Our first Master Class, focusing exclusively on Tuscan wines, was held at AWC Wine Academy recently and it was a tasting I had been looking forward to for quite some time. Clearly I was not the only one, as all of the tickets were sold out well in advance of the event. The heavy demand resulted in an extensive waitlist, so we have now scheduled an additional session for anyone unable to make the first one. Given the popularity, I recommend your register for it promptly.
 
Understandably, with the range of impressive Tuscan wines we planned to show, there was a palpable excitement leading up to this event. Italian wines in general and Tuscan wines specifically are hot topics these days, with demand for top wines from these regions continually on the rise.

Additionally, we were delighted to welcome our expert speaker for the evening, Master of Wine Michael Palij. Michael is, without question, one of the world’s leading specialists on Italian wines. In addition to writing for Decanter Magazine, he also writes all of the course material related to Italy for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

Along with his academic credentials, Michael is an engaging and charismatic presenter. He is able to add colourful insight to his lectures due to his very personal knowledge of and experience with the wines, estates and people of Tuscany. Michael was certainly able to call upon his expertise for this Master Class, conducting an extremely interactive session, which was a joy to attend.

Forty years ago, ‘great’ was not a word that was generally associated with Tuscan wines. At the time, the category of very fine wine barely even existed in the region. So what has changed?

According to Michael, many of the advances can be traced back to the dramatic establishment of the Super Tuscan movement. Led by the likes of Piero Antinori and Nicolo Incisa della Rocchetta, these Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines were controversial, glamorous and most importantly, different. Crucially, they were also of an extraordinarily high quality. These wines helped establish Tuscany’s fine wine credentials at a time when they were sadly lacking.

Interestingly and perhaps more significantly, the Super Tuscan movement also spurred a revivalist ‘Risorgimento’ with Tuscany’s native Sangiovese, which Michael described as, “an underrated but truly world-class grape variety.” “The key to the success of Sangiovese comes down to where and how high it is planted. While the French have terroir and attitude,” Michael told us, “Tuscany’s secret is that they have terroir and altitude. In Tuscany, how high up you plant is often the critical factor.”

“You also have to remember that Italian wines are primarily meant to be enjoyed with food. Sangiovese is no exception,” he added. “As a variety, it has a lot of tannin and quite a kick of natural acidity. These wines have a real heft to them. They will certainly age and improve, but ultimately they are meant for the dining table.”

Above: Master of Wine Michael Palij lectures on the finer points of fine Tuscan wines.

We began our tour of Tuscany’s greatest wines in the southerly coastal region of Morellino di Scansano. Morellino became a DOC in 1979 and a DOCG as recently as 2009, largely because of the pioneering work done by Elisabetta Gepetti at Fattoria Le Pupille. The wine we started with was her single vineyard, Poggio Valente from the 2005 vintage. This is a Riserva which is only made in great vintages. According to Michael it is also, “without doubt, the top wine of Morellino.”

The Poggio Valente is a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Alicante, a variety which adds more depth of colour. At seven years of age, this was showing lovely black fruits and a touch of earthy tomato leaf. There’s plenty of grip, weight and acidity, with excellent integration and balance. “This is what Morellino should be all about,” Michael pointed out. “This is not a vin de garde though, it is really a wine for early or medium term drinking. This is probably at its best now and will be for the next five years.”

Above: Account Manager Annabel Dent takes careful tasting notes.

The next wine was one of Michael’s professed favourites, Fontodi’s 2006 Vigna del Sorbo, a Chianti Classico Riserva from Panzano. At 500m in elevation, Panzano is right in the heart of Chianti Classico, often making it too cold to completely ripen Sangiovese. However, in exceptional years such as 2006, it matures to perfection. Giovanni Manetti’s magnificent wine proved a prime example.

A blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, there were more red fruit expressions in this wine than in the previous, including raspberries and redcurrants, on both the nose and palate. It had a lovely elegance and lift to it as well, with more refined, silky tannins and an abundance of refreshing acidity. Michael informed us that he had actually tasted the 1990 Vigna del Sorbo the day before and thought that this wine would age just as well, if not better. “This is brilliant today, but you should really wait another 20 years before you open this wine.”

If we wanted certain proof of Tuscany’s ability to age, we got it with our next wine, the 1995 Vigneta Bellavista from Castello di Ama. Owner Marco Pallanti was one of the pioneers of the single vineyard, ‘cru’ concept in Tuscany back in 1978. This 22 hectare vineyard now produces one of his finest wines. Selection is extremely strict and Pallanti only makes Bellavista in the best vintages.

Above: Account Manager Lucy McMillan quizzes a taster on his thoughts.

Beautifully constructed, this wine had great finesse, complexity and elegance. The primary fruit was still there but is now giving way to tertiary, bottle age flavours of sous bois and minerals. Also interesting to note was the alcohol level. As Michael pointed out, this bottle was 12.5%. “Now, ten years later on and with global warming, the current release is listed at more like 14.5%.”

The fourth wine was the 2005 Brunello di Montalcino from La Fiorita, owned and run by one of Italy’s best known ‘flying winemakers’, Roberto Cipresso. Heading over to Montalcino and moving forward a decade, we were now seeing a completely different style and expression of pure Sangiovese. This was a big wine at 14.5%, but it holds it together very nicely. Quite modern in style, with a bold, rich and forward expression, this wine had spice, intense black cherry flavours, firm tannins and superb acidity. Ultimately, this was a beautifully balanced and utterly beguiling example of Brunello di Montalcino.

I have to confess that I did struggle slightly with the tannic structure of the next wine, Soldera’s 1999 Case Basse. This was also a Brunello di Montalcino, but it is produced in the southwest of the region. Michael has visited this estate many times and regaled us with stories about the beauty of the gardens and vineyards. The property owner, Gianfranco Soldera, is something of a legend in Tuscany. His interests are not geared towards chasing ratings or critical acclaim. “He just makes wines that he personally likes to drink,” Michael told us. Though this wasn’t my personal favourite of the night, many, including Michael, absolutely raved about it, describing it as, “one of the greatest Brunellos ever made.”

