Two Very Highly Recommended From Down Under. Giant Steps Chardonnay and Tinpot Hut Riesling.

Two Very Highly Recommended From Down Under. 

Giant Steps Chardonnay and Tinpot Hut Riesling.

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Giant Steps Chardonnay Yarra Valley 2020, 13%

€33.99 64 Wine; Avoca Handweavers Shops; Blackrock Cellar; Ely Wine Store; La Touche Wines; McHughs Off Licence - Kilbarrack Road; Mitchell & Son; Station to Station Wine; Wineonline.ie 

Giant Steps single varietals are regarded as distinctive varietal expressions from the Yarra Valley. Hand picked grapes from estate vineyards, minimal intervention winemaking at their gravity flow winery in Healesville, one hour from Melbourne.

Colour is a light and bright straw. Quite a nose with citrus and melon prominent. All nice and gentle so far. But, like an over-enthusiastic handshake, it grips the palate, getting your attention with bright fruit flavours and an unmistakeable acidity. Soon though you relax. This has loads of very easy-to-like personality, that fruit and acidity in perfect harmony all the way through to the delightfully lingering finish. A stylish and complex wine wine, it is a super introduction to the Yarra Valley and is Very Highly Recommended.

All this after a rollercoaster of a vintage in 2020, though the Yarra Valley were luckier than other parts of Australia. The Yarra began with a cool wet spring, a dry December, then a mild February, punctuated by a few significant rain events. The Yarra team were stretched. Chardonnay yields were lower than average but a consequence was that naturally high acidity and those incredible fruit flavours. It’s an ill wind…

Prior to pursuing his passion for wine, Giant Steps’ Steve Flamsteed developed many culinary passions, including cheese making, which would take him to France to study his trade. But it was after working in Beaujolais that he was inspired to become a winemaker. Steve graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1993 from Roseworthy Agricultural College. 

Prior to joining Giant Steps as Winemaker in August 2003, he worked for Leeuwin Estate in Margaret River and Yarra Burn Winery in the Yarra Valley. Steve is a Len Evans Scholar and has completed several vintages overseas, including in Alsace and Brouilly, and is an experienced show judge.

The vintage: 100% hand-picked, all fruit was chilled overnight to 12 deg C.
Whole bunch pressed, fermentation on full juice solids, wild yeast.
Fermented entirely in 500L French puncheons – 10% new, 90% older.
No lees stirring. 20% of the blend has undergone spontaneous malolactic fermentation. Matured in French oak – 10% new, 90% older – for only 8 months. It was then coarse filtered and bottled by gravity in late Spring.

Food suggestions from Giant Steps include:
Fried soft shell crab Bao, with fresh coriander and bean shoots.
Grilled fresh goats curd and olive tapenade on grilled sourdough and fresh rocket salad.
Roast crispy skin baby chicken, preserved lemon and roast garlic.
Aged Pecorino cheese drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.

Tinpot Hut “Turner Vineyard” Riesling (Marlborough) 2019, 9.5%

RRP € 24.99 Blackrock Cellar, Bradleys, Cashel Wine Cellar, Cinnamon Cottage, Egans Off Licence, Mitchell & Son, Searsons Wine Merchants, Wineonline.ie, World Wide Wines

The palate experience is irresistible, lively with fruit (citrus, apple) and acidity, lively but harmonious from initial sip to the long and pleasing finish. Fresh aromas of lime and grapefruit, floral notes. Pale, very pale, straw is the colour.  A marvellous Marlborough Riesling from the consistently top notch Fiona Turner, one with low ABV, and Very Highly Recommended.

Attention to detail is key. They say: Low yielding vines were monitored closely and hand-picked when the right balance of flavour and sugar ripeness was reached to produce this lower alcohol style of Riesling. The fruit was crushed and only the free run portion of the juice was retained. Specialty Riesling yeast was used for a long cool ferment. The resulting wine was then balanced and prepared for bottling under a screw cap closure to retain as much of the freshness and fruit character of the vineyard as possible.

The Tinpot Hut winery is named after the huts, famed in New Zealand sheep country, huts used by musterers as they round up the sheep who have spent Spring to Autumn in the hills. Fiona Turner, no stranger to Ireland, is the winemaker.

Liberty: Sourced from winemaker Fiona Turner's vineyard and made in small quantities, this wine displays attractive lime and grapefruit aromas and has a distinct mineral quality which is reflective of the Blind River sub-region.

