />
environmentally-friendly cider cooperative is France’s first<br />
to be certified High Environmental Value. Its generous,<br />
well-structured Val de Rance ciders feature on the menus of<br />
many restaurants and across 50 countries. There is a valid<br />
explanation for its export success: “Our ciders are defined<br />
Marion Dubarry, the cellar master at Kerisac tasting<br />
the newly fermenting juices<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 59
CIDERS<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
by their typical flavours”, comments export sales manager<br />
Philippe Coignat. “Each market has its own preferences<br />
and the work of our cellar master Alain Le Page allows<br />
us to closely align with our customers’ expectations. For<br />
example, our dry ciders show a hint of tannin entwined<br />
with a touch of sourness and a refreshing aftertaste, due to<br />
a blend of sweet, bitter-sweet and bitter apples that have<br />
very little acidity. The resultant aromas are ripe fruit with<br />
hints of herbs and spices”.<br />
Val de Rance cellar master Alain Lepage<br />
LES CELLIERS DE L’ODET: SOUL BROTHERS<br />
Three brothers, Guillaume, Joseph and Mathieu Jan,<br />
united by a brotherly bond and unrelenting quest for<br />
excellence, run Les Celliers de l’Odet. Set on a 13th century<br />
estate, Château Lézergué overlooks a superb 35-hectare<br />
orchard established by their father in 1990. Their ciders’<br />
perfectly balanced sweet and sour flavours regularly win<br />
them awards. “They show trademark length on the palate”,<br />
stresses Guillaume Jan. “The powerful polyphenols in our<br />
apples make them rich and powerful. Depending on our<br />
choice of blends, varieties and fermentation temperatures,<br />
the cider can be dry, mineral, full-bodied and fleshy or<br />
sweet, mellow and spicy”. Although dry cider is the most<br />
popular in France, extra-dry is very successful in the United<br />
States and sweet cider in Japan.<br />
The three Jan brothers Matthieu, Joseph and Guillaume at Celliers de l’Odet.<br />
CIDRERIE DE LA BRIQUE:<br />
AT THE CORE OF NORMAN CIDER<br />
Since 1953, promoting Norman cider has been part of<br />
the genetic make-up of Cidrerie de la Brique. Exports<br />
represent 20% of revenue with the ciders shipped to over<br />
20 countries. “Our goal is to promote Norman cider<br />
internationally”, says chairman Jean-François Calandot.<br />
“We work with 500 local apple producers. Dry cider<br />
accounts for 75% of sales versus 25% for sweet cider.<br />
Admittedly, the market has been declining for several<br />
years, but rejuvenation in the restaurant industry with<br />
a new, young clientele, new formats and more modern<br />
marketing all deserve praise. Our products are natural and<br />
local and have all the requisite qualities to perform well.<br />
They have low alcohol content, a low calorie count and<br />
low sulphite content”.<br />
60 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
Michel Legallois in his cider works<br />
Jean-Marie Gouret tasting his ciders<br />
Loïck Gouret, who established<br />
the cider works in 1999 with his<br />
wife Anita, and his son Jean-Marie<br />
who partnered with them in 2016<br />
Loïck Gouret, company co-founder,<br />
in the schooner ‘Kerloïck’,<br />
its mascot<br />
A cider offering perfect<br />
food pairings<br />
Thierry de Ferrand of Val de Rance<br />
Guillaume, Matthieu and Joseph Jan, the three brothers<br />
at the helm of Celliers de l’Odet in their orchard<br />
Cidrerie de la Brique is now a company with a staff of 8<br />
Harvesting fruit from the orchards at Cidre Le Brun<br />
Laurent Guillet, Lucile Letort, head of communications,<br />
and right-hand man Frédéric Frery, in front of the<br />
Kmobile, a lorry that travels the length and breadth of<br />
Brittany offering tastings of Kerisac cider<br />
Laurent Guillet, great-grandson<br />
of the Guillet Frères cider works,<br />
creators of Kerisac cider, who is<br />
now at the company’s helm
CIDERS<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
Pierre-Emmanuel Racine-Jourdren, co-founder<br />
of the Sassy brand of cider with his business partner<br />
Xavier d’Audiffret Pasquier<br />
MAISON SASSY: THE NORMANDY START-UP<br />
Founded by Pierre-Emmanuel Racine-Jourdren and Xavier d’Audiffret-<br />
Pasquier, Maison Sassy has been displaying outstanding growth in the<br />
cider market. Launched in November 2014, the Normandy-based<br />
start-up has witnessed incremental growth in revenue each year and<br />
now markets several million bottles, half of them exported. They can<br />
be found in gourmet restaurants and cocktail bars. “France and the<br />
UK are our two major markets”, explains Racine-Jourdren. “But we<br />
also ship to Australia, South Korea, Japan and Canada. We chose to<br />
design a modern product geared to present-day drinking habits and<br />
to break with conventions by creating a balanced cider that is more<br />
complex than a classic industrial cider”.<br />
CIDRE LE BRUN: FAMILY EXPERTISE<br />
Jean Le Brun established this cider works in 1955 near the Atlantic<br />
Ocean. It was taken over in 1991 by his youngest son Dominique.<br />
Often showered with accolades in France and abroad, the company<br />
has grown to become France’s leading independent cider works and<br />
its third by production. “Our ciders are 100% pure juice and we don’t<br />
use any concentrates”, explains sales manager Maxime Segard. “The<br />
bubbles form naturally during the fermentation process in the tank.<br />
Our ciders are not pasteurised so that we can better preserve aromas<br />
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CIDERS<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
Dominique Le Brun<br />
of the eponymous cider works<br />
and flavours. The specific nature of the region’s apple varieties allows<br />
us to use the traditional process of clarifying apple must by gelling the<br />
pectin”. This renowned technique maximises the aroma and flavour<br />
quality of the ciders, and enjoyment for consumers.<br />
A GREAT FIT FOR THE ZEITGEIST<br />
Obviously, the pandemic and closure of restaurants, a growth area<br />
for cider manufacturers, led them to fear the worst. Initially, volumes<br />
lost in the hospitality industry were not counterbalanced by super and<br />
hypermarkets, but they have since recovered. In fact, cider is proving<br />
to be extremely popular with a new category of relatively young<br />
(from 25 to 45 years old) urban enthusiasts and imbibers. Although<br />
consumers in France are still very much drawn to wine, the trend<br />
seems to be less entrenched abroad. “The market is faring pretty well”,<br />
claims one producer. “If post-pandemic consumers have a yearning<br />
to revert to simple, natural values, cider is the perfect fit for these<br />
precepts”. Cider is most often made without any added ingredients,<br />
just fermented apples, and has low alcohol content and calories. It is a<br />
great drink for sharing and also pairs extremely well with local dishes<br />
from Normandy or Brittany. Offering laid-back enjoyment, it also<br />
works with different types of cuisine from around the world. Both in<br />
France and internationally, these are all major plus points.<br />
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– RENAISSANCE –<br />
Tokaj, at the dawn of<br />
a new era<br />
This historic wine region enjoyed its golden era from the 17 th to the 19 th century,<br />
before it was devastated by phylloxera, then undermined by 40 years of Soviet rule.<br />
Since 1990, Tokaj has recovered its prestige, not only thanks to the wines for which<br />
it is renowned, but also through innovative fine dry white and sparkling wines.<br />
By Florian Glemot - Photographs: courtesy of the estates<br />
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– RENAISSANCE –<br />
The desiccation process of the berries after being affected by noble rot<br />
In the North-East of Hungary, not far from the borders<br />
with Ukraine and Slovakia, lies the country’s most<br />
famous wine region – Tokaj. The first wine region to be<br />
classified with growths in 1670, it would go on to secure<br />
one of the first appellations in history, in 1737. At that<br />
time, Tokaj’s fine noble rot wines were very popular with<br />
Russian and European aristocrats.<br />
Set in the foothills of the Zemplén Mountains, the vineyards<br />
now cover 5,800 hectares of poor, volcanic soils facing<br />
South-East and South to South-West. At the foot of these<br />
rolling hills run two rivers, the Bodrog and the Tisza, which<br />
help create the mantle of morning fog that emerges in<br />
September and the spread of the fungus Botrytis Cinerea.<br />
The rot pierces the grape skins and infects the fruit before<br />
being obliterated by the afternoon sunshine. The grapes<br />
are then gradually desiccated, take on brownish hues and<br />
develop concentrated aromas, sugars and acids to become<br />
Aszú, like the eponymous, storied noble rot wine of Tokaj.<br />
Mirroring the trend for Sauternes, since the turn of the century<br />
Tokaji has borne the brunt of plummeting consumption<br />
of noble rot wines worldwide. So, without turning its<br />
back on its glorious past – and incredible showcase for the<br />
region across the globe – Tokaj has successfully reinvented<br />
itself by transitioning towards the production of dry white<br />
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wines in barely a decade, and more recently towards<br />
sparkling wines. Our visit to seven estates, with the uberknowledgeable<br />
Tokaj ambassador Gergely Somogyi as<br />
our guide (see box on page 7), gave us the opportunity<br />
to discover the outstanding quality and variety of styles<br />
of wines produced across the region.<br />
The tasting ‘room’ with breath-taking views over the Petracs vineyard<br />
OREMUS, THE CUSTODIAN OF TRADITION<br />
Created in 1993 by the prestigious Spanish group Vega<br />
Sicilia, Oremus has remained focused on fine noble rot<br />
wines, which account for 60% of production from its<br />
80 hectares under vine. Located on the edge of a labyrinth<br />
of underground galleries used for ageing the wines,<br />
the estate’s winery is built on three levels. The grapes<br />
are brought to the upper level, then undergo stringent<br />
sorting depending on their final destination. They are<br />
then transported by gravity to the different presses<br />
on the middle level where they are fermented. Once<br />
fermentation is over, the wines are then again transported<br />
by gravity to the lower level with its galleries hewn out<br />
of the volcanic rock to be matured in one of the estate’s<br />
1,000 or so oak barrels. The oak comes from the Zemplén<br />
forests where the climate is harsh, producing very finegrain<br />
wood. This unique feature provides reduced microoxygenation,<br />
which is ideal for the lengthy maturation<br />
period of Aszú wines that must last for at least 18<br />
months. Aszú wines now come in two versions: 5 or<br />
6 puttonyos, depending on the level of residual sugar.<br />
They are produced by macerating Aszú grapes in must<br />
or in dry white base wine for between 12 and 60 hours,<br />
depending on the desired style. Consequently, Aszú wine<br />
boasts the freshness of dry white wine, coupled with the<br />
rich aromatics and sweetness of Aszú grapes. The 2013<br />
Aszú 5 puttonyos label is a sumptuous wine with notes<br />
of acacia, dried apricot, orange peel marmalade and<br />
pastry-like flavours of honey and gingerbread, supported<br />
by fat and sweetness on the palate which counterbalance<br />
its high acidity. The overall feeling beckons imbibers<br />
towards meditation.<br />
The endless underground network of galleries at Oremus Estate<br />
SAMUEL TINON, A FRENCHMAN IN TOKAJ<br />
Samuel moved to Tokaj over twenty years ago and is<br />
now one of the region’s most enthusiastic ambassadors.<br />
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Samuel Tinon, the French craftsman,<br />
produces exceptionally high quality<br />
Szamorodnis in his humble, typical cellar<br />
He produces the most profound Szamorodni wines we<br />
tasted. Szamorodni stems from Polish and means “as<br />
it comes”. The wines are fermented from grape clusters<br />
that have partial noble rot and are then matured for at<br />
least six months in oak casks. There are two distinctive<br />
styles of Szamorodni: a noble rot style called Édes,<br />
generally akin to the Aszú style with fresher, less sweet<br />
aromatics, making it the perfect dessert wine; and a dry<br />
wine matured biologically in an oxidative environment<br />
under a veil of flor in casks that are not topped up, which<br />
is very similar in style to Jura’s ‘vin jaune’. Maturing the<br />
wine under a veil of flor lends it distinctive aromatic<br />
notes of curry and fresh nuts which are entwined with<br />
the notes of dried apricot, honey and sweet spices typical<br />
of botrytis. This style of Szamorodni is called ‘Száraz’<br />
and, whilst traditional, is only produced by a handful<br />
of winegrowers in Tokaj. This is probably due to the<br />
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Pascal Demkó, owner of Holdvölgy Estate<br />
fact that the wines are very challenging to produce and can<br />
easily fail during the maturation phase. Also, its consumer<br />
base is restricted to a few well-informed enthusiasts looking<br />
for rare gems. Vinified with no added sulphites, the<br />
Szamorodni Száraz produced by Samuel Tinon are matured<br />
for 6 years. Showing remarkable intensity and precision,<br />
they encapsulate all the passion and huge amount of<br />
patience the winegrower has put into them.<br />
HOLDVÖLGY, RIGOROUS PRECISION<br />
In the small, tranquil, picture-postcard village of Mád is<br />
an estate where rigour and precision are the rule. Just like<br />
in a high-tech laboratory, its owners – Natalia Demkó<br />
and her brother Pascal – ferment single batches of the 6<br />
permitted grape varieties from the property’s 25 blocks of<br />
vines in 6 growths, in a very sophisticated style. Their aim<br />
is to drill down and get a very precise understanding of the<br />
combinations of the grape varieties and vineyards they own<br />
in order to extract their quintessential characters. Overall<br />
production is therefore divided between myriad singlevineyard<br />
wines produced in minute amounts. One of their<br />
single-vineyard offerings is the Intuition n°3 range from<br />
the superb 2017 vintage – it is a remarkable rendition of<br />
the native Furmint grape variety. Numbered from 1 to 6,<br />
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Vivien Ujvári, the talented young winemaker at Barta Pince<br />
each label matches one of the 6 permitted grapes in<br />
Tokaj. The n°3 is dedicated to Furmint, the king of the<br />
region’s varietal range, which accounts for about 67% of<br />
plantings. It is defined by its vertical acid structure which<br />
makes it the backbone of Tokaji fine wines and lends<br />
them substantial ageability. It can appear austere and<br />
not very aromatic when it is slightly under ripe or the<br />
yields are too high. But with controlled yields, the finest<br />
dűlős – or growths in Hungary – can produce energetic<br />
and extremely refined wines. The Intuition n°3 offers<br />
up a crystalline nose recalling green apple, pear, passion<br />
fruit and delicate mineral notes. On the palate, the attack<br />
is clean and vibrant, followed by substantial aromatic<br />
richness combining the freshness of the fruit with the<br />
smoothness of the oak in which the wine was matured<br />
for 5 months. The mineral finish is supported by intense<br />
salinity which drives the gentle sourness typical of the<br />
variety over many long seconds.<br />
BARTA PINCE, FEMININE ELEGANCE<br />
In the same tiny village of Mád, the manor house at<br />
Domaine Barta is a splendid example of architecture<br />
harking back to the region’s golden era. Bought by the<br />
family in 2003, it has been restored in the purest local<br />
tradition and now welcomes visitors. The vineyards cover<br />
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Scenic vistas from the Király dűlő vineyard<br />
13.5 hectares in the Király and Kővágó dűlős. The Király<br />
dűlő, or growth of kings, is without doubt the region’s<br />
most iconic. The upper part has been entirely restored<br />
and replanted with high-density staked vines since 2003.<br />
On this steep slope, Furmint delivers intense expression,<br />
offering up generous palate weight that is rare for this<br />
grape variety. Vivien Ujvári, the young winemaker who<br />
joined the estate in 2016, has successfully established her<br />
style – her wines yield convincing purity and elegance.<br />
She uses modern technology such as pneumatic pressing<br />
and temperature control for the various casks and tanks.<br />
Mindful to allow the region to fully express its potential,<br />
she delivers a superb iteration of Tokaj’s second major<br />
grape variety, Hárslevelü, which accounts for about<br />
20% of plantings in the region. Highly aromatic, with<br />
a less radical structure than Furmint, it is traditionally<br />
used in blends of Aszú wines to bolster their perfume<br />
and floral characters. It is now frequently fermented as<br />
single-varietal dry white or blended with Furmint. The<br />
2019 Hárslevelü label by Domaine Barta offers up a very<br />
aromatic nose suffused with notes of white flowers, white<br />
peach and fresh quince. The attack is fresh and opens up<br />
intensively to aromas of orange blossom, lemon peel,<br />
yellow peach and ginger. The fruity finish is precise and<br />
carried over substantial length by gentle sourness.<br />
ERZSÉBET PINCE, FAMILY SPIRIT<br />
At the foot of Mount Tokaj, in the small village of Tarcal,<br />
the Prácser family strives to craft fine terroir-driven wines.<br />
Established in 1990 but with roots in the village that predate<br />
the collapse of the Soviet bloc, the company boasts<br />
one of the oldest underground galleries that dates back<br />
to the 1600s. At that time, it was used by the Russian<br />
Court to store the finest bottles of Tokaji Aszú destined<br />
for the Emperor. Since 2009, the estate has been assisted<br />
by Hajni Prácser’s husband, Ronn Wiegand MW MS*, the<br />
first person ever to combine these two prestigious titles.<br />
The wines are all gifted with substantial aromatic and<br />
structural freshness.<br />
The Prácser family owns 1 hectare of Furmint planted<br />
on the Király dűlő, a prime site for the grape. The<br />
2017 single-vineyard Király dűlő offers magnificent siteexpressiveness.<br />
The wine is fermented in Bordeaux oak<br />
Erzsébet Pince, a family affair<br />
*Master of Wine, Master Sommelier<br />
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Brother and sister Miklós and Hajni Prácser work together to produce very expressive dry wines<br />
casks then racked and transferred to Hungarian casks to be<br />
matured. The nose is highly expressive and recalls fresh, precise<br />
fruit with lots of elegance and sophistication. The oakiness<br />
is now perfectly integrated, underscoring the fruit with very<br />
pleasant, soft vanilla-like notes. The wine boasts a lengthy<br />
finish and superb balance which will undoubtedly lend it long<br />
ageability, although it already offers huge pleasure today.<br />
KIKELET PINCE,<br />
THE REALMS OF HÁRSLEVELÜ<br />
Stéphanie Berecz left her native Loire region in France in the<br />
early 1990s to settle in Tokaj. For a decade or so, she worked<br />
for the famous Disznókő estate, becoming head winemaker.<br />
In 2002, she decided to start up her own winery, called<br />
Kikelet, meaning ‘spring’ in Hungarian, with her husband Zsolt.<br />
Stéphanie handles winemaking whilst her husband manages the<br />
vineyards which extend over 5 hectares of volcanic soils covered<br />
with varying thicknesses of loess. This very porous, mineral<br />
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– RENAISSANCE –<br />
Stéphanie Berecz, the ‘Queen’ of Hárslevelű, produces renowned,<br />
elegant wines from the variety<br />
soil delivers a more subdued and charming expression<br />
of the Hárslevelü grape variety, boasting an elegant<br />
acid structure.<br />
In a bid to adapt to a very early harvest in 2013, then<br />
more systematically for the following vintages, Stéphanie<br />
produces a sparkling wine called Pezsgő in Hungary<br />
– a blend of 70% Hárslevelü and 30% Furmint made<br />
using the traditional method and matured on the lees<br />
for 2 years. This is one of the rare examples of this<br />
style to be entirely estate-produced, from the base wine<br />
through to disgorgement. Very few producers have the<br />
expertise to do so in the region and most sparkling wines<br />
undergo their secondary fermentation and are disgorged<br />
by major specialist co-operatives. The results are all the<br />
more convincing. This 2017 Pezsgő brut displays great<br />
aromatic balance, halfway between white flowers, pear,<br />
apple and secondary brioche and toasted notes. This<br />
harmonious and compelling wine is a great showcase for<br />
the potential of sparkling wine in Tokaj that has yet to be<br />
fully explored.<br />
A typical underground cellar at Kikelet Pince<br />
ZOLTÁN DEMETER,<br />
A QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE<br />
“The old things are around me to fill me up with the<br />
spirit they preserve”. This quote from Zoltán Demeter<br />
sums up his determination to take a long-term approach<br />
by painstakingly crafting his wines and perpetually<br />
seeking out perfection. This devotion won him the title<br />
of best Hungarian winegrower in 2007. Zoltán was<br />
born on the far eastern side of the Tokaj wine region,<br />
in the village of Sátoraljaújhely. He still owns a family<br />
vineyard that he is extremely attached to. After travelling<br />
to France, the USA and the UK, he began producing his<br />
own wines in 1996, whilst at the same time consulting<br />
for other wineries, then devoted himself entirely to his<br />
own winery in 2008. A dyed-in-the-wool visionary, he<br />
pioneered production of sparkling wine in Tokaj starting<br />
in 2009. He makes regular trips to Champagne to<br />
learn the correct protocol and now produces extremely<br />
complex wines grown on clay and tuff soils over the<br />
volcanic bedrock. The 2015 Pezsgő is matured for 58<br />
months on the lees. Its characteristics are akin to those of<br />
a top vintage Champagne with distinctive notes of lemon,<br />
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– RENAISSANCE –<br />
Zoltán Demeter who has pioneered the sparkling wine revolution<br />
in Tokaj since 2009<br />
grapefruit, green apple and pear entwined with a chalky feel<br />
and gorgeous pastry notes. The attack is full of energy and<br />
the bubbles are creamy. Fruit-driven length lingers on and<br />
on suffused with more mineral notes on the finish. This<br />
gratifying, vinous, concentrated and elegant wine also paves<br />
the way for the advent of fine sparkling wines from Tokaj.<br />
Drawing on 4 centuries of producing top noble rot wines,<br />
Tokaj is on the cusp of a new era focusing on fine dry<br />
whites and sparkling wines. With climate change afoot,<br />
Tokaj has many assets for securing a prime place in the<br />
world of fine wines. Hungary is home to a raft of microclimates.<br />
Mirroring its top quality whites, it also excels<br />
in producing fine red wines, like those by the Jammertal<br />
estate in the Villány region, in the southern part of the<br />
country. Jointly run by winemaker Zsófia Kövesdi and<br />
viticulturist Zsolt Nagy, the estate has risen right to the<br />
top with its superlative quality wines, primarily the Koh-<br />
I-Noor range. Produced from international grape varieties,<br />
they were awarded first-rate scores in the Gilbert & Gaillard<br />
International Challenge which you can find at the end of<br />
this issue.<br />
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An aerial view of Alta Alella with the city of Barcelona in the background<br />
SPAIN<br />
– DESIGNATION –<br />
Will changes to D.O. Cava<br />
help improve quality<br />
and sales?<br />
Cava has become a household name across the globe in recent years, providing<br />
consumers with an affordable sparkling wine that can be enjoyed on numerous<br />
occasions. But faced with increased competition, the appellation’s authorities<br />
have been prompted to make some major changes to regulations,<br />
aimed at enhancing quality and provenance.<br />
We ask a range of Cava producers what the changes imply for them.<br />
By Santiago Jimenez - Photographs: courtesy of the estates<br />
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SPAIN<br />
– DESIGNATION –<br />
Clusters of grapes used to make some of the sparkling wines at Costers del Sió<br />
Most people situate Cava vineyards in Catalonia,<br />
specifically in the Penedés region, with Sant<br />
Sadurní d’Anoia at its epicentre. And indeed<br />
around 90% of total production is focused<br />
on Catalonia. Despite this, some wineries<br />
