October 2020

Château Montrose Bicentenary Case Sells at Auction

To mark the launch of the Bicentenary case, Château Montrose entrusted the sale of case No. 1/200, to Hart Davis Hart Wine’s online “Finest & Rarest Wine Auction”. The auction took place on Saturday 24 October, with bidding closing at $24,000. The winning bidder, a collector from United States, will also be enjoying a memorable experience during a private stay at Château Montrose.

The bicentenary custom-designed case is a true “cabinet of curiosities” with a limited edition of 200 to celebrate our 200th anniversary. Inside are three numbered bottles in a rare 2-liter format: The 2014, 2016, and of course the 2015 bicentenary vintage, reflecting three rich and varied expressions of the Montrose terroir. The case encompasses a cigar box and games compartment, which offers two decks of cards, two sets of dice, a set of dominoes, backgammon,150 casino chips as well as a humidifier and hygrometer.

The remaining 199 Château Montrose Bicentenary Cases will be available upon request : http://www.chateau-montrose.com/en/chateau-montrose-bicentenary-case-an-iconic-aquisition/

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Pouilly-Fuissé officially has its Premier Cru!

After a 12-year application process, the French National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO) approved the classification making Pouilly–Fuissé the first appellation within Burgundy’s Mâconnais sub-region to benefit from premier cru vineyards.

It’s a new era for Pouilly-Fuissé and probably for Mâconnais, joining now the prestigious classification established a long time ago in the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. The 22 “Premier Cru” represent a total of 194 ha under vine, accounting for 24 % of Pouilly-Fuissé’s total vineyard area (800 ha exclusively located on the four villages of Chaintré, Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly and Vergisson).

The conditions of production of the Premier Cru are:

Maximum yield 56 hl/ha

Minimum soil’s rest of 3 years before replantation

No chemical herbicides

Minimum time of aging until July 1st

Women in Wine Talks with Chile and Argentina [October 20, 2020] Another Successful Sold Out Event!

I would like to thank our Women of Wine Talks panel members today who hail from Chile and Argentina. Each discussed their wineries, terroir, and other conditions that make their wines unique. During the last 15 minutes of the talk, there was a Q and A discussion period on sustainability, vineyards 1,000 meters above sea level, the wide variety of climates and valleys, in particular a cold climate valley in Chile, and the wine varieties that are emerging.

Panel Members:

CHILE

Viviana Navarrete – Chief Winemaker of Viña Leyda

Viña Leyda was a pioneer in the development of cold climate coastal vineyards in Chile. Located just 4km from the sea, the marine influence sustains temperatures around 13°C. This allows the grapes to ripen very slowly, enhancing and improving its flavors, aromas and natural acidity, whilst providing a saline character to the wines. As such, Viña Leyda requested the creation of a new ” Leyda Valley” Appellation of Origin, which became official in 2002 giving rise to a new style of wine. The Pinot Noirs and Sauvignon Blancs by Viña Leyda enjoy great international prestige.

ARGENTINA

Susana Balbo – Owner & Chief Winemaker of Susana Balbo Winery

After more than 30 years offering her talent to the service of national and international wineries, in 1999 Susana Balbo decided to make her dream come true, to have her own winery. It was at this point in time that she started the construction of Susana Balbo Wines, which is in the heart of Lujan de Cuyo in Mendoza.

Also, after over 10 years of sustained growth in the international wine trade, another dream of Susana´s came true: her children, José, a winemaker from UC Davis University (California) and Ana, Business Administration major from San Andrés University, joined the Susana Balbo Wines team.

Susana and her team comply with the highest international quality standards in all their processes, including Sustainability and Corporate Social responsibility platforms. Their philosophy is to produce terroir-driven wines to express the unique characteristics of each varietal. Susana Balbo Wines are amongst the most recognized and awarded wines in Argentina.

