SPECIAL FEATURE: SWEET
SPECIAL FEATURE: SWEET WINES 290 Years of History – I’ll Drink to That! Alsace Gewurztraminer Comes of Age Barton & Guestier, the oldest wine merchant company in Bordeaux, founded in 1725 by Irishman Thomas Barton has been offering sweet wines for 290 years, starting, of course, with Château Yquem. The most important people were the winemakers, but the cellar masters added their final touch to the wine, and Barton & Guestier cellar master, Germain Rambaud shaped the best wines of the 18th century. The company’s know-how has been to vinify, age and ship wines worldwide, which continues today with Barton & Guestier Passeport Sauternes and Thomas Barton Réserve Sauternes! Today, thanks to its network of loyal distributors, Barton & Guestier is present in 130 countries on five continents. All this year, to celebrate the company’s 290th anniversary, wines will go out to 130 countries with neckhangars giving buyers the chance to win a trip for two to Château Magnol. Hall 1, Stand DE-281 Gustave Lorenz produces wines for the future From the Banks of the Murrumbidgee If one talks about vineyards in New South Wales, Australia, most peoples’ minds turn to the Hunter Valley, a few hours’ drive north of Sydney. However, the majority of wines produced in the state are from Riverina – in the far south. Some excellent wines come from the area, including the Botrytis Semillon from KLN Vineyard, Nugan Estate – on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. Careful monitoring of the botrytis infection in the vineyard allows “super-ripe” fruit to be delivered in ideal condition for this style of wine. The fruit is crushed, chilled and pressed immediately, with the juice allowed to settle for 18 hours prior to racking and fermentation – initially in stainless steel tanks, then to oak for fermentation and maturation before blending and bottling. The wine is a brilliant golden yellow, emanating enticing aromas of dried apricot and fig with marmalade and orange peel balanced with subtle oak. It’s a decadent partner to any cheese platter – or crème brulée. Hall 3, Stand W-321 Top Alsace producer, Gustave Lorentz, has released two sweet wines produced from its Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim estate from vines aged between 25 years and 45 years. First is the 100% Gewurztraminer Selection Grains Nobles 2000 made from botrytised grapes which combine to produce notes of candied mandarin, blood orange, and honey. A wine that is dense and syrupy on the palate with touches of quince jelly. This elegant wine ends with grilled almond notes, coffee and orange marmalade on the finish. It is a wine that also evokes memories of one of the finest vintages of its time, with both good quality grapes and yield. This well-structured, balanced wine offers good acidity and strong ageing potential. It is also showing Pinot Gris Selection de Grains Nobles 2008 made from 100% Pinot Gris grapes which also offers immense concentration, notes of dried apricot, quince and caramelised peach. Its long finish is accompanied by a syrupy mouth feel and candied fruit aromas. This fresh and fruity wine is ideal for foie gras, desserts or a classy aperitif. This fresh, fruit-driven wine is testimony to another strong vintage. Hall 1, Stand A-313 10 VINEXPO DAILY / DAY 4 / WEDNESDAY 17 TH JUNE 2015
FRENCH PROVINCE: LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON/SUD-OUEST LANGUEDOC GIANT RELAUNCHES AS VINADEIS Bertrand Girard reveals plans for relaunched Group Val d’Orbieu- Uccoar Vinadeis is the new corporate identity and umbrella name for Languedoc-based Group Val d’Orbieu-Uccoar, which claims to be France’s largest wine business with some 1,600 winegrowers covering 17,000 hectares of vines. It was felt the group needed to present itself under a more recognisable and striking image and it is hoped the new Vinadeis name and logo will help reflect the company’s core values of history and tradition expressed in a modern way. “Our South West” It will now represent the interests of its 45 chateaux and 11 wineries as it looks to build on annual sales of e2.5 billion. The Vinadeis corporate image is represented by the ammonite symbol which you can often find stamped in to the stones found in the vineyards of the Languedoc Roussillon