Food pairing: Ideal as an aperitif and a great match for seafood, pork or with lightly spiced Thai or Chinese meals. Perfect for drinking immediately, this single vineyard Riesling will be at its best over the next 2-5 years.

Striking Gold with a Riojan white and a Barbera D’Alba

Striking Gold with a Riojan white

and a Barbera D’Alba

Izadi Rioja Blanco (DOC) 2019, 13.5%

RRP € 21.99: Blackrock Cellar, Mannings Emporium, Redmonds of Ranelagh, Sweeney's D3, Wineonline.ie

Other than the famous aged Viura by Hacienda López, I know very little about Rioja white. So this blend, led by Viura, turned out to be a very pleasant surprise indeed.

 

It has a very light straw colour, hints of grey/pink, bright. Aromatic with fruits like melon, and gooseberry showing. Fresh and fruity on the palate, an outstanding first impression. Succulent but with good acidity. The finish is medium to long. That initial impression carries through to the finalé, a superb wine and Very Highly Recommended.

Izadi picks the six native white varieties of Rioja based on the oldest vineyards of the region to elaborate “a very special Blanco”. The blend is 65% Viura, 10% Malvasía, 10% Garnacha Blanca, 5% Tempranillo Blanco, 5% Maturana Blanca y 5% Turruntés, all from the area around Villabuena and the medieval village off Samanmigeo on the road between Haro and Logrono. 

Importers Liberty tell us Izadi is owned and run by Lalo Antón and his family. Izadi, which means ‘nature’ in the Basque language, is a project rooted in a passion for gastronomy and wine. The estate was founded in 1987 by Gonzalo Antón, Lalo’s father, who, at the age of 37 and with a background in restaurants, decided to create his own winery with the aim of producing modern, perfumed, food-friendly wines that are true to their roots and a natural expression of the area. As well as the winery, the family also run the Michelin-starred restaurant, Zaldiaran, in nearby Vitoria.

No wonder that it went so well with one of our recent At Home dinners, this a delightful and very different fish box from Goldie in Cork. While not perhaps gelling with every single element, the Izadi proved an able companion that evening. A wine for the notebook for sure! Dinner details here https://www.corkbilly.com/2021/03/goldie-weekend-with-bosca-na-farraige.html 

GD Vajra Barbera D’Alba (DOC) 2018, 15%

RRP € 29.99: Alain and Christine Wine and Card Shop; Baggot Street Wines; Blackrock Cellar; C Morton & Sons; Grapevine;

Jus de Vine; McHugh’s Off Licence - Malahide Road; Searsons Wine Merchants; Sweeney's D3; Terroirs; The Cinnamon Cottage, Cork; The Corkscrew; Wineonline.ie

Mid ruby colour. Very pleasantly perfumed, with cherries prominent, even a note of sweetness. Scented and balanced all the way, this elegant wine is concentrated on the palate, full of pristine flavours of red and darker berries, a little spice too, along with a natural acidity and a mellow tannin. Refreshing and refined, this gem (on which oak has been judiciously used) finishes elegantly and is one that you’ll savour and remember. Very Highly Recommended. 

Barbera is Piedmont’s most planted red and fitting that the Vajra’s first “task” here was to match with Guancia Di Manzo Topinaburn Al Tarfuto (Slow-cooked Beef Cheek, Barbera D’Asti jus, creamy mash, truffle infused Jerusalem artichokes) from da Mirco’s “At Home” here in Cork. Aside from our Barbera d’Alba, you’ll also hear of its next door neighbours Barbera d’Asti and of Barbera Monferrato (lesser known hereabouts).

GD Vajra have been farming organically since 1971 but they didn’t get off to the best of starts. Giuseppe, during an April online masterclass, said he was dragged away from his soccer games (he was playing too much of it - well he was just 15) to plant his first vineyard. 

He and his current team are still youthful and he is proud of their work. “We hope we get wiser as we go on. We started organically and our first vintage in 1972 was not a good one, not worth ageing!” The whole extended family are at work here in this “multicultural team” near the village of Barolo. Perhaps, that first vintage was a disappointment but there have been many good ones since including this 2018.

Vintage summary: 2018 was marked by an abundant flowering, a gradual ripening and one of the latest harvests of the decade. Precipitations were exceptional during the entire year, as was the dedication of Vajra's vineyard team. Such determined work and a meticulous sorting brought only the healthy grapes to the winery, with delicate perfumes and a juice that was pink already upon crushing. This harvest was particularly favourable for the best exposed vineyards, those at high elevation, and the late ripening varietals. The wines are fragrant, deliciously aromatic, with elegant tannins.

Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Is Your Anytime Ace. Not Just Valentine's!

Piper-Heidsieck Champagne

Is Your Anytime Ace. Not Just Valentine's!

Piper-Heidsieck is one of the most famous houses in Champagne. It is known for its structured, fruit-driven house style made predominantly from Pinot Noir, with smaller portions of Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. The company has its origins in the cloth- and wine-trading company Heidsieck and Co. which was founded in 1785 by Florens-Louis Heidsieck. 

The current winemaker is Émilien Boutillat.  “Émilien was born in the heart of champagne. He has made wine around France, in Chile, in South Africa and in New Zealand. He has a global perspective, a scientific approach and is one of the rising stars of the wine world.” Not a bad intro at all from Liberty Wines MD David Gleave as he introduced Émilien Boutillat during a masterclass last year. Judging by the two wines here, the intro was well deserved.

Piper Heidsieck Essentiel Cuvée Réservée Extra Brut, 12% 

Émilien Boutillat

Through the pale gold colour, fountains of bubbles race in profusion towards the top. Nutty notes in the aromas. It really makes you stop and take notice on the palate, pear and apple amidst the lively citrus contribution. And, after that full and flavoursome combination (enhanced by the contribution of the reserve wines), comes a persistent dry finish. One of the very best Extra Brut champagnes I’ve come across (not that I’ve come across that many) and Very Highly Recommended.

Info:

Extra Brut.

Mise en Cave (cellared): 2015.

Degorgement: Jan 2019.

Winemaker: Émilien Boutillat.

Blending: Harvest 2014 and 18% Reserve wines

Grapes: 50% Pinot Noir , 30% Meunier, 20% Chardonnay

The Essentiel wines are produced exclusively for independent merchants and the on-trade. The Essentiel Cuvée Réservée Extra Brut and the Essentiel Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut are made in limited quantities and for the table, with their low dosage (6 g/l and 4 g/l respectively) making them ideal for whetting the palate or serving with seafood.

* I got this bottle as an unexpected gift at Christmas. You can get it in Mitchell & Son (Dublin) for €66.95, details here. 

Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Brut NV, 12%, on offer €39.95 (was €54.06), O’Briens Wine

This signature Brut has a really bright gold colour, lots of bubbles catching the lights. Aromas - fruity, biscuity.  Again fruity (citrus) and biscuity on the palate and it certainly lives up to the Brut with the persistent finish delicate with that lovely citrus prominent.

So what would you pair this beauty with? Lynne Coyle MW, of O’Briens, suggests it’s perfect with “the antics of Bridgerton and their society parties”.  "Enjoying the antics of Bridgerton and their society parties? then Champagne is the perfect match. Champagne would have been flowing freely during this period, establishing itself as a luxury celebration wine." 

Of course, you would need something to nibble on. Again Lynne has the solution: Rustic Bread & Black Olive Tapenade. Just ask the servants.

I got this bottle in “Deck the Halls” Feast Hamper that I bought from the excellent Glass Curtain restaurant in Cork City at Christmas.

Cheers 212901 Beer, Wine, Spirits with Liberty Wines, Wicklow Wolf, Blackwater Distillery, Shelbourne Bar, O'Briens Wine

Cheers 212901

Beer, Wine, Spirits with Liberty Wines, Wicklow Wolf, Blackwater Distillery,

Shelbourne Bar, O'Briens Wine

Mark and Sarah Driver of Rathfinny Wines who have appointed Liberty Wines as their exclusive agent in Ireland and the UK

More below...

Wicklow Wolf Latest

Our latest Endangered Species release... No.15

Somewhere Far Away We have all been dreaming of somewhere far away over the past few months and our brewers are no different. The brain child of our brewer’s coming together (one of which is a Kiwi) to develop an exciting new release, Somewhere Far Away is an India Pale Lager that champions two super fresh New Zealand hops, Nelson Sauvin and Motueka. These two hops come from the north west of the South island of New Zealand famed for Marlborough Sauvi- gnon Blanc wine. Two bountiful dry hop additions allow these hops come to the forefront of the beer bringing a burst of soft fruits, grape, goose- berry and floral hints. At 6.0%, this DDH IPL was slowly conditioned with lager yeast, to give a clean, crisp and fruity finish, making it a very balanced and refreshing beer. No. 15 in our Endangered Species series, make sure to get it before it goes extinct.

February's Blackwater Tasters Box has been revealed 

We're very excited to show you all our first #BlackwaterTasters box of 2021 which contains two brand new, limited-edition spirits.

