THE GRAND TASTING

Just a day before the annual Vinexpo 2019, where 28 countries came together at Bordeaux, France, to showcase their best wines and spirits, I had an opportunity to have a ‘taste’ of what it was going to be like in the expo. Almost half the winemakers of the world were a part of this expo. Spain became the country of honor at the expo. Spain has caught the eyes of many importers around the world making the country the highest exporter of wine in the world. Spain doesn’t posses the fame like France. They do not have the advantage in terms of well know regions or starry chateaus. Fortunately the wine market is a very evolving market and a lot of opportunity to garner. Rosé wines is a booming market and they have taken the advantage of the market by producing bulk rosé wines. Spain is also famous for their bright white wine where they have the ability to give the rest of the world a run for their money.

Taking you back to the event, the I will take you through a journey of my personal favorites. If you want to gift someone who loves wine or want to be a wine guru in front of your friends then you can take a few pointers from here. I love all wines, but there are a few people who avoid wine cause they taste very ‘sour’ or the wine is too dry for them. I have chosen wines which are particularly round, fresh and also very easy drinking on the palate. These wines are for you.

ALYAN GRAN RESERVA 2017, CHILE.

Carménère is to Chile as Malbec is to Argentina. It’s a red grape that was born in France, but never truly found its place there, instead finding fame and fortune in the climate of a South American country. This particular wine made with gravity method (a process for the wine to gently extract color, tannin without the use of pumps or mechanical force) enables the wine to be soft and mellow unlike other young red wines. The wine has flavors of cherries, blackberries and spice.  It’s a savory wine that has just a hint of bitterness at the end, making it ideal for dishes involving meat. For the beer lovers, the flavors and aftertaste of Carménère resemble the complexity of an IPA, making it the ideal wine for someone who is looking for a different kind of fermented beverage.

BODEGA ATAMISQUE – SERBAL PINOT NOIR 2018

Very old and noble in Argentina, it was one of the varieties introduced by means of selected genetic material. Although the area with this grape stock has increased in last few years, the amount of Pinot Noir still wines in the market has not experienced a similar increase. A large percentage of this grape is used for making sparkling wines. The Argentine Patagonia produces wines capable of being cellared for several years. A surprising red wine from Argentina is worth every penny for it. Raised entirely in stainless steel vats, this Pinot Noir expresses all the delicacy of the grape variety with aromas of strawberry, raspberry and black currant buds. The palate is juicy and silky with refreshing acidity. Perfect for the people who love this variety.

CAMPO ELISEO – RUEDA VERDEJO 2016

Verdejo is one of the greatest Spanish white grape varieties, typical from the RUEDA appellation. It provides richness, length and fruity peach and apricot aromas. Verdejo is a late variety which is picked when the skin gets brown, generally one month after Sauvignon. An intense nose, fresh and grassy. Notes of ripe white-fleshed fruit, freshly cut hay and dried flowers. On the palate it is structured and viscous with a good balance. It is long on the finish with an interesting aromatic complexity. The wine underwent long maceration in order to get well structured wines, which is ideal for white wines. Can be enjoyed on its own, as a summer drink or with shellfish.

CLOS HENRI – SAUVIGNON MARLBOROUGH, 2017

Organically grown in Wairu valley of Marlborough New Zealand, this white wine goes through fermentation in 90% stainless steel and 10% old French oak barrels. The wine was then aged on fine yeast lees for 8 months with lees stirring, both of which enable us to obtain a round Sauvignon Blanc with body and mouthfeel. The nose is refined and complex showing some citrus notes evolving into white peach aromas, with a chalky minerality. Delicate on the palate, the wine is textural and rich from the lees aging with layers of minerals, citrus and profound acidity balancing this dry and elegant wine, followed by a long finish.

