Articles – Page 44 – Colin Harkness on Wine

ALIMENTARIA – AND ITS DECLINE?

ALIMENTARIA 2016

THE DECLINE OF SPAIN’S ONCE HUGE WINE/FOOD FAIR?

I’ve been going to Barcelona’s biennial food and wine fair, Alimentaria, for the last 14 years – that’s a lot of wine (I don’t have time for the food!). However, this year it’s been a little different, and it may be my last!

The halcyon days before La Crisis (Spain’s long-lived recession out of which we still haven’t emerged, though I’m delighted to say the signs are encouraging) are long gone, I know. For example eight or ten years ago, this fair was so huge it filled two massive sights in Barcelona, with an invariably packed, complimentary bus shuttle pinging back and forth between to two, like a pre-programmed pinball machine.

When La Crisis hit, the two sights were merged into one, understandably, though this one arena had several different pavilions covering, I don’t know how many thousand square metres. Abbreviated, yes, but in no way diminished. Alimentaria was still the go-to fair for all wine producers in Spain, as well as a number from abroad too, with this applying the more so to the food side of the show – often countries who share the same language, such as those from Central and South America.

So, having chucked my luggage in my, shall we say, modest, hotel room on arrival in Barcelona, just a couple of hours after the inauguration of Alimentaria 2016, I caught the metro (the bus had disappeared two or more years ago) to the Gran Via site. It was quiet when I entered the press room, though perfectly professional, as always. This quiet, in terms of delegates, press people and visitors, continued, slightly eerily, as I walked to the Intervin Pavillion, the location as the name suggests, where I would be based for the three days of my trip.

The normally packed, approximately 100 metres long aisles, were also quiet, with exhibitors all looking slightly pleadingly as I did my usual recce. I’ve always walked up and down along all the aisles, delineated helpfully, as always, by huge letters strung from the rafters many metres above. This year was no exception – however this year was an exception in itself. I was surprised to see, firstly several areas, with some bench seating set aside, nominally for rest and business discussions. Sounds like a good idea – except, that these areas have not existed in the past as there have never been any areas, capable of housing a stand, left free. A sort of cover-up by the organisers.

Next, I noticed that there were several (lots actually) DOs that this year were not represented. This was in rather ominous contrast to previous years when such DO stands had been lifesavers for bodegas who were suffering the effects of La Crisis and couldn’t afford a stand of their own, as they’d enjoyed in previous, more plentiful years. The DOs rented the stand area, no doubt charging the bodegas a sum to mostly cover their costs, but a sum more easier to find than their having to find the whole cost of an individual stand. The absence of several DO stands, thus meant an absence of lots of bodegas too.

Then, to my initial interest, but eventual slight despondency, I realised that the quite appropriate wine complementary industries – Olive Oil, Nibbles etc, were in fact taking up a rather disproportionate amount of space. For example, rather than a few olive oil producers, there were, what, maybe 50+ stands offering tastings of the wonderful golden and dark green liquid.

One end of the pavilion was populated by olive oil producers, whilst the other end displayed an impressive assortment of food stuffs, often, though not exclusively, wine-related. Wait a minute though, shouldn’t the majority of these exhibitors have been in the food halls? Is the food part of Alimentaria expanding at the expense of the wine part? Well, yes, I think it must be!

So, a slightly (very?) doom and gloom report on Alimentaria 2016 – but I haven’t finished yet. There were certainly several highlights for me, and if was definitely worth the expense of going.

Each year, and 2016 was no exception, there are two areas to which I’m drawn like moths to light, and neither disappointed, in fact, both exceeded expectations!

Vinorum Think (I believe, a re-vamped, re-named version of that which preceded it) had, as anticipated, organised some excellent tutored tastings presented by wine luminaries of national and international fame. Whilst I say, perhaps a little immodestly, that I believe I know a fair bit about the Spanish wine scene, I’m certainly neither conceited, nor daft enough to think I know it all! Nobody does!

