This week there’s news of a top tipples, wine kiosks, books and the struggle one wine region faces.
Château Reysson
THE game season is set to kick off in a few weeks and what better things to pair only great food with great wine and Bordeaux wine producer Dourthe produces an ideal match from its Château Reysson estate in the Haut-Médoc using equal amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
The magnificent 2005 vintage from this property punches well above its Crus Bourgeois status at a very affordable price.
Heady aromas of juicy blackberries and cedar on the nose are complemented with spicy, black cherry flavours on the palate. A silky texture and rich earthy flavours find a perfect partner in game, and grouse in particular.
2005 Château Reysson is currently available at Tesco at circa €15.99 a bottle
Wine Kiosks
IN OTHER wine world news, Decanter reports that for the first time in the US, Pennsylvania shoppers are buying wine from automated wine kiosks.
The kiosks, two of which have been installed in the town of Harrisburg, hold up to 53 different wines under temperature-controlled conditions.
With some of the most stringent alcohol purchasing laws in the US, Pennsylvania authorities require that the kiosks verify customer age before purchase.
Customers must insert their ID to prove their age and a built-in breathalyser takes instant readings.
Until now in Pennsylvania, alcohol has been sold in state-owned wine and spirits shops under the authority of the state’s liquor control board, but kiosks will be installed in regular supermarkets for customer convenience.
Wine Opus
Do you want to drink good wine, but don’t know what to buy? Do you know what you like, but want to explore new horizons?
The Wine Opus harnesses the talent and opinions of a new generation of young wine writers to help you choose the best wines. Over 30 specialists have selected the 4,000 best wineries in the world and their trophy wines. Read their recommendations, from the Rhône to Rioja, from Napa to New Zealand, and from the Mosel to Mendoza in Argentina, and you will never buy bad wine again.
If you enjoy drinking good wine, The Wine Opus gives you the names you need to know and introduces you to the new world of wine. Published by DK publishing house, the Wine Opus will be available from good book stores in September.
NZ region feels the pinch
REPORTS have filtered through the world of wine that several wineries based in New Zealand’s Marlborough have gone into receivership, with indications that more may follow.
Earlier this month, Decanter reported that Cape Campbell Wines and its affiliate companies, Brown Sorensen Vineyards and the Brown Family Trust, went into voluntary receivership, owing creditors millions of dollars.
The wine news publishers said that PricewaterhouseCoopers, which has been appointed to manage Cape Campbell’s assets, said the three entities had liabilities totalling between $10m and $12m. He said he was unsure whether the company would continue to trade or be liquidated.
Last month, Awatere Vineyard Estates, a large contract grower owned by Auckland-based Barry Sutton, was put into receivership in addition to the Marlborough wine company Gravitas.
David Cox, European director of the New Zealand Wine Growers Association, said that growers had been hit hardest by the strong New Zealand dollar.
“For some (not all) of those wineries who are exporting Sauvignon Blanc, this has been compounded by the oversupply of Sauvignon Blanc from the large 2008 and 2009 vintages which has had an adverse effect on some export prices”, he added.
He added that “the 2010 vintage has come in at a reduced tonnage (263,000 tonnes versus 285,000 tonnes in 2009) and yields were down.
“As a result, export prices have already started to rise to more profitable levels and the requirement to deplete excess stock is diminishing quickly.”