SEPP MOSER, MINIMAL 2016

Weingut Sepp Moser, run by Nikolaus Moser, is one of the growing band of bio dynamic producers in Austria. This Gruner Veltliner is a prime example of Austria’s signature grape and is organic,  bio dynamic, vegan, natural and bottled without any filtration or addition of sulphur. On the nose this has complex aromas of baked apple and grapefruit and white pepper with a savory character. The palate is textured with ripe stone fruit flavors, a hint of white pepper and a stone/mineral freshness. It also has a creamy and round finish because of 18 months ageing in lees. It has good depth of flavor and long complex length. Can go well with Asian food or Pork.

PENFOLDS, CHARDONNAY, KOONUNGA HILLS 2018

A well know brand from Austrailia who are famous for their Shiraz(Syrah) and showing the world a different style of wine which can be produced. Difference between the two grapes is that Syrah is traditionally and french and Shiraz is the term Australian use for their style of wine. This particular Chardonnay was again fermented in stainless steel tanks and french oak under lees, not too heavy on the palate incorporated with rich and creamy acidity enables it to be ‘light on the palate’. Lovely tropical fruits, Granny Smith apple skin and hints of Nashi pear with supportive creamy oak.  Will go well with Vegetarian food(not Indian vegan). The first thought for me was creamy cashew nut pastas or maybe even a vegetable au gratin.

DISZNOKO TOKAJI ASZU 2010

Just like the end of the course we have dessert, I introduce you a sweet wine for the sweet wine lovers. If you come across a Tokaj which is sweet from Hungary, please do not hesitate to buy because it will definitely change your perspective to life. The wine made from Furmint grape of Hungary. The nose bursts with intensity: fresh fruits (very often apricot) and citrus aromas. Its over 10 years old, the wine gains even greater aromatic complexity filled with dried fruits, spicy and honey notes. A display of the vintage character in flavors. A beautiful balance between vivacious acidity and sweetness. The Disznoko Tokaji Aszu 5 puttonyos tastes fresh, long and is always superbly complex and focused. Amazing length, often with a spicy finish. A side note ‘Puttonyos’ in Hungary means sugar levels. 5 puttonyos means 120 g of sugar.

left is a dry wine; right is a sweet

I didn’t have the opportunity to taste all the wines as I lost track of time and they were about to close down the event. However, I had an opportunity to taste most of the wines. It was an overwhelming experience and also nice to see someone speak to you passionately of what he/she does for a living. Some wines amazed me and some wines amused me, but I am confident that when I left the event I was intoxicated; with knowledge of course!!!

THE FIRST HARVEST

In the month of October, the vineyards in Bordeaux are ready for harvesting their price possessions. In Bordeaux majority of the grapes, grown are Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in red. Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and in white. The wine regions are divided into 6 parts. Medoc, Cote de Bordeaux, St Emilion, Entres Deux Mers, Sauternes and Graves. A great percentage of red wines are produced in Bordeaux compared to white wines. This month is crucial for any winegrower as its important to pick the grapes at the right moment. It cannot be underripe or overripe, the timing has to be just right(some winemakers harvest their grapes underripe and overripe, but that depends on what kind of wine he/she is making). The winemaker I visited was an old friend of Erika (my landlady). She decided to take me along with a few others, as I was an upcoming Sommelier.

We woke up early in the morning at 5:30am, to start our journey towards the chateau. She packed a few croissants for us and left the house by 6. We drove towards the right bank of the river Gironde(the river which goes through the city) towards Cote de Bourg. We reached there by 6:45 and were introduced to the people who were part of the harvest. All the relatives and friends together celebrate their harvest (Vaisakhi in Punjab). Kids, young adults, adults, old people; everyone take part in the harvest and celebrate. It was a big giant potluck, Every family or friend had something to contribute to the event. They got their croissants, coffees, muffins, chocolate milk; all arranged on the table for everyone to start the work with a full stomach. After everyone was content with the food, the older ladies went into the kitchen to prepare lunch and the others proceeded to the field.

They grow Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. At that point in time, the Merlot was ripe and ready to be harvested. The Merlot(aka. the little blackbird) known for being soft, ripe and elegant. It’s a very approachable wine. If anyone wants to try wine for the first time, Merlot will help you ease into it. This grape was introduced to the Bordeaux blend. What is a Bordeaux blend? that’s another anecdote to recite; However, to keep things simple, Bordeaux blend is the grapes grown in Bordeaux.

