Cantina Giacomo Conterno “Paulée” with Roberto Conterno

Back in May I made the annual trip to see Roberto Conterno and taste the new releases at Cantina Giacomo Conterno along with a few other wines (I love my job) you can read about that trip HERE.

One of the things we discussed with Roberto and his, ever helpful, assistant Stephanie was getting them over to London, this we finalised while we were out there, setting dates for July. They had a very busy time while they were here and I have briefly put notes at the bottom of this post about the wines we showed at a press lunch and a private customer dinner.

One of the main things I wanted to do, with not a hint of self interest you understand (much!), was to get some customers together for a small (we were 12 people) Paulee at 67 Pall Mall. The team there, headed by Gareth, did a great job with endless Zalto Burgundy glasses and lots of pouring.

The team in the kitchen did exactly as asked and came up with a simple and non-clashing menu as below. In the nicest possible way I don't think we even noticed the food much!

Fillet of beef Carpaccio, rocket, capers and sourdough croutons

Somerset organic spelt and girolle risotto

Fillet of beef Wellington with beef dripping roasties

Girolles on toast

People were asked to bring along a magnum or two bottles of a wine of Roberto's. I did a little bit of "steering" on the selections and we came up with a cracking combo.

As the guests assembled we started with some Wiston Blanc de Blancs 2010 which is drinking very well right now, a nice combination of zip and a little toastiness showing, the sort of thing I will regret not tucking a few bottles aside of to see what it is like in 5 years or so.

Flight 1 - "Nobody puts Barbera in the corner"
Ok so that's a naff title for a flight but as Roberto never tires of saying "you are not opening a bottle of Barbera or Barolo of even Monfortino...you are opening a bottle of CONTERNO". The Barberas are given every bit of love and attention that the Barolos are and I would say (well I would wouldn't I) that the Conterno Barberas are the most consistently high quality you will find anywhere. I wanted to use this as a chance to show not only the two sites but two different stages of evolution:

Barbera Cascina Francia 2008 - this is a wine I know very well, moreish and becoming more savoury, good mellow grip and dark but not deep fruit. There is a lot of balance here, pretty seamless. Quite serious as Francia always is.

Barbera Cerretta 2012 - this is, like 2008 above, from a cooler, more classically Nebbiolo vintage. The vibrancy of the violets and dark cherry fruit is superb. If I was to drink any Conterno without food as an "aperitif" it would be Cerretta Barbera. Cool stoney minerality seems to get in there too.

Flight 2 - two by two...
So this is a cracking way to get to know two sites. I was keen to show these as they are two different vintages and then the two sites. The site differences showed very clearly. The vintages did too but a little less so. I think this is often the case with great producers.

Barolo Cerretta 2010 Magnum - this is the first Barolo from the site, 2008 and 2009 both being released as Langhe Nebbiolo (the 2008 is stunning right now!). This has a super-charged feel, rich and fruited and with a big structure, there is density and concentration here, lusciousness even sucrosity. This will be fascinating to follow.

Barolo Cascina Francia 2010 Magnum - my note for this features the word "serious" twice. There is a density but this is a linear wine, with drive and poise. I like this a great deal, it is just as I would want it to be, introvert, saline, tight and proper.

Barolo Cerretta 2011 Magnum - this really typifies Cerretta for me, it is friendly and approachable, begs to be drunk. Sweetness and succulence. There is a very Nebbiolo character but also a warm vintage intensity. If you own this it would be a great shame not to try it in youth.

Barolo Cascina Francia 2011 Magnum - my note just starts "Superb wine". Delicious fruit, good grip and drive that makes this less overt than the Cerretta. Reassuringly savoury and grippy but with fruit that roles over the tannin, great balance to the nose, red, black, soil and salinity. You can really sense the input of what would have been the Monfortino barrel.

It was every bit as good a flight as I hoped, as expected the 2011s are showing more now but the 2010s would appear to have it all.

Flight 2

Flight 3 - One site, four vintages... 

If I was asked to name my favourite vineyard, from a pure drinking perspective it may very well be Cascina Francia. Now planted to 9hectares of Nebbiolo (to give you a perspective Clos de Tart is a little over 7 hectares and La Tache is around 5hectares) and 5hectares of Barbera.

Barolo Cascina Francia 2008 Magnum - I am a massive fan of 2008. I really feel that those who may have bought Barolo in 2004 and 2010 (the most lauded vintages) but not 2006 and 2008 have made a mistake. 2008 is a vintage of sweetness and elegant feminity but with no lack of classicism, 2006 is the older brother to 2008, grip and texture, a wine of sternness and complexity. Roberto was very interesting on the 2008 as a growing season mainly because there was a seven-day spell towards the end of September when the temperature fell to zero...this was about a month ahead of the Nebbiolo harvest. Somehow this seems to have left wines with less obvious tannin but no lack of complexity. This wine is a lovely example of Cascina Francia, fruited but not overly so, red bramble like hints with brine and leather grip in there.

