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Un petit Tour de France – harvest time 2023

The onset of 2024 has left me reflecting on my inherent Francophilia. This got the better of me towards the end of last year. I had been meaning to visit Alsace for years. It took so long partly because of my preference for red wine and more recently due to Covid.

My favourite varietal though is Gewürztraminer. This is very much a marmite love or hate grape. For me it’s love. The most textured, succulent, floral powerhouse of a wine I’ve ever tasted was a Matawherho Gewürztraminer from Gisborne in New Zealand. It was an early 1990’s vintage tasted at a masterclass with my boss of the time Dr David Durham at his home next to Cloudy Bay, Marlborough New Zealand in 1995.

The 1976 Hugel Gewürztraminer with a nose distinctly reminiscent of cannabis was a highlight of many years of wine tasting.

This grape has mesmerised me since. I also have great appreciation of the other white Alsatian varieties. Well made Pinot Gris is also beautifully textured and aromatic. Riesling whilst not my first go to drink due to its high acidity playing havoc with my gastrointestinal equilibrium is still a wine I highly regard.

So I finally made it to Alsace, and the  wait was worth it. Not only for the wines but for the delightfully preserved chocolate box towns and villages such as Colmar, Riquewihr and Ribeauville. It really feels  like an amalgamation of France and Germany as its geography and history suggest.

I was lucky enough to visit some of the top producers. See my interviews with Jean Frederic Hugel, Etienne Dopff, Jean Trimbach and Eddie Faller.

I stayed in central Colmar at the Hotel Le Colombier. This is very conveniently located centrally and  for the electric bike store on the same street. This is an excellent way to explore the region as there are many dedicated wine cycle routes throughout the area.

I wasn’t wild about the food, quite pork base and Germanic. They do an interesting pizza type of thing called a Tarte Flambee in French and FlammeKueche in German.

Then I hopped on a flight to Bordeaux.

Chateau Coutet, Barsac France

Visit to Chateau Coutet in Barsac, Bordeaux

It was the first day of the Rugby World Cup so the flight was awash with excited fans.

I’d had also long wished to visit Chateau Coutet in Barsac having met Aline Baly on many occasions in London. I’m also a fan of dessert wines, again not everyone’s taste. Aline was in Paulliac but generously arranged the Maitre du Chai, Laurier Girardot to entertain us.

We started in the vineyards surrounding the pristine opulent Chateau.

Laurier discussed the terroir, which is slightly different to Sauternes and a little further from the River Garonne. The style here being a little less unctuous than Sauternes and perhaps less botrytis. They also make a dry white. The wines as ever, were finely balanced, long and delicious with complexity evident in older vintages.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Next up a flight to Marseille, en route to another region I’ve longed to visit, Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

It’s one thing reading about the ‘Galets’ (larger pebbles/ smooth rocks) which are characteristic of the area. it’s another thing to see them. The entire vineyards are literally covered with layers of Galets with virtually no soil evident. These rocks have been washed down from the Alps over millions of years dating to when the area was the bed of the Rhone river.

First visit, the famous Chateau de Beaucastel owned by the Perrin family.

Beaucastel were in the midst of the most fascinating new build. They had a competition amongst world renowned architects who tendered for the job. It was finally won by and Indian based firm. In keeping with Beaucastel organic and biodynamic sustainability, the new structure is being built with products of excavation.

The excavated earth for the new cellar is gently crushed and then taken to a large vertical mold and compressed. This creates the large slabs to build the new winery. It already looks amazing and effortlessly blends in with the environment.

We tasted the 2008 and 2019 Beaucastel and also a 100% Roussane of which little is made. The wines as expected were spotlessly balanced and full of fine grained tannins.

En route to Château La Nerthe we popped into Chateau Mont Redon

I was impressed by the Chateau Mont Redon range, especially with their most moderately priced Lirac which is full of fruit but also has a lovely mouthfeel. I have been buying en primeur Mont Redon from the wine society for many years.

Final visit of the day was to a very welcoming and passionate Antoine at Chateau La Nerthe.

He gave us the historical background. There have been grapes here since Roman times. More recently they were one of the pioneers of the Appelation Controlle system

This a stunning chateau with views reaching far and wide. We toured the cellars and we were lucky enough to witness a live ‘remontage’ and sample 4 day old Mourvèdre from the tank. It was surprisingly delicious given its age.