So, my aim, when attending such presentations, is firstly to learn as well as, on occasion, to have my knowledge confirmed, often adapted and sometimes – dashed! Speakers like: Andrés Proensa of what for me is Spain’s best Wine Guide and Wine Magazine, respectively the Guía Proensa and PlanetAvino; his oppostite number, chief competitor, José Peñín, founder of the comprehensive Guía Peñín; Victor de la Serna and business partner (in their also excellent wine magazine, ElMundoVino, Juancho Asenjo; Alberto Gil and Spain’s champion Sumiller of 2014, Guillermo Cruz; and the controversial, and to my mind slightly inappropriate in his comments, Tom Stevenson, dubbed the most important sparkling wine critic in the World, and founder of the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships.

More soon on these particular tastings, the wines so enjoyed by all of us, the ones that perhaps, for me, didn’t live up to expectations, and indeed the controversy alluded to above, in future Cork Talks.

My other regular port of call at Alimentaria is to the area set aside for tastings organised by the Cataluña Communidad, which, of course, comprises several (I think 11) different DOs. These smaller tastings, for just 30 people maximum, are always a little less formal, though no less informative than the large scale ones above.

This year I was delighted to see (hear and understand!) that speakers were very willing to present in Castellano, rather than the go-to Catalan language, used automatically in previous years. Don’t get me wrong here, I’m wholly in favour of keeping Spain’s varied languages and dialects alive. However, at an international event such as Alimentaria it makes far more sense to talk in the language of the country as a whole, the one (if any) that visitors like myself understand and in which we can converse sufficiently well to ask questions and clarify points.

These more intimate tutored tastings also boast well respected presenters, for example one this year was the Sumiller Champion of 2014, a newer vintage of the above! Plus, another advantage is that it gives those lucky enough to secure places, an opportunity to taste wines of the area that aren’t always produced in sufficient numbers for them to be enjoyed outside of Cataluña. There is an amazing variety and lots of excellent quality too!

Contact Colin: colin@colinharknessonwine.com Facebook Colin Harkness Twitter @colinonwine

NB Colin’s next Fine Wine & Gourmet Dine Programme on Total FM 91·8 and online www.totalfm.es will be on Sunday 15^th May from the new time of 18:30 – 20:00 hrs (Spanish Time); that’s 30 minutes extra of wine and food chat, wine maker/chef interviews, on-air tastings, competitions and lots of fun, due to popular demand!

THE INTERNATIONAL WINE TOURISM CONFERENCE 2016

The 8^th IWINETC was recently held in Cataluña, near Barcelona. I was delighted to be invited to attend, as a staff member!

My role was to be threefold – Moderator of the Panel Discussion on basic Dos & Don’ts of Wine Tourism; Tour Guide; General Dogsbody! Although quite physically demanding, I relished all three.

The International Wine Tourism Conference, which is a unique opportunity for all those involved in Wine Tourism to meet, network and plan further development, is the brainchild of much travelled Anthony Swift, who now resides in the hills above Villafranca del Penedés. Anthony is also responsible for the lauded ’50 Great Cavas’ competition, which, after a good deal of tasting and visiting, translates into an impressive, beautifully designed and finished publication, which readers may like to buy (www.winepleasures.com), perhaps for a surprise Christmas present this year – though stocks are limited!

Just some of the 300+ delegates enjoying some Cava before the inauguration of IWINETC 2016

There were two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, of fascinating talks by speakers from countries of origin as diverse as: Indonesia, India, China, USA, Australia, Hungary, Moldova, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Montenegro to name several, though by no means all! Delegates from varied walks of life, all related to Wine Tourism, of course, began arriving on Sunday, with a large influx on Monday. This was to be my first day of action!

IWINETC Founder Anthony Swift in action!

Cava Llopart was my destination, where grapes have been grown since at least 1385, as a document has been discovered which proves this, and where, in 1857 the Llopart family wine business started. Llopart was one of the first to produce Cava in the area and the 4^th and 5^th generation of the family are doing the same today!

Llopart Cavas are very well known in the area of Cataluña, but, as production is limited from this relatively small winery, they are not so well known in the rest of Spain, or indeed in the world, as only 15% of their production is exported. However, the quality of their products is such that they should be extremely well known – outstanding cava.

