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Written by Henry Conway

Category: News

Published: 13 October 2016

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As days grow ever shorter and the cold continues its attack, we here at Grand Cru have decided that what you all need is a big warm red to push these chilly times to the back of your mind.

Who better than the Spanish to give us a taste of the summer again? These masters of the grape are well known for the big flavours and gorgeous tannic structure which they infuse into their juices.

Familia Castano Solanera Vinas Viejas 2013 @ £11.95
A beautiful dark shiny red colour, it displays notes of graphite, acacia flowers, black raspberries, blueberries and blackcurrants. Full-bodied and intense on the palate with silky sweet tannins. Stunningly pure and textured.

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Written by Henry Conway

Category: News

Published: 13 October 2016

Hits: 1664

Welcome back to our weekly news blast! Snippets of information from around the wine world.

English wine has stunning Autumn

There are few sections of the UK wine trade with as much confidence as the fledgling English wine industry in this current state of Brexit limbo. A promising 2016 harvest for English wine looks set to add to the optimism that has been building around the sector for several years now.

Things were looking tricky until warm, sunny weather arrived in August and continued throughout much of September and early October. In the Brexit context, there’s a wry humour in this being almost the perfect description of a ‘continental vintage’, as set out by Louis Roederer’s chef de cave, Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, in Champagne. But, English producers won’t mind that.

‘2016 is shaping up very nicely,’ said Cameron Roucher, vineyard manager at Rathfinny Estate. ‘We were very lucky to avoid any late frosts which affected large parts of Europe.’ Mardi Roberts, of Ridgeview, said the estate fruit was coming in ‘beautifully clean’, thanks in part to September sun.

‘The yields this year are generally down due to the cold snap in April and mixed weather at flowering, which affected some of our partnership vineyards,’ he said. ‘What 2016 will lack in quantity though it will make up for in extremely intensified quality.’

Stephen Skelton MW, an English wine expert and consultant, said that he expected sugars and acids on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and Meunier to be excellent for sparkling. He added that 2016 might also be particularly good for English still wines, if estates hold their nerve.

‘If people wait, then some very good still wines from these varieties will be produced as well,’ he told trade body English Wine Producers.

Andrew Jefford wrote in a recent column for Decanter.com that England’s long growing season has been under-played in the past. ‘It is not so much the precise soil type as the very long, drawn-out season itself which counts most in England’s favour,’ he said.

Masseto releases one of lowest priced Vintages 

Merchants in the UK have priced Masseto 2013 at roughly £4,000 per 12-bottle case.

In the US, it was this week available for between $600 to $700 per bottle at several retailers, in bond, according to Wine-Searcher data. Owner Frescobaldi has been selling a portion of Masseto via the Place de Bordeaux since the 2006 vintage release in October 2009. Its 2013 release is one of the cheapest Masseto vintages on the market, according to Liv-ex data.

On the Liv-ex trading platform, it was slightly below the 2011 and 2010, roughly level with 2012 and only the 2009 was slightly cheaper, at £3,800 per case this week. That could see the 2013 earn attention from fine wine investors and collectors, and possibly dollar buyers looking to take advantage of a weak sterling currency and scoop stock from UK merchants and retailers.

Masseto, a Merlot dominant Tuscan IGT and in same wine family as Cabernet-led Ornellaia, has a relatively established pattern of price increases after release; unlike some of its counterparts on the Place de Bordeaux in recent years. The 2009 has struggled for momentum, but the four preceding vintages all increased in price by double-digit percentage points five years out from release.

Vintage conditions play a part. Tuscany’s 2013 vintage was as a relatively fresh year and Masseto 2013 is the result of an up-and-down growing season which culminated in one of the latest harvests in the wine’s history. ‘Masseto 2013 is the result of an overall late, fresh weather during the harvesting period,’ said winemaker and estate director Axel Heinz.

‘These are particularly favourable conditions for Merlot, which was able to ripen slowly and completely in sunny weather, without excessive heat.

‘These conditions enhanced full expression of the aromatic qualities and perfect ripening of the polyphenolic content.’

The vineyard lots underwent malolactic fermentation and were matured for a year in new oak barrels separately, then the final blend was put back into cask for a further year, before 12 months of bottle ageing prior to release.

Cognac from 1801 sold for £220,000

The bottle of Massougnes 1801 Cognac was sold to a buyer from Asia, said David Baker, managing director of Hermitage Cognacs Ltd and Brandyclassics, which originally procured the bottle and first reported that it had been sold by Hedonism in London.

The Cognac’s £220,000 price tag (US$272,000) makes it easily one of the most expensive Cognacs in the world.

Hermitage Cognacs sold a bottle of Massougnes 1805 last year for around $230,000 – then £148,000 at 2015 exchange rates.

The Guinness Book of World Records said in 2011 that a bottle of Croizet Cuvée Léonie Cognac 1858 was the most expensive on the planet after it sold for the equivalent of £100,000 at an auction in Shanghai.

The Henry IV Dudognon Heritage Cognac Grande Champagne has been known to sell for more than £1m, according to Brandyclassics. But, its ornate bottle made up the vast majority of the price, it said.

The Massougnes 1801, in an imperial three quarter gallon bottle, came from Marie-Antoinette des Allées, Comtesse de la Bourdelière and a direct descendant of Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine and their children, King Richard of England and King John, said Hermitage Cognacs, Baker said.

The Comtesse still lives in the Château on what remains of the Massougnes estate near Aigre in the Charente region of France.

