Latest update : 29 November 2019.
Probably they already were before, but they definitely are since SCHATZI WINES, an “alternative importer and distributor” based in Milan has started importing Hubert Soreau’s CHAMPAGNE Le Clos l’Abbé. Read an extract of their enthusiastic writing about Hubert and his wine (and then run to get a bottle of those fine bubbles!).
“Hubert Soreau is not from Champagne and like many outsiders who have found their way into traditional, European viticultural regions (ref. Tony Bodenstein at Prager, Michi (...)
This is a topical issue at the moment as thousands of pickers are preparing to harvest the next vintage. Above all, OPTIMAL maturity is a purely theoretical value, because it mostly depends on the style of wine that we want to create. Beyond that, OPTIMAL maturity is indeed linked to factors such as grape variety, climate, terroir and weather conditions, and last but not least to the skill and chance of a winemaker or vintner.
Different components of the grape may be of interest for the (...)
... at least for the yeasts. They are all trapped in the beginning, by the promises of the fresh grape juice, full of sugars and other nutrients: nitrogen, vitamins, minerals ... A true land of plenty! Drunken of joy they jump in, guzzling sugars and multiplying as if there was no tomorrow. Only to wake up with a nice hangover after some three quarters of fermentation are done. Nutrients become scarce at this stage, famine rages. Some probably try to reason, to ration, but it is already too (...)
continueEach time someone says « Champagne » you’d rather think of words like “cuvée” and “blend” than « selection of terroir." And it’s true, we can consider the producers of champagne as being the « kings of blending ». Very few wineries and negociants propose indeed Champagne pure terroir, that derives from a single vineyard. Blended wines, made of grapes from different terroirs, different grape varieties, and different vintages are largely dominant on the wine market (only 10% of the regions production (...)
continueVine leaves its winter rest according to a fairly well established « protocol » that already starts in winter. Everything begins with so called « tears », drops of water that appear on pruning wounds. They indicate that the roots of the vine have completed their winter sleep and become active again, pushing water up towards the wood. The number of weeks that may pass between appearance of the first tears and bud burst varies, because the internal clock of the plant depends on soil temperature (...)
continueEarly bud burst announced a precocious vintage last spring. Excellent weather conditions were favourable to flowering, suggesting a good upcoming harvest.
June and July were wet, with an important number of rainy days rather than high pluviometry. Summer finally began in the first days of August and lasted until the end of October, allowing optimum ripeness.
After a very tense early summer, grapes were finally picked with a smile, in a relaxed working atmosphere.
The wines issue from this (...)
« It should be possible to drink a great Burgundy when it is still young and to keep it for decades as well," said Henry JAYER, great winemaker from Burgundy, best known and respected for the GRAND CRU wines he made in RICHEBOURG, amongst others. And his saying is certainly true for many other terroirs and appellations.
But it doesn’t suit for all wines. There are wines that are made to be tasted when they are young. Being fruity, fresh and tasty, they are not « strong » enough to last and to (...)
Nobody really knows the secret of old vines, but the legends (sometimes urban) are many. It appears for example, they make better wines than the young ones, nevertheles, no one can really prove it. Whatsoever, winemaking is a complex process, just the age of the vines is not sufficient to “do good.”
Fortunately Bacchus happened to meet several key factors: very old vines (CENTENARIANS), a great variety (CARIGNAN), a Mediterranean vintage (2009), a passionate and experienced winemaker (...)
I like the end of the year. And Christmas and New Year’s Eve oo. Now you know. No, this has nothing to do with consumerism, because I do not like “going shopping”, even more at this time of the year: too many people, too many lights, too much noise, too much plastic ...
On the contrary, I like if the world slows down in quietness, and the ritual to let the past year fade away and “start from scratch” next year. It’s refreshing. It’s is important. I admit that it lacks a bit of spice this year as (...)