#DWCC14: the Jancis & José show – Grand Tasting

José Vouillamoz warming up the audience 

before the start of the tasting

Jancis Robinson MW 

José Vouillamoz

This time last week in Montreux the Jancis and José show otherwise known as the Grand Tasting provided the highlight of the 2015 Digital Wine Comunications Conference. 12 Swiss wines on show – six white, six red.

As one would expect it was an assured and authoritative performance from Jancis Robinson MW and Dr José Vouillamoz. It is fascinating to see how José has blossomed as a speaker and performer over the two years since I first saw him at the 2012 European Wine Bloggers Conference in Izmir. Then, after his starring role in Wine Grapes, he was new to the wine world and understandably less assured than he is now.  

Of the whites I was impressed by three wines : the racy 2013 Petite Arvine AOC Valais L'Orpailleur-Uvrier (Frédéric Dumoulin), the rich and complex 2005 Petite Arvine Maître de Chai Provins Valais (AOC Valais) and the stylish and citric 2002 Château Lichten AOC Valais Domaines Rouvinez-Sierre.  

The remarkable freshness of the 2002 was noted and it was suggested that this might be unusual. However, the 2002 Pouilly-Fumé from Landrat Guyollot that we took to the BYOB event on the Thursday was also wonderfully fresh as a number of the dry Loires are from this fine and beautifully balanced vintage. 

From the reds the smoky, complex 2011 Malanser Blauburgunder Reserva AOC Graubünden from Peter Wegelin was my clear favourite. It also turned out to be the audience's favourite by a narrow margin – 35 votes to 33 – over the 2009 Barbengo Balin AOC Tessin from Kopp von der Crone Visini

•••

 Jancis Robinson MW delivering 

her keynote speech@The Gala Dinner 

           

Later Jancis delivered her keynote speech at the beginning of the DWCC Gala Dinner. This was a decidedly difficult gig – the end of a long day, a lengthy wait in increasingly steamy and uncomfortable conditions before being admitted to the dining room plus it was the end of the conference. A time when most of the delegates were wanting to enjoy some wine, food and chat to friends. Sensibly Jancis opted to deliver a pre-dinner speech rather than a keynote though she did stress the great job Vrazon has done with DWCC (nay EWBC) and the need to keep on evolving in the fast changing world of communicating. She cited the recent update and relaunch of JancisRobinson.com  

Kudos to Jancis for attending and taking part in sessions throughout the Saturday and not just turning up for her gigs.   

 

Le Conservatoire de cépages du domaine de Vassal est aujourd'hui menacé.

The rare Meslier Saint-François@Lionel Gosseaume, Touraine 

How strange it is that just at a time when there is growing interest in rare grape varieties that France's collection at the Domaine de Vassal near Marseillan is under threat.

See open letter sent on 15th October 2013 by various signatories (including Michel Grisard, Jean-Michel Deiss, Olivier Poussier, Marc Parcé, Nicolas Joly) to the French Ministries of Agriculture and Research: 

'La France possède le plus beau patrimoine viticole au Domaine de Vassal. Préservons-le, il est en danger !

Crée en 1876 au sein l'école d'Agriculture de Montpellier, aujourd'hui Supagro, la collection viticole Française de référence a été implantée en 1949, dans l'Hérault, au domaine de Vassal, sur des terrains sablonneux propices à la préservation et à la sélection de vignes exemptes de maladies.

Ce sont aujourd'hui plus de 7500 vignes qui sont collectionnées, représentatives du patrimoine ampélographique de toutes les régions de France, mais également des variétés issues du monde entier.'

Read the rest here. 

•••

Please sign the petition from André Deyrieux :

Bonjour,

Le Conservatoire de cépages du domaine de Vassal est aujourd'hui menacé.

Ce conservatoire français de variétés de vignes unique au monde créé en 1876 comporte notamment 2.300 cépages de Vitis vinifera. Il constitue un authentique patrimoine mondial.

L'INRA envisage un déménagement de ce conservatoire, ce qui en première analyse aurait des conséquences catastrophiques.

Une pétition a été organisée et mise en ligne sur http://www.petitions24.net/defense_vassal

Elle a pour objet de demander :

- l’engagement d’une dernière médiation pour pérenniser la collection sur le domaine de Vassal et en optimiser la gestion par un partenariat INRA- Fondation privée

- la sauvegarde totale des collections implantées au Domaine de Vassal

- la création d’une Fondation pour la recherche et le développement du Patrimoine Ampélographique Français

Par ailleurs une table-ronde sur Vassal aura lieu lors du Salon des Vignerons Indépendants à Paris le 29 novembre.

Plus d'informations sont disponibles sur la page facebook Le Dossier Vassal : https://www.facebook.com/ledossiervassal

Cordialement,

André Deyrieux

WINE TOURISM MEDIA, l'Oenotourisme

Défenseur des patrimoines culturels du vin depuis 2006

 Julia Harding MW presenting rare Iberian grape varieties@DWCC13

 

 José Vouillamoz  presenting rare Iberian grape varieties@DWCC13

 

#DWCC #DWCC13 Photos from the excellent Wine Mosaic Grand Tasting: 26.10.13

Julia Harding MW presenting@the Grand Tasting 

of little known Iberian grape varieties

 José Vouillamoz: Julia's co-presenter 

and a co-author of Wine Grapes

This was an excellent presentation by Julia Harding MW and José Vouillamoz covering 10 little known varieties from the Iberian Peninsula. The ten were – white: Vital, Antão Vaz, Jampal, Albilla de Manchuela, Tempranillo Blanco (now authorised for white Rioja), Maturana Blanca; red: Alvarelhão, Honarribi Beltza, Callet and Touriga Fêmea.  