Our bold Blood Orange Gin with juicy blood oranges takes the lead vocals with bitter orange and sweet orange on the harmonies. A post distillation infusion of blood orange slices gives a bare hint of natural colour and a vibrant fresh orange palate. As February is the month of love, this box will also include a first of its kind, Love Potion No 5 Spirit Drink, a bitter-sweet liqueur containing pomegranate, finest grade saffron, five different sorts of peppercorns, pink roses, fresh citrus peel, cardamon - If you like new and exciting spirits, then you will love these!

Once again we only will have a limited number of boxes and we expect these boxes to go fast, so if you know anyone who might fancy signing up, please let them know.

Cork's Shelbourne Bar Have Your Valentine Bottled

Are you looking to treat your loved one this Valentines?

Or maybe even treat yourself?

The Shelbourne Bar have put together an Irish Whiskey and Chocolate pairing box for Valentine's Day.

Each box comes with

50ml of Dingle Single Malt

50ml Clonakilty Port Cask

6 Luxury Chocolates from The Chocolate Shop in the English Market

and a Shelbourne Bar Branded Glencairn Tasting Glass.

All for €55

You can shop now at our website

www.theshelbournecork.ie

Rathfinny joins Liberty Wines

 

Liberty Wines is pleased to be appointed as exclusive agent in Ireland and the UK for Rathfinny, the family-owned Sussex estate established in 2010 by Mark and Sarah Driver.
 
Rathfinny’s estate vineyard now extends to over 93 hectares in the South Downs, just three miles from the Channel. Lying on a gentle south-facing slope, the site is predominantly planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier and benefits from a semi-continental maritime climate and free-draining chalky soils, providing the ideal conditions to ripen grapes for sparkling wine. Rathfinny uses only estate-grown fruit for their four traditional-method Vintage Sussex sparkling wines: Classic Cuvée, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs and Rosé. 
 
Sarah Driver emphasises the companies’ shared commitment to sustainability and social responsibility: “Rathfinny aims to be a sustainable wine producer, but also socially and environmentally responsible. It is great to be able to partner with an organisation like Liberty Wines. Like us, they hold employee wellbeing, the environment and sustainability at their core and are the first UK wine importer to be carbon neutral. We also take the stewardship of our land seriously."
 
Tom Platt, sales director of Liberty Wines, commented: “There is a natural fit between Liberty Wines and Rathfinny, as not only do we share a similar philosophy, but also they complement perfectly our existing English Sparkling portfolio. We would like to say thank you to Gonzalez Byass for the great work that they have done over the past three years, which we look forward to building upon.”
 
The 2017 vintage sparkling wines from Rathfinny will be released and available through Liberty Wines in April/May this year.

CIDER - NOT JUST FOR SUMMER

says Paul Barry | Assistant Buyer: Beer & Spirits at O'Briens Wine

Paul suggests Longueville House, Stonewell and McIvor in his blog...

Winter is certainly upon us; cold, wet and dreary, perfect cider weather you might say. Cider is often seen as a thirst quencher when served in a glass filled with ice on a sunny summer afternoon, but craft cider can be so much more. So, ditch the ice and just serve your cider chilled to fully enjoy the complex aromas and flavours on offer. If you do need some warming up on these cold winter nights, why not spice it up with some mulled cider? Add some all spice, a slice of orange studded with clove and gently warm for a luxurious winter warmer. Read more here.

Liberty Wines welcomes Pierre Péters to its Champagne portfolio

Liberty Wines welcomes Pierre Péters to its Champagne portfolio

 

Liberty Wines is delighted to be appointed Ireland and UK agent for Pierre Péters, one of the most renowned producers of Blanc de Blancs champagnes. The domaine is based in Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger, in the heart of the Côte des Blancs, and was one of the first growers to start selling their own champagnes in 1919.
 

Sixth-generation grower Rodolphe Péters (right) took over the running of the family estate from his father François in 2008, having been involved in the assemblage since 2000. He initiated the house’s ‘perpetual reserve’ of reserve wines in the late 1990s. A graduate in oenology and business, Roldolphe believes that “a good winemaker must listen to his raw materials”, trusting the quality of the exceptional soils of the Côte des Blancs to bring a natural tension in his wines and therefore practising minimal intervention in the winery.
 