outside the region have been making Cava – a name that can<br />
only be used for Spanish sparkling wine – since the beginning<br />
of the appellation. One such example is Rioja-based Bodegas<br />
Bilbaínas, which was bought by the Raventós Codorníu<br />
group, one of the leading names in Cava production.<br />
In 2020, a series of changes were made to Cava D.O.<br />
regulations, including a new classification that includes zones<br />
(Comtats de Barcelona, Valle del Ebro, Zona de Levante and<br />
Viñedos del Almendralejo) and sub-zones, as well as a new<br />
category (Cava de Guarda and Cava de Guarda Superior). All<br />
these modifications will be gradually introduced in the near<br />
future. Cava is not only produced in Catalonia, there are<br />
also Cava wineries in Aragón, Castilla y León, Extremadura,<br />
Navarra, the Basque Country, the Valencia region and Rioja.<br />
We have selected a raft of sparkling wine producers to find<br />
out how the appellation changes will affect them and what<br />
impact they will have.<br />
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SPAIN<br />
– DESIGNATION –<br />
An aerial view of the Paraje Calificado of Vallcirera<br />
ALTA ALELLA – A GAME-CHANGER<br />
This winery, located to the North of the city of Barcelona,<br />
is distinctive in that it lies next to the Mediterranean. It is<br />
a personal project of the Pujol-Busquets Guillén family,<br />
which began with Josep Maria and Cristina and continues<br />
with their daughters Mireia and Georgina, who have been<br />
intensely involved in growing wine and Cava since they<br />
were children. For some 30 years now they have been<br />
farming organically, and the results are very satisfactory.<br />
They are quite rightly proud of their products, especially<br />
two of them, both of which come from a designated<br />
vineyard site (Paraje Calificado), Vallcirera: Alta Alella<br />
10, a new release, whose first vintage was launched in<br />
2021. This Cava is matured for 10 years and is elegant<br />
with great ageing capacity. The other is Mirgin Opus: a<br />
limited edition Cava that, like the previous example, also<br />
has a long ageing period, in this case 36 months, before<br />
being released for sale. Both are the winery’s superpremium<br />
Cavas.<br />
Regarding the changes to appellation rules, Mireia claims<br />
that “these changes were absolutely necessary. We have<br />
been talking about zoning for some time now, and<br />
we needed an identity that was more specific to each<br />
zone. Our Cavas already have their own identity, but<br />
the consumer will receive more information with these<br />
changes and it will allow us to safeguard our product<br />
better”. The winery supports the idea that in order to<br />
sell your products, you have to be able to tell a story,<br />
something that the changes will not alter. What it does<br />
feel, though, is that they “provide us with new tools, so<br />
we will be able to talk more specifically about our origins.<br />
Defending our terroir in a more concrete way makes us<br />
more unique”.<br />
The new winery at Clos Montblanc<br />
CLOS MONTBLANC – THE CU4TRO PROJECT<br />
Clos Montblanc is a winery located in Barberá de la<br />
Conca, in Tarragona. At domestic level, its still wines and<br />
Cavas are very well known, but it also nurtures a project<br />
designed for exports: Cu4tro Project. The project, which<br />
has been ongoing for some years now, has been very<br />
well received outside Spain, with Japan and South Korea,<br />
together with the United States, being the main export<br />
markets. Brazil, however, stands out above the rest, along<br />
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SPAIN<br />
– DESIGNATION –<br />
Josep Maria Busquets<br />
with his daughter Mireia<br />
in the cellar of Alta Alella<br />
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SPAIN<br />
– DESIGNATION –<br />
An aerial view of the farmland surrounding Clos Montblanc<br />
with other markets such as China, Taiwan and, of course,<br />
the European market, where Germany, Belgium and<br />
Holland are prime destinations.<br />
As with Alta Alella, it is important to differentiate<br />
between different zones. “For us it is very important to<br />
highlight the origin. Cava was born specifically in this<br />
area, where the main varieties we use in our blends are<br />
perfectly adapted to the soil and weather patterns, which<br />
bring out the qualities we seek”. When it comes to selling<br />
their products beyond Spanish borders, being able to<br />
specify exactly where their Cavas are produced “allows<br />
us to supply the most genuine Cava. Apart from quality,<br />
which in our view is the basic premise, we can ramp up<br />
arguments like genuine origin and tradition”.<br />
In terms of winemaking procedures, Clos Montblanc<br />
clarifies that “this does not involve any changes since for<br />
Cavas in this profile (Guarda Superior) we already select<br />
the oldest vineyards, always older than 10 years, with<br />
maturation exceeding the minimum required. All the<br />
vineyards used to produce our Guarda Superior Cavas<br />
come from organically certified vineyards”.<br />
Old vines used to produce Cavas at Bodegas Valdeorite<br />
BODEGAS VALDEORITE -<br />
ONGOING ADAPTATION<br />
Who would have thought years ago that one day Cavas<br />
would be grown outside of Catalonia? This project,<br />
in the province of Badajoz, in Extremadura, just a few<br />
kilometres from the city of Badajoz, is a good example<br />
of the fact that Cavas can be made outside their original<br />
home region. This winery has garnered acclaim both<br />
domestically – winning the Gran Espiga de Oro award for<br />
the best cava in Extremadura for three consecutive years<br />
– and internationally, which has put it in a privileged<br />
position when exporting its Cavas.<br />
Here, the newly-minted Cava D.O. regulations have not<br />
implied any changes for the moment, aside from one<br />
major adaptation: “Since the new regulations, we have<br />
been adapting to the main change which is making<br />
organic wines, and trying to ensure these wines are ready<br />
by the time the regulatory period of adaptation expires”.<br />
This is going to require efforts on the part of the winery,<br />
but there is a strong chance they will come to a successful<br />
conclusion. The winery also believes that the changes<br />
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SPAIN<br />
– DESIGNATION –<br />
in terms of classification, with zones and sub-zones,<br />
are interesting: “Any personalisation is worthwhile,<br />
especially for Premium Cavas, where we will be able<br />
to make highly expressive Cavas”. In turn, the winery<br />
believes this will facilitate sales.<br />
CASTELL SANT ANTONI - AWAITING CHANGE<br />
This winery, which is approaching the 60th anniversary<br />
of its official opening (1963), is a family project that<br />
began when Ramón Canals Ridorsa decided to build a<br />
small wine cellar at the back of the family home in Sant<br />
Sadurní d’Anoia. Subsequently, as sales experienced<br />
incremental growth, the space became too small and<br />
they had to “emigrate” to the outskirts of the town to<br />
accommodate the now larger production volumes.<br />
The new brand was born on the eve of the 21st century,<br />
in 1999, and led to the current name of the winery:<br />
‘Castell Sant Antoni’. Pere Canals’ project became a<br />
reality with the emergence of a new winery dedicated to<br />
producing highly expressive Cavas.<br />
Since then, drawing on their dedication and patience, they<br />
have been producing high quality Cavas some 40 km from<br />
Barcelona, in the birthplace of Cava. The belief here is<br />
that “the new regulations are a step in the right direction.<br />
Consumers are becoming more and more demanding<br />
and providing extra information about the origin of the<br />
wines they drink is, without a doubt, an initiative that is<br />
not only good but also necessary at the present time. It is<br />
important to point out that this is a very substantial and<br />
complex change, which we are still studying in depth. We<br />
are waiting to see how it will be applied in the medium<br />
term throughout the entire appellation”.<br />
Any additional information they can provide in the<br />
future, due to changes in the regulations “is also an<br />
opportunity on a commercial level and good news, but to<br />
a large extent, whether or not it will ultimately facilitate<br />
marketing will depend on how the new regulations are<br />
applied and developed”.<br />
Sergi Canals, on the right, is the winemaker at Castell Sant Antoni<br />
COSTERS DEL SIO -<br />
PROUD OF ITS SPARKLING WINES<br />
Halfway between the towns of Balaguer and Agramunt,<br />
in Lleida, is this project which began to take shape in the<br />
Juan and José are the owners of Costers del Sió<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 79
SPAIN<br />
– DESIGNATION –<br />
Members of the Porcioles-Buixó family<br />
same year that the Olympic Games were held for the first<br />
time in Spain (Barcelona, 1992). The Porcioles-Buixó<br />
family acquired the property that is home to the winery<br />
in that same year. After 6 years, the first vineyards were<br />
planted and in 2005 the first grapes were harvested and<br />
the first wines were produced: Alto Siós, Viña Siós red<br />
and rosé. In 2014, 22 years after starting the project, the<br />
sparkling wines Siós Brut Blanc de Noirs and Siós Brut<br />
Rosé were produced.<br />
Out of choice, these wines do not come under the Cava<br />
D.O. so obviously none of the changes introduced<br />
last year to the appellation have implied any direct<br />
changes for them. At Costers del Sió, as winemaker<br />
María Mendoza said, “we are proud to make quality<br />
sparkling wine under the Costers del Segre appellation”.<br />
As she said, the new regulations “are not relevant for our<br />
products”. In fact, here, the belief is that they will make<br />
marketing more difficult.<br />
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SPAIN<br />
– DESIGNATION –<br />
RAMON CANALS – ORIGIN IS ESSENTIAL<br />
Located some 30 kilometres from Barcelona, in the<br />
town of Castellví de Rosanes, this winery was founded<br />
in 1903. Three generations have injected life into the<br />
winery, which produces still wines in D.O. Penedés and<br />
Cavas under D.O. Cava. It is a family business that has<br />
evolved over the generations but has remained steadfast<br />
in its principles: the quality of its products and a strong<br />
commitment to disseminating and promoting the<br />
culture of wine.<br />
Mother and father Maria Angels Canals Duran and<br />
Ramón Canals Llaverol and their children Ramón<br />
Canals and Marta Canals are the winery’s owners<br />
and managers. Ramón Canals (son) is in charge of<br />
winemaking and sales. Daughter Marta is tasked with<br />
management, administration and quality control of the<br />
shipments. The changes in D.O. Cava classifications<br />
have not affected them much. They feel that “the<br />
stricter the regulations the better. We already make all<br />
our Reservas with more than 18 months’ maturation<br />
and soon almost all our Cavas will be organic. But for<br />
ordinary consumers, not experts, we would have to ask<br />
whether they have a full understanding of so many<br />
names, appellations and ways we have of categorising<br />
sparkling wines nowadays. At marketing level, it is<br />
also a well-known fact that complicated names are<br />
difficult for the public to remember. It’s all very well for<br />
professionals, but for the vast majority, those who buy<br />
millions of bottles of Cava every year, will it be clear<br />
or not?”<br />
Son Ramón Canals explains that “highlighting<br />
provenance is essential, as this is the basic tenet of<br />
any D.O. This is fundamental and one of the reasons<br />
why some producers have left the D.O., especially for<br />
exports. It is a good step forward. But from my point of<br />
view the names are complicated and difficult for nonexpert<br />
consumers”.<br />
Inside the Ramón Canals winery<br />
RAVENTOS CODORNÍU -<br />
BENEFICIAL CHANGES<br />
Internationally renowned Raventós Codorníu<br />
encapsulates the history of Cava. As Codorníu’s<br />
winemaker, Bruno Colomer, told us, “it is a pleasure<br />
A beautiful sunset over the vineyards of Ramón Canals<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 81
SPAIN<br />
– DESIGNATION –<br />
Bruno Colomer is the winemaker at Raventós Codorníu<br />
to travel around the world with a Codorníu business<br />
card, as it opens many doors. In most countries around<br />
the world we are known for our Cavas”. What can be<br />
said about the company that is not already known? At<br />
Raventós Codorníu, the opinion is that all the regulatory<br />
changes “do not imply a different way of working, since<br />
all the principles that are defined were already being<br />
applied: the origin of the vineyard, choice of vineyards<br />
for lengthy ageing... but it is true that with the new<br />
regulations we are permitted to mention the origin of<br />
the grapes on the labels. Some administrative aspects<br />
have changed, such as the certification of vineyards for<br />
Guarda or Guarda Superior; reporting the Kg/Ha to the<br />
administration, and differentiating it from the rest of<br />
the vineyard, for example: but the work and internal<br />
winery procedures are 100% compatible with the new<br />
regulations”. Raventós Codorníu is already known in<br />
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SPAIN<br />
– DESIGNATION –<br />
One of the inside rooms at the Raventós Codorníu winery<br />
almost every corner of the planet, but it believes that<br />
the changes to the regulations “will indeed facilitate<br />
marketing. Any aspect that increases the quality of the<br />
product will help the customer take it into account<br />
when they make a decision to purchase”.<br />
There is one remaining question – what will happen<br />
to the wineries that make sparkling wines and are not<br />
under the umbrella of D.O. Cava? Will the changes<br />
prompt them to take on the challenge of altering<br />
some of their procedures so that they comply with the<br />
new regulations? Or, on the other hand, will there be<br />
wineries that are currently marketed under D.O. Cava<br />
which, due to the new requirements, will want to leave<br />
the appellation? Only time will tell and reveal how the<br />
situation evolves. Each winery is different and not all<br />
wineries have the same ethos. The future will provide<br />
the answer.<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 83
PORTUGAL<br />
– MARKETS –<br />
A beautiful view of the Stone Garden at Quinta Boavista<br />
Casa Santos Lima:<br />
Portugal’s standard-bearer abroad<br />
Founded in the late 19 th century, Casa Santos Lima is a winery that predominantly<br />
exports Portuguese wines. So much so that it is one of Portugal’s largest exporters.<br />
After being passed down through five generations, it is now in the capable hands of<br />
José Luis Oliveira da Silva, the current CEO, a man who puts<br />
his heart and soul into advancing this family-run project.<br />
By Santiago Jimenez - Photographs: courtesy of the estates<br />
84 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
PORTUGAL<br />
– MARKETS –<br />
José Luis Oliveira da Silva, CEO<br />
Casa Santos Lima was founded by Joaquim<br />
Santos Lima in the late 19 th century, and<br />
for many years it exported barrels of wine<br />
produced at Quinta da Boavista to countries<br />
like Brazil and the United Kingdom.<br />
Since then, five different generations have managed<br />
the family business. In the 1990s, the task fell to José<br />
Luis Oliveira da Silva, who left his career in finance to<br />
fully focus on his family’s business. After taking over<br />
the company, he launched himself into restructuring<br />
the old winery, modernising the equipment, and<br />
building new infrastructures and wine cellars.<br />
The same decade also saw several milestones in<br />
the company’s development. For example, the<br />
most prestigious Portuguese varieties, as well as<br />
international varieties (1990-1995) were introduced;<br />
the first vintages under the Quinta da Espiga, Quinta<br />
das Setencostas and Palha-Canas brands (1996) were<br />
bottled and the first 86,000 bottles were shipped to the<br />
United Kingdom.<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 85
PORTUGAL<br />
– MARKETS –<br />
An aerial view of Casa Vila Verde<br />
Even now, in the current decade, remarkable progress<br />
is still helping the winery maintain its position as one<br />
of the most prominent wine exporters. In fact, around<br />
90% of its production is exported, and the wines can be<br />
found in over 50 countries across five continents. The<br />
United States, Canada and the Scandinavian countries<br />
are key markets, though Casa Santos Lima has also been<br />
bold enough to introduce its wine to more challenging<br />
markets, such as India, Indonesia, Ukraine, and Belarus,<br />
where the population does not tend to drink as much<br />
wine.<br />
Several new investments have been made, notably<br />
Quinta de Porrais in the Douro region in 2011 (one of<br />
the vineyards owned by the legendary Dona Antónia<br />
Ferreira); a new winery was created in Quinta da<br />
Boavista in the Alenquer region in 2014, followed by<br />
another one on the Algarve in 2015. This has been<br />
concurrent with further investments into various aspects<br />
of the company, all of which have led this group of<br />
wineries – centrally managed by José Luis Oliveira da<br />
Silva – to become one of the biggest wine exporters in<br />
Portugal.<br />
86 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
Casa Santos Lima’s vineyards with the new winery in the backdrop<br />
Although the buildings at Casa Santos Lima are cutting-edge, they also fit into the landscape<br />
A spectacular panoramic view of the Quinta do Conde winery
PORTUGAL<br />
– MARKETS –<br />
The vineyards at Quinta de Porrais climb steep hillsides<br />
The Quinta do Conde winery ensconced amidst vineyards<br />
The main winemaking facilities are in the Alenquer<br />
region, at Quinta da Boavista, situated about 45 minutes<br />
from the Portuguese capital of Lisbon. This location<br />
boasts over 500 hectares which are planted with various<br />
varieties of grape, both native and international. In fact,<br />
there are over 50 different varieties, a feature which is<br />
almost exclusive to Casa Santos Lima. In terms of red<br />
wine varieties, the company works with Alfrocheiro,<br />
Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Camarate,<br />
Castelão, Malbec, Merlot, Negra Mole, Petite Sirah,<br />
Petit Verdot, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Preto Martinho,<br />
Sousao, Syrah, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Lisboa, Tinta Roriz,<br />
Tinto Cao, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional. It also<br />
works with a fair number of white varieties: Alvarinho,<br />
Antao Vaz, Arinto, Avesso, Chardonnay, Códega do<br />
Larinho, Encruzado, Fernao Pires, Gewürztraminer,<br />
Loureiro, Malvasia Fina, Moscatel, Rabigato, Roupeiro,<br />
Sauvignon Blanc, Seara Nova, Trajadura, Verdelho,<br />
Viognier, Viosinho and Vital.<br />
These varieties are grown across 5 different regions, each<br />
one with its own soil and climate patterns. Briefly, these<br />
regions can be defined as below.<br />
LISBON – ALENQUER: Here, vineyards are planted<br />
on rolling hills. The soil is predominantly comprised<br />
of clay and limestone and is gently influenced by the<br />
Atlantic Ocean.<br />
ALGARVE – TAVIRA: Influenced by the Mediterranean<br />
climate, vineyards here grow on clay, limestone and<br />
slate soils and enjoy a substantial amount of sunshine<br />
(more than 3,000 hours a year).<br />
ALENTEJO – BEJA: In this area, you will find the<br />
perfect conditions for growing top-quality grapes. Clay<br />
and limestone soils and a continental climate with a<br />
Mediterranean influence are a match made in heaven<br />
when it comes to producing the very best wines.<br />
DOURO – MURÇA: Vineyards are planted around 600<br />
metres above sea level in this region. These vineyards<br />
previously belonged to Dona Antónia Ferreira… This<br />
alone should tell you everything you need to know<br />
about the quality of the wines produced here.<br />
VINHOS VERDES – LOUSADA AND PONTE DE LIMA:<br />
The wines that come from this region are crisp with<br />
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PORTUGAL<br />
– MARKETS –<br />
Hillside vineyard plantings at Quinta de Porrais<br />
great minerality and are intensely aromatic. The<br />
climate is cool and humid due to the influence of the<br />
Atlantic Ocean.<br />
The medley of regions, climates and varieties means<br />
that this family-run company can produce all types<br />
of wines, from white, red, rosé and sparkling to semisparkling<br />
and late harvest, in both bottled and boxed<br />
wine formats — and all at great value for money. The<br />
wines are often considered “best buys” and frequently<br />
win awards in various international wine competitions.<br />
In 2017, the company began to develop a programme<br />
of wine tourism activities at Quinta da Boavista, that<br />
allows visitors to indulge in an unforgettable experience.<br />
As part of this, they get to know the wines produced<br />
by Casa Santos Lima first-hand and, in this way, the<br />
wines become a part of their lives to a certain extent.<br />
As CEO José Luis Oliveira da Silva once said: “we<br />
want to produce wines that are part of our customers’<br />
daily lives”.<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 89
<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
Puglia<br />
and its wine revolution<br />
Puglia is one of the regions in southern Italy which has carved out a reputation<br />
for itself in recent years for both its quality and its identity, drawing on a winning<br />
combination of both native and international grape varieties.<br />
By Francesco Saverio Russo - Photographs: courtesy of the estates<br />
90 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
Although Primitivo (Zinfandel), Negroamaro<br />
and Nero di Troia are the varieties which<br />
most frequently represent the region in the<br />
domestic and international markets, the range<br />
of Puglian grapes is in fact much broader and<br />
includes native grape varieties such as the lesser known<br />
Bombino Nero, Malvasia Nera, Aleatico, Sussumaniello<br />
and Ottavianello (Cinsaut), as well as Montepulciano,<br />
Sangiovese and Aglianico and international cultivars<br />
Merlot and Cabernet-Sauvignon. White grapes from<br />
the region include Bombino Bianco, Malvasia Bianca,<br />
Verdeca, Bianco d’Alessano and Pampanuto, as well as<br />
Fiano, Moscato Bianco and Chardonnay.<br />
The Puglia wine region is divided between hills and plains.<br />
Starting in the north, the Gargano area is a promontory<br />
of limestone and eruptive rocks, with slopes clad in<br />
Mediterranean scrub. Heading south you encounter<br />
the Tavoliere area, in the province of Foggia, with its<br />
sandy-clay alluvial soils. This is followed by Murgia, a<br />
very extensive area with soils of limestone agglomerates,<br />
which extends across the provinces of Barletta-Andria-<br />
Trani, Bari and Brindisi. Lastly is Salento, a very fertile,<br />
cool zone with limestone soils, located in the province of<br />
Lecce and partly extending into Brindisi and Taranto. The<br />
total area under vine is approximately 85,000 hectares,<br />
some 75% planted to red grape varieties.<br />
Amastuola’s vineyards are located in Valle d’Itria heading towards the sea,<br />
around the Arco Ionico area<br />
FROM BLENDING WINES TO QUALITY<br />
BOTTLINGS<br />
The real revolution in Puglian wine, however, cannot be<br />
expressed in numbers, but in the work of forward-thinking<br />
producers who have moved beyond the principles of<br />
quantity and deeply-coloured, structured wines (a legacy<br />
of the era when Puglian wines were considered to be<br />
blending wines) to embrace a more sensitive approach<br />
to the region through the use of typical vines and longstanding<br />
training systems. This includes the use of the<br />
‘Alberello’ system, which has been used for thousands<br />
of years and features in the writings of the Roman<br />
authors Pliny the Elder, Horace and Tibullus. Puglia has<br />
always been a very important supplier of wine and oil,<br />
producing products strongly linked to its tradition and<br />
culture which, today, are finally getting the recognition<br />
they deserve.<br />
The wine cellar at Conti Zecca, located in Leverano. Founded in the 1930s,<br />
Conti Zecca is one of Puglia’s longstanding wine producers<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 91
<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
Podere Don Cataldo is the estate after which the Puglian company run by<br />
Ernesto Rocca and his family is named. It follows the same quality<br />
standards as all Rocca family wineries<br />
