Salon des Salut: another Tokyo wine-bar

I am just back from a stupendous tasting of top German wines in Weisbaden in the Rheningau, followed by personal foraging throughout the Pfalz and Baden. My head is spinning and my teeth are zinging and wow; what a whack of tasting notes I had compiled in a brand new Mac Pro 13" to share with you, especially my scribe about the tour de force that is Salwey and his formidable array of Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder) and Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder). Yes, these trollopes of grapes can work some magic when the meld of soil, site and man's hand is as fortuitously prescient as at Salwey. Alas, that tale will have to wait! Upon pulling my bloody computer out at a freeway truck-stop to search for an address I heard the ominous beep, beep, beep, beeeeep which a geek on the Apple hot-line told me alludes to a broken hard-drive. I didn't even drop or bump the thing but machines have mysterious ways.

So it is to another wine-bar tale, sordid and late that landed me in a salubrious apartment atop Roppongi's Mid-Town complex, laden with lassies and merrymakers playing cards and singing karaoke around a TV set showing Japanese teen idols and their yet-to-be broken voices, screeching amidst lots of cheap wine. No Western-style debauchery to be seen. Before the witching hour though, there was a wine bar and its name is Salon des Salutations. It is conveniently located next to an American military base in one Tokyo's most fashionable neighbourhoods, Nishiazabu. The quirky juxtapositions of interacting realities in Japan!

Salon des Saluts (Nishiazabu 1-4-20, Tokyo, 03-5786-0141) is open until 3am. or, until the last customer leaves. That is a good thing if one is seeking fine wine at a late hour. It is also within stumbling and/or grappling range of Tokyo's night-club district, Roppongi; another positive for the denizens of the night that suddenly want a tipple of fine Burgundy after lots of beers or whatever else in a club. Better, it is just around the corner from Tokyo's premier house music-oriented club, Yellow. The bar is closed on Sundays.

Salon des Saluts focuses on Burgundy and Champagne with a broad selection of top producers' wines and some aged examples ready to roll. Prices are not easy on the wallet but nor should they be given the opening hours, selection of wine and fine service with brio and a smile from sommelier Itoh. Itoh is cloaked in tuxedo and garb although his easy-going irreverence and passion for wine belies his attire.

The bar also offers good moreish food such as top quality bacon and roasted potatoes with rosemary, pate and the like. There is a table charge of a minimum of JPY 5,000 per per person although if one delves into a bottle of Burgundy that is easily absorbed.

Here is a map to help you find the place:

http://www.mapion.co.jp/phonebook/M01007/13103/G0357860141-001/

Another worthwhile Tokyo wine-bar: Vineria

So what is it with Mejiro, the rather innocuous cubby hole of a neighbourhood abutting the egregious architectural spew of Ikebukuro and its long fringed, spiky haired, frilly-dress-wearing tribes? Not only is Mejiro a part of Tokyo boasting large gardens and older homes of taste, but it houses two of Tokyo's better wine-bars tucked amidst tasteful izakayas and the ubiquitous incandescent glow of Tokyo. I wrote about Le Mont-St-Michel (www.creperie-mont-st-michel.com) in my last post. In this one I will introduce Vineria (http://www.lavineria.jp/index_en.html).

Vineria is situated left out of Mejiro JR station, past le Mont-St-Michel and on the same side of the street about 100 metres further down at 1F Mejiro Core Bldg, 3-5-12 Mejiro, Toshima-ku 171-0031. Tel. 03-3565-0461. As the name suggests, Vineria specializes in Italian fare and wine and is a sort of casual restaurant/wine bar with a long counter and open kitchen behind, as one enters, which empties into a red brick and stucco dining room that reminded me of a well-kempt roadside place in rural Italy. There are wine fridges overflowing and a selection of bottles around the edifice of the ceiling that made we want to wander about grabbing things such as la Fortuna's Brunello, swathed in a morbid looking blue and grey label evoking Visconti's burning backdrops in The Damned. Aside from the label, la Fortuna's wines are among the fine, traditionally hewn Brunellos and are rarely found in Tokyo. Esoteric perhaps, but most importantly, delicious stuff was everywhere!

Vineria's list is particularly strong in Piedmontese wines and southern 'indigenes' with a slew of Fianos and Grecos that made we want to come back with a large group. This I did the following night but rather than boring you with what I drank, allow me to elucidate the moment when I knew that Vineria was worth its weight in gold in a city boasting lots of politesse but frequently, stifled by style over substance.

I had had a rough night before hauling the body back out to Mejiro yet again. I sat down. Greetings from the staff were cordial rather than yelled at ear-splitting volumes, as is often the way in Japan. I wanted a beer. I thought it ill-appropriate to have beer in a wine bar. I didn't want to look too long at the list. I wanted somebody to acknowledge my splitting head, throbbing limbs and sticky hair. I wanted somebody to take control. Vineria's irreverent yet supremely knowledgeable and passionate sommelier, Nobuhisa Koizumi, did just that. Miraculous! He brought a glass of 2008 Pigato Vigneto Isasco from Punta Crena, a fine Ligurian estate. The crux of this dialogue was that my sagging body reacted to the wine as if it was a remedy to all of my ills. It was the rare type of wine that I wanted to drink in aggressive drafts, the pine scented and white pepper aromas reverberating on a full, slightly viscous palate with tingly minerality for verve and refreshment.

I ordered chicken livers grilled on high quality Japanese charcoal, or bincho, doused in good olive oil and served with arugula-the type of simple rustic fare that I like to eat in wine bars. There is much more to Vineria, both on the wine list and menu. However, I hope this anecdote proves good enough reason; a suitably stimulating tale; to get you out to Mejiro. Vineria is not cheap. It is not part of the hordes offering poor quality wine at low prices. What it does offer however, is fine quality wine by-the-glass or bottle and excellent food at reasonable prices, more than justified by capable staff and an effusive sommelier in Koizumi.

Worthwhile Tokyo wine-bars: le Mont-St-Michel, Mejiro

Excuse the post of me in the Nikkei but a friend sent me this only this morning and I had no idea that it had even been published. Then again I had been committing idolatry at the Smashing Pumpkins' concert last night. I went with a scowl as it was only after I had purchased the ticket that I realized Billy Corgan-the doyen of beautiful lyrics in rock and hazy guitar that spoke to the darkness in so many of us through the '90's-was on his own. I wanted at the very least Jimmy Chamberlain on the drums. But what a show! I have seen them seven-times now and this was among the greatest shows. The kid on the drums looks about nineteen but can he play! Tonight, Tonight brought a tear as Billy whined 'The resolute urgency of now...tonight...tonight! 'What an honour! Stream of consciousness be gone....and back to the topic of wine-bars!

It is with great reluctance that I go wine-bar hopping in Tokyo. While there are some fabulous places such as Shonzui in Roppongi and Nuits Blanches in Shinbashi to mention a couple, many are tokenist set-ups selling a smattering of exceedingly dull and inexpensive wines that-despite the punctilious attention to storage in Japan that better bottles receive-are often left in warm alcoves as decorations. It was with exuberance and a grin therefore that I threw myself into the lists at two outstanding wine-bars in Mejiro.

The first is located out of the eponymous JR station's only exit and a left-turn away. It is Le Mont-St-Michel (www.creperie-mont-st-michel.com), about 30 metres down the street on the left-hand side. The first floor is a creperie while the second houses a slick little wine-bar with yes, a holy grail of not the merely drinkable, but wines that make one giddy in the acknowledgment that good wine can be sold even in perpetually recessed Japan as long as there are staff with brio and passion; an owner with vision and good taste.

In fact, Le Mont-St-Michel is fueled by owner Yves Ringler's love of southern France although the list does not end there. Quality producers' Chignin, Cote de Brouilly and Chinons are poured by the glass to accompany charcuterie, while the leading light of the Loire, Chateau du Hureau Saumur-Champigny, is represented across various cuvees. It is the south though that sparks Yves' zeal and wines from the Languedoc and the Roussillon in particular.