Wine tasting here can be a little confusing as 13 grape varieties are permitted.

 6 white grape varieties: Grenache blanc, Clairette, Roussanne, Bourboulenc, Picpoul and Picardan. Grenache blanc, a mutation of Grenache noir, is the most commonly used grape variety. Red grapes: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Vaccarèse, Terret, Counoise, Muscardin.

We tasted a range of their wines including

Château la Nerthe 2014 Clos de Beauvenir – it had an oxidised nose, almond, nice freshness and texture Good food wine

Château la Nerthe  Barrel sample, Syrah amazing for only 4 weeks old! Full of  fruit Soft tannins Delicious!!!

2020 Château la Nerthe Châteauneuf du Pape 25% Mourvèdre, Balanced, good year, plenty of fresh fruit alcohol well integrated

2019  Château la Nerthe Châteauneuf du Pape . 35 %Mourvèdre Syrah 31 %Grenache 33 % about a third each  A bit more serious than 2020 and probably need more ageing to develop complexity

2020  Château la Nerthe Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Cadettes which is made from their  best grapes 9.000 bottles only GSM blend

2019 Château la Nerthe Châteauneuf du Pape Cadettes 55 % Mourvèdre floral earthy savoury serious big wine.

Antoine then brought out a blind wine which I immediately described as Pinotesque. I was happy to be correct in my deduction that it was one of their very limited production 100% Grenache.

This tasting was one of the highlights of many years of different wine trips. Thanks to @bossofthewine, Bruce Baldinger and the New Yorkers. We had serendipitously met them on the tour of the old Synagogue in Carpentras the day before and tagged along to this visit.

Finally I must  not forget the opulent Chateau La Coste in Provence. It was a short drive south from our accommodation in Lourmarin  through the beautiful countryside towards Aix en Provence near the village of Le Puy-Sainte – Reparade.

This is a real destination owned by Irish property magnate Paddy Mckillen. It has its own art and architecture walk, 600 acre sculpture park, a luxury hotel Villa La Coste multiple very high end  restaurants and excellent wine.

Despite the breadth and depth and quality of wines across the world, there’s nothing quite like returning to La Belle France!


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Cantele Wines of Puglia, Italy with Umberto Cantele, Wednesday January 24th

Umberto Cantele third generation of Cantele Wines of Puglia hosted this memorable evening at Fredericks a day before Burns night 2024.

Adam, his father and brother visited Umberto at Cantele winery in Salento a few years ago and have been long planning this dinner.

The whole family is involved in the business. They have 50 hectares of their own vineyards and manage a further 150 hectares. Their primary focus is on local native grapes of the region, including Primitivo, Negroamaro and Susumaniello for the red wines, and Verdeca and Malvasia Bianca for the whites. The winery also produces pure expressions of international varieties such as Chardonnay.

Aperitif

2022 Verdeca, Cantele, Puglia Stone fruit with ice texture and medium acidity

With Starter

2021 Teresa Manara IGT Salento Chardonnay

2021 Teres Manara Vendemmia Tardiva Chardonnay The star of the show tonight

rich textured beautiful oak integration caramel vanilla butter stone fruit

With maim

2021 Amativo, Cantele, Puglia lovely blend of NegroAmaro and Primitivo delicious rich black fruits hints of smoke and choclate

2022 Primitivo Puglia IGP, Cantele

Thanks to the crowd of 31 who braved dry January. Special thanks to Umberto who gave us great insight into his family winery and brought his Italian warmth to a London January.


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Brunello di Montalcino 2019 En Primeur – under exam conditions!

En Primeur, the sale of wines as futures, was until a few years ago a method of sale for premium Bordeaux and Burgundy but now it is increasingly being used for fine wines from other regions. 

In this tasting the wines are pre-release but not by much.  Brunello di Montalcino must be matured for a minimum of 5 years, including at least two in barrel, before being released to the market.  These wines are already in bottle, rather than barrel samples and due out in 2025. So this EP seems to be more about marketing and to generate some expert reviews and promotional activity amongst the merchants.

For the customer the days of buying a future wine to help the wine makers cash flow and enjoying a slight discount in exchange are largely long gone.  Now EP seems to be more about securing an allocation of rare or prestigious wines.