The Puglian designations are: Primitivo di Manduria<br />
dolce natural Docg, Castel del Monte Bombinonero<br />
Docg, Castel del Monte Nero di Troia and Castel del<br />
Monte Rosso Riserva Docg; Aleatico di Puglia Doc,<br />
Alezio, Barletta, Brindisi, Cacc’e Mmitte di Lucera, Castel<br />
del Monte, Copertino, Galatina, Gioia del Colle, Gravina,<br />
Leverano, Lizzano, Locorotondo, Martina or Martina<br />
Franca, Matino, Moscato di Trani, Nardò, Negro Amaro<br />
di Terra d’Otranto, Orta Nova, Ostuni, Primitivo di<br />
Manduria, Rosso Barletta, Rosso di Canosa, Rosso di<br />
Cerignola, Salice Salentino, San Severo and Squinzano,<br />
Tavoliere delle Puglie and Terre d’Otranto. These are<br />
complemented by the IGTs Puglia, Daunia, Murgia,<br />
Puglia, Brindisi, Salento, Tarantino and Valle d’Itria.<br />
Puglia boasts very varied soil types with an extensive<br />
footprint which is perfect for wine growing. The defining<br />
factor is the climate – this region is one of the sunniest<br />
in Italy and Europe. The sea also plays a fundamental<br />
role since Puglia is surrounded by over 800 kilometres of<br />
coastline. These factors can be combined with altitude,<br />
which can reach over 400 metres above sea level.<br />
From a winemaking perspective, the wines range from the<br />
traditional method to passiti (dessert wines made from<br />
partially dried grapes) and natural sweet wines to fullbodied,<br />
elegant reds and fresh, fragrant whites. Puglia is<br />
also the cradle of Italian rosé wines, and produced Italy’s<br />
first rosé in 1943.<br />
Boasting a wide variety of soil types, vine varieties, local<br />
knowledge and ancient traditions, Puglia is one of the<br />
most interesting regions on the Italian wine scene. The<br />
following are some excellent examples of what the region<br />
has to offer.<br />
Puglia is not only famous for growing vines but also olive trees, viewed as<br />
authentic natural monuments. Amastuola has thus preserved its ancient olive trees<br />
AMASTUOLA<br />
The Amastuola winery is one branch of the Kikau group, a<br />
company founded in 1984 by Giuseppe Montanaro, who<br />
runs it with his wife Rosaria and children Ilaria, Donato<br />
and Filippo with their respective spouses Giuseppe, Anna<br />
and Raffaella. They are united by their ability to innovate<br />
while respecting history and tradition.<br />
Known for its vineyards grown in «wave» formations<br />
which have been the subject of international studies<br />
and awards, the winery combines production, aesthetics<br />
and tradition.<br />
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<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
The Montanaro family runs the Amastuola winery, part<br />
of the Kikau group, and honours both history and tradition<br />
It is located behind the Valle d’Itria heading towards<br />
the sea, around the Arco Ionico area. The climate<br />
is Mediterranean, with temperatures mitigated by the<br />
proximity of the sea and frequent sea breezes which<br />
promote healthy vines. The area tends to be flat, with<br />
low-lying hills inland, where the soils (‘red earth’) are<br />
mainly limestone-clay. This is prime Primitivo land. The<br />
vines, which are mostly bush-trained, grow vigorously,<br />
ripen early and the fruit tends to develop high alcohol<br />
content. Negroamaro is also significant and suited to the<br />
local climate and soils, as is Aglianico and some white<br />
varieties including Fiano di Puglia and Malvasia.<br />
At Amastuola, the feeling is that the perception of<br />
Puglian wine has improved considerably over the last<br />
twenty years, as more and more wineries have focused<br />
their efforts on producing quality wines. Demand for the<br />
region’s wines, especially for Primitivo, has grown, so<br />
much so that Primitivo is now one of the most popular<br />
wines in the world. Amastuola produces about 200,000<br />
bottles for its main markets that are the EU, Canada,<br />
USA, China and Japan.<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 93
<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
Clemente Zecca, who studied marketing in the USA and graduated with an MA in wine culture, is contributing<br />
to sustainable innovation in the family business<br />
CONTI ZECCA<br />
Conti Zecca, located in Leverano, is one of Puglia’s longstanding<br />
wine producers – it was founded in the 1930s.<br />
Today, the company is run by the four Zecca brothers<br />
Alcibiade, Francesco, Luciano and Mario with his son<br />
Clemente. Their mission is to preserve tradition and their<br />
strong identity while also innovating, drawing on their<br />
strength of character and vision.<br />
Conti Zecca is an independent winery only making wine<br />
from its own grapes and overseeing the entire production<br />
chain first-hand. Sustainability is fundamental and its pest<br />
management protocols are certified SQNPI.<br />
The vineyards owned by the family extend over 320 hectares<br />
in the province of Lecce, mainly in Leverano and Salice<br />
Salentino. Zoning has identified the best plots – totalling<br />
around 40 hectares – for premium wines.<br />
In Leverano, the soils are shallower, more calcareous and<br />
suitable for white varieties. In places, however, there are<br />
dips where clay has accumulated due to alluvial activity<br />
making them ideal for growing red grapes. The micro-<br />
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<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
climate is characterised by the gentle influence of the<br />
sea breeze, which regulates temperatures, encouraging<br />
regular ripening.<br />
In Salice Salentino, the soil is deeper and more clayey,<br />
with medium texture – it is richer in organic substance.<br />
This is the isthmus of land where the distance from the<br />
two seas, the Ionian and the Adriatic, is the shortest,<br />
and is therefore optimally influenced by the sea. Here,<br />
mainly black grapes are grown for full-bodied wines.<br />
Salento is mainly home to Negroamaro and Primitivo,<br />
the grape varieties that probably spearheaded the<br />
rebirth of Puglian viticulture, but Conti Zecca also<br />
believes in white Malvasia and Moscato. Conti Zecca’s<br />
primary grape though is Negroamaro, which forms the<br />
backbone of several wines. The belief here is that the<br />
Puglia ‘brand name’ has gained a lot of traction in recent<br />
years thanks predominantly to tourism, which has put<br />
Puglia on the map as a top gourmet food destination.<br />
Tourists in particular have helped Puglian wine make<br />
its mark, enhancing it as a national and international<br />
brand through its strong regional ties.<br />
The company produces approximately 2,800,000 bottles<br />
of wine, but its Conti Zecca 1580 – earmarked for top<br />
restaurants and wine shops – is released on a smaller<br />
scale of 200,000 bottles. 30% of production is shipped<br />
abroad, mainly to Germany and the English-speaking<br />
world, as well as Japan, China and Thailand. 70% of the<br />
wines though are sold in Italy, mainly in Puglia.<br />
The vineyards owned by the Conti Zecca family cover 320 hectares in the<br />
province of Lecce, mainly in Leverano and Salice Salentino<br />
CANTINA DUE PALME<br />
Cantine due Palme is an agricultural co-operative founded<br />
in 1989 by 10 members, rising to a current 1,000 or so<br />
members and over 2,500 hectares of vineyards in the<br />
provinces of Brindisi, Lecce and Taranto. Production<br />
is centred on Negroamaro, the flagship vine variety of<br />
Salento, which is used to make D.O.P. Salice Salentino,<br />
Brindisi and Squinzano. Production of D.O.P. Primitivo<br />
di Manduria is handled by the Cantina San Gaetano, in<br />
Lizzano, acquired in 2012 with the aim of being part of<br />
the D.O.P.<br />
The Due Palme group also owns the Angelini winery in<br />
San Pietro Vernotico, Riforma Fondiaria and Produttori<br />
Agricoli in Cellino San Marco – where the grapes are<br />
raisined to produce passito – and lastly Cantina Arnesano.<br />
The hub of Cantine Due Palme, in Cellino San Marco, an example of high-tech<br />
winemaking<br />
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– DISCOVERY –<br />
Cantina Due Palme is the culmination of Angelo Maci’s dream. Along with<br />
his family, he runs the business with great foresight<br />
The growers own land located in very different areas in<br />
the three provinces of Salento, with equally different<br />
characteristics. This not only promotes greater variety of<br />
expression but also minimises risks in the event of adverse<br />
weather such as hailstorms, torrential rain and frosts. Among<br />
its indigenous grape varieties, one in particular is currently<br />
highly successful – Susumaniello. The variety, which almost<br />
disappeared entirely, has been recovered by Due Palme<br />
and other companies that believed in the cultivar’s longstanding<br />
tradition. Issues with ripening and the demanding<br />
vineyard management techniques required had previously<br />
discouraged producers from growing it. But more modern<br />
techniques have resulted in wines that are rounded, ripe and<br />
distinctive. There are also some interesting experiments with<br />
local blends such as Primitivo and Aglianico or Vermentino<br />
with Malvasia Bianca, and international blends such as<br />
Primitivo and Cabernet-Sauvignon.<br />
Due Palme is also the driving force behind one of the first<br />
Traditional Method sparkling wines in Puglia, a Negroamaro<br />
Blanc de Noir. Rosé is also a mainstay – its producers aim<br />
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Podere Don Cataldo’s history is inextricably linked with that of the Rocca family. Its vines sink deep roots in Puglia,<br />
in the heart of Salento, just a few kilometres from the Ionian coast<br />
for lighter coloured wines that are more delicate and more<br />
dynamic to drink.<br />
The winery’s production totals some 20,000,000 bottles<br />
distributed to over 40 countries in the off-trade and on-trade<br />
but since Covid-19, e-commerce has also been growing.<br />
PODERE DON CATALDO -<br />
ANGELO ROCCA & SONS<br />
In 1998, Ernesto Rocca, the third generation of the family,<br />
bought a farm in Leverano, in the province of Lecce, spurred<br />
on by his love of Salento and winegrowing. This swathe of<br />
over 100 hectares is home to two twin farms: Vignali Grandi<br />
and Podere Don Cataldo. The business is named after the<br />
second of the two. The passion for the art of wine has now<br />
been passed down to the fifth generation.<br />
The vineyards are located just a few kilometres from the<br />
Ionian coast and enjoy a Mediterranean climate which,<br />
combined with the very fertile soils, create a felicitous site for<br />
growing vines. The varietal range embraces native varieties<br />
Negroamaro, Primitivo, Nero Di Troia and Susumaniello;<br />
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<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– DISCOVERY –<br />
Podere Don Cataldo is the estate after which the Puglian company run<br />
by Ernesto Rocca and his family is named. It follows the same quality<br />
standards as all Rocca family wineries<br />
Puglia is also the home of Italian rosé wines and Podere<br />
Cataldo honours that tradition<br />
nationally-grown cultivar Vermentino (introduced in<br />
place of Chardonnay), and international varieties Syrah,<br />
Merlot and Cabernet-Sauvignon.<br />
Obviously, the region’s identity is best expressed through<br />
its typical grape varieties.<br />
Primitivo: ‘authentic and seductive’. A challenging grape<br />
variety from an agricultural point of view, it is invariably<br />
a real palate-pleaser. Despite the fact that it is the earliestripening<br />
native Puglian red grape variety, its sugar levels<br />
are always highly concentrated. The challenge is to<br />
achieve a balance between alcohol and acidity. This<br />
is made possible by early harvesting, generating fullbodied<br />
wines with great aromatic concentration and<br />
typical sweet notes.<br />
Negroamaro: ‘elegant and velvety’. A generous vine<br />
variety, it is the symbol of the Salento area and offers<br />
velvety tannins, a full, rounded flavour and a surprising<br />
aftertaste of Mediterranean herbs.<br />
Nero di Troia: ‘intriguing and vigorous’. A historic vine<br />
variety which is experiencing renewed purity. Austere<br />
and imposing, it combines a typical explosion of red<br />
and black fruit with notes of leather and undergrowth.<br />
The grape lends itself to maturing in wood, displays<br />
excellent acidity and therefore has a propensity to age.<br />
Susumaniello: ‘rich and intense’. This is a recently<br />
rediscovered native grape. Although in the past it was<br />
known for its high productivity, when controlled, the<br />
variety has the ability to produce extraordinary aromatic<br />
concentration and epitomise the sunny Salento region.<br />
Maximum concentration and high alcohol content<br />
supported by excellent body make it one of the most<br />
interesting Italian native grape varieties.<br />
The Rocca family mature almost all their red wines in<br />
large Slavonian oak casks for about 8 months, in a bid<br />
to enhance the unique characters of each native grape<br />
including their distinctive ripe fruit notes.<br />
Oak barrels were selected for the Susumaniello grape,<br />
however, due to the bolder structure of the wine and<br />
they produced excellent results.<br />
The Rocca family believes the perception of Puglian<br />
wine has changed a great deal in recent years, due to<br />
improved quality coinciding with greater interest in<br />
native grapes, especially in foreign markets. The charm<br />
of the native grapes has struck a chord with experts and<br />
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– DISCOVERY –<br />
non-experts alike in their search for something different<br />
and authentic. Wine tourism has acted as a catalyst for<br />
change, creating a strong connection between food and<br />
wine, combined with the experience of taking in vistas<br />
of clear water, vines and centuries-old olive trees.<br />
Podere Don Cataldo produces some 160,000 bottles of<br />
wine exported to more than 40 destinations around the<br />
world such as Northern Europe, Benelux, Russia and<br />
Vietnam in addition to Italy. All of them are sold in the<br />
on-trade.<br />
TENUTE AL BANO CARRISI<br />
This estate lies in the heart of Puglia, in Cellino San Marco,<br />
a town in the hinterland of the province of Brindisi at the<br />
gateway to Salento. Here, Al Bano, the world-famous<br />
Italian singer, has created a small traditional village<br />
surrounded by woods, vineyards and olive groves, just<br />
20 km from the city of Lecce and a few kilometres as the<br />
crow flies from both the Adriatic and Ionian Seas.<br />
Love and respect for the land is a principle that Al Bano<br />
learned from birth. Born into a family of farmers, the<br />
singer has never lost those values, which are his main<br />
inspiration for producing his wines.<br />
Winegrowing is a family affair and knowledge and<br />
vines have been handed down for generations. In<br />
fact, Al Bano Carrisi created his winery because of<br />
a promise he made to his father Don Carmelo. The<br />
wines produced are based on some of the most typical<br />
varietals in Puglia, such as Primitivo, Negroamaro and<br />
Salice Salentino along with Chardonnay and Aleatico.<br />
Tenute Al Bano does not just produce around<br />
1,500,000 bottles of wine, it is also a wine tourism<br />
oasis comprising the Hotel Felicità, the Don Carmelo<br />
Restaurant and the Tenuta Carrisi Spa. The winery,<br />
which forms the village’s hub, can be visited on one of<br />
a number of tasting tours through the oak barrels and<br />
bottles of wines laid down to mature. Al Bano is not a<br />
classic VIP vineyard investor because he actually grew<br />
up here, surrounded by vineyards and winemaking.<br />
In addition, he has consistently shown a sincere and<br />
strong dedication to producing wines which reflect<br />
the identity of Puglia and has focused on enhancing<br />
knowledge and awareness of the region’s wine both in<br />
Italy and abroad.<br />
The Vinicola Al Bano Carrisi is a unique wine destination, where<br />
the famous Italian singer produces wines with a strong regional<br />
identity, in keeping with his family’s tradition<br />
Tenute Al Bano Carrisi is located in the heart of Puglia, in Cellino<br />
San Marco. Here the famous Italian singer has created a small<br />
traditional village surrounded by woods, vineyards and olive trees<br />
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The Prosecco Hills are enhanced and preserved by wineries such as Cantine Riondo<br />
<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– NEW APPELLATION –<br />
Prosecco<br />
in the pink of health<br />
A combination of confidence and reticence, foresight and respect for tradition,<br />
Prosecco Rosé was born in 2020. The pink version of Prosecco, with its own<br />
regulations, joins existing white versions of DOC Prosecco produced since 2009,<br />
namely Prosecco Frizzante, Spumante and Tranquillo.<br />
By Francesco Saverio Russo - Photographs: courtesy of the estates<br />
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In actual fact, many Prosecco companies were already<br />
producing the pink version with considerable success,<br />
even without stating the name ‘Prosecco’ on the<br />
label. For this very reason, the Consortium decided to<br />
regulate the production of rosé, thereby enhancing its<br />
quality and recognisability, with positive effects on the<br />
perception of the region and the other types of Prosecco.<br />
Rosé production conditions require that only Glera (85 -<br />
90%) and Pinot noir (10 - 15%) grapes be used, fermented<br />
as red wine. Also, on the label the term ‘Millesimato’ is<br />
mandatory, followed by the reference vintage of at least<br />
85% of the grapes. Initially, the indigenous Raboso grape<br />
(in Veneto) and Refosco (in Friuli) were considered for<br />
the blend.<br />
The production area matches that for DOC Prosecco,<br />
which is located in north-eastern Italy and more<br />
specifically in 5 provinces in Veneto (Treviso, Venice,<br />
Vicenza, Padua, Belluno) and 4 in Friuli Venezia Giulia<br />
(Gorizia, Pordenone, Trieste and Udine). When the grape<br />
harvest, winemaking process and bottling take place<br />
entirely in the provinces of Treviso and Trieste, the special<br />
statement of Treviso or Trieste may be used to emphasise<br />
the historical value of the two provinces.<br />
The rosé version must be produced entirely by natural<br />
fermentation in autoclaves with a winemaking period<br />
of at least 60 days. During this period, the yeast can<br />
release compounds such as mannoproteins, which have<br />
positive effects on colour and effervescence and increase<br />
sensory and taste complexity. The colour is a pale pink<br />
which varies in intensity, glistens and displays consistent<br />
bubbles. The aroma is fine, characteristic and typical of<br />
the original grapes. Alcohol content must be at least 11%<br />
vol. and minimum total acidity is 4.5 g/l, with a minimum<br />
non-reducing extract of 14.0 g/l.<br />
In its first year of production, rosé Prosecco was a<br />
resounding success. In just 9 months, 54.2 million bottles<br />
were produced out of a total 425.5 million of DOC<br />
Prosecco. Its current share of 13% of total production<br />
underscores the relevance of the project and demonstrates<br />
the growing trend worldwide for rosé wines.<br />
Here, we review a selection of the most significant Prosecco<br />
wineries to demonstrate the growth of the rosé category.<br />
Prosecco Rosé offers great versatility in terms<br />
of food and wine pairing, something which<br />
Cantina La Marca seeks to capitalise on<br />
Perfect clusters of Glera grapes grown by one of the 400 members of the<br />
Montelliana winery<br />
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Piera Martellozzo, who has<br />
been running the Piera 1899<br />
winery for the last 25 years<br />
<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– NEW APPELLATION –<br />
PIERA 1899<br />
The story of Piera began in 1899, with farms in the Padua area. It<br />
is a family business, passed down through the generations, with<br />
management responsibilities transferred from father to daughter.<br />
Piera Martellozzo has currently been running the business for<br />
twenty-five years.<br />
The company believes that the Covid-19 pandemic has encouraged<br />
companies to look for innovative and alternative solutions and has<br />
also opened up new markets and broadened tastes around the world.<br />
DOC Prosecco Rosé Clâr de Lune is one of the products created by<br />
Piera 1899 during the pandemic. The excellence of the base wine<br />
attracted widespread interest. As wine shops and restaurants have<br />
reopened, its success has grown further, fuelled by its flavour and<br />
packaging, which is fundamental for this type of wine.<br />
DOC Prosecco Rosé Piera 1899 is a complex wine which, as a Brut<br />
Nature (zero dosage) undergoing lengthy fermentation (120 days),<br />
meets the tastes of even the most demanding palates.<br />
Being able to use Pinot noir has bolstered the perception of Prosecco,<br />
especially abroad. It also increases the sensory quality of the wines,<br />
adding greater structure, pleasant aromas and good persistence.<br />
These aspects are emphasised by the winery’s decision to use Pinot<br />
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Armando Serena, founder of Montelvini, and his two children Sarah<br />
and Alberto, who are now at its helm<br />
noir with light oak maturation. Only 10,000 bottles of DOC<br />
Prosecco Rosé Clâr de Lune are produced, using grapes from the<br />
Friuli Grave region. The main markets are Italy, Central Europe,<br />
Asia and North America.<br />
MONTELVINI<br />
Armando Serena founded Montelvini in 1968 and his children<br />
Sarah and Alberto are now at the helm. Although the company is<br />
one of the long-standing producers of Asolo Prosecco Superiore<br />
DOCG, it has willingly taken on the challenge of Prosecco<br />
Rosé, showing great foresight. The results have undeniably been<br />
positive, driving both growth for the business and a lot of interest<br />
and curiosity. All of the company’s customers have shown<br />
interest, even though the rosé still needs to break into the market<br />
segment, which is not a lover of Prosecco DOC, thereby raising the<br />
perception of the label.<br />
Using Pinot noir certainly helps at international level – initially the<br />
plan was to use a native varietal such as Raboso, but it is less wellknown.<br />
Also, Pinot noir has been grown across the region for a long<br />
time, can be easily exported and consistently lends delicate versatility<br />
to sparkling wines. The results are excellent and, according to the<br />
company, Prosecco Rosé has given the entire sparkling and semi-<br />
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<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– NEW APPELLATION –<br />
sparkling rosé wine segment a boost, even those that are<br />
not Prosecco. The hope is to use the rosé version to raise the<br />
general profile of DOC Prosecco. Montelvini produces two<br />
versions: ‘Promosso’, a DOC Prosecco rosé in the ‘classic’<br />
range; and a DOC Prosecco Treviso Rosé in the ‘Serenitatis’<br />
collection, with a bottle customised by Montelvini and<br />
elegant livery. Currently, in addition to sales to Italy, the<br />
company also exports to 50 countries. All have shown great<br />
interest, but Prosecco rosé is enjoying particular success in<br />
the USA, UK, Russia, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.<br />
Stefano Gava, Villa Sandi<br />
VILLA SANDI<br />
Villa Sandi is located in Crocetta di Montello, in what was<br />
once “the Garden of Venice”, in a former Palladian school<br />
dating back to 1622, located at the foot of the Treviso hills.<br />
DOC Prosecco Rosé has also been a great success for this<br />
important company. The driving force behind the birth<br />
of Prosecco rosé was the growing desire among Prosecco<br />
enthusiasts for a pink sparkling wine. Villa Sandi was one<br />
of the first companies to believe in the potential of the<br />
rosé version and respond to demand from international<br />
markets. Riding the crest of the pink wine wave, the<br />
combination of Prosecco and rosé was a winner, despite<br />
being launched during a globally challenging period.<br />
The new version has opened up new opportunities for<br />
Prosecco. Its colour might suggest it would appeal more to<br />
a female audience, but this is actually not the case. DOC<br />
Prosecco Rosé is enjoyed by all consumers, as it combines<br />
the freshness and floral and fruity notes of Prosecco with<br />
the red berries, pomegranate and rose notes of Pinot noir.<br />
The longer ageing period gives it greater complexity and<br />
increases its perceived value. It is also very versatile for<br />
food pairings. It is important for Villa Sandi to emphasise<br />