Baker said ‘The estate, or what remains of it, is very much falling apart but in its day was probably the largest Cognac producing estate in the Charente and I am told had around 360 hectares of vines.’

The opportunity to buy remaining Cognac from the estate is rare.

‘I only obtained those that I had through a good friend in Cognac who has from time to time looked after her,’ said Baker.

‘Despite my repeated efforts to get more of them the supply dried up about 10 years ago.

‘We have one remaining Massougnes 1805 of the same size as the one that was sold at Hedonism.’

Cheers!

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Written by Henry Conway

Category: News

Published: 12 October 2016

Hits: 1431

Pumpkins don’t stick around for long, so make sure you start cooking with them this month.

A lightly oaked Chardonnay offers the zingy refreshment combined with a round, slightly nutty palate that can go well with pumpkin in any of its forms.

However, we find that it would pair especially well next to a savory option like sage butter sauce on pumpkin gnocchi.

Try our Burgundy's Chardonnay for a perfect matching :

Nicolas Potel Bourgogne Chardonnay, 2013 at £9.95

Nicolas Potel living up to his name. This bold but classic citrus-led nose offers notes of blossoming acacia flowers and marzipan. Straightforward at first and nicely rounded on the palate, with a complex flavour of almond on the finish.

Or the Nicolas Potel Rully, 2010 at £11.95

A brilliant light yellow colour. A blend of mineral flinty aromas and very ripe fruit aromas gives a nice fresh bouquet. Very pleasant on the palate, sophisticated and round.

SAGE BUTTER SAUCE ON PUMPKIN GNOCCHI 



Ingredients

1kg piece jap pumpkin 
olive oil cooking spray
1/2 to 1 3/4 cups plain flour
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper 
125g butter, chopped
1/2 cup sage leaves 
shaved pecorino cheese, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place pumpkin on tray. Spray with oil. Season with salt and white pepper. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a large bowl. Mash until smooth. Stand for 10 minutes. Sift 1 1/2 cups flour over pumpkin. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until well combined and a soft dough forms. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently for 3 minutes. Divide into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a 30cm-long sausage shape. Cut each roll into 3cm pieces. Press with a fork .Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil over high heat. Add one-quarter of the gnocchi. Cook for 2 minutes or until gnocchi rise to the surface. Cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining gnocchi, in 3 batches.Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted and sizzling. Add sage. Cook for 2 minutes or until butter turns golden. Spoon gnocchi into bowls. Spoon over sage butter. Season with pepper. Top with pecorino and serve.

Enjoy it ! 

www.grandcruco.com

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Written by Henry Conway

Category: News

Published: 08 October 2016

Hits: 1394

Montalcino wines are made within the municipality of Montalcino in the central Italian region of Tuscany. The Rosso di Montalcino is a red wine made only with sangiovese grapes; it bears a Controlled Designation of Origin classification that guarantees compliance with production standards.

Lighter than its famous big brother Brunello, the vivacious and elegant Rosso di Montalcino is best enjoyed young. Ready to drink just one year following the harvest, it is perfect for those who lack cellar space or patience to age their wines. It pairs well with dishes of medium robustness including Italian pasta and risotto, white and red meat dishes as well as hard cheeses. Its particular affinity for tomato makes it the ideal companion to tomato base sauces, but it also pleasantly complements an array of fancier options.

Today we suggest you to pair our Rosso di Montalcino, Poggio San Polo 2014 at £18.95

Bright and glossy ruby red in colour.On the nose it reveals aromas of small fresh berries and a trace of
sour cherry, melded with hints of blackberries and black cherries,followed by a hint of vanilla. A fragrant wine with satisfying intensity. On the palate it is warm, smooth and a medium-bodied with finely-balanced tannins. Dry and sinewy yet fresh with a persistent, aromatic finish.

with an easy to make and rustic..

PENNE WITH PORK RAGOUT

Ingredients

One 3-pound pork shoulder roast, cut into 3-inch chunks
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary 
1 bay leaf 
2 medium Spanish onions, sliced thin 
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 -inch piece Parmesan rind
Pinch red chile flakes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus for drizzling
1 pound penne pasta
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Method

Dry the pork well and sprinkle it on all sides with 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt and the pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, brown the pork on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the pork to a plate and set aside. While the pork is browning, tie the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf into a bundle using butcher's twine. Once all of the pork has been browned, reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil no oil remains in the pot. Add the onions and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring and scraping up any browned bits. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and cook until reduced to nearly dry, 6 to 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, Parmesan rind, chile flakes and the herb bundle and bring to a simmer. Return the pork to the pot, tucking it in under the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the pork is fork tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes.
Remove the pork and shred into bite-size pieces using two forks. Remove the herb bundle from the sauce and add the pork back to the pot. Stir in the olive oil and half of the grated Parmesan. Keep warm over low heat.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne for about 1 or 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain and add the pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, about 2 minutes, adding a ladle of pasta water as needed. Serve topped with the remaining grated Parmesan, or more as desired, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Enjoy it !

www.grandcruco.com

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Written by Henry Conway

Category: News

Published: 05 October 2016

Hits: 1475

What about something to warm you up ?! I'd say we have exactly what is needed on a day like this

Bila-Haut Latour de France Occultum Lapidem, Languedoc-Roussillion 2013 at £16.30

Praised year after year on Robert Parker’s website, this cuvée’s 2013 vintage is keeping up the pace. Another example of Chapoutier’s constant pursuit of excellence and worth decanting to show its best.