López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva Blanco 2004

There’s something about López de Heredia, the ultra-traditional Rioja bodega. These are not easy wines, and require time. They are made in quite an oxidative way, and there’s no emphasis on fruit. But they are complex and intriguing, and their difficulty is part of their appeal, because they just age so well. This white Rioja is a blend of 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia, and it’s aged for six years in barrel, being racked twice a year and then at the end it’s fined with egg whites. Unusually for a large Rioja Bodega, López de Heredia own their own vineyards (170 hectares in all). Tondonia is one of them, and is spectacularly situated on the banks of the Ebro.

López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva Blanco 2004 Rioja, Spain
Full yellow colour. Intense and vivid with piercing lemon and apple fruit with spice, vanilla and a touch of coconut. Powerful and complex with spice, lemony acidity. Structured and intense. This is just an adolescent, and it’s still a bit ungainly and awkward, but it has the potential to develop beautifully in the bottle. Unique and wonderful, but a little challenging in its youth: this will merit a higher rating in time, I’m sure. 93/100

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from jamie goode’s wine blog http://www.wineanorak.com:/wineblog/spain/lopez-de-heredia-vina-tondonia-reserva-blanco-2004

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Where preference fails, and why giving people what they want can be elitist

Try this: you might like it!

It’s common to see market research on wine where people are given samples and asked which they prefer. The common implication of these studies is that the wine trade should give people what they prefer. Producers should discover peoples’ preferences, and then use this information to shape their offering. Get more people drinking wine by giving them what we think they want.

But I think this is a mistake. If I’m going into a food or drink category where I have little expertise, I don’t want people to ask me what I prefer. Instead, I want to ask the questions. I’m the one learning, after all. I want to ask: what should I like and why? Which are the authentic products? Then, armed with this information, I can make informed choices. I may decide I prefer some over others, but I realise that some of the most interesting foods and drinks have flavours that I will, initially, find challenging, but which I may grow to like.

A criticism levelled at the approach I’m proposing is that it’s elitist. Some reckon that if novice consumers prefer sweet wines in a market research exercise, we should be selling them sweet wines because it’s their preference. But if the wine industry lets mass market consumers dictate wine style, it will be a disaster.

Of course, I am not advocating forcing people to drink wines that they don’t enjoy. Rather, I’m suggesting we give everyone a chance to try the authentic products, rather than saying you won’t like the real thing, so we’ll give you what we think you might cope with, an ersatz sweetened-up, accessible version. That’s really elitist: keeping the best for ourselves but giving the masses something their unadventurous, safe palates can cope with.

By doing this, we are saying that quality products that have a senses of place are too complex and serious for normal people.

I don’t want to force my tastes on anyone else. But I do want to encourage people to be adventurous and try drinking interesting wine. I want to ignite curiosity in them. Years ago, someone did that for me: they steered me away from supermarket versions of famous wines towards the real things, and that set me on my journey.

Rather than ask people who are new to wine what they prefer, my message is this: here’s a magical world that I stumbled upon, and I think you might like it too!

from jamie goode’s wine blog http://www.wineanorak.com:/wineblog/uncategorized/where-preference-fails-and-why-giving-people-what-they-want-can-be-elitist

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Two superb Kiwi Chardonnays: Black Estate Home and Tony Bish Golden Egg

Just been for a short break in Akaroa, and tried a couple of very nice Chardonnays. One was from Tony Bish, long-time Hawke’s Bay winemaker with Sacred Hill who has begun making wines under his own label – and this one is fermented and matured in concrete eggs. The second is from Black Estate in the Waipara, North Canterbury, and this is the second time I’ve had this wine in the last few weeks. It’s not expensive, either.

Tony Bish Golden Egg Chardonnay 2015 Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
13.5% alcohol. This is lovely. It’s rich but fresh with some peachy, spicy depth, some pear skin bite, and bright citrus notes, with a lovely fine grained, stony texture. There’s a really nice finish here, too. Very fine: the effect of the egg on the texture is really apparent. 93/100

Black Estate Home Chardonnay 2016 North Canterbury, New Zealand
Lively and vital with nuts, spice, lemon and pineapple notes all adding complexity. Lovely acidity here with focus and purity. Complex and delicious with real potential. 94/100

Find these wines with wine-searcher.com

from jamie goode’s wine blog http://www.wineanorak.com:/wineblog/new-zealand/two-superb-kiwi-chardonnays-black-estate-home-and-tony-bish-golden-egg

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2017 in pictures (4)

October saw the New Wave South Africa tasting in London. It was a brilliant event with lots of energy, and some great folk in attendance.

Eben Sadie looked smarter than usual when he presented a vertical tasting of his wines!

Also in October, I spent a week in Japan. It was a chance to give a lecture, host some tastings, learn more about sake, and to explore the Japanese wine scene. And, of course, eat some amazing food. I loved it.

Pancake Rocks

After Japan, I hopped over to New Zealand for a quick west coast holiday with Nat. It’s a beautiful place, and it was the first time I’d been there. We had a day of rain, but also a bit of sun.

Then it was straight off to Montreal, where I was talking in a conference, followed by a few days exploring the vibrant food and drink scene in this lovely city. Above: Dave McMillan and Vanya Filipovic of Joes Beef/Vin Papillon/Liverpool House.