Yves has decided to import a select swag of wines from these regions among which, is the particularly impressive Mas Champart 'Causse de Bousquet' 2007. This is a large-framed wine boasting the ripeness of the south and in particular, of the 2007 vintage. Aromas of fig, damson plum, pepper and briar are focused by a ferruginous energy from schistous terrain. You see, Saint Chinian is very much a tale of the right side and wrong side of the tracks. It is kind of like Chapel Hill North Carolina or any other American town really, except in this case, we are not talking about the difference between affluence and the ghetto, but the palpable juxtaposition between schist and clumsy old water-retaining clay! Champart's propitiously located vineyards-all on the hallowed schist-give the wine an energy that sashays and shimmies enough to negate the cloying warmth and sweet fruit that often mars wines from warm to hot regions. Moreover, there is a dollop of Mourvedre in the blend which provides focusing tannins and a moreish brush of tobacco flavour. Looooong!93

Another wine that Yves imports and sells at the bar is Domaine de la Mas Neuf's la 'Compostelle' 2008, a white wine of distinguished refinement from Costieres de Nimes. The nose is akin to lemon curd and truffle with a cool herbal twist. It is very much natural yeast-driven. The palate is broad with reverberating notes of apple, pear, quince and stone fruits, yet not at all sudsy or too blowsy. The wine has been raised in third-use d'Yquem barrels apparently to give it some lift and tang from residual botrytis. Long and persistent and most importantly, very easy to drink. This is not something that I can often say about wines from these parts which is why they have rose. 91

More Orange NSW: Ross Hill Wines

I apologize for this attenuated piece. The picture by the way is of my daughter Matilda and not Jack, my beautiful son and traveling companion. She has nothing whatsoever to do with this story but certainly a great deal to do with me so I thought it best to show you a photo of the bolshy little lass.

Kindly refer to the two previous entries on Mudgee and Orange to establish some sort of context of where this is all leading. Otherwise, put yourself alongside me, my brother Glen and my almost-five-year-old son Jack, buckle up and grab a glass! We are off to Ross Hill (www.rosshillwines.com.au) to meet the highly informative Phil Kearney and taste some finely detailed wines; etched with Phil's brio and Orange's altitudinal zing and transparency.

While Bloodwood has always been at the rugged vanguard of small, independent grape-growing and winemaking; doing things in a sort of free-spirited, carnal and highly individualized manner; Ross Hill boasts numerous manifestations: contract grower, contract producer and now, under Phil's aegis, a winery that represents a sort of cutting-edge cool climate zeitgeist. Perhaps that is going too far! Nevertheless, Phil's commitment to ambient yeasts, quality material, and his intricate knowledge of Orange's vineyards and ripening windows, imbue his wines with an inherent freshness and polished veneer that less proficiently crafted wines lack. For that is what Phil and Ross Hill seem to represent: proficient craftsmanship rather than the zeal and wild yelps of, say, Bloodwood. Phil's wines are polished in the best sense for their purity of fruit flows with a forceful sense of place.

I will get to the wines after the gym and purging myself of the excess inherent in taking traveling chefs around Tokyo......

As I was saying, I hoped to get to the polished wines of Ross Hill after some exercise and rest. I have had enough rest now after trekking about Tokyo with visiting chef Mark Best, of Sydney's 'Marque' restaurant. Marque entered the Pellegrino Top 100 Restaurants this year and Mark received something akin to the hot newcomers award. Bravo! Personally, I think Mark to be the best restaurant in Sydney and have thought so for the last eight-years. Majimup truffles with parmesan cheese; yes please!

Back to Ross Hill where according to geology studies, the richness of the basalt deposits that run through Orange is considerably richer than at the more meager site of Bloodwood. These wines thus, tend to be richer sans overt pepperiness, according to winemaker Phil Kearney.

Sauvignon Blanc 2009: grown at 800-1050 metres at the top of a ridge. The wine is wild-fermented in tank and remains on skins over and beyond a long ferment, for six-months! This is a rather radical approach for any Sauvignon and results in a very chalky, resilient and judiciously phenolic palate due to the balance of rich fruit. The severity of texture took a little getting used to but the wine is incredibly focused, layered and long; bristling with intent and impact. Pow! Dageneau's wines sprung to mind as did Brander's cuvee, 'Au Naturel', out of Santa Ynez. Arguably the finest 100% Sauvignon Blanc I have tasted from Australia and perhaps, from the New World per se. 91

Pinot Gris 2009: hailing from fruit grown at 900 metres, this is made from 100% free-run juice to mitigate the overt chewiness that bothers many Pinot Gris. The wine's complexity lies with the broad, mushroomy funk of the ambient yeast, reverberating with pear and ripe baked apple notes in the mouth. Broad and textured with moderate length and intensity. 87

Chardonnay 2009: steely flinty notes and a lovely green tinged hue lead to a palate that is perhaps a little tangier than the restrained aromas belie, with flavours of nectarine and peach. Quite fruit forward in the mouth and remarkably, for a wine that is nevertheless distinctly of a cooler idiom, the wine has seen 100% malolactic fermentation (MLF). As Phil explained however, and as I recalled in the mind's recesses from my MW studies, wines that undergo 100% MLF and are left to settle have less of the overt buttery aroma, or diacetyl, than wines that have been blocked at less than full MLF. This is because diacetyl is actually synthesized by the malolactic bacteria in due course. This is why therefore, wines that have MLF blocked at say 50%, can taste more buttery and creamy than those that are left to their natural predilections. 88

Pinot Noir 2009: fibrous aromas of wet forest, hints of orange rind, cola and Chinese spices lead to a textural mid-weight palate. Surprisingly, the grapes had been fully de-stemmed. Long and svelte and initially, rather moreish. As the wine warmed in the glass however, sweetness became more apparent. Perhaps some whole clusters in the ferment would do the job, although attaining the phenolic ripeness in the stems in such a cool, elevated site is the conundrum. What to do? Vineyard management techniques to attenuate the ripening window perhaps? Easier said than done. 89

Shiraz '10: an example of the former winemaking regime, according to Phil. Rich, eucalyptus and bourbon-like tones of heavily toasted American oak (likely the A.P. John cooperage that many Australian winemakers blame for the overt eucalyptus tones in certain Australian wines such as this). Not for me. 83

Shiraz '09: conversely, a starkly different manifest of the grape due to Phil's touch. Soaring aromas of peat, violet, smoked meat and ripe blueberries. Very fine! More fruit-scented than the howling Bloodwood wines but certainly of a very similar high quality. In the mouth echoes of pepper keep the wine in line and tamed; while the finish is expansive, multi-layered and formidably long despite what remains, a mid-weight rather than full throttle wine. The alcohol is a civilized 13.5%. 94

Tempranillo '10: handpicked by disabled children in a vineyard behind a local school. Sweet/sour cherry, hints of orange rind and a dusty palate balanced by long, finely grained tannins. Unresolved fermentation aromas but this wine bodes to be savoury and very, very drinkable. 90

Wines from Orange and Mudgee: Bloodwood

This blog is growing so from hereon I will publish it in increments keeping the title intact albeit, indicating the content with key words/producers/wines after the colon (:).

Glen, Jack and I had declined to make prior appointments before arriving in Orange. While that may seem odd, I do find it refreshing to travel at times as a tourist rather than MW, buyer, sommelier or whatever other guise I choose are am made to fit. In this way, one can gauge realities that transcend older wines, special cuvess and a free lunch that are often integral to ‘the prior appointment’.

Thus it was, that I called Bloodwood’s founder, Stephen Doyle and asked if I could pop around to see him. I apologized for calling on a Monday morning. He told me that Bloodwood was always open to those who expressed interest.

Stephen is perhaps more gregarious than the erudite throwback to another era that others, and perhaps his website, portend. He simply asked me what I wanted to know and off we went! I had replied that I wanted to understand his philosophy through his wines and hoped for the best.

After all, I thought that any man who had planted every tree on his property, as he claimed; and anybody who choose thin, meager soils of varying degrees of decomposing basalt, malleable yet barren and cold; must have energy, a vision and most importantly, a passion for discovering what his site could bring to wine.

