T H E WO R L D ' S L E A D I N G F I N E W I N E M AGA Z I N E S No. e3 0 9 WORLD ·A INE W T GHBRED O OU FT OR H H E WORLD · INE A W T CHEV A BLAN L C UGHBRED OF RO TH HO THE WINE MAGAZINE Château d´Yquem 1921 · Vermeer&Wine · Auction Report 2010 · Bentley GTC Speed · Barca Velha B O R D E A U X 2 0 E 0 9 New Interactive Feature · Publish Your Own Wine Points - Click For Instructions

F I N E W I N E M A G A Z I N E C O N T E N T S PAGE 14 From Wine Labels to Portraits PAGE 118 Barca Velha ­ Icon Wine of Portugal PAGE 124 How To Get Rid of Cork Taint PAGE 42 Bordeaux 2009 Phenomenon PAGE 110 Mouton Rothschild ­ Vertical Of Art PAGE 126 Wine In Vermeer 8 FINE

F I N E W I N E M A G A Z I N E C O N T E N T S 13 Fineeditorial 14 FineGallery PAGE 24 Not For Everyone Valentino Monticello -- Portraits A Well-Known Secret Château Cheval Blanc -- A Thoroughbred of The Wine World 2009 Bordeaux ­ Wine Whispers, Money Talks Berry Bros&Rudd ­ Brothers in Arms Jeff Gargiulo -- From Music to Wine Colliding Culinary Cultures Perfection in Comfort 2009 Bordeaux -- To Buy or Not to Buy Fire and Ice Recent Tastings Château d'Yquem 1921 Delight and Awe Tasting & Art III Finding the Balance The 16 Reincarnations of Barca Velha Uncorked Vermeer and Wine From Backseat to Front: Bentley GTC Speed Cheval Blanc ­ A Ride to Success 21 FinenUiKKi 24 FineeState 42 FineBordeaUx 56 FineMerchant 62 FineperSonality 68 FineahM 70 FineliFeStyle 80 FinepaUlSon 82 FineinveStinG PAGE 70 An Oasis in New Delhi 88 FinetaStinGS 98 Fine1000 100 Fine100rieSlinGS 110 Fineart&wine 116 FinelarSSon 118 FinehiStory 124 Finedevice 126 Fineart&wine 134 FineliFeStyle PAGE 134 Poetry on Wheels C O N T E N T S 9 FINE Contents

B R I ON I . CO M

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Fuel economy gures for the Continental Supersports Coupé in mpg (l/ km): Urban . ( . ); Extra Urban . ( . ); Combined . ( . ). CO2 emissions (g/km): .

