FRA_GG_N45-WEB

CHÂTEAU 

HAUT MACÔ: 

SIMPLY 

WINEGROWERS 

Autumn 2021 

L 19045 - 45 - F: 7,95 € - RD 

This family-run Côtes de 

Bourg property is run by 

brother and sister duo 

Anne & Hugues Mallet 

PAGES 115-122 

OUR AUTUMN SELECTIONS: 

ITALY AND SOUTH AFRICA

14-16 

FEB. 

2022 

PARIS EXPO 

PORTE DE 

VERSAILLES 

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the wine 

& spirits 

business 

event 

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CONTENTS 

– COLUMNS • REPORTS – 

24 

48 76 

104 

8 NEWS 

10 MARKETS 

Bordeaux devises ingenious ways to cope with a string of crises 

24 FUTURE 

Languedoc weathers the (climate) storm 

31 IMPORTER 

“People eat lighter food now and they drink lighter wines” 

32 STYLES 

Jura: An incredible fusion of vineyard sites and grape varieties 

45 BRANDS 

Roussillon sets its sights on the global market 

48 VINEYARDS 

Understanding the complexity of the Mâconnais 

58 STYLES 

The Loire Valley’s secret world of off-dry wines 

66 GRAPES 

Valencia: Fallas, paella… and Bobal 

76 REGION 

Oporto and Douro: The perfect combination for making great 

wines 

84 VINEYARDS 

Italy’s mountain viticulture gets a boost from climate change 

94 ORGANIC WINES 

Sicily and Sardinia: The ‘green’ islands of Southern Italy. 

104 SPIRITS 

The Spirit of Cape Wine 

112 STARS & WINE 

Ana de Armas: “My first glass of wine was a Rioja” 

114 CONTACT DETAILS 

115 AUTUMN 2021 SELECTION 

GILBERT & GAILLARD NEXT ISSUE WINTER 2021 

Cover: Courtesy of the estates - © Sylvain Robin 

AUTUMN 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 3

EDITORIAL 

– FRANÇOIS GILBERT – 

Editorial Director 

ITALY AND THE BENEFITS OF MOUNTAIN WINEGROWING 

Heroic, steep, mountain viticulture – it comes with a range of monikers but 

ultimately, they all share the same defining feature, which is the challenge 

of growing vines on high elevation, steep vineyard sites. The vineyards only 

represent approximately 7% of Europe’s area under vine but they cover a variety 

of aspects, primarily historic, heritage and identity. Several regions around the 

world are practitioners of heroic viticulture and to gain a better understanding of 

this style of winegrowing the Centre for Research, Environmental Sustainability 

and Advancement of Mountain Viticulture (CERVIM) was established. This 

international organisation, based in the Aosta Valley, is charged specifically with 

promoting and safeguarding heroic viticulture. To carry out its mission, a number 

of criteria have been defined: the gradient of the land must be over 30%; the 

elevation must be over 500 metres above sea level; and the vines must be grown 

along terraces or steps. Italy is a leading proponent of this style of winegrowing, 

mainly its northern provinces fanning out amongst the foothills of the Alps. Its 

vineyards offer some very interesting features, as seen through the current lens 

of climate change. The elevation allows the grapes to ripen more slowly and the 

cooler climate reduces production of sugar whilst also increasing the overall level 

of acidity. Good soil drainage prevents water from stagnating and constant wind 

helps keep the grapes healthy. Despite the challenges of growing vines in these 

conditions, and the costs involved, we will undoubtedly see a rise in the number 

of vines planted at increasingly high elevations in years to come. And that’s 

because the resultant wines resonate with the mood of the times. 

4 AUTUMN 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE

EDITORIAL 

– PHILIPPE GAILLARD – 

Editorial Director 

CAPE BRANDY – THE IMPRESSIVE SPIRIT OF SOUTH AFRICA 

Are you not familiar with Cape brandies? That’s surprising considering they 

date back to 1672 when they were first created on board a Dutch ship moored 

off Cape Town. Like Cognac, Cape brandy – or brandewijn, literally meaning 

burnt wine – was also developed by Dutch merchants. Thanks to campaigning 

by the Cape Brandy Distillers Guild, established five years ago, the name Cape 

brandy, more commercially appealing than potstill brandy, became an official 

designation last August, even though it still only represents 5% of total brandy 

production in South Africa. 

As in Cognac, where the market is mostly dominated by Martell, Hennessy, 

Rémy Martin and Courvoisier, production of Cape brandy is primarily cornered 

by two leading players – Distell and KWV. More recently, they have been joined 

by a third ‘accomplice’, Oude Molen, which not only produces its own brandies 

but also owns other independent distilleries. 

Also like Cognac, Cape brandies like a challenge and enter competitions 

hosted across the globe in huge numbers. One such example is the Gilbert & 

Gaillard International Challenge – see page 115 – where they have been pretty 

successful. They have also garnered 16 victories in 20 years at the prestigious 

Worldwide Brandy Trophy competition. 

These common features are really no accident – they demonstrate the vitality of 

the industry and its constant desire to excel, so that it can step out of Cognac’s 

shadow. 


EDITORIAL 

– SYLVAIN PATARD – 

Editor in Chief 

BORDEAUX’S RESPONSE TO CRISES – MIXED, BUT FAIRLY HOPEFUL RESULTS 

Why mixed results? Because the Bordeaux wine trade – which distributes 

around three-quarters of the region’s wines – covers a very broad range of profiles. 

Their customer portfolios, ranges, distribution channels and markets are extremely 

varied. Firms working with the hospitality industry or airline companies suffered 

serious setbacks. Other, more innovative companies with greater online presence 

have witnessed an increase in their sales. Exporters, particularly those dealing 

in Grands Crus, have also regained their upbeat mood. Despite the pandemic, 

the end to Trump taxes in the United States has promoted a more favourable 

environment for doing business. And finally, the winegrowers, who own their 

own vineyards and are often also directly involved in sales, have had to show a 

lot of inventiveness and rediscover the joys of marketing and benefits of directto-consumer 

sales, and even wine tourism. Generally speaking, French wine 

and spirits exports in the first half of 2021 recovered, a trend that is particularly 

tangible for the Bordeaux wine industry which sells half of its wines overseas. 

Although no export markets have returned to their pre-Covid levels as yet, they are 

all growing at a faster rate than predicted, despite external pressures on recovery 

such as the price and availability of some raw and dry materials including plastic, 

paper, cardboard, metal for caps and labels. This is also creating longer delivery 

times, a situation compounded by the shortage of shipping containers – most 

of which have been cornered by China. This pretty much sums up the current 

challenges facing Bordeaux, but they are unlikely to dampen the spirits of a wine 

region producing such globally acclaimed wines. Or to discourage its businesses. 


La_Marca_N°45_Mise en page 1 05/10/2021 17:42 Page 1 

NEWS 

PROSECCO 

F 

Make Everyday Sparkle 

ounded in 1968, La Marca is a second-level cooperative, which represents 

about 5000 winegrowers who tend around 15,000 hectares of vineyards, 

owing to the Group’s 8 wineries all located in the province of Treviso. 

Knowledge handed down the years, experience and professionalism, competence 

in the field and commercial strategies are requisites that makes La Marca a 

reference point and one of the most representatives companies in the Prosecco’s 

field. 

Territoriality, cooperation and sustainability are the main values of the company’s 

philosophy, which includes several meanings: environmental, economic, social 

and ethic. 

https://www.lamarcaprosecco.com 

Cavavin N°45_Mise en page 1 05/10/2021 11:39 Page 1 

CHÂTEAU HAUT-TERRIER 

2015 

DOMAINE PRADELLE 

Les Hirondelles 2017 

Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux 

Crozes-Hermitage 

€ 7* 

€ 16.80* 

FOUR 

WINEMAKERS 

FOR 

AUTUMN 

2021 

Xavier ASNAR 

CAVAVIN AUBAGNE 

50, avenur Roger Salengro 

13400 AUBAGNE 

( +33 4 86 33 50 86 

* aubagne@cavavin.fr 

CHÂTEAU CAMBON 

LA PELOUSE 2011 

Haut-Médoc (Magnum) 

€ 42.50* 

Romain D’ANGELO PRADEL 

CAVAVIN PONT DU CHÂTEAU 

Chemin de la Lissandre 

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* pont-du-chateau@cavavin.fr 

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CAVAVIN COULOMMIERS 

1, rue Bertrand Flornoy 

77120 COULOMMIERS 

( +33 9 82 29 85 12 

* coulommiers@cavavin.fr 

* Retail price including sales tax 


NEWS 

Gosset pays tribute to French heritage 

Maison Gosset needs no introduction. It is one 

of a very select group of houses producing the 

very finest Champagne. The Gosset Celebris 

Trophy, named for its outstanding label, was created 

in 1995 to single out wine and gourmet food experts 

for distinction. Over time, this prestigious award has 

evolved, constantly adapting to changes in our culture 

and lifestyle. Twenty-five awards later, and over 30 

establishments and 50 French chefs and sommeliers 

have become its recipients. In recent years, initiatives 

focusing on children, women, disabled and vulnerable 

people have been awarded. In 2021, the 26th Gosset 

Trophy reached a new milestone by honouring Stéphane 

Bern – a staunch advocate and key contributor to French 

culture – and by turning the spotlight on France’s 

incredible tangible and intangible heritage, the shared 

legacy at the root of its diversity. 

The awards ceremony also provided the opportunity to 

Jean-Pierre Cointreau, CEO of Gosset with award recipient Stéphane Bern 

and cellarmaster Odilon de Varine 

discover the new 2008 Celebris Rosé, with its amazing 

complexity, vinosity and length on the palate, which is 

brimming with promise. 

www.champagne-gosset.com 

©Photoheart 

7, parc des Fontenelles - 78870 Bailly - France 

Tel.: +33 1 30 80 08 08 - Fax: +33 1 30 80 08 88 

Editorial Directors: François Gilbert and Philippe Gaillard 

Editor in chief: Sylvain Patard 

Tasting committee: François Gilbert, Philippe Gaillard, Sylvain Patard, 

François Bezuidenhout, Olivier Delorme, Matthieu Gaillard, Jamal Awni 

Rayyis, James Turnbull 

Editorial staff: Michèle Huyard 

Contributors to this issue: Ellen Budge, Jean-Paul Burias, Alain Echalier, Joanne 

Gibson, Santiago Jiménez, Sylvain Patard, Frank Rousseau, Francesco Saverio 

Russo, Christelle Zamora. 

Translation: Sharon Nagel, Rosa Almeida - CS Traduções, Marika Quarti 

Sales and Marketing Director: Etienne Gaillard : +33 6 30 97 87 26 

etienne@gilbertgaillard.com 

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Gilbert & Gaillard is published by Vinipresse, SARL with a capital of 35,500 euros • Head Office: 7 parc des Fontenelles, 78870 Bailly, France • Legal 

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Château de Malleret 

BORDEAUX 

– MARKETS – 

Bordeaux devises ingenious 

ways to cope with a string 

of crises 

Over the past few years, Bordeaux has had to contend with numerous challenges, 

ranging from ‘Bordeaux bashing’ in France to climate change, Brexit, the political 

crisis in Hong Kong, Trump taxes and the global pandemic. More than any other 

wine region, Bordeaux is France’s vinous showcase around the world, so how 

are markets performing in 2021 and what solutions have been devised to cope 

with these issues? To find out the real consequences of this string of crises, we 

interviewed a number of industry players. Here’s what they told us. 

By Alain Echalier - Photographs: courtesy of the estates - ©Nicolas Claris - ©Serge Chapuis 

©Mika-Boudot - ©Olivier Bolte - ©Sébastien Piedloup - ©Studio Tonelli 


BORDEAUX 


Vineyards at Château de Malleret 

The oldest of its current woes is the ‘Bordeaux 

bashing’ phenomenon, in other words, a 

measure of disenchantment among some of the 

French for what used to be by far their favourite 

wine tipple. And yet, France accounts for 57% 

of the Bordeaux wine market by value. The issue has four 

main causes: 

• Skyrocketing prices of the Grands Crus, which soared 

by 700% between 1986 and 2012, though they often 

hide a market reality where enjoyable wines can be 

bought for just a few euros. 

• A change in consumer habits, where imbibers are 

increasingly less inclined to cellar wines. The trend works 

to the disadvantage of ‘classic’ Bordeaux wines for laying 

down, which are concentrated and tannic, and difficult 

to enjoy when young. 

• France’s largest wine region also frequently draws the 

attention of the media, keen to spread the word about 

the growing environmental expectations of consumers. 

There is no getting away from the fact, though, that 

Bordeaux has high rainfall which puts vines under a lot 

of pressure. 

• And finally, greater globalisation comes with increased 

competition for Bordeaux wines, even in the domestic 

market. 

The trend seems to have gained traction over the last 

10 years and is tarnishing the image of Bordeaux wines, 

irrespective of their category. 


BORDEAUX 


A wine exhibition in Chongquing in 2019 

The Bistro Vignerons pairs Tutiac wines with food in Bordeaux 

THE LOWDOWN ON EXPORT MARKETS 

Let’s start with China, the world’s second largest economy 

which, when it does drink wine, has a preference for 

Bordeaux and is receptive to its prestige. In 2017, the 

market generated in excess of 700 million euros and 

the country is Bordeaux’s leading export destination. 

Traditionally, a significant share of these shipments 

entered via the free port of Hong Kong. However, the 

political crisis in the former British colony in 2019 and 

2020 cannot alone explain the drop in exports. Other 

explanations include the all-time low crop in 2017 

(-39% compared to 2016), competition from Chilean 

and Australian wines which were awarded preferential 

customs duties, and also a reduction by almost half 

of Chinese imports of still wines, irrespective of their 

provenance... 

Another major export destination for Bordeaux wines 

is the United States, grossing over 300 million euros 

in 2018. But following a trade dispute in the aviation 

industry, the former president (Trump) introduced an 

additional tax of 25% on French wines under 14% ABV 

in October 2019. The tax remained in place until June 

2021, resulting in a drop in sales of around €100 million 

for Bordeaux alone! 

The region’s third largest, and long-time importer, is 

the UK. The never-ending time frame of Brexit and its 

uncertainties obviously impacted the market negatively. 

Despite this, Britain’s love of a wine it did so much to 

promote was sustained, particularly in the high-end 

categories. In 2020, 48% of top Bordeaux by volume 

continued to be shipped across the Channel. 

Finally, Covid had an impact on all Bordeaux markets. 

Unlike a ‘normal’ crisis, the pandemic affected all 

consumer countries: China, starting at the end of 2019, 

then the West from March and April 2020. Successive 

waves of lockdown, with the closure of bars and 

restaurants, in France and in export markets, brought 

consumption and orders to an immediate standstill. 

China closed up completely. Although there were times 

when at-home consumption delivered good performance 

– with supermarkets and wine shops remaining open – 

this did not offset all the losses. For instance, in France, 

supermarket sales of Bordeaux fell by 5% in 2020, due 


BORDEAUX 


Laurent Dubois, owner of Château les Bertrands 

to lower footfall caused by consumers favouring local 

shops. Uncertainty about the recovery also put the brake 

on most orders and logistics flows have undergone a seachange 

due to the substantial fall in global volumes. This 

economic tsunami has severely rocked Bordeaux’s boat 

but the region is striving to stay on course. We review 

the current situation with winegrowers from a variety of 

backgrounds who show us that energy, determination 

and creativity can often “move mountains”. 

CHÂTEAU LES BERTRANDS: 

FINDING ECONOMIC SOLUTIONS 

This 140-hectare property is located in Reignac, on the 

right bank of the Gironde. Its owner is Laurent Dubois, 

and the château has been in the family for 9 generations. 

The wines are Blaye Côte de Bordeaux, reds, whites and 

rosés, sweet Bordeaux Supérieur and Clairet. Like many 

other Bordeaux producers, the winery exports 60% of its 

wines and sells 40% in France. China accounts for half 


BORDEAUX 


Château les Bertrands 

its export sales, though the wines are also sold in Japan 

and Cambodia. Covid caused a very sharp decline in 

sales. “Over the first 8 months of 2020, we were down 

50%. Then things started to improve from September 

2020, but still did not revert to 2019 levels”, says Dubois. 

Among his Chinese importers who cover Shanghai and 

Beijing directly without transiting via Hong Kong, he 

noticed that the ones who fared best were the large ones, 

whilst the small ones suffered more. And as is often the 

case in China, the wines are almost entirely red, with 

fairly high alcohol content. The so-called Trump tax was 

also devastating for their wines, which are shipped to 

New York and California and generally retail for around 

20 to 25 dollars. Dubois offered to absorb half of the 

25% increase, and that the other half be absorbed by 

his importers. One refused, the others accepted. But the 

market struggled to bounce back. Maybe suppliers from 

other countries took his place. Whatever the explanation, 

there is no doubt that due to Covid, the reduction in 

maritime freight has led to an increase in transport prices: 

the cost of shipping a container to the USA has risen 

three-fold, and two-fold to Asia. 

In France, the winery markets a significant amount of wine 

through trade fairs, attending 18 a year. Consequently, 

exhibition cancellations made a major dent in its sales. 

The Dubois therefore decided to keep up a constant 

flow of newsletters to their customers. Free carriage 

was reduced from the customary 48 bottles to 24, but 

ultimately, they still sold less. Now the trade shows are 

starting to resume so Laurent Dubois hopes to revert 

to the pre-Covid situation. One thing the company has 

understood is the importance of maintaining a customer 

database. “Before, we didn’t always note their e-mail 

address”, he says. “Now it’s automatic, and the impact 

is huge!” 

David Liorit, director of Château Petit Val 

CHÂTEAU PETIT VAL: INCREDIBLE ENERGY 

Château Petit Val, which is near Saint-Emilion, has 

12 hectares of vines on a mix of sandy-clay and claylimestone 

soils. Its flagship wine is Saint-Emilion Grand 

Cru marketed under two labels: Château Petit Val and 

Muse du Val (the 2016s were awarded 92 and 95/100 

respectively). David Liorit is the chateau manager, after 


BORDEAUX 


joining owners Jean-Louis and Olivia Alloin in 2014. The 

vision here is clearly to produce high-end wines – yields 

average at around 35 hl/hectare – and the chateau has 

unfailingly been headed north since the outset. Exports 

account for 60% of sales and are bound for markets 

painstakingly built up through widespread travel and 

tastings across the globe. Liorit has put a considerable 

amount of energy into achieving this and has travelled to 

regions such as Florida, Japan and Morocco. Obviously, 

the pandemic has had an impact, with the compound 

effect of the closure of restaurants, the Trump tax and the 

American election period. But resignation is not part of 

the company’s genetic make-up and sales have already 

picked up. 

Nationwide, the Château has explored new avenues. 

Examples include ‘wine merchant dating’ by video 

where samples are sent out for tasting, and use of social 

media, with new information put online every week. 

There are so many things that could be said about the 

range which, at the very least, is highly unique with 

wines such as a single varietal Malbec and a Riesling, 

along with amphora maturation to round out tannins. 

“All of a sudden, we had time on our hands and were 

able to sit down and think about different marketing 

strategies”, explains Liorit. “Direct-to-consumer sales 

are one of the alternatives and we are therefore going 

to open a shop at the chateau, where we will sell 

the estate’s products and provide a tasting tour. So 

finally, wine enthusiasts from far and wide will get the 

opportunity to discover this sensitively designed setting 

with its unique vineyard sites. 

Château Petit Val in Saint-Emilion 

Cédric Coubris, 

the Gironde representative 

of the Independent 

Winegrowers’ Federation 

INDEPENDENT WINEGROWERS OFFER A 

UNITED FRONT 

Cédric Coubris represents the Gironde branch of 

independent winegrowers, with its 550 members, rising 

to 7,800 nationwide. He explains the challenges his 

members have faced, and the solutions the organisation 

has aimed to provide. Even before Covid or the Trump 

taxes loomed on the horizon, Bordeaux bashing across 

France – often fuelled by environmental issues – was 

the first situation that had to be tackled. Whenever plant 

protection products are mentioned in the media, he 

Independent winegrowers’ engage personally with their clients 


BORDEAUX 


Exhibitors at the independent winegrowers’ exhibition 

stresses that they should be referred to per hectare. “Otherwise”, 

he says, “it is unfairly penalising for France’s largest wine region”. 

The organisation therefore fought for High Environmental 

Value (HVE) certification, which endorses good practice, to be 

officially recognised, just like organic farming. Consequently, 

Gironde is France’s leading HVE-certified region. 

The Trump tax was brought to the attention of French MPs and 

plans for a solidarity fund materialised in January 2020. But 

before any funds could be released, the pandemic occurred. 

Restaurants became off-limits and none of the 12 annual shows 

that the Independent Winegrowers’ Federation organises, and 

which attract half a million visitors, could take place. The 

organisation subsequently expanded its e-commerce website 

considerably (vigneron-independant.com). Sales increased fourfold 

and the website was available in 5 languages, ramping up 

sales opportunities. It also helped its members improve their 

e-mailing shots and set up click & collect facilities. “The purpose 

is not just to grow sales but also to maintain engagement”, 

explains Coubris. Failure to do so would have left a gap for 

other platforms to develop. But for independent winegrowers, 

direct-to-consumer sales are the obvious marketing channel. The 

federation also made sure that the French State Guaranteed Loan 

applied to their members. Offering 0% interest and up to 25% 

of previous turnover, it prevented bankruptcies by providing 

between €10K and €500K in loans per farm. 2020 also saw tax 


BORDEAUX 


Damien Sartorius of Château Léoville Barton 

exemptions. Repayment of the loan, initially planned for 

2021, was postponed until spring 2022 and is likely to 

be spread over 7 years. On a positive note, Covid boosted 

membership of the organisation by 10%. In times of 

trouble, there is even greater strength in unity. 

CHÂTEAU LÉOVILLE BARTON: 

WAITING, AND NOT COMPROMISING 

For the past two years, Damien Sartorius has been 

running the celebrated Deuxième Grand Cru Classé, 

with his mother. The family also owns Langoa-Barton, 

with which it shares cellars. The famous Saint-Julien 

wine is distributed solely through the Bordeaux trade, 

i.e. local negociants. The American market is sizeable and 

represents around 30% of the chateau’s sales (15% for 

Langoa-Barton). For a bottle of Léoville, which sells for 

around $150, a 25% increase is significant, particularly 

when you consider that the tax was not levied on fine 

Italian wines. On the right bank, where Merlot reigns 

supreme, the wines often naturally weigh in at 14.5% 

and therefore just managed to avoid the additional 

duty. So wasn’t it tempting to tweak the alcohol content 


BORDEAUX 


The vineyards of Chateau Léoville Barton 

in Léoville to avoid the duties too? “We like to retain a 

little acidity in our wines”, says Sartorius. “Changing the 

style is not an option”. However, the En Primeur buying 

system, with its customary waiting period, allowed 

customers to reserve the wines. Orders were placed in 

the hope that the tax would disappear when the wines 

were shipped. The gamble paid off, and the market has 

picked up. 

This great lull in sales provided time in which to 

reorganise production and incorporate safety measures. 

These include one worker per vineyard block, no sharing 

of tools, pickers divided into small groups so that one 

case of Covid does not require the entire team to selfisolate. 

The spring 2021 En Primeurs, however, showed 

genuine recovery. From a sales perspective, Sartorius has 

been holding a series of video conferences with trading 

companies and clients. Small samples of the famous 

growth were sent out so that customers could taste it. 

The experience has turned out to be positive because 

people who can be a little shy chat more easily with the 

winegrower by video conference. It involves less time, 

less money and helps the winery’s carbon footprint – and 

Sartorius is pleased with its efficiency. 

But high-end restaurants are struggling to reopen, and 

fine wines are often drunk over business lunches in 

restaurants. Inventories are therefore increasing, but not 

to excess. “Bothering restaurateurs is out of the question. 

The wines are luxury goods and they sell thanks to 

the work of my ancestors. The brands are very well 

established”, says Sartorius, gratefully. 

Damien Malejacq of the Vignerons de Tutiac winery 

VIGNERONS DE TUTIAC: 

ADJUSTING THE PORTFOLIO 

This co-operative winery, founded in 1974, now has 

520 member winegrowers. Originally located in the Côtes 

de Bourg, Blaye and Côtes de Bordeaux appellation areas, 

it now includes Fronsac, Graves and even Sauternes. The 

vast majority of its members take their entire crop to the 

winery. “That’s important”, explains communications 

and marketing director Damien Malejacq. Gone are the 

days when co-operative winegrowers kept their good 

fruit... and took the rest to the winery. Also, a price scale 

with 10 different levels is applied to incoming fruit, to 


BORDEAUX 


A group of young Tutiac winegrowers 

encourage quality. The co-operative’s technicians also conduct visits 

out on the ground before the harvest to check that the grapes meet the 

set criteria. 

55% of the winery’s sales are in France, 80% of them to supermarkets, 

10% direct-to-consumer and 10% to wine merchants. Provided 

you can be flexible, supermarkets are performing relatively well. In 

response to environmental requirements, the winery now farms 88% 

of its vineyards under the HVE scheme, but is also focusing on an even 

more practical approach for 8 to 10% of its wines – Zero Pesticide 

Residue. The trust mark, which originated in the vegetable industry, is 

more restrictive than HVE for winegrowers, but it is also much clearer 

for consumers because it offers the promise of results, as confirmed by 

laboratory analyses of the wines. It requires a great deal of stringency 

and dedicated presses and pipes. It therefore costs about 20% more to 

produce than wine from conventional farming. However, it is more 

affordable than organic, estimated to cost 40% more, and it can also be 

obtained in 1 year, as compared with organic’s three-year switch-over. 

In France, Covid led to a fall in average purchases as consumers 

prioritised what they perceived as essential goods. The pesticide-free 


BORDEAUX 


Sirona Twist, enjoying Sauternes in a cocktail 

wines were launched just in time to counter the decline. 

In export markets, it was more of an opportunity to gain 

market share. The winery didn’t close, it kept in touch with 

its customers and the impact was minimal. The Japanese, 

English and Canadian markets even showed growth. 

The Sauternes market, which has been hampered by the 

trend away from all things sweet, has been particularly 

hard hit. Producing 10% of the appellation’s wines, 

the co-operative has reacted and changed its profile 

rationale, reducing sugar levels from 120 to 90 g/l. It also 

suggests Sauternes be drunk as a cocktail with Crémant de 

Bordeaux, a trend that is gaining traction in the American 

and Chinese markets. 

