2012 André Simon Memorial Awards: announcement Thursday

André Simon

Some time around 7.30pm Thursday evening the winners of the 2012 André Simon Memorial Food and Drink Book Awards will be known. After a barren period a few years ago, there has recently been a renaissance of drink books. The year when no award could be made because there simply wasn't a drink book of sufficient merit seems increasingly distant.  The renaissance has come about in part through new publishers emerging, like Berry Bros with Jasper Morris' Burgundy book – now an innovative ebook, as well as the development of self-publishing.

This year's shortlist looks strong even though there is a clear favourite amongst the titles shortlisted:

Kerin O'Keefe: Brunello di Montalcino (University of California Press)

Eric Asimov: How to love wine (William Morrow)

Neal Martin: Pomerol (Wine Journal Publishing) – Neal has self-published this detailed study of Pomerol 

Peter Liem & Jesús Barquin: Sherry, Manzanilla & Montilla (Manutius)

Jancis Robinson MW, Julia Harding, Dr José Vouillamoz: Wine Grapes (Penguin Books)

Wine Grapes must be the clear favourite this year, although there can always be surprises. If Wine Grapes wins Jancis won't be there as she left last week for a tour of several weeks in Australia and the rest of Asia-Pacific. 

I plan to take photos at the evening and trust that this year they won't be recording the last days of a senior member of the wine trade – last year I took some of the last photos of John Avery MW, who very sadly died of a heart attack less than a week later.

The heavyweight Wine Grapes 

Page from Neal Martin's Pomerol book

   

Sancerre does play a major role in its appellation

From the heights above Chavignol looking across vineyards to Sancerre with virtually all the vines in the photo within the commune of Sancerre

Eric Asimov (New York Times and The Pour) is one of my favourite US wine columnists. In mid-April his weekly article ‘Sancerre: Say It With Feeling’ 15th April 2009 was devoted to Sancerre and centred around a tasting of 2007 white Sancerres. I was pleased to see the 2007 from Lucien Crochet come out as the top recommendation. I think Gilles Crochet is currently doing a terrific job in all three of the colours of Sancerre. The runners up were Jean-Paul Picard, Domaine Vacheron and Pascal Cotat.

However, my attention was also caught by this assertion: ‘This is Sancerre territory, centered around the villages of Bué and Chavignol (very little wine comes from the town of Sancerre itself).’ (enboldened by Jim)

In this instance Eric Asimov is incorrect – some of the appellation’s biggest names are based in or around the town of Sancerre. I suspect that Sancerre producers like Château de Sancerre, Domaine Fouassier, Alphonse Mellot, Joseph Mellot, Domaine Vacheron and La Cave de Sancerre (co-operative) would take issue with him and I could throw in Pascal Cotat and Vincent Grall for good measure. Indeed four of Eric’s recommended producers (Vacheron, Pascal Cotat, Château de Sancerre and Thomas Labaille) come from the commune of Sancerre.

Leaving aside the producers the commune of Sancerre does also have some significant vineyards, in particular to the west, south west and south of the town. Famous sites such as La Moussière, Les Grands Champs, Les Romains and La Belle Dame are all in Sancerre.

Vines to west of town of Sancerre in the area that includes Les Grands Champs, La Moussière and Le Paradis

The commune of Sancerre also includes the villages of Amigny and Chavignol, although I suspect the inhabitants of Chavignol would insist that Sancerre is actually an adjunct or suburb of Chavignol and that French bureaucracy has made a mistake here. However until that decision is reversed, La Côte des Monts Damnés, Le Cul de Beaujeu and La Grand Côte are in Sancerre.