Brunello di Montalcino is a DOCG south of Siena within Tuscany. It is warmer and drier than Chianti producing more powerful concentrated expressions of Sangiovese. Its not far from the coast so parts receive some cooling breezes and inland the beautiful rolling hills provide a little elevation. Both of these factors help slow ripening down, which helps develop flavour and maintain freshness in the wines.

The seated format of the tasting was actually brilliant, no juggling of glass, catalogue (or e-catalogue on your phone) pen and pad, and no elbows required to push through the usual scrums that form around the popular tables – bliss!

It reminded me of how much I like Brunello and I was impressed by how approachable many of the wines were already on release. However with high acidity, fine sandy tannins and that concentrated red fruit they promise much more to come with bottle age. Many displayed classic sour cherry, dusty soft red fruits, bay leaf, dried herbs and a hint of black tea.  

It was great to try and compare and contrast the impact of different soil types, those with more clay seeming to display riper fruit. Also to contrast the effect of using either Slavonian or French oak casks. Whilst the French oak did add a layer of spice and sometimes subtle toast, none of the wines I tried seemed overdone. 

Of the many great wines on show a few stood out to me:

  • Argiano BdM – Lovely nose, balanced with a nice touch of spice.
  • Banfi Vigna Murrucheto BdM – Concentrated fruit and subtle toastiness.
  • Capanna BdM – Classic sour cherry, black tea and touch of wet stone.
  • Col d’ Orcia BdM – Intense riper red cherry and plum, dried herbs, bay leaf and a nice dusty finish.
  • Col d’ Orcia Poggio al Vento Riserva 2016 – Concentrated pot purri, raspberries, sour cherry, black tea, smoke and leather, super long. 
  • Sesti BdM – Consistently fine, roses, sweet cherry, cranberry, dried oregano,  black tea and freshly turned soil, amazing concentration. 
  • Sesti Phenomina Reserva 2018 – Knock put too!
  • Uccelliera BdM – A big wine but still fresh with rich cherry tart, roasted herbs and a bit of toast. 

Many thanks to Hunt and Speller and Consorzio del vino Brunello di Montalcino for organising this great tasting and providing so much interesting information about the wines in the catalogue.

By the way don’t forget the Rosso di Montalcino category of wines too. Supposedly entry level  but many of the top estates produce what are effectively baby Brunello’s which represent great value for money and can be enjoyed sooner.

For more information on the region see our Brunello di Montalcino trip tasting notes.


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Flint Wines American Tasting

Flint Wines have a comprehensive portfolio of wines from the USA and to support a recent portfolio tasting they have put together an amazing American tasting booklet.  It is packed full of maps, descriptions of each AVA’s character, climate, aspect, soils and detailed winery profiles. 

Quality grapes in California are very much a product of one or more factors in the vineyard that moderate the otherwise warm climate. The cold Pacific sends cooling breezes and overnight fog far inland along the State’s various east west valleys that cut through the coast mountains and of course San Fransico Bay itself.  Also vineyards planted at altitude on these mountain slopes also enjoy cooler nights. 

Grapes as a result ripen more slowly, developing flavour and retaining more acid giving the wine maker lots of good material to work with.  Growers of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and even Syrah are particularly on the lookout for cool climate pockets.  It was great to be able to visualise all this with aid of these maps.

The tasting was organised by region which allowed you to travel from one AVA to another comparing and contrasting and really see how wine makers are responding to the changing conditions.

Hats off to Rachel Dixon their USA Ambassador, who’s mission to educate about wines of American is certainly working! 

For me standout wineries included:

  • Chanin Wines –  Chardonnays & Pinots from Los Alamos, Santa Maria Valley 
  • Christom Vineyards-  Chardonnays & Pinots  from Willamette Valley, Oregan
  • Tyler Winery  – Chardonnays & Pinots from Santa Rita Hills, California.
  • Snowden Vineyards – Sauvignon Blanc & Cab Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California.


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What’s trending in Alsace?

During my recent trip to Alsace, I asked four of the most influential people in the Alsace wine scene  several questions.

  1. What’s trending in the Alsace wine world?
  2. How do you ideally envisage your business in the future? 
  3. If you weren’t in the wine business what would you be?
  4. What are your two Desert Island bottles of wine?

