An Afrikans amongst bubbelwrappin'

We are moving house and it feels very exciting! Maybe mostly due to the fact that we actually haven't REALLY got a house to move to yet.... Oops!

Well we have found a great place in Lewes but are far from securing it so looking forward to a free-spririted and somewhat adventurous few weeks traveling around the South West (and crashing at friends). True friends really does stand out in time of need. It should be fun.
In the midst of bank holiday packing we got a text from a winemaker who happens to be in town - Mr. Niels Verburg of Luddite; a great Shiraz (soon to add Chenin Blanc to his stable) producer from Botrivier, South Africa.
A statuesque guy we (with we I mean my partner - the head chef of the house) thought we'd cook up a storm. With our last large and happy chicken from Moens' and all the leftovers from our freezer we got worried it would'nt be enough. So a starter was added and some cheese, and chocolate, and ice cream. But more importantly we decided to try our luck at some dusty bottles in the rack - a 2005 Chateau Bellegrave, Pomerol (which should be nice and fresh), a 2000 Domaine Rouche du Moines , Savennieres (known to have the chi to stay young for long) and a (most likely knackered) 2001 Dromana Estate Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula.
It turned out the Bordeaux was dead, stripped of fruit, the Chenin deep golden and developed with the help of a bad cork whilst the Chardonnay, sang of purity and lusciousness; limes, mango, orange peel, a nice little lift of VA and even a little something reminiscent of noble rot(?).
And the winemaker? He wasn't a big eater. Go figure.
Speaking of Niels.

As always when I find myself in the vicinity of a producer I try to take the opportunity to ask questions, like "how did you start" etc. It was interesting to hear that he started studying grape growing before his mother suggested he'd learn wine making as well. Even more interesting was that if he were to do it all over again - he wouldn't have studied at all. Rather spent the years working in as many wineries as possible. "At College you have a teacher to turn to when things go wrong - in real life you don't." At the sight of his first load of grapes to make wine of he apparently felt totally lost.
I will definitely take that in to account upon starting my journey. Therefor fitting in as much vintages as possible between semesters seems ideal.
Another thing about him that encourages my chances to ever make my own wine is that he began with buying grapes from other growers rather than waiting till he could plant his own or buy a vineyard. He still does not use 100% own-grown grapes in his red.  It's a transition.

Unless I win the lottery. This way may just have to be my way.

Charlotte x

The Vine Whisperer

Sometimes I spend time reading in my partners office, preferably on the soft fluffy carpet rather than what normal people would do and sit on the leathery sofa. It makes me feel more focused somehow...
At this particular time flicking through a few editions of the oh so well written "The World of Fine Wine" I stumbled upon a very inspiring piece - "THE CUT ABOVE" by Margaret Rand.
I am certain a lot of people in the wine trade already are familiar with Mr. Michel Duclos. For me - a soon to be Wine Production student - it was an utter revelation.

I often get questions like: "What kind of wine would you like to make one day?" or "Where would you like to make that wine?"

These are not simple questions simply because at this point in time all I have is an IDEA of what a winemaker does or how that life would be. I probably even hold quite a rose tinted romanticised view of it all, but then again who wouldn't at the beginning of a dream? Well the more I ask winemakers or read about them, the more I realise I am mostly drawn to viticulture. I love the way Mr. Duclos speaks about the way he see and treat vines. How he "knows" them. That simplicity, balance and common-sense are of the essence. How each and every one of them are an individual who needs to be treated as such. Gosh I must sound slightly mad but this way of working really touches me. This is the way that I would like to learn to work one day. Ultimately the quality and health of the vines determines, the health and quality of the grapes, that determines the real quality of the wine. Unless you fuck it up in the winery that is.

Charlotte x

London riots and a mad wine

"There is no great genius without some touch of madness." 

- Seneca, Roman philosopher.

We were gratefully stuck at home in the Clapham area during the worst of the riots. Accompanied by good neighbours, a happy roast chicken and one mad winemaker...
James Erskine is a former sommelier turned vigneron who makes wine in the McLaren Vale (Australia). He has also been collaborating with the likeminded likes of Sam Hughes, Tom Shobbrook and Anton Von Klopper in a little something named "The Egg Project".


http://www.naturalselectiontheory.com/


As I understand it is taking the term "Natural Wine" to it's extreme.
Hunter Semillon, fermented on skins in incubators shaped like eggs.
Each immersed in the actual soil the grapevines grow in.
James spoke of playing different music to the 9 different eggs of different soil type.
Apparently the effect was astounding, the difference it made to the character of each wine.
Also known as "Project Egg Runway 3". 
The eggs actually spent time at Runway 3 at Sydney Airport, getting shaken about and awakened by planes roaring above. 


If this aint art I don't know what is.
I even suggested it being on the forefront of researching and broadening terrior.


So how does it taste? Wild, seamless and naturally agreeable. Like nothing I've ever tried before and I've had the pleasure of trying a fair amount of natural wine. To me it tasted of soul rather than of wine.


Smashable! ;)


Charlotte x