Fortunately, nearly everyone in attendance agreed on the next wine, Piero Antinori’s 2004 Tignanello. This is, of course, the original Super Tuscan and the wine which caused all the fuss and brouhaha back in the 1970s. It was the first Sangiovese to be aged in small oak barrels and also the first wine in modern times to use Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Today, the blend is roughly 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet.

This was a huge pleasure to drink. It is wonderfully lush, plump, and fleshy and it is absolutely brimming with creamy, plum fruit flavours and baking spices. As Michael noted, “it is a very generous, ‘come hither’ sort of wine, largely because it gets a complete, new oak treatment. Significantly, Antinori only utilizes 50% new oak with [neighbouring property] Solaia, but Tignanello gets a full 100%.”

Following the Tignanello, we tasted the current latest release of Ornellaia, another Super Tuscan legend, which was founded by Piero Antinori’s brother, Lodovico. Michael explained that this estate was really born out of an internal family feud between Piero and Lodovico. However, this initial conflict was only the beginning of the drama that has befallen Ornellaia in recent years.

In 1999, the Mondavis of California became serious shareholders in the estate. When the Mondavi Company was subsequently taken over by Constellation Brands, the corporation felt that Ornellaia did not fit within their portfolio of global properties. In a subsequent, bizarre twist, Constellation then sold Ornellaia to the Antinori’s arch-enemies, the Frescobaldi family. It all sounds a bit like something out of an Italian opera performance. In spite of all the management changes though, the estate and the quality of its wines have remained very much intact.

This particular Tignanello was the 2008, which is admittedly a bit too young to drink still, yet was fascinating to taste due to its ripe, modernist style. The mix is a classic Bordeaux blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon with the rest comprised of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a bit of Petit Verdot.

As is our tradition here at AWC Wine Academy, we always like to liven up our tastings at the finish to make them as interesting as possible. Therefore, the last three wines were all tasted blind. The first was definitely my wine of the night – an absolutely fabulous 1997 Solaia which was a complete tour de force. The wine showed extraordinary class, elegance, complexity and length. Michael agreed, pointing out that you could put this alongside a really good First Growth Bordeaux and it would not look out of place.

Just to prove the point, that is exactly what we did! The next wine was an equally superb 1996 Château Mouton Rothschild. Last, but by no means least, the third wine in the trio was Nicolo Incisa della Rochetta’s 1997 Sassicaia from Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri.

Personally, I felt that the Château Mouton Rothschild and the Solaia just edged the Sassicaia. Ultimately though, the line between these three extraordinary, Cabernet-based wines was incredibly thin. Interestingly, when Michael asked for a show of hands, almost everyone picked the Mouton as the mystery First Growth – an impressive feat. Yet, for the evening’s preferred wine, it was much more evenly spread out. Although the greatest number of people (11) voted for the Mouton Rothschild, both the Solaia and the Sassicaia were just behind it in the popularity poll.

Indeed, talking to people after the event, it was clear that the Mouton Rothschild did stand out. This was not because it was necessarily better than the two Tuscans. Simply that it was noticeably different. In other words, the concept of terroir is alive and well, as is the future of great Tuscan wine.

Below is the complete list of wines tasted on the evening. All wines are currently available on request from The Antique Wine Company and prices quoted are in bond.

To join us for a tasting or to reserve AWC Wine Academy for yourself, please visit - http://www.awcwineacademy.com - or contact Deborah Ives via email or on +44 (0) 20 3219 5560.

Just a few weeks ago, we held our fabulous white Burgundy tasting, which was hosted by wine writer Robert Joseph. Following on the success of that event, Robert returned to AWC Wine Academy last week with a selection of fine red Burgundies to tantalise our taste buds.

As experienced aficionados know, Burgundy can be one of the most complex and often frustrating wine regions in the world. When it hits the heights there’s nothing to match it. However, you do have to kiss a few frogs before you find your princes (or princesses as the case may be).

Above: As with all of our tasting events we enjoyed some lovely canapes and champagne beforehand.

Robert was quick to point out that, should any question or comment come to mind during the tasting, attendees should feel free to shout it out – particularly if they found any of the wines lacking for any reason. With an invitation to openly heckle, who knew what the evening would bring? Fortunately, the enthusiastic and knowledgeable group of Antique Wine Company clients were able to enjoy an impressive, 100% success rate, thanks to Robert’s sublime and varied selections.

Above: Robert Joseph (l) and AWC Wine Academy Director John Stimpfig discuss the wines.

The evening started off with 2007 Corton Clos du Roi by Domaine de Montille. Today this biodynamic property is run by Etienne de Montille who took over operations from his famous father Hubert in the late 1990s. What has now emerged is a more open and silky style of red Burgundy than in previous generations. However, the wines have retained both their purity and their ability to age. This is a difficult task to pull off, but Etienne has managed it with aplomb and skill. The professionalism in production certainly shined through in this utterly delightful Grand Cru Corton.

A perfume of violets, wild raspberries and cherry compote rises from the glass. In the mouth, it displays exquisite balance, freshness and length. Above all, the wine had a brilliantly delicate touch, yet was significantly persistent on the palate – nearly always a hallmark of a great wine. This is what great Burgundy should be all about – the proverbial ‘iron fist in the velvet glove.’ Running £127 per bottle, I rated it an easy 96 points. What a superb start to the evening!

I was particularly pleased at how well this wine showed, as I had just bought the prestigious ‘Piece de la President’ lot at the Hospices de Beaune auction the weekend prior. Purchased for $150,000, the Piece was a 460L barrel of Corton Clos du Roi, Cuvée Baronne de Baÿ – a quite similar wine to the Montille.