Barolo Cascina Francia 1994 - this was "gone", badly stored I am guessing, like bovril and PX sherry then tobacco leaf. It is a wine I have had before, a few years ago, it is ok but not much more. In Roberto's own words "from 1995 it is pretty difficult to find bad vintages".

Barolo Cascina Francia 1990 - A wine I know pretty well and last had with Roberto when I visited back in May. It is also a wine I have had a few other times over the last 5 years. Saline, soy, degraded darker fruit and some bacon fat are real signatures of this wine. We did while tasting this superb wine get onto talking about 1989 vs 1990 and I remarked that I'd never had the 1989. There was also no Monfortino in 1989 which would seem odd for a vintage that many label as a comfortable 5stars. The reason is that only 4000 bottles of Barolo was made from the Cascina Francia vineyard due to a hailstorm. It remains I wine I crave to try.

Monfortino 1955 - now this is an experience and one I have had a couple of times before. Notably here during a splendid lunch. This was good showing. From 20 years (ok 19) before the Cascina Francia site was bought. Frazzles, bricky, briney nose with richness. There were a couple of funny conversations over this wine but the over-riding memory was that Roberto simply commented how totally ludicrous his predecessors would have found the idea of people in London enjoying this wine nearly 61 years after it was made!

Flight 4 - Mighty Monfortino...for now and for later...
Monfortino is an iconic wine in the correct sense of the word i.e. because it has proved itself to be a beacon for Barolo and not because the estate or someone in marketing department calls it such a thing. Iconic status can be difficult as it comes with expectation. I genuinely believe that the Monfortinos of the last 15 years (01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 08, 10 & 13*) are amongst the greatest. * The 2013 will be just Monfortino (i.e. no Barolo Cascina Francia), a move not seen since 2002. Simply put, the quality is that good.

Monfortino 2004 - one of only about 5 or 6 wines I have given a perfect or near perfect 20 out of 20 to. That was when I tasted it at the estate back in May 2011. It is a wine I have had a few times since and it is profoundly good. Such drive and persistence, grace and at the same time fathomless structure. It has red fruit as well, no deep dark monster just a great wine. I wouldn't change a thing about it.

Monfortino 1999 - a slightly volatile example compared to the ones that the note below refers to. The was good, rich and full with a lot of salinity.

Monfortino 1997 Magnum - This is a cracking example of a mature Monfortino. It has soy and a little ginger as well as nicely degraded fruits. Of the Monfortinos from the last 30 years this is the one to drink right now. I think it will age well but why would you?

Monfortino 1995 - This is a leaner vintage for me, not quite the round degraded elements that you can find in the 1997. A little stricter. I have a feeling it will make a good older wine, I have nothing but gut feel to base that on. 

It was a wonderful evening - to get the chance to sit and discuss this many wines with Roberto and hear the passion was incredible. I'll leave you with one comment from Roberto, said in the most heartfelt way imaginable "We do not make wines for other people, it is only in making wines for us that satisfy us, that we can be satisfied, that is what drives us".

All that really remains is, as ever, to thank Roberto (and Stephanie) for the time, energy and wonderful wines...I am looking forward to my next trip to the Langhe already!

A great nights work!

----

Also in the same visit we hosted both a press lunch at the office and a dinner at Sartoria in Mayfair. On both occasions we showed the same four wines, my notes below:

Barbera Cerretta 2013, En Magnum - "Intensity" and "pleasure" are the watch words here. This is a great vintage for Barbera, expressive and rich but with the necessary acidity and focus. More extrovert than the 2012 mentioned above. To my taste this will be in the zone in 2-3 years. Very true to its site. 

Barolo Cascina Francia 2001 - Saline, salty, a zesty texture with bacon fat and soy, mellow fruits, some ginger appearing. This is just shifting from 3rd gear into 4th. Classical - 2001 being a serious vintage of intensity.

Monfortino 1999 - This is a very typical Monfortino for me, a vintage you "Chew", rich but vast, full and focused at the same time. Hard to write a note for actually. I have always liked this wine.

Barolo Cerretta 2011 - More clay here in this site and it shows there is a lusher texture. Notes from all three times (including the above) are very consistent. Vibrant energy.

Roulot...a good look...

From the moment this was inked in the diary, and thanks to MS for organising, I had been looking forward to it. The format was a tried and tested one...bring a bottle of a producers wine, Roulot in this case, and we can taste and discuss the wines before breaking for a glass of Champagne then drink the wines with dinner. A few of us had taken a red so that we could  move to those bottles once our "work was done".

The whole show was orchestrated in the upstairs of Medlar which as these posts show is a spot I am somewhat familiar with. I just wish it could be nearer work (Tower Bridge) or home (Muswell Hill) but it is worth travelling for.

Those assembled are an experienced and satisfactorily opinionated bunch from the trade. Many of them where at a few of the below tastings, done over the last few years:

Burgundy 2004 ten years on

White Burgundy 2010s

Two very different vintages

A fun crowd to be amongst, if demanding of wines. I am probably more easily pleased than a few but then that's just one of those things. We tasted the wines in six pairs. Squabbling as we went.