Here are the mini interviews 

Etienne Dopff of Maison Dopff et Moulin in Riquewihr
Jean Trimbach of Maison Trimbach in Ribeauville
Jean Frédéric Hugel of Maison Hugel  in Riquewihr 
Eddie Faller of Domaine Weinbach in Kayserberg


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Gusbourne Estate, Kent, Premium English Sparkling

Perched on the edge of the old Saxon shoreline in Appledore, Kent, Gusbourne Estate makes a compelling argument for the quality and potential of English wine. With 60 hectares under vine here and another 30 in West Sussex, Gusbourne has focused on a clear ambition since planting its first vines in 2004: to produce vintage wines of the highest calibre using only estate-grown fruit.

The vineyards are planted with Burgundian clones of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, varieties well suited to the region’s unique microclimates. Yields are deliberately kept low, resulting in grapes of concentration and character. These form the foundation of a range that includes both still and sparkling wines, all made using traditional methods with a low-intervention ethos that carries through from vine to bottle.

A visit to the estate offers more than a picturesque setting. The winery tour is well-structured and informative, culminating in a tasting that includes the rare opportunity to sample base wines before moving on to the finished sparklers. This provides a valuable insight into the effects of lees ageing, adding texture and biscuity complexity, and how dosage lifts the bright citrus notes that are a hallmark of the house style.

Among a strong portfolio, the Blanc de Blancs 2018 stands out for its precision and poise. It’s joined by a limited series of museum releases and small-batch cuvées, including vintage Blanc de Meunier, all reinforcing Gusbourne’s position at the premium end of the market. The still wines, notably the Guinevere Chardonnay, demonstrate real depth and finesse, and make a persuasive case that 51 degrees north is no longer a viticultural outlier.

Thanks to WSET for organising the visit.


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Santorini Assyrtiko – like gold dust!

Yannis Valambous pouring his excellent Assyrtiko wines of Vassaltis vineyards Santorini  at Flint wines today.  

Fun fact: apparently Assyrtiko grapes are so few and far between that they are some of the most expensive per kg in Europe!

For my full tasting notes of Vassaltis Vineyards see Adam’s winery visit write up here.


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Wines of Esporão, Portugal, hosted by Pedro Lopes Vieira February 7th 2023

Esporão was founded in 1973 by José Roquette and Joaquim Bandeira,

They are one of the leading wine companies in Portugal and one of the largest organic wine producers.

They have  three wineries – Herdade do Esporão in Alentejo,

Quinta dos Murças in Douro and Quinta do Ameal in Vinho Verde –

In Alentejo, all of their vineyards are certified organic, as well as those at Quinta dos Murças, Douro. They own  623ha of organic vineyards – the biggest ownership in Portugal, representing about 18% of total organic production in the country.

We tasted a selection of their wines from their three regions, Vinho Verde, Duoro valley and Alentejo with a matched three course dinner in Frederick’s private room on Tuesday February 7th 2023. Hosted by Pedro Lopes Vieira  Sales Manager at Esporao Wines

Aperitif –

Quinta de Ameal Loureiro

 From the Lima sub-region of Vinho Verde, the birthplace of Loureiro, this vibrant wine really shows the huge potential for this eminently approachable variety. Reminiscent of lemon sherbets, zingy, fresh and lively, yet intense and balanced wine, that will evolve well over the next 15 years

Starter –

Smoked salmon with potato & beetroot salad
Frederick’s Waldorf salad

Monte Velho white

A blend of Antão Vaz, Roupeiro and Perrum from 18-years-old vineyards planted on granite, schist and clay soils. Fresh and balanced, with a firm body, citrus and white fruit characters and no oak.

Herdade do Esporão Reserva white

 An organic blend of Antão Vaz, Arinto and Roupeiro, fermented and matured for 6 months in a combination of tanks and new American and French oak barriques. The calling card for the range with an elegant, creamy palate, notes of peaches and nutmeg.

Main –

Coq au Vin, diced pancetta, mushrooms,
baby onions, mashed potato
Aubergine parmigiana, tomato & mixed leaf salad

Herdade do Esporão Reserva red

Esporão Reserva Red was the first wine launched in 1985 and it still represents the estate’s diverse winemaking history. A true Portuguese blend of native varieties that are fermented separately, then blended together and aged for 12 months in American and French oak barrels, with a further 8 months of ageing in bottle before release. Black fruits, nutty and black pepper notes intermingle on the rich and complex palate that doesn’t disappoint.