Anne and Hugues Mallet 

HAUT MACÔ: SIMPLY WINEGROWERS 

This chateau is fairly representative of many estates across 

the region. Located on the right bank, it extends over 

54 hectares, 58% of them planted to Merlot and 27% to 

Cabernet-Sauvignon. A family-owned property, it is run 

by brother and sister duo Anne & Hugues Mallet, with the 

help of a trained winemaker. 

The wines are mainly sold in France, via a network of 

private customers, works committees and the hotel and 

restaurant trade. Five to 10% are exported to Japan, 

Malaysia, the United States, and sometimes a large order 

comes in from China. “Our first challenge”, says Hugues 

Mallet, “is the change in drinking patterns in France. 

A glass of wine with every meal is tending to disappear 

with this generation, and is being replaced by weekend 

drinking. So we have to respond with an affordable range 

for everyday drinking, and a more gourmet range around 

€10 to 12 for weekends. We must also try to compensate 

for this by targeting the restaurant trade”. 

Initially, Covid led to a resurgence in sales. People who 

were confined to their homes wanted to treat themselves 

a little. But then, sales dropped away, so the Mallets 

went the extra mile on deliveries, even offering to deliver 

themselves on Saturdays and Sundays with their van – you 

don’t go to the winegrower, he comes to you! Fortunately, 

works committees are fairly loyal customers, and sales of 

end-of-year gifts tend to be recurrent. The major difficulty 

was more restaurant closures, and the timing of the various 

lockdowns. Haut-Macô was unable to take advantage of 


BORDEAUX 


the ‘opening windows’ when restaurants reopened in 

France in the summers of 2020 and 2021 – it mainly 

produces red wine, which struggles to find an audience 

when the mercury soars over the summer. Sales are now 

picking up again, but orders are placed on a just-in-time 

basis, to within a single box, even if that means placing 

new orders and paying delivery charges again. In this way, 

clients can avoid holding inventories, should there be 

further lockdown measures. 

In addition to its 4-5 annual newsletters, the chateau is 

very mindful to nurture its relationship with its direct 

customers and welcomes them to the chateau. Showing 

off the vineyards and the winery, explaining pruning and 

maturation, and tasting the range of wines, are all ways 

of forging a much stronger bond. This is precisely how 

Château Haut-Macô developed! 

Grape picking at Château de Malleret 

CHÂTEAU DE MALLERET: 

FOCUSSING ON QUALITY 

This chateau, which we wrote about in Gilbert & Gaillard 

n°41, essentially produces Haut Médoc Cru Bourgeois 

Exceptionnel, over a 46-hectare vineyard. “The wine 

performs well in export markets, especially the United 

States. But the Trump tax proved to be extremely 

challenging”, explains Paul Bordes, the estate’s manager. 

With a price tag of between €25 and €30, the wine is midrange 

where customers still keep an eye on expenditure, 

unlike high-end luxury goods. As for all winegrowers, 

Covid has had a detrimental effect, with sales dropping 

and inventories rising. So what are the most effective 

strategies for tackling these difficulties? “Continue to 

focus on improving quality”, is Bordes’ answer right 

off the bat. Since 2013, he has transformed the estate 

from top to bottom. The soils now benefit from natural 

amendments, cereal crops are planted between the vine 

rows to improve drainage, the grape harvest is entirely 

done by hand and the vat room and cellar have been 

completely revamped. 

The switch-over to organic farming has begun. The first 

certified vintage, after the 3 years without any treatments, 

should be 2023. Fruit trees are now being introduced 

to separate the blocks, and some beehives have been 

installed. This virtuous circle will certainly pay off in the 

An olive grove at Château de Malleret 


BORDEAUX 


Paul Bordes manages Château de Malleret 

long run, but it is already giving the staff plenty to do. Paul Bordes, 

who has worked in the Iberian Peninsula, has also had an olive grove 

planted. Not only is it good for biodiversity, but the plan is to market 

olive oil. Vines and olives are two long-standing companion crops, 

and diversification will contribute to the economic stability of the 

company. 

Finally, in order to meet the needs of a market that increasingly uses 

the Internet, Château de Malleret has an online e-commerce website. 

Both modern and intuitive, it allows the wines to be sold direct-toconsumer. 

VIGNOBLES ROUX: BUILDING LONG-TERM RELATIONS 

WITH SUPERMARKETS 

In addition to his four chateaux in the Médoc (Puy Castéra, Pontey, 

Holden and Plagnac), Romain Roux owns 300 hectares of vines in 

the Entre-deux-Mers region. A dyed-in-the-wool entrepreneur, he 

insists on the importance of not becoming complacent and agrees 

to share some of his expertise. Through his direct partnership with 

supermarket buyers, he initially analysed the underlying trends, in 

order to be able to respond to customers’ needs. First and foremost, 

a tendency to buy just before drinking makes a range of instantly 

drinkable wines a requisite. That implies moving away from the 

dense and fairly muted style of traditional Bordeaux wines – they 

now have to be good straight away. Another aspect is consumers’ 

growing awareness of environmental issues. Whereas 10 years ago, 


BORDEAUX 


Romain Roux, winegrower and entrepreneur 

the price alone was a buying cue, it is no longer enough. Roux has 

therefore made changes to his vineyard to secure High Environmental 

Value certification. However, value for money is still fundamental 

and requires cost control. For example, he co-designed the Château 

Les Tuileries brand with Lidl, which retails for €2.95 per bottle. By 

farming his own vines, the wines can be supplied all year round and 

the high volumes can generate profitability. 

Finally, Romain Roux has diversified by trading in wines from the 

South of France. He supplies red, rosé and white wines under the 

Provenance brand, labelled IGP Terres du Midi, to supermarkets 

during in-store wine festivals. Consumers can find them in Auchan 

stores. Zoom sur l’étiquette. The wines are sold in bottles, but also in 

boxed formats and now in soft discount outlets, and are undeniably 

successful. 

THE END OF THE TUNNEL IS IN SIGHT 

There is no denying that the Bordeaux wine industry has fallen 

victim to a range of successive issues, but at the same time, its ability 

to react and adapt is tremendous and often enables it to save the 

fundamentals. Government aid is certainly a welcome life line, even 

if not everyone will emerge unscathed. Despite this, the latest figures 

are fairly encouraging and offer confirmation of economic recovery. 

This ancient land of winegrowing has been through numerous 

disasters and crises since its beginnings and has overcome them all. 

There is no reason for that to change. 


Agroforestry has been used since time immemorial at Mas de Daumas Gassac in Aniane, Hérault 

LANGUEDOC 

– FUTURE – 

Languedoc weathers 

the (climate) storm 

Preserving biodiversity, saving water resources, prioritising agro-forestry, choosing 

un-cloned vines and resistant varieties are all avenues being explored 

for countering weather hazards and safeguarding the environment. 

Winegrowers in Languedoc are experimenting with them all. 

By Christelle Zamora - Photographs: courtesy of the estates 


LANGUEDOC 


“ Languedoc-Roussillon is rightly considered to be 

the largest wine region in the world, not just for 

its vineyard acreage, but also for its range of grape 

varieties and styles of wine. No other region has 

such a sustainable dynamic. The issue is knowing 

how long it will last”, questions Alain Deloire, lecturer, 

researcher and an expert on vine biology at Montpellier 

SupAgro. 

Languedoc wine growers are faced with the challenge of 

adverse weather – the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 vintages 

all offer examples. Covid aside, the 2020 vintage was 

normal from a weather perspective, but on April 8, 2021, 

the Twitter account of Languedoc’s iconic Mas de Daumas 

Gassac winery posted this message: “The Gassac valley 

has been combatting frost for two days and despite all the 

measures taken, temperatures dropped to -4°C on April 7 

and -6°C last night. The Mas’ white vines, despite all our 

efforts, were affected”. 

A little later, the chairman of the Hérault chamber of 

agriculture, Jérôme Despey, recalled the hailstorm in August 

2016, frost in April 2017 and the heatwave in 2019. On 7 

and 8 April 2021, 40,000 hectares of vines – half the area’s 

vineyard acreage – was impacted by frost in just two nights. 

And scientists agree that it could happen again. 


LANGUEDOC 


From left to right, Samuel, Gael, Roman and Basile Guibert, the sons of Véronique and the late Aimé Guibert 

PROMOTING AND SAFEGUARDING 

BIODIVERSITY 

At Mas de Daumas Gassac in Aniane, Hérault, Roman 

Guibert would subsequently state that 70% of the 

Cabernet-Sauvignon vines had gone unscathed. “On 

the night of April 7, temperatures plummeted to 

-8°C across Languedoc. We were prepared. The cold 

snap affected the whole of France. We spent the night 

lighting fires, but vines cannot withstand temperatures 

of -8°C”, says Samuel Guibert at Mas de Daumas 

Gassac regretfully. Like his brother, Samuel praises 

work by his parents who were early adopters of massal 

selection in the 1970s. They used the technique to plant 

the estate’s vineyards in 60 small blocks surrounded by 

glades and woodland to preserve biodiversity, rather 

than clear the land to make way for an unbroken 

expanse of vines. 

“Actually, we have always been practitioners of agroforestry. 

Cabernet-Sauvignon is a late-ripening variety 

and it suffered less from frost than the white vineyards, 

particularly the Sauvignon blanc. The micro-terroir in 


LANGUEDOC 


the Gassac valley was an advantage for us. We lost 50% 

of the whites and just 10% of the reds, but without the 

forests that surround the estate and our micro-climate, 

we would have lost more, maybe as much as 75%”, 

claimed Guibert, a week before harvesting. 

It’s not just frost – weather hazards are affecting all of 

France’s vineyards. By planting late-ripening varieties, 

Mas de Daumas Gassac is better equipped to cope 

with overripe fruit. “The profile of the wines has not 

been seriously affected by the heat. Compared with 

the 1980s, harvesting takes place one week earlier. 

Although alcohol content borders on 14% ABV for 

some red grape varieties, which was not the case thirty 

years ago, we have not noticed any phenolic overripeness. 

So, neither the flavour nor the profile of the 

wines has changed, even though micro-changes occur 

when there are unusual weather events”, explains 

Guibert. 

Another of the estate’s strengths is its cherry-picked 

range of grape varieties, like the 0.25 hectares of Aréni 

noir from Armenia, or another currently fashionable, 

time-honoured cultivar, Nebbiolo. These varieties are 

part of the property’s genetic make-up rather than 

its desire to follow fashions. “Our parents’ ethos 

was to plant grape varieties from across Europe. We 

have around twenty grapes of differing nationalities. 

Research has focused on their performance for the 

past five years. Researchers have come to study our 

Portuguese, Italian and Georgian varieties but we need 

to wait for a decade until we have a reliable analysis of 

their evolution”, concludes Guibert. 

Daumas Gassac’s estate and farmhouse in Aniane are located amidst woodland 

where the vineyards benefit from substantial biodiversity 

SAVING WATER RESOURCES 

In Cers, near the town of Béziers, the Alma Cersius 

winery has received a shower of accolades for the range 

and precision of its varietal wines produced under the 

PGIs Pays d’Oc and Coteaux-de-Béziers. The group of 

160 vine growers boasts 1,200 hectares under vine and 

currently produces 6 million bottles of wine, 80% of 

them bound for export markets. Through its singlevineyard 

selections, Alma Cersius has a finely tuned 

understanding of the aromatic profile of its wines. 

Guillaume Bonzoms, managing director and winemaker at the Alma Cersius 

winery 


LANGUEDOC 


At Alma Cersius, it is 100% team spirit 

The winery’s director and winemaker, Guillaume 

Bonzoms, is delighted by the progress made so 

far. “Irrigation allows us to improve our resource 

management and we have cut water usage by half. It 

mitigates freak weather events. We also have a very 

honed approach to varietals, with 8 types of Sauvignon 

and 10 styles of Chardonnay. This allows us to cater to 

a wide variety of markets”. 

Although the choice of grape varieties is crucial, 

the group also focuses on other assets. “We enjoy a 

maritime influence which is very beneficial for the 

freshness of our wines. But terroir is also an important 

factor. Our strength lies in having clay-limestone soils, 

pebbles and Villafranchian terraces”. To reduce the use 

of pesticides, the winery has recruited an agricultural 

engineer tasked with monitoring the vines from a 

technical perspective. She constantly liaises with the 

winery’s members to give them advice. “Over the past 

two years, we have lowered our use of pesticides by 


LANGUEDOC 


introducing mating disruption, an alternative way of 

combatting grapevine moths. We have been awarded 

Level 3 High Environmental Value certification for all 

of our vineyards”. 

At the Foncalieu co-operative group, agronomist 

Gabriel Ruetsch pursues the same objective: 

“Prevention is better than cure. A network of weather 

stations connected to sensors allows us to measure 

the soil humidity rate for precision drip irrigation to 

save water resources”. Not all the Languedoc wine 

region, however, has equal access to irrigation. “I 

don’t hold out much hope for the future of farming in 

the Camargue. The Rhone is drying up, water is being 

pumped upstream and soil salinity is increasing”, 

laments one female Camargue winegrower. Among the 

avenues being explored to alleviate the issue of lack of 

water is treating and reusing wastewater. In Roquefortdes-Corbières, 

in Aude, the Vignobles Cap Leucate 

co-operative has fitted a wastewater treatment system 

to irrigate its vines. The pilot project, which offers a 

solution to the lack of water, has now set an example 

for the vineyards of Narbonne and the surrounding 

area, and co-operative groups are rolling out similar 

schemes. 

Team spirit prevails both in the winery and out in the vineyards at 

Alma Cersius 

CHOOSING MORE RESISTANT PLANT 

MATERIAL 

Provence is trialling a staggering 127 grape varieties 

resistant to fungal diseases and better suited to climate 

changes, but Languedoc is certainly not lagging behind 

on the issue. The National Institute for Agronomic 

Research (Inrae) and the French Vine & Wine Institute 

(IFVV) have partnered with marketing boards in 

Occitania and South-West France to launch the first 

regional experimentation programmes for resistant 

vine varieties. Grouping eighty regional winegrowing 

bodies, they have volunteered to study the resistance 

of vines requiring fewer plant protection products 

through more resistant genes. 

The INRAE Pech Rouge and Cazes experimental estate in 

Aude offer resource facilities to support local wineries, 

such as the co-operative group Vignobles Foncalieu, 

whose commitment to sustainability already dates 

So far, excellent vineyard sites have enabled the Alma Cersius winery to 

withstand the vagaries of the weather 


LANGUEDOC 


Being a co-operative group does not prevent Vignobles 

Foncalieu from promoting a sense of lifestyle 

Vignobles Foncalieu are dyed-in-the-wool 

innovators, as evidenced by the new varieties 

Artaban and Vidoc that go into their Nu.Vo.Té. 

label. Made organically, with no added sulphites, 

the varieties are produced through pollination, or 

sexual reproduction. They match the typicity of 

Languedoc wines and tomorrow’s climate 

back over a decade. Founded in 1967 in Arzens, Aude, 

Vignobles Foncalieu posts turnover of €47 million 

from its 7,850 hectares under vine, and embraces 

Celliers du Nouveau Monde in Puichéric; Vignerons de 

la Cité de Carcassonne; Vignerons du Pays d’Ensérune 

near Béziers; the La Redorte & Castelnau d’Aude 

winery; and the Montagnac co-operative in Hérault. 

The group has swapped widespread use of pesticides 

for alternative methods, whilst also choosing to 

plant resistant varieties from 2007. After a period 

of experimentation followed by conclusive trials, 

Vignobles Foncalieu marketed 3,200 bottles of wines 

from its first crop of resistant varieties in 2018. Called 

NU.VO.TÉ, the wine is red and made from new French 

varieties Artaban and Vidoc, which are still very much 

under the radar. 

Since 2020, the wine has been certified organic and 

Vignobles Foncalieu expects to produce 15,000 bottles. 

“The varieties have the ability to ward off the main 

vine diseases and offer a response to challenging 

weather. However, it is still difficult to find markets 

for the wines, even if countries like Finland take an 

open-minded approach to them. Vignobles Foncalieu 

is delighted to have found an environmental solution, 

but is also giving thought to the style of future labels. 

“In 2021, we are focusing on rosé and are considering 

producing fashionable styles such as Pet’Nat, a natural 

sparkling wine”, reveals Gabriel Ruetsch, agronomic 

manager at Vignobles Foncalieu. 

With 62 ha of resistant vines, the group is ahead of 

the curve for innovation. More importantly, it has 

reduced sprays and secured organic status for all of 

its resistant Artaban and Vidoc vines for the reds. For 

the whites, the German (Souvigné gris) and Italian 

(Soreli) varieties are already being grown, whilst the 

winemaking process for Floréal is being examined. 

“Depending on the vintage, no more than two or three 

plant protection treatments are used, compared with 

eight for vineyards farmed organically. Results with 

the Nu.Vo.Té label are encouraging. The 12°5 red wine 

shows a tight-knit texture and great natural acidity”, 

comments Ruetsch. 


IMPORTERS 

– POLAND – 

WINE4YOU 

“People eat lighter food now 

and they drink lighter wines” 

Roederer Champagne, Louis Jadot, Famille Perrin, André Lurton, Ramos Pinto, 

Sassicaia, Marqués de Murrieta, Bodega Norton, Coppola… The impressive line-up 

in the Wine4You portfolio makes it seem the perfect match for one of the world’s 

more mature wine markets. Its founder, wine collector and expert Jaroslaw Cybulski, 

describes how the Polish wine market has come on in leaps and bounds. 

By Ellen Budge - Photographs: courtesy of WINE4YOU 

Admittedly, per capita wine consumption in 

Poland pales in comparison with many other 

countries, but over the past five years, it has 

moved up from 3.5 to 5 litres a year. The 

market is also showing unmistakable signs of 

maturity: “People who previously drank medium-sweet 

wines, now drink off-dry or soft-dry wines and people 

who were drinking medium-dry now drink more dry 

wines. I now sell 95% dry wines”, explains Cybulski, 

whose roles in the past have included wine advisor to 

the Polish President. His company markets mainly to 

the Horeca trade and private customers, though Covid 

has led to a reshuffle in the marketing mix. “Before, we 

used to sell 70% to Horeca, now it’s more 55%, although 

ultimately our suppliers often do not lend themselves to 

other channels. You cannot sell Roederer Champagne in 

supermarkets”. 

A series of lockdowns and the financial implications of 

the pandemic have reduced his annual sales from around 

650 000 to 500,000 bottles this year, but Cybulski is 

already seeing signs of improvement. His portfolio 

includes several categories that are trending well: “Perhaps 

the best-selling wines today are Italian wines, like Pinot 

grigio, Prosecco and Primitivo. Some Spanish wines 

offering good value for money are also performing well, 

as are easy-to-drink Chilean and Argentinian wines”. 

France, positioned at the higher end of the market, caters 

to good restaurants and its whites, such as Chablis, are 

delivering good results. “People eat lighter food now 

and they drink lighter wines. The climate is warming up 

in Poland, so people are drinking more whites. Rosé is 

growing but it’s still marginal, whereas sparkling wines 

are selling very well”. With Wine4You strongly focusing 

on enhancing knowledge among Polish imbibers, there is 

every likelihood that, going forward, wine will continue 

to gain traction in Poland. 


The 13 th -century cellars at Domaine Tissot 

JURA 

– STYLES – 

An incredible fusion of 

vineyard sites and grape 

varieties 

Jura is one of only a handful of French wine regions where virtually all the grape 

varieties are native, except for Pinot noir and Chardonnay from its prestigious 

neighbour Burgundy. This perfect match between vineyard sites and grape 

varieties is the region’s trump card for consumers looking for quality, 

naturalness and subtle authenticity... 

By Jean-Paul Burias - Photographs: courtesy of the estates 


JURA 


Using a pickaxe in the vineyards of L’Etoile 

The landscape reveals a small enclave of just 

2,000 hectares wedged within a strip of land 

6 kilometres wide and 80 kilometres long, along the 

Revermont plateaus. Admittedly, Jura is not France’s 

largest wine region by acreage. But its four appellations 

– L’Étoile, Côtes-du-Jura, Arbois, Château-Chalon – and its 

three product appellations Macvin, Crémant and Marc du Jura 

feature among the flagships of France’s wine proposition. Here, 

local grape varieties such as Savagnin, which according to the 

2020 database accounts for 25% of vineyard area, Poulsard 

(11%) and Trousseau (8%), grow alongside Pinot Noir (11%), 

first recorded in the region in the 15 th century, and of course 

Chardonnay, which now accounts for 43% of the crop, 

having travelled from nearby Burgundy in the 19 th century; 

the remaining varieties account for 2%. The region embraces 

a wide range of products including still white and red wines, 

sparkling wines, Macvin, ‘vin jaune’ and ‘vin de paille’. “Though 

small in terms of footprint, it has made a name for itself for the 

typicality of its vineyard sites, its production methods and the 

products themselves”, explains Olivier Badoureaux, director 

of the Jura wine marketing board (CIVJ) since 3 November 

2020. “It attracts both new winegrowers and large groups 

looking to invest. ‘Vin Jaune’ has left a major stamp on its 

identity. However, this Jura speciality in fact only represents 

a small percentage of sales. Our challenge is therefore to help 

people discover the other wines”. The region has focused on 

organic wines for several years, and it boasts unique weather 

patterns and exceptional vineyard sites which fuse in their own 


JURA 


distinctive way with the different grape varieties. From a 

production perspective, Chardonnay-based whites lead the 

way, particularly due to the growing success of Crémant 

du Jura, which is becoming a significant market driver for 

the region both in France and abroad. Savagnin and the 

region’s novel, elegant reds also take pride of place. 

A rototiller is used in the vineyards at Sous Roche de Château-Chalon 

CONCLUSION 

In a rapidly changing and increasingly international 

marketplace, Jura wines are successfully making major 

inroads. Exports are on the increase, representing 15% 

of sales in the last marketing campaign from 1 August 

2020 to 31 July 2021. This development is underpinned 

by incremental progress in vineyard management and 

winemaking techniques, but also by global warming which 

allows certain grape varieties like Poulsard to ripen more 

effortlessly. With typicity and diversity as its main calling 

cards, the region’s wine industry has managed to rein in 

cellar door prices and align them with quality. Chardonnay 

promotes enjoyable, powerful white wines delivering a wide 

range of floral aromas. Savagnin, the region’s distinctive 

flagship grape, beguiles with its beautiful yellow colour and 

offers complex and relatively powerful wines that can be 

blended with Chardonnay. For the reds, Poulsard is pivotal 

in producing delicate, fruity wines with beautiful aromatic 

complexity that become richer with age and can be matured 

for 4 to 8 years. With its deep red hue, Trousseau adds cherry 

notes and light spices to produce powerful, tannic wines that 

Pinot noir can counterbalance. Originating in Burgundy, 

Pinot noir develops an extensive array of aromatics for 

producing wines that combine power, intensity, finesse 

and elegance depending on the different vineyard sites. 

Obviously, the region’s limited acreage and the harshness 

of the Jura climate limit output. But the subtle combination 

of typical vineyard sites and quality grape varieties usher in 

the ultimate taste experience for consumers who have now 

become enthusiasts worldwide. 

The Fruitière at the foot of the rock face 

and the vineyards of Château-Chalon 

FRUITIÈRE VINICOLE DE VOITEUR: 

MAJESTIC WHITE WINES 

Quality knows no boundaries. Between Switzerland 

and Burgundy, vines grown by the Fruitière Vinicole de 

Voiteur are blessed with outstanding sites. Located on 


JURA 


AUTUMN 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 35 

Chairman Jean Pernot (left) with director Bertrand Delannay of Fruitière Vinicole de Voiteur

JURA 


The board of the Fruitière Vinicole meets out in the vineyards 

marly slopes near the lower foothills of Jura, this qualityfocused 

co-operative markets 385,000 bottles annually. 

Created in 1956, it has around 60 members farming 

75 hectares, 23 of which are planted to Savagnin. “We 

produce mostly white wines, which account for 90% 

of sales, a third of them made from Savagnin”, says 

Bertrand Delannay, the co-op’s director. “Despite limited 

volumes, the reds have successfully carved out a place for 

themselves because of their authentic, meritorious grape 

varieties that yield light, fruity wines”. Some of the whites 

follow a floral theme, with tank maturation to foster 

finesse and freshness. The other whites from vines planted 

on marl are matured in barrels under a veil of yeast that 

produces an oxidative style. The winegrowers are driven 

by extremely high standards. They have made a pledge to 

farming organically and following High Environmental 

Value (HVE) and Terra Vitis schemes, paying particular 

attention to harvest dates and winemaking and 

maturation techniques. Although global warming has 


JURA 


had little impact on harvesting, the main challenge is 

repeated spring frosts in 2017, 2019 and 2021, which 

have had a significant effect on production volumes. 

“Our major assets are undoubtedly our exceptional 

vineyard sites and our traditional maturation methods 

which lend the wines their distinctive typicity”, says 

Delannay. “On the flipside, this typicity can sometimes 

take consumers aback. But the success of our wines stems 

from their originality and their comprehensive, varied 

range, underpinned by the region’s positive image”. 

At the co-operative, the whites are the most popular, 

particularly the highly distinctive, barrel-aged, floral 

Chardonnay Côtes-du-Jura. In fact, the trend in export 

markets clearly favours floral wines combining freshness 

and finesse, both the whites and the reds. 

DOMAINE JACQUES TISSOT: 

JURA’S RELIABLE CHOICE 

As it approaches its 60 th anniversary, Domaine Jacques 

Tissot continues to reap awards with remarkable regularity, 

and more importantly, new accolades in prestigious 

competitions. This family estate is a Jura benchmark 

and it was created in 1962 by Jacques Tissot, who chose 

to continue farming a block of land inherited from 

his father. After developing and improving the estate 

with his wife Michelle, he left it to his two children, 

Nathalie and Philippe Tissot, to continue his work, 

drawing on their expertise and dynamism. Pinot Noir, 

Chardonnay and Jura grape varieties are the mainstay of 

this 30-hectare estate spread over the Arbois and Côtesdu-Jura 

appellations. The estate is currently switching over 

to HVE (High Environmental Value) certification. For 

several years now, investments have been made in new 

equipment for tillage in order to keep the use of plant 

protection products to a minimum. The weather is causing 

its own issues and indecision over harvest choices. “We 

don’t have much hindsight about the global warming 

that has occurred over the last few years and its possible 

impact on our wines, in particular on alcohol content”, 

says Nathalie Tissot. “Conversely, we are witnessing 

more and more frequent frosts and heavy rainfall. These 

exceptional and startling events are similar to patterns 

that occurred in the 1950s”. The issue has to be factored 

Philippe Tissot in his vineyards 

Domaine Tissot 


JURA 


Annie and Jean-Luc Mouillard 

into requirements for vineyard management, harvesting 

and the winemaking process, with conditions constantly 

changing. “Exports represent 15% of our volumes”, points 

out Philippe Tissot. “The market is tending to grow because 

customers are beginning to get to know and enjoy our 

region’s wines. International consumption has changed 

with sustained demand for Chardonnay and in particular 

for gourmet-style wines matured in barrels”. In addition 

to the Crémants, which are a runaway success, the local 

grape varieties Savagnin, Poulsard and Trousseau are the 

linchpins of a comprehensive range – complemented by 

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir - that captures all the unique 

features and subtleties of Jura’s vineyards. 

