Category: Articles

ENGLISH SPARKLING WINE – THE JAVEA CONNECTION!

 

Javea, that three-part harmony of a town, on the Costa Blanca, which nestles between the, historically, more famous, Denia, and the ever more chic, Moraira, is famous for the sum of its parts.

 

El Pueblo, affectionately referred to by the Brits as, the Old Town, sits atop a hill, whose crowning glory is its blue and white tiled church dome overseeing: the indoor market, the tranquil plaza and a labyrinth of donkey-wide, sloping, atmospheric streets; El Puerto, with its tide-smoothed pebble beach, lovely marine walk and cool shops; plus, of course, La Playa Arenal, whose golden sands and palm trees look out onto the fabulous turquoise coloured bay.

 

However, Javea can also lay claim, in part at least, to have had a hand in the rise, and rise of English Sparkling Wine! A past, long time resident of Javea, Anton Massel, now located in Germany, I think, was actually instrumental in starting the now burgeoning English (and Welsh) Sparkling Wine industry!

 

Anton, a friend, colleague and business partner of mine some 15 years ago is well known amongst wine types on the Costa Blanca as the founder of the Costa Blanca Wine Society. A renowned, oft published wine writer, and wine-maker and consultant of his time, he also had a fine reputation in Germany and other western European countries. Plus, although I didn’t know it until I walked into the head offices of the International Wine & Spirits Competition several years ago, for my first appearance on the judging panel, Anton Masel was also the founder of the IWSC, still one of the three most prestigious international wine competitions!

 

English Sparkling Wine was first produced in about 1955 – the history is murky. Wine production in the UK, historically the preserve of monasteries and noblemen, had virtually died out between the two World Wars, certainly on a commercial scale, and there were only a few who had the wherewithal and the courage to restart. Most wines were made with German varieties, considered hardy enough to withstand the British climate, albeit in the south of England, and Wales. And almost invariably they were still wines.

 

Fast forward a couple of decades and enter our hero Anton Massel who was working as wine consultant and wine-maker for Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones who had readily agreed to Anton’s suggestion that they make a traditional method Sparkling Wine using the Champagne variety, Chardonnay, of which Sir Guy had some modest plantings. The experiment was a success and others took note, though it wasn’t until the late 80s that a new generation of winemakers began to eschew the hardy Muller Thurgau, Reichensteiner and La Seyval varieties in favour of Chardonnay (following Anton’s pioneering work), Pinot Noir and Pinot Meurnier.

 

There followed a number of successes in wine competitions and especially at the IWSC in 1992 and again in 1998.

 

Readers will perhaps have heard of, and sampled(?), Nytember the English Sparkling Wine that started to win glory at blind international fizz tastings, competing against Champagne and top Cava, in the 2000s. Nowadays, Chapel Down, Furleigh, Ridge View, Langham and many others are up there competing for the gongs.

 

Indeed, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, turned over part of her Great Windsor Estate to the planting of vines in 2011, the resulting sparkling wines were made available at the start of 2017. The 3,000 bottle only production was put on the market by Laithwaites, in fact in a three-bottle presentation case priced at only 75 pounds – which, as you might imagine, sold out immediately!

 

English Sparkling Wine is served on BA First Class flights and a recent directive to all the British Embassies across the world stated that English Sparkling Wine must be served to visiting dignitaries!

 

So cheers to Anton, and cheers to Javea too!

 

ET TU, BRUT?

 

Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, in case you were wondering. However, it’s the Brut part of the quote to which I refer in this, the Costa News Wine Column, Cork Talk which, in September, will have chalked up its 20^th year!

 

However, at the time of writing, I’m a considerable distance from the Costas of Spain. It’s not quite raining, though it’s been forecast for later, and we’ve certainly seen enough of the wet stuff since our arrival in the UK two weeks ago! Whilst we’ve been wet often, indeed drenched twice, it hasn’t dampened our spirits, nor those of the friends and family whom we’ve visited thus far – the wine, often sparkling, has been flowing!

 

Knowing my antipathy towards the P-word (Prosecco, that imposter and would-be usurper!), we’ve not yet been served any of the ubiquitous, almost invariably too-sweet Italian fizz! Instead, we’ve been served a variety of Sparkling Wines, Cava, of course, French (though not yet Champagne) and, very interestingly, English Sparkling Wine. I’ve enjoyed them all, but I have noticed that, to a bubble, they’ve all been catering for what producers seem to believe is the Great British predilection for sweeter styles – a sweeter shade of Brut, to paraphrase Procol Harem!

 

Frankly, it’s not for me – there’s Brut and there’s Brut, but it seems that not many stockists are aware that there is also Extra Brut, and Brut Nature.

 

In order for a sparkling wine to be eligible for the dry Brut Category it has to contain between 4 – 12 grams of sugar per litre. When one considers that for a Brut Nature, the far drier style, these figures are reduced to between 0 – 4 grans per sugar, it’s clear that there is a large margin for Brut sparklers. They can have 4 grams of sugar, and they can have three times as much sugar, and still be called Brut.