Quinta dos Murças Reserva red

This Reserva is from some of the oldest vineyards of the estate, located between 150m and 280m with a south and westerly exposure. Its special terroir gives the final wine its complexity and longevity. Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Sousão, Tinta Amarcela, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz combined with 12 months in oak result in an intense, balanced beauty dominated by black fruits and spice

Dessert

Pear & almond tart, clotted cream

Quinta dos Murças Tawny port

 A wine with gravitas and history, from the first vertical vineyard planted in the Douro Valley in 1947. One hectare of vines is planted on schist soils at altitudes greater than 262m, with a southeast exposure. The highest expression of the estate terroir, characterized by great harmony and elegance, with fine mature tannins and balancing acidity, with a great ageing potential.


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The Many Faces of Zweigelt

Full disclosure, I have a very soft spot for Austrian wine.  It is undoubtably through my partner, who is Austrian, that I have grown to love the many and varied delights that the country and its people have to offer. It’s fair to say that family Curtis pulls its weight when it comes to consumption of Schnitzels, quaffing of Greuner Veltliner and bashing of mogul pistes. Oh, and it goes without question that Semmel are the best bread rolls ever and nobody makes better ryebread.

Anyway, we’ve written at length about Austria’s fabulous white wines: Greuners and Rieslings from the Wachau, Kamptal and increasingly from Traisental along with the characterful Sauvignon Blancs from SudSteirmark, but not enough about the country’s excellent red wines.   My suspicion is that a lot of Austrian red wine just doesn’t make it out of the country because demand at home is so healthy. So, I was delighted be invited to a lunch spotlighting Zweigelt and the grape’s many faces organised Neusiedlersee DAC.

Zweigelt is the most planted red grape variety in Austria, second only to Gruener Veltliner in terms of vineyard area. It is a cross between Austria’s other two main red grapes, Blaufraenkisch and St. Laurent, the former, late ripening with high acidity and firm tannins and the later early ripening with delicate fruit and moderate tannins.  The result, it is argued, is a wine that displays the best of both and is fruit forward, with gentle acidity and soft tannin. It can be made in a forward fruity style at a great price point or through selection and sometimes aging in barrique as a more structured reserve wine capable of many years bottle age.

Neusiedlersee DAC (designated area of origin) is located to the east of the Neusiedlersee a large lake on the boarder between Austria and Hungary.  The designation is only for the production of Zweigelt and sweet wines although most of the winemakers in the area also produce a variety of other wines too.

Some nice Burgenlaendlisch drinking slang!

To demonstrate this the aperitif served before lunch was a Welschriesling Voll Freude 2021 by Georg Preisinger.  Fresh with citrus and apple served gespritzt.  The perfect refresher: half wine and half sparkling mineral water.

Next a young 2021 Zweiglet by Preiner Wein, served with an autumnal mushroom risotto. 

Very fruit forward with accessible berries and a whiff of spice on the nose. A nice midweight body, soft tannins and good freshness. Well balanced and a collaborative partner to the delicate risotto flavours. Tasty!

The main course of grilled sweetbread was served with single vineyard Zweigelt by Gebrueder Nittnaus, Zweigelt Golser Ried Luckenwald 2004.

The wine demonstrated how well the variety can develop in the bottle in the right hands.

On the nose cut strawberries, damp forest floor, a touch of vanilla from the Barriques. It retained a lovely juiciness on the palate with complex tertiary notes of mulch and mushroom.  Great length. Excellent and it held its own against the richness of the sweetbread.

Finally with a desert of baked apple and vanilla cream a TBA Welschriesling Siddartha 2018 by Johannes Muenzenrieder.  Wow a delicious nose of peach, roasted nut and honey, more of the same in the mouth, lovely balance and length. Sweet wines from near the Neusiedlersee benefit from the morning mist and afternoon sun and somehow retain great freshness.

The line up of Zweigelts on the free pour table displayed a spectrum of wines most of which were juicy and tasty from the off with some cellared samples that had developed lovely complexity. There were nice examples by Artisan Wines, Weingut Kummer, Keringer, Preiner Wein, Hannes Reeh, Salzl Seewinkelhof and Allacher.

Hopefully we’ll start seeing some of these lovely Zweigelts appearing in shelves in the UK soon!