Roulot is not a producer I am overly well versed in. I know of it well, and of it's reputation, I have probably had six or seven of their wines but never done anything like this or visited. The Domaine is actually named Domaine Guy Roulot. Guy died in 1982 and Jean-Marc Roulot took over fully from 1989. This estate was, as far back as the 1970s, the main driving force behind bottling lieux-dits (non classified but specific plots) by themselves rather than everything that was not a 1er cru going into a generic Meursault Village as was the habit at the time. I have listed the Meursault holdings below. This seemed the most conclusive listing I could find, size, site, year of planting:

0.26ha  1er Cru Perrieres (1964)
0.16ha  1er Cru Boucheres (1980)
0.28ha  1er Cru Charmes (1942)
0.25ha  1er Cru Porusots (1959)
-
0.85ha  Tesson Clos Mon Plaisir (1961)
0.49ha  Tillets (1974)
0.26ha  Narvaux (1960)
1.03ha  Luchets (1948,'61,'74,'76)
0.95ha  Meix Chavaux (1929,'47,'57,'75,'83,'96))
0.67ha  Vireuls (1956)
-
Other holdings: Monthelie 1er Cru Champs Fuillots 0.19ha (1989), Bourgogne Aligote 0.77ha (1922,'96), Bourgogne Blanc 2.64h (1955,'88,'90,'92,'96,'99).

So on with the wines, which I have chosen to score out of 25, just to help set some sort of pecking order:

Meursault Meix Chavaux 2010 - Deliciously complete nose, very focussed and dynamic but with breadth too. Waxy, textured, white flowers, dashes of both spice and reduction but so complete, so moreish, slightly saline, very fine, long, excellent. 23+

Meursault Meix Chavaux 2011 - Very closed, almost muted nose then much broader and more extrovert on the plate, slightly apple fruit (not bruised apples!). The acidity and finish don't really match the nose. A couple of people wondered if this was a perfect bottle, certainly it wasn't corked. It struggled against the 2010 but I'd give it 18 on its own and on this showing.

Meursault Tillets 2009 - Salty, spicy, delicious, rich, quite decadent, generous green (ripe green) and white fruits...almost like a warm vintage but high class Chablis. Impressive. 20-21
  
Meursault Tesson Clos Mon Plaisir 2009, En Magnum - Lovely lovely wine, easy to enjoy, oily, waxy, long and persistent, a wine to make you smile, ripeness and just a hint of gold and sun. 21-22

Meursault Tesson Clos Mon Plaisir 2006 - Butter and lardons, a little lactic and creamy, nuts on the finish, very 2006, gourmande and generous. With the right food this could be a lot of fun, Drink soon though. 18

Meursault 1er Porusot 2009 - Clearly this domaine did very well in 2009. Citrus and zesty energy, lemon rather than lime. Still quite primary and I think there is more to come here. Be excited to own this. 20-21

Meursault Vireuls 2008 - This was very much an '08 to my mind, that dry honey character, old school style, lanolin and wax, cheesecloth, moreish though and my overriding impression was that I could have drunk a lot of it...always a good sign. 20

Meursault Tesson Clos Mon Plaisir 2008 - Toffee'd notes, rich, quite broad, slightly over-dry on the palate, good but more evolved. A little rancio character. Drink. 19-20

Meursault Vireuls 2007 - Zip, inviting and very '07 in character, nice focussed length, very pure, some citrus, a little muted. More to come. 20

Meursault Tillets 2007 - Apple acidity, lovely palate has an even more '07 crispness to this. An intense wine, may be tense is actually a better word for this. Serious, grown up. Long-lived for sure. 21

Meursault 1er Porusot 2011 - Good crisp drive to this, citrus and then some toastiness but all very restrained from its youth. Generous in flavour on the palate, a little green spice, lovely now but clearly quite some future to this. Very good. 22

Meursault Boucheres 2011 - Just a level behind the Poursots but that's no real criticism, moreishness to the fore, long...my adjectives were clearly used up by now but this was a good to very good wine. 20-21

There was one last Roulot and that started dinner after a glass of good Champagne, the name of which I stupidly did not take down, and that was Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru 2013, this was a pure, open Pinot with red fruit to the fore, pretty but not with great depth, simple would be too harsh.