DOMAINE JEAN-LUC MOUILLARD: 

A FLAIR FOR WINEGROWING 

Thirty years down the line, Jean-Luc Mouillard can 

measure how far he has come. His work in the vineyards 

and his expertise have taken his business and the Jura 


JURA 


grape varieties to new heights. In 1991, he created his 

own estate after graduating with an agricultural diploma 

in viticulture and oenology and studying for a year in the 

heart of Burgundy’s legendary vineyards in Beaune. “My 

flair for winegrowing was passed on to me by my parents 

who were also co-operative winegrowers and farmers in 

Jura”, he recounts. “Over the years, the farm grew and 

moved to Mantry, a village in the heart of Revermont”. 

Now one of the region’s benchmark growers, he manages 

11 hectares of vines spread over the three appellations 

Château-Chalon, L’Etoile and Côtes-du-Jura along with 

Macvin and Crémant du Jura, with his wife Annie and 

son Mathieu. Currently converting over to organic, the 

estate boasts 16th-century cellars and successfully blends 

tradition and modernity in its 2005-built winery and 

since 2013 a storage building. Its mosaic of vineyard 

sites with their clay, marl and limestone ridge soils 

is farmed with every other row planted to grass to 

limit overproduction and avoid compaction. “We make 

Crémants, floral or traditional whites, dry reds, ‘vins 

jaunes’, ‘vin de paille’ and a mistelle, Macvin”, explains 

Mathieu Mouillard. “Consumers can get confused over 

the different floral or traditional winemaking methods 

used for the whites, which requires a lot of explanation 

from the winegrower”. The local grape varieties leave a 

lasting impression. The estate has two Savagnin labels, 

a Tradition and a ‘ouillé’ (or topped up) style called Le 

Curieux, which offers another approach to this celebrated 

grape variety. The Trousseau is made in stainless steel 

tanks to retain its true authenticity. “We don’t produce 

much Poulsard”, explains Jean-Luc Mouillard. “The only 

exceptions are the ‘vin de paille’, a blend of Poulsard, 

Chardonnay and Savagnin, and the Rubis label, a red 

wine blended from 50% Pinot noir, 30% Trousseau 

and 20% Poulsard”. These wines show strong character 

and can be enjoyed on any occasion, especially with a 

good meal. Novel, elegant and tannic, they align with 

a consumer trend squarely focusing on discovery and 

quality. And export markets, particularly Sweden, Japan 

and the United States, are all-set to grow. 

Sealing the bottles with wax at Château-Chalon 

Jean-Luc Mouillard planting vines 


The view from the estate’s vineyards at Clos de Paulilles, 

in Paulilles bay between Collioure and Banyuls 

ROUSSILLON 

– BRANDS – 

Roussillon sets its sights 

on the global market 

Pyrenees-Orientales is France’s fifteenth largest wine region. Its dry and sweet wines 

draw on skills and an array of styles rarely seen elsewhere and they are the means by 

which Roussillon aims to conquer high-value markets outside the EU, 

whilst also remaining focused on trends. 

By Christelle Zamora - Photographs: courtesy of the estates - ©Quiterie de Fenoyl - ®Aglyphoto66 


ROUSSILLON 


William Jonquères d’Oriola, owner and winemaker of the namesake estate 

Boasting a potential area under vine of 25,000 hectares, 

18,932 of them bearing, plus 24 main grape varieties, 

Roussillon’s vineyards are eighty percent located on 

hillsides, set between the sea and the mountains. “These 

are the sun-filled lands where Arnaud de Villeneuve 

invented fortification of wines in the 13th century. The diversity 

of vineyard sites here has attracted investors such as Michel 

Chapoutier, the Grier family from South Africa and Napa Valley 

winemaker David Swift Phinney in Maury, which can open up 

new markets for us”, explains Eric Aracil, export manager at the 

Roussillon wine marketing board, CIVR. 

AN HISTORIC VINEYARD WITH 

A CONQUERING SPIRIT 

“Our reputation stems from our long history. In the Jonquères 

d’Oriola family, I represent the 27 th generation”, says William 

Jonquères d’Oriola, owner of the estate in Corneilla del Vercol, 

near Perpignan. He is proud to have an urban winery in the village 

where he owns the impressive eponymous chateau. 

The Jonquères d’Oriola family is extremely prominent in equestrian 

and fencing circles and has won numerous medals, including 

Olympic gold. William Jonquères d’Oriola, however, feels that in 

the wine world, you have to stay low key and prove yourself. “After 

working for France Boissons, a major on-trade distributor, and 


ROUSSILLON 


The entrance to Château de Corneilla in Corneilla del Vercol was built 

in the 13 th century by the Knights Templar and is the historic family 

estate of the Jonquères d’Oriola family 

touring the vineyards of the world, I took over the reins 

of the estate in 2010. I expanded it from 58 to 95 hectares 

spanning 6 appellations south of Perpignan, in Collioure 

and Roussillon”, he recounts. 

Supporting him is his father, a trained winemaker who 

pioneered use of refrigeration in the winery. William has 

developed the estate’s range of wines, placing them in 

strategic markets. “We had to modernise our production 

facilities. Renovation work in the winery, to the tune 

of €1 million, will be completed by 2023. My father 

developed boxed wine sales. I am promoting bottled 

sales in the hospitality industry and wine merchants. We 

produce 700,000 bottles annually, 60% of them shipped 

to export markets”. 

This has been achieved by crafting a range of wine styles 

and developing strong brands. William has prioritised 

dry wines, producing only 100 hl of Muscat de Rivesaltes 

‘tuilé’ in good vintages. His distribution is 80% geared 

to hospitality outlets and 20% wine shops, though he 

also sells 6 wines to local supermarkets. “With the Gris- 

Gris brand created in 2011, a third of rosé output, I have 

developed markets in the Benelux countries, Germany and 

France in pubs and on private beaches”. 

Stéphane Zanella, managing director of Vignerons Catalans 

RUSSIA, A KEY MARKET FOR NEGOCIANTS 

In Perpignan, Vignerons Catalans is one of the region’s 

long-standing players. Founded in 1964, the co-operativestructured 

company combines 8 large co-operative wineries. 

Vignerons Catalans was responsible for marketing the first 

bottled wines from Roussillon in French supermarkets. Its 

managing director, Stéphane Zanella, says the group posts 

turnover of €30 million, €11 million from exports. It is the 

largest dry wine company in the area. 

In collaboration with the wine and spirits trading company 

La Martiniquaise, the business is divided into three areas. 

“In the French market, we have long-standing ties with 

super/hypermarkets. Recently, we have been expanding 

our sales in the on-trade and wine merchants. The drop 

in wine production in Roussillon has led us to start 

promoting our wines to wholesalers, wine merchants and 

key accounts”, explains Zanella. 

The company’s second line of business is exports. For the 

past year and a half, Vignerons Catalans has been ramping 


ROUSSILLON 


William and his father Philippe who has passed over 

the reins of the estate to him 

up its presence in 40 countries, including the Benelux region, 

Germany, the United Kingdom and China. “After Europe, we are 

focusing increasingly on exports to Russia and Eastern Europe, 

where we expect to sell 2 million bottles this year”. Here, Vignerons 

Catalans markets significant volumes in all three colours in Russian 

supermarkets, to key accounts and European companies. The 

company entered the market ten years ago and has a permanent 

Russian representative in the country, which is essential for working 

with 20,000 shops nationwide. 

A third focus of development is the United Kingdom, which has 

been growing for two years. “The UK experiences cycles. The profile 

of our wines has evolved and there is room for our PGI Côtes- 

Catalanes and Côtes-Vermeille wines, which suit English tastes”, 

says Zanella. The regional wines offer the kind of value of money 

that allows them to compete with Spanish, Italian and New World 

wines. “We still have to conquer Latin America, which is looking for 

complementary ranges, and can clock up hundreds of thousands of 

bottles for us”, believes Zanella. 

THE HIGHLY SOUGHT-AFTER ASIAN 

AND US MARKETS 

The United States and China are the main growth drivers for 

beverage alcohol, accounting for two-thirds of global consumption. 


ROUSSILLON 


Located near the fortified castle of Salses, the present-day winery 

was founded in 2007 by the Salses and Rivesaltes co-operative group, 

subsequently joined by Pézilla la Rivière and Corneilla la Rivière 

The colossal winery at Arnaud de Villeneuve in Rivesaltes 

The US market is mature and has a soft spot for the 

Languedoc-Roussillon appellations, but it is dominated 

by companies like Michel Chapoutier, Gérard Bertrand 

and Domaine Lafage. “In the US, we launched sweet wine 

sales two years ago. We market our entire Tradition Muscat 

de Rivesaltes range (Garnet, Amber, Tuilé) in vintage-style 

packaging in this market. We released a fashionable dry 

rosé in Fresh Markets in Florida”, says Gaëtan Pierre, export 

director at the Arnaud de Villeneuve winery in Rivesaltes. 

In New York, William Jonquères d’Oriola’s Muscat de 

Rivesaltes tuilé opened up a micro-market, paving the way 

for him to introduce American consumers to his dry wines. 

“The reason we are still here is because our sweet wines 

are a defining feature. We sell them in the North American 

market and in the Benelux countries”, says Guillaume 

Arbus, head of sales at the Arnaud de Villeneuve winery. 

Market demand in Japan and China focuses on mature 

vintages, and the Arnaud de Villeneuve winery is a longstanding 

producer. “In Singapore, I market an amber 

1965 Rivesaltes, the Republic of Singapore’s date of 

independence”, says Gaëtan Pierre. The winery now 

directs the Asian market towards its Côtes du Roussillon 

and Côtes du Roussillon Village offerings. “Through our 

importer in Shanghai, we are able to promote our entire 

range in the Chinese market, which absorbs 18,000 of the 

40,000 bottles of our red RD 900 Côtes du Roussillon 

Village label. In Japan, we distribute our Viognier and 

Chardonnay wines through Seijo Ishii stores”, adds Pierre. 

Recent research by the IWSR, a global expert in wine 

and spirits consumption patterns, forecasts 43% growth 

in 2021 in the ready-to-drink category, primarily due to 

the United States, which is the segment’s leading market 

worldwide. “At Vignerons Catalans, our development 

strategy will focus on sparkling wines in cans. The format 

is very widespread in the US, where 500 million cans were 

sold in 2020. We are going to leverage growth in the readyto-drink 

category with sweetened whites and rosés”, says 

Stéphane Zanella. 

This is a wise move considering that carbonated drinks 

are in the process of becoming the second largest beverage 

alcohol category in the US. The growth of cocktails in 

cans was boosted by lockdown, corroborating Vignerons 

Catalans’ decision to approach this test market. 


Château de Corneilla in Corneilla del Vercol, Roussillon 

ROUSSILLON 


The Cavalcade label is a nod to the 

family’s passion for horses and horse 

riding, right up to Olympic level 

Château de Corneilla in Corneilla del Vercol with its 

distinctive red bricks 

The estate cellars at Clos de Paulilles 

Estate vineyards at Clos de Paulilles and views over the namesake 

bay, between Collioure and Banyuls 

The impressive large wooden tuns at Maison Cazes in Rivesaltes 

A Mourvèdre vineyard on Aspres plateau

ROUSSILLON 


Lionel Lavail, managing director 

of Maison Cazes in Rivesaltes 

FROM LEGENDARY AGE-WORTHY 

POURS TO MIXOLOGY 

Companies producing Muscat de Rivesaltes have available volumes 

and mixology could open up new markets. “The Roussillon 

marketing board is targeting this market with Muscat de Rivesaltes 

and Rivesaltes ambré. We have launched two cocktails – a Muscat 

Lemon, with 50% Muscat, lemonade and a dash of lemon at 

7-8°ABV, which delivers genuine aromatic pleasure. And a Muscat 

Ginger in the same vein as the Moscow Mule with a dash of lime”, 

explains Éric Aracil. 

The mature vintages help boost Roussillon’s dessert wine credentials 

as legendary wines for laying down. The Arnaud de Villeneuve 

winery has realised the potential of differentiating between the 

two. The Rivesaltes co-operative hives off certain vintages like the 

1936 for collectors. “This 85-year-old amber Rivesaltes attracts wine 

merchants looking for real gems that offer competitive price points 

for the quality”, points out Guillaume Arbus. 

The winery has also reviewed its Tradition range of AOP Muscat de 

Rivesaltes based on 1930s marketing cues that enable it to approach 

fashionable pubs and cocktail bars. Back in Rivesaltes, 15% of its 


ROUSSILLON 


production is sweet. At Domaine Cazes, managing director 

Lionel Lavail says, “We have a collection of 74 vintages. 

Dessert wines represent 20% of our production and it’s a 

market we will never let go of”. 

Roussillon has the lowest yields in France and its wines 

are exported to 85 countries. “Roussillon offers one of the 

broadest arrays of styles in the world. Muscat de Rivesaltes 

could capitalise on opportunities in the mixology industry, 

export markets included”, concludes Aracil. 

FOCUSING ON ORGANIC WINES 

AND WINE TOURISM 

Maison Cazes, which belongs to international group 

Advini, is rightly deemed to be one of Roussillon’s driving 

forces, pioneering wine tourism and biodynamics in 

France. Its dry and sweet wines are served at Michelinstarred 

tables around the world. With 330 hectares of 

vines farmed organically, biodynamically and according 

to HVE 3 standards, Cazes estates own Clos de Paulilles 

near Collioure, Domaine du Chêne in the Aspres and Mas 

Latour Lavail along the terraces of the river Têt. 

A leading light for organic wine, at the cutting edge of 

innovation, the company has both Ecocert and Biodivin 

certification, and is also certified in Switzerland, the 

United States, Canada, Japan, Brazil, South Korea and 

China. 

“We are the leading Roussillon company in the restaurant 

and travel retail sectors. We are due to launch the Cap 

au Sud brand in supermarkets, which is a range of three 

dry organic and biodynamic Pays d’Oc wines, and Grand 

Cap, a Côtes du Roussillon Village. These are sun-filled, 

full-bodied, Catalan wines, with a consumer-focused app 

inspired by the lunar calendar”, says Domaine Cazes’ 

managing director. 

The company aims to showcase Catalan lifestyle at its 

organic ‘canteen’ La Table d’Aimé in Rivesaltes and its 

guest rooms at Mas Latour Lavail. “At Domaine du Grand 

Chêne, a 35-hectare property at the foot of Mount Canigou, 

we are converting the vineyards over to biodynamic and 

plan to make natural wines under the Côtes du Roussillon 

Village Les Aspres appellation”, says Lavail. And that’s an 

offer the Chinese are not likely to pass up on. 

The entrance to Maison Cazes in Rivesaltes, 

where wine enthusiasts meet up at La Table d’Aimé 

for lunch 

The setting for the iconic AOP Côtes du Roussillon Villages 

Le Credo label by Maison Cazes 


The Rock of Vergisson 

BURGUNDY 

– VINEYARDS – 

Understanding the complexity 

of the Mâconnais 

In the far South of Burgundy, between the Chalonnais and Beaujolais, is an area 

home to 43 appellations, including 5 Crus and 1 er Crus. Renowned for offering the 

best value for money among Burgundy whites, there is an endless range of styles, 

extending to reds and Crémants. Alain Echalier explains more. 

By Alain Echalier - Photographs: courtesy of the estates - ©Aurélien Ibanez 


BURGUNDY 


The Rocks of Solutré and Vergisson 

Geographically, the Mâconnais is situated between the Grosne 

valley in the West and the Saône valley in the East. Fifty 

kilometres long and 15 wide, the area boasts 6 hill chains 

peaking at 400 m above sea level, rising to 500 m for 

the Rocks of Solutré and Vergisson. These two limestone 

escarpments, used by mankind since prehistoric times, often encapsulate 

the region’s picture-postcard image. 

AN AREA WITH A COMPLEX TOPOGRAPHY 

The soils where the vines grow are limestone, sand or clay, with stony 

scree of varying sizes. At the bottom of the slopes are silt or marly soils, 

and in the far southern tip, near Beaujolais, the soils are clayey-siliceous. 

The climate is temperate, with an oceanic and southern influence. 

Although there is a general trend towards global warming, farming’s 

main stumbling blocks over the past few years have been the sudden 

weather events. Even though vines are also exposed, they remain the 

region’s primary activity. 

DOMAINE RAPHAEL SALLET: 

THE NUANCES OF MÂCON-VILLAGE 

Along with his wife Marylène, Raphaël Sallet runs an estate he created 

35 years ago. Starting with 0.6 hectares, he explains how he has 

gradually planted vines and now manages 30 hectares. His modest 

explanation is, “land was available”. The farm is located in Uchizy, in 

the North of the area, near Tournus and a village called... Chardonnay. 

Although the area’s viticulture is based on its namesake grape variety, 

Sallet smiles when asked if it was named after the village. “We now 

know that the grape variety may have more distant origins, and the 

name of the village apparently means places with thistles. But the 


BURGUNDY 


Raphaël Sallet 

ambiguity is amusing, so why put a stop to it?” Most of the wines 

are Mâcon-Villages. Sallet explains the nuances: this northerly area 

produces a white wine called Mâcon blanc or Mâcon Chardonnay. 

But when the juice comes from one of the 27 villages where the 

soils are a little more interesting, a complementary geographical 

designation is added. These include Mâcon-Azé and Mâcon-Bray, 

through to Mâcon-Vinzelles. He produces primarily Mâcon-Uchizy. 

Production specifications, which are slightly more restrictive in 

terms of yield, add to the intensity of the wines with a geographical 

designation. And if ever juice from several of the listed villages is 

used, it is referred to as Mâcon-Villages (in the plural). 

Sallet likes energetic wines, with a good acid-alcohol balance. 

Due to climate change, he harvests very early in the morning. In 

just 2 hours the grapes are in the press, and the metal tanks are 

temperature-controlled. But what is the difference between his 

wines and Chablis? “A Mâcon generally features more fruit, but 

more importantly, it is now much more affordable”. 

DOMAINE PERRAUD: 

CONVERTING TO ORGANIC 

A little farther South, at the aptly-named ‘La Roche Vineuse’, is Jean- 

Christophe Perraud’s estate. Created in 2005 from family vineyards 

passed down through 4 generations, it currently covers 37 hectares. 

Perraud sells a lot of Mâcon-Villages. He explains that in the past, 

most winegrowers sold in bulk under the appellation, enabling 


BURGUNDY 


Jean-Christophe Perraud 

shippers to use wines from several villages. The use of village names 

is concurrent with the advent of bottling by the growers themselves. 

Perraud bottles almost everything on his farm, but Mâcon-Villages 

is more renowned among his trade-only clientele than Mâcon-La 

Roche Vineuse. Conversely, he also has vines in Fuissé, which is 

better known and he thus produces a Mâcon-Fuissé. 

Perraud uses new barrels to mature some of his wines for 12 to 

24 months. However, the aim is not to produce heavily oaked 

wines, as the format is the 600-litre demi-muid JP3 which provides 

less wine-wood contact surface. “Tastes are changing”, he says. 

“Gone are the days when there was high demand for very oaky 

wines among the English-speaking world”. Neither does he stir his 

wines to develop fat. Quite the opposite, in fact. Leaving them to 

rest guarantees that their acidity will be preserved. “You have to be 

able to smell the wine”, he says with disarming simplicity. 

The estate is being converted to organic. In 2021, despite very 

challenging conditions, with rain and often cold weather, they 

managed to cope and forego the use of chemicals. And that was no 

mean feat. 

VIGNERONS DES TERRES SECRÈTES: 

120 FAMILIES UNITED IN PRISSÉ 

Charles Lambolley is the marketing director of this co-operative 

whose membership embraces 120 families. The winery is based 

in Prissé, in the northern part of the Saint-Véran appellation. 


BURGUNDY 


Charles Lambolley from the Terres Secrètes winery 

The cooperative’s vineyards cover a total 900 hectares, 

spanning a range of appellations such as Mâcon-Villages 

and Pouilly-Fuissé. However, alone it accounts for 40% 

of Saint-Véran production. The co-operative supplies 

60 single-vineyard labels, representing 45% of output. 

“It’s a growing trend”, says Lambolley, “but not a new 

one. We have been making single-vineyard wines since 

the 1990s”. 

The Saint-Véran appellation was created in 1971, well 

after Mâcon. It’s a Cru, so you can expect a little more 

noticeable intensity than with a Mâcon-Villages. But the 

appellation covers two areas, on either side of Pouilly 

and Fuissé. To the North, where the winery is located, 

the soils are chalkier, and therefore offer up tension 

and minerality. To the South are the first pockets of 

granite and the wines show a little more fat. The market 

recognises the Cru classification – a straightforward 

Mâcon-Villages sells for around €7 to 8, whereas a Saint- 

Véran ranges from €8 to 15, depending on the age of 

the vines and the complexity of the wine. In some of the 


BURGUNDY 


top-ranking blocks, 1 er Cru classification is ongoing, and 

Lambolley hopes it will reach completion in maybe 2 to 

3 years’ time. 

In 2016, the co-operative winery brought together a 

group of 20 young winegrowers to create an iconic label, 

the winery’s ultimate offering. Blocks from 5 different 

vineyard sites are selected for the strong minerality and 

structure they instil in the wines. The soils are ploughed 

by horse, excess grapes are removed by cluster thinning, 

the fruit is picked by hand, and the wines are neither 

fined nor filtered. The overriding ambition here is to do 

everything to perfection. The resultant label has been 

named Révélis, a micro-batch of 1,500 bottles. The 

producers’ pride is tangible. 

A group of young winegrowers presenting the Révélis label 

DOMAINE DE LA FEUILLARDE: 

AN ALMOST UNBROKEN EXPANSE OF VINES 

Also in Prissé is Domaine de la Feuillarde. Owned by the 

same family for four generations, 18 of its 20 hectares 

under vine are in a single block surrounding the buildings. 

The Thomases, who mainly produce Saint-Véran with 

a little Pouilly-Fuissé, point out that the reason Saint- 

Véran is generally finer than a Mâcon, even a Villages, is 

because the soils are slightly shallower – the bedrock is 

not far below the surface. Grass cover is deliberately used 

in every other vineyard row to manage water resources 

and the soils are mainly hoed to limit the use of weed 

killers. Although the property is not organic, it is not far 

off. For the last five years, green harvesting has not been 

necessary because yields are naturally low. 2021 proved to 

be a particularly difficult year, with frost, hail and mildew! 

They’ll be happy if they make 20% of the usual volume, 

and they may not even have enough wine to tide them 

over until 2022. 

Low yields do not preclude a variety of labels. The 

Thomases make three: ‘Tradition’, which is bottled early; 

Vieilles Vignes, where the wines are matured for 9 months 

on the lees; and ‘Prestige’, matured in 500-litre barrels 

made from Allier oak, which leaves less of a stamp on 

the wines. The Thomases, who take part in numerous 

exhibitions, sell a lot directly to private customers and 

the restaurant trade. The market positioning of the Saint- 

Thomas family 


BURGUNDY 


Véran appellation is perfect for many restaurants. On the 

whole, they say, every winegrower here has their own 

distribution network. Unlike neighbouring Pouilly-Fuissé, 

where negociants are very active, as a young appellation 

Saint-Véran has allowed winegrowers to establish their 

own, individual customer base. 

M. Mollard, the cellar master at the Vigne Blanche winery in Viré Cléssé 

In Viré Cléssé, Chardonnay is best appreciated when fully ripe 

CAVE DE LA VIGNE BLANCHE: 

BOUTIQUE-SCALE VIRÉ CLÉSSÉ 

The village of Cléssé is home to a small co-operative 

winery with around fifteen grape suppliers, who harvest 

fruit from 90 hectares of vines. Located in the middle 

of the Mâconnais, the villages of Viré and Cléssé, which 

have long been close allies, secured their own stand-alone 

appellation in 1999. The area is very small and produces 

only 25,000 hl a year. But it does have a micro-climate 

and some specific features, explains the cellar master 

Mr. Mollard. 

The rainfall regime, for example, is different. Also, the local 

custom is to harvest a little later than in the surrounding 

villages. Consequently, the wines are a little rounder, 

weigh in at 14% ABV and have around 4 g/l of residual 

sugar, whereas a classic Mâcon is more 1 g/l. Although 

acidity is slightly less pronounced because of this, and 

winemakers who buy for the trade often require tartaric 

acid to be added, the winery’s cellar master deliberately 

takes a more hands-off approach. The appellation style 

is at stake! The difference between a Mâcon and a Viré- 

Cléssé is all the more marked in cool vintages, which 

will likely be the case for the 2021s. Also, some blocks 

are planted with a particular grape variety – Chardonnay 

Muscaté. The heirloom cultivar is very fragile at flowering, 

but if this coincides with good weather, the juice lends the 

wines a faint Muscat-touch on the palate, making them 

incredibly aromatic. In recent years, the warm spring of 

2018 reproduced these sensory characters well. 

Some areas promote the onset of noble rot, allowing sweet 

Chardonnays to be produced. Overripe grapes affected by 

botrytis are locally referred to as ‘levroutés’, because their 

skin is similar to that of a hare’s coat. Use of the term has 

now spread and it designates sweet wines with up to 18 g/l 

of residual sugar, even when there is no noble rot. 


BURGUNDY 


Clémence Vandenbroucke sells wines for Domaine Sangouard-Guyot 

DOMAINE SANGOUARD-GUYOT: 

POUILLY-FUISSÉ, THE STAR APPELLATION 

Clémence Vandenbroucke, who markets Pierre-Emmanuel 

and Catherine Sangouard-Guyot’s wines, tells us about 

the estate. Located in Vergisson, it has 15 hectares of 

Chardonnay. Eleven of them are set in Pouilly-Fuissé, in 

some ways the region’s star appellation area. The claylimestone 

soil, as encapsulated by the Rocks of Solutré and 

Vergisson, lends the wines their specific minerality. They 

enjoy a long-standing reputation, promoted by negociants 

who were quick to successfully market the wines abroad, 

particularly in the United States. The style is generally 

slightly oakier than Mâconnais wines, and it went down 

well with English-speaking imbibers when barrels were 

very much in vogue. 