As many of you will know, proceeds from the Hospices auction go to a number of extremely worthy charities. With the purchase of every lot, funds are raised to support extraordinary medical work. Some lots help save the lives of underprivileged children requiring emergency heart surgery, whilst others support important research into Alzheimer’s disease. As that is the case, I was extremely happy to pay the added premium for this particular lot. Moreover, if the 2011 Hospices Clos du Roi provides even half the pleasure of this Domaine de Montille I will be more than enthused.

Next up was another Burgundian legend – Domaine Armand Rousseau. Eric Rousseau, who now heads the domaine, produces nothing but Pinot Noir and is a master of the variety. Rousseau is unquestionably one of the Cote d’Or’s greatest and most sought-after growers. This evening’s wine was the 2006 Ruchottes-Chambertin, Clos des Ruchottes Grand Cru. While 2006 wasn’t the most homogenous year for red Burgundy, this was an absolute gem of a wine.

Another stunning aroma - both classical and bright. On the palate it had great attack and freshness. With an almost ethereal lightness, it still carried a touch more depth and weight than the Clos du Roi. The tannins were riper and the structure firmer, with darker fruits and a lovely mineral lift on the finish. Although this is drinking beautifully now, it will improve with age. Worth every penny of the £210 price tag. A sublime 97 points.

The third wine was from one of my favourite properties, Domaine Clos des Lambrays in Morey-Saint-Denis. Since Günther Freund bought the domaine about fifteen years ago, winemaker Thierry Brouin has managed to significantly elevate the quality of the wines. Given the warmth of the 2005 vintage though, we wondered what effect it would have on the style of this particular Clos des Lambray Grand Cru. Certainly this was bigger and broader than either of the previous wines, yet it was in no way over done or over-extracted. Once again, the truffle-like, red berry fruit flavours were beautifully delineated. What a pleasure to drink! Having said that, I would still keep this for a few more years, as I think it will benefit from a bit more time in the cellar. 94 Points.

The next Grand Cru also came from quite a warm vintage and this was reflected in its colour, structure and rounder tannins. While the 2003 Échezeaux from Domaine Robert Arnoux in Vosne-Romanée was nearly a decade old, it was just beginning to move beyond its primary fruit characters and hint at the glorious tertiary flavours to come. I found a lovely complexity in this wine - sweet, red and black fruits (both cherry and cassis) and a few more ‘animal’ or gamey notes. At just £104 a bottle this rated a very creditable and impressive 94 points.

For many, the following wine - Lalou Bize-Leroy’s 2000 Les Boudots, 1er Cru from Nuits-Saint-Georges - was the top wine of the evening. Although 2000 was a legendary vintage in Bordeaux, it wasn’t the greatest in Burgundy. Nevertheless, Lalou made a spectacular wine. The result was a wonderfully complex and pleasurable red with layers of candied violet and black cherry fruit, overlaid with spice, smoke and minerals. This had immense structure and staying power; the tannins are beautifully ripe and the wine is just moving into a more evolved phase. With plenty of sap and dry extract, the length is magnificent, making this is a wine to either enjoy now or to keep with great confidence.

As Robert pointed out, the feisty and talented Lalou is just as well-known as her own wines. She certainly has quite a back story. Having begun her career in 1955, she co-ran DRC with Aubert de Villaine for many years before being controversially fired during a vote by DRC’s board in 1992 – with the deciding vote cast by her own sister! Oh, the family intrigue of Burgundy! However, by that point Lalou had already begun to create her own estate. Domaine Leroy now boasts 22 hectares, from no less than 26 appellations, which contain a total of nine Grand Crus. Today, these biodynamic beauties are made from extraordinarily low yields and are priced at the same level as those of DRC itself. This wine is available for £288 and I rated it 98 points.

How do you follow a wine like that? The answer is with one of Burgundy’s most ‘cult-ish’ wines – none other than Domaine Georges Roumier’s Clos de la Bussière 1er Cru from Morey-Saint-Denis.

The core of this domaine is 12 hectares of Chambolle-Musigny vines which were brought as a dowry by a local girl to Georges Roumier in 1924 and famously included Les Amoureuses and some Bonnes Mares. The domaine was added to with parcels of Clos de Vougeot and the whole of Clos de la Bussiere in 1953. That same year, Georges retired, leaving his son Jean-Marie in charge.

Ultimately, the domaine really rocketed into the Cote d’Or’s Hall of Fame after Jean-Marie’s son Christophe took over technical matters in 1982. In my mind, there is no question that Christophe deserves the title of winemaking genius for the balance and finesse which emerge from his terroir-driven wines.
Sixteen years on there are still masses of sweet, rich, black and red primary fruits in this wine, with just the start of spice, earth and truffle. The texture is stunning, thanks to the silky, velvet-like tannins. As ever, Christophe Roumier has managed exquisite sweetness, finesse and remarkable length. An extraordinary 1er Cru effort from Domaine Roumier which is a steal at £96. 97 Points.

At this point, one of The Antique Wine Company’s clients from Switzerland enquired about whether it was or was not appropriate to decant Burgundy. This started a lively debate on the pros and cons of decanting among the attendees. After much discussion and deliberation - and following several rounds of voting - it was decided that red Burgundy should really only be decanted when it is within the first decade of its life. Of course, there are no hard and fast rules here and personal discretion will always play a role. Robert commented that he actually decants most white Burgundy but hardly ever decants any red Burgundy, irrespective of age.

The seventh wine was certainly one my top two wines of the night and proved just how well great Burgundies can go the distance. The nearly 30 year old, 1983 Clos de Vougeot from Domaine René Engel was absolutely wonderful. Today, this 7.5 hectare domaine - with plots in Échezeaux, Grands-Échezeaux and Clos de Vougeot - is owned by Château Latour’s tycoon proprietor Francois Pinault, who bought it in 2006. Since that time, Pinault has installed his trusty lieutenant from Latour, Frédéric Engerer, to be in charge of winemaking.