the regional connection with Prosecco rosé, using only<br />
Pinot noir from its own vineyards, where it has grown for<br />
decades.<br />
Commercially, Prosecco rosé was immediately embraced<br />
by the two countries that started the international Prosecco<br />
boom: the UK and the US. The success then spread<br />
throughout the world.<br />
In 2019 the hills of Prosecco Docg became a UNESCO World Heritage Site<br />
SERENA WINES<br />
Serena Wines 1881 is located in the heart of the Prosecco<br />
region, a stone’s throw from Conegliano. The family-run<br />
company notched up its fourth generation with Giorgio<br />
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<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– NEW APPELLATION –<br />
Serena Wines, which has always been family-run, is now in its<br />
fourth generation with Giorgio and fifth with his son Luca who<br />
currently manages the company<br />
Serena and is now in its fifth generation, with his son Luca<br />
Serena at the helm.<br />
The figures confirm the positive trend for Prosecco rosé,<br />
both in Italy and internationally, with the USA in pole<br />
position (1 in 5 bottles of Prosecco sold in the USA is<br />
pink Prosecco), followed by the UK and then Poland,<br />
Germany, Romania and Italy, with super/hypermarkets<br />
stealing a march on the on-trade. In the Italian on-trade,<br />
partly because of the pandemic, Prosecco rosé is still<br />
carving out a place for itself, unlike supermarkets which<br />
are responding very well to the new style.<br />
This is a high-quality wine where use of the Glera grape<br />
underscores its regional connections, while Pinot noir<br />
instils elegance and helps raise the profile of Prosecco<br />
abroad. It has already become the jewel in the DOC’s<br />
crown, with the long Charmat method imparting fine,<br />
persistent bubbles and greater complexity.<br />
LA TENTIA WINERY - ZARDETTO SPUMANTI<br />
Zardetto was founded in 1969 by Pino Zardetto who,<br />
drawing on more than 15 years’ experience as a winemaker<br />
for important wineries, decided to devote himself to<br />
Prosecco. Today it is one of the most established wineries in<br />
the area and, as such, saw Prosecco rosé as an opportunity<br />
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<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– NEW APPELLATION –<br />
Zardetto has been producing and marketing sparkling wines for more than fifty<br />
years, mainly made from grapes grown in the eastern part of the Conegliano<br />
and Valdobbiadene hills<br />
to raise the profile of the Prosecco appellation across-theboard.<br />
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the company’s<br />
Prosecco sales remained stable in certain countries where<br />
the pandemic ran a different course than in Europe<br />
(e.g. Asia), while the spring and summer re-openings<br />
brought a wave of positivity and confidence for the entire<br />
wine chain, particularly in markets where the on-trade is<br />
significant such as Italy and the USA. Diversifying markets<br />
has minimised the risks, and target markets are currently<br />
the USA, Italy, Southeast Asia and Germany.<br />
Prosecco owes part of its success to the fact that it is a<br />
‘democratic’ wine, suitable for everyone. Prosecco rosé also<br />
aims to be a cross-category wine, but showing high quality.<br />
Use of Pinot noir has made a major contribution to moving<br />
the category upmarket, enhancing the entire designation.<br />
It is an internationally recognised grape variety, and for<br />
Zardetto, it was definitely a good choice.<br />
The target market is the on-trade and the Prosecco<br />
Zardetto Rosé 2020 was only presented to Italian and<br />
international customers in spring 2021, later than the first<br />
Prosecco rosé releases at the end of 2020. It immediately<br />
turned heads in the international market, thanks to its<br />
customised presentation kit, use of the ‘Provençal’ colour<br />
and innovative packaging, all cues associated with a<br />
premium Prosecco.<br />
For the company, the important thing now will be to<br />
consolidate the Prosecco brand across the globe and help<br />
customers understand the different styles.<br />
For three generations the Balbinot family has been running Le Manzane. Ernesto<br />
is now at the helm with his wife Silvana and their children Marco and Anna<br />
LE MANZANE<br />
Le Manzane is a family-run business located in San Pietro<br />
di Feletto, halfway between the Dolomites and Venice. It<br />
is ensconced amidst the hills of the province of Treviso, in<br />
the heart of the Prosecco Superiore uplands. The winery,<br />
which has its roots in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene<br />
DOCG area, decided to add a DOC Prosecco rosé to its<br />
portfolio to demonstrate its responsiveness to current<br />
market dynamics. After a first year of sales, its Prosecco<br />
rosé has garnered a very positive response. Despite the<br />
challenges thrown up by Covid-19, the wine has been well<br />
received, offering a breath of fresh air, and sales above<br />
expectations.<br />
According to Le Manzane, pink Prosecco appeals to young<br />
people and is attractive to a female audience, but its<br />
versatility and low alcohol content make it suitable for<br />
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<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– NEW APPELLATION –<br />
The Manzane harvest<br />
different occasions, from celebrating a special occasion to an aperitif<br />
at the end of the day. Certainly Pinot noir fermented as red wine has<br />
made sparkling Glera more intriguing both from a visual and sensory<br />
perspective.<br />
These characteristics have also allowed Prosecco rosé to be welcomed<br />
by international markets with great enthusiasm and interest and it<br />
will carve out an increasingly important market share for itself in<br />
the future.<br />
The company produced 60,000 bottles in 2020, marketing them<br />
mainly abroad and in Italy over the summer season.<br />
BACIO DELLA LUNA<br />
The Bacio della Luna winery belonging to the Schenk Italia group<br />
was established in the heart of the renowned Prosecco Superiore<br />
Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG area. Sustainable winegrowing<br />
with respect for nature and a hands-off approach in the winery have<br />
resulted in a range of wines which include the new Prosecco rosé.<br />
The pink version has capitalised on the success of ‘white’ Prosecco<br />
and has grown apace, though initial fears that one of the two would<br />
swallow up, even a part of the other, proved to be unfounded.<br />
The last two years have been very complex, but the company has<br />
come out the other side on a positive note, leveraging its multichannel<br />
distribution network and the increase in supermarket sales.<br />
These compensated for losses in the on-trade, so much so that in<br />
October 2021, the company returned to pre-pandemic sales levels.<br />
Investments in production and communication also facilitated the<br />
launch of Prosecco Spumante Rosé Millesimato Doc Extra Dry Bacio<br />
della Luna.<br />
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<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– NEW APPELLATION –<br />
The Bacio della Luna winery sustainably farms vineyards in the heart of the<br />
Prosecco Superiore Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG area<br />
Restricting Prosecco rosé to women, young people or<br />
special occasions would be counterproductive, as the<br />
wine has already demonstrated consistent consumption<br />
all year round by a varied target market, and is linked to<br />
glamorous, social occasions.<br />
The Pinot noir produces a fruity profile which emphasises<br />
body and elegant aromas. Its 100% Veneto provenance<br />
and fermentation for a minimum of 60 days mean that it<br />
has more structure than its white alter ego.<br />
The public has responded well to the new version of<br />
Prosecco and sales have grown simultaneously with those<br />
of DOC Prosecco. Slow fermentation has produced a<br />
more complex, complete wine, and the company believes<br />
there is still room for it to distinguish itself from white<br />
Prosecco and certainly has greater versatility in terms of<br />
food pairing.<br />
Its key markets are mainly the UK, USA and Italy, but Russia,<br />
Eastern Europe and Scandinavia are also growing well.<br />
Evocative images of harvesting in the vineyards of one of the members of the<br />
Cantina Cooperativa Montelliana<br />
MONTELLIANA WINERY<br />
Cantina Montelliana dei Colli Asolani, founded in 1957,<br />
is a co-operative of winegrowers located in Montebelluna<br />
(Treviso). It has about 400 members and a total vineyard<br />
area of approximately 690 hectares, with low yields per<br />
hectare, which are synonymous with quality. The debut of<br />
Prosecco rosé has been very successful for the winery, and<br />
its launch was met with great excitement from the market.<br />
At Cantina Montelliana too, the feeling is that the rosé<br />
version does not have a specific target market, as the<br />
different styles offer different flavour experiences. The real<br />
difference is in the distribution channels and the off-trade<br />
is the primary source of success. Super/hypermarkets are<br />
focusing a lot more on Prosecco rosé than the on-trade.<br />
The choice of Pinot noir stems mainly from the fact that<br />
the variety was already authorised by Prosecco regulations<br />
in the blend for DOC Prosecco, but few people know<br />
this. This certainly sped up the emergence of Prosecco<br />
rosé. Some would have preferred Raboso or other native<br />
varieties, but for others Pinot noir is a winning choice.<br />
Points of view aside, Pinot noir, in addition to its elegant<br />
colour, lends Prosecco rosé unique aromas and flavours.<br />
Internationally, Prosecco rosé is particularly popular, while<br />
in Italy there is still some scepticism. In the first year of<br />
rosé sales, despite initial fears, ‘white’ Prosecco continued<br />
to grow and Prosecco rosé joined Prosecco sales at around<br />
108 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– NEW APPELLATION –<br />
Valerio Cescon, chairman of Cantina La Marca<br />
15% of total sales. The significant increase in demand for Prosecco,<br />
both white and rosé, coupled with stable supply has resulted in price<br />
increases for the 2021 harvest.<br />
To enhance the value of the product, consumers need to understand<br />
that Prosecco rosé is not a better or worse version of the ‘original’<br />
Prosecco. Prosecco rosé is simply a different iteration of Prosecco.<br />
Differing price points can and should be justified by the longer<br />
production process but also and above all by the effects it has on the<br />
wine in terms of development of aroma, body and bubbles. Prosecco<br />
rosé is therefore not a ‘cheap’ version of classic method rosés, nor is it<br />
a wine for women. “Unique, but for everyone!” should be its slogan.<br />
The key markets are Australia, the Russian Federation, Finland,<br />
France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,<br />
Norway, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, United States, Sweden,<br />
Switzerland and Ukraine.<br />
LA MARCA<br />
Founded in 1968, La Marca now represents about 5,000 winegrowers<br />
who manage some 15,000 hectares of vineyards, divided between the<br />
group’s 8 wineries, all of them located in the heart of the Prosecco<br />
region in the province of Treviso. The company’s philosophy is based<br />
on regional focus, co-operation and sustainability.<br />
Despite the uncertainties caused by Covid-19, its performance<br />
over the last two years has been better than hoped for, as off-trade<br />
sales more than compensated for losses in the on-trade. Launching<br />
Prosecco rosé helped, as it is a wine aimed at everyone with a fresh<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 109
<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
– NEW APPELLATION –<br />
Cantina La Marca focuses heavily on young people and on the Italian<br />
lifestyle, with help now from Prosecco Rosé<br />
The headquarters of Cantine Riondo in Monforte d’Alpone (VR)<br />
and delicate taste. This is partly ascribed to Pinot noir,<br />
which has always been grown in the local vineyards and<br />
is constantly the subject of experiments by the company’s<br />
team of winemakers with excellent results. The fine<br />
bubbles hold the palate in a velvety embrace, releasing<br />
the fresh fragrance of red fruits. The feedback for Prosecco<br />
rosé is enthusiastic and confirms the relevance of the<br />
company’s project with this type of wine.<br />
DOC Prosecco Rosé is gaining more and more traction,<br />
both in Italy and abroad, and is helping to enhance the<br />
value of the Prosecco brand and its regional origins. The<br />
markets that have responded most positively are the USA,<br />
UK and Germany.<br />
RIONDO WINERIES<br />
The history of Riondo Wineries, founded in 2008 as a<br />
branch of the Collis Veneto Wine Group, does not prevent<br />
the company from looking to the future. Its mission is<br />
to market wines produced from the grapes of its 2,000<br />
members. It sells the wines in Italy and around the world<br />
in the on-trade and in super/hypermarkets. Prosecco rosé<br />
was an immediate success for the winery, attracting a lot of<br />
publicity and positive feedback.<br />
Prosecco rosé is a versatile, enjoyable wine, suitable for<br />
a variety of drinking occasions and therefore appeals to<br />
a broad-ranging audience, although the main focus is<br />
certainly young people; its delicate pink nuances also<br />
make it particularly attractive to a female audience. Pinot<br />
noir as a complementary grape to Glera is a valuable<br />
component of the blend and increases the perceived value<br />
more than the traditional version.<br />
The trend was generally positive in all markets, although<br />
the focus was mainly on the US market, which received the<br />
new product with a great show of enthusiasm. This was<br />
followed by Italy, Russia, Germany and Denmark, all of<br />
which showed a particular propensity to buy. In general,<br />
Riondo Wineries confirms that rosé sparkling wines are<br />
increasingly sought-after abroad.<br />
Consumers have been struck by the pink bubbles from<br />
Glera and Pinot noir: elegance, quality, conviviality and<br />
fun are the images associated with Prosecco rosé. The trend<br />
is quickly becoming a driving force for Riondo Wineries,<br />
which supplies two different versions: a Prosecco Rosé<br />
Extra Dry Riondo and a Brut signed Casalforte, in its<br />
premium line.<br />
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The South African viticultural landscape is historically French, but grape varieties<br />
from diverse regions in different countries are now gaining currency<br />
SOUTH AFRICA<br />
– NEW VARIETIES –<br />
Mother Nature sets<br />
the trends<br />
In South Africa, most new planting material is not being chosen on the basis<br />
of fashion or novelty but rather because it is best for local climate conditions –<br />
and climate change.<br />
By Joanne Gibson - Photographs: courtesy of the estates<br />
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SOUTH AFRICA<br />
– NEW VARIETIES –<br />
Roussanne is among the Rhône grapes planted<br />
at Riebeeksriver for Anthonij Rupert’s Cape<br />
of Good Hope range<br />
Winemaker Clarise Sciocatti-Langeveldt<br />
A<br />
mere five grape varieties account for over<br />
54% of all plantings in South Africa (SA),<br />
namely Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz (in<br />
that order). The top 10, including Chardonnay,<br />
Pinotage, Merlot, Ruby Cabernet and Cinsault, account for<br />
over 86% of plantings, according to SA Wine Industry<br />
Information & Systems (SAWIS). However, there are<br />
over 100 varieties planted and while some seem destined<br />
to remain very niche, such as Austria’s Grüner Veltliner<br />
(produced by Diemersdal in Durbanville and Neil Joubert<br />
in Stellenbosch) or Germany’s Sylvaner (first bottled in<br />
1971 at Stellenbosch estate Overgaauw, the 2020 vintage<br />
scoring 87 points in the Gilbert & Gaillard International<br />
Challenge), some are really gaining currency as growers<br />
realise which ‘cultivars’ are best suited to local climatic<br />
conditions and soil types.<br />
Historically, the SA viticultural landscape is<br />
overwhelmingly French, from the Loire’s Chenin Blanc<br />
to the Bordeaux grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon<br />
Blanc and Merlot in the top 10, with Semillon at number<br />
13 (having once been SA’s most widely planted grape by<br />
far) followed by Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec<br />
in 15 th , 16 th and 18 th place respectively. In 12 th place,<br />
Burgundy’s ‘heartbreak grape’ Pinot Noir has found a<br />
home in cooler areas, such as the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley<br />
and Elgin, but in recent years SA producers have looked<br />
more to the Rhône.<br />
In 2007, for example, Franschhoek-based Anthonij Rupert<br />
Wines purchased the Swartland farm Riebeeksrivier with<br />
the express aim of growing Rhône grapes on shale<br />
soils reminiscent of the Côte Rôtie. Syrah, Carignan,<br />
Cinsault, Durif, Grenache Noir, Marsanne, Mourvèdre<br />
and Roussanne are among the varieties planted, with<br />
the Cape of Good Hope Riebeeksrivier Caroline 2018<br />
(50% Marsanne, 36% Roussanne, 13% Chenin and 1%<br />
Viognier) scoring 90 points. When it comes to singlevarietal<br />
bottlings, Stellenbosch wine farm Hazendal<br />
sources Roussanne from a vineyard next to the Berg River<br />
near Franschhoek, saying that the alluvial soils and large<br />
white rocks create ideal conditions for slow ripening and<br />
flavour preservation (88 points for the 2018 vintage).<br />
Hazendal also produces a rare single-varietal Carignan<br />
(87 points for the 2017): ‘When given the opportunity<br />
to truly show itself, Carignan shines brightly as a wine<br />
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SOUTH AFRICA<br />
– NEW VARIETIES –<br />
‘Innovation is a way<br />
of life,’ say Creation<br />
co-owners<br />
Jean-Claude (JC)<br />
and Carolyn Martin<br />
of voluptuous power and elegance,’ says viticulturist/<br />
winemaker Clarise Sciocatti-Langeveldt.<br />
High up on the much cooler Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge,<br />
Creation Wines has a great reputation for Pinot Noir and<br />
Chardonnay, but co-owners Carolyn and Jean-Claude<br />
Martin planted Viognier in 2003 and Roussanne in 2015,<br />
always with a white blend in mind. With their Viognier-<br />
Roussanne 2020 scoring 88 points, it will be exciting to<br />
see what Grenache Blanc (planted in 2018) and Marsanne<br />
(coming soon) contribute. ‘While the white blends of the<br />
southern Rhone have exquisite aromatics, they can fall flat<br />
with low acidity and high alcohol levels. Being in a cooler<br />
climate with a long ripening window, we intend to capture<br />
the beautiful aromatics and keep the natural acidity and<br />
lower alcohols.’<br />
Twee Jonge Gezellen (TJG) in Tulbagh is best known<br />
for its Krone brand of Cap Classique sparkling wines.<br />
However, when the team started dreaming of bringing<br />
back the TJG brand with a premium white and red wine,<br />
the hot summers and rocky soils of the farm steered them<br />
towards planting Grenache Noir and Syrah for the red<br />
(a 92-point rating for the Grenache Noir 2019, sourced<br />
from Piekenierskloof, promising great things for when<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 113
SOUTH AFRICA<br />
– NEW VARIETIES –<br />
Twee Jonge Gezellen winemaker Barbara Melck with<br />
her maiden Grenache Noir 2019 from Piekenierskloof<br />
Cape Point Vineyards winemaker Riandri Visser can’t<br />
wait for her maiden 2022 vintage of Sauvignon Gris<br />
the farm’s own vines reach maturity), and Chenin Blanc,<br />
Grenache Blanc and Piquepoul Blanc for the white.<br />
Explains winemaker Barbara Melck: ‘We always knew the<br />
white would be a Chenin-based blend – true to our SA<br />
heritage – but we wanted a differentiating character, which<br />
led us to be one of the first farms to plant Piquepoul Blanc<br />
in 2018. Piquepoul is known for its high acidity, which<br />
is going to become even more important in the future,<br />
thanks to global warming. We are extremely excited about<br />
the maiden 2022 harvest.’<br />
As far as fresh white wines are concerned, Cape Point<br />
Vineyards on the Cape peninsula has an almost unsurpassed<br />
reputation for Sauvignon Blanc and Bordeaux-style whites<br />
– which is why they decided to introduce Sauvignon<br />
Gris ‘to add body, texture and another dimension’. Says<br />
winemaker Riandri Visser: ‘We had to wait many years<br />
before the nursery could provide viable young vines, but<br />
in 2018 we finally planted the mother block of 1,200 vines<br />
on the lower part of the estate where it is sheltered from<br />
the wind, with a lovely view of the ocean. 2022 will be<br />
our first harvest and we will bottle it separately at first in<br />
order to learn.’<br />
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SOUTH AFRICA<br />
– NEW VARIETIES –<br />
At certified organic producer Waverley Hills, some 20km<br />
south of Tulbagh, manager/winemaker Johan Delport<br />
has pioneered the growing and bottling of Marselan,<br />
a cross between Cabernet and Grenache. Material was<br />
imported in 2009, and after some years of propagation<br />
and experimentation, the first commercial vineyard was<br />
planted at Waverley Hills in 2016, with the maiden 2020<br />
vintage scoring 90 points. Says Delport: ‘I am very happy<br />
with our Marselan, the first in SA. It has a dark colour<br />
and concentrated flavours, with very soft tannins. I would<br />
recommend it to other local producers, because of its<br />
drought resistance.’<br />
A southern French grape with a much longer track record<br />
in SA is Cinsault, aka Hermitage (famously crossed with<br />
Pinot Noir in 1925 to create Pinotage). Once widely<br />
planted in SA, Cinsault went out of fashion but has made<br />
a top 10 comeback thanks to people increasingly wanting<br />
lighter reds. ‘Like Chenin Blanc, it was a workhorse due<br />
to its high yields,’ says Arco Laarman of Laarman Wines<br />
whose Focal Point 2019 from a Bottelary Hills vineyard<br />
near Stellenbosch has scored 91 points. ‘Now, however,<br />
thanks to older vines being available, the wines show<br />
much more concentration. I believe Cinsault can reach<br />
the same status we have achieved with Chenin,’ he says,<br />
with 91 points for another Bottelary Hills Cinsault, the<br />
Kaapzicht Skuinsberg 2020, adding weight to this idea.<br />
Waverley Hills winemaker Johan Delport<br />
GRAZIE <strong>ITA</strong>LIA<br />
Although not widely planted, there have been small<br />
pockets of Italian grapes growing in SA for decades.<br />
Barbera, first planted in Durbanville in the 1920s, was<br />
brought ‘home’ to Merwida Wines in the Breede River<br />
Valley in the late 1990s by co-owner Schalk van der<br />
Merwe. Today, his son Albertus reports that almost five<br />
hectares flourish in the farm’s rich floodplain soils.<br />
‘Barbera is one of the few red wine grape cultivars with the<br />
ability to retain high natural acidity in the warm Southern<br />
Africa climate. This combined with its low tannins and<br />
spicy undertones has allowed it to become one of our<br />
flagship wines, winning numerous awards and acquiring<br />
a loyal and ever-increasing following.’<br />
Certainly the Merwida Barbera 2019 impressed the Gilbert<br />
& Gaillard tasting panel as a ‘great example of the variety’<br />
(90 points), shining alongside the Merwida Papenkuils<br />
Waterblommetjie Pinot Grigio 2021 (87 points) from an<br />
Johan Delport recommends planting Marselan because of its<br />
drought resistance<br />
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SOUTH AFRICA<br />
– NEW VARIETIES –<br />
At Merwida, six members of the seventh-generation Van der Merwe family are currently involved at either the winery or on the farms<br />
11-year-old block. ‘The Pinot Grigio ripens nice and early in the<br />
season and has really impressed us with its subtle but poignant<br />
floral notes, good natural acidity and well-balanced structure.’<br />
SA’s first Nebbiolo seems to have arrived around 1910, although<br />
better clones were imported in the 1990s, when Steenberg in<br />
Constantia became the first farm to bottle it as a single-varietal wine.<br />
Meanwhile, Peter Finlayson of Bouchard Finlayson in the Hemelen-Aarde<br />
Valley decided to combine it with Sangiovese and Barbera,<br />
along with Pinot Noir, Shiraz and Mourvèdre, to create a memorable<br />
left-field blend whose name – Hannibal – is ‘a symbolic expression<br />
of the connection between the Old and New Worlds of viticulture’<br />
(the Carthaginian general Hannibal was famously carried by an<br />
African elephant when he invaded Italy).<br />
