zoltanszabo’s photostream

zoltanszabo’s photostream on Flickr.

Josko Gravner’s letter to a journalist…

Answer to a journalist’s question regarding the necessity to adopt a specific discipline to guarantee the quality of natural wines, a kind of quality certification which can provide a guarantee for both the winemakers which take part and the consumers…..

Dear Sir,

you are not the first and, seeing how things are going, I think you will also not be the last to ask me this question. I hope I can be clear and straightforward in my answer. I believe the problem which initiated all this confusion in the Wine industry is this same one that disrupted many other worlds….money! Look at the football industry and what it has become; the same thing has happened to the Wine industry. Indeed, since this world has become “Industrialized” with the new generation of farmers, banks and insurances the simple passion for the Earth has had to make room for the complicated passion for business! And thus a simple world like the Wine one has become complex. I come from a family of farmers and for us Wine has always been Wine, whether it be good or bad. Modern oenology has taken over a millenary tradition and today Wine is no longer just Wine but they say it can be:

• biological Wine
• natural Wine
• non-filtered Wine
• filtered Wine
• real Wine
• biodynamic Wine
• sulphur-free Wine
• Etc etc…

You ask me what I think about natural Wines, if it is right for them to be certified…..I don’t know the answer to that is because I make Wine, my own wine, which is not dictated by any discipline or trend! And to make my Wine I try to respect my Earth and the entire eco system as much as possible. In all these years I have seen the uselessness of disciplines and of certifications, because at the base of every Wine, even before the grapes, there should be the winemaker’s honesty and this can’t be learnt in school or by following a certain discipline of wine making….and it also can’t be certified.

Josko Gravner

Szabos do Cutting Edge yet again – Gourmet Food & Wine Expo

Didier Leroy 40 Years Anniversary

Friday September 30, 2011

2002 Lacourte-Godbillon Brut Champagne ; Canapés

Dinér

Œufs Benedictine

Salade en Courgette Tresses, Crevettes, Saumon, Bisque
2010 Corbières Blanc, Roque Sestiere

Gateau de Sandre, beurre Blanc
2007 Savigny Les Beaune Blanc, Pavelot

Caille Farci en Feuilleté, Sauce Citron Vert
2007 Hermitage, Farconnet, J.L. Chave Selection

Crottin de Chavignol Chaud en Roquette
2009 Riesling, Les Elements, Bott-Geyl

Riz a L’impératrice, Confit aux Fruits
2005 Vouvray Moelleux, Foreau

Soufflé au Chocolat Valrhona, Glace Pistache
2008 Cabernet Franc Icewine, Malivoire

Master Chefs Didier and Sylvain Leroy

Chile – Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Equuleus by Chateau des Charmes, Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard, St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula

Paul Bosc Jr. led an information – packed seminar and tasting of several vintages of Chateau des Charmes’ flagship red, ‘Equuleus’; the glitzy Ritz Carlton provided space for this excellent session and wines made only in exceptional vintages.

Since its first vintage in 1988 and prior to 1998, this red was labeled ‘Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard Cabernet’ and it was a blend of at least 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, with the addition of a small amount of Merlot, grapes coming from estate vineyard in St. David’s planted with vines in 1983 and 1984.

Equuleus is a constellation, the Latin term for ‘little horse’, one of the 88 constellations, the second smallest and also very faint, yet the wines showed the contrary and many are bright – shining examples of what this winery can produce when it comes to quality, some stellar wines, indeed.

The proprietary name is also indicating the passion of Paul Bosc Sr. and his family not only for wines and winemaking, but Egyptian Arabian horses, kept in a barn nearby the estate vineyard, hence manure is used to fertilize the soils.

1991 Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard Cabernet – dried plums, chocolate, wet – fermenting tobacco; medium weight with acidity much alive, still; nuances of plums and dried morel lingering, along softened up tannins; it aged with grace, but not giving up yet.

1994 Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard Cabernet – sundried cherries, cassis, smoke – spice – mineral – barnyard; medium bodied with velvet tannins and earth – leaf notes on the finish.

1995 Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard Cabernet – kirsch, cassis, plums, black olive paste, soy and herbal, with underlying tobacco and leather; medium to full and well concentrated with juicy acidity and a kick of supple tannins on its long finish; years ahead of it.

2002 ‘Equuleus’ – black cherry, wet gravel, graphite; full and warm with no lack of freshness and a soft and dusty grip of tannins on the finish; delicious and drinking so very well now.

2005 ‘Equuleus’ – plums, herbal, earth – warm spice, tobacco and truffles; full and dry with lively tannins and sweet roots note on its finish; masculine; impressive; it got a southern Tuscan flair; testament of an age -worthy vintage.

2007 “Equuleus’ – cassis, black raspberry, beet root, lilac and violet, pine needle – mint; full with supple texture, integrated tannins and an excellent overall balance; it will age for 10 + years and will just benefit from it; due to more new Allier medium toast barrels used here, this vintage also shows a different style, compared to the previous ones, like a modern left bank Bordeaux meets Napa Valley; the best yet, in my view. 5 stars out of 5.

2010 ‘Equuleus’ – barrel samples of wine aged in 100% new Allier medium toast + , medium toast and 3 years old medium toast + barriques; blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested at 25 brix average; similar to the 2007, yet its fruitier – fleshier and with softer tannic composition; another great wine in the making.

Stratus 2008 Merlot

The 2008 Merlot is bright, more red fruit aromas and flavours, spicy – savoury and oak toast. Medium bodied, round and soft with red plum and cherry flavours. Rustic barnyard note just adds an extra to its personality. To go with Muscovy duck, or bacon wrapped wild turkey.

Stratus 2008 Sauvignon Blanc

The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc gets similar oak regime and length of 22 months new and third year old French barrels (as the 2008 Semillon, see goodfoodrev.com). Tropical, lemon balm, lavender – basil and fresh honey. Rich and thick over the palate, yet pretty intense and refreshing in the same time. Long – lingering finish. Seamless alcohols, acids and oak integration, plus its fruit extract will just increase its quality throughout short term cellaring and ageing. Enjoy with smoked trout, cold beet and potato salad and mint – crème fraiche.