Vini Italiani - yet another adornment to SW London

After The Sampler in South Ken and Sipp in Brompton Road Vini Italiani in Old Brompton Road comes within months Vini Italiani, a home for Italian wines in London as their brochure has it.

Practically opposite Handford Wines who have a pretty good selection of Italian wine themselves, Vini Italiani almost makes a wine trail in the area if you add Harvey Nichols, Harrods (where Jo Ahearne MW previously of Marks and Spencer is just taking over the buying), two branches of Nicolas, Jeroboams in Walton Street, Troubadour Wines further up Old Brompton Road, Lea and Sandeman in Fulham Road and various delis and Gastronomie where the odd individual interesting bottle may be found (Cheesemonger Beillevaire in Montpelier Street), Luigi's in Fulham Road, San Lorenzo in Beauchamp Place, La Picena in Walton Street, Partridges in Kings Road etc.

But Vini Italiani is different. As well as 'only' selling Italian wine, the nicely appointed shop is divided up into the separate Italian regions with those of the North upstairs

and South downstairs. Each region has Red, White, dry, sweet, fizzy, still etc. displayed together. It is an excellent format; one which accentuates the different regional terroirs and traditions.

The wines are a little on the expensive side even for this well-heeled end of town and inevitably there are some omissions (no Grignolino, no Schioppettino, no Rossese, no Pugnitello, - available from Handfords by the way - still less rarer varieties) but we must give them a chance and plenty of encouragement in this worthwhile initiative.

Slotovino competition. Cash prize

A large cash prize, 100 South Korean Won is offered for the first correct answer to the question of which grape varieties are included in Happy Day Korean wine. As a hint, we can say that the taste of this wine is Palwinesque with Cola notes.

A Korean solution

An original marketing solution comes to us from an unexpected quarter. How to get increased footfall in your retail wine outlet? Why, attach an Arts Centre to it complete with Opera House,

Concert Hall, Calligraphy Museum, restaurants, cafes, outdoor spaces.

Vinarte is the enterprising outfit to be found in the Seoul Arts Centre. An independent wine shop quite out of the ordinary in Korea, a country otherwise not especially associated with wine. We don't mean to be patronizing; there are decent wine shops in Seoul with a limited but not uninteresting selections as might be expected in this advanced and sophisticated society. Wine is drunk as much as anywhere else and if there is a somewhat elevated bias towards brands, that is perhaps only to be expected where there is no tradition and comparatively recent interest. We looked in vain for Vin Naturel or anything much off the beaten track although the odd out of the way and interesting producer such as Cusumano were quite broadly represented which is a good and unexpected thing.

Vinarte is another matter. A wine bar as well as a wine shop, we found a surprising amount of Romanian wine on offer. This we were told was due to a (Romanian?) partner with a special interest in Romania. We tried a glass of Vampire Merlot. We are familiar with and most appreciative of Romanian Pinot Noir and are aware they produce Cabernet Sauvignon, but had never come across a Merlot from that country. The glass we tasted in Vinarte, Seoul was very respectable despite the corny name.

Of note in many Korean wine shops was the full representation of sweet and semi-sweet wines, both Red and White. We draw no conclusions from this other than Koreans must like these wines. Nothing wrong in that. Indeed, there was an interesting selection at Vinarte.

Although relatively small, Vinarte has a temperature-controlled room for fine wines and a selection of spirits inculding Stravinsky's favourite whisky, Ballantine's 30 Year Old.

The hefty price of 845,000 South Korean Won translates into nearly £480, three times the cost in the UK. One would have to be a very big Stravinsky fan to pay that amount but judging by the enthusiasm of Korean audiences for Western classical music, there might be the odd aficionado willing to pay that amount. Having a beautiful Arts Centre attached to your wineshop would certainly help.

In praise of Domaine Grisard

We first wrote about Domaine Grisard exactly 2 years ago in February 2010, Since then there have been several mentions in this Blog, all good.

These were mainly in connection with Persan, a Savoyard variety rescued by the Grisards and now to be found either as a 100% varietal or in blends by other producers.

