I SPECIAL FEATURE I
I SPECIAL FEATURE I Veuve Goudoulin adds 100% Baco to its range of spirits The premium Armagnac maker was at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023 to showcase its range of spirits, including Armagnac, Whisky and Gin. Founded in 1935, Armagnac Goudoulin was acquired by Michel Miclo, owner of the Alsace-based family-owned G. Miclo Distillery, who is looking to develop the brand’s geographical reach and reputation. One of the highlights being presented at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023 was Baco, a Bas Armagnac made with millésime vintages, the youngest of which has been aged for at least 10 years. Baco, a hybrid grape variety, was originally discovered in 1898 by crossing Folle-Blanche and Noah grape varieties. These genetic characteristics make the cépage, which can only be found in the Armagnac appellation, naturally resistant to bad weather and disease. To ensure the quality of their Armagnac, they are stored in locally-produced oak barrels, which give them their fine amber colour. Storage in these pièces - 400 to 450 litre size oak barrels, also allows the brandy to develop a more refined character and more complex aromas. The Armagnac’s alcohol content decreases throughout the ageing process through evaporation, which is poetically referred to as the angels share. Bottling the taste of Việt Nam’s biodiverse terroir All Goudoulin Armagnacs are bottled, sealed with wax and labelled by hand, upon receipt of the customer’s order. "We attach great importance to respecting the traditions associated with our brandies and the quality of our products. We are the custodians of the age-old expertise of the Goudoulin family, who made Armagnac Goudoulin into the crème de la crème of Armagnacs", the company says Sông Cái was at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023 to present its unique Vietnamese gin. The Vietnamese distillery, founded by Daniel Nguyen, sources its ingredients exclusively from local farmers and foragers, which gives them access to wild mountain botanicals and heirloom varieties of dried fruits, spices and grains. In exchange, the distillery invests back into its partner rural communities, by making sure it pays fair prices, funding reforestation programmes and preservation efforts, as well as providing educational support and shared farming equipment and processing facilities. All of Sông Cái's spirits are distilled in hand-hammered direct-fired copper alembic pot stills. The company was presenting its Việt Nam Dry Gin, made with 12 botanicals from the Northwest highlands of Vietnam, with distinct notes of spice, citrus, and savoury aromatics. It is being offered on the US market alongside the distillery's Sông Cái Vietnam Floral Gin, a smooth and elegant gin with floral and fruity notes akin to red cherry and jackfruit. Also the Sông Cái Vietnam Spiced Roselle Gin, a sweet flavoured gin, made primarily with rose myrtle berry, roselle flower and spices. Sông Cái's gins have earned prizes including Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2021, Consumers’ Choice Award for both Dry and Floral gin at the USA SIP Competition, the Dry Gin won Platinum Best of Glass for Gin and the Floral won Double Gold at the 2020 SIP Awards, and we also won gold at the UK Gin Masters in 2020 10 • THE DAILY • THURSDAY 23 RD FEBRUARY 2023 wineparis-vinexpo.vinexposium-connect.com
I SEEN @ WINE PARIS & VINEXPO PARIS 2023 I A Sancerre success story that reaches all the way to New Zealand Famille Bourgeois in Sancerre has 72 hectares of vineyards in its local area, six hectares in Pouilly-fumé and 60 hectares much further away - in New Zealand. For wines from Sancerre there is, said Vincent Colpaert, who is responsible for commercial operations in France, "a lot of demand but not much availability" because of difficult weather conditions. "So it's quite a big success for this show because we have a lot of interest for Sancerre," Vincent added. New packaging was unveiled for some of the family's wines at Wine Paris & Vineexpo Paris 2023, some of it featuring beautiful designs of bees and birds living protected on half of the property Vincent Colpaert Great feedback for Domaine Boudau as it presents a limited edition wine to clients Domaine Boudau, a family estate in Roussillon, proudly presented a limited edition wine from 100% Malvoisie grapes at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023. A total of 1,500 bottles have been produced. "The feedback has been very, very good", said Géraldine Boudau, a fifth-generation family member, who runs the estate with her mother and her uncle. "We were very happy to re-meet our clients after Covid. I met a lot of French clients but also some from Germany. We are always looking for new markets and new clients." The estate, which produces six red wines, two rosés, four whites and two sweet wines, is looking to increase exports to Sweden and to find new markets in Luxembourg Baptiste Cabal, President, Cellier des Demoiselles Khadija Mezhoud, marketing-in-charge for Cellier des Demoiselles Alexandre Burgaud Alexandre keeps costs down while maintaing quality At Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023, Alexandre Burgaud was showcasing wines grown on his estate's 12 hectares of granite soils in Lantignié. While there have been many cost increases affecting the industry, Alexandre has helped to limit price rises by using thinner bottles, which brings environmental as well as financial benefits. "This has become the must-go-to show for export," he said. "There are a lot of people from the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Ireland." Born in 2013 and named after the owner, Alexandre Burgaud, the estate produces about 35,000 bottles a year.” Visitors serious about doing business, Château de Ruth finds Vincent Moreau, the owner of the Chateau de Ruth estate at Sainte- Cécile-les-Vignes, was impressed with the visitors at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023. They were, he said, "serious" and were looking to do business. Domaines Vincent Moreau has major clients for its output of around 450,000 bottles a year, as it mainly sells to supermarkets and large retail chains. "I've seen about 70% of my clients, which is very nice for me. My British importer came with his clients," Vincent said. "We've had some visitors from England, from Germany, from Brazil. Brazil is probably a new opening for me." A buyer from a major UK supermarket group was among those trying the wine from the estate Vincent Moreau THE DAILY • THURSDAY 23 RD FEBRUARY 2023 • 11