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Veritas Vineyards and Winery, Virginia ‘as happy as it can be’

The magnificent vista from the sauvignon plots on the high ground at Veritas

I was very keen to visit Veritas. Andrew Hodson, the owner like myself is also an English Doctor. There is a long historical connection with physicians and wine. Amongst many examples is the founder of Penfolds in Australia by Dr Christopher Penfolds who was a member of the society of Apothecaries in London. For more information about this I strongly recommend reading ‘Wine & Medicine: An Enduring Historical Association‘

Andrew and Patricia bought the land at Veritas 23 years ago and have transformed it into one of the go to destinations in Virginia wine country. Alongside producing supreme quality wines they have onsite luxury accommodation, a lovely restaurant and manage events and weddings. It’s a magnificent property.

Emily Hodson, Winemaker, Veritas Winery

I was lucky enough to be hosted by Emily Hodson, winemaker and daughter of Andrew. It is very much a family run business. Emily’s brother George the general manager also popped in to say hello. We sat over lunch and tried a series of Veritas wines.

After the tasting, Emily took us to explore the land in her 4WD. This led us to the peak of the property at over 1000 feet and to panoramic views over to the blue mountains of the Appalachian range. The Appalachians stretch thousands of miles parallel to the East coast of the United States.

She showed us the Afton mountain gap. This is one of the few gaps in the mountain range which allows for a flow of wind. This helps decide the orientation of the vines on the hilltop. The air flow provides not only a cooling effect from the heat of the Virginian Summer, but also helps to suppress disease which would be prominent in the humid conditions. The Sauvignon Blanc vines were thriving in this environment.

Wines tasted- whites

Veritas Scintilla 2015 sparkling wine

Traditional Method

100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blanc, dosage 7 g

Aged On lees 7 years. This was the First vintage

Brioche toasted almonds marzipan fresh apple and lemon crisp and refreshing.

Veritas Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Aromatic style, passion fruit. Reductive, cool ferment

Fresh some pyrazine

Grown at higher altitude and benefits from air flow through the Afton mountain gap

Veritas the momentarius collection 2019

Monticello white blend, no rules on what grapes to use or the vilification process

Petit manseng, chardonnay, viognier and sauvignon blanc.

Aromatic Sauvignon Blanc feels the most predominant. Nice balance.

Veritas the momentarius collection 2021

More restrained than 2021 and the petit manseng characteristics come through

Could not make a 2020 vintage as frost destroyed much of the crop in this part of Virginia

Wines tasted -reds

Veritas Cabernet Franc 2009

Bordeaux nose of cedar, tobacco and some aged character coming through, also effects of barrel hints of smoke and chocolate

Soft tannins nicely integrated, fruit dropped out

Initially slight Smokey and sulphurous but this blew off and complexity developed.

Veritas. Cabernet Franc Reserve 2017

As Benoit at Pollak had found the 2017 was a Great vintage. Emily’s description made me laugh out load!

‘As happy as it can be’

Delicious ripe cherry a fruit Bomb.

Pot pourri, floral, dry petals, and some dried herbs such as thyme really seductive nose, fabulous.

Veritas Cabernet 2021 franc

Plenty of fruit raspberries, nice balance of oak

More simple candied fruit but delicious easy drinking a bit more Pinot like

Veritas 3 2009

3 winemakers 3 vineyards 3 grapes a collaboration with Veritas, Pollak and King Family

A blend of 3 grapes Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet franc

Fruity fresh, lively, balanced with a Savoury salty mineral element. Chocolate pudding on the finish

Veritas Reserve 2019

Their Flagship wine

Can’t use ,vintners reserve, name due to name protection rights. I suggested Emily’s Reserve which went down well.

Violet chews, floral elements came through.

Veritas Petit Verdot 2019

Aromas of blueberry , Intense colour, deep ruby

Chunky dark thick skinned berries

A bit tight closed needs a decant nice rounded tannins, food wine, some violet notes

Lilies floral improved. Tried over the next few days whist in Washington DC and became more complex.

Veritas Petit Verdot 2017

Blueberry jam lots of delicious fruit a great top vintage clearly evident

Veritas Petit Manseng 2014

Dessert wine Great retention of acidity

Nuttiness slight oxidation 85g/l per litre sugar

Lovely complex most of candied pineapple and hazelnuts very ripe apples beeswax

Really well made, Jurancon like dessert wine

This tasting highlighted the potential in Virginia to establish some novel grape varieties such as Petit Manseng.