The Grisards did not stop at Persan though. For a relatively small producer they also make varietal Malvoisie, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Roussette (both straight and aged in Acacia wood), Jacquère, Mondeuse and the rare Mondeuse Blanche which is no relation to red Mondeuse. There are also blends and they run a 'Pépinière' (vine nursery).

Here is the list of their vines in the Pépinière;

Plantation Conservatoire 2004

Abondance Noire
Etraire de la Dhuy (Inra)
Corbesse ou Chatus
Hiboux Rouge ou Noir (Inra)
Humagne
Jurançon Noir ou Gonni
Persan
Montruchon
Rouge de Maurienne
Servénèze de Voreppe
Tréfort (Geusche noire)

Bia gris
Blanc des RosesPinot Noir Gris Blanc sur le même plant
Pinot gris

Blanc de Maurienne = Rèze
Gouin (blanc 2eme)
Cacaboué
Hiboux Blanc (Inra)
Maclon ou Fusette = St Pierre Doré
Melon de Bourgogne
Mondeuse blanche
Petite Arvine
Piolac
Servanin (Inra)
Verdesse (Inra )

The story of how the pépinière was established is in itself interesting;

UNE LONGUE TRADITION FAMILIALE

Né en 1813, Joseph Marie aménage en 1863 les bâtiments que l’on peut voir encore aujourd'hui. A cette époque, il cultivait la vigne et élevait les vers à soie. Vers 1890, le Phylloxera détruit les ceps des vignes. Son fils Antoine les remplace aussitôt par des plants greffés sur place. C’est à la suite de cet événement que les pépinières de plants de vigne ont fait leur apparition sur l’exploitation . Aujourd'hui encore, nous poursuivons la double activité de viticulteur et de pépiniériste viticole.

As well as the varieties mentioned above they are researching the following;

Cépages Rouges

Noir de Conflans

Bellochin

Crussin

Vert Rouge

Gros janin

Cépages Blancs

Pointu de Vimines

Blanc Verdan : 2me époque Tarentaise

Doucette (Brides les Bains)

Rougine

(Watch this space...)

They are obviously becoming celebrated locally at least with recent representation in Savoyard supermarkets.

Domaine Grisard is the concern of Jean-Pierre Grisard but there is a Michel Grisard and a Philippe Grisard who also produce wine in Fréterive, near Albertville, Savoie. Our Grisard describes himself on every bottle as Vigneron Indpendant depuis quatre générations.

On a recent holiday in the alps not far from Fréterive we decided to order a mixed case of some of the more basic Domaine Grisard wines as well as a couple of more expensive ones.

Jacquere Vielles Vignes 4.10

Roussette 2009 6.50

Roussette Acacia 2009 8.50

Rose Mondeuse 2010 4.70

Gamay 2010 5.00

Pinot Noir 2010 5.00

Mondeuse 2010 5.20

Malvoisie 11.00

4 x Persan 44.00

All the wines were pure, light and delicate. Some were intense, Some better than others of course. As well as the Persan which lived up to its reputation, we especially enjoyed the Rosé de Mondeuse

which turned out an unexpected triumph and the Malvoisie which was perfect.

The Gamay was too light if that is possible, veering towards the neutral. All the wines were 12% except the Jacquère which was 11.5%.

In the local Spar supermarket we were delighted to find almost all these wines (except Persan, understandably) - even the Grisard Mondeuse Blanche.

We had baulked at a price of over E. 18 for this but in the event the rarity of this grape and our curiosity got the better of us and we duly went for it. Sadly, this like the Gamay was light to neutral.

These wines from the supermarket sported different labels for 'marketing' reasons no doubt.

The Roussette aged in acacia barrels was much more interesting.

There was a woody note all right but also a hint of resin. The use of acacia wood is not unknown but in the case of these ultra clean and pure wines it adds an aromatic element. Fascinating.

Jacquère and Altesse are indigenous Savoyard grape varieties. Roussette is the same as Altesse but nothing to do with the Roussane of the Rhone region despite Roussette being a synonym for Roussanne there. Bergeron, as in Chignin Bergeron is Roussanne however. Confusing.