An excellent visit at Cava Llopart - enjoyed by the whole group! — An excellent visit at Cava Llopart – enjoyed by the whole group!

And an outstanding guide! Cristina, one of the panel members of the discussion I was to chair a couple of days later, has the knowledge and the ability to impart it in user-friendly terms, and with a smile as delicious as the cava we tasted. Cristina heads the small Wine Tourism Project – and I’ll be back!

The next day was the first of the days which were to concentrate on all manner of talks centred on wine tourism, with the highlight, for me certainly, being that being presented by Sarah Jane Evans MW (Master of Wine). Like all Masters of Wine, Sarah Jane has an immense depth of knowledge about all things wine orientated (the title gives it away, really!), but her specialist area is Spanish wine. I knew I could learn from her, of course, it was just a question of whether I would be able to attend her talk on Cava, and the tasting of her selection of 8 cavas, each high ranking in the aforementioned publication, ‘50 Great Cavas’.

An inspirational talk about Cava from Sarah Jane Evans MW - Spanish Wine Expert. — An inspirational talk about Cava from Sarah Jane Evans MW – Spanish Wine Expert.

Fortunately, as it happened, Anthony had me down on his list as ‘dogsbody’ for this keynote talk and I was to meet Sarah Jane before the event to discuss her needs, re timing, glasses, pouring etc. I have to say that this was a highlight of the whole week for me! Charming, erudite, intellectual and happy to share knowledge, it was an instructive pleasure to spend some time with Sarah Jane. The more so to find that we had views in common, for example re the importance of placing the date of disgorgement on the back labels of cava bottles, and more.

As chief bottle opener (have you ever opened just under 150 bottles of cava?!), I unfortunately didn’t have much of a chance to taste any of the cavas, nor to listen to all Sarah Jane’s comments. However, her standing ovation at the end of the talk, told the story of how popular a talk it was.

That night there was a Gala Dinner to be held in the elegant restaurant of the largest sparkling wine producer in the world! That’s right – Freixenet, whose countless millions of bottles sit silently in the dimly lit cellars that run for kilometres underneath the streets of Cava’s natural home, Sant Sadurni d’Anoia, until it is their time to come into the spotlight in one of the countries of all five continents in which the Freixenet Fizz is sold!

First though – the tour! As I’ve been in Spanish wine tourism for 19 years now, since even before the word ‘Enoturismo’ had been coined, I seem to naturally gravitate to the guide’s seat at the head of the bus, in contrast to being always at the rear as our group went ‘on tour’. And what a tour it was – at each of the several stops, which took in the museum above ground and then the various levels below, there was a glass of cava for us all, accompanied by a paired tapa. And, whilst there is nothing wrong with the world famous, distinctively bottled, Cordon Negro, the cavas served to this knowledgeable group were all top cuvees!

Each dish of the four course dinner that followed was also, of course, paired with cavas from their huge portfolio. An excellent, though very late, evening!

The next day I was determined not to miss the much anticipated talk about Wine Tourism in India, to be given by Subhash Arora, one of the real characters of the conference! Entertaining and highly knowledgeable, Subhash charmed us into wanting to visit such an ancient culture with such a nascent wine tourism industry by talking us through the various wine routes he recommends.

Later it was my turn! Mine was really Mission Impossible, in fact, my opening line to the 100+ people who attended. The idea was that I should tease out of the distinguished panel members, each of whom had been asked to consider the idea from a different perspective, as well as from the audience, a definitive list of Dos and Don’ts regarding Wine Tourism. German, Jochen Erler, played the role of the Wine Tourist; Sarah May Grunwald is a Wine Tour Operator specialising in Georgian Wine Tours; and Cristina Soler, Guide and Head of Wine Tourism at Cava Llopart.

That night we had another Gala Dinner, this time after we had toured Bodegas Torres, probably the most famous winemaking family in Spain. Another fascinating and extremely tasty tour – though there’s not enough space to include details here.

For the final two days I was back in my familiar position as guide – the venues were really excellent, with such committed and passionate people, all keen to tell us their own, unique stories. Again though, there simply isn’t the space to include them here!