and is being used to reflect the integration and evolution of the company. Bertrand Girard, the group’s chief executive, said in a press conference at yesterday’s Vinexpo, that he believes a key part in the company’s future will be developing bulk wine opportunities. “Sometimes bulk has a negative connotation, but it can also be noble. We are very proud of the bulk side of our business,” he explained. So much so that it has invested in a new bulk wine facility capable of handling 800,000 hl. “We want to show traceability in bulk wine, how it is made and managed,” he added. Osmin & Cie specialises in “drinkable” wines from this surprising region Lionel Osmin is the son of a jeweller from the Béarn. He became an agricultural engineer in 2010 and founded a wine brokerage house specialising in product from the greater southwest, running under the slogan “Esprits Libres” – or “free spirits”. This company has chosen to represent this area for its culture and as it’s “ambassadors”, through a selection of indigenous grapes and appellations, that can only be described as “colourful”. Made from a multitude of terroirs and grapes, South West vineyards offer wine lovers an incredible range where diversity is the master word. Once cultivated, it produces wines of true character that have been able to resist uniformity. Examples include the AOP Marcillac red with Mansois grapes: a fresh, easy drinking wine with soft tannins and notes of red pepper, liquorice and floral. Or “Foehn”, an AOP Jurançon – a blend of Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng – which is a fantastic sweet wine, balanced by a perfect liveliness. It has notes of vanilla, pineapple, mango and white truffle. Or try the AOP Irouléguy white wine “Euskal Egun” which is a blend of Petit Courbu, Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng resulting in a delicate wine charecterised by its mineral aromas and aromatic freshness. Hall 1, Stand AB-283 Reasoned Disobedience Wines from the South West that break the rules – in the right ways Domaine du Tariquet, producer of wines from the Côtes de Gascogne and Bas-Armagnac, is launching new formats for its two flagship vintages at Vinexpo. Domaine du Tariquet Classic will now be available in half-bottle and magnum (only with screw cap) and Domaine du Tariquet will also be available in magnum. In this small region of the Gers, at the gates of the Landes, synonymous with Armagnac and good living, wines with a difference are grown with a hint of “reasoned” disobedience. If the wines and Bas-Armagnac of this winemaker now are considered among the best, it’s because Yves Grassa, the now famous Gascon winemaker, did not hesitate, 25 years ago, to transgress the rules of the traditional vinification of whites to provide a production whose gustative constants are those of fruitiness, freshness, elegance and finesse. Additionally, Grassa was among the first to plant grape varieties that were far from being in vogue in the region at the time: Chardonnay, Sauvignon or Chenin; and worse still he imagined assemblies of traditional enemies such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin and Chardonnay... Hall 1, Stand A-191 Bertrand Girard Chief executive, Vinadeis Hall 1, Stand AB-20 LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON KEY FIGURES Over 283,000 hectares of vine in production Has 30 appellations and crus and five main wine growing AOC areas: Corbières AOC, Faugères, Minervois AOC, and Saint-Chinian AOCs. Languedoc AOC has three levels: AOC Languedoc, Grands Vins, Crus Languedoc regional AOC system was first introduced in 2007 PRODUCTION 13.5 million hectolitres in 2013 up 1.5 million on 2012 KEY GRAPE VARIETIES Languedoc-Roussillon produces nearly 10% of world production of rosé wine Represents nearly a third of of all French rosé sales (2013 figures) Accounts for around 30% of all French wine exports USA becoming key market with double digit growth in volume and value sales in recent years 2,800 winegrowers/producers Produces over 2 billion bottles a year RED & ROSE Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Carignan WHITE Grenache Blanc, Clairette Bouroulenc, Viognier, Picpoul, Marsanne, Roussane, Vermintino and Ugni. vinexpodaily.com VINEXPO DAILY / DAY 3 / TUESDAY 16 TH JUNE 2015 11
