Claude and Jöelle with their trophyOn Tuesday evening, at a glittering dinner at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Claude and Joëlle Papin (Château Pierre-Bise) collected their Sweet Loire Trophy Award for their 2007 Quarts de Chaume. Theirs was the only regional trophy the Loire panel awarded this year. Unfortunately they missed out on the International Sweet Wine Trophy Over £10 that went to the 2008 Seifried Estate, Winemakers Collection Sweet Agnes Riesling Ice Wine, Nelson, New Zealand.
Receiving the award from Steven Spurrier
Steven Spurrier: the awards' chairman
Tables – looking down at the dining area before the start - places for some 320 people
Table No 2Six years after its birth, the Decanter World Wine Awards is now the largest wine competition in the UK with 10,285 wines entered and 196 gold medals, 91 regional trophies and 24 international trophies gained.
In the retailers' awards, Waitrose won supermarket of the year with M&S as runner up. Majestic won wine chain of the year (little competition here, sadly), Tanners (independent merchant of the year with Lea & Sandeman running up), Berry Bros & Rudd taking online merchant of the year, with The Wine Society running up, while The Sampler won much praise in winning small independent merchant of the year with Les Caves de Pyrene running up.
Christelle Guibert (Decanter's tastings director) with Claude and Joëlle
Claude and Joëlle were on good form – over in London for just the evening, arriving in the afternoon by Eurostar and heading back out again before 7.30am this morning. One reason for the rush to get back is that this weekend sees the delayed celebrations (Claude was born on 21st August 1949) for his 60th birthday in Brittany – a three day weekend of activities, jollity and good food arrosé avec modération is planned.
Claude reported that it has been very dry this summer in the Layon – drier than it was in the famous drought year of 1976. The vines are suffering and many of the oak trees around them are dying due to the low level of the water table. This, Claude believes, is due to higher evaporation rates caused by the move by farmers to larger fields and removing the hedges and copses. One affect of this is to increase evaporation from the greater wind force no longer broken up by the small fields. This has been a long process over a number of years with annual evaporation rates exceeding rainfall. Now when planting new vines the Papins choose vine root stocks that have a lower transpiration rate.
I was delighted to hear that Vincent Ogereau is making a good recovery following his operation in May.
Wines served last night (following a request from The Wine Doctor)
Aperitif
Champagne Jacquart, Brut Mosaïque 2002
Good to sip standing on the Royal Opera terrace high above the Covent Garden Plaza.
In the retailers' awards, Waitrose won supermarket of the year with M&S as runner up. Majestic won wine chain of the year (little competition here, sadly), Tanners (independent merchant of the year with Lea & Sandeman running up), Berry Bros & Rudd taking online merchant of the year, with The Wine Society running up, while The Sampler won much praise in winning small independent merchant of the year with Les Caves de Pyrene running up.
Christelle Guibert (Decanter's tastings director) with Claude and JoëlleClaude and Joëlle were on good form – over in London for just the evening, arriving in the afternoon by Eurostar and heading back out again before 7.30am this morning. One reason for the rush to get back is that this weekend sees the delayed celebrations (Claude was born on 21st August 1949) for his 60th birthday in Brittany – a three day weekend of activities, jollity and good food arrosé avec modération is planned.
Claude reported that it has been very dry this summer in the Layon – drier than it was in the famous drought year of 1976. The vines are suffering and many of the oak trees around them are dying due to the low level of the water table. This, Claude believes, is due to higher evaporation rates caused by the move by farmers to larger fields and removing the hedges and copses. One affect of this is to increase evaporation from the greater wind force no longer broken up by the small fields. This has been a long process over a number of years with annual evaporation rates exceeding rainfall. Now when planting new vines the Papins choose vine root stocks that have a lower transpiration rate.
I was delighted to hear that Vincent Ogereau is making a good recovery following his operation in May.
Wines served last night (following a request from The Wine Doctor)
Aperitif
Champagne Jacquart, Brut Mosaïque 2002
Good to sip standing on the Royal Opera terrace high above the Covent Garden Plaza.
With first course
Nepenthe Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills 2008
Domaine Schlumberger, Riesling Grand Cru Saering, Alsace 2007
Weingut Johann Donabaum, Riesling Smaragd, Setzberg, Wachau 2007
The two Rieslings overshadowed the Sauvignon Blanc, especially Donabaum's.
With main course
Bodegas Luis Cañas, Hiru 3 Racimos, Rioja 2005
Robert Mondavi, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2005
Allegrini, La Poja, Veronese, Veneto 2005
The complex Allegrini stood out particularly over the heavily wooded Rioja. The Mondavi worked well with the lamb.
With dessert
Charles Heidseick, Rosé Réserve, Champagne NV
Simic Marjan, Leonardo, Brda, Primorska 2004
Nepenthe Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills 2008
Domaine Schlumberger, Riesling Grand Cru Saering, Alsace 2007
Weingut Johann Donabaum, Riesling Smaragd, Setzberg, Wachau 2007
The two Rieslings overshadowed the Sauvignon Blanc, especially Donabaum's.
With main course
Bodegas Luis Cañas, Hiru 3 Racimos, Rioja 2005
Robert Mondavi, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2005
Allegrini, La Poja, Veronese, Veneto 2005
The complex Allegrini stood out particularly over the heavily wooded Rioja. The Mondavi worked well with the lamb.
With dessert
Charles Heidseick, Rosé Réserve, Champagne NV
Simic Marjan, Leonardo, Brda, Primorska 2004
So aren't you going to tell us what Decanter poured for you on the night Jim? Pictures of full glasses and no info? Tut, tut. ;o)
ReplyDeleteChris. Will add this in but wanted to get the important parts up first – pressure of time!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jim - good to know how the chairmen and senior judges live! ;-) These are sll gold medal-winners I assume. It's quite a while since I had a taste of La Poja, probably the last bottle I drank (as opposed to tasted) was the 1993 - it was delicious.
ReplyDeleteChris: The whites were all regional trophy winners, while the reds had all gained gold medals.
ReplyDeleteThe Papins look like a very likeable humble couple.
ReplyDeleteBob.
Bob. You are spot on here.
ReplyDeleteHi Jim,
ReplyDeleteI am following your blog and enjoy it very much. I am myself the owner of Groot Parys Estates (80 hectares) in Paarl, South Africa. We are specializing in Chenin Blanc (30 year old vinyard on red rocky soils like in Chateau neuf du Pape) and fully internationally accredited organic. Perhaps you could put our estate in your chenin outposts column. www.grootparys@wam.co.za
Lots of success with the good work and if you visit South Africa don't forget to give us a call!
Eric Verhaak and Mariette Ras.
Eric and Mariette: many thanks for your message. Although I'd be happy to link to your website, I don't know your wines and would want to taste them before providing a link. Do you have a UK importer please? many thanks Jim
ReplyDelete