We tasted from tank to barrel to finished wine. It was hard to keep up at times but these wines spoke of a place-gritty and architected from nothing but a marginal clime and the voice of basalt-and a wonderful character who moves within the margins as the wines take shape, throwing in his two cents’ worth when necessary to ensure that they turn out at the very least highly drinkable but, in many cases, rather magically; doing far more than that by drawing one back for another sip, provoking thought and a little gluttony; which is what good wine does. Stephen adds nothing to his wines unless disaster is nigh albeit, is a firm believer in lab analysis as a forewarning of strife. In some cases, I did not want to spit. As my brother Glen said, ‘these wines make you salivate; they make you hungry’.

Bloodwood ‘Schubert’ Chardonnay ‘08: A tight-fisted expression of Chardonnay relying on the intrigue of ambient yeast aroma, judicious lees work to give a flinty, reductive note of tangerine tang; and substantial oak that smoothes out the wine rather than overwhelming it. Malolactic fermentation is not induced although it occasionally takes off when the temperature, pH and bacteria present in the cellar meld into activity. This wine will age well for a decade. 90

Pinot Noir ’10 (barrel sample): Unforced, highly attractive expression of cola, cherry and mulch with a chewy pliancy, brisk acidity and sensitive oak in the mouth to hone the fruit ripeness into a savoury drink of line and good length. I had thought there to be some whole-clusters in this cuvee due to a chewy sappiness but there are not, Stephen told me. 87

Shiraz ’08: I adored this wine. I wanted to drink more and will once it is released in while when I hope to buy a case or two. In fact, I thought this wine to be the single finest wine tasted during the trip. Aromas of briar, white pepper, violet and peat yet absolutely nothing green about this as was, in my opinion, the case with so many wines during the ‘90’s when Australian critics mistakenly took green peppercorn notes in Shiraz as evocative of the Rhone! Bloodwood’s `08 Shiraz comes in at just 13.2% yet is à point, long, persistent and fibrous. 94-96

Shiraz ’09 (barrel sample): a similar idiom of cool climate Shiraz’s expression yet altogether warmer, more svelte, creamier and less tightly defined than the prodigious ’08. Not at all sweet, however, yet more blueberry. This too is a winner and likely to appeal to many drinkers due to its fulsome texture. The ’09 is equally as long, layered and intense as the ’08 and in a way perhaps, more majestic. However, it lacks the gritty indelible stamp of something more that enamoured me of the ’08. 92

Cabernet Sauvignon ’09 (barrel sample): cassis, cedar and mulch notes exhibit accurate varietal expression although the wine is a little too minty for my liking. The tannins are fine-grained and long however, while the finish is substantial. 85

Cabernet Franc ’06: riper perhaps than what I seek in Cabernet Franc but of course the flipside to that statement, would be that Chinons and the like that I enjoy nourishing myself with are simply too green. In any event, it is a fine line! Notes of ripe berry, some varnish and wet leaf expand on a broad, textured palate. Very long wine. 90

Cabernet Sauvignon ’05: an experimental wine that had been aged for 52 months in old hogsheads. This wine came across as very Bordelais with cedar and lots of wet undergrowth; sweet pliant fruit in the mid-palate; and a long taut-almost classically skeletal-palate of considerable concentration and length. 92

Merlot `06: berry, hint of tomato leaf yet an overall intoxicating juiciness of aroma leads to a plush, cushy palate with modestly brisk acidity and soft yet suitably noticeable tannins for spine and texture. Long and lovely wine! 91

Wines from Orange and Mudgee Part 2

From Mudgee, Glen, Jack and I went to Orange. As a New South Welshman, I have been intrigued by the surge in popularity of all things Orange. The area is famous for apples and yet, as contemporary Australian cuisine became a talking point from New York to Singapore, I became aware that the area also supplied game and most importantly for me, an array of cool climate wine styles that bucked the rigid stereotype of overt ripeness in Australian wine.

I tasted a number of impressive wines in and around Orange, many grown at altitudes of around 1,200 metres- and in that respect, not dissimilar to fashionable idioms from areas as diverse as France’s Roussillon and Etna in Sicily.

The producer boasting consistency across a broad range and exceptional value for money was Logan and in particular, the Weemala range which I focused on in the tasting room due its availability in Japan.

While most of the Logan wines were lessons in restraint and purity of varietal expression, the Weemala range was particularly impressive when all was said and done. In fact, I bought a case or two for my parents to impress upon them that value can be found in the AUD 16/bottle price zone.

Pinot Gris is a variety that I have trouble enjoying. It is either too blowsy and fat or skinny and insipid. The Weemala example however is neither but rather, an exemplary effort boasting notes of pear gelato, apple and judiciously honed phenolics for balance and modest length. This wine needs food. Bravo! 90

The exactitude of varietal expression and altitudinal freshness continues through the range with the Gewurtztraminer also boasting lovely spice and lychee aromas with a grippy palate that is neither too thin nor too ‘bordello’. 88

The Weemala Pinot Noir is snappy, suitably elegant and although not particularly complex, sensational for the money. 88

The Syrah/Viognier exhibits cracked pepper, peat and violet in a relatively restrained and mellifluous manner given the price-point. Wines at this price tend to be round, rather sweet and one-dimensional. 88

Perhaps most startling was the sappy, slinky quaffability of the Merlot that reminded me of the Loire in a sense albeit, with more obvious curranty notes and a higher degree of ripeness. 90

The reality in Japan is that wines in demand are becoming less expensive. In my opinion, a great many Japanese consumers have little idea about quality and simply want to believe that a wine offers ‘value’, or that that mystical grail encompassing the too oft-used term ‘cost performance ga takai’, or ‘good quality for the money’. Unfortunately, most inexpensive wine is poor quality exactly because it is cheap.

Conversely, I would not hesitate to nominate the Weemala series as one of the finest ‘cost-performance’ portfolios tasted in the last two-years. This is ‘cost-performance’ that defines the category and allows the drinker pleasure through finesse, delicacy and attention to detail without charging the earth.

From Logan we continued toward Mudgee, arriving a little bedraggled at the Union Bank Wine Bar. It was getting late and we were eager for food, a slew of regional wines by-the-glass and a bed. Nevertheless, Belgravia wines, a former contract grower for Fosters cum independent producer, had their tasting room inside the excellent Union Bank Wine Store that abuts the bar (1300 721 731. Cnr Sale and Byng Sts, Orange) and Glen and I decided to taste most of their range before going to what we thought would be our hotel for the evening!

Belgravia Apex Chardonnay ’09: tangy cool aromas of nectarine and citrus are echoed on a mid-weighted, textured palate marred by excessive lees work out of whack with the stature of the wine. The wine’s freshness appears to be breaking down because of excessive yeastiness or autolysis, as it is known. 84

Roussanne ’09: lemon oil, tea and ripe apple serve varietal exactitude. The palate offers modest weight and yet, impeccable balance. Rather simple but a good drink and picked at a more optimal window of ripeness than the skinny innocuous Pinot Gris tasted prior. 88

Shiraz/Viognier: it seems that everyone and their dog is making this style of late but in this case, for good reason. Pitched aromas of blueberry, violet and peat expand on a medium bodied, gritty (in the best sense) and moreish palate. This wine avoids the curse of overt sweetness! 89

After chatting with the store’s amiable proprietress, Belinda-a voice etched with urban life’s indelible stamp of savoir-faire and a hint of tobacco-we discovered that our luxury accommodation, De Russie Suites (72 Hill St. 02-6360-0973) was not to be. The place was fully booked!

It was my fault as I had failed to make prior reservations and thinking I was venturing into a rural Australia devoid of people, who demand things like a roof over their heads, had expected to simply walk into the joint’s lobby and be greeted by beaming eager smiles. Alas, there were conferences all over the place apparently. Belinda kindly called every respectable place in town before we settled on a spare and very sparse room resplendent with three single beds, linoleum floors and a heater out back of the Masonic Temple. I kid you not.

While I would not recommend the place, it was at the very least clean and I pushed Jack and my bed together in order to keep him warm while Glen, as per every night, droned off to the commentary of the Tour de France. Prior, we had loaded up on plenty of wine by-the-glass thanks to the very fine and broad selection available at the Union Bank Wine Bar.
I will comment on one of these wines, from Canobolas-Smith, because we did not get to visit the winery as planned the following day.

