Rafael Palacios does not need any introduction among Spanish wine lovers. Considered to be among the best white wine makers in the whole of Spain, if not the best, he began his new wine project in Valdeorras in 2004 using the Godello grape which is an indigenous white grape variety of the Valdeorras region of Galicia. The Godello grape is a stunning variety that has been rescued and is now attracting a lot of attention. Rafael Palacios recognised the grapes' potential has been making wines which are the perfect expression of the quality of this grape variety. I met Rafael last weekend at a wine tasting organised by Belgian importer La Buena Vida and asked him what it means to be the 'best' white winemaker in Spain. "That's a very big statement," he tells me. "I am very happy to work with the Godello grape and I am extremely happy and proud that I have found my passion. That is important and that motivates me to continue to work to make better wines." Rafael is the youngest … [Read more...]
A tasting of Grafé Lecocq wines
The tasting room beneath the Court of Justice in Namur (Photo by Manu Crooy)When we visited Grafé Lecocq to discover the story behind this Belgian wine 'negociant' that ages wines within the citadel of Namur and then stores the bottles under the cathedral of this Belgian city, we were surprised by the quality of the wine we tasted. Not that we should have been, the winemaker had come highly recommended. But what made the discovery so surprising was the purity of the wines and the winemaker's attention to let the terroir speak for itself. It might sound like a cliché but trust us it isn't. The wines of Grafé Lecocq would be a perfect way to test your knowledge of wines because they reflect a typicity which is not often found these days as many wine producers pander to wine critics who sometimes prefer power and oak over anything else. And I want to stress this in a positive way because I found the wines (even the entry level ones) to reflect the terroir from where they … [Read more...]
Inside the cellars of Grafé Lecocq in Namur: A winemaker like no other
Within the citadel of Namur, the Belgian city that provides a gateway to the Ardennes, lies a tunnel that for more than sixty years has been quietly ageing the wines of one of Belgium's leading wine 'negociants'. The conditions for holding up to 1,200 oak barrels are near perfect. Temperature is constant between 11C and 12C and the humidity reaches over 90% in these tunnels. Bernard Grafé, the CEO of Grafé Lecocq, took me to visit the impressive cellars within the Namur citadel and explains the story behind this incredible wine house. After our visit to the tunnels inside the Namur citadel, he takes me to the cellars of the Namur cathedral and the Courts of Justice, just opposite the house from where the business had started 130 years ago. There he shows me over 500 square metres of storage space with ideal and stable temperatures where the bottles are aged before they are distributed. The cellars have been used pretty much since the business started and had been built to … [Read more...]
What we’ve been drinking (December)
December is characterised by many long lunches and dinners with family and friends. There is a certain tendency in these cold winter months to switch to red wines, particularly full-bodied reds which are perfect companions to the typical winter dishes served over Christmas. But then, there is nothing like a good white wine to pair with fish dishes particularly when you have spent the Christmas period in Malta and the fish and shellfish are mouthwatering fresh. White wines Trimbach Riesling Reserve 2011: I tend to have a personal preference for German Rieslings although there are some Alsace winemakers which I consider at a par with Germany's best, if not better. Trimbach is one such wine house and this Riesling Reserve was excellent. It is a dry white wine with concentrated fruits while being light. It was ripe, supple and rich yet very dry. It had excellent minerality and a saline finish. This is a Riesling that can get better with age. Pascal Jolivet: Pouilly-Fume 2012: … [Read more...]
Tenute Dettori: Letting nature do the work to produce stunning wines
When I visited Vini Birre Ribelli I must admit that the wines of Tenute Dettori caught me by complete surprise. The winery from Sardegna produces only 45,000 bottles. I had read about their wines a few years ago and knew that they were good but had never come across their wines or tasted them. The tasting therefore was all the more surprising. Paolo Dettori explained the story of this winery to us as we tasted his exceptional wines. There is minimal intervention both during the grape growing and also in the wine making process. At one point I asked him whether he used oak for any of his wines and he said quite strongly and proudly that the wines only make contact with cement/glass and are never aged in oak. The winery prides itself with being as much in tune with nature as possible. Electrical energy in the winery is only used for de-stemming and for the bottling equipment. The pruning, grape stems and pomade are all returned to the earth. They have also reduced the weight of the … [Read more...]
