Beaucastel CNDP

I was recently reminded of how amazing Beaucastel CNDP is. Decant for at least two hours, use a deep open wine glass (even a cab sav size) and enjoy. For those who haven't heard of Beaucastel CNDP, over to the critics...


Beaucastel is a pillar of quality in the Southern Rhone, producing wines of the highest quality in that region. The brothers that run this operation have followed their father's insistence of a high proportion of Mouvedre in their wines – something that gives them a unique appeal. Typically high in tannin and savoury aromas, Beaucastel produce wines for the long term.  
Bordeaux Index


One of the great estates of the Rhone Valley, 
Robert Parker




Nose of black berries, truffles&  licorice. The tannins were described by RP as "sweet tannic". Its full-bodied and extraordinarily complex. 2007 is so damn delicious im kicking myself i only bought 2 cases. 2000 is even better. At any price this wine is to be sampled. 

Gulfi Tasting, Sicilian Wines

Estate/Chateau: Gulfi Wines, 

Location; Mt Enta Region, Silicy, Italy

Price Range: 10-40euro

Notable wines: Nerobaronj 2007

Overall Impression: Excellent. From the entry level whites to deeply tannic classic cru bold reds - very impressive

Valcanzrija 2010 Sicilia I.G.T. Bianco

Chardonnay, Carricante, Albanello, cultivated by spalliera (modified alberello with 8300 vines per hectare). Great entry  level wine

Carjcanti 2009 Sicilia I.G.T. Bianco

A blend of native Carricante and Albanello, autochthonous white grapes which have been cultivated for centuries on Mount Iblea in the province of Ragusa.

 

Rossojbleo 2010 Sicilia I.G.T. Rosso

A simple red wine, best consumed young; another way of expressing the Nero d'Avola Production area: Chiaramonte Gulfi (Ragusa).

  

Cerasuolo Di Vittoria D.O.C.G. 2010

Frappato, “Calarvisi” (Nero d'Avola) A simple red wine, best consumed young; a typical terroir-driven expression Accompaniments: This light, great fragrance and young wine, is a good red aperitif that matches very well with all the fish-dishes in witch tomato sauce is present. Very well flavour-balanced with all the Mediterranean herbs preparation. 

Nerojbleo 1999

A warm, solar red, with the striking characteristics of wine produced from the renown Nero'd'Avola, the Sicilian grape variety which has been cultivated for centuries on Mount Iblea in the province of Ragusa.

Nerobaronj 2007 I.G.T. Nero d'Avola

A classic cru of the Nero d'Avola grape variety of Pachino. Production area: Val di Noto, the territory between the communes of Pachino and Noto in southeastern Sicily

"The 2007 Nerobaronj is one of the more focused wines in this lineup. It shows gorgeous freshness and vibrancy in a tightly-wound, mineral driven style. Red fruits, flowers and sweet spices emerge reluctantly from this mid-weight, energetic wine. Another year or two should help the tannins soften. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024." 92/100 eRobertParker 

Nerosanlore 2007 I.G.T. Nero d'Avola

A cru of the Nero d'Avola grape variety with floral characteristics. Production area : Val di Noto, between Pachino and Noto.

Reseca 2006 Sicilia I.G.T. Rosso

A classic red still wine of the Etna area. The particular volcanic soil and the local high hill climate, marked by relevant day-night temperature swing, confer to this cru the unique and unmistakable flavours and mouthfeel typical of the Etnean wines. Definitely the wine of the evening. 

Bordeaux Wine Tasting Christmas 2011

Value (Price/Taste) - list of taste versus price. How much more would YOU need to pay for the taste to justify the price? 

1.     Chateau D'Yquem 2006 (70Euro/glass)

2.     Smith Haut Lafitte 2005 (180euro btl restaurant price)

3.     Leoville Poyferre 2006 (75 euro retail price)

4.     Domaine D'Estoublon 2007 (Blc) (60 euro btl restaurant price)

5.     Beaumont 2008 (10 euro retail price)

6.     Mouton Rothschild 2003 (650euro retail price)

7.     Chateau Bouscaut 2008 (12/glass)

8.     Chateau Giscour 2007 

9.     Chateau Carbonnieux  2008 (12/glass)

10. Chateau La Louviere  2008

11. Château Haut-Bailly 2008

12. Pape Clement 2007 - personally wouldnt buy it at any price. (70 euro retail price)

13. Malartic Lagraviere (Blc) 13/glass)

Taste - purely based on taste
Mouton Rothschild 2003 - very complex owing to the blend of Cab Franc, Pertit Verdot, Cab Sav and Merlot.
Smith Haut Lafitte 2005
Leoville Poyferre 2006 - quite exceptional nose but needs longer to mature



* Wines were enjoyed over Christmas weekend 2011 throughout some chateaus  and restaurants in Bordeaux.

Red Wine Gems by Toby Webb

http://redwinegems.blogspot.com/

Italian Gems

Avignonesi
Vino Nobile di Montep. DOCG Ris. "Grandi Annate"
2006
Tasted at http://www.negozioclassica.co.uk/eng-vini-rossi.htm
Notting Hill, London
Tasting Notes: Vanilla, lavender and what i can only be described as caramel. Noise is deeply intense with a fabulous tannic structure
Cost: about 50Euros per  bottle.

Begali (Veneto)
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC
2008

Tasted at http://www.negozioclassica.co.uk/eng-vini-rossi.htm
Notting Hill, London
Tasting Notes: Ill come back to this another time, but this was a-m-a-z-i-n-g

Cost about 45 Euros bottle

Gulfi -

Favourite White Wines

• Dom. Noblet 2009 Pouilly Fuisse 
• Bret 2007 Pouilly Fuisse
• Mas de Daumas Gassac 2009 White  - great fruity taste, low on acid, perhaps a little too fruity for some. Great summer wine
• Domaine D'Estoublon 2007

Sensational Sicily

Location: Marsala, Sicily, Italy.