 

Usually these figures are not mentioned on the label – it will state simply ‘Brut’ and it’s you palate which, with training, determines the actual level of sweetness. Mine told me that all, so far, of the sparklers we’ve tasted had to have been on the higher end of the scale. A little further investigation (that’s what I do!) revealed that that most were over 10 grams of sugar per litre. For me, it’s way too much, and I suspect that there are many fizz drinkers who are unaware that they can enjoy their sparkling wines, without so much sweetness.

 

In fact in the UK, there was a short-lived spike in sales of the drier Extra Brut and Brut Nature (my favourite) styles fairly recently. Risibly (for me, anyway) this was because such sparklers were marketed as ‘Skinny Fizz’, targeting those who calorie count as part of their diets. A glass of But Nature will have about 60 calories whereas a Brut will have 100+. However, also surely for most of us, I don’t ever consider how many calories I’m taking in when I’m toasting a celebration! Perhaps this is the reason for that spike to have waned.

 

Reading around the subject in preparation for this article I discovered some interviews with Champagne producers who were, erroneously in my view, explaining that there is far less Brut Nature than Brut because the wine-making is more difficult and more precise, which puts off most producers. It’s a fallacy.

 

It’s also incorrect, in my view, to suggest that should these wine-makers be not quite up to the mark, the result will be searingly sharp and acidic, almost undrinkable fizz, with one commentator using the description paint-stripper! This is another fallacy, and one I’d like to quash straight away.

 

It’s simple, though perhaps ironic. Pick the fruit when it is riper than that which is picked, destined for the sweeter of the Brut styles. This will ensure that there is sufficient fruit-sweetness in the wine following its second fermentation when the zero dosage (or very small dosage) is added before the, now sparkling, wine is bottled and ready to rest before being sold. This will be the driest style of sparkling wine, but it will be perfectly palatable!

 

I believe that the admittedly huge success of Prosecco in the UK is partly due to the fact that over a long time the British palate has been subjected to Brut styles that have continuously been just on, or only fractionally under, the maximum 12 grams of sugar per litre. Prosecco, almost always of a sweet style, had an ideal opening – plus, it’s cheaper

THE TIP-OFF!

MUSEUM WINES & No.8 WINE SHOP, DORSET

 

In those halcyon days of yesteryear, whilst working as a professional football scout for Liverpool FC (did I mention that before?!), I remember receiving a tip-off: “There’s a young lad doing rather well in North Wales. Half the season gone, and he’s already beaten Ian Rush’s goal scoring record for the same team of a few years before. You might like to have a look at him?”.

 

The ‘young lad’ was Michael Owen. We signed him – you know the rest of the story!

 

So, when I received a tip-off, this time wine related, just prior to our recent UK sojourn, taking in, amongst several other counties, a week in Dorset, I somehow knew it portended well. Nicky ‘done good’ to put it in football parlance, when she recommended that whilst staying in Blandford Forum, ‘we might like to’ visit the No.8 Wine Shop (www.no8wine.com), just down the road.

 

It’s an impressive edifice, converted farm buildings, I think, with grounds also playing host to at least one other business. I wouldn’t have thought that the two or three tiny villages dotted here and there in the beautiful rolling hills and richly wooded Dorset landscape would have provided sufficient clients to ensure viability. However, when one scans the stock, and that’s just that which is available in the shop, it’s clear that this must be a successful business – the investment in wines alone is considerable.

 

Add to this, owner (I think?), Dan’s trips to attend various buyers’ tastings in several different countries as well as continents, including visits to the ‘en primeur’ jamboree (the annual Bordeaux tastings, where last year’s wines are just starting their long ageing before release in, well, 10 yrs, 20, 30+; and when buyers such as Dan rub shoulders with MWs whose job it is to declare when these wines will be at their best, long before they are actually approachable.), and it’s clear that Museum Wines No.8 Wine Shop is getting along very nicely, thanks very much!

 

And as if to confirm it, when visiting a local pub which is building a fine reputation for its restaurant, I noticed that several of their wines were ones which we had tasted with Dan a few days before. No.8 Wine Shop also has an enviable corporate list, supplying to discerning restaurants. Plus, on Friday nights only (thus far) the shop remains open into the evening when the car park quickly becomes full and many rather well-shod wine types spend their evening tasting a large variety of fine wines whilst chatting and eating pizza!

 

On such nights clients can order from an impressive blackboard list of wines by the glass, sensibly priced – it’s an ideal opportunity to try several different wines without having to buy a whole bottle. However, those who know what they want, bottle-wise, or those who, see a bottle of something they’d love to taste, that isn’t on the list, are also catered for – full bottles of any of the wines in the shop can be bought to drink in, with just an extra corkage fee to pay. It’s busy!

 

Dan kindly let us taste four different wines, without obligation – three from South Africa, a rosé, an oaked Chardonnay and a Sancerre-esque Sauvignon Blanc, plus a Puligny Montrachet. All impressive.