However, in the 1980s - when this particular wine was produced - the estate was run by Philippe Engel. Philippe’s tenure lasted many years and he is often credited with having pushed the domaine into the upper echelon of Vosne-Romanée producers. According to Robert, Engel’s Clos de Vougeot is probably the domaine’s finest wine due to a combination of very old vines and the fact that they are situated at the top of the Clos, adjacent to the château itself.

1983 was another warm vintage in Burgundy and this wine still had some sweet, primary fruit characteristics to it. It had also developed quite a few of the tertiary, gamey, sous-bois notes which are so beloved by Burgundy enthusiasts. Backed by elements of soy and mushroom, this beautiful wine is now fully mature and the gentle tannins make it a real pleasure to drink. Not only was this the most valuable wine of the night at £300 a bottle, it was also the finest and the most popular (as voted by the attendees). I gave it 98 points.

Perhaps because the Clos de Vougeot was such a stunning wine, it did slightly overshadow the 1978 Volnay Champans 1er Cru which followed it. From Domaine Camille Giroud, compared to the 1983 Engel, this was even further evolved. Fully mature, it was quite firmly in the ‘old wine’ category which meant that it wasn’t to everyone’s taste. Yet it was still very much alive and kicking – though not quite as energetically as the Clos de Vougeot. Available for £186, I rated it 91 points.

At the end of this remarkable evening we took a vote on which were the top wines of the night. Here are the results: [Please note that all of these wines are available on request from The Antique Wine Company]

Tied for 1st Place -

1983 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru - Domaine René Engel - £3,600/case of 12

2000 Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Boudots, 1er Cru, Domaine Leroy - £3,456/case of 12

2nd Place -

2007 Corton Clos du Roi, Grand Cru, Domaine de Montille - £1,524/case of 12

3rd Place -

2003 Échézeaux Grand Cru, Domaine Robert Arnoux  - £1,248/case of 12

Tied for 4th Place -

2006 Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Clos des Ruchottes, Domaine Armand Rousseau  - £2,520/case of 12

1995 Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière 1er Cru, Domaine Georges Roumier - £1,152/case of 12

We look forward to welcoming you into the Wine Academy in the coming months, whether for another Red Burgundy tasting, for your own private tasting or for one of the other exciting events we have planned.

To join us for a tasting or to reserve the Wine Academy for yourself, please visit - http://www.awcwineacademy.com - or contact Deborah Ives on +44 (0) 20 3219 5560.

To purchase any of the wines which were covered in this particular tasting, please contact one of our staff wine experts.

We never do things by halves at AWC Wine Academy. So, it only made sense that, for our first Cheese & Wine matching event, we asked well-known wine writer and presenter Susy Atkins to be our hostess.

Above: Susy prepares for the matching.

As many of you will know, Susy writes for the Sunday Telegraph and is a regular presenter on the BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen. She was thrilled to present on one of her favourite food and wine themes at our unique tasting facility. Over the course of the incredibly enjoyable and informative evening, Susy walked us through a series of fine wines, paired with various, equally impressive fromages.

According to Susy, pairing wine and cheese is enjoying an upswing in popularity at the moment. However, people are now paying much more attention to what they are actually matching. ‘The fact of the matter is that a lot of cheeses simply don’t go with certain wines,’ she told us, ‘so it pays to understand what works and what doesn’t. For instance, a big tannic red simply doesn’t go with a soft, creamy cheese. The balance and texture is all wrong. Successful cheese and wine matching is all about balance,’ she re-iterated. ‘It is not about contrast.’

‘Furthermore,’ she continued, ‘these days, people are finally discovering that white wines generally tend to provide better, more versatile matches than reds.’
The first pairing of the night was something of a classic – a striking, 2010 Comte Lafond Sancerre with a Chabichou goat’s cheese from Poitou. Both come from the same, Loire Valley region of France and have a naturally affinity for one other. Goat’s cheese and Sauvignon Blanc just seem to go together – the acidity of the wine cuts through the texture of the creamy cheese perfectly. However, Susy did warn us that not all Sauvignon Blancs work as well as this. ‘Minerally Pouilly-Fumés and Sancerres are ideal, but many New Zealand and Chilean Sauvignon Blancs are just too fruity and can easily overwhelm the delicate cheese flavours.’

Above: Tasters evaluate the Sancerre and Chabichou match.

While the following pairing was a certainly a hit, it was undoubtedly a bit more daring. The 2009 JJ Prüm Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett from the Mosel region in Germany, matched with a hard Parmigiano Reggiano from Reggio Emilia in Italy was both unexpected and delightful.

The light-bodied, delicate Kabinett, with its piercing acidity and touch of sweetness, clearly wasn’t the most obvious match for the Parmesan, yet, as Susy pointed out – ‘Riesling is an extraordinary grape variety in that it has the ability to pair with all sorts of dishes.’ Having just come back from a trip to the Mosel, Susy said she had drunk Riesling with venison, wild boar and pork – and a lot of cheeses – all with great success. Everyone in attendance was quite enthusiastic about this match after trying it, as the slight sweetness of the wine perfectly enhanced the intense and savoury nuttiness of the unpasteurised Parmesan.

The third pairing was a luscious 2007 Hugel Jubilee Gewurztraminer from Alsace and an intensely savoury Mignon Maroilles from the Pas de Calais region. The soft texture and pungent aroma of the cheese was in perfect harmony with the natural sweetness and rosewater perfume of the Gewurztraminer. Interestingly, some tasters actually preferred this cheese with the previous wine (the Riesling). The touch of charming sweetness in both wines was able to lift and enhance the flavours of this strong-smelling, washed rind cheese.