Vandenbroucke explains that the estate makes three 

different labels. ‘Authentique’ is made in tanks while 


BURGUNDY 


Domaine Sangouard-Guyot 

Patrick Luquet 

Ancestrale comes from grapes grown on the grandfather’s 

block of vines. It is matured in 3 to 5 year-old barrels, 

hence the very soft oakiness on the palate. ‘Quintessence’, 

conversely, is made in barrels under three years old 

SG4. Demand is high. 60% of the wines are shipped to 

America and depletion rates are high. A Pouilly-Fuissé 

typically keeps longer than a Mâcon, reaching its peak 

after around 3 to 5 years, slightly more for Quintessence; 

a Mâcon peaks at around 2 to 4 years. And although 

Pouilly-Fuissé has a price tag of about €20, slightly higher 

than a Mâcon or even a Saint-Véran, it is still much less 

expensive than wines from the Côte de Beaune, quips 

Vandenbroucke. 

DOMAINE LUQUET IN FUISSÉ: 

THE TERROIR FOCUS 

In the heart of the village of Fuissé is the Luquet family 

estate. Founded in 1878, it now covers 30 hectares and 

the family produces all the region’s appellations, with the 

exception of Viré-Cléssé. Among its 7 hectares of Pouilly- 

Fuissé, Patrick Luquet explains that about 1 hectare has 

just been classified as 1 er Cru. After 13 years of studies, 

INAO awarded 1 er Cru status to some of the appellation’s 

prime sites in 2020. Obviously specifications are also 

more restrictive – yields, for example, must be lower to 

concentrate the juice. It is also a source of pride and peer 

recognition for the winegrowers in the Mâconnais, says 

Luquet. The prices of the wines show consistency, and 

some of the estate’s customers have been coming for 

several generations. The Luquets also make some Pouilly- 

Loché, a diminutive appellation which, like its neighbour 

Pouilly-Vinzelles, lies to the far East of Pouilly-Fuissé. 

The trend for oaked wines emerged in the 1990s to meet 

demand from America, but neither Patrick’s grandfather 

nor his father went down that route. He personally did, 

but in moderation, for just 6 of his 17 labels. Oak may 

make life easier, but it sometimes masks terroir effect. 

Although they are not certified organic, Luquet wines are 

all but. Lucquet uses only a modicum of inputs, with no 

yeast, no enzymes or tartaric acid. He supports the idea of 

displaying this on the labels, and has not even recruited 

the help of a winemaking laboratory. 


Harvesting by hand in the vineyards of Domaine Perraud 

The winery for Révélis 

Casks of Pouilly Fuissé at Domaine Sangouard-Guyot 

A tasting truck at Domaine Luquet 

HOW ABOUT THE REDS? 

Prior to the phylloxera crisis, the entire Mâconnais region was 

mainly planted to Gamay, but red wine is virtually non-existent 

nowadays. In fact, the best wines are to be found in the North and 

South of the area. In the North, the soils and climate that are most 

similar to the rest of Burgundy are suitable for growing Pinot Noir, 

spawning a regional appellation – Bourgogne Pinot Noir. Even 

though the Mâcon appellation allows red wine to be made from 

Pinot Noir, the global reputation of Burgundy and its iconic grape 

variety take commercial precedence. 

To the South, the soil, which is starting to morph into granite – 

Beaujolais is not far away – is suitable for growing Gamay. In this 

case, growers append the red Mâcon appellation. But few of them 

actually make it and many admit that when their vines are too old, 

they will replace them with... Chardonnay. 

The main takeaway from this under-the-radar region is that it 

offers a complete range of Chardonnays, from very simple pours 

to the most complex. All of them, though, share the same great 

freshness and some of them have unique aromas, bearing little 

or no resemblance to the classic whites of the Côte de Beaune. 

Also, the wines here are still affordable, but that’s one piece of 

information we should keep to ourselves! 


A panoramic vista of the village of Montjean-sur-Loire, 

the vineyards and Pincourt, a former lime elevator 

LOIRE VALLEY 


The Loire Valley’s secret 

world of off-dry wines 

Vouvray is one of the brightest stars in the constellation of Loire Valley wines. 

However, one of the defining features of this extensive region is its ability to 

produce wines with residual sugar that have become popular with today’s 

consumers. The highly fashionable Cabernet and Rosé d’Anjou have carved out 

a place for themselves as the region’s largest rosé exports, validating 

the success of three outstanding off-dry wines. 

By Jean-Paul Burias - Photographs: courtesy of the estates - ©Jean-Yves Bardin - ©Christophe Gagneux 


LOIRE VALLEY 


The untamed, sometimes treacherous Loire River 

forms a visual focal point. When it breaks 

its banks, floods the surrounding areas and 

reveals its amazing sandbanks, it creates a 

lasting impression. Meandering through 

landscapes bathed in almost perfect light, past chateaux 

and magnificent historic monuments, some of the 

1,006 kilometres of France’s longest river lie at the heart 

of a wine region which can produce over 80 appellations 

of red, rosé, dry white, sweet, semi-sparkling and Crémant 

wines due to its outstanding diversity of vineyard sites. 

The list also includes more under-the-radar off-dry wines 

which have garnered incredible success in France and 

abroad, both white and rosé. Their popularity stems 

from the distinctive features of their vineyard sites and 

grape varieties, ranging from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet- 

Sauvignon, Côt, Gamay, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris and 

Pineau d’Aunis for Rosé d’Anjou and Cabernet Franc and 

Cabernet-Sauvignon for the Cabernet d’Anjou to Chenin 

for the Vouvray. These prime assets are coupled with 

expertise and proficiency in winemaking. Fine-tuning 

balance in a wine marked by the natural sweetness of the 

grape requires freshness and acidity. Without this acidity, 

the sweetness would dominate and the wine would lose 

its palatability. Cabernet Franc preserves this acidity. For 

off-dry white wines, Chenin is characterised by remarkable 

acidity and freshness. “The wine region is located in the 

northern part of France, which from a weather perspective 

implies cool nights and cooler summers”, says Pierre-Jean 

Sauvion, chairman of the communications committee at 

the Loire Valley wine marketing board (InterLoire) and 

winemaker at Maison Sauvion. “The weather makes it 

possible to produce wines with inherent freshness because 

high temperatures tend to strip wines of their acidity”. 

The following are some of the Loire Valley gems that 

effortlessly demonstrate how residual sugar can be an 

invaluable asset. 

A glass amidst Coteaux-du-Layon 

FAMILLE BOUGRIER: A LEGACY OF HISTORY 

The Bougrier family is the affectionate custodian of an 

estate which perfectly epitomises a business handed 

down over the years with passion and talent. Since 1885, 

through 6 generations, the Bougrier family has displayed 

Nicolas Bougrier and Lionel Métaireau, the cellar master at 

Caves de la Nantaise 


LOIRE VALLEY 


Nicolas, Sophie and Noël Bougrier 

its commitment to stringency and excellence in its vineyards and 

its business making and selling wines. In 1988, fifth-generation 

winegrower Noël Bougrier took over the family firm and gave it a 

new dimension. He extended the estate’s coverage to embrace the 

entire Loire Valley, successively creating three wineries – in Touraine 

in 1995, in Anjou in 2000 and in Muscadet in 2008. The winemaking 

facilities promote production of top appellations, particularly off-dry 

wines showing intense freshness and substantial aromatic finesse. 

Bougrier was joined by his son Nicolas in 2015 for the winemaking 

side, followed by his daughter Sophie, tasked with marketing and 

communications. “We are fortunate in the Loire Valley to be able to 

offer a wide variety of wines, whites, rosés, reds and quality sparkling 

wines, ranging from dry to sweet”, says Nicolas Bougrier. “Our 

strength is our terroir, which lends a common thread to all our wines 

and a freshness that gives us our identity”. The Vouvray appellation 

is one of the estate’s mainstays, fuelling the success of its still wines 

in export markets with its soft style just below the off-dry profile 

in terms of residual sugar. The estate has developed new labels to 


LOIRE VALLEY 


embrace every style of Chenin blanc, from dry, off-dry, 

soft and sweet wines to a boutique label of sparkling 

Vouvray in recent years. “Momentum increased for our 

rosés and Cabernet d’Anjou in 2000 when we created our 

Caves de l’Angevine grape harvesting facility”, adds Sophie 

Bougrier. “With our team, we worked vintage after vintage 

to develop our styles offering the best balance between 

acidity, freshness and fruit. There is still a long-standing 

and very sizeable French market, but in export markets 

we are also witnessing genuine legitimacy for the Anjou 

identity which has successfully carved out a place for itself 

internationally”. 

DOMAINE DELAUNAY: 

IN ROSÉ D’ANJOU HEAVEN 

Life in Montjean-sur-Loire has long followed the tempo 

set by the river and of an activity that made it the 

leading port on the Loire in the 19th century. At that 

time, growing hemp and producing some twenty lime 

kilns required sustained transportation by boat. For four 

generations, this typical village along the banks of the 

Loire has been home to Domaine Delaunay which boasts 

57 hectares of outstanding vineyard sites over a mosaic of 

soils and landforms, underpinned by a felicitous ocean 

climate. Good sunshine and low temperature variations 

promote a broad range of wines. These natural assets lend 

the off-dry wines remarkable freshness, fruitiness and 

roundness. “For our off-dry wines, we aim for fruitiness 

with slight acidity to produce a fresh, soft rosé that is not 

overly sweet”, stresses Marie-Céline Boré-Delaunay, one of 

the estate’s three partners alongside her brothers Alain and 

Pascal Delaunay. “Harvesting before the fruit over-ripens 

allows us to retain freshness and fruit, while temperaturecontrolled 

winemaking preserves the fruit and avoids 

oxidation”. For the varietal range, the Cabernet Franc used 

for the Cabernet d’Anjou is coupled with Grolleau and 

Gamay for the Rosé d’Anjou. 

Pascal and Marie-Céline and Alain, the partners at Domaine Delaunay, 

a family-run farm for four generations 

VIGNOBLE PIN: 

WHERE CHENIN TAKES CENTRE STAGE 

In the heart of Anjou, the sloping hillsides unfurl the 

purity of this superb 50-hectare vineyard. Here, a family 

of winegrowers has been nurturing the art of excellence 

Ludovic Pin of the eponymous estate 


LOIRE VALLEY 


for four generations. “The defining feature of the Cheninbased 

off-dry wines is not their substantial minerality”, 

comments Ludovic Pin. “The harvest date is key to 

producing wines with aromatic finesse and a hue that lends 

them beautiful freshness, revolving around the Cabernet- 

Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc varieties for the rosés and 

Chenin for the off-dry whites. Although consumers shy 

away from sweet wines, rounded, fruity wines with lovely 

freshness are in great demand”. Their popularity is stoked 

by the location of the vineyard, which reduces the high 

temperatures that lessen acidity, and by the clay and schist 

soil that instils freshness. 

David Grellier with Jérémie Papin (right), the cellar master 

at Château La Varière 

CHÂTEAU LA VARIÈRE: THE ANJOU FLAGSHIP 

Nestled in France’s ‘Valley of the Kings’, Château La 

Varière has been demonstrating the excellence of one 

of the oldest properties in Anjou since the 15 th century. 

This extensive 150-hectare vineyard belongs to Orchidées 

Maisons de Vin, whose estates, chateaux and companies 

boast a presence throughout the Loire. Château La Varière 

produces wonderful wines under the Anjou, Anjou-Villages 

Brissac, Cabernet and Rosé d’Anjou, Rosé de Loire, Coteaux 

de l’Aubance, Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux and Quarts 

de Chaume appellations. “Our challenge is to promote 

and boost recognition of Loire Valley wines in France 

and abroad, by developing a high-end range with off-dry 

wines at its core”, explains the chateau’s technical director 

David Grellier. “The main grape varieties, Cabernet Franc, 

Cabernet-Sauvignon and Chenin, are key components 

of the typical and remarkably appealing off-dry wines”. 

Certified High Environmental Value Level 3, this excellent 

estate is one of the cornerstones of the reputation of Anjou 

wines in France and globally, whose success stems from a 

famous Cabernet planted on Anjou gravel soils. 

The vineyards at Château La Varière 

DOMAINE BOUTET-SAULNIER: 

HISTORIC OFF-DRY WINES 

In the heart of the Chartier valley to the East of Vouvray, 

this property covers 13 hectares. Christophe Boutet has 

been at the estate’s helm since 1997 and was joined by his 

wife Astrid in 2012. In their third year of conversion to 

organic farming, the two passionate winegrowers produce 

two off-dry wines – Harmonie and Le Clos Dubois – on 


LOIRE VALLEY 


Christophe Boutet of Domaine Boutet Saulnier 

one of the estate’s iconic plots where the soils have been tilled with 

a draught horse for the past 9 years. “Off-dry wines are one of the 

Vouvray appellation’s long-standing offerings”, says Christophe 

Boutet. “Generating 15% of total turnover, it is an interesting way 

of approaching Chenin with ease. Residual sugars vary depending 

on the vintage from 16 to 23 grammes, the aim being to achieve a 

balance between sweetness and acidity”. Astrid Boutet adds, “Offdry 

wines are particularly interesting from a culinary perspective, 

as there are so many possible combinations with cold meats, white 

meats, cheeses or even spicy and sweet and sour dishes”. 

DOMAINE DU BUISSON: THE CHARM OF ANJOU 

Along the Anjou wine and village route, the hillsides overlooking 

the Loire are home to Cabernet Franc and Cabernet-Sauvignon 

vines belonging to Domaine du Buisson. For a century, the estate 

has been producing a subtle yet compelling rendition of Anjou 

Cabernet. At the cutting edge of technology, the estate has a 

winery fitted with temperature-controlled tanks that optimise 

the winemaking process and offer thermal inertia that facilitates 

ageing. “At Domaine du Buisson, we produce two rosé wines”, 

says Nicolas Sécher. “Grown on clay-limestone soil, the Anjou rosé 


LOIRE VALLEY 


Nicolas Sécher in his vineyard 

is a Gamay with fine floral notes and strawberry and blackberry aromas. 

The Cabernet d’Anjou, with its deep colour and lovely salmon hues, shows 

distinctive citrus and raspberry notes. The two wines are in great demand, 

especially in export markets”. 

DOMAINE DES AUBUISIÈRES, BERNARD FOUQUET: 

SUPPLE AND SILKY OFF-DRY WINES 

A new chapter full of promise opened this year at Domaine des Aubuisières. 

Since he arrived in 1983, Bernard Fouquet has made this beautiful 30-hectare 

family estate a Vouvray benchmark. On August 1, Charles Lesaffre partnered 

with Bernard Fouquet. “Chenin gives us supple, silky balance between the 

sweetness in our wines and the acidity stemming from the grape variety and the 

clay-siliceous soils”, he explains. “This combination yields fresh, fruity wines 

with great tension”. The estate has taken on board new drinking habits focusing 

more on wines with a little less sugar than the previously fashionable off-dry 

offerings. “The trend for healthy eating is encouraging consumers to pay more 

attention to sugar concentration”, continues Lesaffre. “So we now market dry, 

soft Vouvray with a little residual sugar. The fat naturally occurring in Chenin 

allows us to soften the lower sugar levels”. This new, tenser balance is very 

popular in export markets, where sales have been increasing apace, particularly 

in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. 

DOMAINE LOIZEAU-CLAIN: A WINNING TRIO 

Thierry and Dominique Loizeau and Anthony Clain are the three managers of 

Domaine Loizeau-Clain. They combine their efforts and expertise to promote 

the wines of the Loire Valley, particularly the off-dry offerings. Nestled on 


LOIRE VALLEY 


the border of the Anjou-Villages-Brissac and Saumur 

appellations, the estate is a key player in the region and 

produces a superb Cabernet d’Anjou Les Jauraux. “This 

is a Cabernet Franc with a pale copper pink colour”, 

describes Thierry Loizeau. “It has a distinctive lively nose 

of ripe red berry fruits and fine spices”. On the palate, the 

appeal of this well-balanced, crisp rosé is its compelling, 

fruit-forward attack and its lively, fresh and fairly light 

mouthfeel. Capturing today’s zeitgeist, this outstanding 

label is perfect for an aperitif with friends but also pairs 

with many dishes on a gourmet menu. 

IN THE SPIRIT OF THE TIMES 

The Loire Valley’s off-dry wines may well have a longstanding 

history, they are also perfectly suited to the 

expectations of modern-day consumers who have a thirst 

for generous, user-friendly wines that are pleasant to 

drink. According to OpinionWay, exports continue to 

grow, accounting for 20% of sales, particularly in the 

three main markets that are the United States, the United 

Kingdom and Germany. The perceived quality of the 

wines goes hand in hand with good knowledge of the 

three appellations – Vouvray, Cabernet and Rosé d’Anjou 

– by the foreign trade. “Originally, the French market was 

mainly familiar with Vouvray’s quality sparkling wines, 

whereas still wines were shipped overseas”, comments 

Nicolas Bougrier, managing director of Domaine Bougrier. 

“Now, we sell both categories in France and abroad. 

Chenin Blanc has been a very fashionable grape variety 

for the last ten years and I don’t think that will change”. 

These advantages should allow the region’s off-dry wines 

to develop even more in export markets. “Their success 

can be ascribed to the quality of Loire businesses, who 

are talented winegrowers and winemakers”, sums up 

Pierre-Jean Sauvion. “Over the years, a significant amount 

of work has been done to achieve balance and we now 

refer more to fruitiness and satisfying flavours and less to 

sweetness”. Also, good value for money and accessibility 

mean that the wines can be enjoyed on any occasion – 

they work well as an aperitif, for impromptu occasions, 

with spicy or elaborate dishes, or with gourmet platters in 

wine bars. And that level of flexibility is priceless in this 

day and age! 

Charles Lesaffre, the partner winegrower at Domaine des Aubuisières 

Bernard Fouquet, tasting wines as they mature in barrels 

Thierry Loizeau at an exhibition 


SPAIN 

– GRAPES – 

Valencia: Fallas, paella… 

and Bobal 

Anyone with even a scant knowledge of the world and is familiar with the 

Valencia region in Spain, knows that it faces the Mediterranean Sea. 

Its main defining features are the ‘Fallas’ celebration and paella. 

But perhaps many who know or have visited the region, heavily influenced 

by ‘Riojitis’ or ‘Riberitis’, may be unaware of the grape variety native 

to this eastern Levante region with which many of its wines are made. 

Read on to find out more about Bobal. 

By Santiago Jimenez - Photographs: courtesy of the estates 

Finca San Blas boasts some 

incredible old vines 


SPAIN 


A beautiful bunch of Bobal grapes grown by Coviñas 

Bobal is a native grape variety grown in Spain’s 

Levante region. It is the star variety of the Utiel- 

Requena Designation of Origin where it makes 

up an estimated 70% of total production. 

According to the designation’s figures, 47% of 

the 21,876 hectares planted to Bobal are old vines, over 

40 years old. 

The climate and soil in this Mediterranean region offer 

perfect conditions for growing Bobal, which shows a 

preference for soils at a certain elevation. That’s exactly 

what the area has to offer. 

Bobal is also known as Provechón, Requena, Canonao, 

Boal, Boral, Bogal, Requeno or Bovatí depending on the 

town where it is grown. 

According to the designation of origin, “wines made 

with Bobal usually have an intense colour, full body and 

complex flavours. They are wines with potent volume and 

structure, and on the palate and nose, are reminiscent of 

ripe fruit, with tones of dried fruit, liquorice and spices. 

The young red wines are intense with very striking purple 

tones. Over time, they very slowly evolve, becoming 

vivid red wines reminiscent of ripe cherry.” 

Rosé wines made from Bobal “have a very attractive colour 

and aromas of red fruit, with intense deep violet tones. 


SPAIN 


In the mouth, they achieve a unique balance, bringing 

great freshness and fullness to the palate. They are very 

harmonious wines,” typical of this designation of origin. 

This variety has great winemaking potential. In recent 

years, wineries have made incremental progress in 

winemaking and viticulture with Bobal. The result is that 

new, quality wines are appearing in the market, and they 

show site-expressive characters. 

Below are 4 wineries where Bobal is a pivotal ingredient 

in the winemaking process. 

An aerial view of the Coviñas co-operative winery 

Unloading grapes during the harvest 

COVIÑAS: IN UNITY THERE IS STRENGTH 

This winery was created in 1965 in the town of Requena, 

when 10 of the major winegrowers in the region of Utiel- 

Requena came together. Their initial intention was to 

create a distillery, but two years later, the group bought a 

winery near the distillery. It is here that the first quality 

wine in the region was made, called ‘Vino de la Reina’. 

Over time, it became known as ‘Enterizo’, a brand that 

still exists today and is one of the winery’s flagships. 

Around 1994, the company expanded internationally 

with the brand ‘Monte Mayor’, and from then on, it has 

been growing steadily. 

In 2003, activity in the distillery came to an end, and 

the members of the group decided to focus on creating 

still wines. In 2008, they adapted their facilities to make 

Cava, following specifications for the designation of 

origin primarily located in Catalonia. 

According to Coviñas, sales volumes “have quadrupled in 

the last decade.” The winery has increased its portfolio 

and made high quality wines, including some limited 

edition bottlings, “always taking on board the needs of 

the market and consumers.” 

Coviñas owns over 10,000 hectares of land. A large part 

of the on-stream vineyards are home to some of the 

oldest vines in Spain, over 100 years of age. 80% of the 

vineyards are planted to Bobal. 

In addition to the ‘Reina de Requena’, other varieties such 

as Tempranillo, Grenache, Macabeo and cultivars in far 

lower quantities (Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon,…) 

are grown, but Bobal is special “for its resistance to 

lack of water and high temperatures, which makes it 


SPAIN 


ideal for growing here. Very little treatment on the 

vines is required, making it a good option for growing 

organically.” 

Given the characteristics of this type of grape, and the 

challenge of climate change, “for its robustness, its 

resistance to drought and its ability to adapt to drastic 

climate changes, this variety could have a very promising 

future in the advent of such changes.” 

Currently, the average yearly volume of bottles produced 

totals 16 million, with exports to over 30 countries around 

the world. Overseas sales represent approximately 80% 

of total volume, with the remaining 20% for domestic 

consumption. 

With a commitment to quality and respect for the land, 

to the farmers and the environment, Coviñas continues 

to be a co-operative with over 3,000 members. It is the 

primary producer of Bobal wines. 

Coviñas vineyards paint a multi-coloured picture after the harvest 

FINCA SAN BLAS: SETTING NEW CHALLENGES 

Two kilometres to the South-West of Requena (some 

80 km inland to the West of Valencia) is the location 

for this winery. Here, olives, almonds, cereals and 

vines are grown, alongside the local flora including 

pines, juniper bushes and trees, rosemary and aromatic 

plants like saffron. “The land is imbued with flavour 

which, in return, conveys its essence to the wine to give 

it uniqueness, personality and character”, is how the 

symbiosis is presented at the winery. 

Finca San Blas maintains a very close connection with 

nature and a very special relationship with wine. On this 

extensive 585-hectare farm in Requena, for the most part 

made up of woodland, Bobal, Tempranillo, Cabernet- 

Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Merseguera, 

Xarello and Chenin Blanc are grown, with only the best 

grapes selected to promote terroir-driven wines with 

character, that are also extremely elegant. 

The winery is situated in the same location as the farm, 

in the most traditional style reminiscent of the classic 

French chateau. In this way, “the pronounced artisanal 

character of the wines is retained and the winemaking 

process becomes something that is natural and organic, 

with the winery its harmonising and balancing centre.” 

Nicolás Sánchez is the winemaker at Finca 

San Blas 


SPAIN 


Spring flowers at Finca San Blas 

“20 years ago, we were among the first to invest in the 

quality of Bobal and to believe that we could make great 

bottled wines from it. Being so rural, wineries at first 

only made wine in bulk. It is a significant grape and 

represents a firm investment for the winery since, as a 

native grape, it has adapted very well to the conditions of 

our farm”, a spokesperson explained. 

The winemaker and professor of viticulture at the 

Requena School of Viticulture and Oenology at the 

Valencia Polytechnic University, Nicolás Sánchez, is a 

Bobal specialist. “Nicolás has set himself challenges and 

made innovations here, which no other winery has done 

before, planting new grape varieties unknown to the area, 

implementing new winemaking methods never used 

before in the region, for example not removing shade or 

importing techniques from the Tokaj region [Hungary] 

for his latest creation, a sweet white botrytised wine”. 

The result of these investments is an “elegant terroir 

wine with great character, encapsulating its environment 

and heir to a unique natural richness. It expresses the 

personality of a farm which is much more than just 

its vineyards.” 


Views out over the Bobal vineyards belonging to Coviñas 

An abundance of clusters about to be harvested 

A typical setting for Finca San Blas 

Inside the barrel room at Finca San Blas 

Bobal, Valencia’s star grape variety, ripens on the vine at the Pasiego winery 

The winters can be cold 

at Finca San Blas 

Inside the winery at Torre Oria

SPAIN 


The winery makes two single varietals from Bobal: “La 

Senda del Caballo and Finca San Blas Bobal which 

can be considered as small-batch wines. The wines are 

matured in large wooden casks (fudres) or barrels, with 

clear Bobal expression at its most potent and expressive, 

but also very refined and elegant.” Other wines, red and 

rosé, have Bobal as the main variety, but are blended with 

other grape varieties grown on the farm. 

According to the staff at the Finca San Blas, Bobal “is 

a variety that has become more and more famous over 

the last decade in the national and international market, 

and is undoubtedly one of the Spanish varieties with 

the greatest international future in decades to come. 

Importers already know that Spain is much more than 

Tempranillo, and Bobal is a grape that is generating 

great interest abroad and even within our own borders 

because of its excellent ability to make great wines that 

are complex and elegant, but at the same time, easy to 

understand.” 

Pasiego is a family-run winery located in Sinarcas 

The barrel room at the Pasiego winery 

PASSIEGO: FROM A HOBBY TO A PROFESSION 

The first steps of this project were taken in 1997, with 

13 barrels in a basement in Utiel, when three friends 

and wine enthusiasts decided to set up a winery as a 

hobby, without any economic expectations, with the sole 

purpose of enjoying the process of making the best wine 

possible. 

At that time, they were not yet creating wines. Instead, 

they started by comparing a lot of wine samples and 

choosing which they liked best in order to age them in 

barrels, as good artisans do, patiently and perseveringly, 

and without rushing the process. 