 

After some time deciding we actually bought four wines.

 

The white Languedoc 2015 we tried is made with Piquepoul Blanc and Rousanne, both of which are varieties rarely found in Spain. There is a white peach aroma to this wine, complemented on the palate by citrus notes and just a touch of honeydew melon. Fruit filled yes, but with dept and character too.

 

Castle Street is the name of the No.8 Wine Shop wines made specifically for them. The Australian Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz blend is more subtle than many of the Aus blockbusters, yet has spicy black and red berry fruit flavour enough. It lingers after swallowing and really makes you reach again for the glass. Easy drinking, and some!

 

Il Folle has a drawing of a Court Jester on the label, an Italian jester as this wine is from Sicily (I’m gonna make you a wine you can’t refuse!). It’s an IGP wine, not a Denominazione di Origine Controllata, and as such is another indication that there are fine wines being made outside of the DOs of both Italy and Spain. Quite rich on the first hit and yet some elegance too.

 

Finally one of the famous names of Italy, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, for sure a DO wine and happy to represent the whole DO concept. Frentano has a pleasing blend of soft red and black fruits with a whiff of mountain herb. We didn’t, but, try this wine with pasta, lasagna particularly!

 

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

 

A SOMM ENCHANTED EVENING?

 

I took it as a compliment, rather than a threat, when I was recently asked to consult on a wine matter for inclusion in an author’s second novel! Woodrow McKane is a well respected 6^th Dan Martial Arts Instructor in the UK, and he’d just made me an offer I couldn’t refuse! As you can imagine, for both reasons, I accepted with alacrity!

 

In one of the chapters of the new, as yet unnamed, sequel to, ‘Slayers of the Dark Web’ (available on Amazon, I’ve bought a copy for my Kindle!), some of McKane’s characters find themselves in a, presumably, rather upmarket restaurant. I’ll not give anything away, of course, but there is a sommelier involved and his part in proceedings on which I was asked to comment (sorry ladies, I believe the Somm in this case, coincidentally, is a man, though I know that these days there are many of the fairer sex undertaking this line of work with a certain feminine and elegantly, successful aplomb!) .

 

It made me think about the role of the Sommelier – historically a rather staid, sometimes arrogant, integral part of a ‘posh’ restaurant; but nowadays something of a female (better balance now, ladies?) or male superstar on the lines of celebrity chefs. It’s an interesting metamorphosis.

 

Wikipedia tells us that a Sommelier, ‘is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, normally working in fine restaurants who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing.’ In the past, that’s at the turn of the 19^th/20^th Century, and  before too, sommeliers were found almost exclusively in French restaurants, mostly in France.

 

In the early 1900s this expanded, firstly to those restaurants which were French owned, but in different countries, and then to restaurants abroad that were at least in the French style, regardless of ownership. The idea caught on and up to the 80s sommeliers could be found lurking in the cellars of many top quality restaurants, no matter the, country, style or ownership.

 

Their badge of honour (now relegated to that alone) was the ‘tastevin’, a small silver, or at least silver-plated, vessel hung about their person and used, occasionally to the chagrin of the uninitiated, to taste the almost invariably expensive wine that has just been ordered, on the Somm’s advice, of course!

 

Having pulled and inspected the cork, as well as smelling it, the Sommelier will have already decided if the wine has a fault, or not. The tasting of the wine from the ‘tastevin’ was simply to confirm his opinion, a final part of the quality control, and  not to see if he himself actually liked it!

Some diners, the ones who ordered the wine in the first place, having witnessed the performance, will certainly have been intimidated, and would really not want to taste the wine themselves, thank you very much, when the Somm, pours a small amount in her(!)/his glass! Do we question the Doctor when he pronounces his diagnosis? He’s the expert, leave it to him!

 

Others, of course, may delight in simply being bloody-minded, go along with the tasting and then have the temerity to dramatically send it back! But some, may have genuinely detected a faint fault that had eluded the sommelier – we can all have off days/nights!

 

Well, that was then and these days every top restaurant worth its salt (and its fine wine vault) has a Sommelier, whose role has expanded dramatically. She/or he will very often be the wine buyer, often championing boutique producers and lesser known areas; it’s almost certain that they’ll have, not just the experience, the educated nose and palate, but also the educated brain as well.

 

There are Sommelier exams to sit, degrees to earn and guilds/associations of which to become a member. The sommelier will be on an equal footing with the Chef de Cuisine,  and the owners at menu planning meetings. Food and wine pairings won’t just be discussed, they’ll be trialed too!

 

These days they’ll often have a far better ‘table-side manner’ and, thanks to social media, sommeliers are now followed by tens of thousands, making them seriously impressive influencers. There have been books written by sommeliers, of course, but also, nowadays, films, videos, documentaries and even at least one TV series.

 

But tell me, when she/he comes over, do you see the move as brightening or darkening the restaurant table. Any stories of your experiences with sommeliers, good and, well, not so good, will be gratefully received! colin@colinharknessonwine.com