Canobolas-Smith ‘Natural Yeast’ Chardonnay ’08: I have tasted this producer’s wines before and at the very least, always thought them idiosyncratic and thoroughly deserved of attention. They appear to be made by virtue of whence they hail rather than excessive work in the winery. This Chardonnay, while exhibiting gorgeous aromas of truffle, funky minerality and hazelnuts, was simply too hot in the mouth with my adam’s apple burning from the alcohol. I guess that if you leave a lot to nature’s devices, you cannot win with every wine. Indeed, it is better to have the occasional mishap than to full into the malaise of uniformity. I will return to these wines as I know just how much better they can be. 85

Where were we? I was caught up in a flurry of activity here at my desk in Tokyo and....ah yes! Well, the next day we awoke-Jack and I at the crack of dawn and Glen considerably later. Son and father trekked down to the Hungry Jack’s (Australish for Burger King) to let Glen sleep in. The egregious playgrounds, embellished with tubes and pirate ships, attached to the outside of virtually every fast-food outlet in Australia like architected zits, had caught Jack’s eye when we entered Orange. I had tried to speed past to no avail.

So there we were. Inside Hungry Jacks, a giant grease ball filled with overweight people in the garb of rural Australia- ugg boots and track pants-with rapid-fire eye movements indicating the presence of amphetamines in the system rather than stimulation from the sensationalistic morning shows on the flat screens, mantled at every corner. It was 7am on a Monday.

Indeed, Orange appears rather divided with the side marked by Maccas, Hungry Jacks and KFC blighted by this demographic. Conversely, the other side boasts detailed federation homes, sandstone buildings and a thoroughly more tasteful and gregarious population.

I have not eaten fast food of this nature in more than twenty-years. In fact, this was the first time I had so much as set foot in a place like this. I had a cappuccino. Yes, the coffee culture is so engrained in the Australian ethos that even places like this have espresso machines. It was not bad either and the large lass behind the counter offered me a free refill before I called Jack from Captain Blood’s cove to go and get Glen.

Arguably, the most inspiring visit of the entire trip-Mudgee and Orange together-was Stephen Doyle’s Bloodwood. Here, all that Orange claimed to offer and all that my imagination and zeal to believe in these claims had conjured were fulfilled.

To be continued....

Logan Weemala Range (Japanese)

”ニューサウスウェールズに住んでいた一人として、最近のオレンジ地方の爆発的人気ぶりには非常に感激しています。
同地域は、りんごの産地として有名ですが、さらに、新しいスタイルのオーストラリア料理が、ニューヨークからシンガポールまで、フード界の話題となっています。
そのような中で、食肉の需要・供給はさらに増加しています。中でも私が最も注目しているのは、これまでの”過熟した感のあるオーストラリアワイン”、といった固定観念を覆すべく、冷涼産地のワインスタイルが数多く登場していることですね。


そしてやっとのことで、この活気溢れる同地を訪問する機会を得たのはつい先週のことでした。標高1200m程で栽培されたブドウを使用した、数多くのすばらしいワインを味わいました。その標高の点で、ルーシヨンやシチリア島のエトナ山のワインのような多様性を持つ人気ワインにも負けず劣らず、様々な表情を持っています。生産者は幅広いワインの中で、一貫性を保っているのです。その中でも、ローガンワイン、特にウィマーラシリーズは、並外れたコスパをみせる醸造所だといえるでしょう。

ローガンワインは、各品種の特徴を純粋に表現していますが、ウィマーラは特にずば抜けており、シリーズ全てのワインから造り手の賢明さを感じることができます。
飲み手の私としては、実はピノ・グリをあまり楽しめていませんでした。何か一体感がなく、ぼってりしていたり、またやせ細って味気ない仕上がりになりがちです。しかし、ウィマーラはそのどちらでもなく、例えば洋ナシのジェラートや、りんごのノートと、そして見事なフェノール成分のバランス感は、まさにお手本ともなるべき、ブラボーな仕上がりです。

ローガン・ワインズの、ゲヴュルツトラミネール種のワインは、ブドウ品種の特徴が素直に表現されており、高い標高から生まれるフレッシュさを感じることができ、やせ細っているのでもなく、安い香水のようなものでもなく、アロマが明確で整っています。　心地よいスパイス、ライチのアロマをしっかりと捉えてくれる口当たりです。ピノはいきいきとして、エレガントで特に複雑な味わいというわけではないですが、見事なコスパをもっています。一方で、シラー/ヴィオニエは、品種の持つ滑らかな味わいの中で、あら挽きのコショウ、泥炭やスミレを感じます。
私が味わった中で最も驚いたのは、シルキーな、口当たりの良いメルローでしょうか。ロワールワインの印象も受けつつ、しかしもっと大胆なスグリのノートや、非常に高いレベルのブドウの熟成感を持っていました。

ワインに対する日本市場の現実は、より安価なワインを求めています。私個人の見解としては、ほとんどの日本の消費者はワインの質をわかっておらず、単にワインは“価値”を感じさせてくれると信じたいだけのように感じます。そしてその謎めいた”聖杯”に対して、何度も耳にしてきてきたフレーズ”コスパが高い！“でまとめてしまっています。残念ながら、価格重視の多くのワインは、美味しいとはいえません。それは単に安いからです。

逆に、ウィマーラシリーズは、ここ２年間で私が味わったワインの中でも、最も”コスパが高い!”と自信をもって言えるワインです。　同ワインは、まさに”コストパフォーマンス、”の定義づけであり、飲み手が、フィネス感、繊細さ、そして財布を気にすることなく細部までも楽しめる喜びを与えるものだといえます。”

Mudgee

I had always wanted to go to western NSW. Orange in particular and perhaps, to a lesser extent, to Mudgee. My father is from the Hunter Valley and yet I had never made the leap farther west to either of these towns. It was time to go with my brother Glen and son Jack in tow. The attached photo shows Glen after a long drive and Jack after too much cola!

My interest was piqued by the fine produce, especially game, coming out of Orange and more so, by the leap into independent cool climate viticulture in both regions, in many cases forced by the failure of Fosters and other giants to renew growers' contracts in NSW wine growing districts. While it is easy for me-sitting here in front of this device-to wax about the benefits of independent growing and the Darwinian necessity of such a leap in lieu of Wine Australia's belated emphasis on Australian regionalism; the fractious undercurrents caused by a global oversupply of wine and the ruthless nature of multinationals for whom wine is merely another product among a slew of others; not to mention over-eager growers chafing at the bit due to ill-advised government incentives; have inflicted economic duress on many in the Australian wine industry and there is no point in being glib for the sake of an entertaining blog.

Nevertheless, positively, large mechanically harvested vineyards from former regimes are increasingly being turned into smaller plots attuned to grape variety and soil potentiality with an emphasis on site-specificity in some cases, and less interventionist winemaking in many instances. Surely this will have long-term gains. In a few cases such as at Bloodwood, independent, idiosyncratic and highly articulate expressions of grape and site have always been part of the regional idiom.

Thus, it was with high expectations that my brother Glen who had taken time off from Sydney's Bentley Bar, my son Jack who gallantly trails his dad around wine regions of the world at the age of four and I, ever aware that Jack does not necessarily enjoy these journeys and hankers for the company of other children; set forth. Firstly to Mudgee.

Before I proceed, kindly note that only wines considered to be a good drink and intriguing as a reflection of whence they came-site and hand-will be noted.

Perhaps I should define 'a good drink'. A 'good drink' is that which inspires the urge for another glass and another after that. We are but animals and have a natural proclivity toward that which tastes good. What tastes good? Despite minor subjective gripes such as 'you like, but I like...', I believe quality assessment to be of great importance-absolutely necessary in fact-when defining a qualitative rubric for taste in wine.