Getting representation in supermarkets in the region is hopefully going to be the start of recognition for these wines. They are currently available in very few places in France but quite well represented in the low countries, the Dutch and Belgians having always been canny about wine.

A model of its kind

We never cease to be astounded by the Pinot Noir explosion which was triggered by an inexplicably influential scene in that otherwise unremarkable film 'Sideways.' Perhaps the elevation of Pinot Noir to a pantheon previously consisting only of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot was waiting to happen. Since then, Pinot Gris or Grigio seems to have arrived in that company without any particular catalyst so maybe there is hope for others?

Peter May's book "Pinotage: behind the legend" was a title on Kindle we couldn't resist. Mr. May also wrote a book (bonkbuster?) on Merlot called something like "Marylin Merlot" which we don't feel the need to download. Otherwise, there can't be many works devoted to the history and promotion of a single variety.

"Pinotage: behind the legend" hasn't had the effect of 'Sideways' so far but is a way it is a model for what potentially could be a genre. There are some other grape varieties which could tell a story - our favourite Ramisco (in that case a tear-jerker), the Torrontes of Argentina (a mystery tale), some of the more outlandish hybrids (humour). Even Pinot Grigio/Grauburgunder has a chequered history (see Johann Seger Ruhland).

May slightly over-eggs the "legend" of Pinotage but it is still an interesting story and this book has everything you would ever want to know about the variety. We guarantee after reading this study you will go out and buy a bottle of Pinotage.

A satisfied customer

Great to see you both the other week. Thanks for making the trek down. Xxxx (with a lot of help from Yyyy) and I have just finished – with considerable pleasure – our tour through the very nice case of western Swiss wine that you kindly bought for us. We thought we’d give you an unscientific review of the case.

As the first customer of the day at 09.30 the wine-seller was most surprised to find a mono-linguistic Anglo man brandishing a list of Geneva and Valais’s finest wine. Having gathered the case, he did, however, compliment me on my exemplarily taste which I obviously claimed as my own and “just something I whipped-up before breakfast”.

Highlights were definitely the wonderful, honey-fuelled, white Domaine des Curiades 2007 which reminded Xxxx and me of the best of Slovenian whites

(try Sutor, Edi Simcic) which I highly recommend as they beat far more expensive French imposters hands-down; the Phillippe Darioli 2008 was also excellent and great with the sea bass we had with it.

The suitably named Domaine du Paradis 2007 is a knock-out,

full-bodied red that somehow gets better the 2nd day (yes, we managed to re-cork a bottle or two). The other fantastic red was the Domaine des Freres Phillippoz

which is very alcoholic but somehow very light, complex and spicy. A bit like a very good Shiraz.

The only bottle we thought was disappointing was the Denis Mercier 2008 which was pretty forgettable. There was also one bottle that they didn’t have (forget which one) so I replaced it with an excellent champagne that you must try – Jose Michel –

which at 34 CHF in Geneva is about the same as a bottle of Evian at the Kempinski. It was an excellent substitute and – in our collective view – hands down beat Pommery, Veuve and Moet (not that we drink that much of any of the above).

If you’re wandering about the other 7 bottles. They were all great; so good in fact that I didn’t get around to writing anything so amusing was the conversation they lubricated.

Parking for Greeks only

In these days of economic gloom, it's always interesting to see a queue so proceeding along Old Compton St. we joined a throng of mainly young-ish people outside (and inside) a shop called Gerry's who claim to be

the UK's largest selection of spirits and liqueurs. Over the years, our store in the centre of London's vibrant Soho has become famous for being something of an Aladdin's Cave of rare, weird and wonderful examples of the distiller's art.

So spirits were what everyone was queuing for just before Christmas. We joined them and clocked a Peruvian Cabernet Sauvignon at over £17 on the way in. They definitely have an eclectic selection. The original Gerry must have been Greek because ancient sign (difficult to determine whether BC or AD) offers free parking if you are Greek.