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F I N E ­ T H E W I N E M A G A Z I N E FINEMAGAZINES 100 Pall Mall St James, London SW1Y 5HP United Kingdom WWW.FINE-MAGAZINES.COM Tel: +44 (0) 20 76648800 fax: +44 (0) 20 73213738 W r i t e r s Pekka Nuikki Editor-in-Chief Pekka Nuikki, founder and editor-in-chief of FINE Magazines, is an author and one of the leading experts on fine wines in Europe. He has published over twenty international wine and art books, among them In Vino Veritas, a book on investing in wines, Drinking History on fine wines and their vintages between 1870­1970, a book about the Château Mouton Rothschild ­ Wine and Art 1924­2003 and most recently a book about the best German white wines. Mr Nuikki is also an award-winning photographer, who has exhibited his artwork all over the world and he has worked as creative director of advertising agency group. He is also the luckiest man in the world, having hit seven hole-in-ones. Juha Lihtonen Managing Editor Juha Lihtonen is the managing editor of European, American and Scandinavian FINE Wine Magazine and manyfold Finnish sommelier champion. He was selected as the best sommelier in the Nordic countries in 2003. Mr Lihtonen has worked as a wine educator, a wine host on a radio programme, as well as the wine buyer of a major cruise line. He has written books on combining wine and food. Besides his day job, Mr Lihtonen studies for the Master of Wine qualification. Essi Avellan MW Contributor Essi Avellan is the editor of FINE Champagne magazine and first Master of Wine from Finland second ever from the Nordic countries. She was awarded the Lily Bollinger Medal as the best taster and the Tim Derouet Memorial Award as the best overall student in the Master of Wine examination. Ms Avellan contributes to several newspapers and wine magazines internationally. She judges at several wine competitions, such as the Decanter World Wine Awards and the Wines of Argentina Awards. Ms Avellan has been awarded the title of Dame Chevalier of the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne. Jan-Erik Paulson Contributor Jan-Erik Paulson is one of Europe's leading authorities on mature wines, specialising in Bordeaux and Austria. Mr Paulson has been internationally renowned for his top tastings for over thirty years and for his Rare-Wine.com online shop. He is a passionate golfer and lives in Germany with his family. Andreas Larsson Contributor Andreas Larsson is the editor of FINE Exclusive and a regular FINE columnist. The 2007 Best Sommelier of the World, the best sommelier in Europe in 2004 and the best sommelier in the Nordic countries in 2002, Mr Larsson has worked as a sommelier in the best restaurants in Stockholm and won the Wine International Sommelier Challenge in 2005. He is a member of the Grand Jury Européen and has occupied many wine juror positions around the world. Mr Larsson is also a wine writer and educator. Meri Kukkavaara Publishing Editor Meri Kukkavaara is an interior designer by trade, who has a wide range of interests in the field of art, as well as education. Since completing her art studies in Florence, Italy she has worked extensively with art exhibitions and antiques, while occasionally contributing to art exhibitions as a free artist. She is also an art therapist, with more than ten years experience. Ms Kukkavaara is a keen student of life and in her free time enjoys taking up courses such as drumming, Indian cooking and tango. Stuart George Contributor Stuart George is an awarded English freelance wine writer, who is known for his writing for The World of Fine Wine. Mr George studied English and European Literature at The University of Warwick. He has worked as a wine merchant, travelling widely in different wine regions, before turning to wine writing. In his free time Mr George listens to music, plays guitar and follows cricket. Editor-in-Chief Pekka Nuikki pekka.nuikki@fine-magazines.com Managing Editor Juha Lihtonen juha.lihtonen@fine-magazines.com Deputy Editor Anne Lepola anne.lepola@fine-magazines.com Publishing Editor Meri Kukkavaara meri@fine-magazines.com Copy Editor Craig Houston craig.houston@fine-magazines.com Digital Editor Pipsa Salolammi pipsa.salolammi@fine-magazines.com Creative Director Teemu Timperi teemu.timperi@fine-magazines.com Art Director Jouna Lehikoinen jouna.lehikoinen@fine-magazines.com AD Assistant Julia Ruottinen iDirector Rehne Meisner rehne.meisner@fine-magazines.com Social Media DIrector Senior Partners Contributors Malene Meisner malene.meisner@fine-magazines.com Charles A. Banks, Romain Virion, Rajiv Singhal, Aleksey Isajev, Ralf Frentzel Marie Ahm, Essi Avellan MW, Armin Diel, Stuart George, Andreas Larsson, Jan-Erik Paulson Photographers CCO Pekka Nuikki, Johannes Grau Markku Vartiainen markku.vartiainen@fine-magazines.com Media Sales Executive Isaac Svirskis isaac.svirskis@fine-magazines.com Orders & Queries Cover photograph: Johannes Grau subs@fine-magazines.com +358 (0)10 289 1000 Price Single Issue 30 including delivery Single PPDM, Password Protected Digital Magazine, 15 www.fine-magazines.com Publisher Fine Publishing Helsinki Ltd. Vattuniemenkuja 4 E 00210 Helsinki, Finland Printed in Finland by Libris Oy Ltd FINE Magazines does not keep nor return illustrations or other materials that have been sent to us without request. The opinions of contributors or interviewees presented in this magazine do not necessarily correspond to the opinions of the publisher or editorial staff. We withhold the right to make any modifications in texts and pictures published in FINE Magazines. We reserve the right to refuse or suspend advertisements. A correction considering the previous FINE Magazine page 106: The 1827 Quinta do Noval Nacional was mistakenly named. The tasted wine was 1827 Quinta do Noval Rebello Valente Allen. © Copyright: European Fine Wine Magazine Ltd Fine ­ The Wine Magazine ISSN 1797-0636 Paper: UPM Novatech Satin 12 FINE