Of course, wines must be judged in context. While a $20 Merlot made without oak and with minimal maceration on skins and other extraction techniques may be highly gulpable, it will likely be less complex than a $50 Merlot-based wine from say Pomerol, that has been given ample time in quality new oak and has sufficient extract for long-term ageing. Then again, ageability is not the point of the Merlot and this should be adjudicated when assessing its quality, just as a poorly balanced Pomerol may well be nasty and undrinkable if overly extracted or under-ripe, for example. Quality assessment is useful if not coldhearted, defined by a rigid set of parameters: intensity, concentration, length, complexity etc. Useful yes and not at all subjective really, for to believe so is nihilistic.

Good quality wine should be defined as such whether you or I like it or not. Conversely, what we like is up to use and we can champion our opinions in the market by buying Riesling over Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand for example, but that is aside the point.

Most important to my critiques is that a wine has something lucid to say for itself-that which sets it apart from so many other good wines in the market-be it quality for the price, formidable expression of site and sleight of hand, or something-as with some wines reviewed below-that makes me want to grab a bottle and drink with gusto. This, I assure you, is an infrequent occurrence.

Drinkability is of prime importance for it allows us to enjoy wine with ease due to an inherent balance between judicious fruit-ripeness and the meld of acid and tannin, or a wine's structural components. Quite simply, if something is balanced and suitably ripe; animals including us humans want it.

Our first appointment was with the amiable Jacob Stein at Robert Stein vineyards. As the name suggests, there is German heritage in dem' bones and it was perhaps the Rieslings that most impressed.

Robert Stein Half-Dry Riesling 2010: clear cut aromas of lime juice-almost lime cordial-reverberating on a relaxed palate that is rather slatey but not at all austere as is the case with certain overly acidified Australian Rieslings. The finish is long and tangy with around 18 grams / litre of residual sugar balancing Riesling's forceful acid profile. A nice drink for AUD 22! 86

Robert Stein Reserve Riesling 2009: kaffir lime and oily aromas supported by a weightier, more concentrated palate. A drier, formidably concentrated larger-framed wine but again, the structural aspects of the wine are not forced but relaxed, persistent and allowing for a long, layered finish that bodes well for a decade of ageing. 91

Jacob also introduced us to a regional Chardonnay initiative whose thread was evident at other wineries. Essentially, the idea is to make Chardonnays that are distinctly not about fruit but rather, are crafted with ambient yeasts in mostly neutral wood and given ample time on gros lees for texture with variable degrees of malolactic fermentation.

This approach sounds simple enough but it is this 'let it run' mentality that has failed to instill itself into the thinking of many New World winemakers, steeped in a technocratic approach that controls each and every aspect of the winemaking process with predictable results oft-defined by fault-free flavour profiles and textures deemed necessary to sate a certain sector of the market. As this sector grows up and tastes mature however, Australian wine styles must mature with it. Jacob's Robert Stein 'Third Generation' Chardonnay suggests that this is indeed happening.

Robert Stein 'Third Generation' Chardonnay 2010: restrained aromas of nectarine and earthy wild yeast funk. Mid-weight leesy palate with some layered complexity and suitable concentration. While many winemakers in the New World loosely define this sort of wine as an attempt at Chablis, my belief is that this style of wine more closely resembles good Macon because of the softer acidity. Good value at AUD 20. 86

Finally, Robert Stein's 'Premium Range' Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 provided a clandestine source of enjoyment at the Orient Hotel (pub in Australish) later that evening. I had mistakenly bought a wine at the bar that had been battered by American oak and was so chocolate-smudged and minty to be undrinkable. My brother, Glen, went to the car and smuggled a bottle purchased at Robert Stein's cellar door in under his jacket! The wine offers impeccable varietal typicity on the nose-currant and a hint of savoury leafiness- a sappy mid-weight palate, no oak, very little complexity and yet juicy acidity, a sneaky finish and delicious drinkability! Drink now; drink by the case! 88

Our next stop was David Lowe at Lowe Family Wine Co. David is the president of the New South Wales Wine Association and had plenty of say about the lack of support the state's wines find in the state's institutions. Case in point is the Art Gallery of NSW which has only three NSW wines on its restaurant's wine list. In any event, to the wines.

The 'Tinja' range is an organic, preservative-free-and for the money-ridiculously good value tier at AUD 20 that proved among the most delicious of this idiom tasted anywhere.

Tinja Rieslings are grown at 1,180 meters on decomposed slate and quartz. There are no additions which means that while there is residual sulphur-dioxide post-fermentation, nothing more is added. This includes acidity.

2010: David called this a 'maniac's wine' due to the flinty, slatey composition and austerity of the palate. Indeed, the wine was akin to sucking white stones. Not that I have ever done this of course albeit, I did plaster bubble gum over ant holes as a kid, curious about what proved to be a bitter and slightly curried flavor of small black ants. The 2010 is bone dry yet only 10% alcohol and not at all green. This needs time to fill out but the stuffing is there for a good decade of age or more. It needs white fish carpaccio of some sort, dressed with a light chili lime vinaigrette, if attempted now. 91

2009: a broader palate here giving the wine a mellifluous ease in light of the former Riesling's obdurate carapace. This wine boasts apple and pear gelato notes; with 8 grams of residual sugar to balance the racy natural acid. 88

2007: this wine was interrupted by David's holler, 'You wanna` go throw things, Jack?' Jack, my young `un, was rightfully impatient as the sun disappeared, the stars were set ablaze by the darkness and the frigid wind stung from cheeks to bones. We were high up, after all. Jack was hungry. David gave him a basket and set him off to pick and chuck tomatoes. We returned to the tasting while my mind drifted off to the nooks and crannies where King Brown snakes hide, my son's ankle in a set of jaws with tomato dribbling down his chin....The 2007 was rather phenolic and disjointed with less of a sleek frame and lower acidity. The wine needs richer white meats with perhaps a mushroom duxelle to tame its tactile chewiness. David explained that the year had been very hot with thicker grape skins. This phenolic grip is often called 'skinsy' texture or even 'skinsyness' in wine-speak. 86

Tinja Merlot 2010: 'My Dolcetto', David exclaimed. I could see why. The colour was inky purple with grapey aromas, some peat and a hint of violet; intoxicating and savoury rather than sweet and deterring. These qualities reverberated on a mid-weight, round palate of judiciously managed tannins-soft yet apparent to the point of balancing the fruit-and brisk acidity. No oak and simple in the best sense. Yum! I thought this wine to be the finest 'preservative free' wine yet tasted and it truly shamed much of the poorly made, fault-laden 'natural' wine that we see here in Japan. I could drink the entire bottle in one draft like Captain Slaughterboard so perhaps I am being a little overexcited in bestowing it with 92, but sheer drinkability is surely worth a great deal!

Now to David's Reserve range which are all fermented with ambient yeasts and not mucked about, apparently-

Reserve Zinfandel 2008: Californian Dry Creek-like aromas of burnt orange rind and kirsch; a sweet and sour tang; followed by a creamy palate exhibiting blueberry notes, moderate fine grained tannins and fresh acidity for line and length. While I am not a Zinfandel fan (although I place it far above my desert island anathema, Nero d'Avola), I thought this wine to be so noteworthy as to call it one of the most iconoclastic wines in Australia. 93

Reserve Shiraz '06: not particularly expressive on nose aside from a bourbon-like polish from American oak, yet wild in the mouth with notes of espresso, peat and bouillon. Lively and bodes well for keeping in an old-fashioned sort of way due to a slightly heavy-handed oak regime. 89

Next to Di Lusso which, as the name suggests, is an adventurous practitioner of Italian varieties.

Vermentino 2009: aromas of sage, pine resin, some stone fruit and marzipan. Excellent varietal typicity although the palate appears unsure as to whether it wants to be akin to a Tuscan expression or Sardinian. Personally, I think the wine could use a bit more stuffing from slightly later harvesting and some less work for texture. Otherwise, suave and long. 87

'Il Polio' 2006: a whiff of Italianesque volatility is an appropriate lead into a briny palate of sour cherry notes and dusty tannins, indicative of the Sangiovese component. The wine is a little bit sweet perhaps due to the endeavour to emulate a Super Tuscan-type style and international grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon in the mix. However, this is where the volatility comes into play to tidy things up a bit, leading to a moreish, moderately long finish. 89

Rushed Reviews

I have been to Mudgee and Orange NSW of late, turning down a very kind offer to visit buzzing bees curious for the abundant lavender and stumpy Grenache of summer in southern France in doing so. Insane? Perhaps, but after 48 hours by a French pool the novelty wears thin on a four-year old as is my beautiful son, Jack.