The domaine owns 82 plots over nearly 20 hectares of sustainably-managed vineyard. Sixteen hectares lie within the Côte des Blancs, primarily in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, as well as the other prized villages of Avize, Cramant, Oger and Vertus. The plots are distinguished by their soils, which range from limestone to argile à silex in composition and give very different styles of wines. The domaine also owns three hectares of vineyards near Sézanne and one in the Côte des Bars. 
 

David Gleave MW, managing director of Liberty Wines, says: “Pierre Péters is one of Champagne’s most famed growers and we are thrilled to be able to offer their wines to our customers. Their blanc de blancs champagnes are widely regarded as among the finest produced in the region and complement perfectly our already strong Champagne portfolio.”

press release

A Cabernet Franc Supreme. And an intriguing Sicilian white from red grapes.

A Cabernet Franc Supreme. And an intriguing Sicilian white from red grapes.

Clau de Nell Cabernet Franc Anjou (AOC) 2017, 13%

RRP €43.99 Wineonline.ie - The Corkscrew - Blackrock Cellar - The Ely Wine Store, Maynooth - 64 Wine

A pretty deep red colour with a  lighter rim. Aromas are fresh and intensely fruity. A terrific complexity on the palate but all’s in elegant harmony, that superb fruit and the fresh acidity, and that balance continues through the persistent and dry finish. Have liked this characterful variety since I spent a month in Chinon a few years back and this particular wine is Very Highly Recommended.

They say: This is certainly the direction in which we are trying to go. Healthy and balanced grapes, concentrated and vinified with finesse to tend towards delicacy and elegance. From red fruit to cooked fruit through black fruit, spices and a floral bouquet, this is a wine of beautiful complexity that invites indulgence. A velvety texture with silky tannins.

 

Pairings suggested are: Duck breast with red fruits or honey; Semi-cooked seared tuna and vegetables with butter sauce; Pan-fried chestnuts, chanterelles and quinoa…The best pairings are the ones that inspire you, and allow you to express yourself. Let your imagination run free…Serve at 16°C, do not hesitate to decant - good advice!

This was bottled on a “fruit day”, meaning that your Clau de Nell is not just organic but biodynamic. Think you may be interested in the info on their data sheet.

Age: vines from 45 to 55 years. Pruning: mixed Guyot Techniques: covering the vine stock with soil in autumn, ploughing-down in spring, tilling and natural grassing. Growing methods: biodynamic practices, infusions and plant decoctions, depending upon the lunar calendar. Yield: about 40 hl/ha Harvest: handpicking in 12 kg crates, sorting at the parcel when fully ripened. • Winemaking De-stemmed harvest, native yeast, 30-day maceration without extraction. Gentle cap punching, limited pumping over, infusion techniques. Pressing: slow and gentle pressing in a pneumatic press. • Maturing 12 months on fine lees in Burgundy casks (228L) used 5 to 7 times, followed by 6 months in vats. Bottling: without filtration or fining on a “fruit day.”

Terrazze dell'Etna, `Ciuri` Etna Bianco 2017, 13% 

RRP €26.99. Wineonline.ie - Grapevine - The Corkscrew - The Ely Wine Store, Maynooth

'Ciuri' is made from Nerello Mascalese,  an indigenous Sicilian red wine grape, in this case vinified 'in Bianco' without the skins. A similar if better-known example of the technique is used in Champagne to produce white from Pinot Noir, the blanc de noirs. The Ciuri is unoaked with great depth and intensity and wonderful length.

Pale straw is the colour, clean and bright. Fresh floral notes, exotic fruit too on the nose. Fresh and fruity (citrusy) and certainly minerally in the mouth. This youthful gem has been aged for six months in stainless-steel and then also in bottle before release. I don’t think you need keep it bottled up any longer. Just open and enjoy. Highly Recommended.

They say: From the volcanic soil of Etna comes this sapid and “high mineralised” wine. A unique wine characterised by a vibrant floral heart on the nose, a synthesis of the elegance of the grape, Nerello Mascalese, and the personality of the soil.

Professor Antonio Bevilacqua is an engineer by profession and has a very successful business, based in Palermo and Milan. He is very proud of his Sicilian origins, and in 2007 he decided to start buying land in Etna with a view to producing the best wines possible. 

Today he has 35 hectares of vineyard with another 20 that he rents and manages, all situated at an altitude of between 600 and 900 metres above sea level. This altitude ensures warm days and cool nights, while the volcanic soil is low vigour, ensuring wines of great intensity and a lovely perfume from low-yielding vines.

His consultant oenologist is Riccardo Cotarella, who has successfully managed to marry the delicate intensity of the wines from Etna with a freshness and definition that few others have achieved.