F I N E ­ T H E W I N E M A G A Z I N E 5 July 2010 Not for everyone lobalisation has been a buzzword in the wine world for the last couple of decades, mostly in relation to new winegrowing areas at the corners of the earth. The debate is still hot, but the topic has turned upside down, as now there is talk of the new wine-consuming countries, especially China and India. The effect of this new turn of events on the world of wines has been radical ­ in particular, it has revolutionised the concepts of the sales prices and buyers of wine. The most influential market for wines is currently China. Amid the deepest global recession, collectors in Asia and especially China are paying astronomical prices for top wines. A great example are the en primeur prices of the recently launched Bordeaux 2009 first growths, which are 50 per cent higher than the previous record prices of the 2005 first growths. Still, Chinese wine collectors do not seem to feel that they are overpriced. Traditional collectors, on the other hand, who over the decades have become used to buying first growths by the caseload, have reached a point where they no longer have the resources to buy more than a few bottles. First growth wines have become clear investment targets, which only the wealthiest Asian investors buy to drink. Many collectors and connoisseurs who usually buy wines in order to open and enjoy them have long been concerned over price trends ­ and they have good reason to worry. The en primeur prices of top Bordeaux wines have risen nearly tenfold in the last decade. On the other hand, it could be said that in this, the fine wine industry is only correcting a great misstep it had made in comparison with other luxury items. One can but wonder at how the market value of a product G that represents the best quality in its field, with a history going back more than two centuries, can be only a few hundred euros. It is a downright injustice. What is not an injustice is that the majority of wine-lovers no longer have the opportunity of enjoying the world's best wines; after all, is the very definition of luxury not that it should only be available to a privileged few? Not all car enthusiasts get to drive a Bugatti, just as all watch collectors do not wear a Breguet Tourbillon nor do all handbag fans own a Birkin by Hermès. In this sense, those of us who love wines have been spoiled, as we have been able to enjoy the best wines in the world at an "affordable" price. And we still do. Although the best products from Bordeaux have shot out of reach for most, there are still plenty of top wines in the world that are as yet not affected by the overheated Asian market. These include the Guigal singlevineyard wines from Rhône, Giacomo Conterno's Barolo Monfortino and Gaja's single-vineyard Barbescos from Piemonte, Ornellaia's Masseto from Tuscany, the Vega Sicilia Unico from Ribera del Duero, Alvaro Palacios L'Ermita from Priorat, the Australian Grange, and the prestige champagnes. In relation to their quality, all of these are much more competitively priced than the 2009 first growths from Bordeaux. The same applies to the top Californian cult wines sold via mailing lists, such as Harlan and Screaming Eagle, which are real finds considering their relatively low direct sale prices and small production volumes. It is only a matter of time as to when the producers will wake up to this fact and start pricing their wines at the level to which they already belong. One sign of such an awakening was the unveiling of Krug's new Clos d'Ambonnay 1995 single-vineyard champagne at the unheard-of price of 3000 dollars. Wines are one of the best investments in the world, and it is evident that the finest Bordeaux wines are still desirable objects among new investors. That means that many consumers who previously enjoyed them, as well as experienced investors, are now setting their sights on alternative wines and regions. This is an opportunity for many top producers outside Bordeaux to build their brands and reposition their wines. Thus we can expect a rise in prices and in demand for fine wines from outside Bordeaux. How radical will it be? That largely depends on the producers' willingness to work on their quality and brands, and on their courage to price and market their products in the way that they deserve. Before that, wine enthusiasts should fill their cellars with the abovementioned quality wines, in order to ensure that they can be affordably enjoyed. Wishing you the best of luck! TASTE OF FINE Juha Lihtonen Managing Editor N O T F O R E V E R Y O N E 13 FINE Editorial