SA’s first Sangiovese was planted at Boplaas in Calitzdorp in 1982,<br />
with better clones for high-quality wines imported in 1991. The<br />
Jasper Raats Single Vineyard Wines range includes a rare Stellenbosch<br />
interpretation, named Silk Weaver, grown on the lower southwestern<br />
slopes of Helderberg Mountain using a traditional Pergola or Tendone<br />
trellising system. ‘This one-hectare vineyard enjoys refreshingly cool<br />
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SOUTH AFRICA<br />
– NEW VARIETIES –<br />
breezes from the Atlantic Ocean during the day and cool<br />
night air flowing down the mountain, resulting in even<br />
ripening of the berries and good natural acidity,’ says wine<br />
famer/vigneron Jasper Raats. ‘The vines are meticulously<br />
cared for by hand to ensure maximum quality and the<br />
wine is organically produced.’<br />
A far more recent Italian import is the Sardinian grape<br />
Nero d’Avola, which was first planted at Bosman Family<br />
Vineyards in Wellington in 2004. Says owner Petrus<br />
Bosman: ‘Nero doesn’t just survive; it thrives under the<br />
bright African sun. Even on the hottest day, the grapes<br />
remain vibrant and fresh in the vineyard, needing much<br />
less water than their neighbouring varietals.’ Cellarmaster<br />
Corlea Fourie agrees: ‘It thrives in our warm climate, with<br />
higher natural acidities than some of its red counterparts.<br />
The wine we have bottled since 2013 is still medium<br />
bodied, but I believe structure and extraction depth will<br />
follow over the next few years as the vineyards come into<br />
their stride.’<br />
Other varieties thriving in Bosman’s Wellington vineyards<br />
include a Cinsault and a skin-fermented Grenache Blanc.<br />
‘Our viticulture landscape is sure to change in future when<br />
we start to adapt to water-saving strategies and to droughtand<br />
heat-resistant cultivars,’ says Fourie.<br />
Arco Laarman believes SA can achieve the same recognition for Cinsault<br />
that it already has for Chenin Blanc<br />
OBRIGADO PORTUGAL<br />
Thanks to SA having a proud history of Port-style fortified<br />
wine production, it’s perhaps not surprising that several<br />
Portuguese grapes have been cultivated locally since the<br />
1920s, with some of them now also very successfully used<br />
for table wines. For example, the Gilbert & Gaillard panel<br />
was very impressed with the Moordenaarskloof Tinta<br />
Barocca 2019 produced by Stellenbosch estate Dornier<br />
from a Swartland vineyard, awarding it 92 points.<br />
‘That vineyard was a lucky find,’ says Dornier winemaker<br />
Philip van Staden. ‘We were buying Chenin Blanc from<br />
the grower when we noticed the Tinta Barocca. When we<br />
asked about it, they said they were going to pull it out<br />
because they were selling it to the local co-operative at a<br />
loss. We immediately offered to pay double. It makes a<br />
phenomenal wine, with all the fruit, concentration and<br />
structure you get in Port, with soft velvety tannins.’<br />
When it comes to Portuguese whites, it was a blend of<br />
the Madeiran grape Verdelho with Chenin Blanc and<br />
Chardonnay that really impressed the panel: the Cavalli<br />
Pinot Noir pioneer Peter Finlayson, the mastermind behind<br />
Bouchard Finlayson’s innovative Hannibal blend in the 1990s<br />
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Bosman owner Petrus<br />
Bosman says Nero d’Avola<br />
thrives under the bright<br />
African sun<br />
Jasper Raats has achieved an 89-point rating for his organic<br />
Stellenbosch Sangiovese, The Silk Weaver 2019<br />
Dornier winemaker Philip van Staden rescued an unwanted<br />
block of Tinta Barocca in the Swartland<br />
Cavalli winemaker Craig Barnard appreciates the uniqueness and freshness of Verdelho<br />
Bosman cellarmaster<br />
Corlea Fourie predicts<br />
a widespread shift to<br />
heat-resistant cultivars<br />
in coming years<br />
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SOUTH AFRICA<br />
– NEW VARIETIES –<br />
Cremello 2020 (91 points). ‘We planted the Verdelho in<br />
2000,’ says winemaker Craig Barnard. ‘It was planted so<br />
that we could have a unique offering, initially as part of a<br />
complex blend, but as the vines got older the quality really<br />
started to shine through so we took the decision also to<br />
bottle it as an individual wine. It has an amazing acidic<br />
backbone which lends the wine a vibrant freshness. When<br />
used with older barrels, you are able to get great structure<br />
in the wine without impacting on the floral, perfumed and<br />
exotic aromatics. I definitely think more producers should<br />
consider planting it. It is well suited to our terroir as the<br />
summer heat allows the vines to ripen early and evenly,<br />
thereby retaining freshness.’<br />
It was memories of drinking Portuguese Vinho Verde<br />
on family in Mozambique that first got the Newton<br />
Johnson family thinking about planting ‘Alvarinho’ at<br />
their eponymous farm in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde<br />
Valley with its maritime climate. Their research led them<br />
across the Spanish border to the classical expression of<br />
the grape that they most wanted to pursue: Albariño from<br />
the granite soils of Rias Baxas. ‘As the Upper Hemel-en-<br />
Aarde is an “island” of granite between the shale soils<br />
of our neighbouring appellations, we had an unusual<br />
opportunity to work with a white variety suitable for<br />
our granite soils and maritime climate,’ says managing<br />
director Bevan Newton Johnson.<br />
‘We sourced some material from UC Davis in California.’<br />
Made by Newton Johnson’s brother, Gordon, and sisterin-law,<br />
Nadia, the Albariño has been enthusiastically<br />
received since the first general release in 2015, with the<br />
2020 scoring 90 points. ‘The wine is fermented and<br />
matured in a combination of concrete eggs, old oak<br />
barrels and stainless steel tanks to preserve the clear<br />
aromatics of the grape, along with good mid-palate texture<br />
and fresh acidity to finish off. We are getting a good feel<br />
for it after eight vintages, except the acidity levels are still<br />
too high at our preferred picking stage that we have to<br />
leave it out there a bit longer before we pick, unlike our<br />
other wines where we err on slightly lighter alcohols to<br />
retain freshness and perfumed fruit. These are nuances we<br />
have yet to fully master.’<br />
Leliefontein in Wellington is home to the Bosman family, who also own<br />
Bosman Adama, the largest vine nursery in Africa<br />
MORE FROM THE MED<br />
At Dornier, mentioned previously, another Spanish variety<br />
that has taken time to master is Tempranillo, the noble<br />
Dornier’s former owner, the late Swiss artist Christoph Dornier, had a passion<br />
for architecture, as the estate’s landmark cellar demonstrates<br />
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SOUTH AFRICA<br />
– NEW VARIETIES –<br />
The husband-and-wife winemaking team at Newton Johnson,<br />
Gordon and Nadia Newton Johnson<br />
Gary and Kathy Jordan plan to make their Assyrtiko in a fresh, focused,<br />
mineral style, without any oak influence<br />
grape perhaps most famous in Rioja. ‘We wanted something<br />
to set us apart, so in 2010 we grafted Tempranillo onto a onehectare<br />
block of Cabernet,’ says Philip van Staden. ‘It grew very<br />
vigorously and the early wines were a bit green and extremely<br />
tannic. We decided to use Smart-Dyson trellising to get more<br />
sunlight into the bunches, which helped with the greenness,<br />
and then we researched how they handle the wine in Spain<br />
and realised that it needs much longer oak ageing. It now<br />
spends one year in older French oak, one year in one-third<br />
new American, and then goes back into French oak for about<br />
44 months in total. You can’t be in a hurry with Tempranillo,<br />
you have to be patient,’ he says, his patience now rewarded<br />
with a 93-point rating.<br />
More patience is still required for SA’s first Assyrtiko to bear<br />
fruit. The drought- and wind-resistant grape from the Greek<br />
island of Santorini, where vines planted in igneous soils are<br />
famously trained in ‘koulara’ baskets, has found a new home<br />
in SA thanks to Gary and Kathy Jordan of Jordan Wines in<br />
Stellenbosch. In 2019 they planted vines on a stony hilltop<br />
with a north-facing aspect, strong south-easterly winds, and<br />
soil consisting of broken-up granite. ‘Assyrtiko must be planted<br />
in sight of the sea – which ours is, overlooking False Bay – and<br />
some of the vines will be trellised while the others will be<br />
trained into baskets,’ says Jordan. ‘So far it’s looking good!’<br />
120 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
STARS<br />
– & WINE –<br />
Courteney Cox:<br />
“Just like in other areas,<br />
women bring a fresh<br />
perspective to wine”<br />
She was in her early twenties when she appeared on camera for the first time in 1984,<br />
swaying her hips in front of Bruce Springsteen in the memorable video clip of<br />
‘Dancing in the Dark’ by Brian de Palma. It would get her instantly noticed.<br />
Ten years later, Martha Kaufmann, co-writer and producer of the series ‘Friends’,<br />
gave her the role of Monica Geller. It was a life-changer and she went on to become a global<br />
star. While waiting for her big comeback in 2022 in a new opus of ‘Scream’,<br />
the beautiful Alabama native speaks to us about wine emphatically and with conviction...<br />
Interview by Frank Rousseau, our correspondent in the United States<br />
Photographs: all rights reserved<br />
With her sun-kissed beauty and magnetic eyes, this Alabama native<br />
has always been close to nature and the simple things in life<br />
It has often been said and/or written that wine is<br />
men’s business. Is this still true in your opinion?<br />
I think there are still many sommeliers who tend to<br />
have a man taste a freshly opened bottle of wine rather<br />
than a woman! The same applies when you are invited<br />
to the homes of some “conservative” people, who still<br />
think that a woman’s “job” is to watch over the roast in<br />
the oven while the man is in charge of getting the wine<br />
from the cellar! But mentalities are of course changing.<br />
I once chatted with a woman who had taken over her<br />
father’s business because he no longer had the strength<br />
to look after his vines. It wasn’t the man’s sons who<br />
took over but his daughter. To perpetuate his legacy,<br />
she had gone as far as to study oenology at university.<br />
Her father had only given hands-on, practical training<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 121
STARS<br />
– & WINE –<br />
and in her eyes, that was not enough. I think deep<br />
down she knew she had to prove herself. As her every<br />
move was now being scrutinised, she equipped herself<br />
to equal and even surpass men!<br />
After the success of Friends, she found fame again in the ‘Cougar Town’<br />
series where she plays a gregarious middle-aged woman determined<br />
to have a good time<br />
What do you think women contribute to the wine<br />
business?<br />
Whether they are cellar masters, oenologists, winegrowers,<br />
sommeliers or winemakers, they bring a<br />
fresh perspective to wine. There is no denying that<br />
women are capable of taking more risks, of being more<br />
enterprising and launching genuinely novel projects.<br />
From the container to its contents, including the shape<br />
of the bottle, the design of the label, the blends, etc.,<br />
they like to think outside the box. And that’s not<br />
just true of the wine world. For gastronomy, design,<br />
painting or whatever, women take a decidedly more<br />
modern, more enterprising approach to things!<br />
Drinking wine on her own is out of the question – she loves to share it with<br />
her friends, and has been known to drink it in the kitchen!<br />
But what about you, Courteney, what is your intimate<br />
relationship with wine?<br />
I don’t really see the point of uncorking a bottle on<br />
your own! That is so sad! It’s a bit like booking a<br />
table in a top restaurant and eating all by yourself! I<br />
love to “enjoy life”, with my friends from ‘Friends’ for<br />
example. Matt (LeBlanc) has travelled a lot. He tells<br />
us about the wines he has tasted all over the world.<br />
Jennifer (Aniston) really knows her stuff and she can’t<br />
stand men who talk down to her about wine. Lisa<br />
(Kudrow) married a Frenchman. Consequently, she<br />
only has eyes for the wines produced in her beloved’s<br />
home country. But of all of us, the one who knows the<br />
most about wine is David (Schwimmer). A few years<br />
ago he played a sommelier in a series called ‘Feed the<br />
Beast’. To be credible on camera, he trained with one of<br />
the best sommeliers in New York. I’m not saying that<br />
David would be able to write a thesis on wine, but one<br />
thing is for sure, the person who tries to palm him off<br />
with a basic wine in place of a grand cru hasn’t been<br />
born yet!<br />
122 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
CONTACT<br />
– DETAILS –<br />
CIGARS – PAGES 8 – 9<br />
• Don Rodrigo Cigars Geneva<br />
+41 (78) 749.51.69<br />
www.donrodrigocigars.com<br />
CHAMPAGNE – PAGES 10 – 26<br />
• Champagne Besserat de Bellefon :<br />
Tel. +33 3 26 78 52 16 -<br />
www.besseratdebellefon.com<br />
• Champagne Bollinger:<br />
Tel. +33 3 26 53 33 66 -<br />
www.champagne-bollinger.fr<br />
• Champagne Gosset:<br />
Tel. +33 3 26 56 99 56 -<br />
www.champagne-gosset.com<br />
• Champagne Mandois:<br />
Tel. +33 3 26 54 03 18 -<br />
www.champagne-mandois.fr<br />
• Champagne J. M. Gobillard & fils:<br />
Tel. +33 3 26 51 00 24 -<br />
www.champagne-gobillard.com<br />
• Champagne de Barfontarc:<br />
Tel. +33 3 25 27 07 09 -<br />
www.champagne-barfontarc.com<br />
• Champagne Dom Caudron:<br />
Tel. +33 3 26 52 45 17 -<br />
www.domcaudron.fr<br />
• Champagne Maurice Vesselle<br />
+33 3 26 57 00 81 -<br />
www.champagnemauricevesselle.com<br />
RHONE VALLEY – PAGES 28 – 35<br />
• Maison Ogier: Tel. +33 4 90 39 32 41 -<br />
ogier.fr<br />
• Domaine Martin:<br />
Tel. +33 4 90 37 23 20 -<br />
domaine-martin.com<br />
• Domaine des Arches:<br />
Tel. + 33 4 75 27 11 00 -<br />
domaine-des-arches.com<br />
• Château de l’Isolette:<br />
Tel. +33 4 90 74 56 79 -<br />
chateau-isolette.fr<br />
VINS DE FRANCE – PAGES 36 – 44<br />
• Famille Bougrier:<br />
Tel. + 33 2 54 71 31 02 -<br />
www.famille-bougrier.fr<br />
• Barton & Guestier:<br />
Tel. + 33 5 56 95 48 00 -<br />
www.barton-guestier.com<br />
• Les Domaines Auriol:<br />
Tel. + 33 4 68 58 15 15 -<br />
www.saint-auriol.com<br />
• Domaine Poiron-Dabin:<br />
Tel. + 33 2 40 06 56 42 -<br />
www.poiron-dabin.com<br />
• Badet Clément: Tel. +33 3 80 61 46 31 -<br />
www.badet-clement.com<br />
• Domaine de l’Ermitage:<br />
Tel. + 33 2 48 26 87 46 -<br />
www.delafarge.com<br />
• SARL Paquet-Montagnac:<br />
Tel. + 33 3 79 35 00 10 -<br />
www.paquet-montagnac.com<br />
BORDEAUX – PAGES 45 – 51<br />
• Château Palais Cardinal:<br />
Tel. +33 5 57 24 32 27 -<br />
palais-cardinal.fr<br />
• Château Tour Castillon:<br />
Tel. +33 5 56 41 54 98 -<br />
www.vignoblespeyruse.com<br />
• Château Tourteau Chollet:<br />
Tel. + 33 5 56 67 47 78 -<br />
www.lesvignoblesdemaxime.com<br />
• Domaine de Lauranceau:<br />
Tel. +33 9 62 39 81 95 -<br />
www.montagnevin.fr<br />
BORDEAUX – PAGES 52 – 55<br />
• Vignobles Roux: Tel. +33 5 56 61 98 93<br />
- www.vignobles-roux.com<br />
CIDERS – PAGES 56 – 63<br />
• Ferme de la Sapinière:<br />
Tel. + 33 2 31 22 40 51-<br />
www.fermedelasapiniere.com<br />
• Cidrerie Kerloïck: Tel. +33 2 96 34 80 14 -<br />
www.kerloick.bzh<br />
• Cidrerie Viard: Tel. + 33 2 31 92 09 15 -<br />
www.cidrebayeux.com<br />
• Cidrerie Kerisac:<br />
Tel. + 33 2 40 87 61 55 -<br />
www.kerisac.com<br />
• Cidre Val de Rance:<br />
Tel. 33 + 2 96 83 20 02 -<br />
www.valderance.com<br />
• Les Celliers de l’Odet:<br />
Tel. + 33 2 98 59 63 45 -<br />
www.chateau-lezergue.com<br />
• Cidrerie de la Brique:<br />
Tel. + 33 2 33 40 19 27 -<br />
www.cidrerielabrique.com<br />
• Maison Sassy: Tel. + 33 6 77 62 79 88 -<br />
www.maison-sassy.com<br />
• Cidre Le Brun: Tel. + 33 2 98 54 42 25 -<br />
www.cidrelebrun.com<br />
HUNGARY – PAGES 64 – 73<br />
• Samuel Tinon: Tel. +36 20 994 0032 -<br />
http://samueltinon.com<br />
• Holdvölgy: Tel. +36 70 391 46 43 -<br />
https://holdvolgy.com<br />
• Barta Pince: Tel. +36 30 324 2521 -<br />
https://bartapince.com<br />
• Erzsébet Pince: Tel. +36 20 802 0137 -<br />
https://erzsebetpince.hu<br />
• Kikelet Pince: Tel. +36 30 636 9046 -<br />
www.tokajkikelet.hu<br />
• Oremus: Tel: +36 20 251 2240 -<br />
https://www.temposvegasicilia.com/<br />
en/terroirs/5/tokaj-oremus<br />
• Zoltán Demeter: Tel. +36 20 806 0000 -<br />
https://www.demeterzoltan.hu/en/<br />
SPAIN – PAGES 74 – 83<br />
• Alta Alella: Tel. +34 937 689 307 -<br />
https://altaalella.wine<br />
• Clos Montblanc: Tel. +34 977 887 030 -<br />
https://closmontblanc.com<br />
• Bodegas Valdeorite:<br />
Tel. +34 670 466 894 -<br />
https://bodegavaldeorite.com<br />
• Castell Sant Antoni:<br />
Tel. +34 93 818 30 99 -<br />
https://castellsantantoni.com<br />
• Costers Del Sio: Tel. +34 973 424 062 -<br />
www.costersio.com<br />
• Ramon Canals: Tel. +34 93 775 54 46 -<br />
www.ramoncanals.com<br />
• Raventos Codorníu:<br />
Tel. + 34 93 818 32 32-<br />
www.raventoscodorniu.com<br />
PORTUGAL – PAGES 84 – 89<br />
• Casa Santos Lima:<br />
Tel. +351 263 760 621 -<br />
https://casasantoslima.com<br />
<br />
PUGLIA – PAGES 90 – 99<br />
• Amastuola: Tel. +39 099 990 80 25 -<br />
www.amastuola.it<br />
• Conti Zecca: Tel. +39 0832 925613 -<br />
https://contizecca.it<br />
• Cantina Due Palme:<br />
Tel. +39 0831 617865 -<br />
www.cantineduepalme.wine<br />
• Podere Don Cataldo - Angelo Rocca &<br />
Sons: Tel. +39 039 650151 -<br />
https://poderedoncataldo.com<br />
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 123
CONTACT<br />
– DETAILS –<br />
• Tenute Al Bano Carrisi:<br />
Tel. +39 0831 619211 -<br />
www.vinicolalbano.com<br />
PROSECCO – PAGES 100 – 110<br />
• Piera 1899: Tel. +39 0434 963100 -<br />
https://piera1899.com<br />
• Montelvini: Tel. +39 0423 8777 -<br />
www.montelvini.it<br />
• Villa Sandi: Tel. +39 0423 8607 -<br />
www.villasandi.it<br />
• Serena Wines: Tel. +39 0438 2011 -<br />
www.serenawines.it<br />
• La Tentia Winery - Zardetto Spumanti:<br />
Tel. +39 080 6450707 -<br />
www.latentiawinery.com<br />
• Le Manzane: Tel. +39 392 5162811 -<br />
www.lemanzane.com<br />
• Bacio Della Luna:<br />
Tel. +39 0423 983111 -<br />
www.baciodellaluna.it<br />
• Montelliana Winery:<br />
Tel. +39 0423 22 661 -<br />
www.montelliana.com<br />
• La Marca: Tel. +39 0422 814681 -<br />
www.lamarcaprosecco.com<br />
• Riondo Wineries:<br />
Tel. +39 045 6104346 -<br />
www.cantineriondo.com<br />
SOUTH AFRICA – PAGES 111 – 120<br />
• Anthonij Rupert Cape of Good Hope<br />
Wines: Tel. +27 21 874 9041 -<br />
www.capeofgoodhopewines.com<br />
• Bosman Family Vineyards:<br />
Tel. +27 21 873 3170 -<br />
www.bosmanwines.com<br />
• Bouchard Finlayson:<br />
Tel. +27 28 312 3515 -<br />
www.bouchardfinlayson.co.za<br />
• Cape Point Vineyards:<br />
Tel. +27 21 789 0900 -<br />
www.cpv.co.za<br />
• Cavalli Wine & Co:<br />
Tel. +27 21 855 3218 -<br />
www.cavalliestate.com<br />
• Creation Wines:<br />
Tel. +27 28 212 1107 -<br />
www.creationwines.com<br />
• Dornier Wines: Tel. +27 21 880 0557 -<br />
www.dornier.co.za<br />
• Hazendal: Tel. +27 21 903 5034 -<br />
www.hazendal.co.za<br />
• Jasper Raats Single Vineyard Wines:<br />
Tel. +27-21-855-2005 -<br />
www.jasperraats.co.za<br />
• Kaapzicht: Tel. +27 21 906 1620 -<br />
www.kaapzicht.co.za<br />
• Laarman Wines:<br />
Tel. +27 83 546 1146 -<br />
www.laarmanwines.com<br />
• Merwida Wines:<br />
Tel. +27 23 349 1144 -<br />
www.merwida.com<br />
• Newton Johnson Wines:<br />
Tel. +27 28 312 3862 www.<br />
newtonjohnson.com/contact<br />
• Overgaauw Estate:<br />
Tel. +27 21 881 3815 -<br />
www.overgaauw.co.za<br />
• Twee Jonge Gezellen:<br />
Tel. +27 23 230 0680 -<br />
www.kronecapclassique.co.za<br />
• Waverley Hills: Tel. +27 23 231 0002 -<br />
www.waverleyhills.co.za<br />
• Jordan Wine Estate<br />
+27 21 8813 441-<br />
www.jordanwines.com<br />
7, parc des Fontenelles - 78870 Bailly - France<br />
Tel.: +33 1 30 80 08 08 - Fax: +33 1 30 80 08 88<br />
Editorial Directors: François Gilbert and Philippe Gaillard<br />
Editor in chief: Sylvain Patard<br />
Tasting committee: François Gilbert, Philippe Gaillard, Sylvain Patard,<br />
François Bezuidenhout, Olivier Delorme, Matthieu Gaillard, Jamal Awni<br />
Rayyis, James Turnbull<br />
Editorial staff: Michèle Huyard<br />
Contributors to this issue: Camille Bernard, Jean-Paul Burias, Alain Echalier,<br />
Joanne Gibson, Florian Glémot, Santiago Jiménez, Sylvain Patard, Frank Rousseau,<br />
Francesco Saverio Russo, Christelle Zamora.<br />
Translation: Sharon Nagel, Rosa Almeida - CS Traduções, Marika Quarti<br />
Sales and Marketing Director: Etienne Gaillard : +33 6 30 97 87 26<br />
etienne@gilbertgaillard.com<br />
Advertising France:<br />
Bordeaux - Charentes:<br />
Frédéric Comet: +33 6 27 58 47 06 - fcomet@gilbertgaillard.com<br />
Corsica - Languedoc - Provence - Rhône Valley:<br />
Nicolas Sanseigne: +33 6 46 86 80 01 - nsanseigne@gilbertgaillard.com<br />
Jura - Loire Valley - Savoy - South West - Roussillon:<br />
Caroline Gilbert: +33 6 84 92 57 61 - caroline@gilbertgaillard.com<br />
Alsace -Beaujolais - Burgundy - Champagne:<br />
Lucie Jeandel: +33 6 77 72 16 04 - ljeandel@gilbertgaillard.com<br />
Advertising Italy:<br />
Sandra Sirvente: (+33) 7 63 87 13 13 - ssirvente@gilbertgaillard.com<br />
Advertising Spain, Portugal:<br />
Thibault Leray: (+33) 6 84 01 57 24 - tleray@gilbertgaillard.com<br />
Production: Isabelle Méjean-Plé - Tapioka Conseil: +33 1 34 62 89 30<br />
Lay-out: Lise Delattre - Com l’Hirondelle: +33 9 81 47 75 25<br />
Murielle Guégan - Impactea Concept: +33 6 59 32 08 65<br />
Printed in Spain: Matthieu Battini - Carré Collé: +33 6 87 27 12 65<br />
Gilbert & Gaillard Tasting South-Africa: Petru Venter, General Manager:<br />
+27 82 787 1784 - petru@gilbertgaillard.com -<br />
Olivier Duroy, Area Manager: +27 72 389 1083 - oduroy@gilbertgaillard.com<br />
Matthieu Gaillard, Brand Ambassador: +27 66 429 9219<br />
International Distribution:<br />
Pineapple Media Ltd - http://www.pineapple-media.com<br />
For more information, please contact Ana Gisbert:<br />
ana@pineapple-media.com<br />
Gilbert & Gaillard is published by Vinipresse, SARL with a capital of 35,500 euros • Head Office: 7 parc des Fontenelles, 78870 Bailly, France • Legal<br />
representative and Editorial director: Sylvain Patard • Legal deposit: Fourth quarter 2021 • Legal publication n° pending • ISSN 2110-6762<br />
Reproduction of part or all of the contents of this magazine in any form is expressly prohibited. Any company names that appear in the articles are given<br />
for information only and have no publicity purpose.<br />
124 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
Pages 126 to 138<br />
TOP WINES<br />
OUR SELECTION<br />
— CHAMPAGNE - CAVA - PROSECCO ROSÉ - SPARKLING WINES - HUNGARY —<br />
The best of WINTER 2021<br />
Our Winter 2021 selection, tasted and rated by our tasting panel, is featured on pages 126 to 138. As usual,<br />
we have chosen to present wines by region (CHAMPAGNE, PROSECCO...), then by appellation in each region,<br />
with each company or chateau listed in alphabetical order, and finally by tasting scores in descending order.<br />
THE TASTING PANEL<br />
FRANCE<br />
FRANCE<br />
FRANCE<br />
Philippe Gaillard<br />
Olivier Delorme<br />
James Turnbull<br />
François Gilbert<br />
SOUTH AFRICA<br />
SOUTH AFRICA<br />
Sylvain Patard<br />
Matthieu Gaillard<br />
François Bezuidenhout<br />
Wine scores<br />
Our tasting notes are scored on a 100 point scale, which gives<br />
enough range to evaluate every characteristic that we taste in a<br />
wine. Below are the different levels that make up this scoring:<br />
95-100/100: an outstanding wine, when a great “terroir” meets<br />
exceptional winemaking expertise.<br />
90-94/100: a superlative wine combining finesse, complexity and<br />
remarkable winemaking.<br />
85-89100: a wine of extremely high standard, which we enjoyed for its<br />
typicity and character.<br />
80-84/100: a quality wine combining balance, structure and neatness for<br />
a pleasurable wine drinking experience.<br />
75-79/100: a wine deemed acceptable.<br />
70-74/100: a wine with defects, unacceptable.<br />
65-69/100: a wine with major defects, inadmissible.<br />
50-64/100: unacceptable wine, not worthy for sale.<br />
Note: wines scoring less than 75/100 are not included in our publications.<br />
Wine characteristics<br />
■ RED WINE<br />
■ DRY WHITE WINE<br />
■ SWEET WHITE WINE<br />
ORG: Organic Wine.<br />
■ SPARKLING BRUT<br />
■ SPARKLING EXTRA-BRUT<br />
■ SPARKLING BRUT ROSE<br />
CONV: In the process of converting to organic<br />
production.<br />
CR: This statement refers to sensible farming methods<br />
where use of inputs or agri-chemicals are restricted.<br />