Conversely, tax-fed parks of even rural Australian town and cities mid-Winter serve to sate youthful energy by mid-morning. More so, kids are everywhere in Oz! By 11 am. I am able, with a a little convincing, to visit some wineries and Jack and I square off fairly as traveling companions. Such is our relationship.

In any event, more on that tomorrow with more time....

Tonight, very spontaneously, I wanted to scribble a little about Ngeringa Syrah '06 as I just about polished off a bottle on my own after two seminars and plenty of wine today.

Quickly...yeeha.....energy on nose of cracked pepper that manages to straddle the optimal zone of marginal ripeness without being green. In doing so, even as the wine opened, it remained moreish and savoury which to be frank, is what I seek and why I find myself drinking more and more Italian wines these days.

Cracked pepper became an echo behind lavender, wild violet and black olive with gritty hints of peat in the best sense; as the wine opened. In time, some crunchy blueberry notes emerged but again-I emphasize-the wine never became too sweet and remained a mellifluous meld of impeccably yet marginally ripe tannins, juicy acidity and crunchy layered sweet/sour fruit. Boysenberry notes became apparent as the wine opened further. Svelte texture and a joy to drink; I thought this one of the finest wines tasted in the last year.

Biodynamic religosity in the vineyard by the sounds of the website yet hey; if that serves to fuel a modus-operandi of conviction and passion, good on it!

Fine stuff. Imported by A-Wines out of Hokkaido apparently. Around JPY 5,000 a pop but well worth it. Bravo. 96.

Blanc de Blancs Tasting for Wine Ookoku Magazine, Tokyo

Recently I was invited to join a panel tasting alongside some renowned Japanese sommeliers. We tasted 68 Blanc de Blancs (all Champagnes) in groupings of four or five at a time, discussed each group and moved on.

Here are my top five, with Japanese to follow the English:

1. Taittinger Comte de Champagne '98-great purity of Chardonnay, age of wine / reserve additions and delicate clarity of fruit-impeccably blended-which is what Champagne and Blanc de Blancs is about. Nothing to do with 'terroir' but judiciously handled wine. Like Gosset but much more finessed Dancer of a wine with rich mouthfeel, delicate acidity and fine minerality. Long and creamy. 98

2. Tarlant La Vigne d'Antan Extra Brut NV-extremely ambitious style with lots of toasty oak. This is a style that usually I would not like. It is a winemaker's wine. However, the depth of fruit and ripeness allows the wine to handle the oak which adds, in my opinion, necessary structure to a very rich palate. Seems as if there there is very ripe wine in the reserve assemblage in addition to aged base wines. Very well done. It is wine-like (vinous) and demands food but is certainly a show-stopper! Complex hazelnuts and dried fruit. 96

3. Bruno Paillard NV Blanc de Blancs 95-liked the reticence in this wine. Much less showy on the nose than many others yet in the mouth, expansive power with layered complexity and excellent length through fine structure-persistent acidity and mineral force. Superb balance of reticent nose, powerful mouthfeel and structure. Superbly rendered Champagne. 95

3. Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs '04 95-long, finessed and delicate. Quintessential Blanc de Blancs with soft palate structure, clear-cut varietal (Chardonnay) characteristics yet superb potential. Doesn't try too hard. 95

4. Gosset Celebris Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 94-exaggerated highly aged style but very well done. Soft, creamy and loose in the mouth-could only be Chardonnay and thus, Blanc de Blancs. Juicy acidity. Extremely dry but balance achieved through fine wine-making and thus, use of fully fledged MLF (malo.) to soften the usually harsh tones of non/low dosage styles. Intense concentrated and very fine. 94

5. Jacques Selosse Brut Initial NV-eccentric wine but a wine/producer that tries to bring a sense of terroir to Champagne which for the most part, is about blending / winemaking rather than terroir per se. Eccentric. Vin Jaune notes of marzipan and pear-verging on oxidised. Yet incredible energy in the mouth due to balancing acidity, judicious phenols and oxidative handling. A wine made like this and this ripe can only achieve poise through a combination of rich yeastiness, phenolic grip and acidity. Not acidity alone. Bravo! 93


1. Taittinger Comte de Champagne '98-　熟成したリザーブワインが加えられた、すばらしく純粋なシャルドネ。果実の繊細な透明感との完璧な融合は、まさに、シャンパン、ブラン・ド・ブランの在るべき姿である。“テロワール”がワインの出来を操っているわけでなく、完璧なまでの技術こそが、このワインに賢明に施されている。Gosset のようだが、しかしそれよりも更に、豊かな口当たり、繊細な酸味、そしてきめ細かいミネラルを兼ねそろえた巧妙なダンサーである。 長い余韻と、クリーミーな風味。98

2. Tarlant La Vigne d'Antan Extra Brut NV-　しっかりトーストされたオークの、極めて野心的なスタイルである。私は普段、多くの技法、つまり人の手が多く施されているようなスタイルを好まない。しかし深い果実味と熟成感は、ワインに加えられたオークの風味を巧みに操らせる。私見ではあるが、このワインに兼ねそろえる必要な骨組みは味覚を豊かにする。まるで熟成した原酒に加えて、さらにとても熟成したリザーブワインが調合されているかのようだ。非常に良くできている。これは シャンパンというイメージよりも、スティルワインに近く、深く凝縮した味わいで、食事を共にすることが好ましいが、人の気を惹きつけることは確実であろうと思う。複雑なヘーゼルナッツとドライフルーツの風味。96

3. Bruno Paillard NV Blanc de Blancs-　このワインの控えめさに好感が持てる。鼻で捕らえるよりも、口の中では遥かに多くのものの印象が感じられる。重ねられた複雑性によって広がるパワーと、きめ細かい構造、いつまでも続く酸味とミネラルの力を通した優れた余韻。控えめな香りの素晴らしいバランス、口の中で感じる力強さと骨組み。見事に表現されたシャンパン。95

4. Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs '04-　長い、精妙で繊細な余韻。やわらかく味覚を刺激する骨組み、輪郭のはっきりしたヴァラエタル（シャルドネ）の個性、その上、素晴らしい潜在力を兼ねる、本質的なブラン・ド・ブラン。あまり手の加えられていない、果実のシンプルな味わいだ。95

5. Jacques Selosse Brut Initial NV-　テロワールの意味をシャンパンに映し出そうと努力する醸造家が大多数である中で、この一風変わったワインは、テロワールよりもむしろワインのブレンドや醸造法によってエキセントリックさを表現する。マジパン風味の黄ワイン、そして酸化が進むことで、洋梨を思わせる。さらに、バランスのとれた酸味と思慮深いフェノール化合物と酸化の操りが驚くべき力を放つ。このように造られたワインとこの出来上がりだけが、豊かな酵母とフェノール化合物、そして酸味の結合を通してのバランスを達成することができる。酸味だけでは無理なのだ。Bravo! 93

Beaucastel Continued

Beaucastel is imported by Jeroboam in Japan.

