The Datebook datebook_winter_spring2019_digital_ARTWORK | Page 21

VINTNER’S TALES By Richard Household Be Brave, Explore and Happy Tasting! S pring is here at last! The days are getting longer, warmer and life is returning to the land. It’s time to drink less full-bodied and rich reds and whites and turn to wines that reflect the season – fruity, vibrant, bright and re-invigorating. I love this time of year – gorging on early asparagus, rhubarb and new season potatoes. The flavours tend to more delicate, so the trick is to choose wines to match. In the vineyards, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, life is reappearing. Winter pruning should be finished in preparation for budburst anytime from March. These buds develop into shoots which grow with quite some vigour, using up the carbohydrate reserves stored in the trunk over the winter. From May, the flowers appear as the temperature warms up and there is plenty of water. This is a critical time in the vineyard with a significant risk of frost. If there isn’t enough warmth or water then the fruit will not set and the harvest will be badly affected, even at this early stage. So it is a time of renewal in the wonderful natural cycle of a vineyard. I thought I would recommend five regions that produce wines perfect for this time of year. The first is Soave. It is the perfect white wine to accompany asparagus which is not an easy food to pair with wine! Soave comes from vineyards in the Veneto region of north eastern Italy. The best grapes come from the hillside vineyards not far from Verona. The grape variety used to produce Soave is Garganega. It is a high yielding varietal and there is no doubt that it is responsible for some poor, neutral and rather dull white wines. However on the right soil and in the right hands … wonderful. The volcanic soils of Soave Classico DOCG are perfect. The wines have an excellent vibrant character of lemon and green fruit but also perfumed and floral with a delicious texture and bright acidity. The one that I am enjoying at the moment is produced by Monte del Fra. The second recommendation is New Zealand. When I first started out in the wine trade, one of the annual highlights was a visit to the London Wine Trade Fair. There were two stands we went to before all others: Chateau de Beaucastel (still a firm favourite) and Cloudy Bay. At the time Cloudy Bay was a revelation, unlike any Sauvignons that we were used to. The wine was vibrant, bold, fruity and exiting. New Zealand wines have kept going very much along these lines. These days I would seek out other whites including Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling, as well as Pinot Noir. The climate is maritime and cool, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. This means the wines tend to be elegant, vibrant with layers of fresh fruit and superb acidity. My favourites include Dog Point, Marlborough, Felton Road in Central Otago and the wonderful wines from Isabel Estate. They produce outstanding Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. This may be a surprising recommendation but the reds from the Ribero del Duero are a favourite of mine at this time of year. These reasonably big Tempranillos (the key grape used in Rioja) are a perfect companion to new season lamb (milk-fed lamb if you are in Spain) along with some Jersey Royal new potatoes. The wines have changed quite a bit in recent years. There has been a move away from huge reds aged in American oak barrels to give even more power and vanilla. Now the wines are more restrained and elegant and with a much greater use of French oak. The flavours are more subtle. A perfect example of this is Valderiz. I love their wines. This is an organic and bio-dynamic estate that produces wines that are layered, warm with vibrant cherry, bramble fruit and toasty spice from the oak. The Loire Valley is an excellent place to find wines to enjoy in the Spring and early Summer. The long winding River Loire stretches through the heart of France from the Auvergne up to the south west of Paris and then across to Nantes and the Atlantic Ocean. Vineyards are dotted along the river as it heads west. These include Sancerre, Pouilly Fume, Saumur, Vouvray, Chinon and Muscadet. Yes, the wines are diverse in style and quality but they can be a revelation. Sancerres from Domaine Henri Bourgeois are the perfect match with the local crottin de Richard Household. You’ll find me cycling through some of these vineyards this Summer! Chavignol goat’s cheese. Vouvrays made from the hugely versatile Chenin Blanc produce a range of styles from dry to sweet to sparkling. All are worth exploring. When young, these wines have flavours of apple and pear and as they age or have a little sweetness they become complex, rich, honeyed layered and hugely pleasurable. Then across to Muscadet which, when well produced, are crisp, bright and just wonderful with local oysters! You’ll find me cycling through some of these vineyards this Summer! If it is more reds you are after then the trick is to enjoy wines that have a little less tannin and a little more fruit. Beaujolais is neglected a bit these days but it is really worth exploring wines from this famous region to the south of Burgundy. The terroir is different here with plenty of granite and the grape grown is Gamay. The best wines generally come from any one of the 10 ‘crus’. These sub- regions, like Fleurie, Brouilly, Morgon, Moulin-a-Vent and so on, represent the areas with the finest soil and best potential. The wines are fresh, bright and full of cherry fruit, silky, smooth and a real pleasure. Seek out wines like Fleurie, Domaine de la Madone, or any Morgon from the Cote du Py. Be brave, explore and happy tasting! Visit: www.bromptonwine.co.uk Choose wines to match the early season’s delicate flavours. 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