Conclusions: The Roulot tasting was fascinating. There were only two wines that I felt disappointed a little and those were Meix Chavaux 2011 and Tesson Clos Mon Plaisir 2006 neither of which were bad and drunk in insolation with food would have been decent bottles but this was not that format. Two out of ten in white Burgundy at the current time, reasons for which I am not getting into now, is a good showing. The general consensus post-tasting was that there weren't quite the highs people had hoped for. I can see this argument and the wines are expensive (we're in the £100-200 a bottle range) but two or three things hit me. Firstly, these are drinkers wines rather than show off wines, very little reduction and new oak so youth is not necessarily going to show them at their very best where age will add layers to the undoubted purity and drive that exists as a real strength. With food I loved them a notch more. Secondly, the one 2010 - Meix Chavaux 2010 - we had was stunning. Thirdly, the 2009s way outperformed the general perception of the vintage. Both these points are interesting in my view. 2010 is seen as an exceptional vintage with only a few 2005s, some 2012s and then 2014 rivalling it in my view (comments please). The 2009 "victory" is something that more and more producers seem to have done, those that picked early and made sure the winemaking was understated have clearly excelled in a vintage many perceive as three or four star for the whites. Anyway, I now feel I know what to expect and that Roulot is very much worth ageing. The finest white Burgundy producer not to have Grand Cru? If you look back to the 2004 post mentioned at the start then you'll see the note below which I hope helps my point about maturity and time:

2004 Meursault Tessons Clos de Mon Plaisir, G. Roulot

A little bit of brine on the nose, a tight and taut wine. I expected more of the 2004 whites to be like this. Very impressive. There was a grapefruit core with a long finish that had a very classical “proper” profile. Some people were less excited but I thought this had real class. 18.25 (out of 20 then)

Time now for the food and having gone off piste last time I was at Medlar I made sure to return to the straight and narrow and had the Crab Ravoli with several of the whites, it was absolutely perfect with the Meursault Tesson Clos Mon Plaisir 2009 which was convenient as that was the only magnum!.

The Medlar signature - Crab Ravoli

I then pretty much insisted on a blind red which was Contrada Porcaria 2012, Tenuta di Passopisciaro. 100% Nerello Mascalese from on Etna it seemed to go down pretty well. I almost hoped there would be more divided opinion but may be we were tired from squabbling over the whites. Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux 2006, Comte Armand followed which was sturdy, in a proper way, a little funk from youth, some spice, a wine to leave a few more years but a good one. Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots 2010, Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg is one of the very best NSGs I have ever had and certainly shows the vintage, simply delicious, if you don't like this sort of wine then red Burgundy is not for you. Purity combined with density, delicious. Echezeaux Grand Cru 2012, Domaine Coquard Loison-Fleurot was lovely too, sadly my note only extends about that far. More intense and tight now being a 2012, a vintage it'll be fascinating to follow, good good wine. Finally Flor de Pingus 2009, this might seem like an odd choice but it fitted in well at the end. I think the quality and structure of Flor means that other than at age 2-4 years it is best left for ten years, certainly the 2006 is a beauty now. The 2009 showed class in a slightly muted way.

A cracking evening all round, generous bottles and a lot of fun...what next for this group?

Elystan Street - a first evening...

A rather splendid email arrived from Gary Birchtree (not his real name!) suggesting a dinner in the private room of Philip Howard's new restaurant Elystan Street on opening night. It was not a hard invite to accept. I have loved The Square (where he is now not involved) and Kitchen W8 (where he still is). The rest of the crowd was wine trade friends. The only disturbing part of the evening was discovering that I was the second oldest, only Mr Sherwood keeping be from the ultimate seniority.   

So we gathered, after a ten-minute stroll from Sloane Square tube for me, in the private room and were "treated" to 1992 En Tirage Extra Brut Russian River Valley Sparkling Wine. Our organiser who had sent this did two things one good (for him) and one bad. The good thing was that he arrived late having sent the wine on, the bad thing was sending three bottles. One would have been enough. An enticing nose but a dead palate, may be unfair in this company but probably better a while ago. Certainly not in the same league as the other "sparkler" later.

This was an evening about: Food, venue, company and wine. So to cover off the food it was all superb! There was no dish I would not have wanted more of (greed) or would not happily order again many times. The menu is below.

Ravioli of Langoustines with barbecue dressing, hispi Cabbage and sweetcorn.

-

Roast calf’s sweetbread with truffled autumn slaw, seeded nut butter and mimolette.

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Rump of lamb with pesto roasted aubergine, garlic puree, green olives and balsamic vinegar.

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Roasted figs with goats milk ice cream, lemon and thyme fritters and olive oil

or

Cheese

It was time now for a flight of whites. The first and last of which were from (two) bottle(s) the Drouhin being a magnum. The Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre 1999, F.Raveneau bottles were both good ones, the first possibly just edging it for energy. Wax and lanolin with a very "proper" Chablis nose, a little of that dry-honey character. Mature on the plate but still with good vibrancy, a cracking wine in a good place. Beaune Clos des Mouches 1996, Drouhin was an imposing magnum and one might say a brave one. There was a dash of coffee on the nose, this was broad but not loose, I'd have been in Meursault if blind I think. Mature and with a decadent texture, nice wine. We then switched to the Loire with Pur sang 2011, Dagueneau. I don't know the Dagueneau wines all that well but have enjoyed what I have tried. This was expressive, quite broad and open, a little tropical but with enough of the nettle character though not sharp nettles, warm ones if that makes any sense. It was a splendid trio all in all.

Les blancs...