My final thought is one of great optimism – for Wine Tourism, of course, but also for the human condition! There were over 25 different countries represented at the International Wine Tourism Congerence 2016. Countries, all with history, and not always a pleasant one at that, and yet there was not an unpleasant word spoken, heard or I’m sure, thought! The IWINETC was uplifting, in every respect!

www.iwinetc.com

My next Fine Wine & Gourmet Dine Programme on www.totalfm.es is live on Sunday 1st May from 6:30pm – 8pm (Spanish Time). Wine Chat, Tasting Tips and Info as well as Restaurant news and Wine/Food suggestions – it’s all there, with some fun too! Then Sunday 15th May and every two weeks after that!

PS If you think Indian Cuisine is best paired with beer, I suggest you think again – and join me at Restaurante Kathmandu, Moraira on Sunday 8^th May; and at their sister restaurant, Kathmandu, in Javea on Sunday May 22^nd, for a super Spanish Wine/Indian Cuisine Pairing Evening! Please e-mail colin@colinharknessonwine.com for more info and to reserve the few places left!

Cannals Y Munné Fine Fizz & Wine!

CANALS Y MUNNÉ ARE STILL SPARKLING!

There are couple of puns in the title and I’ve plagiarised my own work from a few years ago – but hey, I’ll make it easy for you. Complex wines are OK, in fact they are to be relished, but complexity in Cork Talk, when you are just settling down to a good read with a nice cup of coffee? Well, you can do without a puzzle, I guess!

Five generations ago the family Canals Munné (which remains in control to this day) planted their first vineyards in Can Canals – the vines took root, and so did the legend! They make excellent Cava – really top drawer; plus they also make very good still wines. Hence the play on words above. OK, furrowed brows now relaxed and ready to read on? Then I’ll begin!

One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that, in most cases, Spanish wineries are not slow to take up new ideas. There are exceptions, of course, but generally, whilst keeping in touch with tradition, they are also keen to move forward. The Spanish wine scene is thus refreshingly dynamic.

I’m writing this a few weeks before I make my biennial pilgrimage to Alimentaria, the huge wine and food fair in Barcelona, where I just know I will see changes from two years ago – in terms of emphasis, technology, wine-making innovation and, bottle and label design.

The latter, is particularly relevant here. My old friend Albert Carcereny from Bodegas Canals & Munné has kept me informed over the years of any news relating to the bodega and his recent communication about the label change caught my eye. It’s typical of this winery to keep on the move, eschewing the thought of resting on one’s capacious laurels.

Their design team has decided that the bodega needs a new image, label-wise, to keep them at the cutting edge of a very competitive market. And to prepare consumers, so there can be no doubt about whose wines they are buying, they thought it best to send the information to the press to help diffuse the news.

I hope the change didn’t cost them the vast amount of money that Gonzalez y Byass spent on their Tio Pepe Fino Sherry bottle change a few years ago – a staggering amount that will take years to recoup in sales terms! However, thinking about it now, I actually can’t remember what the old style Tio Pepe bottles looked like – so, in the long run I guess it was worth (will be?) worthy it!

The new labels on the Canals & Munné range are simple, minimalist, modern – and effective. They are now firmly implanted in my brain and I’ll look out for them, which is no doubt the desired effect!

But what of the wine? Well, I had no concerns there – I’ve never tasted a poor Canals & Munné wine, and I didn’t expect to here. I wasn’t disappointed.

It so happened that the lovely Claire and I were in a celebratory mood recently – I’m not sure why, perhaps because it was a Friday?! I opened my Cave Vinum and Canals & Munné’s Insuperable Brut Cava, almost leapt out! It was a clear sign!

Made with the traditional and classic Cava blend, Macabeo, Xarel.lo and Parellada – this time, 40%, 30% and 30% respectively, there is an elegance about the wine too. It’s had 25 months en rima (resting upside-down on its lees) in the cellar, making it a Reserva (in fact it’s had 10 months longer than the minimum time in order for a cava to be proclaimed a Reserva) and this shows in its mouth-feel.