Food: Sicilian, Seafood

Standout meals: Risotto al Nero di Seppie, Gnocchi, Cassata Siciliana

Dinning Style: Casual, local Sicilian

Cost: 200Euro for 4 people (including copious wine)
Reason to go back: Hospitality, food, selection of local wines, value for money.
Wow rating: wowwwwwwwwww

Sapori di Sole is the perfect Italian dinning experience. Its a small and simple, but tastefully decorated restaurant nestled in one of the  narrow, cobblestone streets in the small fishing town of Marsala, Sicily.


We stumbled across the restaurant on a Saturday afternoon well into the siesta time. During Siesta, the options for a legitimate lunch are generally scarce, with most shops and stores doors shuttered and padlocked. Even with the lure of an afternoon siesta the owners welcomed us with the doors to their restaurant swung wide open.  This was the beginning of a fabulous dinning experience. Imagine being invited into an Italian families home; mamma is the head chief, pappa the manager and son, Valerio the waiter. 

We mused over the menu for a short time and then opted to ask Valerio for his recommendations. He quickly referred to mamma, who suggested the Risotto al Nero di Seppie (blank ink squid risotto), home made gnocchi and  a selection of local fish.  Thinking back to my last risotto moment in Trinque Terra, Italy, I opted for the risotto. For me this is a risky choice, a restaurant will live and die on whether this dish is great. Along with mozzarella di bufala, its my culinary nirvana.


Fortunately, this Risotto fulfilled my lofty expectations. Even more fortunately, everyone else's entrées were just as good as mine. Given the entrée experience, we left the remainder of the ordering to Valerio. He didn't disappoint with a selection of fresh local fish, busiata (local Western Sicilian pasta) and salads. Rounding off a superb meal, two group members chose the Cassata Siciliana, while the other two wish they had! 


Two words, "culinary nirvana". 


Three words, "i'll be back"

Culinary Nirvana

What is it? Last updated 29th December 2011 Oven Baked Foie Gras

Culinary, the art of preparing and cooking foods.

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"Nirvāna, the highest happiness", the Supreme Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama.

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Culinary nirvana, the highest form of happiness attributable to eating. When a dish is so expertly prepared you dream about it, you want to relive it, you talk about it as, "that moment...". Every time you see "that dish" on a menu you either order it straight away and hope for the best; or you avoid it, accepting it will never be the same as "that moment". Your expectations become so great that a great attempt isn't quiet good enough.

My culinary nirvana list...

Last updated 29th December 2011

Mozarella di Bufala -  but only in Naples, Italy.

Tuna Carpaccio - Favignana, Italy

CoalFish - Mathias Dahlgren Matbaren, Stockholm, Sweden

Risotto al Nero di Seppia - Sapori di Sole, Marsala, Sicily, Italy

Cromesquis de foie gras des Landes bouillon de chataignes et truffes, La Grand' Vigne, Smith Haut Lafitte, Bordeaux, France. 

Which wines for investment? Bordeaux en premier.

Strategy 1 - Bordeaux en premier.  This is a five plus year strategy, stick with the historic winners.


The key points:


1) Choose the most traded wines. According to Livex some of the most heavily traded wines include:

Angelus, Cos d'Estournel, Pichon Lalande, Pavie, Leoville Las Cases, Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Haut Brion, Latour, Mouton Rothschild, Petrus, Margaux, Lafite Rothschild, Lynch Bages

Check out of the historic returns of each wine. While history will not guarantee similar future returns, it is an excellent indicator as to which wines are an investment class.

2) Choose only a reputable wine merchant. Choose a company which has traded actively for more than just a handful of years and preferably one with a physical shop or warehouse. This will limit your risk of falling foul to wine fraudsters. 


Companies House, in the UK, has a searchable registry of companies and, for a small price, you can see more comprehensive information like the companies last annual return. Some reputable wine merchants in the UK are Berry Bros & Rudd and Fine and Rare Wines


3) Choose great vintages over mediocre ones. While Bordeaux will produce high quality wines each year, you want to choose a stand out vintage. Consumers of fine wine know the best years and demand these accordingly. The easiest way to determine the best vintages is to refer to wine experts like Robert Parker or Jancis Robinson.


4) Choose a professional storage facility. Storing your wines in a professional facility not only ensures they age well and drink well,  but will also maximise your sale price. Buyers will only purchase wine stored properly - and with proper paperwork. Sotheby’s auction house suggest without the proper paperwork – without provenance – a case of wine can lose 30% of its value.


This means storing your investment grade Bordeaux in a wooden rack next to the fridge is tantamount to heresy. Even if you investment in a professional home storage wine fridge, how can you prove it was kept in optimum conditions?


Happy investing...


My winners for 2009 Bordeaux were:


Wine                                 Cost on Return 12 months 
La Fleur Petrus               107.60% 
Hosanna                          221% 
Lynch Bages                   36.70%  


My losers:


Clarence Haut Brion      -6.70%
Cos d'Estournel            4.30%  

Like all investments there are risks and research will only mitigate, not eliminate, this risk. Even if you don't make a decent return, the worst that can happen is you have to drink it!

Strategy 2 - Pick the lower RP scores

Stylish, Sumptuous Sweden

Location: Grand Hotel, Stockholm, Sweden

Name: Mathias Dahlgren Matbaren.

Food:  2 Star Michelin

Standout meals: Coalfish

Dinning Style: Formal

Cost: 1100 Euro for 3 people

If i hadnt had the coalfish i would have been disappointed. this one meal saved the evening for me. The entire experience was great. Id definitely recommend this experience.