This grape in many ways is highly suited here. It ripens late leading to high sugar but retains its acidity

The thick skin helps with disease resistance and the high skin to pulp ratio intensifies flavours.

The 100% petit Verdot rarely found in the Old world seems to work here with the warmer climate.

It was interesting to try along with traditional varieties some more unusual wines such as dry Petit Manseng and 100% petit Verdot.

I managed to pick out some of Emily’s personal characteristics in the wines, such as the violet aromas from the Cabernet Franc and the blueberry in the 2009 Petit Verdot which has parcels of grapes grown on heavier clay soils.

It was also lovely to see the collaboration and friendliness between the winemakers exemplified here by the Veritas 3.

Matthieu Finot, Winemaker, King Family Vineyards

French winemaker Matthieu very kindly networked me in with local winemakers which facilitated my arrangements in Virginia.

I really like the way the winemakers join forces in the wine industry. This is something I have found throughout the world and is a joy to see. In so many walks of life people work against each other, more interested in bettering their own aims. Not so in the wine industry. It’s about sharing ideas, sharing innovations and helping the industry as a whole.

Matthieu was a shining example of this. He is from Northern Rhone and has a vineyard with his brother. He has worked in Bandol, Rhone and also Burgundy.

Matthieu proudly showing off his magnificent range of King Family wines

The wine industry is still relatively new here despite the planting of vines dating back hundreds of years by Thomas Jefferson at his Monticello estate. Matt is carrying on with developments and is planting Nebbiolo here. His favourite wines are Pinot and Syrah, but it’s too warm and wet here and the Clay soils don’t lend to those varieties Cabernet franc red does best being more resilient. The Soil is not right for Cabernet Sauvignon You can also do a lot with Cabernet Franc, such as Rose dessert wine, light style red and more full bodied red. It doesn’t have the acidity of the Loire and doesn’t show the methoxypyrazines shown in the old world. Matthieu wanted to produce a dry rose when he first came here. There was Some scepticism doing a dry rose now it’s the biggest seller.

Wines tasted, reds

King family Crose

100% merlot medium colour 1 day skin contact

Their biggest seller, Sold in cans too

Nice red fruits and balance

King family Petit manseng

I tried a dry petit manseng at Veritas too

High acidity, some honey and nutty notes and candied pineapple nicely crafted

Kings family vineyard Brut Blanc de Blanc 2015 100%Chardonnay

7 years ageing on Lees

Chalky Lemon apple crisp fresh

Kings family vineyard Viognier 2021

Watermelon apricot bitter finish

Not same oily texture as others. Harvested a little early so a fresher style

Kings family vineyard Chardonnay 2021

Barrel fermented with malolactic 25% new oak light citrus fruits fresh smokiness oak

Kings family vineyard mountain plains 2021

A blend of Chardonnay petit manseng and viognier, third each

Petit manseng does well in the Basque Country humid and clay in Jurançon

Works well here too maintain acidity and high brix. Very high acid good

18 months barrel, pineapple nuts some oxidation

Kings family vineyard Viognier Orange wine

Skin contact Viognier orange wine

Fermented like a red wine with punch down and malolactic

Very interesting complex nose Spicy nutmeg saffron orange, clove

Tannins but soft, served at room temperature fine but bitter tannins

Big wine interesting

Kings family vineyard Cab franc

Light style

Harvest early 12.3% wants fresh light style

Tuesday evening pizza night wine simple fresh light fruity

Bit savoury slightly vegetal

Kings family vineyard Meritage 2019

Flagship red which sells the most

18 Months in barrel

Merlot, petit Verdot, cab franc and Malbec blend

Needs time to develop slight bitter

Kings family vineyard Meritage 2008

Matthieu pulled something a bit older out of the cellar, Unfiltered wine

Showing some Bret horsiness with some fruit and good structure

Kings family vineyard Petit verdot 2019

Blue fruit, deep colour lots tannins full bodied

This tasting highlighted how well some varieties are doing here, such as viognier and petit verdot

I like the style of Cabernet Franc less pyrazined and more fruit forward which can be very green and herbaceous in places such as Chile and also Bordeaux but here seems to be a nice balance between new and old world. In the hands of gifted winemakers such as Matthieu it was also interesting to see the range of wines made and the embracing of new styles such as the viognier Orange wine.