Beautiful Is’nt. Merlot 2018

The vineyard is owned by an old couple Mitchell and Katrina. The vineyard was around 30 hectares. The process shown above was to cut the stalk of good grapes and not break the main wood of the vine. Hand picked grapes are still used in a number of chateaus to produce quality wine. Most of the prestigious and old chateaus still use this method in order to pick the best grape possible. The picker picks the grape and Porters with a basket (done by kids), carry all our grapes to a bigger tub. 2 people work on either side of the vine. My partner was Phillipe who runs a small Negociant( wholesaler) in Bordeaux. The man was twice my age and a much faster picker than me. I had to catch up with him while my back was hurting. Me being 6ft tall, I had to literally squat and work. Harvesting grapes is not a joke its hard physical labour (so is any farm work for that matter). Philippe worked those grapes faster than a Grand Prix pit stop. He was going at 3grapes/sec; while I was at 3sec/grape.

Slowpoke

It’s not much, but it’s an honest work

Once we had finished one part of the vineyard we had another part to finish; so we decided to rest.

The vineyard my boots are pointing at was another set of Merlots which were not as juicy and great looking like the previous one. The grapes were exposed to excessive sunlight and parts of the bunch were all ‘pruny’. So we had to trim out the bad grapes and keep the good grapes as the bad grapes tend to make the wine unbalanced in taste. Another group of people were selecting the best grapes to be used for making wine. It is a two screening process for picking the right grapes for the wine.

Let me remind you this is owned by a couple who sell wine but not as posh, as a Chateau Lafite or Mouton Rothschild. This is what the process looks like without any machinery involved. If anyone is thinking of starting a vineyard of their own, this is what it looks like, there is no fancy equipment just manpower and a lot of patience. The grapes are examined and the best are chosen for pressing. Below you can see a small collection of harvested Merlots and also Phillipe on the right trying to photobomb.

After literally 6 hours of work later, I was so hungry I could eat a whole cow, but gluttony is a sin and one must not commit to it. Remember I mentioned a group of old ladies went to the kitchen, Look at what they made! Hard work should always be followed up by a sumptuous meal.

Excellent wine too.

The French meal consists of 4 courses Entres – Plats – Fromage – Dessert. There is also bread and pate(Duck meat). It was the meal worth waiting for. After the wonderful meal, I started speaking to the winemaker, his process, his stories of the worst harvest, the best harvest etc. I can’t really explain his methods as they keep it a secret. Mitchelle said something so pure and overwhelming and I quote “Every person in Bordeaux is connected to wine. No matter what you do in life, your retirement plan is to own a vineyard before or after retirement. We were born surrounded by vines, We will be buried in the same soil, our passion grows.” When you hear something like this, you know for the fact that Bordeaux indeed is the wine capital of the world. The only thing visible in a winegrower other than his knowledge in making wine is his ‘Passion’. Follow your Passion, Success will jump and fall on your lap.

Witnessing such an event has put my mind at ease. To be honest, I was a bit sceptical about this whole Sommelier course, but after spending my time in the vineyard, I realized that I have come to the right place at the right time. We finished our meal and were about to bid our goodbyes, Katrina the lady of the Chateau ran towards me with a box and said here’s your payment. Confused thinking that the ‘Meal’ was my payment, I took the box and saw 6 bottles of their 2016 vintage(the year the grape was harvested).

The French truly know how to pay their dues. Taking the box back home, we were ready for another party, Can this day get any better?

Working at the vineyard has really opened up my understanding of wine and winemaking. I have great people around me. My classmate shares the same passion of wine and the people I stay with are interested to know more about wine including Erika. I believe I am on the right track. Looking forward to more meaningful experiences and adventures in Bordeaux.