Next up was a 1998 Gran Reserva Rioja from none other than the brilliant La Rioja Alta winery in Haro, Spain. The delicate, aged red wine was a joy to drink, with subtle, almost Pinot Noir-like notes and hints of leather, tobacco and strawberry fruit.According to Susy, ‘most red wines simply don’t go with cheeses, particularly if they are big and tannic. So, if you are going to serve a red wine, choose it carefully. For me, the best red wines are those which are more mellow and mature. Younger, New World wines with too much fruit and tannin simply walk all over cheeses and can really subdue their flavours. However, wines like Gran Reserva Riojas, which have already had a minimum of five years ageing in barrel and bottle, are often just the ticket.’

Above: Thoroughly enjoying the Rioja.

If the Rioja Alta was one of the wines of the night, the star cheese was certainly the Montgomery Cheddar from North Cadbury in the West Country with which it was matched. One of the most remarkable things about this deliciously rich and savoury hard cheese was the way its flavour and intensity changed over the course of the evening – just like a great wine improves in the glass.

Again, the success of the match was due to the balance of textures and flavours. No component overpowered any other and, for most tasters, this was the best match of the night.

Of course, no tasting would be complete without one of the greatest, classical food and wine matches of all time –Sauternes and Roquefort. At AWC Wine Academy events we always want to spoil the tasters a bit. So, we poured a sublime, 2003 Château Suduiraut. It was everything a top Sauternes should be – sweet, rich and luscious, with enough acidity to prevent it from being cloying. This also had a lovely, honeyed botrytis character and intense flavours of apricot, peach and marmalade.

The Roquefort Papillon Premium from Rouergue was also on top form, with its hallmark buttery texture and salty tang. This was an ideal ying and yang match, with the sweetness offsetting the saltiness in perfect harmony. Similarly, the oily texture of the Sauternes was just right for the creamy interior of the Rocquefort.
As Susy mentioned, when pairing sweet wines with blue cheeses, you don’t have to limit yourself just to Sauternes. A good Tokaji or Vendange Tardive from Alsace will work just as well. So too would a good ‘sticky’ from Germany, Austria or even Australia.

Just for good measure, we also tried the Suduiraut with some of the other cheeses. Favourite pairings were matching it with the Parmesan and the Cheddar. Susy did warn us that Sauternes doesn’t work well with everything though. Her advice was to avoid crumbly cheeses such as Cheshire and Lancashire.

The last pairing was a slight twist on another well-known classic – namely Port and Stilton. However, rather than going for a red Port, such as a Ruby, Late Bottled Vintage or Vintage, Susy decided to show a wood-aged Tawny Port instead. The wine she chose was the 30 year old Tawny from Graham’s which was delightful – notes of espresso crème, hazelnuts, raisins, spice, caramel, mocha and fruitcake. It was a brilliant partner for the intensely spicy and tangy Colston Bassett Stilton from Nottinghamshire.

Above: New friends made and matching expertise gained!

At the end of the evening we all cast our votes for match of the night. Unsurprisingly, the Grand Prize went to the Rioja/Montgomery Cheddar pairing, with the Roquefort/Sauternes combo a close second place.

All in all, it was a fantastic evening, with wonderful fine wines, great artisanal cheeses and a master-class in the process of matching them by one of the UK’s most delightful and charismatic wine experts.

As a result, we intend to repeat this event early in 2012. If you would like to attend, please contact us at your earliest convenience as it is already proving to be quite popular.

All of the evening’s cheeses were generously supplied by La Fromagerie in Marylebone.

The wines tasted are as follows. All are available on request from The Antique Wine Company:

1.    2010 Comte Lafond, Sancerre, France - £288/case of 12
2.    2009 JJ Prum Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett, Mosel, Germany - £288/case of 12
3.    2007 Hugel Jubilee Gewurztraminer, Alsace, France - £336/case of 12
4.    1998 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904, Rioja, Spain - £720/case of 12
5.    2003 Château Suduiraut, Sauternes, France - £696/case of 12
6.    NV Graham’s 30 Year Old Tawny Port, Douro Valley, Portugal - £426/case of 6

We look forward to welcoming you into AWC Wine Academy in the coming months, whether for another cheese and wine event, for your own private tasting or for one of the other exciting events we have planned.

To join us for a tasting or to reserve the Wine Academy for yourself, please visit - http://www.awcwineacademy.com - or contact Deborah Ives on +44 (0) 20 3219 5560.

To purchase any of the wines which were covered in this particular tasting, please contact one of our staff wine experts.

Last week, AWC Wine Academy hosted another delightful, fine wine tasting.

Expertly led by the inimitable and prolific Burgundy author, Mr. Robert Joseph, the tasting attracted some very serious white Burgundy lovers.

Burgundy is the wine region which remains closest to Robert’s heart and his knowledge of the wines, growers, vintages and terrroirs that featured in the tasting were nothing short of encyclopaedic.

No doubt this passion was helped by the fact that Robert lived in Burgundy for several years and knows many of the winemakers and estate owners personally. Throughout the evening, he was able to communicate his understanding and expertise in a way that truly brought the region and its wines to life.

Above: Fine wine tastings at AWC Wine Academy always start with a glass or two of Vintage Champagne. Wine Academy Assistant Alex Scheybeler (l) and Account Manager Lucy McMillan (r) prepare for the arrival of the evening's guests.

This passion also helped fuel some lively debate and precipitated plenty of pertinent, intelligent and quite wine savvy questions. However, no matter how detailed the question, Robert was able to answer with both wit and wisdom. No wonder he’s won so many awards or that Decanter Magazine once described him as ‘one the wine world’s 50 most influential wine people.’

Above: Perfectly chilled bottles, ready to be poured.