These include fertilisers or other crop protection<br />
products, the aim being to limit their impact on the<br />
environment to a minimum.<br />
HVE: This French endorsement guarantees that all of the<br />
agricultural practices used across the farm safeguard the<br />
natural ecosystem and reduce environmental pressure –<br />
on the soils, water and biodiversity, for example – to a<br />
minimum.<br />
AGEABILITY<br />
D= DRINK NOW D= DRINK NOW OR KEEP D= KEEP<br />
WINTER 2021 - GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 125
FRANCE - Champagne<br />
PUBS_CUVEES_G&G_N°46_Mise en page 1 04/12/2021 11:07 Page 2<br />
CHAMPAGNES<br />
OUR WINTER<br />
SELECTION<br />
Our absolute must-read 2021 selection<br />
of the 76 best labels from across the<br />
Champagne spectrum, all of them rated<br />
90/100 and above.<br />
CHAMPAGNE GOSSET 98/100<br />
D Brut - Celebris 2008 : Light orangy hue. Mature<br />
nose showing great complexity with a mix of ripe red<br />
berry fruit notes, orange peel and toast. The palate is<br />
complex yet ethereal and distils the same racy aromas<br />
over impressive length.<br />
Price: € 175.00<br />
http://www.champagne-gosset.com<br />
Champagne Gosset<br />
+33 3 26 56 99 56<br />
CHAMPAGNE BOLLINGER 97/100<br />
CR D Brut PN VZ16 : Appealing light gold. Very<br />
delicate nose of red berry fruits. The palate shows a<br />
texture that is ethereal yet fleshy with measured vinosity<br />
and tension supporting aroma. Very long finish of red<br />
berry fruits.<br />
Price: € 90.00<br />
http://www.champagne-bollinger.fr<br />
Champagne Bollinger<br />
+33 3 26 53 33 66<br />
CHAMPAGNE PERRIER-JOUËT 97/100<br />
D Brut Belle Epoque 2013 : Magnificent glistening<br />
light gold. The nose is delicate yet expressive and<br />
complex with a white fruit note, floral and biscuit touch.<br />
The palate shows more of the same and is silkily textured<br />
with remarkable tension and full-on aromas. Stunning.<br />
Price: € 142.00<br />
http://www.perrier-jouet.com<br />
Champagne Perrier-Jouët<br />
+33 3 26 53 38 00<br />
CHAMPAGNE PERRIER-JOUËT 96/100<br />
D Brut rosé Belle Epoque 2012 : Beautiful pale<br />
orangy colour. The nose delivers a mix of toast and<br />
citrus fruits. Wonderfully textured, very elegant palate<br />
with the same aromas becoming more powerful through<br />
to the finish. This is a rosé Champagne for fine dining<br />
pairing with sweetbreads.<br />
Price: € 250.00<br />
http://www.perrier-jouet.com<br />
Champagne Perrier-Jouët<br />
+33 3 26 53 38 00<br />
CHAMPAGNE BOLLINGER 95/100<br />
CR D Brut rosé : Beautiful pale orangy hue.<br />
Deliciously aromatic nose midway between ripe<br />
orange and biscuit notes. The palate is very silky and<br />
echoes the citrus nose aromatics. Beautiful freshness on<br />
the finish rekindles aromatic expression in this versatile<br />
rosé Champagne.<br />
Price: € 64.00<br />
http://www.champagne-bollinger.fr<br />
Champagne Bollinger<br />
+33 3 26 53 33 66<br />
CHAMPAGNE DRAPPIER<br />
96/100<br />
■ Brut Grande Sendrée 2010<br />
CONV D Brilliant pale gold. Expressive, compelling<br />
nose intermixing fresh fruits and a roasted coffee<br />
touch. The attack on the palate is intense with lots of<br />
character, weight and freshness. The finish is chiselled<br />
and persistent with a saline touch. Art at its finest.<br />
Price: € 82<br />
PRESENTATION : The estate’s 57 hectares of vines are<br />
located in the heart of the Côte des Bar, on Urville hill.<br />
Planted by the Gallo-Romans in the early modern era, the<br />
vines were some of the first to be farmed by Cistercian<br />
monks from Clairvaux Abbey. Fast forward to the 20th<br />
century and Maison Drappier’s claim to fame is that it was<br />
the supplier of a prestigious neighbour, namely General<br />
de Gaulle. Pinot noir accounts for the lion’s share of the<br />
vineyards, with 70%, along with equal shares of<br />
Chardonnay (15%) and Pinot Meunier. These are<br />
complemented by Champagne’s heirloom grape varieties<br />
that are Arbanne, Petit Meslier, Blanc Vrai and<br />
Fromenteau. Maison Drappier produces very distinctive<br />
Champagnes showing extremely consistent quality and<br />
spending time in its splendid 12th-century vaulted cellars.<br />
This is a top quality Champagne house which bowls us<br />
over with this remarkable ‘Grande Sendrée 2010’ label.<br />
Tel.: +33 3 25 27 40 15<br />
E-mail: info@champagne-drappier.com<br />
Website: http://www.champagne-drappier.com<br />
CHAMPAGNE COLLET 95/100<br />
D Brut 1er cru Esprit Couture 2012 : Lovely brilliant<br />
light gold. The nose is extremely delicate and displays<br />
red fruit, brioche and biscuit aromas. The palate offers<br />
up a marvellous combination of density, freshness and<br />
expression with intense, persistent, noble aromas.<br />
Price: € 145.00<br />
http://www.champagne-collet.com<br />
Champagne Collet<br />
+33 3 26 55 15 88<br />
CHAMPAGNE DE SAINT-GALL 95/100<br />
D Brut blanc de blancs grand cru Orpale 2008<br />
: Beautiful brilliant yellow-gold. The nose is intense<br />
yet delicate with toast tones and shows incredible<br />
precision. Good freshness, intensity and finesse on<br />
the palate. A superlative Champagne offering a great<br />
rendition of its quality provenance.<br />
http://www.de-saint-gall.com<br />
Champagne de Saint-Gall<br />
+33 3 26 57 94 22<br />
CHAMPAGNE G.H. MUMM 95/100<br />
D Brut blanc de blancs grand cru - RSRV - Cuvée<br />
Reservée 2014 : Appealing pale gold with green tints.<br />
The nose shows white flowers and meadow aromas<br />
on first pour with more mineral scents after airing.<br />
The palate is firmly rooted in the same, terroir-driven<br />
aromatic spectrum. This is a top-flight Chardonnay<br />
pairing with roast turbot.<br />
Price: € 72.00<br />
http://www.mumm.com<br />
Champagne G.H. Mumm & Cie<br />
+33 3 26 49 59 69<br />
CHAMPAGNE GOSSET 95/100<br />
D Brut Grand Blanc de Blancs : Brilliant, clear pale<br />
hue. Delicate toast on the nose with chicory accents<br />
and a subtle touch of pastry. The palate is silky yet<br />
tense with aromas perfectly showcased by freshness.<br />
Very purely styled.<br />
Price: € 52.00<br />
http://www.champagne-gosset.com<br />
Champagne Gosset<br />
+33 3 26 56 99 56<br />
CHAMPAGNE MAURICE VESSELLE 95/100<br />
D Extra brut grand cru Les Hauts Chemins 2011<br />
: Beautiful clear, yellow-gold. Mature nose of berry<br />
stone fruits. The palate is very full at point of entry with<br />
pleasant softness and a tension that carries aroma over<br />
considerable length. Set aside for delicacies.<br />
http://www.champagnemauricevesselle.com<br />
Champagne Maurice Vesselle<br />
+33 3 26 57 00 81<br />
CHAMPAGNE BESSERAT DE BELLEFON 94/100<br />
D Brut blanc de blancs grand cru : Beautiful clear,<br />
pale yellow. Stellar quality fruit on the nose which is<br />
then augmented by elegant toast tones. Incredible<br />
completeness, fullness, intensity and complex, persistent<br />
aromas on the palate of this consummate Champagne.<br />
Price: € 49.00<br />
http://www.besseratdebellefon.com<br />
Champagne Besserat de Bellefon, depuis 1843<br />
+33 3 26 78 52 16<br />
For a detailed explanation of scores and wine<br />
colours and the meaning of symbols and abbreviations,<br />
refer to the instructions mentionned on<br />
page 125.<br />
126<br />
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CHAMPAGNE COLLARD-PICARD 94/100<br />
CR D Extra brut grand cru blanc de blancs - Dom.<br />
Picard : Clear light gold. Delicate nose marrying pastry,<br />
white fruit and biscuit notes. The palate combines lovely<br />
weight, freshness and ripe fruit aromas that linger. A<br />
very successful Champagne that would work wonders<br />
with shellfish.<br />
Price: € 37.00<br />
http://www.champagnecollardpicard.fr<br />
Champagne Collard-Picard<br />
+33 3 26 52 36 93<br />
CHAMPAGNE G.H. MUMM 94/100<br />
D Brut blanc de noirs grand cru RSRV - Cuvée<br />
Réservée 2012 : Beautiful golden hue. Vinous nose of<br />
ripe red berry fruits. The palate is fleshy and robust and<br />
showcases more of the same opulent aromas. A foodfriendly<br />
Champagne that would make a great match<br />
for sweetbreads.<br />
Price: € 83.00<br />
http://www.mumm.com<br />
Champagne G.H. Mumm & Cie<br />
+33 3 26 49 59 69<br />
CHAMPAGNE GEORGES VESSELLE 94/100<br />
CR D Brut Nature Grand Cru 2013 : Lovely brilliant<br />
yellow-gold. Intense nose of ripe red fruits with a subtle<br />
biscuit tone. The palate swings pleasantly from vinosity<br />
to freshness and tension and shows more of the same<br />
chiselled and very persistent aromas. Such purity!<br />
Price: € 29.10<br />
http://www.champagne-vesselle.fr<br />
Champagne Georges Vesselle<br />
+33 3 26 57 00 15<br />
CHAMPAGNE COLLARD-PICARD 93/100<br />
CR D Extra brut Archives 2012 : Pale gold. The<br />
nose is expressive and delicate with floral, dried fruit<br />
and sweet spice tones. The palate is very fresh and also<br />
shows intensity and real elegance. This is a top-flight<br />
Champagne for a gourmet meal.<br />
Price: € 155.00<br />
http://www.champagnecollardpicard.fr<br />
Champagne Collard-Picard<br />
+33 3 26 52 36 93<br />
CHAMPAGNE DEVAUX 93/100<br />
D Brut D Millésimé 2009 : Very pale yellow. Very<br />
pure, delicate nose showing almond and white fruit<br />
tones and a floral touch. Extremely pure expression<br />
on the palate with very energetic aromas that offer<br />
real persistent fruitiness on the finish. A successful<br />
Champagne.<br />
Price: € 69.00<br />
http://www.champagne-devaux.fr<br />
Champagne Devaux<br />
+33 3 25 38 30 65<br />
CHAMPAGNE GEORGES VESSELLE 93/100<br />
CR D Brut rosé grand cru : Beautiful light orangy<br />
hue. Delicate, elegant nose offering up ripe strawberry<br />
tones and a faint tangy touch reminiscent of orange.<br />
The palate shows textbook expression, balance and<br />
softness. Lovely intense finish where the citrus perfumes<br />
are more upfront.<br />
Price: € 26.30<br />
http://www.champagne-vesselle.fr<br />
Champagne Georges Vesselle<br />
+33 3 26 57 00 15<br />
Prices mentioned in this book are guideline<br />
and can vary depending on point of sale.<br />
The shops, wineries or publisher can in no way<br />
be held responsible for this.<br />
CHAMPAGNE MAURICE VESSELLE 93/100<br />
D Extra brut grand cru 2008 : Attractive light gold.<br />
Extremely elegant nose where a subtle pastry tone<br />
rapidly flows into red fruits. Right off the bat, the palate<br />
is very powerful with intense aromas and sustained<br />
freshness. A very invigorating Champagne.<br />
Price: € 37.00<br />
http://www.champagnemauricevesselle.com<br />
Champagne Maurice Vesselle<br />
+33 3 26 57 00 81<br />
CHAMPAGNE PAUL DÉTHUNE 93/100<br />
D Brut blanc de noirs grand cru : Brilliant yellowgold.<br />
The nose shows seductive intensity driven by red<br />
fruit tones and a novel exotic touch. The palate offers<br />
up great complexity with an extensive array of aromas<br />
which introduces spice. This is a gourmet food-style<br />
Champagne.<br />
Price: € 52.00<br />
http://www.champagne-dethune.com<br />
Champagne Paul Déthune<br />
+33 3 26 57 01 88<br />
CHAMPAGNE BEAUMONT DES CRAYÈRES 92/100<br />
D Brut Fleur Blanche 2013 : Beautiful light gold.<br />
Very pure nose of white fruits coupled with a floral tone<br />
and very elegant toast touch. Remarkable softness,<br />
freshness and aromatic intensity that stays sustained<br />
through to the finish.<br />
Price: € 39.00<br />
http://www.champagne-beaumont.com<br />
Champagne Beaumont des Crayères<br />
+33 3 26 55 29 40<br />
CHAMPAGNE ETIENNE OUDART 92/100<br />
CR D Brut Nature Cuvée Juliana 2009 : Beautiful<br />
light gold. Expressive yet delicate nose delivering super<br />
ripe fruit tones and a pastry note. Seductive throughout.<br />
An ample attack shows lots of lushness, expression and<br />
volume. This is a very complete Champagne for food.<br />
Price: € 64.00<br />
http://www.champagne-oudart.com<br />
Champagne Etienne Oudart<br />
+33 3 26 59 98 01<br />
CHAMPAGNE GREMILLET 92/100<br />
D Brut Cuvée Evidence : Beautiful pale gold.<br />
Expressive nose of white fruits tinged with floral touches.<br />
The palate beguiles with its fleshy style, its freshness,<br />
crispness and persistent finish. A successful Champagne<br />
that works best with food.<br />
Price: € 50.50<br />
http://www.champagnegremillet.fr<br />
Champagne Gremillet<br />
+33 3 25 29 37 91<br />
CHAMPAGNE INFINITE EIGHT 92/100<br />
D Brut N°8 : Beautiful vibrant, yellow-gold. Very<br />
elegant nose marrying white fruit notes, biscuit and<br />
a subtle smoky touch. The palate is silky and mouthcoating<br />
with freshness supporting aromas. A very<br />
successful Champagne for fish.<br />
Price: € 33.60<br />
Champagne Infinite Eight<br />
+33 6 08 61 53 41<br />
CHAMPAGNE J. M. GOBILLARD & FILS 92/100<br />
D Brut blanc de noirs : Beautiful yellow-gold. Highly<br />
expressive fruity nose in a very clean style. Beautifully<br />
balanced freshness, vinosity and aromatic intensity<br />
on the palate. The finish is long, moreish and very<br />
energetic.<br />
Price: € 20.20<br />
http://www.champagne-gobillard.com<br />
Champagne J. M. Gobillard & fils<br />
+33 3 26 51 00 24<br />
CHAMPAGNE DE BARFONTARC<br />
92/100<br />
■ Brut Un Voyage dans nos Coteaux 2015<br />
CR D Beautiful yellow-gold with amber tints. Delicate<br />
nose offering up accents of white fruits with a faint<br />
jammy touch of raspberry and blueberry. The palate is<br />
very vinous and full-bodied with more of the same very<br />
noble aromas. Pair with caviar. Price: € 54.90<br />
PRESENTATION : In 1962, a handful of winegrowers<br />
established this House in Baroville and created<br />
Champagne De Barfontarc. Located in the North-East<br />
of the Côte des Bar, near Bar-sur-Aube, its vineyards<br />
encompass nearly 130 hectares on clay-limestone<br />
soils. The varietal range is typical of the region with<br />
90% Pinot noir and 10% Chardonnay. Over the<br />
hillsides of Baroville, Fontaine, Arconville and<br />
Dolancourt, each winegrower pampers their vines to<br />
produce the finest possible quality, using<br />
environmentally sensitive, sustainable vineyard<br />
techniques. The company’s cellar master and<br />
winemakers then play their part in their state-of-the-art<br />
facilities, crafting Champagnes that aim to honour the<br />
character and style of the House.<br />
Tel.: +33 3 25 27 07 09<br />
E-mail: champagne@barfontarc.com<br />
Website: http://www.champagne-barfontarc.com<br />
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CHAMPAGNE CHARLES ELLNER<br />
92/100<br />
■ Brut Séduction 2007<br />
D Beautiful brilliant yellow-gold. Delicate nose marrying<br />
ripe fruits with a toast tone, sweet spices and tobacco.<br />
The palate is beautifully textured and very expressive with<br />
richness and freshness supporting throughout. This is a<br />
food-friendly Champagne. Price: € 30<br />
PRESENTATION : Founded by Charles-Emile Ellner in<br />
1905, this house is still family-run. It farms a sizeable<br />
50-hectare vineyard spread over 15 localities, giving it<br />
significant independence in terms of supplies. Pierre<br />
Ellner continued to build on his father’s legacy,<br />
establishing the quality to which Champagne Charles<br />
Ellner owes its excellent image. Pierre’s four sons –<br />
Jacques, Michel, Jean-Pierre and Philippe – subsequently<br />
took over yet continued to uphold the founders’ spirit.<br />
Jean-Pierre and his wife now manage the company, with<br />
the help of the fourth generation. Emmanuelle and<br />
Alexandra are tasked with marketing, communications<br />
and administration, whilst Frédéric and Arnaud are in<br />
charge of the vineyards and work in the winery.<br />
Together, and with the same motivation, they have<br />
introduced the changes required for the family-owned<br />
company to meet the needs of today’s markets,<br />
modernising the production facilities in Epernay whilst<br />
safeguarding the family’s traditions and spirit.<br />
Tel.: +33 3 26 55 60 25<br />
E-mail: info@champagne-ellner.com<br />
Website: http://www.champagne-ellner.com<br />
CHAMPAGNE J. M. GOBILLARD<br />
& FILS<br />
92/100<br />
■ Brut Privilège des Moines - Élevé en Fût de<br />
Chêne<br />
CR D Light gold. Delicate nose of fresh oak and<br />
sweet spices. The attack on the palate is chiselled and<br />
perfumed and showcases pleasantly mature aromatics<br />
with a welcome saline touch on the finish. This is a<br />
Champagne for gourmet foods. Price: € 25<br />
PRESENTATION: In the heart of Champagne, 5<br />
kilometres from Epernay, the village of Hautvillers overlooks<br />
vineyards. It is home to the abbey where, in around<br />
1681, Dom Pérignon created the first Champagne<br />
bubbles. This incredible figure made it the most famous<br />
village in the entire region. Boasting 30 hectares of<br />
owned vineyards complemented by an extra 125<br />
supplied by grape purchase contracts with vine growers<br />
selected for their expertise, Champagne J.M. Gobillard &<br />
Fils produces 1.5 million bottles annually, 50% of them<br />
exported. This thriving family-run company expertly<br />
combines passion, entrepreneurship and proficiency, from<br />
work in the vineyard through to marketing. In 2021, the<br />
house was awarded HVE level 3 certification (High<br />
Environmental Value) for all of its vineyards.<br />
Tel.: +33 3 26 51 00 24<br />
E-mail: ccontact@champagne-gobillard.com<br />
Website: http://www.champagne-gobillard.com<br />
CHAMPAGNE JEAN VESSELLE 92/100<br />
CONV D Brut Nature L’Expression Nature : Yellowgold.<br />
Delicate nose showing accents of red berry<br />
fruits that become more intense. The palate is vinous<br />
and intense and mimics the same heady aromatics<br />
of ripe raspberry. A very accomplished, food-friendly<br />
Champagne.<br />
Price: € 24.00<br />
http://www.champagnejeanvesselle.fr<br />
Champagne Jean Vesselle<br />
+33 3 26 57 01 55<br />
CHAMPAGNE JEEPER 92/100<br />
D Brut blanc de blancs Grande Réserve : Beautiful<br />
light gold. The nose is delicate with white fruit tones<br />
and a subtle toast touch. The palate is very soft with<br />
melt-in-the-mouth effervescence and persistent, chiselled<br />
aromas. A very elaborate Champagne for the most<br />
delicately flavoured foods.<br />
Price: € 45.00<br />
http://www.champagne-jeeper.fr<br />
Champagne Jeeper<br />
+33 3 26 05 08 98<br />
CHAMPAGNE MARCELLIN BEAUFORT 92/100<br />
CR D Extra brut grand cru : Beautiful, high-shine<br />
yellow-gold. Mature nose of dried herbs and dried straw<br />
with a subtle pastry touch. The palate is seductively silky<br />
with strict aromatics and unwavering tension punctuated<br />
by a persistent finish. Pairs with sweetbreads.<br />
Price: € 26.55<br />
La Commanderie Diffusion<br />
+33 6 07 10 91 18<br />
CHAMPAGNE MAURICE VESSELLE 92/100<br />
D Extra brut grand cru Cuvée Réservée : Beautiful<br />
golden hue. Very typical, expressive nose marrying<br />
red fruits and biscuit notes. The palate delivers a<br />
very successful combination of vinosity, freshness and<br />
aromatic expression. A versatile Champagne that is<br />
equally suitable as an appetiser or with food.<br />
http://www.champagnemauricevesselle.com<br />
Champagne Maurice Vesselle<br />
+33 3 26 57 00 81<br />
CHAMPAGNE ODIL MORET 92/100<br />
CR D Brut Cuvée Désiré 2014 : Beautiful clear,<br />
light gold. Clean, precise nose with berry stone fruit<br />
tones. The palate is vinous on the attack then fresh<br />
and expressive, with the finish adding some delicate<br />
sweet spice tones. An extremely racy, food-friendly<br />
Champagne.<br />
Price: € 24.00<br />
Champagne Odil Moret<br />
+33 3 26 52 81 65<br />
CHAMPAGNE POINTILLART LEROY 92/100<br />
CR D Brut 1er cru Corps et Esprit : Beautiful,<br />
brilliant light gold. The nose gradually opens up to<br />
mineral, saline and fruity tones. The palate displays real<br />
character. It is dynamic, fresh and very fruity with a<br />
more mineral, terroir-centric finish.<br />
Price: € 25.50<br />
Champagne Pointillart-Leroy<br />
+33 3 26 49 77 24<br />
CHAMPAGNE PRESTIGE DES SACRES 92/100<br />
CR D Extra brut 30 & 3 : Beautiful bright golden<br />
hue. Gorgeous, intense nose marrying white fruit tones<br />
with toast and pastry touches. This slightly exuberant<br />
character carries through to the palate. A rich,<br />
consummate Champagne pairing with shellfish.<br />
Price: € 35.40<br />
http://www.champagne-prestigedessacres.com<br />
Champagne Prestige des Sacres<br />
+33 3 26 03 63 40<br />
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CHAMPAGNE RÉMI HENRY 92/100<br />
CR D Brut Nature Grand Cru Age d’Or-Magnum<br />
1995 : Beautiful light gold. Mature nose of jammy fruits<br />
and ripe fig with a touch of almond paste. The palate<br />
shows more of the same with very complex aromatics<br />
coupled with lots of freshness. Long finish suffused with<br />
citrus fruits, sweet spices and lime.<br />
Price: € 280.00<br />
Champagne Rémi Henry<br />
+33 3 26 57 82 13<br />
CHAMPAGNE A. VIOT & FILS 91/100<br />
CR D Brut blanc de blancs Cuvée du Centenaire<br />
2014 : Beautiful, brilliant light gold. Delicate nose of<br />
white fruits coupled with a toast tone bordering on<br />
pastry. Wonderful ripe, fruit-forward attack flowing into<br />
great tension and an ample, saline finish. Pairs with<br />
grilled shellfish.<br />
Price: € 42.00<br />
Champagne A. Viot & Fils<br />
+33 3 25 27 02 07<br />
CHAMPAGNE ANTHONY BETOUZET 91/100<br />
CONV D Brut Instinct 2013 : Beautiful brilliant light<br />
gold. Very expressive nose marrying red fruit and wafer<br />
tones. The palate is fruity, focused and very generous<br />
with delightful red berry fruit overtones. A pure, festive<br />
Champagne.<br />
Price: € 27.90<br />
Champagne Anthony Betouzet<br />
+33 7 82 39 69 19<br />
CHAMPAGNE BÉATRIX DE GIMBRES 91/100<br />
CR D Brut 1er cru Terroir : Brilliant golden hue.<br />
Pleasant nose of ripe fruits coupled with a fairly heady<br />
touch. Remarkably delicate texture on the palate, silky<br />
and expressive with a very distinctive saline finish.<br />
Genuinely fulfilling.<br />
Price: € 25.00<br />
Champagne Béatrix de Gimbres<br />
+33 3 26 02 97 67<br />
CHAMPAGNE BEAUMONT DES CRAYÈRES 91/100<br />
D Brut Fleur de Prestige - Coeur de cuvée 2012<br />
: Beautiful brilliant yellow-gold. Ripe fruit on the nose<br />
marrying white fruits and a toast tone. Invigorating,<br />
perfumed palate that also shows lovely persistency. A<br />
generous Champagne in a food-friendly style.<br />
Price: € 37.30<br />
http://www.champagne-beaumont.com<br />
Champagne Beaumont des Crayères<br />
+33 3 26 55 29 40<br />
CHAMPAGNE COLLET 91/100<br />
D Brut rosé : Lovely brilliant orangy hue. Nose of<br />
red fruits, biscuit and ripe orange tones. The palate<br />
reveals a velvety rosé with mature aromas that beguiles<br />
with its balance and persistent fruitiness. A top-flight<br />
rosé Champagne.<br />
Price: € 36.00<br />
http://www.champagne-collet.com<br />
Champagne Collet<br />
+33 3 26 55 15 88<br />
CHAMPAGNE DENIS BOVIÈRE 91/100<br />
CR D Brut blanc de noirs grand cru : Bright strawgold.<br />
A mix of pastry notes, white fruits, dried fruits and<br />
wild strawberries on the nose. Elegant vinosity, tangy<br />
freshness and clean aromatic expression make the<br />
palate very comforting. Pairs with top quality fish.<br />
Price: € 19.50<br />
Champagne Denis Bovière<br />
+33 3 26 49 43 40<br />
CHAMPAGNE DEVAUX 91/100<br />
D Brut Cuvée D : Pale yellow. Intense fruity nose<br />
with a red berry fruit slant. Beautiful, very velvety attack<br />
on the palate, very mouth-filling mid-palate with a fresh,<br />
silky feel. A very pure Champagne for a festive aperitif.<br />
Price: € 40.00<br />
http://www.champagne-devaux.fr<br />
Champagne Devaux<br />
+33 3 25 38 30 65<br />
CHAMPAGNE G. BOUTILLEZ-VIGNON 91/100<br />
CR D Brut 1er cru Cuvée Prestige : Glistening<br />
yellow-gold. Expressive, rich nose marrying white fruits<br />
with a more pastry-like tone. The palate is generous,<br />
very expressive and silky with a moreish saline finish.<br />
More of a food-friendly Champagne.<br />
Price: € 18.60<br />
Champagne G. Boutillez-Vignon<br />
+33 3 26 97 95 87<br />
CHAMPAGNE GREMILLET 91/100<br />
D Extra Brut Rosé Vrai : Deeply coloured, brilliant<br />
light red. Red berry fruits on the nose gradually<br />
delivering quite ripe aromatics. Beautiful quality fruit on<br />
the palate is showcased by creamy effervescence in this<br />
very successful rosé Champagne.<br />
Price: € 43.50<br />
http://www.champagnegremillet.fr<br />
Champagne Gremillet<br />
+33 3 25 29 37 91<br />
CHAMPAGNE HAUTBOIS 91/100<br />
CR D Extra brut Haut’bsession 2012 : Appealing,<br />
brilliant light gold. Intense nose of red berry fruits<br />
coupled with a mature tone bordering on pastry. The<br />
palate is fleshy and framed by creamy effervescence.<br />
A Champagne that is rich yet fresh and shows good<br />
length.<br />
Price: € 65.00<br />
http://www.champagne-hautbois.com<br />
Champagne Jean-Pol Hautbois<br />
+33 3 26 48 20 98<br />
CHAMPAGNE J. M. GOBILLARD & FILS 91/100<br />
CR D Brut blanc de blancs Chardonnay : Glistening<br />
yellow-gold. Expressive nose with precise fruit tones,<br />
notes of ripe apple and pear, white peach and a fine<br />