As time went on, they kept growing in size and receiving 

awards. The hobby was becoming something more 

serious. Two of the founding members jumped ship and 

the new company remained under the control of brothers 

Julio, José Luís and David Salón Pérez, who moved their 

facilities to Sinarcas with the intention of making wines 

from their own grapes. 

Since then, the project has become a family-run winery 

located in Sinarcas, in the inland area of the province of 

Valencia, within the Utiel-Requena D.O. 


An autumnal view of the vineyards at the Pasiego winery 

SPAIN 


José Luis Salón, one of the brothers who owns the winery 

and its technical director, said that unlike other grape 

varieties currently grown locally, Bobal “is the variety 

that has always been grown here. As it is native to this 

area, it is perfectly suited to our climate.” 

Concurring with opinions expressed by the previous 

two wineries, Salón believes Bobal “is a variety with 

great potential, as we have seen in recent years through 

the development of different wines in the region – rosé, 

young and mature wines (garnering high ratings in guides, 

awards, etc.). Perhaps it needs greater international 

exposure, since it is not as well-known elsewhere.” 

Like the majority of grape varieties, Bobal is being 

affected by climate change with “harvests occurring 

earlier, ultimately shortening the growing cycle. For the 

quality of the grape, slow ripening is vital. Therefore, in 

the higher and cooler areas in our region, climate change 

has so far been favourable for us. Years ago, we were at 

the outer limit of vine growing, producing grapes with a 

low level of ripeness.” 


SPAIN 


An aerial view of Torre Oria 

TORRE ORIA: LOOKING TO THE FUTURE 

The origins of this winery date back to the end of the 19 th century. 

The Oria de Rueda family had been successful in the silk industry in 

Valencia, but over time, the family decided to move their business 

to the city of Requena, 60 km away in the inland parts of Valencia. 

With the decline of the silk industry, they decided to convert their 

business to wine, although legend has it that a great storm in 

around 1897, which destroyed mulberry trees and ruined their silk 

business, was the determining factor in building the winery. 

Around 1925, after 25 years of making still wines, José Oria de 

Rueda made the decision to buy his first 500 barrels with which to 

age wines. The winery has now been producing wines matured in 

oak for decades. 

Since 1970, sparkling wines have been crafted at Torre Oria, using 

the traditional method. After years of legal wrangling, in 1993 

it became the first winery with the Cava designation outside the 

Penedés region, the original location of the Cava designation 

of origin. 

In 2012, Eloy Bautista became the principal shareholder at Bodegas 

Torre Oria, after a long career in the wine industry. He decided to 

start a new project with a clear strategy focused on the international 

marketplace. 

Bodegas Torre Oria is aware of the competitiveness of the wine 

sector in international markets, where it is not only competing with 

Spanish suppliers, but also with international producers. 


SPAIN 


The impressive buildings at Torre Oria 

The company has several objectives, but one of them is “to satisfy 

consumers with traditional and innovative wines, through good 

value for money and a 5-star delivery service.” 

Like other wineries mentioned here, Bobal is a key grape with 

which Torre Oria makes various red wines, but it also grows 

other varieties such as Merlot, Tempranillo, Cabernet-Sauvignon 

and Syrah. For white wines, it uses Macabeo, Chardonnay and 

Sauvignon Blanc. 

The winery’s Bobal wines “are normally robust with a great ability 

to age. They are very fresh, fruity wines that mature well where 

there is good balance between the fruit and the toasted, elegant 

notes from the ageing process in the barrel.” 

“Bobal epitomises personality and distinctiveness for our winery. 

Occasionally, we use it in small amounts to make our wines 

unique. Our single-variety bottled wines made from this grape 

enable us to break into new markets. Exclusivity and native 

varieties are important pillars of our strategy.” 

According to Diego Morcillo, technical director of Torre Oria, “the 

future is clearly bright for this variety, especially since it is a grape 

with high total acidity, moderate pH and is late ripening, which 

in the past was a handicap; 20 years ago, it was difficult to ripen 

the fruit well. With regard to the climate in our region, the fact 

that summers end in October guarantees good ripening with more 

moderate alcohol levels but still enough acidity to last over time.” 


The views out over Quinta do Saião in the Douro 

PORTUGAL 

– REGION – 

OPORTO AND DOURO: 

The perfect combination 

for making great wines 

Port wine is one of Portugal’s oldest global ambassadors. There are few places 

in the world where wine has had such a remarkable influence as in the Douro. 

Consumer tastes have shifted though, from sweet to drier offerings. 

Santiago Jimenez goes on a journey along the region’s iconic river, 

seeking out, not its storied fortified wines, but the more recent addition 

to its present-day portfolio – still wines. 

By Santiago Jimenez - Photographs: courtesy of the estates 


PORTUGAL 


Vineyards belonging to Quinta Nova 

Wine has been grown in the region for over 

2,000 years. Originally, wines leaving the area, 

destined mainly for England, were unfortified. 

However, they failed to reach English shores 

in good condition so producers found a 

suitable way of ‘fortifying them’ and allowing them to reach 

their destination in perfect condition. This technique has 

continued and ‘fortified’ wines long enjoyed great popularity. 

In recent years, however, consumer tastes have changed and 

unfortified Douro wines have returned to the fore. The still 

wines grown across the region have gained a strong presence in 

the marketplace because modern technology has promoted the 

advent of top Douro wines. 

QUINTA NOVA – 

OBJECTIVE: PERFECTION 

Located in the middle of the Douro valley is one of the oldest 

and most emblematic farms in the region: Quinta Nova de Nossa 

Senhora do Carmo. Its wines are iconic and highly valued by the 

trade and consumers. These are wines that faithfully reflect, in an 

extraordinary way, the exclusive character of the micro-terroirs 

– the farm, which is over 250 years old, has 41 vineyard plots. 

It covers 120 hectares, stretching along 1.5 km on the right bank 

of the river Douro, almost 80 of them planted to vines, nestled 

in a setting listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. 


PORTUGAL 


- Jorge Alves is the winemaker at Quinta Nova 

The name, ‘Nossa Senhora do Carmo’ has its origins in the 

17 th century, in a small chapel constructed on the bank of the river 

Douro to protect the sailors of the ships transporting Port wine. 

In 1999, the history of the winery took an important turn 

when the Amorim family – who in 2020 celebrated the 150 th 

anniversary of their first business, making cork stoppers for 

Bodegas de Oporto in Vila Nova de Gaia – purchased Quinta 

Nova, consolidating their long-standing relationship with the 

world of wine. 

Luisa Amorim joined the company. She saw a great similarity 

between the wine and cork businesses: proximity to nature, 

international relations and patience were aspects to which she 

was already accustomed in her professional life. In two decades 

under her leadership, the ‘new’ Quinta Nova was redesigned. 

Important contributions to this renaissance included the 

planting of 50 hectares of vineyards with a view to adding value 

to the excellence of the wine region and bringing present-day 

hectareage of planted vineyards up to 85. 

The focus and objective of Luisa and the five winemakers at 

the winery is achieving perfection in the wines. They travel 

throughout the world and welcome winemakers from across 


PORTUGAL 


Quinta Nova vineyards 

the globe to glean information. They rigorously analyse the 

grapes from the vineyard’s 41 different plots. They observe 

every stage of the winemaking process to try and understand 

what is best for their grapes as this is the means by which they 

intend to achieve perfection. 

There are 100-year old terraces at Quinta Nova, divided into 

two extraordinary plots: a 2.5-hectare plot and another covering 

4.5 hectares. The vineyards are a unique genetic heritage, given 

their enormous size. All the vines were planted immediately 

after phylloxera (some 80 different grape varieties) which have 

lasted until now to produce high quality wines. Yielding very 

low output, the vines are tended using traditional methods, 

where the soil is farmed using time-honoured techniques – a 

horse and plough – and fertilized organically with the objective 

of preserving Douro history and safeguarding tradition. 

In the vineyards, in addition to the 80 native varieties which 

are preserved with great care and represent some 12% of total 

vineyard acreage, there is also Touriga Nacional (20% of total 

acreage), Touriga Franca (24%), Tinta Barroca (11%), Tinto 

Cão (6%), Tinta Roriz (17%), Tinta Amarela (%), Souzão (3%) 

and Tinta Francisca (3%). 


The namesake owner of the Rui Roboredo winery 

PORTUGAL 



PORTUGAL 


To add one last noteworthy detail, Quinta Nova is the 

11 th largest winery for Port wine sales by volume in 

the world. Its wines can be found in 27 international 

markets, mainly in Brazil, Switzerland, Canada and the 

United States. There are plans to remodel the winery 

in 2022. 

In addition to its commitment to the environment and to 

its consumers, Quinta Nova is closely involved with the 

community through foundations like Associação Bagos 

d´Ouro, an institution which supports the education 

of 150 underprivileged children and young people. It 

is jointly run with 21 recognized wine producers in the 

area, creating a more balanced and, above all, a more 

inclusive Douro. 

RUI ROBOREDO MADEIRA – 

A LIFETIME’S PASSION 

This winery was founded in 1999 under the name of 

Vinhos do Douro Superior VDS (Wines of the Upper 

Douro) and in 2000, at the turn of the 21 st century, the 

brand Castello d’Alba was launched. The overriding aim 

from the start has been to produce top quality wines, 

showing Douro character and an international profile, 

by combining native grape varieties with cutting-edge 

winemaking techniques. 

Since then and up until now, the winery has been 

acquiring new vineyards, and launching new wines 

until 2013 when the winery changed its name to 

‘Rui Roboredo Madeira - Vinhos do Vale do Douro’. 

This change was intended to “reflect the dedication 

and personal hallmark on the project created by Rui 

Roboredo Madeira and to which he has dedicated a great 

part of his life, thereby achieving a broader positioning 

with signature wines.” 

One year later, the winery launched wines carrying his 

name ‘Rui Roboredo Madeira’ and since then, it has been 

investing and remodelling. 

The winery is synonymous with fine wines from the 

Douro Valley. Constant investment in pioneering 

concepts and the purity of its wines have set it apart. 

It sets great store by the vineyards in the Upper Douro 

Valley and in mountain wines. As a spokesperson from 

the winery says, “Each wine bearing the signature Rui 

Cement eggs at the Rui Roboredo winery 

A delightful view of the vineyards belonging to Rui Roboredo 


PORTUGAL 


Harvest season at Barão de Vilar 

Roboredo Madeira has a story to tell, marking the best 

moments in life.” 

Rui Roboredo worked in various wine regions before 

settling down in the area where he really wanted to be. 

As he says himself, “Having travelled through many of 

the winemaking regions of the world and learned about 

their practices, I returned to the Upper Douro, convinced 

of its great potential to make world class wines. Showing 

respect for nature in the way we grow our vines, my wines 

reflect my experiences, and their aroma and taste are 

those of my land. It is in my winery that I create wines 

with the character of our terroir, expressed through native 

grape varieties, on which I put my imprint and instil 

international character. This is my life’s passion: the wine 

of the great Douro Valley.” 

The winery covers a total 107 hectares of owned vineyards, 

27 of them farmed organically. It sells some 1.6 million 

bottles annually and exports to 17 countries. In reality, 

however, exports represent 25% of total sales, so the 

domestic market holds an impressive share. 

Ancient techniques, like horse-drawn tillage, 

are used at Quinta do Saião 

BARAO DEL VILAR – 

STRENGTH THROUGH COMMITMENT 

Located 50 km South of Lisbon, Barao del Vilar is a 

company where the team is wholly committed to the 

creation of value. The staff is motivated, competent and 

innovative, and its mission is to make wines that live up 

to customer expectations at a competitive price, while 

still preserving the highest standards of quality and food 

safety – the ultimate aim is to establish a relationship 

based on trust and loyalty. 

The company’s institutional name goes back to a title of 

nobility conferred by the Queen of Portugal Maria II on 

Cristiano Nicolau Kopke, the first Baron of Vilar, in 1836. 

Through inheritance, the title remains the legitimate 

possession of the family heirs. 

The winemaker here is Alvaro Van Zeller who studied 

agronomy in Brazil, followed by post-graduate studies in 

Bordeaux, where he obtained a DEA in Viticulture and 

Oenology. Subsequently, he joined Quinta do Noval 

where, at an early age, he took over total responsibility 

for blending, wine tasting and all winemaking duties. 

Later, he was recruited as the head of wine tasting at the 


PORTUGAL 


Alvaro van Zeller, master blender and winemaker at Barão de Vilar 

IVDP (Porto and Douro Institute of Wine) where all Port 

and Douro wines are approved and certified. During 

his career, he had a varied range of experience in other 

wineries in the region before making a complete change 

and assuming total responsibility for all wines made by 

Barão de Vilar, S.A. 

The wines are made from Touriga Nacional, one of the 

most famous grapes in Portugal, but other grape varieties 

such as Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Francisca, 

Tinto Cão, Alicante Bouschet, Sousão and Tinta Amarela 

are also used. This combination, coupled with the 

region’s climate, which is strongly influenced by the 

Atlantic, has allowed the winery to produce consistently 

structured and balanced wines. 

The vineyards, both Quinta de ZOM and Quinta do 

Saião, are located in the sub-region of the Upper Douro, 

which is drier and warmer than other sub-regions in the 

Douro (Baixo Corgo and Cima Corgo). 

Wine production here is mainly sustainable, with 

10 hectares of vineyards classified as organic. 


ITALY 


Elena Walch’s Castel Ringberg vineyard is a very special, 

unique location home to a variety of soil types dating back to 

the Ice Age and subsequent periods 

Italy’s mountain viticulture 

gets a boost from 

climate change 

Italy has a very particular orographic conformation, in the shape of a ‘T’ formed 

by the Alpine arc that traces a horizontal line to the North and the Apennines that 

run longitudinally from North to South. Mountain viticulture has a fundamental 

impact on the general picture of Italian winegrowing. 

By Francesco Saverio Russo - Photographs: courtesy of the estates 


ITALY 


The majestic castle of Saint Pierre, a symbol of the Aosta Valley 

From Mont Blanc to Mount Etna, via the mountain vineyards 

of the central regions and islands, high-altitude viticulture 

has distinctive features which make it very interesting, 

especially for its response to current climate change. 

The most important effect of altitude is the progressive 

drop in temperature, which allows the grapes to ripen more 

slowly and, through careful vineyard management, produce greater 

consistency in the fruit. The cooler climate reduces the production 

of sugars and raises the total level of acidity, paving the way for 

more contemporary and less ‘overripe’ wines. These are also very 

interesting parameters for the production of sparkling wines. 

Although producing ripe sugars is no longer an issue, diurnal shift 

plays a fundamental role in aromatic ripening, giving mountain 

wines a fresher and more defined flavour and aroma profile. The 

key to the success of mountain wines is therefore the cooler climate; 

vineyards with optimal exposures promoting ideal radiation for 

the canopy and clusters; well-drained soils which avoid water 

stagnation; and constant wind which helps keep the grapes healthy. 

Although these are the distinctive and positive factors of Italian 

mountain winegrowing, it must also be said that a good part of 

mountain vineyards can be defined as ‘heroic’, i.e. very challenging 

to work with. Heroic viticulture, in fact, climbs up very steep slopes 

(often made more manageable by terraces) forcing growers to work 

manually and incur much higher management costs. 


ITALY 


As examples of quality mountain winegrowing, we have 

chosen 7 representative wineries in northern Italy. 

The modern Nals Margreid winery, renovated in 2011, combines art, 

sustainability and technology 

NALS MARGREID 

The history of Nals Margreid dates back to 1764, when 

the Von Campi estate was built on the exact site where 

the winery stands today. In 1932, the Nalles Winery was 

founded and in 1985 it merged with Magrè to form Nals 

Margreid. 

The winery is in South Tyrol, at the point where 

Tyrolean and Mediterranean cultures meet. The peaks 

of the Alps and the Dolomites frame a landscape which 

bears witness to a winegrowing tradition dating back 

thousands of years. The roughly 160-hectare vineyard is 

farmed by 138 families who have 14 vineyards between 

Nalles, in the Adige Valley, and Magrè. The vineyards 

are located between 200 and 900 metres above sea level, 

on soils with differing characteristics, microclimate and 

exposure. 

The winery has always aimed to produce wines 

encapsulating Alpine freshness, the symbiosis with the 

terroir, an international flavour and elegance. Mountain 

viticulture is characterised by historic vineyards at 

high altitudes which, combined with the experience of 

vineyard technicians and winemakers, means that the 

wines are not affected by global warming. 

The average annual production is 1,000,000 bottles and 

the domestic market is very important, although wine is 

exported to 36 countries worldwide. 

Biodiversity in the area where Elena Walch’s vineyards 

are situated has been sensitively preserved 

ELENA WALCH 

Elena Walch is one of South Tyrol’s leading wineries. A 

promoter of quality and innovation, it has helped lead 

the South Tyrolean wine revolution. An architect by 

profession, Elena married the heir to one of the oldest 

winemaking families in South Tyrol and today her 

daughters Julia and Karoline Walch, (educated in France 

and Australia) run the company. 

The winery produces terroir-driven wines. To achieve this, 

it takes an uncompromising approach, showing respect 

for the characteristics of each individual vineyard site. 

Among its 60 bearing hectares, the two ‘Cru’ vineyards, 

Vigna Castel Ringberg in Kaltern and Vigna Kastelaz in 

Tramin, are noteworthy. 


ITALY 


Elena Walch with her daughters Julia and Karoline Walch, 

who are in charge of the winery 

The area is home to a succession of sun-kissed land, impervious 

terraces and undulating vineyards, as well as high-altitude plots 

exposed to the cooler air and the short but warm summer months. 

The difference in altitude between the various plots is almost 

800 metres - a feature that is virtually unique in the world of wine. 

Such differing elevations provide the scope to ‘play around’ with the 

production of wines showing unique characteristics. 

In order to cope with climate change, the winery has extended its 

high-altitude plots between 250 and 1,000 metres above sea level, 

where climate change opens up new avenues for positive challenges. 

Currently more than 15 hectares of vineyards are above 600 m 

above sea level, mostly planted to Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. 

Five hectares have just been planted in Aldino, a mountain village 

on the East side of the valley, at about 1,000 m above sea level. A 

further vineyard at 600 metres above sea level has been purchased 

in Altenburg, on the side of the Mendola that runs alongside 

Termeno. This is the mosaic in which Elena Walch is a practitioner 

of mountain winegrowing. 

Climate change has also seen increased risks of damage due to 

spring frost, as well as more frequent hailstorms. However, the latter 

remain very limited locally, as the mountains with their valleys stem 

the air currents and moderate the clouds. 

At the Elena Walch winery, mountain winegrowing is perceived as 

interesting insofar as it provides the opportunity to produce wines 

of the highest quality from a wide variety of sensitively interpreted 

vineyard sites. Elena Walch produces approximately 550,000 bottles 

annually, 50% of them exported to a total of 70 countries. 


ITALY 


Villa Corniole harvests all the grapes from its celebrated vineyards 

in Val di Cembra by hand 

VILLA CORNIOLE 

Villa Corniole is a family-run winery located in Valle di Cembra, 

Trentino. Between the Cembra Valley and the Rotaliana plain, 

Villa Corniole has a total of around 10 hectares of vineyards. 

The Cembra Valley is characterised by an Alpine climate: the 

cold currents off the Dolomites influence the temperatures in 

the valley, generating large temperature swings between day and 

night and causing the grapes to ripen slowly but at the same time 

enhancing acidity, perfumes and aromas. 

The 708 km of dry-stone walls are unique: a symbol of heroic 

viticulture, they represent a heritage of great value for the valley 

and are recognised by UNESCO. They offer support for the 

vineyards on extreme slopes and at the same time preserve 

biodiversity. 

The aim of Villa Corniole is to express the region by respecting 

its richness and healthiness and by keeping its natural resources 

and ecosystem in balance. Winegrowing in the Cembra Valley 


ITALY 


is extremely labour-intensive. It is estimated that it takes 

about 1,000 hours a year to farm a single hectare of 

vines. This combines with the effects of climate change, 

which brings ever more frequent heavy downpours and 

hailstorms. Rising temperatures are, in fact, the least of 

their worries, as the microclimate and elevations help 

to produce quality grapes with excellent ripeness, full 

acidity and clear aromas. 

Villa Corniole has noticed that in recent years, consumers 

have also been showing greater awareness and recognising 

the added value of mountain wines. 

The company produces around 90,000 bottles/year, 

divided between several labels of whites, reds and Trento 

Doc classic method sparkling wines. 50% of production 

is sold in Italy and the remaining 50% is exported to 

Asia, Europe, Canada and the United States. The winery’s 

clientele is solely the hospitality industry and private 

customers. 

Villa Corniole stems from a time-honoured family tradition – a project revolving 

around a shared passion which starts in the vineyard and continues in the 

winery, boosted by the younger generations 

WEGER HOF 

Founded in 1820 by Josef Weger (grandfather of the 

current owner), the Weger Hof winery is a historical 

pioneer in producing and selling wines in South Tyrol. 

The hills of Cornaiano are home to the Wegers, their 

wine estate and their ancient cellars. Their aim has 

always been to produce clear, clean and easy-drinking 

wines in the pure South Tyrolean style. To do this, they 

devote great respect and sensitivity to the vineyards, 

aware that they are less affected than other areas by 

climate change and can make the most of the uniqueness 

of their mountain terroir. 

The significant temperature variations promote more 

consistent ripening. “After all, all mountain fruits have 

better aroma and flavour characteristics than those 

that grow on the plains”, comments Johannes Weger. 

“Unfortunately, the general warming of the climate is 

forcing us to look for higher and higher altitudes and 

work in the vineyard is becoming more demanding and 

totally manual”. 

As Johannes Weger points out, the real problems caused 

by climate change are not only related to global warming, 

but also to the increase in severe weather events such as 

storms with strong winds, flash flooding and hailstorms, 

against which little can be done. 

Johannes Weger 


ITALY 


The vintners of the Tirolensis Ars Vini (TAV) association 

The Laimburg historical archive is known throughout the region 

However, mountain winegrowing is an important 

commercial lever thanks to the perceived value of the 

heroic work of mountain winegrowers and the quality 

achieved by wines from these areas. 

Annual production is around 80,000 bottles. The wines 

are mostly bound for the domestic market, along with 

exports to Germany, Austria, Belgium and England. 

LAIMBURG 

The Laimburg Winery is a model for South Tyrolean 

winegrowing and therefore mountain winegrowing. It 

is part of the Experimentation Centre of the same name 

and supports its strong commitment to research and 

experimentation in the field of winegrowing with its 

own production of high-quality wines. All of the grapes 

used for the winery’s production are grown on its own 

20 hectares of vineyards located in various areas with 

differing microclimates and elevations in the Province of 

Bolzano, between 200 and 900 metres above sea level. 

One of the focuses of Laimburg’s research over the last 

15 years has been to find the right microclimate area for 

each grape variety, with plots ranging from the plains to 

the hills and steep mountain slopes, home to different 

soils. Choices are aimed at ensuring careful and stringent 

vineyard management, with utmost attention paid to 

each phase in order to offer the vines a balanced and 

clean habitat. 


ITALY 


According to Laimburg, climate change poses constant 

challenges for winegrowing. Cultivation at higher and 

cooler altitudes is being tested and offers the promise of 

enhanced hallmark characteristics, particularly for the 

white wines. The ERDF Pinot Blanc project carried out by 

the Laimburg Research Centre showed that Pinot blanc 

at 600 m above sea level developed fresher aromas than 

Pinot blanc at 300 m above sea level. 

Additionally, at the initiative of the South Tyrolean 

Winegrowers’ Association Ars Vini (TAV), a 1,000 m² 

vineyard at an altitude of 1,330 m above sea level was 

planted in 2013 at Geyrerhof in Soprabolzano with 

Solaris, a hardy vine suitable for these altitudes. 

In terms of its range of wines, Laimburg produces three 

collections: ‘Vini del Podere’, fermented in steel tanks or 

in large oak barrels; ‘Selezione Maniero’, mainly aged in 

barriques and selected; and ‘Vini Particolari’ made from 

vines that are resistant to downy mildew and oidium, or 

from special winegrowing and winemaking techni ques. 

Annual production is between 90,000 and 

100,000 bottles, most of which are sold in South Tyrol. 

Exports are mainly to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, 

Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Albania and 

exotic destinatioons such as Trinidad. 

The impressive underground ageing cellar at Laimburg 

LA SOURCE 

La Source was founded in 2003 by young, experienced 

farmers with deep-rooted winemaking traditions. 

Currently, the company is owned by the Celi-Cuc family 

and Stefano Celi is its current incumbent. Born in 

1971, he is a qualified agronomist and descendant of a 

family of farmers in the Aosta Valley. Since 2005, he has 

dedicated himself full-time to farming and particularly to 

wine production. 

The company has 9.5 hectares of vineyards, located 

between 650 and 900 m above sea level, planted to native 

and non-native vines such as Petite Arvine, Petit Rouge, 

Fumin, Premetta, Cornalin and Vien de Nus, Syrah, 

Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau, Muscat and Traminer. The 

vineyards are all located in the vicinity of the winery, in 

one of the most wine-focused areas of the Aosta Valley. 

This is mountain viticulture where most of the vineyard 

management is done by hand due to the high slopes 

and terraces. The absence of machines certainly entails 

La Source is located in Saint-Pierre, a village in the centre of the Aosta Valley 

famous for its castles and vineyards 


ITALY 


The vineyards at La Source in the Aosta valley 

higher production costs, but it preserves the land, 

reducing the risk of hydrogeological disruption caused 

by abandonment. 

Climate change has had a relatively important impact 

on production in the Valle d’Aosta but the current 

effects are certainly positive for ripening. If the rise 

in temperature continues over the next few decades, 

the solution here, as elsewhere, is to plant vineyards 

at higher altitudes. Mountain viticulture, and even 

more so that of the tiny Valle d’Aosta, is unique 

from a marketing perspective in that production 

is naturally very limited, allowing producers to 

concentrate exclusively on product quality. 

Also, this region, and in particular the Torrette area, 

is characterised by morainic/sandy soils, where the 

international cultivars can express themselves in 

a unique way. Annual production at La Source is 

around 40,000 bottles. Its most prominent outlets 

are the local market and the domestic market with 

a small percentage shipped abroad, in particular 

to Japan. 

Il Rifugio del Vino has a footprint of around 170 m 2 and is built 

next to the winery’s historic cellar. This ambitious project is a fusion of wine, 

mountain culture and architecture 

LES CRETES 

Les Cretes was founded by Costantino Charrère in 

1989 in Aymavilles, Valle d’Aosta. Charrère’s presence 

revolutionised winemaking in the region as he made 

local winegrowers aware of its unique features, creating 

a real movement. 