We tasted the wines in pairs and the first wine of the evening was the 2009 Chassasgne-Montrachet, Morgeot 1er Cru from Domaine JN Gagnard. Since 1989, the wines at this tiny domaine in Chassagne have been made by the highly talented Caroline Lestimé. It was an impressive start to the evening. As ever, the Morgeot was classy and elegant, yet maintained its depth and concentration – a true to vintage 2009 which will continue to age and improve. 91 Points.

Next was Jean-Marc Boillot’s 2008 Puligny-Montrachet. Whilst terroir certainly plays a part, Boillot is a master at producing complex wines even in the most demanding vintages. 2008 was an altogether different vintage from 2009 and this was reflected in the glass. This wine was more citrusy and tight than the 2009, with plenty of minerality and tons of crisp, fresh acidity. This particular Puligny comes from no fewer than nine parcels, all on the Chassagne side of the commune. It also includes some of the best lieux-dits, such as Rue Rousseau and Les Enseigneres. Out of the pair, most people in the room preferred the more accessible 2009, but Boillot’s 2008 also showed undeniably well. 90 Points.

The next pair of wines, from the same vintages as the first pair, was a clear step-up in quality. First was the 2009 Puligny-Montrachet, Les Champs-Gain 1er Cru from Camille Giroud. You may recall that that Camille Giroud was purchased by the famous American vintner Ann Colgin, of Napa’s Colgin Cellars, back in 2002. Though it is better known for its reds, this was silky, rich, creamy and sensuous – almost New World in style - with lots of ripe white peach and Bosc pear flavours. A real vin de plaisir. 93 Points.

Following the Camille Giroud came a more cerebral 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet, Grand Cru from one of Burgundy’s greatest negociants - Bouchard Père et Fils. Here, the Grand Cru terroir clearly showed through - complex notes of apples, greengage fruit, yellow plum, melon and nuts. This was also quite creamy, with a lot of butter, yet a nice savoury edge that was followed by very long finish. ‘Orchestral’ was Robert’s verdict. 94 Points.

While the Bouchard had been my favourite wine thus far, it was outgunned and outclassed by the sublime wine which followed it. This was Domaine Drouhin’s extraordinary 2005 Marquis de Laguiche Le Montrachet. It was simply breathtaking - complexity, power, eloquence and precision all rolled into one magical wine. Robert described it as being the quintessential ‘iron fist in a velvet glove.’ Without question, this wine is still in its infancy and will age (and improve) for decades. This had everything anyone could ever possibly ask for in a great Montrachet.

Above: Burgundy expert Robert Joseph leads the tasting.

What a pleasure and a privilege to drink such a wine! My tasting notes do not even come close to doing this wine justice - dry, fresh, rich and ripe with astonishing depth, weight and extract. On the palate, I picked up a bewildering range of flavours, including hazelnuts, minerals, white flowers, quince, pear and a savouriness reminiscent of rolled oats. The balance, complexity and length were almost beyond compare. To many this was, without a doubt, the wine of the night. 99 Points.

You would be forgiven for thinking that this would be a nearly impossible act to follow. However, the 2001 Chevalier-Montrachet from Château de Puligny did quite an admirable job – it actually performed extremely well. In part, this was due to the smokier, leaner style of the 2001 vintage and the fact that this wine was developing some superlative secondary aromas and flavours which added to its complexity. 93 Points.

The Château de Puligny’s sparring partner, the 1998 Le Montrachet from Etienne Sauzet also proved to be up to the task. It was beautifully mature and, perhaps not surprisingly, showed a gentle oxidative character which added a honeyed richness. Almond, hazelnut, mandarin orange, minerals and toast - another stunning wine from an excellent producer.  95 Points.

Among serious collectors of white Burgundy, it is inevitable that, at some point, a question about premature oxidation would be asked. The issue of ‘pre-ox’ showed up sometime around 1995 and haunted a number of wines and estates for several years. The question is why?

Robert took the question head on and suggested that it probably comes down to a number of factors. These included some suspect corks, varying levels of sulphur, riper wine styles and greater use of batonnage (stirring of the lees/sediment in barrel) during the process of élevage. Another theory is that the use of gentler presses may have excluded some of the natural phenolics which help keep oxidation at bay and protect the wines. In truth, it is unlikely we will ever know the conclusive answer. Fortunately, the issue is much less prevalent than it once was.

Above: Carefully considering the wines.

Eventually, we reached the last pair of wines. Both wines proved, without a shadow of a doubt, just how magnificently great white Burgundies can age if they are stored properly and given the chance. The first of the two was none other than the 1991 Le Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche from Drouhin – our second vintage of this wine during the evening. Naturally, the wine was showing its age, but it was doing so impeccably. By now, the colour on this wine had transitioned to a deep golden hue, yet it still had that wonderful acidity and honeyed richness which was also present in the younger vintage. These sublime flavours were married to savoury notes of spice, nuts and toast to create something utterly phenomenal.

‘This is what great white Burgundy is all about’, exclaimed Robert. I had to agree, as I found myself captivated by the wine’s sheer complexity, power and elegance. The finish was equally extraordinary. It was also fascinating to taste the 2005 and the 1991 side-by-side because you could see almost exactly where the younger wine is ultimately heading. 96 Points.

Last but not least, we alighted on the oldest Grand Cru of the night - the 1989 Bâtard-Montrachet from Bouchard Père et Fils. It was a fitting finale to this glorious evening. The wine was fully mature, with a complex, elevated nose, followed by a melee of flavours ranging from caramel and honey to nuts and spice box. Clive Coates once described this wine as ‘virile, powerful and [with] bags of life.’ I know exactly what he means. Even at 22 years of age, it is still going strong. 94 Points.