biscuit touch. Truly satisfying palate with tension that<br />
enhances the same subtle perfumes.<br />
Price: € 20.20<br />
http://www.champagne-gobillard.com<br />
Champagne J. M. Gobillard & fils<br />
+33 3 26 51 00 24<br />
Very picturesque views out over the vineyards in the village of Hautvillers, near Epernay<br />
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CHAMPAGNE JEEPER 91/100<br />
D Brut Grand rosé : Very pale orangy hue. Highly<br />
expressive fruity nose offering up a fusion of apple,<br />
pear and citrus fruits. The palate displays heady, tangy<br />
fruit aromatics that are fairly powerful and taut. A very<br />
distinctive rosé Champagne.<br />
Price: € 50.00<br />
http://www.champagne-jeeper.fr<br />
Champagne Jeeper<br />
+33 3 26 05 08 98<br />
CHAMPAGNE LE GOUIVE PÈRE ET FILS 91/100<br />
D Extra brut Les Houies : Pale gold. Delicate nose<br />
offering up white fruit and biscuit tones. Saline, smooth,<br />
expressive palate delivering freshness yet also richness<br />
and a very creamy feel. Would pair with grilled<br />
shellfish.<br />
Price: € 28.50<br />
Champagne Le Gouive<br />
+33 3 26 59 75 69<br />
CHAMPAGNE MANDOIS 91/100<br />
CONV D Brut blanc de blancs 1er cru 2016<br />
: Beautiful clear, light gold. Very endearing nose<br />
of white fruits flowing into a subtle pastry tone. The<br />
palate immediately beguiles with its freshness and silky<br />
effervescence. The finish is convivial, persistent and<br />
very intense.<br />
Price: € 31.00<br />
http://www.champagne-mandois.fr<br />
Champagne Mandois<br />
+33 3 26 54 03 18<br />
CHAMPAGNE MICHEL ARNOULD & FILS 91/100<br />
D Extra brut rosé grand cru La Saignée 2016 :<br />
Brilliant deep pink. Suggestions of super ripe cherry<br />
and raspberry on the nose. The palate shows a novel<br />
personality with very pure red fruit. A fleshy style with<br />
lovely aromatic persistency. A gourmet-food-friendly<br />
rosé Champagne worth trying with game.<br />
Price: € 36.00<br />
http://www.champagne-michel-arnould.com<br />
Champagne Michel Arnould & Fils<br />
+33 3 26 49 40 06<br />
CHAMPAGNE PAUL DÉTHUNE 91/100<br />
D Extra brut grand cru : Clear light gold. The nose<br />
is intense and precise with a successful combination<br />
of red berry fruits and biscuit. The palate is generously<br />
styled, very aromatic and displays elegance, intensity<br />
and good length.<br />
Price: € 32.00<br />
http://www.champagne-dethune.com<br />
Champagne Paul Déthune<br />
+33 3 26 57 01 88<br />
CHAMPAGNE POINSOT FRÈRES 91/100<br />
CR D Brut - Grand Héritage - Vieilles Vignes :<br />
Beautiful light gold. Compelling nose marrying white<br />
fruits and a crisp pastry tone. Very full at point of entry<br />
with very pleasant aromatic intensity. This is a highly<br />
accomplished food-friendly Champagne.<br />
Price: € 23.00<br />
Champagne Poinsot Frères<br />
+33 3 25 29 66 18<br />
CHAMPAGNE SCHREIBER 91/100<br />
ORG D Brut Grande Cuvée : Beautiful brilliant<br />
yellow-gold. Nose of ripe red fruits coupled with a<br />
pastry tone. The palate is in the same vein with a fleshy<br />
edge and lots of freshness enhancing aroma through to<br />
the finish. A very distinctively styled wine.<br />
Price: € 45.00<br />
Champagne Schreiber<br />
+33 3 25 38 22 95<br />
CHAMPAGNE VIGNON PÈRE & FILS 91/100<br />
D Extra brut grand cru L’Aura 2012 : Beautiful pale<br />
gold. Elegant nose, fairly subtle even with floral and<br />
sweet spice tones. The palate is very ample, full-bodied<br />
and generous. This is a beautiful gastronomy-style<br />
Champagne that would work with, say, shellfish.<br />
https://www.champagne-vignon.com/fr/<br />
Champagne Vignon Père & Fils<br />
+33 3 26 49 80 39<br />
CHAMPAGNE ALBIN MARTINOT 90/100<br />
HVE D Brut Clin d’Oeil Finesse : Beautiful light<br />
gold. Delicate, refined nose accented by red berry fruits<br />
with toast-like undertones. The palate is very elegant<br />
and controlled with chiselled aromas. A Champagne<br />
showing great complexity.<br />
Price: € 24.50<br />
http://www.champagne-albin-martinot.fr<br />
Champagne Albin Martinot<br />
+33 3 25 29 83 49<br />
CHAMPAGNE ANTHONY & CLÉMENCE TOULLEC 90/100<br />
HVE D Extra brut 1er cru blanc de blancs : Bright,<br />
light gold. Pleasant nose of white fruits coupled with a<br />
subtle toast tone. The palate is very soft, light and fresh.<br />
This is a very palatable Champagne that works equally<br />
well as an aperitif or with food.<br />
Price: € 31.00<br />
Champagne A&C Toullec<br />
+33 6 77 11 02 67<br />
CHAMPAGNE CANARD-DUCHÊNE 90/100<br />
ORG D Extra brut P. 181 : Beautiful yellow-gold.<br />
Very pure nose accented by candied fruits entwined<br />
with a toast tone. The palate shows great character<br />
and features the same subtle, persistent aromas. A<br />
Champagne offering delicate expression.<br />
Price: € 27.50<br />
http://www.canard-duchene.fr<br />
Champagne Canard-Duchêne<br />
+33 3 26 61 11 60<br />
CHAMPAGNE CHARLES COQUET 90/100<br />
D Brut grand cru Dandy : Beautiful brilliant golden<br />
hue. Intense, compelling nose marrying red berry fruits<br />
with a biscuit tone. The palate is savoury with very<br />
mature, intense, persistent aromas that linger on and<br />
on. A gourmet-food-friendly Champagne.<br />
Price: € 39.00<br />
Champagne Charles Coquet<br />
+33 3 26 57 07 87<br />
Harvesting in Verzenay, a 100% Grand Cru classified village in the Montagne de Reims<br />
130<br />
WINTER 2021– GILBERT & GAILLARD – THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
FRANCE - Champagne<br />
Dom Caudron’s impressive winery in Passy-Grigny, Marne<br />
CHAMPAGNE COMTESSE LA FÉE 90/100<br />
D Brut 2009 : Bright yellow-gold. Subtle nose<br />
opening up after airing to lemony and faintly toasted<br />
tones. The palate is tense, fresh and young and shows<br />
character and good balance. A full-bodied, foodfriendly<br />
Champagne for red mullet.<br />
Price: € 27.90<br />
Stella 51000<br />
+33 6 44 74 11 18<br />
CHAMPAGNE DE BARFONTARC 90/100<br />
CR D Brut La Vigne au Roy 2013 : Beautiful light<br />
gold. Open nose of dried fruits with an elegant pastry<br />
tone. The palate is accomplished and rich with aromas<br />
that are mature but boast lovely freshness. A foodfriendly<br />
Champagne working with, say, sweetbreads.<br />
Price: € 26.90<br />
http://www.champagne-barfontarc.com<br />
Champagne de Barfontarc<br />
+33 3 25 27 07 09<br />
CHAMPAGNE ELEXIUM TROUILLARD 90/100<br />
D Brut rosé Brillant : Light orangy hue. Very<br />
endearing nose of ripe red fruits with blood orange.<br />
The palate is extremely fruity and gratifying with a<br />
fresh, velvety feel. This is a tense and very expressive<br />
Champagne with real appeal.<br />
Price: € 21.60<br />
http://www.champagne-trouillard.fr<br />
Champagne Trouillard<br />
+33 3 26 55 37 55<br />
CHAMPAGNE FAŸ-BERJOT 90/100<br />
D Brut Cuvée Félicien : Beautiful light gold. Very<br />
indulgent nose marrying white fruits and a fresh hazelnut<br />
note. The palate is pleasantly fleshy with the same crisp<br />
aromas flowing through. An intense, ripe, slightly exotic<br />
and very unusual style.<br />
Price: € 14.50<br />
Champagne Faÿ Berjot<br />
+33 3 23 70 21 53<br />
CHAMPAGNE FENEUIL COPPÉE 90/100<br />
CR D Brut 1er cru Sélection : Beautiful brilliant light<br />
gold. Pleasant nose marrying fresh hazelnut and white<br />
fruits with a creamy tone. The palate is fresh, fleshy<br />
and very expressive with a clean array of aromas<br />
punctuated by a saline touch on the finish.<br />
Price: € 17.40<br />
http://www.champagne-feneuilcoppee.com<br />
Champagne Feneuil Coppée<br />
+33 3 26 97 66 72<br />
CHAMPAGNE GERMAR BRETON 90/100<br />
CR D Extra brut 2014 : Beautiful pale gold. Delicate<br />
nose accented by flowers entwined with a toast tone.<br />
The palate is very appealing, tense and aromatic. It is<br />
beautifully textured with aromas released on the finish.<br />
A Champagne now fully at its peak.<br />
Champagne Germar Breton<br />
+33 3 25 27 73 03<br />
CHAMPAGNE JEAUNAUX-ROBIN 90/100<br />
CONV D Brut Nature Eclats de Meulière : Beautiful<br />
light gold. Pleasant nose midway between mineral,<br />
smoky and fruity notes. The palate is nicely textured,<br />
very silky and delicate. The aromas are clean and quite<br />
persistent with a very pleasant, faint saline touch on<br />
the finish.<br />
Price: € 31.00<br />
http://www.champagne-jr.fr<br />
Champagne Jeaunaux-Robin<br />
+33 3 26 52 80 73<br />
CHAMPAGNE LUCIEN ROGUET 90/100<br />
D Brut grand cru N° 1 Tradition : Beautiful yellowgold.<br />
Very fruity, very pure nose accented by apple,<br />
pear and fresh grape. The palate is very harmonious,<br />
dense and soft with seductive fruit characters. Beautiful<br />
lingering, crisp finish with delicate saline flavours.<br />
http://www.champagne-lucien-roguet-grandcru.com<br />
Champagne Lucien Roguet<br />
+33 3 26 49 41 36<br />
CHAMPAGNE MANDOIS 90/100<br />
CONV D Brut blanc de noirs 2015 : Beautiful light<br />
gold. The nose offers up subtle red berry fruit aromas of<br />
raspberry. The palate combines vinosity, silkiness and<br />
chiselled fruit expression with a fresh finish. Beautiful.<br />
Price: € 31.00<br />
http://www.champagne-mandois.fr<br />
Champagne Mandois<br />
+33 3 26 54 03 18<br />
WINTER 2021 – GILBERT & GAILLARD – THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 131
— CHAMPAGNE - CAVA - PROSECCO ROSÉ - SPARKLIN<br />
FRANCE - Champagne<br />
BS_CUVEES_G&G_N°46_Mise en page 1 04/12/2021 10:50 Page 4<br />
The best of WINTER 2<br />
Our Winter 2021 selection, tasted and rated by our tasting panel, is feat<br />
we have chosen to present wines by region (CHAMPAGNE, PROSECCO<br />
with each company or chateau listed in alphabetical order, and finally b<br />
CHAMPAGNE MATHIEU-GANDON 90/100 scallops for full enjoyment.<br />
CR D Brut Saveur : Appealing brilliant light gold.<br />
Delicate nose accented by ripe red berry fruits. The<br />
palate is seductively vinous with weight and aromatic<br />
Price: € 21.00<br />
Champagne Rousseaux Daye<br />
+33 3 26 49 43 66<br />
intensity. This is a Champagne with all the requisite<br />
CHAMPAGNE SORET-DEVAUX 90/100<br />
attributes for pairing with food.<br />
D Brut Tradition : Brilliant light gold. The nose is<br />
Price: € 27.00<br />
expressive, chiselled and marries white fruit and dried<br />
Champagne Mathieu-Gandon<br />
fruit aromas. The palate is fleshy, vinous and perfumed.<br />
+33 3 26 51 96 18<br />
It gains in intensity through to the finish which shows<br />
CHAMPAGNE MICHEL ARNOULD ET FILS 90/100 remarkable THE persistency. TASTING PANEL<br />
D Brut grand cru Carte d’Or 2015 : Beautiful light<br />
gold. Very clean, pleasant fruity nose with more of a<br />
Price: € 19.90<br />
https://champagnesoretdevaux.pagesperso-orange.fr/<br />
accueil.html<br />
white fruit focus. The palate is fresh, fleshy and fruity.<br />
Champagne Soret-Devaux<br />
This is a lively Champagne that would make the perfect FRANCE<br />
+33 3 25 27 12 55<br />
partner for appetisers or a buffet.<br />
FRANCE<br />
Price: € 26.60<br />
CHAMPAGNE TAISNE RIOCOUR 90/100<br />
http://www.champagne-michel-arnould.com<br />
Champagne Michel Arnould & Fils<br />
+33 3 26 49 40 06<br />
D Brut 2014 : Brilliant light gold. Nose of red berry<br />
fruits mainly focusing on ripe raspberry. The palate is<br />
very clean with a forthright attack and focused, ripe<br />
CHAMPAGNE Philippe PATRICE Gaillard<br />
aromatics. The finish is persistent with the very clean fruit<br />
GUAY 90/100<br />
notes flowing through.<br />
D Extra brut Mont Aulin 2016 : Yellow-gold.<br />
Olivier Delorme<br />
James Turn<br />
Mature nose of dried herbs, mineral tones and a Champagne Taisne Riocour<br />
touch of biscuit. The palate is dense and driven by +33 3 25 29 64 37<br />
lovely freshness delivering more of the same distinctive<br />
aromas. A powerful, food-friendly Champagne. SOUTH CHAMPAGNE AFRICA TROUILLARD 90/100SOUTH AFR<br />
Price: € 43.00<br />
Champagne Patrice Guay<br />
+33 3 26 57 67 66<br />
CR D Brut Chardonnay : Beautiful brilliant yellowgold.<br />
Distinctive, delicate nose of white flowers and<br />
hazelnut. The palate shows real typicity, freshness<br />
and silkiness. This is a versatile Champagne, equally<br />
CHAMPAGNE ROUSSEAUX DAYE 90/100 suitable as an aperitif, with a buffet or with fish.<br />
D Brut blanc de blancs grand cru RD 3 : Beautiful Price: € 21.40<br />
light gold. Nose of citrus fruits and ripe lemon. A very http://www.champagne-trouillard.fr<br />
clean style on the palate supported by freshness and Matthieu Champagne GaillardTrouillard<br />
François Bezuid<br />
developing quite elegant lemony aromatics. Pair with +33 3 26 55 37 55<br />
FRANCE<br />
Sylvain Patard<br />
CHAMPAGNE DOM CAUDRON<br />
90/100<br />
■ Extra brut Sublimité MPC<br />
D Light gold. Very well-balanced, ripe fruity nose with<br />
subtle floral and herbal tones. The palate is very silky,<br />
soft and expressive with mature aromatics energised<br />
by toast tones and faint sourness on the finish.<br />
Price: € 80<br />
PRESENTATION : Champagne Dom Caudron was<br />
founded in 1929. With complete control over production,<br />
from the vineyard to the wine glass, it now boasts 90<br />
winegrowers who produce terroir-driven Champagne<br />
crafted from 130 hectares under vine located across the<br />
hillsides of the Marne Valley around Passy-Grigny. Pinot<br />
Meunier is the iconic grape variety in this western part of<br />
Champagne and accounts for 80% of acreage. The<br />
vineyard sites of Passy-Grigny, which are perfectly suited to<br />
this varietal, naturally favoured the production of Blanc de<br />
Noirs, allowing Pinot Meunier to fully reveal its roundness<br />
and intense fruitiness, creating the perfect match for the Dom<br />
Caudron style.<br />
Tel.: +33 3 26 52 45 17<br />
E-mail: champagne@domcaudron.fr<br />
Website: http://www.domcaudron.fr<br />
Wine scores<br />
Our tasting notes are scored on a 100 point scale, which gives<br />
enough range to evaluate every characteristic that we taste in a<br />
wine. Below are the different levels that make up this scoring:<br />
95-100/100: an outstanding wine, when a great “terroir” meets<br />
exceptional winemaking expertise.<br />
90-94/100: a superlative wine combining finesse, complexity and<br />
remarkable winemaking.<br />
85-89100: a wine of extremely high standard, which we enjoyed for its<br />
typicity and character.<br />
80-84/100: a quality wine combining balance, structure and neatness for<br />
a pleasurable wine drinking experience.<br />
75-79/100: a wine deemed acceptable.<br />
70-74/100: a wine with defects, unacceptable.<br />
65-69/100: a wine with major defects, inadmissible.<br />
50-64/100: unacceptable wine, not worthy for sale.<br />
Note: wines scoring less than 75/100 are not included in our publications.<br />
■ R<br />
■ D<br />
■ S<br />
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132<br />
WINTER 2021– GILBERT & GAILLARD – THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE<br />
WINTER 2021 -
SPAIN - Catalonia<br />
SPAIN<br />
OUR WINTER<br />
SELECTION<br />
An exceptional line-up of Spanish<br />
sparkling wines that can compete with<br />
the best, both for their quality and their<br />
very affordable price tags!<br />
CATALONIA<br />
CAVA D.O.<br />
ALTA ALELLA 91/100<br />
ORG D Brut nature - Mirgin Opus - Paratge<br />
Calificado Vallcirera 2016 : Vibrant pale gold. Racy<br />
nose marrying white-fleshed fruits and subtle toast and<br />
milky notes. Silky attack then an ample, plump and<br />
lively palate showing lovely intensity with citrus and<br />
spice touches and subtle chalky undertones. A beautiful,<br />
genuine wine.<br />
Price: € 16.90<br />
http://www.altaalella.wine<br />
Alta Alella<br />
+34 934 693 720<br />
ALTA ALELLA 90/100<br />
ORG D Brut nature Gran Reserva Laieta 2017 :<br />
Brilliant pale gold. Expressive nose combining citrus,<br />
cooked apple and fern. Fresh, balanced palate flowing<br />
through from the nose. Streamlined style with striking<br />
aromas and well-integrated effervescence. A nicely<br />
crafted Cava.<br />
Price: € 9.50<br />
http://www.altaalella.wine<br />
Alta Alella<br />
+34 934 693 720<br />
LAR DE PLATA 90/100<br />
D Brut Nature : Yellow-gold with brilliant highlights.<br />
Nose of white fruits and small flowers with menthol<br />
touches. This is a beautifully crafted, clean, vinous<br />
Cava with gorgeous flavours showing throughout the<br />
lengthy finish. Serve with an entire summer’s meal.<br />
Big Food & Beverage<br />
+34 649648931<br />
LAR DE PLATA 90/100<br />
D Brut : Bright yellow-gold. The nose shows a young,<br />
fresh style with pastry notes of butter and brioche, along<br />
with ripe white fruits. A stellar Cava that will appeal to<br />
even the most demanding palates. Lots of tension and<br />
substantial minerality on the finish.<br />
Big Food & Beverage<br />
+34 649 648 931<br />
CODORNIU 90/100<br />
D Brut Gran Reserva Ars Collecta Grand Rosé 2015<br />
: Appealing salmon-pink. Stellar quality fruit on the nose<br />
with a ripe strawberry tone coupled with a slightly more<br />
bitter touch recalling almonds. The palate is fairly lively<br />
yet balanced and fleshy. Aroma is nicely enhanced by<br />
freshness.<br />
Price: € 17.00<br />
http://www.grupocodorniu.com<br />
Raventos Codorniu<br />
+34 935 051 551<br />
PROYECTO CU4TRO 90/100<br />
D Brut Nature Premium Reserva 2016 : Light yellow<br />
with brilliant highlights. Ripe nose accented by stewed<br />
white fruits with a resin-like touch. Elegant, mature<br />
palate that is fleshy, fruity and fresh with mouth-coating<br />
maturity. A full-bodied, food-friendly dry sparkling wine<br />
for goat’s cheese and honey.<br />
Price: € 11.72<br />
http://www.closmontblanc.com/<br />
Bodegas Concavins<br />
+34 977 887 030<br />
RAMON CANALS 90/100<br />
ORG D Reserva Organic Rosé 2018 : Brilliant light<br />
salmon. Subtle nose marrying morello cherry and red<br />
fruits. Focused, fresh, light palate where citrus fruits<br />
cosy up to red fruits. Striking aromas supported by<br />
bold exuberance. A harmonious, delicate wine offering<br />
undeniable pleasure.<br />
Price: € 10.00<br />
https://www.ramoncanals.com/en/<br />
Ramon Canals Canals, S.A.<br />
+34 937 755 446<br />
CASTELL SANT ANTONI 89/100<br />
D Brut Nature Rosé Gran Rosat 2012 : Beautiful<br />
hue recalling fading heirloom roses with very fine<br />
bubbles. Promising nose of red fruits coupled with<br />
superb empyreumatic notes. Delicious palate redolent<br />
of redcurrant jam with brioche notes. Excellent sourness<br />
on the finish.<br />
Price: € 16.95<br />
https://castellsantantoni.com/<br />
Castell Sant Antoni<br />
+34 93 818 3099<br />
ROVELLATS 89/100<br />
D Brut rosé Imperial Reserva 2017 : Intense pink<br />
with salmon highlights. Pleasant nose melding cherry,<br />
red fruits, spicy and floral touches. Harmonious, ample,<br />
refreshing palate with pure, intense aromas. Everything<br />
is in place. Sense of fulfilment. Serve with cold meats.<br />
Price: € 12.70<br />
http://www.cavasrovellats.com<br />
Rovellats<br />
+34 934 880 575<br />
No, this is not Champagne but the cellars of a winery producing Cava!<br />
LAR DE PLATA 88/100<br />
D : Shimmering salmon-pink with pale blush<br />
highlights. Very refined nose of raspberries and<br />
redcurrants. Clean, free-flowing attack. This is a freshlystyled,<br />
crisp wine with great grip on the palate. Serve<br />
as an aperitif or with fruit desserts.<br />
Big Food & Beverage<br />
+34 649 648 931<br />
PROYECTO CU4TRO 88/100<br />
D Brut Bubbles 2019 : Pale gold with silvery<br />
highlights. The nose is driven by citrus, white fruits,<br />
raisins and a floral touch. Thirst-quenching palate<br />
with simple, satisfying fruit supported by invigorating<br />
freshness that stays fairly elegant. Share with friends.<br />
Price: € 7.50<br />
http://www.closmontblanc.com/<br />
Bodegas Concavins<br />
+34 977 887 030<br />
GRAN SELLO 87/100<br />
D Brut rosé : Brilliant salmon-pink. Pleasant nose of<br />
redcurrant and rhubarb with a floral touch. Beautiful<br />
perfumed attack offering up some finely spiced notes.<br />
Delicious, fleshy, clean palate with abundant, wellintegrated<br />
effervescence. An enjoyable, beautifully<br />
crafted cava.<br />
https://www.araex.com/es/<br />
Araex<br />
+34 945 150 589<br />
MONT PARAL 87/100<br />
ORG D Brut Vintage Rosé 2017 : Salmon-pink with<br />
blush highlights and fine bubbles. Nose of redcurrant<br />
and raspberry with sweet spice touches. The attack is<br />
tense, firm and crisp, it mimics the nose and is enhanced<br />
by a faint sourness. Enjoy with fruit-based desserts.<br />
Price: € 10.00<br />
https://www.ramoncanals.com/en/<br />
Ramon Canals Canals, S.A.<br />
+34 937 755 446<br />
WINTER 2021– GILBERT & GAILLARD – THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 133
SPAIN - Valence<br />
MONT PARAL 87/100<br />
ORG D Brut Vintage - Organic Farming - Rosé<br />
2018 : Clear pale pink. The nose shows very distinctive<br />
candy and floral aromas (violet, primrose) with a red<br />
berry fruit note. The palate is soft, slender and refreshing<br />
with pared down bubbles, delicate effervescence and<br />
silky fruit. Bringing softness to the world of fizz.<br />
Price: € 13.00<br />
https://www.ramoncanals.com/en/<br />
Ramon Canals Canals, S.A.<br />
+34 937 755 446<br />
PROYECTO CU4TRO 87/100<br />
D Brut Bubbles Rosé 2019 : Orangy-pink. Nose<br />
of strawberry and raspberry coulis. Soft palate with<br />
delicate fruitiness revolving around a silky mouthfeel.<br />
The finish stays fresh and inviting. A dry rosé sparkling<br />
wine pairing with red fruit soup.<br />
Price: € 8.00<br />
http://www.closmontblanc.com/<br />
Bodegas Concavins<br />
+34 977 887 030<br />
CASTELL SANT ANTONI 86/100<br />
D Brut rosé Jazz Nature 2018 : Beautiful orangy<br />
pink with light blush highlights and very fine bubbles.<br />
Nose of red fruits with fine herbal notes. Lively and<br />
expressive on the attack, enhanced by mild tobacco<br />
touches. Freshness marks the mid-palate and finish.<br />
Drink as an aperitif.<br />
Price: € 12.95<br />
https://castellsantantoni.com/<br />
Castell Sant Antoni<br />
+34 93 818 3099<br />
Walls of bottles of Cava spend time maturing in a cellar near Barcelona<br />
VILLA CONCHI 85/100<br />
D Brut Rosé : Fairly deep orangy-pink. The nose<br />
opens up after airing to red fruit in syrup notes. The<br />
palate is mouth-filling, indulgent and generous yet fresh<br />
with pleasant fruit expression. Serve preferably as a<br />
pudding wine with red fruit tart.<br />
https://www.araex.com/es/<br />
Araex<br />
+34 945 150 589<br />
COSTERS DEL SEGRE D.O.<br />
SIÓS 90/100<br />
D Brut rosé 2017 : Light orangy-pink. Subtle<br />
grapefruit, red fruit and spring flower notes on the nose.<br />
Crystalline palate with very palatable vinosity. The fruit<br />
is satisfying though not effusive but shows real fleshy<br />
softness. Indulgent pleasure.<br />
Price: € 9.70<br />
http://www.costersio.com<br />
Costers del Sio<br />
+34 973 424 062<br />
SIÓS BRUT BLANC DE NOIRS 88/100<br />
D Brut Blanc de noirs Reserva 2015 : Glistening<br />
gold. Nose of orange blossom and white-fleshed fruits<br />
with pastry and hazelnut notes. Powerful, vinous palate<br />
with fruit aromas and a very fleshy finish. A lush, easydrinking<br />
wine for a generously laden table.<br />
Price: € 9.70<br />
http://www.costersio.com<br />
Costers del Sio<br />
+34 973 424 062<br />
VALENCE<br />
ALICANTE D.O.<br />
BODEGAS BOCOPA 88/100<br />
D Marina Espumante Rosado - Seleccion Monastrell<br />
: Deep pink with brilliant highlights and very fine<br />
bubbles. Nose of red berry fruits, menthol and brioche.<br />
Crisp attack driven by fresh fruits. Raspberry-flavoured<br />
boiled sweet accents drive the middle palate of this<br />
wine for pleasure.<br />
Price: € 5.48<br />
http://www.bocopa.com<br />
Bodegas Bocopa<br />
+34 966 950 489<br />
BODEGAS BOCOPA 87/100<br />
D Brut Marina Espumante 10 ° : Brilliant light yellow<br />
with coppery tints and very fine bubbles. The nose shows<br />
fresh grape entwined with brioche notes. Precise, tense<br />
palate developing abundant saline freshness. A thirstquenching<br />
wine for pleasure that makes a great aperitif.<br />
Price: € 5.00<br />
http://www.bocopa.com<br />
Bodegas Bocopa<br />
+34 966 950 489<br />
BODEGAS BOCOPA 86/100<br />
D Marina Espumante 7° : Superb, brilliant pale<br />
yellow with silvery tints and fine bubbles. Crisp fresh<br />
grapes coupled with menthol notes on the nose. An<br />
espumante with a light, free-flowing palate where<br />
sweetness is perfectly counterbalanced by freshness.<br />
Serve at the end of the meal.<br />
Price: € 5.48<br />
http://www.bocopa.com<br />
Bodegas Bocopa<br />
+34 966 950 489<br />
CAVA D.O.<br />
MURVIEDRO 86/100<br />
D Brut Organic Arts de Luna : Salmon-pink with<br />
brilliant highlights and fine bubbles. A mix of floral and<br />
roasted coffee notes on the nose with toast touches.<br />
Lively, crisp attack. The palate mirrors the nose and the<br />
finish is marked by faint sourness which adds freshness.<br />
Price: € 6.00<br />
http://www.murviedro.es/<br />
Murviedro Bodegas<br />
+34 962 329 003<br />
UTIEL-REQUENA D.O.<br />
FINCA SAN BLAS 87/100<br />