Interestingly we were not "packing any Pinot" on this occasion so we moved straight to Nebbiolo with an intriguing trio, three different sites and three different vintages all in magnum. Young Nebbiolo is something people should not, in my opinion, miss out on. Barbaresco Montestefano 2008 from Produttori del Barbaresco kicked us off. This had a more open and more warm vintage feel that I expected. It was very easy to enjoy from this underestimated vintage. These are such good wines. Barolo La Tartufaia 2010 from Giulia Negri was up next, a blend of Nebbiolo from two crus - Serradenari and Brunate - showing a good degraded fruit and easy drinkability even now though it will age very well. Barolo Cannubi Boschis 2011 from Sandrone completed the Piedmont trio. There is a tar and texture feel to this, it has a tiny hint of toffee from wood but is ultimately both rich and balanced. Good spices too, a wine with a broad drinking window, as could be said for all these.

The three Piedmonteers...

It was Bordeaux next and a good threesome. La Lagune 2001 got us started and I have to say La Lagune isn't necessarily an estate that I get excited about, have they made some lovely wines? yes definitely but I mentally file it under "dependable" rather than "exciting". This 2001, in magnum as were the wines that followed, was delicious and certainly exciting. Lifted with a good bit of sappy liveliness and then a driven and energetic, almost red fruited palate...simply lovely. The La Conseillante 1999 was darker fruited and from a clearly less great vintage, it was good and very true to the house but just a little muddied in comparison to the La Lagune. Tasted and drunk on its own it'd be splendid. The most different of the Bordeaux was Palmer 1976 (a BBR bottling). A very hot vintage, think 2003 but without the heat spikes just consistently hot and dry. The nose had a citrus element, sweet and tarry, mellow in tannin, gently moreish. A wine it was terrific to try and a good drink too.

As we moved towards pudding or cheese we had an eclectic last flight. Two bottles of Clos de Bourg 1989 Moelleux 1er Trie from Huet had that lovely combination of zesty acidity and generous sweetness...a sweet wine I could certainly just drink alone and as an aperitif or with food (both pudding and/or cheese). Zippy apples and a dash of honey. Then Champagne - Moet & Chandon 1978 “Grand Vintage Collection“ (Disgorged 2004) - which reminded me of dry honey and a rancio character with good energy, a little of that "late-disgorgement" cocoa character. A lovely toasty finish, a wine at its peak now I think, well to my style anyway. Champagne later in a meal is a good idea I think. I am not sure why a bottle of Ornellaia 2000 was opened but I am glad it was, quite savoury and bold, a little bit of Bovril, good darker fruits and enough acidity.

And that, as they say, was that...a thoroughly enjoyable evening and a lovely restaurant that I will certainly be returning too!! As for the company...well the wine trade remains a place for fun, often opinionated, folk...long may it continue.

Back to the beginning - Port and the Douro a magic couple of days...

When the alarm went at 3.10 on a Monday morning I can't say I was thinking about drinking Port much, however, this was to be quite a two and a half days. Port is the wine that first really made me investigate wine and start reading and researching it, ironically in nearly 18 years in the trade I had never been to either Porto or up the Douro.

First things first, special thanks must go to Richard Girling and the team at Fells for the invite and to our superb Guide and Symingtons man João Vasconcelos. It followed on in a way from a tremendous few days - Maderia lots of hard work and the odd ninja and Madeira - Blandys tour and tasting - in Madeira two years earlier. These trips are really great experiences and further re-iterate to me that whilst wine is a result of weather and environment the people involved in the production and selling of it are both crucial and often the most fun part of it all. 

My tasting book from the trip took the format I have tried to follow for trips - right hand page for notes and the "wine stuff", lefthand page for amusing observations, anecdotes and quotes - it is amazing how the lefthand page can make on smile months and years later.

So on with the "work"! Having got to Gatwick from north London for the 5.45am meet it was time for coffee. The flight was snug thanks to the easy jet seats but also the presence of Burns on my "loosehead" side and Girling on the "tighthead". We landed in fog and a cool 16 degrees.

From the airport it was a quick 20 minute ride to the Graham’s 1890 Lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia where the Port lodges are situated historically. I hadn't realised that, despite now being joined, actually Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia are separate cities.

We were met on arrival by João who then gave us a private tour of the Lodge. It's a wonderful spot and you get a real sense for the difficulties and significant challenges of Port storage and logistics as well as hearing some great stories and the colourful history. 

One of the many barrel halls.  

It is a sizeable place with essentially all the Ports that will be released from Ruby through Vintage and older Tawnies. And all this 2 hours away from the region where the wines are grown and made.

Lovely older vintages lying behind bars...

Having spent about an hour having a really good look around it was certainly time for a tasting - this was to focus mostly on the Tawny (wood aged) side of things. 

Graham's Six Grapes - This is a 3 year old wine with no sediment made, essentially, from declassified vintage wines. It was a good start, rich, full cherry notes with deeper darker fruit behind that. Creamy texture with a little spice. Juicily pungent!

Graham's LBV 2011 - Late Bottled Vintage is a style that is bottled 4-6 years after the vintage, in Graham's case 5 years. Deeper spicier, more savoury on the nose, the palate has a sweetness followed by savoury grip.