The wines tasted in order:

1. Ch. de Beaucastel Blanc 2007-aromas of white flower, marzipan and lemon oil as warms in glass. Creamy and expansive in mouth due to judicious meld of phenolics, reductive lees work and minerality, and Roussane-driven acidity. Long and streamlined. 91

2. Perrin Reserve Rouge 2007-Blueberry and violet scent akin to a Syrah-like expression of Grenache. However the warmth of the sun is apparent in the mouth with a creamy texture and kirsch-like sweetness. Very ripe yet not at all jammy with soft yet appropriately pronounced tannins for balance. Good drink. 88

3. Cairanne Peyre Blanche 2007-Greater concentration of aroma-briar, smoked meat and bon bons-with a more dark fruited backdrop, echoed on a thick frame exhibiting olive flavours and some Mediterranean scrub. However, as with all wines from this domain, the emphasis is on clarity of fruit punctuated by brushy tannins. 89

4. Gigondas la Gille 2007-In stark contrast to the Cairanne, the nose is much cooler and floral. I went from the former glass to the Gigondas glass, pondering this expression. Clearly the Gigondas hails from higher ground with the elevated Dentelles de Montmirail serving as a dramatic vineyard-scape imbued with granite and other meager soils, excellent drainage facility and most importantly, a cooler environment allowing for more attenuated ripening, less bumptious fruit and subsequently, a finer expression of Syrah and its violet scent, while serving as a difficult platform to ripen the tougher Mourvedre, seldom found in Gigondas. And here, perhaps, is where the difference between the Cairanne and the Gigondas lies. The Gigondas shows peet, pepper and orange peel notes, very lifted. The tannins are also more finely grained for form, with juicy expressive acidity for life and line. Quite suave for a southern Rhone wine; finessed even. Despite all of this however, I preferred the Cairanne. I felt the Gigondas could do with a bit more stuffing. 88

5. Ch. de Beaucastel Rouge 2007-'Surmatur' aromas of fig, coffee bean and traditional English Christmas cake yet far less expressive on nose than preceding wines, boding well for the future. Formidably concetrated in mouth-olive, lavendar-with a multiplicity of layers, balancing acidity and extremely fine, tight tannins giving an overall impression of grace and elegance for the idiom. Mellifluous and superb length. 94

6. Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2007-60% Mourvedre. Inky, jet black. Startling colour! Soaring notes of blackberry confiture, meat and char; peaty smoke from sexy oak and olive aromas. Very ripe and concentrated yet bristling with intent in the mouth rather than offering any real complexity at this stage. The wine cometh the nose in time. Portends for a very long future if only I could afford a bottle! Lively and tingly, with superbly rendered tannins. Very long and muscular. 96

The Style of Beaucastel

Recently I was fortunate enough to be invited to a tasting of a selection of current releases by Beaucastel in Tokyo.

It is curious to note that while the flash pasteurization system patented by Beaucastel serves to negate oxidase enzymes and other stability issues, extract colour and allow for more sensitive use of SO2, it is the final point, no doubt, together with biodynamic principles applied to vineyard practises, that facilitates an astutely honed, contemporary and fashionable angle when marketing this producer's wines in markets such as Japan, enthralled by the concept of 'natural' wine.

While this pasteurization system did not prevent brettanomyces (well above the perception levels of most drinkers)from appearing in the critically acclaimed `89 Ch. de Beaucastel Rouge (indicating the need for utmost hygiene in the barrel room and within the barrels themselves; and appropriate SO2 levels depending on pH/ripeness levels and residual sugar), it does appear to imbue these wines-at least in their contemporary manifest-with very pure, layered fruit and aromatic intensity. Moreover, these wines see no stems in the cuve which despite the rustic reputation of `89 and other vintages, places them in the modernist camp to a degree. Modest use of new wood however, also allows the style to pay respect to regional tradition.

....and next the wines.

Littorai

I was fortunate enough to partake in a recent tasting of Littorai wines care of Ted Lemon, producer, and his Japanese importer Wine in Style. The tasting was held at '45' in the Ritz-Carlton. While many of the wines were fine indeed, I found the food a little distracting due to interwoven Japanese influences alongside weighty French strokes of foie, morilles, sweet breads and sweet sauces including ginger, honey and mandarin.

The wines I tasted:

2007 Littorai Charles Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay Sonoma Coast: very natural feeling in the mouth with a whiff of volatility to boot, presumably from indigeneous yeast. This is supported by a mushroomy, earthy nose and a hint of nougat. The wine boasts a broad textured palate that could have done with a bit more lift. Rich yet a bit flat. 85

1997 Charles Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay Sonoma Coast (served from magnum): a wine that took more than a decde to resolve its obdurate acidity apparently. And resolve it has! Wonderful mature nose of marzipan and truffle-not at all past it-that served to draw one back for another glass. Arguably the finest Californian Chardonnay yet tasted. The palate is broad yet alive with a tensile minerally presence for impeccable balance; staining intensity of numerous layers and a long finish. This wine is etched by site. 95

2007 Thierot Vineyard Chardonnay Sonoma Coast: like chalk and cheese when compared to the '07 Charles Heintz. While the Heintz is bumptious, this wine is tangy, precise and linear; febrile even. Some oak sits atop-as yet unresolved-but the wine bodes very well for a long future with fine mid-palate weight held together by juicy acidity, thrust and excellent line. 93

2008 Littorai les Larmes Pinot Noir Anderson Valley: simple lolly-like nose bringing to mind gentle extraction from a less-than-ideal year and the subsequent carbonic influence of whole clusters. The palate too is fruity upfront with slightly ropey tannins and moderate acidity for lift. Overall quite simple and sweet. A beetroot/bottom of band-aid/smoke-house nose brought to mind many `03`s from certain regions of Australia and the smoke-taint that inflicted them. Indeed, the wine suffers from these pungent notes because of the Sonoma fires in 2008. While the wine is an easy quaffer if suitably chilled, at JPY 6,000 once landed it hardly represents a quaffable price! 83

2006 Savoy Vineyard Pinot Noir Anderson Valley: sweet aromas of maraschino cherry and ripe plum on a plump frame with some underlying acidity for grace and balance. While this wine will benefit from some age and tertiary complexity, it is currently too sweet for me. 87

2006 Littorai Cerise Vineyard Pinot Noir Anderson Valley: kirsch and dansom plum-sweet/sour and slightly carnal compared to the primary simplicity of the Savoy. More intoxicating due to a hint of five-spice and mulch which to me, in its finest manifest, is what one seeks in fine Pinot Noir. Perhaps these descriptives can be expressed in a different fashion such as the line used by a former sommelier co-worker of mine: 'smells like after sex'. In any event, while the wine is rich and distinctly Californian, it exhibits lacy acidity and textured mineral presence to keep it persistent, long and svelte. 92

2002 Cerise Vineyard Pinot Noir Anderson Valley: wow! Reticent nose of sandalwood and Chinese herb shop yet, not at all about fruit which is what wowed me. Despite its age this wine portends very well for another decade of ageing with sufficient fruit sweetness gracefully draped across a sculptuesque frame of lean yet ripe tannins and moreish acidity. Long, sumptuously textured and like all top Pinots, judiciously balances its delicate fruit, flavour intensity and complexity, and structural components with guile and finesse. Everything in place here. 97

Chateauneuf `98

I remember my sommelier days at New York's Veritas when suddenly, a meager smattering of Chateaneufs on a single page of the wine-list turned into ten-pages. Parker's review had just been published and the region, with the `98 vintage, was turned on its head. Revisiting some of the big names made for an interesting evening and a sore head-exacerbated by Australia's meek performance against a German juggernaut in the World Cup-the following morning.

Vieux Telegraphe 'la Crau' 1998: while a friend informed me that Vieux Telegraphe was one of the first Chateauneuf properties to install stainless steel tanks, I had the impression that the wines were of a somewhat rustic, traditional idiom. Perhaps it is because of the relatively large percentage of Mourvedre in the blend giving a carnal meatiness to the wines and less than finely hewn tannins. Notes of scrub, olive and coffee bean led to a rather rustic palate-shape that I thought would open and offer some pleasure. While I returned to the wine an hour or more after the first taste, it had failed to live up to my expectations and remained a bit scrawny and hollow with modest length 87

Domaine Charvin 1998: scented aromas of southern France in all its glory-lavender, thyme, rosemary. Rich and expansive on the palate with firm tannins giving balance from whole clusters/non-destemming as is the way at this property. Moreish, layered and long with real verve. However, a slight menthol note gave the impression that over such a warm year as `98 when grape sugars outpaced phenolic ripeness, there were less than ideally ripe stems in the mix. This detracted from overall poise and pleasure 93

les Cailloux 1998: coffee, chocolate and warm earth with less of a herbal spectrum and more obvious surmatur prune and Christmas cake-aromas. The palate is broad and expansive; thick and concentrated; yet not at all over-extracted. Almost mellifluous in a hedonistic way due to balancing acidity. Rich and easy. Superbly concentrated and still very much alive as opposed to the decomposing V. Telegraphe. However lacking the layers and intrigue of great wine. 91