This was an incredibly impressive tasting. It was also a perfect example of how to conduct a Fine Wine Masterclass – with modesty, wit and humour. For instance, Robert candidly admitted, from the start, that it is simply impossible to know everything there is to know about Burgundy. ‘It’s just too complicated, which, of course, is part of its appeal. It’s one of many reasons why people keep coming back for more!’

Another reason is definitely the wines. As that is the case, I’m sure you’ll be interested to know that Robert is back at AWC Wine Academy on November 22nd to showcase eight, fantastic red Burgundies from some of the Cote d’Or’s top domaines. The evening is entitled – The Holy Grail of Red Burgundy. It should be quite the night and we very much hope you can join us.

We look forward to welcoming you into the building in the coming months, whether for the upcoming Red Burgundy tasting, for your own private tasting or for one of the other exciting events we have planned.

To join us for a tasting or to reserve the Wine Academy for yourself, please visit - http://www.awcwineacademy.com - or contact Deborah Ives on +44 (0) 20 3219 5560.

To purchase any of the wines which were covered in this particular tasting, please contact one of our staff wine experts.

Since we opened AWC Wine Academy at our headquarters in Marylebone, it has been a real privilege to receive clients who occasionally stop by and taste great wines with our team. This is mutually beneficial because we like to stay up to date with vintages and our clients get the chance to share the expertise of those on hand.

Earlier this week we had the pleasure of receiving one of our North American clients whose favourite tipples are the top wines of Pomerol. We decided to take a look at how the Right Bank wines from the 2000 vintage were coming along. Having tasted some of the Left Bank First Growths from 2000 recently, I felt that they were still too tight and tannic - not yet getting close to their best drinking window. However, on the evidence of this tasting, the Right Bank, Merlot-based wines are already more approachable.

We began on a high with the 2000 Pétrus. Self-evidently, it is still a complete baby. This was immediately clear from the depth of colour – barely a hint of ageing around the rim of the wine. The nose is also full of primary fruit; still no secondary aromas at this stage. In the mouth the wine cascades over your palate, with sweet cassis, cherry and plum fruit, followed by an echo of cream and minerals. The acidity gives the wine a sense of vim and vigour with the tannic structure giving it the necessary stuffing to keep everything in harmony and balance. Significantly, while the tannins are beautifully ripe, they are just beginning to open up and soften. Although this will develop for several more decades (and will be worth the wait), it is undoubtedly very enjoyable already. 98 Points.

How do you follow Pétrus? The answer is, with difficulty. However, a bottle of 2000 Le Pin was the perfect foil. As with many Le Pin vintages, what struck me most was the accessibility of the wine – its texture noticeably silkier than the more muscular Pétrus. The fabulously perfumed nose was exquisite – blackcurrants, violets and camphor. The utterly refined, sweet and creamy palate was more of the same, with a finish that seemed endless. One cannot help but love Le Pin’s exotic, flamboyant and hedonistic style. This was right up there with the best vintages from this tiny estate.

But will it age as well as the Pétrus? On this, the jury is still out. According to my tasting notes, there’s definitely no rush to drink this or the Pétrus just yet, as both will repay considerable cellaring. However, my money would be on the Pétrus to make the oldest bones out of this pair of sumptuous Pomerols. 97 Points.

Last, but by no means least, we uncorked the 2000 Lafleur to see how it was shaping amongst such esteemed company. Happily, it too shone quite brightly – though closer to Pétrus than Le Pin in style. This wine is impressive due to the purity of plum and damson fruit along with the cedar and mineral components - all of which were cushioned by à point acidity, balance and texture. Again, this is still one for the cellar. Yet, like both the Pétrus and Le Pin, it too is beginning to come out of its shell as the tannins are now starting to mellow. 98 Points.

On the evidence of this tasting, my advice would be to resist pulling the corks on these wines for a little while yet. However, if you do, you certainly won’t be disappointed.

The message for our clients is - next time you’re passing through London, we would welcome you to stop by. We prefer a little notice though, so we can be sure to have the wines decanted and ready!

Further to this profound tasting, we wanted to provide you with the opportunity to enjoy these phenomenal wines yourself, particularly since we now have case quantities of these rarities available. As we’ve just tasted these wines and can comment first-hand on their exceptional quality, speak with one of our expert advisors today to secure them as your own.

I look forward to hearing your own thoughts on these wines and towards recieving you in our beautiful facility when you are next in London.

Stephen Williams, CEO

Wednesday evening marked the official opening of the AWC Wine Academy. More than thirty VIP clients joined us in the new space for a night of first class education, stellar wine tasting and a bit of friendly competition. After many months of hard work by our staff, it was with great pleasure that we christened the facility with this inaugural event.
  
After a glass of 2004 Franck Bonville Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru (our house champagne) and a few canapés in our reception area, we retired to the Wine Academy for the lecture and tasting portions of the evening. Tim Atkin, MW presided over the exclusive event and joined us in sampling all of the wines blind. As well as a Master of Wine, Tim is a frequent contributor to many wine publications, is a regular on BBC 1’s Saturday Kitchen and is a fabulous presenter.

Above: The tasting stage is set...

The theme of the tasting was ‘Grand Cru Wizardry’ and it was aimed at addressing the historic founding and modern role of the 1855 Bordeaux Classification.

Many changes have occurred over the last 150 years and a lot of wine has been made, sold and drunk in the intervening period. Châteaux have been bought and sold and properties have made both good wine and bad. Reputations and prices have risen as well as fallen. The question we wanted to address with the tasting was whether the 1855 Classification is still relevant today.  In coordination with the educational component, for all tastings in the new Wine Academy we like to ignite a bit of fiery competition. The goal of this particular challenge was to determine, from the choices given, the correct vintage and appellation for each pair of wines. So, after a complete and informative lecture about the history of the ranking system by Tim, we started in on the tasting.