Graham's 10 Year old - Redder fruit and a little marzipan, lovely balance, a little spice but in a more leathery and nutty way.

Graham's 20 Year old - A little dash of leather and some nutty spice. Macadamia nuts, just delicious, then the nuts get more dark and rich before raisins arrive, very good!

Graham's 30 Year old - Beautiful colour…much more savoury bite to this, powdered citrus which reminded me a little of a Verdelho or drier Bual Madeira. Then there was a more savoury bacon note. Really zippy on the palate with so much life, some wine.

Graham's 40 Year old - Full tawny brown colour has a real tang, almost sherried in style. A marmite bite, less sweetness, less nuts more high toned and harder to describe.

Graham's 1972 Single Harvest Tawny - There have only been 9 barrels of this and it is almost all gone, each barrel was bottled in turn. The wine is delicious. There is still a little red to the core, a high-toned nose with a rancio note, very complex. There is real energy and zip here my note finishes with "Lift, lift, lift".

Standard Monday morning tasting…

We squabbled, entirely ridiculously, for a little bit about which we preferred Demetri probably summed it up best with "I prefer them all", that's what having MW after your name does for you! In honesty I loved the 20 and 30 a shade more than 10 and 40 but then how often are you going to have them side by side and all had serious class about them.

These wines never see new oak of course - I liked João's quote that they "always see tired wood never new oak".

The tasting had served to further awaken our stomachs (the acidity does this) to the idea of food and we were in for a treat as we joined Paul Symington for Lunch at Vinum Restaurant that they have built on site. The view is stunning and with the first White Port and Tonic, this would become a welcome theme, in hand we were very happy. Paul is about as driven a person as I have come across in wine, passionate but very pragmatic which has a nice openness about it. We spoke at length about the successes they have have had - Dow 2011 being amongst the most recent - but also about how the world of Port has to move with the times. Embracing Tawnies has been one such move, only making the very best vintages another and lastly (of the major moves) looking at the dry wines of the region.

Just stunning!

Over a lovely hour and a half we filled up on the lovely local dishes and drank a few good wines. It is a restaurant I firmly advise you to go to. The Symingtons have put together a list of wines there that is not just those they produce and this is a good idea and a good lead. We started our lunch with the Altano White 2015, this wine was to become a good friend, primary, clean, fresh, wonderfully unpretentious, it is thirst quenching and well focussed.

Post Scriptum 2014 from Prats + Symington was next this is essentially the second wine of the joint venture between the two families, more on which later. Dark cherry and almost serious Barbera like fruit, very good, open and ready but with years ahead if you want.

Ne Oublie (5cl) - About as serious a tawny as there has ever been. You can read all about it  HERE. I have been lucky to taste it once before and found it just as spellbinding on both occasions oranges, polished tables, pungent richness but with zip, there is a wonderful feeling of intense but totally natural reduction and focus, think of almost any natural but intensified by "dessication" flavour and it is there.

Graham's 20 Year Old was to be the last tipple but this time served from a splendid 450cl bottle (6 bottles in one). I've started to see this in restaurants more and more and Tawny served cool has to amongst the oct refreshing yet decadent wines there is.

From the table we bid Paul a grateful goodbye and transferred to, it has to be said the eastern block inspired, Porto Campanhã train station. Mr Girling yet again played the perfect host as he procured a few receptacles of Super Bock beer of the journey whilst our other host, João, made sure the next two evenings wines travelled in perfect condition by car. This sort of hosting and thought really does make all the difference…what's that thing about devil in the detail?

With a quick change in Regula we eventually arrived in Tua, sounds more Maori than European to me too. About halfway along the journey you suddenly start to really "get" the Douro….the sites are picturesque, the scale rather daunting, it has a natural and uncompromising grace about it, a certain timelessness.

Mr Girling helped an elderly lady with her potatoes on leaving the train. We then had time for that crucial cleansing beer. If we need to justify it, we didn't, then we could have said it was a chance to compare the two Portuguese beer brands of Super Bock and Sagres…I am firmly a Super Bock man.

João then arrived in the very smart Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos Landrover and set about rearranging or spinal columns on the short drive to the Quinta. Demetri saw this as an opportunity to lecture us on palmation (look it up, its a little dull). Lawrence did a good job of nodding appropriately.

Now I have stayed in some lovely places on wine trips and it has to be said some shockers as well. The one I place I could most get used to is now - Quinta dos Malvedos - it has wonderfully understates luxury, no frills just the things you need and a sense of space. It wasn't that hot but I could imagine that Malvedos would feel cool even in 40 degrees. We quickly changed, lying down would have been fatal after that early start…a swim was delayed until the following day. It was now time for a second and third Port and Tonic of the day on the terrace under the Portuguese and Union (hung the correct way up unlike some places) flags.

We drank and chatted over looking the splendid view back down the Douro. It had been a long day but a great one and dinner was still to come.

A great spot and I had to fight the urge (as did others) to hit golf balls!