Today the Les Cretes estate is run by the family, 

who have focused their efforts on tending the land 

and making wine for five generations. The rugged, 

rocky mountains are often inhospitable, but with the 

right experience and innate sensitivity, Les Cretes has 

been able to nurture genuine Crus in this majestic 

landscape. The vineyards range from 300 to 900m 

above sea level. Rows, terraces, stone posts and 

centuries-old vines of different local varieties alternate 

with international varieties in great harmony. Climate 

change has made its mark here in a positive way, 

facilitating ripening while maintaining an Alpine 

climate that emphasises aromatic precursors due to 

the considerable temperature changes, and preserves 

the acidity needed to produce fine, vertical and longlived 

wines. 


ITALY 


Constantine Charrère with his wife and daughters. 

The family is dedicated to vine growing, wines and wine tourism at Les Cretes 

The range of wines produced by the Les Cretes winery 

is considerable, ranging from international varieties to 

local grapes such as Cornalin and Premetta, and from 

extremely elegant, refined whites to fruity, fresh reds, 

and even passito. Average production in recent years 

has been in the range of 225,000 bottles. COVID-19 

completely wiped out the winter season and therefore 

sales in the ski resorts which are among the best in the 

Alps. This is no mean challenge for a company that 

views the local region as its main market. However, 

Italy and a clutch of export markets secured by the 

company have held up well. 

How far will mountain viticulture go in Italy? This 

is impossible to predict, but we will certainly see 

vineyards planted at increasingly high elevations 

over the coming years due to climate change and the 

desire by growers to produce vertical, elegant wines, 

the hallmarks of this style of winegrowing. The hope 

is that the mountain landscape will not be disfigured, 

but there is every likelihood that the sensitivity of the 

winegrowers will prevent this from happening. 


ITALY 

– ORGANIC WINES – 

A view from above the vineyards on Mount Etna 

belonging to the Palmento Costanzo winery 

SICILY AND SARDINIA 

The ‘green’ islands 

of Southern Italy 

Island viticulture has always been judged separately from regions which have not 

been ‘isolated’ by the sea. Italy has two very important islands which represent two 

of the most interesting regions from a national winegrowing perspective – 

Sicily and Sardinia. 

By Francesco Saverio Russo - Photographs: courtesy of the estates - ©Benedetto Tarantino 


ITALY 


Mount Etna is a volcano, recognised as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2013. 

Palmento Costanzo’s vineyards are planted at its foot 

Recent DNA analyses of more than 2,000 grape varieties 

have traced the beginning of Sicilian viticulture back 

to the Copper Age (6,000-5,000 years ago!), while 

archaeological findings in Sardinia prove that the island’s 

populations were already cultivating vitis vinifera in the 

Nuragic period (1800 BC to the 2nd century AD). These are two 

of the oldest winegrowing areas in the world which, thanks in part 

to their ‘isolation’, have been able to maintain truly indigenous 

varietal genetics. Combined with vines brought to the islands by 

other populations over the centuries, they now form two very 

varied and distinctive ampelographic bases. 

Due to their particular soil and climate conditions, the two regions 

can pride themselves on a winegrowing approach geared towards 

sustainability, with Sicily holding the record for the largest area 

of organic vineyards (36% of its 100,000 hectares of vineyards, 

putting it in first place for total area of vines - more than the whole 

of South Africa!). In Sardinia, certified hectares are still low (less 

than 10% of the total), but traditional viticulture has always been 

respectful and sustainable, and the growth of organic vineyards 

has accelerated in recent years. In 2020, the region also launched 

a project that will involve the entire agri-food sector, including 

wineries, in the creation of Europe’s largest organic district. 

As evidence of the different approaches to sustainable winegrowing 

in Sicily and Sardinia, we have selected the following excellent 

wineries. 


ITALY 


Valeria Agosta Costanzo is the heart and soul of Palmento Costanzo 

SICILY 

PALMENTO COSTANZO 

Palmento Costanzo is located in Contrada Santo Spirito, in the 

hamlet of Passopisciaro, on the northern side of Mount Etna. 

Here, Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, Carricante and 

Catarratto have always been grown organically. More than a 

hundred terraces, with dry lava stone walls, guard a vineyard 

grown using the alberello system, which climbs the slopes 

of the volcano from 600 to 800 metres above sea level. With 

this system, all the vines, even those over a century old, are 

supported by chestnut-wood poles. Both the construction of 

the new winery and the restoration of the original structure 

adhered to the principles of bio-architecture. 

The use of natural light, thick lava stone walls which provide 

optimal thermal insulation, and a thermal labyrinth system 

running through the cellar under the floor, all combine to 

minimise the energy footprint. In fact, the company’s aim is 

to showcase the natural richness of the area with minimal 

environmental impact. 

The winery produces 100,000,000 bottles a year, 50% of them 

exported (USA, Japan, Sweden, Germany, Canada, France, 

Australia, etc.), thanks in part to its organic certification, which 

is increasingly in demand. 


Winemaker Bruno Fina and his children Marco, 

Sergio and Federica, all play a part in managing the company 

ITALY 


CANTINE FINA 

Cantine Fina, located in Marsala, is a family business run by 

Bruno Fina – who was the right-hand man of the renowned 

oenologist and father of Sassicaia, Giacomo Tachis – and his 

children Marco, Sergio and Federica. Fina uses his extensive 

knowledge of Sicily to select the best grapes from across the 

island with an ever-increasing focus on sustainability, so much 

so that today over 65% of the grapes come from organic vines. 

In addition to this, the company is committed to sustainability, 

with 70% of its energy coming from renewable sources. In 2021, 

the Fina family also decided to use local suppliers for bottles and 

labels, to minimise the environmental impact of transportation 

and support the local economy. 

For Cantine Fina, the choice of organic was initially driven by 

the obvious commercial benefits, but over time it has become a 

matter of pride to respect the land which, fortunately, lends itself 

well to this type of sustainable approach. 

In addition to Italy, the countries that have been most receptive to 

the winery’s ‘green’ approach are Japan and the United States, with 

a significant volume of the 650,000 bottles produced exported 

there, albeit with slightly different certification procedures. 


ITALY 


In Francesco Lirosi’s vineyards all the work is done manually 

BARBADORO 

The Barbadoro company belonging to the Lirosi family 

is located in Caltagirone, in the province of Catania, 

around 500 metres above sea level. It has been a family 

farm for more than three generations, producing wheat, 

olives, oranges and, of course, wine. “The company’s 

vineyards”, explains Francesco Lirosi, “are all bushtrained, 

non-irrigated and, in keeping with tradition, all 

field work is done by hand”. The focus on sustainability 

can be seen through their 1999 organic certification, 

and their photovoltaic system, which produces all 

the energy required by the vineyard, thereby reducing 

CO2 emissions. Francesco inherited this attention to 

sustainability from his parents, who based their lifestyle 

around respect for the environment and the importance 

of natural products. 

The company produces about 6,000 bottles of high 

quality wine a year, while new vineyards have recently 

been planted, offering bright hopes for the future. Due to 

the size of the company and its niche production, there 

is very close attention to detail, and the principles of 

organic viticulture represent very significant added value. 

At present, the company, as well as selling within Sicily 

and to the rest of Italy, exports to Canada and Vietnam, 

two countries which are at very different stages in their 

organic wine journey. While the organic wine market is 

larger and well-established in Canada, Vietnam is much 

newer to the scene, but it too is showing growing demand 

for organic wines. 

The vineyards of Cantina Ferreri, cultivated with respect for biodiversity 

CANTINA FERRERI 

Cantina Ferreri, owned by the three partners Rosario 

Ferreri, Mario Ferreri and Vincenzo Bianco, was founded 

in 2003 in a corner of Sicilian paradise between Selinunte 

and Segesta, at 290m above sea level. The 50 hectares are 

located on different hills, ranging from 250 to 500 metres 

above sea level, allowing the winery to reap the benefits 

of different microclimates. 

The winery’s objective has always been to make wine from 

pure grapes, favouring indigenous varieties which express 

the varied identity of the region. Since its inception, the 

winery has maintained a conventional agronomic regime 

which is not organic but is focused on respect for the 

environment and the consumer. Techniques used include 

mechanical weeding by ploughing (no glyphosate!), the 


ITALY 


use of green manure with leguminous crops in the interrows, 

and natural nitrogen fertilization. This method of 

production is supported by the soil and climate of an 

area which is characterised by excellent wind flow, low 

rainfall, high levels of sunlight and a good temperature 

range. These factors make it possible to use few (if any) 

systemic treatments with only a few essential uses of 

copper, sulphur, lime or gypsum. Although this method 

is not classified as organic, it respects the environment 

and biodiversity, guaranteeing the genuine characters 

and wholesomeness of the wines produced. 

Moreover, the winery completes the quality control 

process by overseeing the entire production cycle, from 

the vineyard to bottling and packaging. For the tartaric 

stabilisation phase, it uses cold temperature control, 

bringing the temperature down to minus 6-8 degrees 

and allowing natural precipitation of the solids, without 

using other products which, although authorised, do not 

guarantee the same results. 

Annual production is about 100,000 bottles and the 

wines’ focus is on typicality, genuine characters and 

sincerity. Over the years, they have been enjoyed in areas 

such as the USA, Canada and the EU, where they are 

valued for their tradition rather than their certification. 

La Contralta is a visionary project to support the land, 

traditional vines and the men and women who live there 

and care passionately about their land 

SARDINIA 

LA CONTRALTA 

La Contralta is a young company established in 2019 

which has around 30 hectares of land divided into 

2 farms. The farm to the south of Olbia is in the Enas 

area in the municipality of Loiri Porto san Paolo and has 

5 hectares of espalier vines that are around 18 years old; 

a new winery is being built here. The farm in Palau starts 

on the hill and goes all the way down to the beach, where 

there is the original building used to receive guests, and 

where alberello vines have been planted at a density of 

10,000 plants per hectare. The aim is to produce wines 

that are identity-driven, minimalist, elegant, vertical and 

long-lived. 

Agronomist Maurizio Saettini ensured the principles 

of integrated pest management and the protection of 

biodiversity were implemented, using an approach based 

on integration and balance between history, culture, 

knowledge and intuition. 

Roberto Gariup, co-founder and winemaker at La Contralta 


ITALY 


Nicola Dettori and Roberto Gariup are the founders 

of the La Contralta project 

In order to limit CO2 emissions due to the mineralisation 

of organic matter, La Contralta only carries out essential 

work, using non-destructive tools. It restores organic 

matter to the soil by green manuring. The vineyards 

are grassed over for most of the year in order to limit 

soil loss. It preserves soil biocoenosis by limiting the 

use of copper to about half that allowed by the organic 

regulations. It fights harmful insects by setting up 

mating disruption strategies and freeing their natural 

antagonists. It combats pathogenic fungi and bacteria by 

stimulating the plant to produce endogenous defences 

and by distributing useful fungi. 

The company currently produces 22,000 bottles per year 

with a potential of 60,000 bottles per year. The current 

set-up has not affected production as, being a new 

winery, there has been no need for a real conversion 

except for the 18-year-old vineyards purchased. 

“Being an organic winery is fundamental, says technical 

manager and winemaker Roberto Gariup. The future is 

green. In the next 10 to 15 years, in our opinion, either 

you produce sustainably or you’re out. In the 18 months 


ITALY 


Antonella Corda and her husband Christian Puecher in their vineyards in Sardinia 

that we have been on the market, we have seen a 

great deal of interest in the issues around sustainable 

production”. The key markets are the UK, Switzerland 

and the USA, as well as Italy, of course. 

ANTONELLA CORDA 

The Azienda Agricola Antonella Corda was established 

in 2010, when Antonella inherited the winemaking 

tradition of her branch of the well-known Sardinian 

wine family Argiolas. The company has a total of 40 

hectares, 16 of them planted to vines, 13 home to olive 

groves and the rest arable land. 

Love and respect for the land have led to the use of an 

eco-sustainable approach. The choice of integral organic 

farming was made, not only to blend human activity 

into the characteristics of the land, but also to be able to 

return it intact to future generations. Consequently, this 

approach is followed from the vineyard to the bottle. 

The glass is lighter and for about a year now, the corks 

have been made of cork and beeswax. These are all 

natural products that have a reduced environmental 


ITALY 


Antonella Corda’s vineyards with the new winery in the background 

impact in terms of disposal and recycling. “Organic is 

not a synonym for sustainable, but it is a very important 

part of it” claims owner Antonella Corda. 

Equally important are the choices linked to the use 

of irrigation water and agronomic techniques such as 

green manure and grassing, which reduce tillage but 

above all preserve the organic substance and microbial 

biodiversity of the soil. Even the washing water from the 

cellar can be recovered and reused for irrigation. 

In order to pursue the company’s main objective, which 

is to produce wines of the highest quality, the path 

taken since the first vintage has been squarely set on 

organic winegrowing. 

Annual production is around 60,000 bottles, a volume 

impacted by the choice of organic farming, but less 

quantity does not worry the likes of Antonella Corda, 

who is seeking to achieve quality. Speaking purely in 

economic terms, in the medium term the vineyard will 

have a longer average lifespan, whilst in the long term 

this style of vineyard management will lead to a lower 

environmental impact. 

The wines are sent to a range of markets currently, 

including Italy, the United States, Australia, Belgium, 

Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, 

Sweden, England, Japan, Brazil and Canada. 

Some markets such as the United States, Denmark, Sweden 

and Germany are more attentive to production methods 

and require information on vineyard management. 

Antonio Berritta at work in his vineyards in Dorgali 

CANTINA BERRITTA 

The Berritta family’s business is family-run and focuses 

on promoting the indigenous grape varieties of the 

Dorgali area, though it also has a passion for Syrah, 

which thrives in the Oddoene Valley. 

The vines cover about 10 hectares, with a further three 

hectares planted to olive groves which are set aside 

for family consumption. The Berritta family’s focus 

on sustainability is patent both in the vineyard and in 

the winery. Even the choice of packaging and all the 

materials used for packaging were made from recycled 

materials. 

Cantina Berritta’s vineyards have always been farmed 

using traditional methods and agronomic techniques 

aimed at respecting the environment and biodiversity, 


ITALY 


in order to produce wines with a strong identity in a 

healthy environment. Since 2019, the company has 

been certified organic. 

Although it was already working under the organic 

system, certification has opened up fast track access to 

northern European markets where it exports a large part 

of its production of between 35,000 and 50,000 bottles. 

GIOGANTINU CANTINA SOCIALE 

The Cantina Sociale Giogantinu was founded in 1955 

and has grown over time to its current 250 members. 

It boasts 320 hectares of vineyards managed by its 

members, who bring their precious grapes to the 

modern winery. The company always looks to the 

future, devoting great attention to innovation and 

training, and feels that evolving means growing and 

improving while respecting tradition. The area covered 

by Giogantinu’s winegrowers is located in the northeast 

of Sardinia, an enchanting hilly region with a 

strong vocation for wine production. It has a strong 

regional identity and clear stylistic precision, all with an 

increasing focus on sustainability. In fact, in recent years 

Giogantinu has been experimenting with the principles 

of organic winemaking. In collaboration with partners, 

it supports the conversion of Vermentino vineyards 

from traditional farming techniques to organic. In 

2018, it switched to the renewable energy source of the 

sun, installing a photovoltaic system to the roof of its 

buildings – the system now produces 136775.31 kWh 

annually from 497.46 m 2 of panels. Its new approach 

is epitomised by its organic Vermentino di Gallura 

DOCG and an IGT Isola dei Nuraghi Rosso without 

added sulphites. This is a very important milestone for 

this historic Sardinian company, which has a processing 

capacity of 25,000 quintals of grapes per year. 

The young generation at the Berritta winery who epitomise the 

sustainable future of Sardinian viticulture 

Sicily and Sardinia are two benchmark regions for 

organic winegrowing in Italy, not only due to their 

predisposition from a soil and climate perspective, 

but also due to the determination of sensitive and farsighted 

producers, from small, young wineries right 

through to the large, long-standing co-operative. Their 

approach encapsulates a high level of respect and 

heralds an increasingly organic future. 

Cantina Giogantinu’s agronomic approach favours the 

lack of chemicals for growing vines, showing complete 

respect for nature 


SOUTH AFRICA 

– SPIRITS – 

Creating magic at Oude Molen Distillers, brandy blending specialist Lara Patrick 

The Spirit of Cape Wine 

Boasting a 350-year history of brandy production and a wealth of award-winning 

brands, South Africa’s premium distillers are confident that Cape Brandy can 

finally emerge from the shadow of Cognac. 

By Joanne Gibson - Photographs: courtesy of the producers 


SOUTH AFRICA 


Master distiller Pieter de Bod is KWV’s spirits manager 

Next year will mark exactly 350 years since the first 

documented distillation of brandy took place in 

South Africa (SA). On 19 May 1672, the assistant 

cook aboard a Dutch ship anchored in Table 

Bay succeeded in transforming two half leggers 

(575 litres) of Cape wine into three ankers (126 litres) of ‘very 

delicious brandy’. 

Just as Dutch merchants played a key role in the development 

of Cognac during the 17 th century, discovering that the doubledistillation 

of wine followed by its storage and/or transport in 

wooden casks not only preserved it but made it smoother and 

more delicious, so too did they encourage the production of 

brandewijn at the Cape, their refreshment station en route to 

and from the East. 

Fast forward to modern times and there can be no doubt 

that SA produces a world-beating spirit. ‘We win the major 

international trophies most of the time,’ claims the Cape 

Brandy Distillers Guild, which was established five years ago 

to provide a provenance-driven platform for SA’s finest potstill 

brandies. Although these currently make up only a fraction of 

SA’s total brandy production – about 5% – it’s no exaggeration 

about the trophies. At the annual International Wine & Spirit 

Competition, SA producers have won the coveted Worldwide 


SOUTH AFRICA 


Oude Molen master distiller Danie Pretorius 

Brandy Trophy no fewer than 16 times in two decades. At the 

International Spirits Challenge, one producer alone – KWV – 

has been named Brandy/Cognac Producer of the Year four 

times since 2015. 

‘I believe what differentiates our brandies from other brandies 

are our world-class production methods,’ says KWV spirits 

manager Pieter de Bod. ‘Our production regulations are 

among the strictest in the world.’ 

CAPE BRANDY BASICS 

SA’s finest potstill brandies, which now have the exclusive 

right to be labelled as Cape Brandy, are produced in exactly 

the same manner as Cognac, which is to say they are 100% 

double distilled in copper potstills, then aged for a number 

of years in oak barrels (these may be no larger than 340 litres 

for at least the first three years). However, SA’s minimum age 

terms are longer than those in France. ‘Our minimum three 

years’ maturation is more than the two-year minimum for 

entry-level Cognac,’ says Christelle Reade-Jahn, director of the 

SA Brandy Foundation. 


SOUTH AFRICA 


While Cape Brandy mirrors Cognac in its production 

techniques, however, it is proudly unique. ‘The difference 

lies in the base wines,’ says Danie Pretorius, master 

distiller at Oude Molen. ‘Cape Brandies are predominantly 

Colombard- and Chenin Blanc-based, while the main 

varietal in Cognac is Ugni Blanc, which yields a very 

neutral wine. Cognac generally gains its complexity from 

maturation, which is why they tend to use more new 

wood than we do in SA. Cape Brandies tend to be distilled 

and matured to preserve and enhance the complex fruit 

characteristics present in the base varieties. I believe that 

the sweet spot for a Cape Brandy is achieved at the point 

where these fresh fruit characteristics are complemented 

by maturation-derived aromas and flavours. This is usually 

achieved after 8-12 years of maturation.’ 

The generally warmer and drier SA climate plays a role, 

too, resulting in base wines with slightly more alcohol than 

in Cognac (10 to 12% versus about 8%). ‘We use fuller, 

fruitier base wines in the production of our brandies,’ says 

Marlene Bester, distillery manager at Van Ryn’s, which 

is Distell’s flagship and another consistent winner of 

prestigious international awards. ‘As a result, our brandies 

are much more fruity and complex in character, and this 

you find on the nose as well as on the palate.’ 

Lower humidity than in France can cause the alcoholic 

strength of the spirit to rise further during barrel maturation 

due to higher evaporation. ‘Maturation of the distillate is 

sped up, thus giving us a smooth, well-balanced product,’ 

says De Bod. ‘We get the aged character a bit faster than 

producers in France or even Stellenbosch,’ says Andre 

Landman, winemaker at Die Mas van Kakamas, located in 

the hot, dry Northern Cape. 

Van Ryn’s distillery manager Marlene Bester 

MAJOR PLAYERS 

Just as Cognac is dominated by the likes of Martell, 

Hennessy, Rémy Martin and Courvoisier, SA brandy 

production is dominated by two companies: Distell (which 

produces several brands of blended brandies in addition to 

its flagship Van Ryn’s range of 10, 12, 15 and 20 Year Single 

Potstill Brandies) and KWV (whose core range consists of 

the 3 and 5 Year blended brandies and 10, 12, 15 and XXO 

20 Year Potstill Brandies, in addition to Imoya VSOP). 

However, Oude Molen has emerged as a third major player, 

Distell’s Van Ryn’s distillery is housed in a chateau-like complex in 

Vlottenburg, Stellenbosch 


SOUTH AFRICA 


KWV’s brandy portfolio is showcased at The House of Fire, a 

multifaceted venue at the KWV Wine Emporium in Paarl 

Oude Molen boasts the largest copper potstill in the Southern Hemisphere, 

nicknamed Big Bertha, with a capacity of 23,000 litres 

not only producing its own three-year-old VS, five-year-old 

VSOP and 10-year-old XO potstill brandies but also owning 

the independently operated Ladismith and Joseph Barry 

distilleries. 

Oude Molen was started by René Santhagens, widely 

considered the Father of SA Brandy, a Dutch-born 

distiller who first established the Golden Lion Distillery 

at Vlottenburg in Stellenbosch in 1903 (today home to 

Van Ryn’s) before buying the Oude Molen farm under 

Stellenbosch’s Papegaaiberg in 1909. Here he embraced 

Cognac methods and produced fine brandy until his death 

in 1937, but in 2003 Oude Molen moved to much bigger 

and more modern premises in Elgin, where column stills sit 

opposite the beautiful copper potstills – including two of 

the largest copper potstills in the Southern Hemisphere (Big 

Bertha and Long Tom). 

Oude Molen master distiller Danie Pretorius is proud to 

have received a double gold medal from Gilbert & Gaillard 

not only for the ‘elegant and refined’ Oude Molen VSOP, 

but also for the XO Royal Cape Brandy that Oude Molen 

distils by appointment to the Zulu king as part of a range 

of products offered by Bayede! (a majority black-owned, 

women-managed company based in Paarl that provides 

employment opportunities). ‘The late King Goodwill 

Zwelithini wanted a spirit that was bold, textured and 

above all distinctive,’ says Pretorius. ‘We submitted a few 

samples and the one which was selected really is a standout. 

The Bayede! XO Royal Cape Brandy shows a distinctive 

hint of cloves and curry leaf on the nose, which I’ve never 

encountered in another brandy. The king loved it!’ 

Now owned by Oude Molen, the Ladismith Distillery 

founded in 1851 produces vast amounts of column-distilled 

brandy, but once a year a small potstill is fired up to distil 

just enough of the highest quality base wine that will 

eventually become the ‘classic’ Ladismith 8 Year Old Cape 

Brandy rated 90 by Gilbert & Gaillard. 

Then there’s the Joseph Barry Distillery in Barrydale, which 

owes its name to a liquor tradesman who settled in the 

Swellendam area of the Klein Karoo in the 1820s. Frustrated 

that overland travel to the Cape was so slow, Barry deployed 

a fleet of riverboats to transport goods (including wine and 

brandy) along the Breede River. ‘Finely crafted in traditional 

Woudberg copper stills, each Cape Brandy in the range is 


SOUTH AFRICA 


Third-generation owner of Backsberg, Michael Back 

a dedication to Barry’s maverick ways and ongoing quest 

for perfection,’ says Pretorius, delighted about double gold 

ratings for the ‘lengthy and layered’ VSOP (92) and the 

‘delicate and refined’ XO (96). 

CRAFT ARM 

Big as it may be, Oude Molen has joined the Cape Brandy 

Distillers Guild which mostly represents producers crafting 

small-volume potstill brandies – an exciting development 

in recent decades, spearheaded by the late Sydney Back of 

Paarl wine estate Backsberg, who in the early 1990s lobbied 

for legislative change surrounding the production of estate 

potstill brandy. Determined to produce a spirit equivalent 

to the great Cognacs, Back sought advice from Rémy Martin 

and imported an alembic potstill – and in 1995 he scooped 

the IWSC trophy for the Best Brandy in the World. 

Along with winemaker Alicia Rechner, Back’s son Michael 

and grandson Simon have kept the brandy flame burning 

ever since, using early-picked Paarl Chenin to produce a 

base wine that is double-distilled and then matured in 


SOUTH AFRICA 


Tokara viticulturist Aidan Morton and winemaker Stuart Botha have 

state-of-the-art equipment at their disposal 

Charles Withington of Withington Wines is a trustee of the 

Cape Brandy Distillers Guild 

small Limousin barriques – the ‘excellent’ Sydney Back 

10 scoring an impressive 94 points. ‘The pioneering spirit of 

Sydney well and truly shines through in each and every sip,’ 

says marketing manager Bianca-Joy Lenhardt, revealing that 

production will move to Franschhoek following producerwholesaler 

DGB’s acquisition of a major stake in Backsberg. 

DGB also owns historic Franschhoek estate Boschendal, 

where the development of a 10 Year Old Potstill Brandy 

(88 points) was seen as ‘a natural evolution’. Similarly, 

Distell-owned Durbanville Hills says its unusual Merlot 

Potstill Brandy (aged 10 years in French oak and finished 

in Merlot barrels) came about when cellarmaster Martin 

Moore was having lunch with spirits connoisseur Johan 

Venter, 11 years ago, and they suddenly wished they could 

finish the meal with a Durbanville Hills brandy (a good 

idea now validated by a 90-point rating). 

Meanwhile, family-owned Tokara in Stellenbosch has 

released an XO Potstill Brandy made from Chenin Blanc, 

double distilled in a Pruhlo alembic potstill, then aged 

in 300-litre Limousin oak casks for up to 16 years 

(91 points). ‘Being a small operation and having such 

incredible equipment at our disposal allows us to keep 

small batches of fine spirits separate,’ says winemaker 

Stuart Botha. ‘These batches are then selected to make a 

rich and distinctive blend.’ 