The format was simple. We had 8 wines in front of us in two rows. Each set had two vintage choices associated with it along with the choice of any of the northern Left Bank appellations (no Graves, Sauternes/Barsac or Haut-Médoc were included in the tasting). Additionally, per the evening’s theme, guests were also asked to ascertain which of the wines was ranked - according the 1855 Classification - higher than the other.

Right: Tim Atkin, MW prepares for the lecture.

Each tasting table was grouped as a team with one of our staff wine experts serving as team leader. As we had 5 tables in contention, each group was given the name of a First Growth Château as their team moniker. The resulting competition was spirited and intense - many Premiership matches aren’t this fierce!

Starting off with Pair 1, the very first wine of the night was, in a word, spectacular. By popular consensus it actually went on to become one of the two ‘wines of the evening’ - certainly a good way to kick things off! Markedly elegant and with a brilliant purity of fruit, it was clear that whichever estate produced this wine knew exactly what they were doing. Fragrant and beguiling, the judicious use of oak was also noted. Wine number two was less clearly defined and showed slightly rougher tannins in the mid-palate and finish.

A testament to the exceptional level of wine knowledge in the room, most teams pegged the vintage as 2006 (versus the other choice, 2005) and three of the teams agreed that it was likely from the Margaux appellation. However, one guest actually threw down the gauntlet and claimed that he could not only identify the vintage and appellation but the producer as well. ‘Go on then,’ said Tim. Low and behold - he absolutely nailed it. As a prize for his impressive efforts the gentleman in question received a half case of wine number 1, which turned out to be the fantastic 2006 Château Palmer. Wine number 2 was also well received and it was ultimately revealed as Château Rauzan-Segla. However, the showcase of tasting skills put on by ‘Mr. Palmer’ was enough to put Team Mouton, captained by AWC International Client Account Manager James Woodhead, out into the early competition lead. 

Pair 2 was arguably one of the most difficult to figure out. The first wine was fruity, forward and clearly well made, yet it lacked a certain ‘oomph’, particularly in the finish. The second wine was undeniably great - tobacco leaf, cedar box, red fruit, cassis and fine tannins all in perfect harmony - however somewhat confusing because the colour did not seem to accurately reflect the power of the nose and palate (there was a slight bricking to it).

To further complicate matters, the vintage choices were 2000 and 2003, both of which are formidable years. With the first wine appearing to be more like a 2003 and the second more like a 2000, many people were stumped. In the end, the vintage was identified as 2003, with wine 1 being Château Pontet-Canet and wine 2 (which was also my favourite of the evening) the neighbouring estate of Château Mouton Rothschild. The appellation was of course Pauillac, but what a fabulous and interesting contrast these two wines were! At this stage, Team Mouton was still the front-runner, however Teams Lafite and Latour, with Will Buckland (our head of Fine Wine Investment) and Julia Scales (our Head of Sales) at their respective helms, were tied for second and closing in on the lead.

The third set validated Tim’s earlier pronouncement that, "the wines of St. Julien tend to be a bit more tannic than Pauillac, but not as immense and backward as those of St. Estèphe.” By process of elimination, most teams quickly guessed that the wines were probably from one region or the other. But which one? Upon tasting wine 1, a number of guests were completely floored by its purity and structure. It was absolutely sublime. Wine number 2 had a bit more leafiness to the clearly Cabernet Sauvignon dominated nose, yet it was nonetheless delicious. The vintage choices were 1996 or 2000. Having just gone through the 2003 versus 2000 debate (with a few teams coming up on the wrong end), this decision was no easier!

After all the teams had voted, the first wine was revealed as the 2000 Château Beychevelle and the second as 2000 Château Gruaud-Larose. Once again it was Team Mouton on top with Lafite and Latour nipping at its heels. Unfortunately, Teams Margaux and Haut-Brion were beginning to languish behind and concerns about relegation were entering the minds of the captains.

By the final pairing, everyone realised that the appellation was likely St. Estèphe. The challenge remained as to which estates and which vintage the two wines were from (the choice was either 1995 or 1996). In many ways this was the most evenly matched pairing. Both wines had clearly defined structures and were of truly great quality. This was perfectly aged claret at its best. Most teams came around to the idea that the vintage was likely 1996 (as that year was slightly better on the Left Bank, with 1995 slightly superior on the Right), yet no consensus could be made as to which of the region’s top properties - Château Montrose, Château Cos d’Estournel and Château Calon-Ségur - was the odd one out. Passionate arguments were given for and against each estate.

Above: A fun and informative competition.

Ultimately it was Team Mouton that once again emerged victorious - correctly marking wine 1 as Cos d’Estournel and wine 2 as Calon-Ségur. This also meant that Team Mouton won the entire competition, with each member receiving a complimentary bottle of Grand Cru Champagne for their fine efforts. The final standings, out of a possible 16 points, were as follows:

Team Mouton – 14/16
Team Lafite – 13/16
Team Latour – 11/16
Team Haut-Brion – 10/16
Team Margaux – 9/16

Impressively (and despite his early warnings about the perils and pitfalls of blind tasting), Tim proved his mettle - correctly identifying 50% of the wines, from the vintage all the way down to the producer - and rightfully upheld his reputation as a Master of Wine.

Above: The evening's wines. Interested in tasting them yourself?  Order here >>

In the end a fantastic evening was had by all. The positive feedback was overwhelming, with many guests already planning their own private events in the space or signing up to attend future tastings - which is exactly what we designed the Wine Academy for and why it is now open. We look forward to welcoming you into the building in the coming months for more exciting events of this nature.

To purchase any of the wines which were covered in this particular tasting, please contact one of our staff wine experts.

To learn more about our Team and the staff members mentioned in this post, please visit our staff profiles page.

To join us for a tasting or to reserve the Wine Academy for yourself, please visit - https://www.awcwineacademy.com - or contact Deborah Ives via email or on +44 (0) 20 3219 5560.