We dinned outside hoping that we would not get rained on, there was a good amount due! The breeze was up but the temperature was lovely. In preparation for the day of Port ahead  we talked a bit about the holdings in the Douro from a grape variety standpoint. I had always been under the impression (ignorance being bliss) that a large proportion was planted to the most famous Port grape, that of Touriga Nacional. I was therefore a little alarmed to learn that only 4% is so planted. But in amongst the Symington holdings (those that make - Graham, Dow, Warre, Cockburns, Vesuvio etc) there is very impressive 20% Touriga Nacional. Why is there not more than 4% generally? Well, it is difficult to grow and not a massive yielder.

Back to dinner, Altano White 2015 kicked us off in reassuring comfort before we moved to Quinta do Ataíde DOC 2014 which is a new release, this was pretty, gentle, a nice easy wine to enjoy. The Quinta do Vesuvio DOC 2011 which is the dry wine from the Vesuvio estate could not be described as gentle or easy, this was rich and concentrated, stopping just short of being OTT. It will be better and better with another 2-5 years of mellowing, good body and spice, showing the quality of fruit that the stunning 2011 season produced. The food was delicious and just what we needed…lovely home cooking.

A delicious line up...

Right, Port time and Demetri got his hat on for the blind tasting…it was a new hat as he seemed to have mislaid his other one. We started with the Graham’s LBV 2011 that we had tasted earlier, it was rich and properly fiery with good spice and married superbly to the intense Chocolate mouse. Port with food, and not just cheese, is a terrific combination. We then had a blind Port and we all made a right old hash of it. We didn't make a mess of enjoying it but we were miles out on age. It was Warre’s 1980 and Ed claimed to have got close (he did really but we denied hearing him), the wine was so young tasting, rich and bold, just beyond primary but not developed, I can't remember what I guessed but it was certainly no older than 1997. A super wine. I had asked earlier if there was much crusted Port made. There still is and this is what we were served next. Crusted is essentially a multi vintage wine bottled like vintage Port and it therefore throws a sediment (a "crust"). The one we had was the Graham’s Crusted 1998, this being a blend of 1994/1995/1996. It was figgy, rich but loose and nicely developed, a nice note of bovril…a really good wine with which to economically give people an idea of what vintage is about…I think I'll be tucking some of that aside. We were then, before the cigars came out, blind tasted on the Graham’s 1972 Single Harvest Tawny from earlier in the day, simply lovely again, though I think I guessed it was the 30 year old!

The magician of Malvedos

Cigars were then lit (Kev doing well not to be tempted!) and a tremendous day came to an end. It was probably a good thing that we were tired as it absolutely hoofed it down overnight with 30mm falling, just what the doctor ordered and the potential start of harvest the following day was pushed back a further two days, it will then last about a month.

A more serious looking morning...

After breakfasting on scrambled eggs and lovely local jams and honeys if was time for a tour of the Malvedos estate. Just down from the Quinta they planted, in 2000, a few rows of each of the main varieties so we had a good look at those on the way down to the winemaking side of things.

You get a real sense of history at Malvedos with pictures everywhere showing how little has changed, it must have been some logistical exercise growing and making wine, it still is in truth.

The historical gates to the Quinta...

We were shown the electronic lagars at the estate and how all the plots were divided up. Interestingly the planting of which variety where is more related to altitude and exposure than soil type which is so different from many places. The wine making set up was slick and very well thought through. The number of different fermentations done is vast and again the scale of the logistical exercise really hit home. 

In the Malvedos winery we were lucky to taste two single Quinta wines. This is what is released from the estate as a vintage wine when Graham itself is not released. When Graham is released then 30-35% of the wine for that comes from Malvedos.

Malvedos 2009 - Ripe and full, primary for sure but so juicily balanced with a spice and Christmas herbs, moreish and black fruited…on its own a delicious drink.

Malvedos 2004 - This was one of the finds of the trip for me. I have to say the fact that 2004 was not declared had always been a surprise to me. In my simple little mind the fact that Ribera del Duero over the boarder in Spain had such a stunning vintage must have meant that a Vintage declaration was on the cards but with the 2003's having been universally declared it never happened. You might seem something similar with 2015 and 2016 both being very good following two wet and difficult years (2013 and 2014). Back to this wine, more savoury and in a lovely if youthful place, richness but not just of black fruit, almost a little saline…one to buy. We now had a few moments to kill as our boat was on its way up the river so Mr Burns took to even more sunbathing.

Burnsie in his natural habitat.

Before long we were heading down to the river and getting ready to travel downstream to Prats & Symington’s Quinta de Roriz. This is an estate that produces essentially dry wines (there is a little vintage Port from time to time, but rarely).

Looking up the river from Roriz...

The production is less than 200,000bts. The venture that combines the Prats and Symingtons started in 1999 and the first production of the main wine - Chryseia - was 2000 with a first release of the second wine - Post-Scriptum - in 2002. The four main people involved are Charles Symington, Bruno Prats, Luis Coelho (winemaker) and Pedro Correia.