 

Jean-Luc Etievent of Wine Mosaic

 

Frédéric Galtier 

Doug Frost MW, MS

Ricardo Bernardo: stepping up – DWCC's official photographer

Sara Ramos, Vrazon

Yolanda Ortiz de Arri  

After the Grand Tasting:

 

 

Arnaud Daphy of Wine Mosaic

DWCC 2014: Montreux, Switzerland 31st October – 2nd November

 Swiss Pinot Noir Grand Cru

At the end of the Grand Tasting the venue for next year's DWCC conference was announced with a flourish of Swiss Pinot Noir Grand Cru – Montreux on Lake Geneva – to great surprise, by Jancis Robinson via video link!

Dr José 'special one' Vouillamoz: Unusual varieties – the wines

2011 Grk – Branimir Cebalo, Korcula, Croatia (Grk) (above and below)

Here are photos of the labels of most of the wines presented by Dr José Vouillamoz at Monday's CWW seminar. There were some very attractive wines shown, particularly amongst the whites.  

Whites (includes Grk above)

2010 Kolorko, Pasaeli, Hosköy, Turkey (Kolorko)

2012 Vigna del Lume, Antonio Mazzella, Ischia, Italy (Biancolella)

This rich, full bodied, complex wine was one of my favourites with multiple flavours of citrus fruits, pineapple, passion fruit and apricot.  

Reds

2010 Negre de San Colonia, Vins Toni Gelabert, Mallorca, Spain (Callet)

Powerful butch number with floral black fruits – a bit 2D and needs time in bottle 

Zorik Gharibian maker of 2011 Karasi, Zorah Wines, Rind, Armenia (Areni) 

This was my favourite red with its nicely balanced spicy and peppery fruit. Reminded me of the 2011 Poulsard, Côtes de Jura from Domaine Ganevat we drank on Sunday night. 

Zorik with Angela Reddin (CWW) and Dr José Vouillamoz

The Cecchetto family makers of this Gelsaia

2009 Gelsaia DOCG Piave Malanotte, Az.Agr. Cecchetto, Veneto, Italy (Raboso Piave)

Rich, ripe black fruits, quite tannic with matching acidity – good match I imagine with substantial dishes 

Amphora orange wines 

We finished with two wines that had been fermented and matured in amphora. Both fascinating, although the last wine certainly provoked divided opinions.

2011 Gringet Amphore, Domaine Belluard, Haute-Savoie, France (Gringet)

2011 Kisi, Pheasant's Tears, Georgia (Kisi)

Someone tweeted that this was disgusting but I liked Pheasant's Tail with its strong tannins – unusual for a white – attractive texture and length. José noted herbs and dried figs. He was also impressed by its length. 


The other wines shown were:
2009 Versoain, Castel Katzenzungen, Südtirol, Italy (variety Versoain)
2011 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlosberg Orleans, Georg Breuer, Germany (Orleans Gelb) Fine balance of fruit and high acidity
2011 Lafnetscha, Chanton Kellerei, Visp, Switzerland (Lafnetscha)


See also Tom Lewis' write up here on the wines.

Dr José – wine's 'special one'!

Dr José Vouillamoz  

Unusual varieties from Wine Grapes

Football's 'special one' may be returning to West London after time at Inter Milan and Real Madrid but the wine world already has its special one in place – Dr José Vouillamoz – after a brilliant and hugely impressive presentation to the Circle of Wine Writers yesterday. José's presentation at the CWW's traditional seminar at the opening morning of the London International Wine Trade Fair was on unusual and rare grape varieties and featured 11 wines – all single varietals and all different varieties. The production of some of the wines is so tiny that it is unlikely that it will be possible to taste some of these wines again. (The wines will be listed with their labels in the next post.) 

Dr José Vouillamoz is a co-author with Julia Harding MW and Jancis Robinson MW of Wine Grapes, the weight lifters' delight and almost complete guide to grape varieties. 'Almost complete' because since the book's publication last autumn a few more varieties that were not included have come to light and will be in the next edition. Wine Grapes has already scooped six awards: Best Drink Book 2012, Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards; Best Beverage Book 2012, James Beard Awards; Best Drink Book 2012, André Simon Awards; Hall of Fame for Best Wine Book 2012, Gourmand World Cookbook Awards; Best Drinks Book 2012, Wine &amp Spirits magazine; and Most Uplifting Book 2012, Iron Person Magazine. Doubtless there will be more to follow.

The 'special one'!! 

The tasting – limited to some 58 people because of 

the very limited supply of a few of the wines 

 Oz Clarke deep in concentration 

Nigel Greening pondering whether any of these varieties would suit 

Felton Road, Central Otago (NZ) 

Richard Bampfield MW 

Dr Jamie Goode

 Rapt attention from Peter May and Lisa Shara Hall 

Lindsay Oram

Wine Grapes@3.074 kilos

stocked in all the best gyms!