Pedro Parra

Pedro Parra talking at the Tasting Climate Change conference.

Then it was off to Prince Edward County to take in a few days of harvest with Norman Hardie

Tasting with Norman Hardie

Also in November, a trip to Plaimont Producteurs in southwest France. Above: they are digging up some archaeological remains in front of the cathedral at Auch.

Olivier Bourdet-Pees explains the pre-phylloxera vineyard in Saint Mont

Plaimont are doing some great things, and one of the thrills was tasting a wine made from a pre-phylloxera vineyard in Saint-Mont that they’d identified and restored.

Charles Metcalfe and Oz Clarke, co-chairs

November is also Tranche 1 of the International Wine Challenge. A fun week of judging with good colleagues.

Then straight after, Nat and I headed to the Jura and Burgundy for a quick bus-person’s holiday. We visited Ganevat!

And we drank Ganevat in Lyon on my birthday!

In Burgundy we did some visits, including Tonellerie Mercurey to see barrels being made.

The new red wine cellar at Faiveley is quite stunning!

Then back in London for a birthday bash at Winemakers Club, with some great folk.

The Awatere Valley, Marlborough

Then it was off to New Zealand for 68 days! My first hot Christmas. It’s where I am now, and there’s much more to come about this. It has been quite a year, and it has been good to pause to catch some breath.

from jamie goode’s wine blog http://www.wineanorak.com:/wineblog/uncategorized/2017-in-pictures-4

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2017 in pictures (3)

Continuing the summing up of 2017 in pictures, July saw some cross-Atlantic action. First of all, Niagara, Canada, for the international cool climate chardonnay conference, 14C. This was my second time here, and it’s a great event, bringing together trade and consumers to celebrate Chardonnay in all its forms.

The Friday night Flights of Chardonnay event at Niagara Airport was a huge success.

We also went to Prince Edward County, where our visit to Hinterland included some crossbow action with Jonas. Here it is Magdalena Kaiser’s turn.

The Szabos brunching at Ravine.

Norman Hardie sporting his Joe Beef t-shirt and serving us his famous pizza.

Straight from i4C to the event it is loosely modelled on, the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC) in McMinnville, Oregon. I managed to catch up with Jason Lett for a tasting first.

Eric Asimov and Larry Stone

Rajat Parr: the best table to sit at during IPNC is the one Raj is on!

A great tasting at Brooks, looking at their Pinot Noirs and Rieslings.

The IPNC salmon bake: a famous event, even if there’s a bit of a scramble to secure tables (it’s free seating). Everyone brings great bottles and shares them.

IPNC tasting on the lawn at Linfield College, which is a great venue.

I also spent a day in Portland, which is such a fun city. Watch Portlandia: the dream of the 90s is alive in Portland.

A quick four day holiday in Kuala Lumpa was great fun. A visit to the famous Batu caves with its resident monkey population was one highlight.

Sharif, Pie, Natalie and me

Drinking with new friends Pie and Sharif! At Fuego in Troika Sky Dining, a super spot.

TexSom in August. A superb event. As well as speaking, I went to lots of fun seminars, including a brilliant one where Francis Percival (cheese) and Melissa Monosoff (beer) collaborated to make some super pairings.

Carnuntum vineyards

August also took me to Austria, for a couple of great tastings. First of all, we went to Carnuntum, and tried lots of local wines.

Grafenegg castle

Then we went to the Erste Lagen tasting of Riesling and Gruner Veltliner from Kampala, Kremstal, Thermenregion, Wagram and Traisental.

We also caught a concert by the Czech Philharmonic. It was great fun.

September took me to Portugal, where I attended the Baga Friends event in Bairrada. We had a memorable dinner in the elaborate and slightly crazy Buçaco Palace. We also tasted a lot of great Baga.

An old vineyard of Dirk Niepoort’s that makes amazing wines.

The master, Dirk Niepoort.

Luis Pato!

Terracotta at Filipa Pato’s place.

Edgardo and Paz

September also took me to Argentina to judge the Wines of Argentina Awards. Above, I’m with Paz Levinson and Edy del Poplo in a remarkable vineyard in Gualtallary.

Empanadas!

The judges and trophy winners

I Taste Red won a Roederer Award! This was such a thrill.

Then I went to Canada, to do some speaking gigs and also to taste some wine. Ontario is making some great stuff these days.

Chardonnay in Niagara, ripening under bird nets.

I had a great tasting with Thomas Bachelder at Queylus.

Martini, Pink Moon Saloon

Then it was off to South Australia, to visit wineries and attend the Gourmet Traveller winemaker of the year event.

Here’s Chester Osborn of d’Arenbeg and his remarkable cube.

Old vineyard in the McLaren Vale that Steve Pannell makes his amazing Koomilya wines from.

Taras Ochota! I love the Ochota Barrels wines that Taras and Amber are making in the Adelaide Hills with fruit sources across South Australia.

Tommy Shobbrook! Such good wines, from his winery in the Barossa.

And Carlos won!

One more instalment of 2017 in pictures to come…

from jamie goode’s wine blog http://www.wineanorak.com:/wineblog/uncategorized/2017-in-pictures-3

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