Standard transport to a Tuesday lunchtime picnic!

We toured the Roriz (pronounced Horith) estate and got a real sense for the area. Interestingly they made the most of a change in regulations a few years back (since stopped) to plant up and down rather than across the contours making the plantings much easier to work and higher in density.

Currently the main barrel hall at Roriz

Luis gave us a brilliant insight into the winemaking and all that goes on, a brand new barrel hall is just being finished and clearly this estate has its sights set very high in quality terms.

Before lunch we had a cracking chance to taste the estates three wines from 2014.  

Prazo de Roriz 2014 - From a blend of Touriga Nacional (10%), Touriga Franca (35%), Tinta Roriz (24%) and Tinta Barroca (31%) this is the entry to the estates wines offering red cherry fruit and a moreish dryness, good grip and acidity at the price it sells for this is spot-on.

Post Scriptum DOC 2014 - from a blend of the same four varieties. Darker fruit, less cherry more blackberry, more depth and a little bit of understandable oak showing. Violets also and dry stones on the finish…a year or two will only improve this already impressive wine. 

Chryseia DOC 2014 - From just Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. Vibrant, full, rich has a violet and dark cherry lift. The texture has richness and grip but no hardness.

To be abel to do the tasting with the wines alone but then try them with the food as well was great. It was all a little too much for out MW who decided to have a very brief power-nap, not that he released he would be dressed as the invisible man for doing so.

With the sun gloriously out on display it was back to the boat for the trip down to Dow’s Quinta do Bomfim. I have always felt a real affinity to Dow's Port…I have no obvious reason for this. It is no different from why we pick one team over another in a Sport when you don't have a reason to support a certain side but it is what it is. Bomfim produces around 80% of the port that goes into a Vintage of Dow. The Quinta is also the site of the only Symington's branded visitor centre, they have others but they are all focussed on one particular house not the "whole".

As we looked around you got a real sense for the history of this great region and the sacrifices (sometimes of life) that were needed to pick and make the wine and then get it down the river to Vila Nova di Gaia.

We had a real treat at the Quinta just before we tasted two wines and that treat was getting to see (no photos for obvious reasons) the entire harvest plan for the Symington estates…let's just say it was some spreadsheet and some exercise.

The two wines we tasted were:
Cockburn’s Canais 2006 - This showed a touch of eucalyptus and some menthol following to a focussed very fruited and a spicy palate.

Quinta do Bomfim 2005 - Nice nose with good development, a little savoury and rancio with some leather. Pure but bold spicy fruits and lots of damson and black cherry.

A fast walk down to Pinhao train station then followed and a 10 minute journey to Tua and on by Landrover back to Quinta dos Malvedos and a swim with a bottle of Super Bock or two.

Pre-dinner team picture!

The second dinner at Malvedos was inside and a splendid occasion. Henry Shotton, the winemaker at Malvedos and a key cog in the Symingtons machine joined us for dinner. The food was again splendid and after we had explained to Ed that "Duck and Rice" was Duck with Rice we all settled in for the evening. Pre-dinner Port and Tonics with the superb Almonds gave way to Altano White 2015 and then Chryseia DOC 2013. In the dining room there are some wonderful oars on the wall, almost as wonderful as the next question was silly…"what's with the rowing theme?" clearly one of us hadn't noticed the rather large river we had been on for the last 48hrs. The Chryseia DOC 2013 was a good opportunity to think back to the morning's tasting, I had the 2013 as more savoury and darker than the same wine from 2014. From here it was time for the real work to start. Blind Port tasting. A notoriously fun but difficult game... 

We actually did pretty well. The one of the below that confused us most was the 1983 Graham that we all judged to be older as it was less forceful (in a good way).

First came the Dow’s 1985 - raisin fruit, dates and prunes a little demerara, tar and savoury edges, a delicious glass of Port that will continue to age but is lovely now. Graham’s 1983 was delightful with fresh mint and then a really elegant palate and a charming weight. I don't feel my notes are doing these justice but then harmonius wines with such finesse and drive are always harder to write about. Graham’s 1966 was a star of a wine, super elegant with soy and sweet balsamic like decadence but so much perfect degraded sweet fruit, awesome length. All these wine disappeared down our greedy little throats but then that is exactly what they are made for. It is also important to note that our heads were as clear as a bell the next morning after both the dinners. Post meal we had a lovely relaxed chat outside over a few glasses of the Graham's 20 Year Old Tawny and Graham's 30 Year Old Tawny. These must be amongst the most incredibly drinkable but complex wines at there respective levels.

A lovely dinner to round off the two days.

The following morning it was an early start as we left the Quinta at 5.45am and made tracks back to Porto airport. All that was left was to have a coffee and a Pastel de Nata as we waited for our plane.

A magic couple of days and a massive thank you again to Richard, João, Henry, Paul and all the Symington team…all I can say is keep up the good work and this legendary wine producing area will only go from strength to strength…long may that happen.

Anyone for a Tappit Hen? Three bottles in one…yum!