D Brut Aguja Ancestral : Brilliant yellow-gold. The<br />
nose offers up a pleasant mix of citrus fruits, wild<br />
flowers and cut herbs. The attack is driven by very lively<br />
bubbles which gradually meld with fruit expression.<br />
Balance and presence. Ideal for an afternoon party.<br />
Price: € 12.00<br />
https://fincasanblas.com/<br />
Finca San Blas<br />
+34 657 192 703<br />
VALENCIA D.O.<br />
PIQUITOS 86/100<br />
D Moscato 2019 : Pale yellow-gold with light green<br />
reflections and very subtle bubbles. Nose of fresh grape<br />
and citrus fruits. Very fruity, savoury palate framed by<br />
softness. Delicate effervescence adds thirst-quenching<br />
freshness. Drink when the summer is at its hottest.<br />
Price: € 7.00<br />
http://www.hammekencellars.com<br />
Hammeken Cellars<br />
+34 96 579 19 67<br />
134<br />
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<strong>ITA</strong>LY - Venetian<br />
<strong>ITA</strong>LY<br />
OUR WINTER<br />
SELECTION<br />
The very young Prosecco Rosé<br />
appellation, whose quality has now<br />
been tried and tested, certainly deserved<br />
to be put in the spotlight. This is the<br />
perfect opportunity to discover the 38<br />
finest examples we tasted this year.<br />
FRIULI - VENEZIA GIULIA<br />
PROSECCO D.O.C.<br />
CANTI 91/100<br />
D 2019 : Beautiful pale pink. Very pure, pleasant<br />
nose with floral and candy tones. The palate clearly<br />
focuses on ripe strawberry aromas and is soft yet very<br />
well-balanced. Lovely focus and a very accessible<br />
edge.<br />
http://www.fratellimartini.it/<br />
Fratelli Martini Secondo Luigi<br />
+39 0141 83 7211<br />
LA GIOIOSA 90/100<br />
D Brut 2019 : Beautiful light pink. Pleasant nose<br />
marrying fresh grape tones and red berry fruit aromas.<br />
The same aromatic style carries over to the palate which<br />
shows seductive freshness, fruit and a faint peppery<br />
touch on the finish. A great wine with chiselled aromas.<br />
http://www.villasandi.it<br />
Villa Sandi<br />
+39 0423 665 033<br />
LA MARCA 90/100<br />
D Extra dry Rosé 2019 : Pale pink. Intense nose of<br />
strawberry candy. The palate is fresh and conjures up<br />
the same lifted aromatics. An easy-drinking, lifted style<br />
for the aperitif or fruit-based desserts.<br />
http://www.lamarca.it<br />
La Marca Vini E Spumanti<br />
+39 0422 814 681<br />
REGUTA 90/100<br />
D Extra dry 2020 : Pale salmon with orangy<br />
highlights. Savoury nose intermixing morello cherry,<br />
bread crumb and a floral touch. Consistent palate<br />
suffused with copious, velvety effervescence. Lovely<br />
lightness, delicacy and red fruit and spice notes.<br />
Delicious.<br />
Price: € 6.00<br />
http://www.reguta.it<br />
Reguta<br />
+39 0432 779 157<br />
VILLA SANDI 88/100<br />
D Brut Il Fresco 2019 : Pale pink. Very crisp nose<br />
of red berry fruits. Creamy effervescence on the palate,<br />
softness and red fruit candy overtones. Delightful.<br />
http://www.villasandi.it<br />
Villa Sandi<br />
+39 0423 665 033<br />
CANTINA DI BERTIOLO 86/100<br />
D Extra dry Cabert 2019 : Pale orangy-pink. Nose<br />
of red berry fruits with citrus zest and a confectionery<br />
note. Very supple, very soft palate with delicate, fresh,<br />
layered fruits. A wine for simple enjoyment pairing with<br />
fruit tarts.<br />
Price: € 9.00<br />
Cantina di Bertiolo<br />
+39 0432 917 434<br />
VENETIAN<br />
PROSECCO D.O.C.<br />
ABBAZIA 91/100<br />
D Extra dry Rosé 2020 : Pale salmon with orangy<br />
highlights. Charming nose marrying redcurrant,<br />
strawberry and floral tones. A lively attack ushers in an<br />
airy, well-structured palate displaying deliciously lifted<br />
intensity. Exudes a welcome harmonious and enjoyable<br />
feel throughout.<br />
Price: € 6.50<br />
http://www.abbazia.com<br />
Abbazia di San Gaudenzio<br />
+39 01 41 84 08 08<br />
CLAR DE LUNE 91/100<br />
D Brut Nature 2020 : Pale coppery pink with fine<br />
mousse. Promising nose revealing redcurrant, cherry<br />
and acacia blossom. Ethereal palate with exquisite<br />
perfumes. The style is pared down and very delicate<br />
with nothing that shouldn’t be there. Harmonious<br />
effervescence. Great job.<br />
Price: € 22.00<br />
http://www.pieramartellozzo.com<br />
Piera Martellozzo S.p.A.<br />
+39 0434 963 100<br />
Valdobbiadene, in the heart of the Prosecco appellation<br />
VILLA SANDI 91/100<br />
D Brut 2020 : Light salmon-pink with golden tints.<br />
A combination of stone fruits, strawberry and floral<br />
scents on the nose. Perfumed attack opening up to a<br />
harmonious, lively, light palate with fine, well-integrated<br />
effervescence. Persistent finish driven by red fruits.<br />
Delicious.<br />
Price: € 23.00<br />
http://www.villasandi.it<br />
Villa Sandi<br />
+39 0423 665 033<br />
ANNA SPINATO 90/100<br />
D Brut rosé 2020 : Salmon-pink with brilliant<br />
highlights and very fine bubbles. Suggestions of wild<br />
strawberries and raspberries on the nose with a lick<br />
of toasted brioche. The palate mirrors the nose and is<br />
well-balanced, delivering great freshness on the finish.<br />
Price: € 8.70<br />
http://www.spinato.it<br />
Anna Spinato Azienda Vinicola<br />
+39 0422 857 927<br />
BLU GIOVELLO 90/100<br />
D 2019 : Light pink with copper highlights. Pleasant<br />
nose marrying red fruits and morello cherry with floral<br />
notes and a trace of spice. Aromatic attack followed by<br />
a light palate displaying lovely intensity and harmonious<br />
effervescence. Lots of delicious flavours throughout.<br />
Very enjoyable.<br />
Price: € 15.00<br />
http://www.pieramartellozzo.com<br />
Piera Martellozzo S.p.A.<br />
+39 0434 963 100<br />
BRILLA 90/100<br />
D Extra Dry rosé 2020 : Beautiful pale pink. Focused<br />
nose of red berry fruits. The palate is light and flavourful<br />
with more of the same fruit aromatics and a slightly<br />
sweet, moreish finish. A festive, accessible rosé in a<br />
crowd-pleasing style.<br />
http://www.botter.it<br />
Botter Carlo & C.S.p.A. Casa Vinicola<br />
+39 0421 67 194<br />
WINTER 2021– GILBERT & GAILLARD – THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 135
<strong>ITA</strong>LY - Venetian<br />
BS_CUVEES_G&G_N°46_Mise en page 1 04/12/2021 10:50 Page 6<br />
LA MARCA<br />
90/100<br />
■ Extra dry Rosé 2020<br />
D Pale salmon-pink with very fine bubbles. Lovely<br />
nose revealing morello cherry, red fruits and white<br />
flowers. Light, smooth, ample palate enveloping its<br />
elegant aromas in a gorgeous touch of softness. A<br />
very harmonious wine for a summer aperitif.<br />
Price: € 10.90<br />
LA JARA 90/100<br />
ORG D Brut 2020 : Light salmon-pink with fine<br />
bubbles. Inviting nose marrying cherries and red berry<br />
fruits. Ethereal palate suffused with copious, smooth<br />
effervescence. Chiselled, precise fruit flavours and a<br />
harmonious feel in this wine for pleasure.<br />
Price: € 9.90<br />
http://www.terredeibuth.it<br />
Azienda Agricola La Jara<br />
+39 0438 488 290<br />
LA JARA 89/100<br />
ORG D Brut 2019 : Pale pink. The nose marries<br />
floral and boiled sweet notes. The palate is soft and<br />
clearly displays a fruity edge. This is an easy-drinking,<br />
user-friendly style that works best in cocktails or as a<br />
pudding wine.<br />
Price: € 11.90<br />
http://www.terredeibuth.it<br />
Azienda Agricola La Jara<br />
+39 0438 488 290<br />
MONTELLIANA 89/100<br />
D Brut Cornaro : Light pink. Delicate nose of<br />
strawberry candy. Fleshy, indulgent and very fruity<br />
palate which is quite persistent and shows a faint spice<br />
touch on the finish. Charming.<br />
Price: € 5.50<br />
http://www.montelliana.it/<br />
Cantina Sociale Montelliana e dei Colli Asolani sca<br />
+39 0423 22 661<br />
SALATIN 89/100<br />
D Brut rosé 2020 : Pale pink with brilliant highlights<br />
and fine bubbles. Nose of red berry fruits with<br />
menthol touches. Pleasant, lively and refreshing attack.<br />
Harmonious balance and great minerality on the finish.<br />
A Prosecco that shows well as an aperitif.<br />
Price: € 7.10<br />
http://www.salatinvini.com/<br />
Salatin SRL<br />
+39 0438 995 928<br />
SAVIAN BIOWINEMAKER 89/100<br />
ORG D Extra dry 2019 : Pale orange with salmon<br />
highlights. Focused nose recalling red berry fruits and<br />
pear. Invigorating attack leading into an ethereal palate<br />
showing seductive delicacy, generous, well-integrated<br />
effervescence and a lingering finish. A refined Prosecco<br />
for a gourmet aperitif.<br />
Price: € 6<br />
http://www.savianvini.it<br />
Savian Vini - Le Contrade<br />
+39 0422 864 068<br />
BOTTER SPA 88/100<br />
ORG D 2020 : Pale salmon-pink. Pleasurable nose<br />
marrying strawberry, morello cherry and floral perfumes.<br />
Invigorating attack leading into a well-balanced palate<br />
offering a delicate rendition of the nose aromas in an<br />
ethereal style that would be best enjoyed on casual<br />
occasions.<br />
http://www.botter.it<br />
Botter Carlo & C.S.p.A. Casa Vinicola<br />
+39 0421 67 194<br />
IL PONTE 88/100<br />
D Brut rosé 2019 : Pale pink. Delicate, pleasant<br />
nose suggestive of ripe strawberry. More of the same<br />
compelling, festive aromas on the palate. This is a<br />
tense rosé offering up seductive freshness and focused<br />
aromatics which works as an aperitif.<br />
Price: € 10<br />
http://www.viticoltoriponte.it<br />
Viticoltori Ponte<br />
+39 0422 85 82 11<br />
MONTELLIANA 88/100<br />
D Brut Meliora : Light orangy-pink. Nose of red fruit<br />
candy, watermelon and peach. Supple palate with<br />
harmoniously layered although slightly rectilinear fruit.<br />
Delicate bubbles and overall freshness. A simple Brut<br />
rosé for savouring like you would candy.<br />
http://www.montelliana.it/<br />
Cantina Sociale Montelliana e dei Colli Asolani sca<br />
+39 0423 22 661<br />
PRESENTATION : Founded in 1968, La Marca is a<br />
second-level cooperative, which represents about<br />
5000 winegrowers who tend around 15,000<br />
hectares of vineyards, owing to the Group’s 8<br />
wineries all located in the province of Treviso.<br />
Knowledge handed down the years, experience and<br />
professionalism, competence in the field and<br />
commercial strategies are requisites that makes La<br />
Marca a reference point and one of the most<br />
representatives companies in the Prosecco’s field.<br />
Territoriality, cooperation and sustainability are the main<br />
values of the company’s philosophy, which includes<br />
several meanings: environmental, economic, social<br />
and ethic.<br />
Tel.: +39 0422 814 681<br />
E-mail: lamarca@lamarca.it<br />
Website:http://www.lamarca.it<br />
The Glera grape variety, specific to Prosecco, lends it its unique characters<br />
136<br />
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<strong>ITA</strong>LY - Venetian<br />
SOLIGO 88/100 VAL D’OCA 87/100<br />
D Brut rosé 2019 : Brilliant salmon-pink. Focused D Extra Dry 2019 : Pale pink. Very pleasant nose of<br />
nose combining apple, strawberry and hawthorn.<br />
TOP WINES ripe strawberry coupled with a peppermint tone. Fleshy<br />
Supple entry then a light, energetic palate. The<br />
structure and beautiful ripe fruit flavours on the palate<br />
aromatic spectrum stays slightly backward but the style<br />
with a more saline touch on the finish adding character.<br />
is elegant and harmonious. Exactly what is needed for<br />
http://www.valdoca.com<br />
family reunions.<br />
Val d’Oca<br />
http://www.collisoligo.com<br />
Cantina Colli Del Soligo Societa Agricola Cooperativa +39 0423 982 070<br />
+39 043 884 00 OUR 92 SELECTION<br />
ZARDETTO 87/100<br />
AMPAGNE VOGA - CAVA - PROSECCO ROSÉ 88/100 - SPARKLING D Extra WINES dry rosé : Pale - HUNGARY salmon-pink. Nose — of candy,<br />
D Extra Dry 2019 : Pale pink. Suggestions of<br />
confectionery, sugared almonds, red fruit and tangerine<br />
red berry fruits, a rose petal note and watermelon. The<br />
palate echoes the delicious nose aromatics with very<br />
notes on the nose. Charming, fleshy palate displaying vibrant fruit, freshness and crispness. A fruit-laden wine<br />
great fruit-driven length. Tangy, moreish finish with<br />
for sharing.<br />
delicate bubbles. A festive wine that works well for any<br />
Price: € 12.95<br />
occasion.<br />
http://www.zardettoprosecco.com<br />
Price: € 10.00<br />
Zardetto Spumanti<br />
http://www.enoitalia.it<br />
Enoitalia - Gruppo Pizzolo<br />
+39 0438 394 969<br />
The best of WINTER 2021<br />
1 selection, tasted and rated by our tasting panel, is featured on pages 126 to 138. As usual,<br />
n to present wines by region (CHAMPAGNE, PROSECCO..), then by appellation in each region,<br />
pany or chateau listed in alphabetical order, and finally by tasting scores in descending order.<br />
aillard<br />
+39 0458 876 200<br />
Pages 126 to 138<br />
MASOTTINA 87/100<br />
D 2019 : Pale pink. Nose of rose petal and red<br />
berry fruits. Very soft, supple palate with compelling,<br />
THE TASTING PANEL<br />
candy-dominant flavours. A youthful style well-suited to<br />
casual occasions for sharing with others.<br />
http://www.masottina.it<br />
Masottina FRANCE<br />
+39 0438 400 775<br />
MONTELVINI 87/100<br />
D 2019 : Pale pink. Nose of red berry fruits recalling<br />
Schenk Italia<br />
strawberry. Matthieu The Gaillard palate is pleasant with freshness François Bezuidenhout<br />
+39 0471 803 311<br />
supporting the fruit and a finish that is not undermined<br />
by sweetness. A harmonious and refreshing wine.<br />
Price: € 5.90<br />
http://www.montelvini.it<br />
Wine scores<br />
tes are scored Montelvini<br />
a 100 point scale, which gives ■ RED WINE<br />
to evaluate +39 0423 every 8777 characteristic that we taste in a<br />
■ DRY WHITE WINE<br />
re the different SERENA levels WINES that 1881 make up this scoring: 87/100<br />
■ SWEET WHITE WINE<br />
D Extra dry Costaross 2020 : Light salmon hue. The<br />
an outstanding nose shows wine, a pleasant when mix a of great blood “terroir” citrus fruits meets and red<br />
ORG: Organic Wine.<br />
emaking expertise. berry fruits. The palate is supple and refreshing with no<br />
great aromatic complexity. A satisfying, easy-drinking<br />
superlative Prosecco, wine combining made a crowd-pleasing finesse, complexity style. and<br />
emaking. Price: € 11.90<br />
http://www.vinicolaserena.com<br />
ine of extremely Serena Wines high standard, 1881 which we enjoyed for its<br />
racter. +39 0438 201 187<br />
uality wine SERENA combining WINES balance, 1881 structure and neatness 87/100 for<br />
D Brut rosé 2020 : Light salmon hue. Nose of red<br />
ine drinking<br />
forest<br />
experience.<br />
fruits and juicy citrus fruits. Fairly rounded, fleshy<br />
ine deemed palate acceptable. which is clean and supported by ripe fruit. The<br />
finish displays the same character. This is a serious wine<br />
ine with defects, unacceptable.<br />
that works well as an aperitif or with a variety of hors<br />
ine with major d’oeuvres. defects, inadmissible.<br />
cceptable Price: wine, € 13.90 not worthy for sale.<br />
http://www.vinicolaserena.com<br />
ss than 75/100 are Serena not included Wines in 1881 our publications.<br />
+39 0438 201 187<br />
ANNA SPINATO 86/100<br />
D Brut 2019 : Pale salmon-pink. Nose of strawberry<br />
candy with a floral edge. Delicate palate opening up<br />
to compelling fruitiness and displaying a more vinous<br />
side laced with savoury sourness. Not really effusive but<br />
pleasantly balanced.<br />
Price: € 12.00<br />
FRANCE<br />
http://www.spinato.it<br />
Anna Spinato Azienda Vinicola<br />
MONTELLIANA 87/100<br />
+39 0422 857 927<br />
D Brut Meliora : Light pink. Soft, enticing nose of red<br />
fruit candy and marshmallow. The palate replicates this BACIO DELLA LUNA François Gilbert 86/100<br />
style precisely Olivier Delorme with lovely tension and lifted yet perhaps James Turnbull D Extra dry 2019 : Very pale pink. Compelling<br />
slightly monolithic aromatics. A compelling rosé. nose of ripe strawberry. The palate is richly styled yet<br />
Price: € 5.50<br />
http://www.montelliana.it/<br />
SOUTH AFRICA<br />
SOUTH balanced AFRICA and offers up seductive aromatic intensity<br />
Cantina Sociale Montelliana e dei Colli Asolani sca<br />
+39 0423 22 661<br />
FRANCE<br />
Sylvain Patard<br />
with fairly pronounced red fruit aromas. Equally suitable<br />
as a pudding wine or in cocktails.<br />
Price: € 7.49<br />
http://www.schenkitalia.it/<br />
Wine characteristics<br />
■ SPARKLING BRUT<br />
■ SPARKLING EXTRA-BRUT<br />
■ SPARKLING BRUT ROSE<br />
CONV: In the process of converting to organic<br />
production.<br />
CR: This statement refers to sensible farming methods<br />
where use of inputs or agri-chemicals are restricted.<br />
These include fertilisers or other crop protection<br />
products, the aim being to limit their impact on the<br />
environment to a minimum.<br />
HVE: This French endorsement guarantees that all of the<br />
agricultural practices used across the farm safeguard the<br />
natural ecosystem and reduce environmental pressure –<br />
on the soils, water and biodiversity, for example – to a<br />
minimum.<br />
AGEABILITY<br />
D= DRINK NOW D= DRINK NOW OR KEEP D= KEEP<br />
CANTINE CLARA C 86/100<br />
D Brut Fiori di Prosecco 2020 : Beautiful light<br />
salmon-pink. Nose of red berry fruits augmented by<br />
citrus tones after airing. The palate is perfumed and<br />
very energetic in a very fresh style. Shows well on its<br />
own or in a cocktail.<br />
Price: € 9.90<br />
http://www.clarac.it<br />
Cantine Clara C<br />
+39 0438 18 99 995<br />
CANTINA PRODUTTORI VALDOBBIANE 85/100<br />
D Extra Dry 2019 : Pale pink. Very soft nose of<br />
red berry fruits accented by ripe strawberry. More of<br />
the same rounded style on the palate with pleasant<br />
freshness and recurring strawberry aromas. Set aside<br />
for red fruit puddings.<br />
http://www.valdoca.com<br />
Val d’Oca<br />
+39 0423 982 070<br />
PROSECCO D.O.C. TREVISO<br />
BOSCO DEL MERLOT 89/100<br />
D Brut rosé 2020 : Brilliant salmon hue. Charming<br />
nose combining cherry, red fruits and floral scents.<br />
Sleek palate that beguiles with its delicacy and unfurls<br />
generous, moreish flavours. Impeccably integrated<br />
bubbles. An invitation for sharing.<br />
Price: € 8.90<br />
http://www.paladin.it/<br />
Paladin<br />
+39 0422 76 8167<br />
PALADIN 89/100<br />
D Brut rosé 2020 : Light salmon-pink with fine<br />
bubbles. Rich nose combining red fruits like morello<br />
cherry with a trace of flowers. Airy, concentrated palate<br />
suffused with generous effervescence. Enjoyable lifted<br />
intensity and aromatic persistency. Delicious.<br />
Price: € 8.20<br />
http://www.paladin.it/<br />
Paladin<br />
+39 0422 76 8167<br />
RONFINI 88/100<br />
D Brut rosé 2020 : Pale pink. Delicate nose of<br />
zippy red berry fruits (raspberry, strawberry) with floral<br />
aromatics. Elegant pink bubbles with very smooth,<br />
saline fruit that stays very clean. This is a very earnest<br />
sparkling wine for some delicate pleasure.<br />
Price: € 5.00<br />
http://www.ronfini.com<br />
Cantina Ronfini Leonardo<br />
+39 0438 989 614<br />
GIOL 87/100<br />
ORG D Brut rosé 2020 : Pale pink. On the nose<br />
are aromas of strawberry and boiled sweets which<br />
carry through to the palate where simplicity and red<br />
fruit aromas are the main theme. Enjoy well-chilled as<br />
an aperitif or in cocktails.<br />
Price: € 8.00<br />
http://www.giolitalia.it<br />
Giol<br />
+39 0422 855 032<br />
WINTER 2021 - GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 125<br />
WINTER 2021– GILBERT & GAILLARD – THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 137
HUNGARY - Pannon<br />
HUNGARY<br />
OUR WINTER<br />
SELECTION<br />
We round off this issue with a cherrypicked<br />
selection of Hungarian wines,<br />
including some remarkable Tokaji whose<br />
style has undergone a sea-change over<br />
the past few years.<br />
PANNON<br />
SZEKSZARD<br />
HETÉNYI PINCÉSZET 88/100<br />
D Tabornok 2017 : Deep garnet with bricking.<br />
Generous nose combining black fruits, fine spices,<br />
liquorice and subtle oak. Robust, rich palate displaying<br />
lovely nascent depth. Spicy, saline, firm mid-palate.<br />
Perfect for game in a few years\’ time.<br />
Price: € 9.70<br />
https://hetenyipince.hu/en/<br />
Hetényi Pincészet<br />
+36 20 222 8481<br />
HETÉNYI PINCÉSZET 87/100<br />
D Merlot 2017 : Deep garnet with bricking.<br />
Endearing nose exuding black stone fruits, raspberry<br />
and truffle. The palate reveals a robust wine, still firm<br />
and marked by oak influence. The same aromas flow<br />
through with a trace of toast. Keep for a little while<br />
longer.<br />
Price: € 10.00<br />
https://hetenyipince.hu/en/<br />
Hetényi Pincészet<br />
+36 20 222 8481<br />
HETÉNYI PINCÉSZET 86/100<br />
D Kadarka 2020 : Pale red. Subtle nose of red fruits<br />
with a trace of flowers. Ethereal palate showing lovely<br />
freshness and opening up to slightly more open aromas<br />
with notes of raspberry and redcurrant and a crisp<br />
edge. Serve slightly chilled with cold meats.<br />
Price: € 9.00<br />
https://hetenyipince.hu/en/<br />
Hetényi Pincészet<br />
+36 20 222 8481<br />
VILLANY<br />
JAMMERTAL WINE ESTATE 92/100<br />
D Koh-I-Noor Cabernet Franc - Ultimate Selection<br />
2011 : Concentrated colour tinged with garnet-brown.<br />
Nose of mocha, tar, stewed black fruits and generous<br />
forest floor aromas of leaves, mushrooms and leather.<br />
Generous, mouth-coating palate with moderate rustic<br />
characters. Composed tannins and ripe flavours. Pairs<br />
with slow, oven-cooked leg of lamb.<br />
Price: € 65.00<br />
http://jbb.hu/<br />
Jammertal Wine Estate<br />
+36 23 502 110<br />
JAMMERTAL WINE ESTATE 91/100<br />
D Koh-I-Noor 105.6 - Ultimate Selection 2012 : The<br />
colour shows medium concentration with orangy-brick<br />
tints. Nose of mature wine, leather and stewed red and<br />
black fruits with forest floor overtones. The palate stays<br />
nicely austere with ripe fruit, composed tannins and<br />
lovely freshness on the finish leading the way.<br />
Price: € 65.00<br />
http://jbb.hu/<br />
Jammertal Wine Estate<br />
+36 23 502 110<br />
JAMMERTAL WINE ESTATE 90/100<br />
D Cassiopeia Merlot - Grande Sélection 2012<br />
: Light red with orangy tints. Delicate vanilla and<br />
menthol-like nose flowing into forest floor and jammy<br />
black berries. The palate is supported by freshness and<br />
suppleness with a gorgeous fruit and oak core. Smooth<br />
finish with crunchy tannins.<br />
Price: € 28.00<br />
http://jbb.hu/<br />
Jammertal Wine Estate<br />
+36 23 502 110<br />
JAMMERTAL WINE ESTATE 89/100<br />
D Cassiopeia Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 : Light red<br />
with brown reflections. Nose of mocha, liquorice, notes<br />
of undergrowth and stewed berries. Dense palate with<br />
Zsófia Kövesdi and Zsolt Nagy in the vineyards belonging to Jammertal Wine Estate<br />
powerful tannins and ripe, assertive fruitiness. The finish<br />
is nicely warm in a woodland style. A wine for lovers<br />
of muscular reds.<br />
Price: € 28.00<br />
http://jbb.hu/<br />
Jammertal Wine Estate<br />
+36 23 502 110<br />
JAMMERTAL WINE ESTATE 89/100<br />
D Ars Poetica Pinot Noir 2017 : Light red with<br />
garnet reflections. Nose of jammy cherries and wild<br />
strawberries with a sweet spice feel. Supple palate<br />
with moderate tannins, nicely ripe flavours and a spicedominant<br />
finish. A Pinot noir with trademark aromatics.<br />
Price: € 32.00<br />
http://jbb.hu/<br />
Jammertal Wine Estate<br />
+36 23 502 110<br />
TOKAJ<br />
TOKAJ<br />
HOLDVOLGY 97/100<br />
CR D Culture 2013 : Beautiful glistening golden<br />
hue. Intense nose of roast grape and candied fruits<br />
steeped in abundant freshness. The palate offers up a<br />
seamless fusion of concentration, richness and tension.<br />
The finish is clean and explosive with more of a tropical<br />
fruit slant.<br />
Price: € 90.00<br />
https://holdvolgy.com/en/<br />
Holdvölgy<br />
+36 70 419 3059<br />
HOLDVOLGY 91/100<br />
CR D Eloquence 2011 : Bright yellow-gold.<br />
Focused fruity nose recalling pineapple and mango<br />
with a honeyed touch. Concentrated, balanced palate<br />
supported by stellar freshness. A fairly accessible wine<br />
for the aperitif or with foie gras.<br />
Price: € 25.00<br />
https://holdvolgy.com/en/<br />
Holdvölgy<br />
+36 70 419 3059<br />
HOLDVOLGY 90/100<br />
CR D Hold and Hollo Dry 2018 : Clear, light<br />
gold. Delicate nose of almond with a mineral touch.<br />
The same, distinctively mineral aromatics flow through<br />
to the palate which stays sappy and fresh. Hallmark<br />
personality for a food-friendly wine that would show<br />
well with white meats.<br />
Price: € 18.00<br />
https://holdvolgy.com/en/<br />
Holdvölgy<br />
+36 70 419 3059<br />
HOLDVOLGY 90/100<br />
CR D Méditation 2018 : Very bright, beautiful light<br />
gold. Intense fruity nose recalling fresh almond with<br />
a subtle herbal touch. More upfront oakiness on the<br />
palate but also lots of freshness and elegance. A racy,<br />
all-round wine for fish or shellfish.<br />
Price: € 30.00<br />
https://holdvolgy.com/en/<br />
Holdvölgy<br />
+36 70 419 3059<br />
138<br />
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