It retains that celebratory note that we all love in sparkling wines, but it’s not at all shallow, as are so many of the cheap cavas. It’s the extra time en rima that has achieved this, of course, but also the blend. Macabeo gives us that wonderful apple vibrant acidity that keeps cava fresh, but it’s the body of the Xarel.lo and the finesse of the Parellada that make a major contribution to this cava!

Please also note that the important date of disgorgement is also printed on the back label!

I once called Xarel.lo ‘the new Chardonnay’. It doesn’t have the same taste and aroma profile as the ubiquitous friend but it does have the same knack of being full in flavour and the ability to add significantly to blends as well as being content to be on its own. Plus it’s perfectly happy with oak, from largish doses to ‘ the semi-crianza roble’ style.

Gran Blanc Prínceps Xarel.lo FB 2015 has had just three months in barrel following its fermentation in same. At this moment, it is I believe, slightly unbalanced in that it hasn’t yet had time to settle into the super whole that it will no doubt become. I’ve tasted this wine before, but in different vintages and when it has had over 6 months in bottle. It’s one of those wines that defies the general rule that Spanish whites should be enjoyed when young.

I’m not sure of its price, but if you can – buy it now and wait until Christmas! Served with turkey, and chicken, it will, by then, be really good. It will also suit rice dishes, paella of course, but also risotto, and for these I thin k you’ll be able to enjoy the wine a little earlier – the start of summer and throughout Autumn too!

I have a glass of the Blanc Prínceps Blanc de Blanc Muscat right now! The raison and grape aromas are swirling around my laptop, making me stop writing and reach for the glass too often! It’s a lovely wine made from Moscatel, with floral notes on the nose as well as the fruit, which goes onto the palate and leaves a really lovely taste as you swallow.

It may shock, but try this wine with Indian cuisine – it’s a super match that we enjoyed last night!

So, that’s three from Canals Munné, and there are a whole lot more! Look for the new label and buy with confidence!

Www.canalsimunne.com

NB my next Fine Wine & Gourmet Dine Programme on Total FM 91:8 and www.totalfm.es is on Sunday 3^rd April from 7pm – 8pm Spain time. I’ll be tasting 3(!) wines from Bodegas Castaño, DOP Yecla on-air and talking about the wines, pairing them with food, the Bodegas Castaño wine tourism etc. Comments and questions will be welcome colin@colinharknessonwine.com and texts to 629 388 159!

You can also join Colin’s 1,060 followers on Twitter as well as connecting with him via Facebook (Colin Harkness) – to hear all the news about the Spanish Wine Scene!

Bodega Dehesa De Luna

Just as the jeans-clad, ponytailed Pablo Iglesias, Secretary General of the nascent Podemos Political Party, strolled defiantly into the be-suited parliament, post General Election, demanding change; so too is the younger generation of vine growing, wine making dynasties seeking, at least modification, at best(?) a radical overhaul of the system.

THE MOON GODDESS

As we approach the 2020’s the, once very conservative, Spanish wine scene is slowly being turned upside down – a reflection perhaps of the current political state of the nation.

DOs: La Mancha, Utiel-Requena, Cava and others, including the iconic DOCa Rioja, have all recently seen prestigious bodegas jumping ship and going on their own. There will be more – mark my words – before those indolent, stuck-in-the-mud and stagnating Denominaciónes de Origen finally realise that, in a dynamic national and world-wide wine scene, there has to be, first reflection and then meaningful change.

The former, now; the latter, very soon.

One of the changes over the past decade, and more, that has occurred, and very successfully too, is the fact that Vino de la Tierra wines can no longer be considered to be in some way lesser than wines labelled DO. In fact, in some cases, it’s quite the reverse – which should be high on the agenda of those DOs who are now embarking on a course of reflection, as above.

I recently received a brace of wines from Bodega Dehesa De Luna (The Moon Godess) VdlT de Castilla, Albacete, whose small portfolio should really be a wake-up call to under-performing, laurel-sitting Denominaciónes de Origen.

Their labels, as well as their name, are give-aways re this bodega’s philosophy and, to a point their method of vine growing and wine making. Phases of the moon are depicted on the labels, and it’s this phenomenon, observed first at the dawn of man, that is central to Bodega Dehesa De Luna.

