Cool sites, cool wines was the theme for this tasting hosted by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) on Sunday afternoon and, I have to confess, I thought it was going to be an event about websites. Cool websites.
For those of you not familiar with it's work, WSET is a British organisation which offers courses and exams in the field of wine and spirits. Founded in 1969, it is generally regarded as one of the world's leading providers of wine education. I was introduced to WSET's systematic approach to wine tasting at last year's Vinitaly and I recently completed the Level 1 Award in Wines, a pleasurable hands-on introduction to the world of wine, hosted in the foothills of Valpolicella. So, I was really looking forward to this event about wine and the world wide web in the vibrant international pavilion of Vinitaly 2018.
Of course, the event wasn't about the world wide web at all.
It was about climatic conditions. And the enological impact of these climatic conditions on wine production. Well, how was I to know? Climate is, of course, a fundamental variable when it comes to wine production. When you think of the great wine producing regions, we generally think of warm, sunny places like Tuscany, Spain, southern California, Australia and South Africa. But there are, of course, some notably cooler regions where great wine is produced. These include Champagne in northern France and the great wines of the Loire Valley and northern California, Argentina and the German Rhineland. Grapes that cope well in cooler climates include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Solaris. White wines from cool climates tend to have higher acidity, more lemon-lime aromas, and are usually lower alcohol and lighter bodied. WSETs Cool sites, cool wines tasting explored some fantastic wines from these regions. First up was a delightful Muscadet from the Loire Valley. Comte Leloup du Château de Chasseloir Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur Lie, Cuvée des Ceps Centenaires 2014 Some of the vines at Château de Chasseloir are centuries old and, while the name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, this fine Muscadet from the Loire region was a great way to start the day! Fresh but complex, it has a slight salty tang. Green apples, mouth-tingling acidity, light-bodied, well-balanced, ideal with seafood.
Quartet Anderson Valley Brut, Roederer Estates NV
This sparkling Californian wine from the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County belongs to Roederer Estates, the famous French Champagne producer. A hundred miles to the north of San Francisco, the climate here is tempered by cool marine air. Anderson Valley enjoys warms summer days, but cool evenings. Reminiscent of Champagne, this Brut is a blend of 70% chardonnay and 30% pinot noir. High acidity, medium body, long-finish, floral with a clear hint of pineapple.
Colome Torrontes 2017
Torrontes is the signature white wine of Argentina and this one comes from the highest vineyard in the world, an astonishing 3,111 metres above sea-level. The vineyards of Calchaquí Valley in northwestern Argentina are also amongst the oldest in Argentina. In fact, founded in 1831, Colome is Argentina's oldest winery. Light and refreshing, with a clear twang of rose petals and orange. Great as early summer aperitivo or with a simple starter. Kaseler Nies'chen Riesling Kabinett, von Kesselstatt, Ruwer 2015 A tasty Riesling from the steep Nies'chen slope that overlooks the picturesque village of Kasel in the German Rhineland. Complex flavours of apricot and peach with a twist of lemon, red fruit and stewed apples, this was a great wine to conclude the tasting a really interesting tasting. The future for cool climate wines
A recent study has found that climate change will dramatically impact many of the most famous wine-producing regions in the world. The study concluded that Europe will be the main victim of the negative effects of global warming, with an expected drop in production of 85 per cent in the areas bordering the Mediterranean Sea, such as the Italian Tuscan and the French Bordeaux regions.
In fact, with wine production already becoming viable in places like the south of England, the Netherlands and even Denmark and Sweden, we are already seeing the impact of climate change on the wine industry. So, while this tasting wasn't exactly what I was expecting, it did deliver an important message about the impact of climate change and the future of wine production. And the wine wasn't too bad either!
After a damp few days spent crabbing, the sun was shining as we made our way towards the pier at Tayvallich, the starting point for our trip to Jura.
The bay (Loch a Bhealaich) was as still as a millpond and we were looking forward to a smooth crossing along Loch Sween, across the Sound of Jura to Craighouse.
The Jura Passenger Ferry provides a daily service between Tayvallich and Jura. It's a popular summer service, so it's advisable to book in advance. The ferry's deep hull, with seating for 12 passengers, and wrap around windows, make for a comfortable and enjoyable crossing, with great views of the passing landscape, wildlife and historical sites, which include Castle Sween, one of the earliest stone castles built in Scotland, and Stevenson's Skervuile Lighthouse, just outside Lowlandman's Bay.
Part of the Inner Hebrides archipelago, Jura is an inhospitable, mountainous island, largely covered by vast areas of peat land. Perhaps unsurprisingly the island is extremely sparsely populated. The main centre of population is the village of Craighouse on the east coast of the island. Craighouse is home to the Jura distillery as well as a number of shops, the island's only hotel and church.
Of course, you can't go to Jura and not sample the local liquor. After a brisk walk along the coastline we return to the distillery for a short tour of the facilities. Unfortunately there is no distillation taking place today, but the massive copper stills still exude the intoxicating foamy wort that they contained. Compared to the sterile cleanliness of other distilleries I've visited, the Jura distillery is delightfully unwashed - there is even a family of swallows nesting in the spirit tank warehouse.
After a wee dram we retire to the hotel for a delightful lunch in the company of another family visiting the island from Italy!
Well fed and watered, the late afternoon boat trip back to Tayvallich is a relaxing affair. With the light breeze, quiet buzz of the engine and gently undulating waves, it isn't long before everyone (including the skipper) is nodding off.
A final thought.