Blaauwklippen, Groot Constantia, Windfall and Withington 

Wines are just a few other wine producers that have joined 

the Cape Brandy Distillers Guild, not to mention organic 

producer Upland whose brandy range includes a 10-yearold, 

12-year-old, two limited-release 15-year-olds and SA’s 

first undiluted cask-strength (62%) brandy. ‘Working with 

such a committed bunch of distillers, knowing that with 

each and every one of them uncompromising excellence is 

part of their DNA, makes me feel both proud and privileged 

to be a custodian of Cape Brandy,’ says Charles Withington, 

a trustee of the Guild who produces his own seven-year-old 

potstill brandy named Voorkamer. 

Another trustee of the Guild is Kobus Gelderblom, formerly 

the KWV’s chief brandy master and now an independent 

consultant to Oude Molen and several smaller distillers 

through his own company, Mountain Spirit: ‘The big guys 

– KWV and Distell – buy in most of their wines and they 

can select the best wines. The smaller wineries have only 


SOUTH AFRICA 


that certain cultivar that’s available. That’s their biggest 

challenge. A few years ago you could have differentiated a 

lot between the two, but now there is hardly any difference. 

The smaller guys are catching up.’ 

NEW FRONTIERS 

It’s interesting to note that excellent quality is also coming 

from the Northern Cape, a vast thirstland where thousands 

of hectares of vines grow along the Orange River, running 

through the so-called Green Kalahari. Sourcing grapes from 

580 grape producers, Orange River Cellars has achieved 

an impressive 90-point rating for its Bontstaan VSOP, 

aged in French and American oak for five years and 

proudly stating 100% Potketel/Handgemaak (Afrikaans for 

Potstill/Handmade). Kobus Gelderblom is involved in the 

blending of Bontstaan, as he is with Die Kalahari Truffel, 

the potketelbrandewyn produced by another Orange River 

wine farm, Die Mas van Kakamas, owned by the Hanekom 

family. ‘Kobus is one of the best in the industry and we are 

very glad to have him as part of our brandy journey,’ says 

Die Mas winemaker Andre Landman. ‘We have a great team 

that works very hard to create and bottle the best. Anyone 

can follow a recipe but if you don’t have passion for what 

you do, you’ll never get to the top.’ 

‘The passion that our producers have definitely plays a role 

in constantly producing very high quality brandies,’ says 

Marlene Bester (Van Ryn’s). ‘I always say that when you 

taste an SA potstill brandy, you can taste the SA sunshine 

and the passion of our producers.’ 

United in this ‘passion’ for Cape Brandy, defined by 

centuries-old techniques combined with the perfect 

marriage of terroir and craftsmanship, members of the 

Guild have spent five years lobbying the term ‘Cape Brandy’ 

to be legally recognised as a permissible alternative to 

‘Potstill Brandy’, which describes the process but doesn’t 

necessarily sound very premium. In August 2021 they 

finally succeeded, with Danie Pretorius commenting: 

‘We are very happy that the term Cape Brandy has 

now been taken up in the Liquor Products Act as an 

official descriptor for pot-distilled brandies from the Cape 

provinces. Legal recognition is the first step in building a 

premium, provenance-driven category for Cape Brandy, 

which is literally the best in the world.’ 

Guild trustee Kobus Gelderblom is now an independent, 

highly sought-after brandy consultant 

Northern Cape brandy producer Die Mas van Kakamas is owned by the 

Hanekom family: Vlok Senior (centre) with sons Vlok Junior and Coetzer 


STARS 

– & WINE – 

Ana de Armas: 

“My first glass of wine 

was a Rioja” 

Four years ago, nobody had heard of her, except in Spain where her career began. 

Now, she is on the cover of the leading women’s magazines across the globe. 

After achieving international success with the films ‘Blade Runner 2049’ and ‘Knives Out’, 

she was chosen to play a James Bond girl in ‘No Time To Die’, and will also star in the 

torrid erotic thriller ‘Deep Water’. Her name? Ana. Ana de Armas. She’s 31 years old, 

Cuban-Spanish and you haven’t heard the last of her! 

Interview by Frank Rousseau, our correspondent in the United States 

Photographs: all rights reserved 

Ana de Armas with Frank Rousseau 

When was the first time you took a sip of this 

wonderful beverage we call wine? 

Before I was 18, I lived in Cuba. There were no luxuries, 

but that didn’t stop me from dreaming of a better 

future. The problem was that we didn’t have much 

access to the outside world. When I was 18, I was able to 

leave for Spain. My maternal grandparents were Spanish 

citizens, so I was able to obtain a European passport. I 

moved to Madrid to pursue my acting career. I started 

in a series called ‘El Internado’ and I left Cuba and its 

hardships behind! Though I love my country and my 

people deeply! Anyway, once in Spain, I was able to 

eat things I enjoyed eating. Most importantly, there was 

variety. One day, a group of friends took me to a tapas 

bar. That’s where I had my first glass of wine. It was a 

Rioja you served yourself from a large oak barrel. It was 

great fun! Since then, not a day goes by without me 

enjoying some wine. 

What kind of wine? 

I don’t drink fine wines every day. Sometimes it can be a 

simple table wine. I keep an open mind when someone 


suggests I taste a wine I’m not familiar with. But there’s 

one thing I can’t stand, and that’s when a man imposes his 

tastes on me. As if I wasn’t old enough to choose what I like 

myself! 

Do you think that the world of wine is still maledominated? 

I think that mentalities are changing. The custom where the 

father figure, the man, the males choose the wine is still - I 

think - very deep-seated. But in the cities, I read recently in a 

magazine that more than 60% of people who buy wine are 

women. I don’t know if they are shopping for their husbands 

or boyfriends, but the fact is that by doing so, they are bound 

to become more familiar with wine! I also read in the same 

article that more and more women are starting to produce 

wine. And often successfully so. I think it’s great that wine is 

becoming more feminine at all levels. Just like men, we have 

enjoyed wine for centuries and I don’t see why we should 

be excluded. Besides, as I often say, when you look closely 

at a wine bottle or a wine glass, you realise that their curves 

definitely remind you of women. 


CONTACT 

– DETAILS – 

BORDEAUX – PAGES 10 – 23 

• Château Les Bertrands: Tel. +33 5 57 32 40 27 - 

www.chateaulesbertrands.com 

• Château Petit Val: Tel. +33 5 57 24 70 86 - 

www.chateaupetitval.com 

• Coubris JLC: Tel. +33 5 56 17 13 17 - 

www.chateaulamouline.com 

• Château Haut Macô: Tel. +33 5 57 68 81 26 - 

www.hautmaco.com 

• Vignobles Roux: Tel. +33 5 56 61 98 93 - 

www.vignobles-roux.com 

• Les Vignerons de Tutiac: Tel. +33 5 57 32 48 33 - 

www.tutiac.com 

• Château de Malleret: Tel. +33 5 56 35 05 36 - 

www.chateau-malleret.fr 

• Château Léoville Barton: Tel. +33 5 56 59 06 05 - 

www.leoville-barton.com 

LANGUEDOC – PAGES 24 – 30 

• Mas de Daumas Gassac: Tél. +33 4 67 57 88 45 - 

www.daumas-gassac.com 

• Vignobles Foncalieu: Tel. +33 4 68 76 21 68 - 

www.foncalieu.com 

• Cave Alma Cersius: Tel. +33 4 67 39 31 79 - 

www.almacersius.com 

IMPORTER – PAGE 31 

• Wine4You : www.wine4you.club 

JURA – PAGES 32 – 39 

• Fruitière Vinicole de Voiteur: Tel. + 3 84 85 21 29 - 

www.fvv.fr 

• Domaine Jacques Tissot : Tel. + 3 84 66 24 54 - 

www.domaine-jacques-tissot.fr 

• Domaine Jean-Luc Mouillard: Tel. + 3 84 25 94 30 - 

www.domainemouillard.com 

ROUSSILLON – PAGES 40 – 47 

• Jonquères d’Oriola: Tel. +33 4 68 22 73 22 - 

https://jonqueresdoriola.fr/en/ 

• Vignerons Catalans: Tel. +33 4 68 85 04 51 - 

www.vigneronscatalans.com 

• Domaine Lafage: Tel. +33 4 68 80 35 82 - 

https://domaine-lafage.com 

• Arnaud de Villeneuve winery: 

Tel. +33 4 68 64 06 63 - 

http://arnauddevilleneuve.com 

• Domaine Cazes: Tel. +33 4 68 64 08 26 - 

www.cazes-rivesaltes.com 

BURGUNDY – PAGES 48 – 57 

• Domaine Raphael Sallet: Tel. +33 3 85 40 50 45 - 

www.raphaelsallet.fr/en/ 

• Domaine Perraud: Tel. +33 3 85 32 95 12 - 

http://domaineperraud.fr/ 

• Vignerons des Terres Secrètes: 

Tel. +33 3 85 37 64 89 - 

https://terres-secretes.com/en/ 

• Domaine de la Feuillarde: Tel. +33 3 85 34 54 45 - 

www.domaine-feuillarde.com 

• Domaine Sangouard-Guyot: 

Tel. +33 3 85 35 89 45 - 

www.domaine-sangouard-guyot.com 

• Domaine Luquet in Fuissé: Tel. +33 3 85 35 60 91 - 

www.domaine-luquet.com 

LOIRE VALLEY – PAGES 58 – 65 

• Famille Bougrier: Tel. + 33 2 54 71 31 02 - 

www.famille-bougrier.fr 

• Domaine Delaunay: Tel. + 33 2 41 39 08 39 - 

www.domaine-delaunay.com 

• Vignoble Pin: Tel. + 33 2 41 78 35 26 - 

www.vignoblepin.com 

• Château La Varière: Tel. + 33 2 41 91 22 64 - 

ww.chateaulavariere.fr 

• Domaine Boutet Saulnier: 

Tel. : + 33 2 47 52 73 61 

• Domaine du Buisson: Tel. +33 2 41 72 73 91 - 

www.domaine-du-buisson.com 

• Domaine des Aubuisières Bernard Fouquet: 

Tel. : +33 2 47 52 67 82 - 

www.vouvrayfouquet.com 

• Domaine Loizeau Clain: Tel. + 33 2 41 91 29 79 - 

www.domaineloizeauclain.com 

SPAIN – PAGES 66 – 75 

• Coviñas: Tel. +34 96 230 06 80 - 

https://covinas.com 

• Finca San Blas: Tel. +34 963 375 617 - 

https://fincasanblas.com 

• Passiego: Tel. +34 609 076 575 - 

https://bodegaspasiego.com 

• Torre Oria: Tel. +34 962 320 289 - 

www.torreoria.com 

PORTUGAL – PAGES 76 – 83 

• Quinta Nova: Tel. +351 254 730 420 - 

www.quintanova.com 

• Rui Roboredo Madeira: Tel. +351 220 160 541 - 

http://ruimadeira.pt 

• Barao Del Vilar: Tel. +351 22 3773330 - 

www.baraodevilar.com 

ITALY – PAGES 84 – 93 

• Nals Margreid: Tel. +39 0471 678 626 - 

www.kellerei.it 

• Elena Walch: Tel. +39 0471 860 172 - 

www.elenawalch.com 

• Villa Corniole: Tel. +39 0461 695067 - 

www.villacorniole.com 

• Weger Hof: Tel. +39 0471 66 24 16 - 

www.wegerhof.it 

• Laimburg: www.facebook.com/Laimburg.Wein 

• La Source: Tel. +39 0165 904038 - 

www.lasource.it 

• Les Cretes: Tel. + 39 0165 90 22 74 - 

www.lescretes.it 

ITALY – PAGES 94 – 103 

SICILY 

• Palmento Costanzo: Tel. +39 0942 983239 - 

www.palmentocostanzo.com 

• Cantine Fina: Tel. +39 0923 733 070 - 

https://cantinefina.it 

• Barbadoro: Tel. +39 0571 674051 - 

www.tenutabarbadoro.it 

• Cantina Ferreri: Tel. +39 333 2143255 - 

www.ferrerivini.com 

SARDINIA 

• La Contralta: Tel. +39 349 6806547 - 

https://lacontraltavini.it 

• Antonella Corda: Tel. +39 070 796 63 00 - 

www.antonellacorda.it 

• Cantina Berritta: Tel. +39 0784 95372 - 

www.cantinaberritta.it 

• Giogantinu Cantina Sociale: Tel. +39 079704163 - 

www.giogantinu.it 

SOUTH AFRICA – PAGES 104 – 111 

• Cape Brandy Distillers Guild: www.capebrandy.org 

• SA Brandy Foundation: Tel. +27 64 754 6552 - 

www.sabrandy.co.za 

• Backsberg: Tel. +27 21 875 5141 - 

www.backsberg.co.za 

• Bayede!: Tel. +27 21 863 3406 - 

www.bayede.co.za 

• Boschendal: Tel. +27-21-870-4200 - 

www.boschendalwines.com 

• Blaauwklippen: Tel. 27 21 880 0133 - 

www.blaauwklippen.com 

• Die Mas van Kakamas: Tel. +27 71 015 7131 - 

www.diemas.co.za 

• Durbanville Hills: Tel. +27 21 558 1300 - 

www.durbanvillehills.co.za 

• Groot Constantia: Tel. +27 21 794-5128 - 

www.grootconstantia.co.za 

• Joseph Barry: Tel. +27 21 859 2517 - 

www.josephbarry.co.za 

• KWV: Tel. +27 21 807 3911 - www.kwv.co.za 

• Ladismith: Tel. +27 21 859 2517 - 

www.ladismithcapebrandy.co.za 

• Mountain Spirit: Tel. +27 82 802 5248 - 

www.mountainspirit.co.za 

• Orange River Wines: Tel. +27 54 337 8800 - 

www.orangeriverwines.com 

• Oude Molen: Tel. +27 21 859 2517 - 

www.oudemolen.co.za 

• Tokara: Tel. +27 21 808 5900 - www.tokara.com 

• Upland: Tel. +27 21 864 1184 - 

www.organicwine.co.za 

• Van Ryn’s: Tel. +27 21 881 3875 - 

www.vanryn.co.za 

• Windfall: Tel. +27 83 320 8473 - 

www.windfallwine.co.za 

• Withington Wines: Tel. +27 22 492 3971 - 

www.withington.co.za 


Pages 116 to 122 

TOP WINES 

AND BRANDIES 

OUR SELECTION 

— SARDINIA-SICILY-CAPE BRANDIES-MEDAL-WINNING WINES — 

The best OF AUTUMN 2021 

Our Autumn 2021 selection, tasted and rated by our tasting panel, is featured on pages 116 to 122. We 

have chosen to present wines by region (SARDINIA, CAPE BRANDIES...), then by appellation in each region, 

with each company or chateau listed in alphabetical order, and finally by tasting scores in descending order. 

THE TASTING PANEL 




Philippe Gaillard 

Olivier Delorme 

James Turnbull 

François Gilbert 

SOUTH AFRICA 

SOUTH AFRICA 

Sylvain Patard 

Matthieu Gaillard 

François Bezuidenhout 

Wine scores 

Our tasting notes are scored on a 100 point scale, which gives 

enough range to evaluate every characteristic that we taste in a 

wine. Below are the different levels that make up this scoring: 

95-100/100: an outstanding wine, when a great “terroir” meets 

exceptional winemaking expertise. 

90-94/100: a superlative wine combining finesse, complexity and 

remarkable winemaking. 

85-89100: a wine of extremely high standard, which we enjoyed for its 

typicity and character. 

80-84/100: a quality wine combining balance, structure and neatness for 

a pleasurable wine drinking experience. 

75-79/100: a wine deemed acceptable. 

70-74/100: a wine with defects, unacceptable. 

65-69/100: a wine with major defects, inadmissible. 

50-64/100: unacceptable wine, not worthy for sale. 

Note: wines scoring less than 75/100 are not included in our publications. 

■ RED WINE 

Wine characteristics 

■ DRY WHITE WINE 

■ ROSE WINE 

■ SWEET WHITE WINE 

ORG : Organic Wine. 

CONV : In the process of converting to organic 

production. 

CR : This statement refers to sensible farming 

methods where use of inputs or agri-chemicals are 

restricted. These include fertilisers or other crop 

protection products, the aim being to limit their 

impact on the environment to a minimum. 

AGEABILITY 

■ SPARKLING BRUT 

■ SPARKLING EXTRA-BRUT 

■ SPARKLING BRUT ROSE 

■ BRANDIES 

D= DRINK NOW D= DRINK NOW OR KEEP D= KEEP 

AUTUMN 2021 - GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 115

ITALY - Sardinia and Sicily 

ITALY 

OUR AUTUMN 

SELECTION 

Sardinia and Sicily 

Our selection of organic wines from 

the Italian islands, naturally blessed for 

growing this type of wine. 

CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA D.O.C. 

ANTONELLA CORDA 92/100 

CONV n D 2018 : Light red. Crisp, focused and 

endearing nose of ripe red fruits. The palate introduces 

a subtle oaky tone which adds depth and length. This is 

a wine combining good palate weight and freshness. 

Uncork for festive foods. 

Price: € 16.50 

http://www.antonellacorda.it 

Azienda Agricola Antonella Corda 

+39 328 591 14 30 

LA CONTRALTA 92/100 

CR n D L’Ora Grande 2019 : Brilliant ruby with 

bricking. Enticing nose marrying raspberry, morello 

cherry, ivy and a floral touch. Nervy, rich, robust palate 

with complex, intense aromas entwining touches of 

maquis, spice and chalk. Its delicacy and precision are 

beguiling. 

Price: € 30 

https://lacontraltavini.it/en 

La Contralta 

+39 34 96 80 65 47 

NURAGUS DI CAGLIARI D.O.C. 


CONV n D 2019 : Very pale yellow. Intense, floral 

nose accented by meadow aromas with a faint saline 

tone. The palate is very expressive and fleshy and offers 

up more of the same heady aromas whilst staying very 

harmonious. A novel wine well worth discovering. 

Price: € 12 



+39 328 591 14 30 

VERMENTINO DI GALLURA D.O.C.G. 

LA CONTRALTA 91/100 

CR n D Fiore del Sasso 2019 : Light straw-yellow. 

Pleasant nose marrying citrus fruits, infusion notes and 

a floral touch. Indulgent fleshy, concentrated and tense 

palate exuding generous, elegant aromas of fine spices 

and jasmine. Great finesse. Certainly won us over. 

Price: € 30 

https://lacontraltavini.it/en 

La Contralta 

+39 34 96 80 65 47 

CANTINA DEL GIOGANTINU 88/100 

ORG n D Lughente 2019 : Pale gold with green tints. 

Spring-like nose of wild flowers and bush peach. Very 

fresh palate with mouth-watering exuberance and 

satisfying flavours. This is a very refreshing, invigorating 

wine revealing clean, pure, juicy fruit. A wine for 

Antonella Corda’s vines, near Cagliari in southern Sardinia 

sharing with someone special. 

Price: € 7 

http://www.giogantinu.it 

Cantina del Giogantinu 

+39 07 97 04 163 


CONV n D 2019 : Brilliant pale yellow. Expressive, 

delicate nose showing floral and mineral tones. 

Beautifully textured, fresh palate with remarkable 

aromatic precision and persistency. 

Price: € 12.50 



+39 328 591 14 30 

CERASUOLO DI VITTORIA D.O.C.G. 

SOCIETÀ AGRICOLA SANTA TRESA 91/100 

ORG n D 2018 : Intense garnet with bricking. Rich 

nose revealing black fruits, gunflint, mixed spices and a 

touch of maquis. Silky attack followed by a structured, 

ample palate delivering a complex array of tropical 

aromatics. Superb sense of place. 

Price: € 10 

http://www.twpwines.com 

The Wine People 

+39 046 196 10 10 

ETNA D.O.C. 

PALMENTO COSTENZO 92/100 

ORG n D Contrada Santo Spirito 2017 : Light red 

with brown-like highlights. ripe nose marrying sweet 

spices, leather, undergrowth, stewed red and black 

fruits and smoky oakiness. Rich, full palate supported 

by fat tannins and supple oak influence. A generous, 

ambitious and nicely settled wine. 

Price: € 40 

https://www.palmentocostanzo.com/en/ 

Palmento Costanzo 

+39 392 138 00 66 

PALMENTO COSTENZO 90/100 

ORG n D Mofete 2018 : Light red with orangybrown 

tints. Mature nose showing jammy red berries, 

undergrowth, leather and exotic wood aromas. Supple, 

mature palate with complex fruitiness tinged with noble 

herbal aromatics. Smooth tannins and a fairly warm 

finish. Pairs with game. 

Price: € 15 



+39 392 138 00 66 

MOFETE 89/100 

ORG n D 2019 : Light red. Endearing, focused nose 

of ripe red fruits. More of the same, quite mature, fruit 

profile on the palate. A light-bodied, yet very wellbalanced 

red wine for enjoying with all local cold cuts. 

Price: € 15 



+39 392 138 00 66 

MOFETE 88/100 

ORG n D 2020 : Pale orangy hue. Subtle nose with a 

faint touch of citrus fruits and gunflint. The palate is ripe, 

fleshy and very fruity with a tense finish that stays nicely 

perfumed. A very refreshing rosé. 

Price: € 15 



+39 392 138 00 66 

SICILIA D.O.C. 

CORTE IBLA 91/100 

ORG n D 1697 - Grillo 2019 : Vibrant pale yellow 

with green tints. Enticing nose intermixing lime, flint, 

greengages and a floral tone. A silky attack flows 

into a sleek, concentrated, tense palate which delivers 

precise, persistent expression. Everything is clear and 

without artifice. Superb. 

Price: € 7 


116 

AUTUMN 2021– GILBERT & GAILLARD – THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE

ITALY - Sardinia and Sicily 


+39 046 196 10 10 

MIRAL 91/100 

ORG n D Nero d’Avola 2020 : Deep crimson tinged 

with dark purple. Expressive nose combining plum, 

morello cherry, mineral and smoke notes. Concentrated, 

ample palate laden with freshness. Great intensity 

coupled with saltiness. Nothing surplus to requirements. 

Splendid site-expressiveness. 

Price: € 10 

http://www.cantinefina.it 

Fina Vini 

+39 092 373 30 70 

DI GIOVANNA 90/100 

ORG n D Helios Grillo 2019 : Brilliant light yellow 

with green tints. Racy nose driven by smoky, vanilla 

and mineral notes with a touch of ripe fruits and citrus in 

the background. Full-bodied palate suffused with great 

exuberance, fat and delicious mouth-filling aromas. 

Articulate sense of place. 

Price: € 10.60 

http://www.di-giovanna.com 

Di Giovanna 

+39 09 251 955 675 

IL BALZI 90/100 

ORG n D Nero d’Avola Bio 2019 : Deep ruby. 

Expressive, compelling and very endearing nose 

showing prune and cacao tones. The palate delivers 

more of the same, in a precise style supported by 

freshness. A wine that appeals for its rigour. 

http://www.verga.it 

Casa Vinicola Natale Verga 

+39 044 464 81 80 

MIRAL 90/100 

ORG n D Grillo 2020 : Brilliant light gold. Generous 

nose revealing mineral and fruit perfumes, sage and 

maquis. Bold freshness adds drive to a wine with welldefined, 

delicate, crisp and intense flavours. Balanced 

and persuasive. 

Price: € 10 


Fina Vini 

+39 092 373 30 70 


ORG n D 1697 - Nero d’Avola 2019 : Deep garnet. 

Appealing nose marrying cherry, plum, fine spices, 

dried herbs and a touch of menthol. Silky, ample, 

robust palate unfurling a generous array of pure, 

delicate aromas that linger. A really pleasurable wine 

that works well with red meats. 

Price: € 9 



+39 046 196 10 10 

CANTINE VOLPI 88/100 

ORG n D Nero d’Avola 2020 : Deep, young crimson. 

Appealing nose combining blueberry, morello cherry, 

menthol and spice notes. The palate is instantly 

accessible with charming succulence and joyful 

characters. Spices become more emboldened on the 

finish in this pleasant, accessible wine. 

Price: € 8 

http://www.cantinevolpi.it 

Cantine Volpi 

+39 01 31 86 10 72 

IL BALZI 88/100 

ORG n D Grillo Bio 2020 : Pale yellow. Nose of 

almond and white fruits revealing a faint smoky tone. 

Fruit is more upfront on the palate with tropical tones, 

all of which is steeped in freshness. A refreshing and 

extremely pure wine. 

http://www.verga.it 

Casa Vinicola Natale Verga 

+39 044 464 81 80 

ALLUMEA GRILLO CHARDONNAY 87/100 

ORG n D Organic 2020 : Brilliant yellow-gold. 

Pleasant nose combining white-fleshed fruits, spring-like 

perfumes and a tropical touch. Ethereal palate with an 

ample, easy-drinking mouthfeel offering flavours that are 

seductively well-judged and intense. Sheer enjoyment. 

http://www.orion-wines.com 

Orion Wines 

+39 046 124 71 35 


ORG n D V.21 Vasca Ventuno - BIB 2020 : Pale 

gold with silvery green highlights. Floral nose with cut 

herbs, white fruits and citrus. Rounded, smooth palate 

showing substantial freshness and revealing focused 

fruit aromatics and soft sourness on the finish. Ideal for 

grilled sardines. 

Price: € 22 


Di Giovanna 

+39 09 251 955 675 


ORG n D V.5 Vasca Cinque - BIB 2020 : Light 

grenadine. Confectionery, red fruit candy and a 

watermelon note on the nose. The palate has a core of 

smooth fruit. Herbal notes become more insistent on the 

finish yet do not spoil the simple pleasure of this rosé. 

Price: € 22 


Di Giovanna 

+39 09 251 955 675 


ORG n D V.18 Vasca Diciotto - BIB 2019 : Fairly deep 

cherry-red with ruby-brown reflections. Nose of red and 

black stone fruits with a spicy, liquoricy note. Satisfying 

fruit expression on the palate with gentle tannins and 

well-established freshness. Medium concentration and 

instant gratification. 

Price: € 22 


Di Giovanna 

+39 09 251 955 675 

A vineyard block belonging to Francesco Lirosi’s estate, in southern Sicily 

TERRE SICILIANE I.G.T. 

MIRAL 92/100 

ORG n D Syrah 2020 : Bright ruby with dark purple 

reflections. Promising nose combining red fruits, fine 

spices and a violet touch. Powerful, velvety, rich palate 

with mouth-filling pure, exotic flavours. Firmer midpalate. 

Everything is in place. Delicious. 