Azienda Agricola COS: A Sicilian winemaker with a difference
Azienda Agricola COS, founded in 1980, is one of Sicily's most well known wineries. Few, however are aware that their wines are natural wines which are extremely low in sulphites and are mainly aged in amphoras (see above photo) like in the old days. I met one of the winemakers of COS, Giusto Occhipinti, at the Vini Birre Ribelli fair organised in Brussels for the first time this weekend, tasting all their wines and discovering what makes them different from other winemakers in Italy and the world. This was the first stand I visited and what was immediately distinct is that unlike common practice they recommend that you start the tasting with the red wines to be followed by their two white wines, because as they say, the white wines are made in a similar fashion to the red wines and hence have a distinct character. But before I report on the tasting, a bit about the story of this Sicilian winemaker from Vittoria, a small Sicilian village in the South East of … [Read more...]
A reader sends us two wine horror stories in restaurants
A few weeks ago we wrote about wine mistakes that are often made in restaurants. This has been one of the most popular posts on the website. A reader, who we know to be an avid wine lover, has sent us two of his wine horror stories which are all the more scary because they happened in two highly reputable restaurants. We know the names of the places in question but we are opting not to mention them because our aim is to raise awareness about these mistakes and to ensure that more attention is given to wine service in restaurants. Do not hesitate to share your stories with us. Story #1 : It was a special occasion and our reader and his wife went to a highly reputed restaurant for lunch. "We had a look at the menu and I had seen that I could have as a starter a "tranche de foie gras cru accompagné d'un verre de Sauternes". The name of the wine figured on the list, but I cannot unfortunately remember exactly which one it was. So, when the sommelier came over to ask … [Read more...]
What we’ve been drinking last month (October)
It has been a busy month for Food and Wine Gazette. We ended up missing Megavino, the largest wine event in Brussels because we opted to go to Chef Sache in Cologne on the same weekend. At the start of the month, we tasted some great wines from Tuscany at Saveurs de Toscanes. This always proves to be a very interesting event and one where you meet some small producers which you would not normally otherwise come across. So here is a list of wines which I particularly enjoyed last month. White Wine Rietsch Entre Chien et Loup Auxerrois 2013 (Alsace): A very approachable white wine from Alsace. Very low in sulphites and a biodynamic wine, this surprised for its freshness and balance. Great on the nose with citrus aromas it is a highly recommended wine. Red Wine Giovanni Chiappini Felciano 2013 (Bolgheri, Tuscany): A great value Red wine from Bolgheri. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese, this is still young but already approachable. It has an intense … [Read more...]
Megavino – the biggest wine event in Belgium this weekend
The 16th edition of the biggest wine event in the Benelux opens in Brussels this weekend. Starting from Friday 24th October to Monday 27th October, Megavino is a must for any wine lover. Last year there were 368 exhibitors from 32 wine producing countries. The event welcomed over 27,000 visitors including around 5,000 professionals. The event is held at the Brussels Expo. This year, the wines of Portugal will be the guest of honour though visitors will be able to taste wines from most of the wine regions in the world. Another eye catcher is the pavilion of Madeira, an autonomous island of Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean which will be present for the first time at this event. Spain, last year’s guest of honour, will be well represented with the most important Belgian importers and about 24 bodegas from different Spanish regions presenting their wines for the first time on the Belgian market. There will also be the Cava Institute and the region of Navarra with a real tapas … [Read more...]
Three women turn their passion for wine into successful professional lives
Elisabetta Tosi - Guest Post From time to time, we bring you content which we particularly like from elsewhere. In this case, you will find this story by Elisabetta Tosi which featured on Palate Press particularly interesting. It features three Italian women in the wine world and their story. When we talk about Italian wines, we usually talk about the men behind them, but in doing so we forget that the Italian wine world is made up of both men and women. This time, let me speak about three young women who were able to turn their passions for wine into successful professional lives; I know each one of them personally, and I would like to relate their individual adventures. Each one has a different approach, yet each is always a positive force in this world.Laura Albertini produces Valpolicella wines from her 4.5 hectares (11 acres) of vineyards at Tierra de Pietra. Originally she studied accounting but she was unhappy amidst papers and documents. Since her childhood, part of … [Read more...]