It’s not yet true to say that Bodegas Dehesa De Luna is a biodynamic bodega, they may never make that transition. However it is clear that their approach to vine tending and wine making goes beyond just organic principles. A look at their website will show that they are in tune with nature – they care about the land that they share with plant and animal life. And, it shows in their wines.

Luna Lunera Tempranillo 2014 (just 4€ from the online shop!) is made exclusively from Tempranillo, Spain’s darling, noble grape variety (though, for me it should be considered as, one of . . ). The 2014 growing season saw a considerable elevation in temperatures, with a simultaneous, unfortunate drop (excuse the pun!) in rainfall, which us usually low anyway! The result was that as the vines were under stress, the grapes had to be harvested early. However, a suffering (but not too, too much) vine will produce excellent grapes for wine making. Thus the 2014 Luna Lunera is particularly lush on the palate.

It’s a darkly coloured wine, clean, bright and attractive in the glass. On the nose there are some violet, floral aromas with some dark berry fruits, blackberry and blueberry, coming through. On the palate this fruit, aided and abetted by lighter coloured, ripe strawberry and loganberry, takes centre stage. It’s so juicy it almost sings!

It’s a semi-crianza, roble, red wine whose brief 3 months ageing in French and American oak has influenced the nose a little (traces on vanilla and a faint smokiness) and the palate too where you’ll note a touch of toasted wood, along with some back-up smokiness. I appreciate the food-compatible, slightly bitter liquorice on the finish, which rounds off a wine to simply drink as well as enjoy with perhaps pasta, chicken and pork, as well as tapas, of course!

Dehesa de Luna 2013 (8€), which has a month’s phases of the moon as a centre-point on the label, is a step up in complexity and depth. A more serious wine, yes, but still having the byline – fruit first!

The Spring of 2013 as unusually cold and took its time to warm up into Summer, consequently vine development, front flower formation onwards, was delayed. The harvest, depending on each of the varieties involved in this wine – Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot, took just over 2 weeks and was a touch later than normal, whilst waiting for the fruit to mature fully.

The result is a wine that has, for me, a slightly French spin to it. Tempranillo is a very Spanish variety (although now grown all over the world, though not that I’ve heard of in France!) of course, but its bedfellows have a distinct French accent! It’s quite a full and rich Spanish red which also manages an engaging elegance, and I believe, eloquence too.

The aim of Bodega Dehesa De Luna is to create wines to speak of their terroir. The land between the rows of vines are covered with low lying overgrowth which attracts insects who also attach vine pests. This cover also helps contain what little rainfall there is, whilst also encouraging the vines to dig deeper into the earth. Then, when the harvest is over this growth can be be dug into the soil to help replace any lost nitrogen. Healthy soil means healthy vines and of course there is a pleasing sustainability about the whole project.

Once the various varieties have finished their fermentation in stainless steel, with malolactic fermentation following, the master blender gets to work before the wine is finally placed in 225 litre barrels, where is stays for a period of about 6 months. Barrels are tasted to decide when is the exactly right time to bottle – then the wine is ready for the market.

And, whilst it’s drinking very well right now it will reward those who are prepared to wait at least a year (try three!) when nit will have developed still further. Right now there is a very good all dark fruit presence, blackberry and blackcurrant with faint blueberry notes too. There is a touch of undergrowth on the nose which also underpins the rich fruit when the wine is held on the palate. There are toasty oak notes, though shy at first, and you may just feel, rather than taste, a slight Syrah based black pepper element too.

www.bodegadehesadeluna.com

Contact Colin: colin@colinharknessonwine.com and Facebook Colin Harkness and Twitter @colinonwine

Don’t forget also that Colin has his own fortnightly radio programme on www.totalfm.es Total FM 91·8 from /pm – 8pm Spanish time. The next Fine Wine & Gourmet Dine Programme is on Sunday 20^th March, sponsored by DOP Yecla and Bodegas La Purísima, two of whose wines he’ll be tasting on-air whilst also sampling tapas from Restaurante Nesfor, Javea. You’d be mad to miss it!