In 1946, following the death of his wife, a 42 year-old writer named Eric Blair came to Jura in search of some peace and quiet in which to write a book. Tall, gaunt and sad looking, he pretty much kept himself to himself, despite suffering some serious bouts of ill-health. He lived in a remote farmhouse called Barnhill on the north of the island. His next-door neighbour lived 6 miles away. By and large, he lived off the land, farming, fishing and shooting the occasional rabbit. Visitors to the farm would hear him pounding away at his typewriter in the upstairs bedroom. He finally finished writing his book in 1948, but was soon forced by ill-health to leave the island. He died in 1950. He came upon the title of his book by inverting the last two numbers of the year in which it was completed. It was a huge success, spawning concepts such as Big Brother, doublethink, thoughtcrime, Newspeak, Room 101 and, of course, that much used adjective, Orwellian. The reclusive writer is better known by his pen-name George Orwell.
Tasting notes - Jura Prophecy
A smooth, easy-drinking, nicely peated little number, the ideal companion for mulling over Orwell's dystopian society.
On a recent trip home to Scotland I took the opportunity to discover an icon of Scottish Whisky - Dewar's White Label.
I have to admit that when I was planning my trip to Perthshire, the Aberfeldy distillery wasn't top of my list. From traditional small independents like Eradour and Tullibardine, to iconic brands like Glenturret, (Scotland's oldest distillery and spiritual home of the Famous Grouse, Scotland's best selling whisky), and Blair Athol (one of oldest working distilleries in Scotland), as well as the exciting new micro-distillery at Strathearn, which also brews its own gin, not to mention Dalwhinnie in the north, which draws its water from the famous River Spey, and Deanston in the south, whose water source, the River Teith, also powers the distillery, in Perthshire whisky enthusiasts really are spoiled for choice. As we were based in Aberfeldy for a couple of days, Dewar's, conveniently located just beyond the town centre, turned out to be a good choice.
Aberfeldy is a small market town located in highland Perthshire, about 70 miles north of Edinburgh. Having flown in from Verona that morning, it was a convenient destination, offering a hint of the more dramatic highland region that lies just beyond.
On this occasion, it was as far north as we were planning to go, but for those who wish to explore the more remote highland region, Aberfeldy is a worthy staging post. Points of interest include the memorial to the famous Black Watch regiment, an 18-hole golf course, a children's park and a thriving town centre, which includes a vibrant cinema, boutique shops, such as Haggart's, a tweed outfitter with a hipster twist, and The Three Lemons, a cafe, bar, grill that wouldn't be out of place in Glasgow's trendy Merchant City. For a town the size of Aberfeldy (population barely 2,000) , the presence of such enterprise is a positive sign of a vibrant town. A hint perhaps of the entrepreneurial spirit that you wouldn't necessarily expect to find in the heart of rural Perthshire.
In 1846, John Dewar, Sr, the son of a local farmer, opened a wine and spirits shop in Perth. In the 1860s he begun blending his own whiskies. When he died in 1880, the popular and thriving spirits company that he had created passed on to his two sons, John Alexander and Tommy.
Aged just 24 and 16 when they inherited the small family business, what the brothers achieved was truly remarkable. Over the next 50 years, Dewar's would become a truly global brand and the brothers high-profile public figures.
Whisky was little known, let alone drunk outside Scotland at this time. In order to make it more palatable to the global market, the Dewar brothers pioneered the magical world of blending.
They also showed extraordinary skills in marketing and self-promotion, travelling the world to sell their product, boldly exploiting romantic images of Scotland. With his charismatic personality, Tommy set off on a world tour. In 2 years he visited 26 different countries. He kept a journal of his travels which were consolidated and published in a book titled "Ramble Round the Globe", which was published in 1894. The tour was a remarkable success and Dewar's brand became known as one of the premier Scotch whiskies on the market.
In 1893 the company was granted a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria. The small Tullymet distillery leased by the family could no longer meet demand so in 1898 the brothers built the Aberfeldy Distillery. The following year they released the flagship White Label expression. With Aberfeldy at its heart, Dewar's White Label is in fact a blend of 40 different whiskies expertly blended by Dewar’s first Master Blender, A.J. Cameron.
Despite difficult times, including war and prohibition, Dewar's of Aberfeldy continued to thrive as the brothers' interests expanded beyond the world of whisky. From 1900 to 1917 John Alexander represented Inverness-shire in the House of Commons. He became a Baronet in 1907 and in 1917 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Forteviot of Dupplin in the Count of Perth. In 1900 Tommy Dewar, who subsequently became 1st Baron Dewar, was elected as the MP for Tower Hamlets in London. Amongst other things he was involved in the controversial campaign to introduce immigration controls for the first time in the UK (the Aliens Act 1905).
Dewar’s White Label remains one of the most enduring, most highly-awarded whisky brands in the world. For generations, it has been among the top five best-selling brands globally and the number one brand in America.
Pale amber in colour, with a rich honey sweetness that is the hallmark of the Aberfeldy distillery, it also offers hints of heather and a touch of peaty smokiness. It's no limited edition single malt, but after a couple of drams it's easy to see why it has become one of the best selling whiskies ever produced.
While purists tend to favour single malt, it should be remembered that blends like Jonny Walker, Dewar's White Label and Chivas Regal are the foundations upon which the whisky industry is built. Without ambitious pioneers like the Dewar brothers and Jonny Walker, whose vision, enterprise and determination ensured that Scotch Whisky is a drink sold and revered all over the world, the whisky industry would not be the global success story it is today.
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AboutRichard Hough writes about history, football, wine, whisky, culture + travel and is currently working on a trilogy about wartime Verona.
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