Andrea Ferreyra, Chief Winemaker Finca La Celia

A Pioneer is someone that leaves behind a unique legacy. Eugenio Bustos was one of them. When he arrived to Uco Valley, Argentina, more than 100 years ago, he sold his best horses to purchase land and planted a varietal grape from France, giving birth to Finca La Celia, named after his daughter. La Celia is the oldest winery in the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina. This vineyard was the first one to plant Malbec in the region, which currently is the most iconic varietal from Argentina. La Celia has 400 hectares planted and ever since its first production, Finca La Celia has never stopped innovating. Their committed team of professionals, pursue their dream of producing excellent wines recognized worldwide, pushing the envelope always a little bit further, constantly innovating.

This group of formidable women leaders have been and are committed to the development of wine in their countries and internationally.

They have demonstrated through their life and work, and their leadership in their fields, that women make a difference. They have become incredible role models for their countrywomen and women internationally — and serve as an inspiration across countries, regions, and generations.

Thank you!

Wine Review: Louis Pommery NV Brut Sparkling – California

Pommery is closely associated with Champagne; a few years ago, Pommery expanded to the USA under “Louis Pommery”, using California grapes to make a new world style sparkling wine.

After eight years of R & D, Cellar Director, and oenological DevelopmentManager Thierry Gasco refined a revolutionary method to craft wine with encapsulated yeast, which eliminates all deposits from the bottle, gives the wine an unprecedented degree of clarity and brilliance.

Using the methode champenoise principle this wine is made with 96% chardonnay and 4% pinot noir grapes.

Louis Pommery is an ode to the maison’s iconic style, evoking vivacity, freshness and finesse.

Tasting Notes:

Beautiful straw yellow colour with a lively effervescence; soft aromas of toasted baguette, fresh flowers with notes of green apples which flow through to the palate; slight citrusy note; the finish is long and toasty.

A wonderful and well-priced offering.

92 points

Vintages Release Date: September 5, 2020 – # 15894

Bottle Size: 750 mL bottle

Alcohol/Vol:12.5%

Made In: California, USA

By: Vranken Pommery America

Sugar Content:10 g/L

Style: Medium body

Varietal: Chardonnay Blend

Redefining California cool and set to become a game-changer in the sparkling wine category!

Liz Palmer: Review October 15 2020

Twelve Wine Consumer Trends in the Covid-19 Era

The Wine Intelligence report entitled “Wine Consumer Trends in the Covid-19 Era” was published last week and highlights a mini-boom for wine since the pandemic struck, yet it also warns of dark economic clouds on the horizon.

While key consumption markets have been turning more often to wine in the past six months, spurred by new ‘lockdown’ occasions and more drinking outside of mealtimes, there are concerns about the sustainability of this growth, given the deteriorating economic environment and possible pressure on household finances in the coming months, according to Wine Intelligence.

As part of the report, which collected data from wine drinkers in Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Sweden, the UK and the US, the research agency has identified 12 key consumer trends in the Covid-19 era, which we have reproduced below.

Growth in wine consumption frequency with the shift to at-home occasions more than compensating for the loss of on-premise occasions.
Heartland wine drinkers driving growth with growth in wine coming from women, Gen X and those already connected with wine.
Non-food occasions driving wine growth bringing opportunity for wine to migrate to occasions where other beverages have been more dominant in the past.
Slow recovery in average bottle spend on wine in the off-premise but remains below pre-pandemic levels in most markets.
E-commerce for wine comes of age and it is rapidly becoming a new and habitual way of shopping for wine.
Shift to wines seen as a safe choice and ‘localism’ with mainstream and local wine brands winning.
Consumers increasingly cautious in their lifestyles with confident ‘Hedonist’ segment shrinking as 2020 progresses, and an increasing proportion of ‘Halters and Reducers’.
Large scale events off the agenda with consumers seeking to avoid crowds, even when restrictions are lifted and the current dangers of the pandemic have passed.
Travel plans remain on hold with overseas and international travel not on the agenda for wine drinkers, even when travel restrictions are lifted.
Consumers becoming more distant from the on-premise, shifting socializing patterns.
Treat-seeking behavior losing momentum as consumer spending becoming more conservative.
US wine market returns to growth as wine consumption frequency grew strongly in the US, driven by Millennials.

Source: Wine Intelligence Wine Consumer Trends in the Covid-19 Era, published October 2020