FINDING THE RIGHT PROFESSION

At a very young age, we are bombarded with different careers in our life. Some wanted to be a doctor, a lawyer, a pilot, an astronaut. I wanted to be a bulldozer driver. Crazy right!, that was me when I was in the third grade. Our dreams were wild when we were that young, and luckily my parents didn’t take offence to it but humoured it. Fast forward to the tenth grade, most of my friends started preparing themselves for the National Defence Academy (NDA). Me personally I really wanted to do it too, as most of our parents were in the Armed Forces. So I was in for a collective motivation with my friends who were all fired up to join the forces. Unfortunately, Mathematics plays an important role in the defence. That’s my disadvantage. No matter how hard I tried, Maths always was and is an enemy of mine.

So no mathematics, I was not destined to be a bulldozer driver(obviously). I am closing on my 11th grade and I had no idea what I wanted to do in life. The next grade, parents sent me to boarding school. Now, this is no ordinary boarding school. This school was different from other schools. We used to have people and celebrities from all walks of life to share their life stories and challenges and how they made it this far, of the things they loved to do. Now being a Brahmin boy, from the streets of Chennai, If you are not familiar with advanced Mathematics your life is finished, That’s what I thought, But my Father being as supportive as he is told me that “The Sky is the Limit”, so did Biggie Smalls. This school gave me so much perspective to my career that I was jumping careers, like a monkey swinging from one tree to another. On Monday I wanted to be a Scuba diver, Tuesday I wanted to be a Lawyer, Wednesday a filmmaker, Thursday a wildlife expert, Friday a Charted Accountant, and by Saturday an IAS officer. Why choosing a Career is so hard? no one truly knows that formula. I can say for the fact that people my age have gone through this for at least 1 to 2 years or maybe more. Graduated XIIth grade without mathematics still, have no clue what to do in life. Thus began my internet search saga for finding courses where “MATHEMATICS IS NOT A REQUIREMENTS”. And Lo!, ran into a course called Hotel Management.

The first thing which ran into my head was, I wanted to be a Chef. I mean how hard is cooking right? had to learn it the hard way. I mean the real hard way. All students of hotel management go through something called Industrial Training. It’s like the “Hunger Games” for people who think hotel management is their cup of tea. Most of the students drop out after their training due to the long hours and tedious amount of work given to us. Well, I made it through with a lot of memories, that to date cracks me up. For a sudden I thought, maybe Hotel management is what I wanted to do in life. The aesthetics, the well-suited ladies and gentlemen serving you, light Jazz playing in the background spick and span environment, meeting celebrities, who wouldn’t want to work in a place like that. Cut to 6 months later, I am already hating my job, all that I mentioned was true but we all feel the grass is greener on the other side.

Thinking about “what I am doing in my life? and playing several scenarios in my head; suddenly my manager comes up to me and says “Yathin, get me a bottle of ‘The Chocolate Block’ of Boekenhoutskloof from the cellar, hurry!”. Mindlessly agreeing to the wine I went to the cellar gazing at our wine cellar which I have rarely been to, searching for this unknown wine from an unknown location. After a thorough search, I found the bottle and gave it to him. He gazed at the back of the bottle for a few minutes and went up to the guest and started explaining the wine to the guest in an anecdote fashion.

I could not believe the story what he was telling. He started explaining about the wine regions, location, the climate the history of the Chateau, how it will taste like so on and so forth. I was impressed and so was the guest that I had to finish the stock of that wine serving it to them. After service, I went to my manager and asked him, was that wine is favourite as he was able to tell so much of it. To which he replied, “I have never tasted or heard of this wine, All I did was read the back label of the wine”. Shocked to find out that so much information is there on the back of the label, I started to do that to most of my guest. Most of the time I was successful with my guest until one guest arrived.

I was upselling a wine for him and started explaining to him the wine, to which he asked me questions I had no answer to. He asked me “Are you a Sommelier, cause I am”. Who was I fooling!. I was embarrassed. He started explaining the wines he liked. Having a conversation with the Sommelier really struck me, A bottle of wine has more stories to tell, than the food on the plate. Thus, began my journey into wine. At first, it was a casual read, which lead to a serious career choice.

Currently studying at the wine capital of the world. It has been quite a journey if I must say. I have just touched the tip of the iceberg, Excited on this wine journey of mine, I hope I find my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.