Price: € 10 


Fina Vini 

+39 092 373 30 70 

DI PRIMA 91/100 

ORG n D Syrah 2019 : Intense crimson with young 

tints. Expressive nose combining hay, spices and an 

animal touch with red fruit undertones. Harmonious 

attack leading into a lively, robust, concentrated palate 

with delicious, exuberant flavours. Already open and 

irrisistible. No hesitation. 

Price: € 13.50 

http://www.diprimavini.it 

Di Prima Gaspare Az. Agr. 

+39 092 594 12 01 

FERRERI 91/100 

CR n D Zibibbo 2019 : Light yellow. The nose is laden 

with fruit (passion fruit, tangerine, peach) underscored 

by a heady floral streak. Very refreshing palate boasting 

satisfying acidity and expressive zesty fruit. A dynamic 

white wine, full of life, offering instant gratification. 

Price: € 11 

http://www.ferrerivini.it 

Azienda Agricola Ferreri & Bianco S.r.l. 

+39 347 320 56 27 

AUTUMN 2021 – GILBERT & GAILLARD – THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 117

SOUTH AFRICA - Cape Brandies 

MIRAL 91/100 

ORG n D Chardonnay 2020 : Vibrant light yellowgold. 

Pleasant nose intermixing apple, grapefruit and a 

volcanic mineral touch. Balanced, rounded, rich palate 

that is not lacking in intensity or precision. A lovely 

Chardonnay pairing with grilled white meats. 

Price: € 10 


Fina Vini 

+39 092 373 30 70 

CANTINE VOLPI 90/100 

ORG n D Chardonnay 2020 : Light yellow with green 

tints. The nose marries white fruits, floral perfumes and 

a touch of fresh grape. The palate is supple, rounded 

and easy with focused aromas and a touch of citrus 

mid-palate. This is a lovely fresh, harmonious wine for 

mussels in a cream sauce. 

Price: € 8 

http://www.cantinevolpi.it 

Cantine Volpi 

+39 01 31 86 10 72 

DEI PRINCIPI DI SPADAFORA 90/100 

ORG n D 2018 : Brilliant light gold. Appealing nose 

combining citrus fruits, mango and a mineral accent. 

Sleek palate showing remarkable precision with the 

nose aromas carrying through in a chiselled, lifted 

style delivering noteworthy persistency. Beautiful terroir 

expression with nothing that shouldn’t be there. 

Price: € 13 

http://www.spadafora.com 

Dei Principi di Spadafora 

+39 091 514 952 

FERRERI 90/100 

CR n D Pignatello 2018 : Fairly deep red with dark 

purple and ruby tints. Smoky oak on the nose with ripe 

red and black berries and wild plants. Spontaneous 

fruit on the palate which is still juicy and reveals a clean 

mouthfeel and delicate oakiness. A savoury wine for 

spicy foods. 

Price: € 12 

http://www.ferrerivini.it 

Azienda Agricola Ferreri & Bianco S.r.l. 

+39 347 320 56 27 

THE WINE PEOPLE S.R.L. 90/100 

ORG n D Purato Siccari Appassimento 2019 : Light 

red with ruby reflections. Nose of strawberries and 

cherries with floral and sweet spice touches. Delicate 

mouthfeel with gorgeous fresh fruitiness and effusive 

tannins. A structured wine with oodles of appeal. 

Price: € 9 



+39 046 196 10 10 

AZIENDA AGRICOLA CORTESE 89/100 

ORG n D Nostru Nerello Mascalese 2019 : Clear 

garnet. Promising nose blending black berries, touches 

of maquis, spice and toast. The palate revolves around 

lovely freshness, offering up a light, natural feel, precise 

perfumes and exoticism. We were bowled over by it. 

Price: € 14 



+39 046 196 10 10 


ORG n D 1697 - Rosso Appassimento 2019 : Clear 

garnet tinged with crimson. Expressive nose revealing 

smoky, mineral and peppery notes backed by elegant 

fruitiness. Silky attack, harmonious, concentrated, lively 

and pure palate displaying deliciously intense cherry 

and redcurrant fruitiness. Lovely. 

Price: € 9 



+39 046 196 10 10 


ORG n D Schietto - Selezione Limitada 2014 : Deep 

garnet with bricking. Expressive nose marrying petrol 

aromas, spices and liquorice with fruit undertones. The 

palate refocuses on fruit, displaying a robust, dense, 

nervy profile with granular tannin presence still. Needs 

more time. 

Price: € 25 



+39 091 514 952 

DA VERO 88/100 

ORG n D Biologico Nero d’Avola : Cherry-red tinged 

with ruby. Nose of red and black berry fruits with a 

spicy edge. Lovely sun-ripened generosity on the palate 

with dense fruit that really has something to get your 

teeth into. Very flavourful, satisfying finish. A rich wine 

for foods that taste of the sun. 

Price: € 6 

https://international.boutinot.com/ 

Boutinot Ltd. 

+39 0141 763 11 


ORG n D Vurria 2018 : Bright garnet with bricking. 

Promising nose intermixing blueberry and cherry 

with a jammy, spicy and roasted coffee touch. The 

palate harmoniously combines substantial freshness, 

a traditional herbal framework and seductive, clean 

flavours to create a great wine. 

Price: € 7.90 


Di Giovanna 

+39 09 251 955 675 

DON MICHELANGELO 88/100 

ORG n D Bardadoro 2017 : Deep garnet with 

bricking. Captivating nose revealing spices, liquorice 

and menthol layered over black fruits. Delicious 

freshness on the palate, bolstering the feeling of 

lightness. Great exotic aromas within a slightly firm 

frame still. A successful wine. 

Price: € 12 

http://barbadoro.it 

Francesco Lirosi 

+39 33 55 32 11 26 


ORG n D Don Pietro Rosato 2019 : Brilliant orangypink 

with ruby reflections. Lovely nose combining 

red berry fruits, fine floral notes and a herbal touch. 

Suppleness and freshness on the palate which displays 

medium intensity, precise, lifted aromas and a finely 

spiced finish. Successful effort. 

Price: € 10 



+39 091 514 952 


ORG n D Vurria 2020 : Pale salmon-pink. Focused 

nose revealing strawberry, fine spices and a touch 

of maquis. Ethereal palate showing lovely freshness. 

Sleek, minimalist profile where aromatic expression is 

not overbearingly exuberant and showcases the spice 

aromatics. 

Price: € 7.20 


Di Giovanna 

+39 09 251 955 675 

SOUTH AFRICA 

OUR AUTUMN 

SELECTION 

Discovering South African spirits. 

They may not be as well-known as 

the country’s wines because they are 

mostly drunk locally, but their standard is 

remarkably high. 

Vintage Brandy 

WESTERN CAPE 

DISTELL 96/100 

n D Richelieu Vintage Brandy 10 Years : Deep amber. 

Nutty and smoky nose with hints of fresh fruit, quince 

and curry. Sweet and elegant on the palate with a 

toasty, roasted coffee note on the finish. Smooth and 

refined. Excellent and well-made. Classic. 

Price: € 17.73 

http://www.distell.co.za 

Distell 

+27 21 886 5640 

Cape Brandies 

CAPE TOWN - CONSTANTIA 

GROOT CONSTANTIA 82/100 

n D Cape Brandy VSOP : Golden amber. Slight spice 

and dried fruit nose and quince. Smoky and toasty 

palate with a rich and creamy mouthfeel. Slight of 

whisky lactone. Some hints of judicious oak on the dry, 

but integrated finish. Enjoy neat. 

Price: € 56.93 

Groot Constantia 

+27 21 794 5128 

CENTRAL ORANGE RIVER 

ORANGE RIVER CELLARS 90/100 

n D Bontstaan Brandewyn VSOP : Golden amber. 

Dried fruit, raisins , apple and apricot nose with hints of 

nutmeg. Elegant and smooth on the palate with a dry 

and complex finish. Very elegant, integrated alcohol 

and refined on the aftertaste. Enjoy neat. 

Price: € 15 

http://www.orangeriverwines.com 

Orange River Cellars 

+27 54 337-8800 

CENTRAL ORANGE RIVER - KAKAMAS 

DIE MAS 83/100 

n D Die Kalahari Truffel Potketelbrandewyn VSOP 

: Deep amber. Smoky and toasty nose with cloves, 

marmite, tobacco . Palate is sweet and smoky with a 

charry note on the finish. Unusual and interesting. 

Price: € 16.74 

http://www.diemas.co.za 

Die Mas Wynkelder 

+27 54 431 0245 

118 

AUTUMN 2021 – GILBERT & GAILLARD – THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE


A lot of care and attention is given to packaging 

bottles at Oude Molen 

DARLING 

VOORKAMER 81/100 

n D Potstill Brandy VSOP : Dark amber. Dried fruit and 

toasty nose with hints of citrus. Palate is smoky, rubbery 

with a cigar box and tobacco. Dried fruit and spice on 

the integrated and complex finish. 

Price: € 25.43 

http://www.withington.co.za 

Withington Wines 

+27 22 492 3971 

DURBANVILLE 

DURBANVILLE HILLS WINES 90/100 

n D Merlot Potstill Brandy 10 Years : Dark amber 

cloudy. Unfiltered. Toffy and caramel nose with hints 

vanilla and tobacco. Sweet vanilla and elegant nose 

with a well-integrated nutty and toasty note on the finish. 

Complex, rich and refined. 

Price: € 20.92 

Durbanville Hills 

+27 21 558 1300 

PAARL 

KWV 83/100 

n D XXO TWENTY XXO : Very dark amber. Subdued 

nose with Muscat and rancio on the nose. Vanilla and 

dried fruits. Spice and liquorice on the very subdued 

palate. Lacks fruit and complexity, but very enjoyable. 

Price: € 107 

http://www.kwv.com 

KWV 

+27 21 807 3353 

ROBERTSON 

WINDFALL 85/100 

n D The Hunter 6 Years : Golden amber. Elegant oaky 

nose with dried fruits and apricot. Smooth and dry on 

the very elegant palate with spice and a well-integrated 

alcohol. Excellent. Drink neat or over ice. 

Price: € 45 

https://www.windfallwine.co.za/contact-us/ 

Windfall Wine Farm 

+27 83 320 8473 

STELLENBOSCH 

TOKARA XO POTSTILL BRANDY 91/100 

n D Tokara XO Potstill Brandy XO : Cloudy deep 

amber. Sweet dried fruit and apricot nose with litchi 

and pineapple. Smoky and toasty palate with dried 

apricot following from the nose. Elegant and refined on 

the aftertaste with a sweet and refined finish. 

Price: € 56.75 

http://www.tokara.com 

Tokara 

+27 21 808 5913 

BLAAUWKLIPPEN 86/100 

n D Blaauwklippen 10 Year Old Potstill Brandy 10 

Years : Light golden amber. Toasty nose with dried 

fruit, vanilla and nuts. Palate has whisky lactone and 

a sweet smoky note on the finish. Smooth and rich on 

the lengthy finish. 

Price: € 37.36 

http://www.blaauwklippen.com 

Blaauwklippen 

+27 21 880 0133 

WESTERN CAPE 

JOSEPH BARRY DISTILLERS 96/100 

n D Joseph Barry XO Cape Brandy XO : Light gold. 

Fresh fruit salad and rancio. Sweet apricot and peach 

with dried fruits. Sweet liquorice and spice on the 

palate with a delicate and refined finish. Lingering and 

well-integrated aftertaste. Drink neat. 

Price: € 45 

http://www.josephbarry.co.za 

Joseph Barry 

+27 21 859 2517 

BACKSBERG 94/100 

n D Sydney Back Brandy 10 Years XO : Deep amber. 

Elegant nose with hints of sweet spice and dried 

fruit. Passionfruit and dried banana. Rich, refined 

and layered on the palate with a creamy and smoky 

aftertaste. Excellent. 

Price: € 29.38 

http://www.backsberg.co.za 

Backsberg Estate Cellars 

+27 21 875 5141 

OUDE MOLEN DISTILLERS 94/100 

n D Oude Molen VSOP Cape Brandy VSOP : Light 

amber. Fresh fruit salad nose and rancio. Elegant and 

refined palate with hints of pineapple, litchi and fresh 

fruit following from the nose. Rich and creamy on the 

finish with a slight hints of oak. Excellent. 

Price: € 33 

Cask ageing guarantees complexity and finesse 

http://www.oudemolen.co.za 

Oude Molen 

+27 21 859 2517 


n D Joseph Barry Muscat Cape Brandy VSOP : Golden 

amber. Grapey, peach and apricot nose. Smooth and 

elegant palate with fresh fruit and dried fruit palate. 

Elegant and smooth on the finish with a slight alcoholic 

warmth. Drink neat or with your favourite mixer. Muscat 

on the finish. 

Price: € 17 


Joseph Barry 

+27 21 859 2517 


n D Joseph Barry VSOP Cape Brandy VSOP : Deep 

amber. Smoky and toasty nose with hints of spice, 

raspberry and nutmeg. Dried fruit and apricot on 

the nose with a smooth, sweet and integrated finish. 

Lengthy and layered. Excellent. 

Price: € 30 


Joseph Barry 

+27 21 859 2517 

LADISMITH DISTILLERY 90/100 

n D Ladismith Cape Brandy VSOP : Light golden 

amber. Fruit forward nose with apple, gooseberry and 

quince. Elegant and refined palate with secondary fruit 

following from the nose. Clean and fruit-forward with a 

lengthy and layered finish. Classic. 

Price: € 35 


Oude Molen 

+27 21 859 2517 


n D Bayede! XO : Deep amber. Sweet litchi and 

vanilla nose with hints of dried citrus. Pineapple and 

tropical flavours. Creamy and elegant palate with a 

well-integrated oaky character on the finish. Sweet and 

smooth on the finish. 

Price: € 70 


Oude Molen 

+27 21 859 2517 




n D Van Ryn’s Potstill Brandy 12 Years : Deep amber. 

Subdued nose with hints of citrus and dried fruits. 

Hazelnut and dark chocolate with some warmth. 

Elegant and refined on the aftertaste with a sweet and 

refined finish. Drink neat. 

Price: € 31.89 


Distell 

+27 21 886 5640 


n D Joseph Barry VS Cape Brandy VS : Golden amber. 

Dried fruit and caramel nose, pineapple, rancio. Sweet 

and creamy palate with a dried fruit and apricot finish. 

Some alcoholic warmth on the lengthy finish. 

Price: € 20 


Joseph Barry 

+27 21 859 2517 

BACKSBERG 88/100 

n D Sydney Back Brandy 15 Years XO : Cloudy 

amber. Toasty nose with hints of nutmeg and sweet 

spice. Elegant and sweet on the palate with some hints 

of toasty oak following from the nose. Refined and 

layered on the finish with a lingering dry fruit aftertaste. 

Drink neat. 

Price: € 42.84 

http://www.backsberg.co.za 

Backsberg Estate Cellars 

+27 21 875 5141 

BOSCHENDAL 88/100 

n D XO Brandy XO : Dark amber. Sweet pineapple 

and tropical nose with hints of vanilla, dried fruit and 

spice. Elegant and refined palate with a clean and 

fruit-forward finish. Very layered and finessed. Wellused 

and integrated blend of oak and fruit-structure. 

Excellent. 

Price: € 37.32 

Boschendal Wine Estate 

+27 21 870 4200 


n D Van Ryn’s Potstill Brandy 10 Years : Dark amber. 

Sweet pineapple and smoky nose with hints of dried 

fruit. Palate is smooth and elegant with a good balance 

between fruit and nutty aromas. Slight warmth on the 

finish. Drink with your favourite mixer. 

Price: € 21.84 


Distell 

+27 21 886 5640 


n D Oude Molen VS Cape Brandy VS : Light gold. 

Fresh fruit salad nose with hints of vanilla, toffy and 

fudge. Toasty on the palate with a smoky note from the 

oak. Smooth and elegant finish with a lengthy finish. 

Dry and robust. 

Price: € 25 


Oude Molen 

+27 21 859 2517 

UPLAND ORGANIC ESTATE 84/100 

n D Leonardo XO : Dark amber. Rancio and fresh 

fruit nose with hints of nutmeg and spice. Sweet and 

integrated palate with a slight hint of vanilla and dried 

citrus. Smoky and toasty on the aftertaste with a layered 

and lingering finish. 

Price: € 200 

http://www.organicwine.co.za 

Upland Organic Estate 

+27 21 864 1184 

SOUTH AFRICA 

OUR AUTUMN 

SELECTION 

Medal-winning wines 

Don’t miss our 93, 92, 91, 90 Pt, Gold 

& Best Value wines at unbeatable prices! 

STELLENBOSCH 

HIDDEN GEMS 93/100 

Red Blend 2017 

Price: € 1.47 

Hidden Valley Wines 

STELLENBOSCH 

JOURNEY’S END 92/100 

Sir Lowry Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 

Price: € 4 

Journey’s End 

STELLENBOSCH 

STELLENZICHT 91/100 

Thunderstone Chardonnay 2020 

Price: € 4 

Stellenzicht Vineyards 

PAARL 

WILD HOUSE 90/100 

Shiraz 2020 

Price: € 2 

Wildeberg 

STELLENBOSCH 


Bluegum Merlot 2019 

Price: € 4 


WESTERN CAPE 


Honeycomb Chardonnay 2020 

Price: € 3 


COASTAL REGION 

PEARLSTONE 84/100 

Chenin Blanc 2020 

Price: € 2.53 

Rhebokskloof Estate 


Pinotage 2019 

Price: € 2.53 


LUTZVILLE VALLEY - KOEKENAAP 

CLASSIC COLLECTION 84/100 

Pinotage 2018 

Price: € 3 

Cape Diamond Wines 


Sauvignon Blanc 2021 

Price: € 3 



Shiraz 2018 

Price: € 3 


PAARL 


Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 

Price: € 2.53 


STELLENBOSCH 

ASARA WINE ESTATE 84/100 

Cape Vinelands Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 

Price: € 3.99 

Asara Wine Estate 

KOELENBOSCH 84/100 

Dry Pinotage Rosé 2021 

Price: € 3.59 

Koelenhof Winery 

WELLINGTON 

DUKE 84/100 


Price: € 3.50 

Wellington Wines 

WESTERN CAPE 

BALANCE 84/100 

CAT Muscat 2021 

Price: € 2.45 

Overhex Wines 


Special Cape Blend 2020 

Price: € 2.60 

Overhex Wines 

120 

AUTUMN 2021 – GILBERT & GAILLARD – THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE

SOUTH AFRICA - Medal-winning wines 

MOUNT ROZIER 84/100 

Reserve Beekeeper Chenin Blanc 2021 

Price: € 2.50 



Reserve Flower Garden Sauvignon Blanc 2021 

Price: € 3 


OAK LANE 84/100 

Otto Make You Smile 2020 

Price: € 3 

Beau Joubert Vineyard & Winery 

SHEEP HILL 84/100 

Malbec 2020 

Price: € 3 


WORCESTER 

ALVI’S DRIFT 84/100 

Signature Merlot 2020 

Price: € 3 

Alvi’s Drift Cellar 


Signature Shiraz 2020 

Price: € 3 


RONDEBOSCH 84/100 

Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2020 

Price: € 3 


BONNIEVALE 

BONNIEVALE 83/100 

The River Collection 2021 

Price: € 2 

Bonnievale 

BREEDE RIVER VALLEY 

BEN WREN WINE 83/100 


Price: € 1.50 

Ben Wren 

BREEDEKLOOF 

SEVEN OAKS 83/100 

Chardonnay 2021 

Price: € 3.99 

Seven Oaks 



Price: € 3.71 

Seven Oaks 

PAARL 

NIEL JOUBERT 83/100 

Grüner Veltliner 2021 

Price: € 3 

Niel Joubert 

WILD HOUSE 83/100 


Price: € 2 

Wildeberg 

ROBERTSON 



Price: € 3.50 




Price: € 3.50 


STELLENBOSCH 


Cape Vinelands Pinotage 2018 

Price: € 3.99 


WARRELWIND 83/100 


Price: € 3 

Man Vintners 

STELLENBOSCH - POLKADRAAI 

HILLS 

POLKADRAAI 83/100 

Chenin Sauvignon Blanc 2021 

Price: € 3 

Stellenbosch Hills 

WESTERN CAPE 


Cape Red 2020 

Price: € 2.50 

Overhex Wines 


Classic Shiraz 2020 

Price: € 3 


THE BEEKEEPER 83/100 

Pinot Grigio 2021 

Price: € 3 


WORCESTER 


Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 

Price: € 3 



Signature Pinotage 2020 

Price: € 3 


FRISKY ZEBRAS 83/100 

Game Ranger Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon NV 

Price: € 3 

Leopard Frog Vineyards 

BREEDEKLOOF 



Price: € 3.99 

Seven Oaks 



Merlot 2019 

Price: € 3 


PAARL 

NIEL JOUBERT 82/100 

Cinsault Grenache Noir 2020 

Price: € 3.47 

Niel Joubert 

STELLENBOSCH - POLKADRAAI 

HILLS 

POLKADRAAI 82/100 

Pinotage Merlot 2020 

Price: € 3 

Stellenbosch Hills 

SWARTLAND - MALMESBURY 

SERENGETI 82/100 


Price: € 3 

Swartland Winery 

WELLINGTON 

LA COLLINE 82/100 

Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2021 

Price: € 4 

Mont du Toit 

WESTERN CAPE 


Reserve Stellenbosch Merlot 2020 

Price: € 3 


FRISKY ZEBRAS 81/100 

Game Ranger Reserve Chenin Blanc NV 

Price: € 3 

Leopard Frog Vineyards 

BREEDEKLOOF 

DU PREEZ ESTATE 89/100 


Price: € 3 

Du Preez Estate 

STELLENBOSCH 

HIDDEN SECRET 89/100 


Price: € 1.47 

Hidden Valley Wines 

WELLINGTON 

DUKE 89/100 


Price: € 4.02 

Wellington Wines 

MONT DU TOIT 89/100 


Price: € 4 

Mont du Toit 

BONNIEVALE 

BONNIEVALE 88/100 

The River Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2021 

Price: € 3.59 

Bonnievale 

STELLENBOSCH 


Cape Vinelands Sauvignon Blanc 2020 

Price: € 3.99 



SOUTH AFRICA - Medal-winning wines 

CHARMÉ SAUVIGNON BLANC 88/100 

2021 

Price: € 3.47 

Vrede Wines 



Price: € 3.59 



SWARTLAND PRIVATE COLLECTION 88/100 


Price: € 3 


WESTERN CAPE 

CAPE CHEETAH 88/100 

Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2021 

Price: € 2 

Overhex Wines 

BREEDE RIVER VALLEY 

BEN WREN WINE 87/100 

Rosé 2021 

Price: € 1.50 

Ben Wren 


FLATROCK WHITE 87/100 

White blend 2020 

Price: € 3.81 





Price: € 3 


STELLENBOSCH 

ARNISTON BAY 87/100 

Rosé 2021 

Price: € 3.50 

Stellenbosch Vineyards 


Shiraz 2020 

Price: € 3.50 



Cape Vinelands Chenin Blanc 2019 

Price: € 3.99 



Cape Vinelands Shiraz 2018 

Price: € 3.99 



SERENGETI 87/100 


Price: € 3 


SWARTLAND PRIVATE COLLECTION 87/100 

Pinotage 2020 

Price: € 3 


TULBAGH 

SPYSENIERSBERG 87/100 

White NV 

Price: € 4.42 

Montpellier Wine Estate 

WESTERN CAPE 

BEES KNEES 87/100 

Chenin Blanc Viognier 2021 

Price: € 3 


JACQUES GERMANIER 87/100 

Shiraz Pinotage Organic 2020 

Price: € 3 

Jacques Germanier 


Fire Bit Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 

Price: € 3 



Reserve Red Snapper Cinsault 2020 

Price: € 3 


QUEEN BEE 87/100 

Viognier 2021 

Price: € 3 


THE SOUTH AFRICAN MOONLIGHT MANOR 87/100 

White Blend 2021 

Price: € 2.50 

Overhex Wines 

VAN ZIJL 87/100 


Price: € 4.14 

Imbuko Wines 


Pink Sauvignon Blanc 2021 

Price: € 4.14 

Imbuko Wines 


FLATROCK RED 86/100 


Price: € 4.41 




Price: € 2.53 


FRANSCHHOEK VALLEY 

JACQUES MOUTON 86/100 

Special Reserve 2020 

Price: € 4.50 

La Couronne Wine Estate 

ROBERTSON 

EXCELSIOR 86/100 

Viognier 2021 

Price: € 1.80 

Excelsior Wine Estate 

HOPE 86/100 


Price: € 4 

Du Toitskloof Wines 

STELLENBOSCH 



Price: € 3.50 


AUDACIA 86/100 

CodeBreaker 2020 

Price: € 4.50 

Audacia 

SWARTLAND - RIEBEEKBERG 

KLOOVENBURG 86/100 

Unwooded Chardonnay 2021 

Price: € 4.52 

Kloovenburg Vineyards 

WESTERN CAPE 

IDENTITY 86/100 


Price: € 3 


IDENTITY 86/100 

Shiraz 2020 

Price: € 3 


PINOT RIOT 86/100 

Pinot Noir 2021 

Price: € 3 




Price: € 4.14 

Imbuko Wines 

WEATHER MAN 86/100 


Price: € 3 


STELLENBOSCH 



Price: € 4.18 


WESTERN CAPE 


Reserve Myrtle Manor Pinotage 2020 

Price: € 3 


WORCESTER 


Signature Pinotage Rosé 2021 

Price: € 3 


Prices mentioned in this book are guideline 

and can vary depending on point of sale. 

The shops, wineries or publisher can in no way 

be held responsible for this. 

122 

AUTUMN 2021– GILBERT & GAILLARD – THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE

Enter your wines now: en-vigneron.gilbertgaillard.com

SALON PROFESSIONNEL 

DES VINS ET DE L’ŒNOTOURISME 

EN MÉDITERRANÉE 

25 & 26 

OCTOBRE 2021 

d 'a n n é e ! 

U n e n o u ve l l e oppor tunité de commercialisation avant les fêtes de fin 

PARC DES EXPOSITIONS 

DE MONTPELLIER 

Enfin un présentiel ! 

Retrouvez l’ambiance des salons, 

des échanges et de la convivialité. 

Pour exposer – pour visiter 

pour consulter la liste des exposants : 

salon-vinomed.com 

Sept 2021 | Images ©breakEvents libre d’interprétation d’artistes 

Vinomed est un événement organisé par Break Events Group (break-events.net). 

L’abus d’alcool est dangereux pour la santé. 

RCS 849 766 985 Paris | Demandes d’informations au +33(0)1 75 43 29 01 ou par mail : 

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