The Bouchard brothers of Chablis. Organic is a method. Biodynamique is a philosophy.

The Bouchard brothers of Chablis.

Organic is a method. Biodynamique's a philosophy.

That was the word from the Bouchard brothers (above), Damien and Romain (left), as they presented an lively and informative masterclass, the latest in a series of Zoom events from Liberty Wines. The brothers, the 5th generation of their family to be involved in wine run the relatively recent Domaine de L’Enclos, relatively recent  because in 2016 the family domaine concentrated their vineyards under the Domaine de L’Enclos name (Romain had been running a smaller winery since 2007). They are in the heart of Chablis with a newly acquired winery and are “living the dream”.

Going organic takes a few years. Damien: “When chemicals stopped, it takes 3 or 4 years for the soil to recover. Now we have brought back a large variety of plants in the vineyard.” The vines of course need care. Romain: “We do some treatments but really low quantities… copper has no bad influence on our soils. We use low amount, no problem. Mistakes can happen when you are not experienced but now we have the experience.”

They were asked about the costs if going organic. Romain: “Organic is more expensive, costs are higher. Much of the process is manual so more employees (they employ 15 year round), more material, and yields are a bit lower. We now spend less on treatments - chemicals cost a fortune.”

Would they consider going biodynamic? Damien: “We are often asked that question. Organic is a method, bio is more of a philosophy. Some say ‘I don’t believe in it’ but then say ‘it is working’. Next step maybe, a big maybe!”

How have your wines been received by your neighbours? “We are not alone, we have colleagues and friends, is not a problem. A lot of people are quite interested. It is moving, if slowly, but you will sell your wines!”

While they have terrific soils (Portland, J9 on map below, and Kimméridgien J8) in their fields, they also have obstacles. The weather, including cold nights and rain and hail, can be a problem and so too can the steepness of those stony slopes in the area. 

Romain: “The weather and the slopes mean there are not that many organic wine-growers in Chablis. The steep slopes and the stones make for difficult work as does the complicated climate. But we can testify that the climate is changing. Now the problem is becoming a lack of rain!”

Care of the soil is a major ongoing part of the business. They want it “living and balanced” to get plants in good health. “We don’t touch it this month (November), we let it regenerate. First ploughing will be the end of March and we will then also cut the grass that has grown between the rows. The grass and weeds would provide too much completion for the vines if allowed to thrive between March and July.”

They are happy with progress. “Now after years of organic, we can see many different varieties of grass and herbs - very satisfying. When you have healthy soil, your vines are stronger - key to making good wine.” Pruning starts December. It is long and slow work (it continues until March) but very important,

Beauroy. And its lake!

Do they net against frost? Romain: “I would prefer nothing! But, in Beauroy, we do have a lake, created in 1978 and we use the water to spray against the frost. And we pray!”

How has acidity impacted on their wine-making over the last decade? With riper fruit, acidity has reduced. Damien: “This is another frequent question but acidity is only a part of the process. I prefer to talk balance. Can we have good balance now? Yes, even if we don’t have the acidity of earlier decades. It is not just a question of acidity. Thirty years ago it was quite difficult to have balance because of the acidity at that time.”

Their winery in Chablis

Chablis is of course famous for its acidity. “It is a strength we built in the 70s and 80s, but you cannot fix nature you know! But there’s been no need to add sugar since 2011.” Romain: “Last few years, ripeness is quite high, it is a different Chablis from that if the 90s. We want to do the wines with the grapes we have.”

Could global warming lead to vineyard re-classification in Chablis? “That’s a good question,” replied Damien. But they said it would not be easy to change in the area as the slopes face in all the directions, even though Premier Cru are south-facing mostly. They emphasised that such changes would be long-term, maybe 50-years. Besides, there is a lot of politics around this question. ”Best thing may be not to touch it!”

The brothers are “very happy with the 2020 vintage” though the long dry spell (May-July) and then rains in August didn’t help. Yet harvest was early - it was their first time starting in August. Maturity was a bit lower compared to 2018 and 2019. The result “is quite a classic Chablis style, more fresh and light. You’ll see!”

Liberty MD David Gleave, who brought the masterclass to a close, has been impressed since he began to deal with the brothers, impressed “by the beauty of the property, the energy and enthusiasm of the brothers, the quality of the vineyard and the quality of the wines.” 

Here’s to many more vintages from Domaine de L’Enclos. Check out the Liberty website for availability in your area. Ireland: https://www.libertywines.ie/  

UK: https://www.libertywines.co.uk/en-gb/home