Domaine du Caillou: lifted aromas of lilac, violet and some garrigue-almost Northern Rhone in the sense of its perfume although packed with the dense sweetness of Grenache and the warmth of the southern sun. The most elegant wine thus far. No rough edges yet still interesting with a round, densely concentrated palate of multitudinous layers balanced by bright acidity and fine grained tannins. Impeccably rendered and delicious. 95-96

A wine that was served blind to round out the `98 theme was Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas: piercing acidity was my first impression aside from the nose which, dichotomously, offered the brick-earth-warmth and briar of the south, with a hint of tomato and mulch suggesting age. The wine was a year or two past its optimal drinking window, yet still offered charm, modest length and complexity. The acidity hailed from the high vineyards in Gigondas abutting the crest of the Dentelles de Montmirail. There you go! Not a bad evening despite the discouraging loss to Germany. 85

Renegades: Tenuta la Palazza drei Donna

While a producer crafting mostly Sangiovese-dominant blends may be hardly called 'renegade', these wines hail from neither Tuscany nor Umbria as the literature distributed by the Japanese importer, Mottox, suggested. Rather, this sprightly set of wines is from the considerably less fashionable Emilia-Romagna, known for ham and dairy more than wine. Some of us may grin wryly at fond memories of Lambrusco, however. Indeed, good Lambrusco may be thin on the ground but it is not an oxymoron!

Anyway, back to the subject at hand-

Drei Donna 'Notturno' 2008 (JPY 2,300 retail constituting excellent value): quintessential Sangiovese. Red fruit notes, hint of sandalwood with firm grape tannins, no oak discernible and yet considerably layered and long due to tangy juicy acidity and mineral grip. This made me hungry-very-which is what good wine should do. As my brother Glen once quipped, good wine makes you salivate. Very easy-drinking style yet the level of complexity belies the price. 88

'Pruno' 2006: favourite wine of the group. Again, 100% Sangiovese and its sour red fruited aromas melded with some dried floral notes; greater concentration rather than over-extraction. Cascading layers with judicious use of high quality oak lending further complexity to a svelte texture echoed by savoury, moreish tannins and acidity. Nothing here is overdone and as I noted despite an aesthetically ominous bottle-heavier, broader-'not tannin manged to an inch of its life'. Very, very good wine. 92

'Magnificat' 2006: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon caused my eyes to roll back in anticipation-or dread-of the one wine (in what had been such a poised set thus far) portending to be the beast within! But you know what, the wine remains within the same tasteful, balanced parameters of its preceding brethren. Ripe currant yet attractive hint of leaf for lift, concentrated and firmer rather obdurate tannins-not at all negated by high tech winemaking-hint of coffee and bitter chocolate from well toasted oak yet harnessed tastefully to an overall package of relative restraint and superb thrust and length due to fine grained tannins and acidity. Very good. 91

Graf Noir `00: a field blend of Sangiovese, Uva Longanesi and Cab. Franc all co-fermented from small parcels within the same 0.85 ha. vineyard. Floral and sappy with attractive secondary notes of mulch emerging. Again, this producer's hallmark of finely grained tannins giving texture, focus and real line to a mid-weight, concentrated and compelling wine of poise and grace. Bravo! 90

Frankland Estate Dinner

I am always a little circumspect when revisiting wines that I was fond of as a younger bloke. Sometimes new realities eviscerate idyllic memories!

Bearing this in mind I began to tread water cautiously at a recent Frankland Estate dinner at Tokyo's SALT restaurant with a glass of Isolation Ridge 2009 Riesling as an apero. Fortunately, what I once liked about Frankland Estate remains: understated wines with little flash but great purpose in that they work very well with food, age gracefully and reflect the site whence they hail. Joyously, they are also incredibly good value. These wines tend to receive solid rather than remarkable scores from critics. Funnily, I remarked at the dinner that my favourite wines tends to hover around the 88-91 RPP barrier. Beyond this, there is often an element of undrinkability.

This is what I was served:

2009 Isolation Ridge Riesling: iron-stone and gravel soils allowing for drainage and lower ripening propensity reflected in the talc and very slatey palate, brisk and highly citric. While I think this wine will fill out with age and show greater drinkability as a result, this style is too severe for me right now. A personal gripe: while many Australian Rieslings have sufficient fruit ripeness to be fermented bone-dry they are often overly acidified. Some age well; others less so. Either acidify less and/or leave some balancing residual sugar in the mix for balance. Otherwise, count me out as a customer! No fun in these chops despite a modicum of respect for the style. 88

2009 Poison Hill Riesling: quartz and white clay soils enable greater water retention and access to nutrients resulting in a thoroughly more enjoyable, rounder and riper experience without being fat due to Riesling's inherently high acidity. This wine boasts aromas and flavours more of the stone fruit spectrum-peach and apricot-and even a whiff of the highly exotic such as mango, despite being made in the same manner as the Isolation Ridge. Less austere citric notes but still tensile, vinous and very long. Far more natural in the mouth. Bravo! 91

Cooladera Riesling 2009: a thicker, slightly phenolic example spanning the spectrum of fibrous grapefruit skin to quince. Less austere than the Isolation although not as creamy and appealing at the Poison Hill. Texturally very interesting. While these wines get no skin-contact, they are fermented at very low temperatures for a long period of time-three-weeks if necessary and are enriched by extensive less contact. This method was inspired by a trip to Germany and Austria in 2001, apparently. I would like to see warmer fermentation temperatures, some skin contact and the use of ambient yeasts. Then again, this would mean that the wines would become completely different animals and there would be little point in writing about them in their current manifestation! 90

Isolation Ridge Riesling 1998: aldehydic and caramel-like; ginger beer notes with little fruit left on a drying frame. Cork? NS

Isolation Ridge Chardonnay 2006: effortless in mouth with judicious new oak and leesy, mealy notes for complexity. Controlled hint of MLF, melon and peach; nothing too broad. Again, this is a wine that epitomizes the Frankland Estate style. It doesn't try too hard and is delicious to drink. Certainly not overly complex but very well crafted. Everything is in place. 88

Isolation Ridge Shiraz 2002: White cracked pepper, olives and briar aromas lead to a mid-weight frame of modest complexity and some wild, grippy tannins for an overall impression of savouriness. Good sneaky length. Reminds me of a Languedoc Syrah rather than anything from the N. Rhone. 88

Olmo's Reward 2002: Appears to be the flagship red after the founding family spent some time in Bordeaux and were smitten by the wines on the right-bank in particular. Thus, the wine is unusually-for a New World red-dominated by the sappy, floral presence of Cab. Franc doused with a good dollop of Merlot. Slightly volatile tomato notes on the nose subside to coffee bean, some chocolate and peat. Good concentration if not a bit hot with slightly ropey tannins giving the impression of last-minute ripening in an overall cool vintage. 87

Olmo's Reward 1998: some real tertiary notes emerging here: leather, tobacco, sandalwood with the sweet/sour lift of damson plum. Suave oak tannins, real freshness and slightly rustic tannins indicating perhaps, a cooler year. Good length and overall, a lovely savoury style-if not a wee tad simple-that belies the New World stereotype. 90

Olmo`s Reward 1997: riper, more expansive and layered on the palate yet not at all overwrought. Real juicy vibrancy here with that sappy vinosity so typical of Cab. Franc, violets and saddle leather with a hint of mulch in the best sense. Great clarity, intensity and length. Very fine. 93

Olmo's Reward 2001: While I didn't taste this wine at the event per se, I had tasted it only the night prior and feel it useful to insert it here considering its surrounds.
Floral notes of violet and peat with a hint of savoury tomato skin given breadth by a full concentrated palate and mouth-watering acidity very much in balance. Gorgeous silky tannins imbued with a touch of classy oak add to the pleasure and complexity. The label states 14.5% but the wine handles the alcohol very well. Poised and perhaps the best red of them all despite its relative youth. 94