Selfportrait with Dog 14 FINE

FINE Gallery exhibits Valentino Monticello's beautiful and original vision on portrait art. Valentino Monticello ­ Portraits Valentino Monticello, an Italian-born artist, can be considered a lucky man. He has found a way in his life to combine two of his greatest loves ­ art and good wine. Coming from an Italian background, where his family ran a hotel near Vicenza and his grandfather was a wine producer, good food and wine have always been present in Valentino's life. Having moved to London in the 1950s Valentino's knowledge of wine steered him to a career as a sommelier ­ first at Club 21 and later as Head Sommelier at the esteemed private club Harry's Bar, known also for its superb Italian cuisine. In his own studio he would paint and draw, thus balancing the sommelier and the artistic sides that gave him such pleasure. But it was a commission to create a mural in a home for elderly Italians in London that first brought Valentino's new art form into life. Instead of painting he chose to create a collage using wine labels that he had been collecting. Whenever he opened a bottle of fine wine he kept the label, because he "loved the designs". Through the years his collection had grown into an impressive one that included labels from all around the world. He arranged the cut-out pieces in painstaking detail to form the final image. The finished work convinced Valentino that he had found a befitting way to express himself as an artist. "All of my pictures are composed of shapes carefully cut from the wine labels," says Valentino. "The people, the flowers, even the lines are all cut from different wine labels. There is no drawing or painting involved at all." The meticulously cut pieces function as paint on the artist's brush, and the colour and print of the tiny pieces are integrated into the final image with deliberation. At Harry's Bar Valentino was commisioned to create the club's Christmas cards in 1997, and his unprecedented combination of wine and art soon drew a bigger audience. Since then, he has completed this union with his third passion, the opera, by creating a series of collages resembling different opera scenes. Each of these large works took him several months to complete and include as many as 600 labels. He also published a book in 2006 containing these beautiful homages to the opera: Opera&Wine ­ Wine in Opera. Valentino's 50-year career as a sommelier has certainly been a success; this passionate Italian has worked with wines that he loves, and this career has enabled him to collect and receive labels from all the wine regions of the world. Valentino Monticello's works have been exhibited, for example, at the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art, Christie's auction house in London, Vinopolis and London's "City of Wine", as well as at the Uffizi library in Florence. His collages have found their way around the world and consistently delight collectors who share his interest in wine and art. > M O N T I C E L L O V A L E N T I N O 15 FINE Gallery

Portrait of a Friend 16 FINE

Portrait of an Artist 17 V A L E N T I N O M O N T I C E L L O FINE Gallery

Portrait of Peggy Guggenheim 18 FINE

Il Molino di Grace V A L E N T I N O M O N T I C E L L O 19 FINE Gallery

20 FINE

F I N E A Well-Known Secret One seems to come across wine forgeries, particularly in the form of Rodenstock bottles, all too often these days. In my last column I related the sadly infamous story of Rodenstock's Jefferson Lafite, of which I was offered two bottles. Since then I have been presented with a number of wines that appear to have come from Rodenstock's cellars ­ and this was once again the case on this particular occasion. I was visiting a well-known Michelin-star restaurant. Before lunch, the head sommelier kindly invited me to join him in the wine cellar. The restaurant manager followed, believing, as I did, that we would be opening a few bottles of fine wine, which we would then good-naturedly discuss. In the first room of the wine cellar my delight quickly turned to confusion. Although the walls of the cellar were lined with countless rows of the world's greatest wine treasures ­ dozens of top vintages of Pétrus, Latour and RomanéeConti ­ it was a table in the centre of the room that caught my gaze. On it were thirty-odd large bottles. The sommelier picked one up and handed it to me; it was a Château Lafleur 1947 magnum, one of the world's rarest and most expensive wines. Instead of opening it, he asked me a question. "Mr Nuikki, do you think the bottle is genuine?" At first thought the question was ironic, but when I looked enquiringly at the sommelier, he shrugged without saying anything. I looked at the bottle with interest. Its size, shape, glass colour, label and foil were all as they should be. I asked about the bottle's origins and price. It had been bought from a well-known auction for 18 000 euros. The sommelier picked up another Château Lafleur 1947 magnum and repeated the discomfiting question, and that was when the sad reality became clear to me. Instead of being invited to the cellar to enjoy good wines, I had been brought here to assess dozens of bottles that were suspected of being forgeries and that should therefore be removed from the wine list. For this unpleasant circumstance I had only one man to blame: Hardy Rodenstock. Polish-born Meinhard Goerke is currently the hottest topic in the wine world. Having changed his name in the late 1960s, Goerke presented himself to the world as Hardy Rodenstock, a descendant of the famous Rodenstock family. Under the guise of his new identity and thanks to certain incredible wine discoveries, he quickly became a legend among wine connoisseurs. Film stars, sporting heroes, statesmen and the most famous wine critics were regular guests at his splendid dinners and wine tastings. These unbelievably lavish and luxurious affairs often lasted several days and involved tastings of the world's greatest wines, such as 150 vintages of Château d'Yquem starting from 1790, or 100 vintages of Château Lafite beginning from Pekka Nuikki 1787. Rodenstock became even Editor-in-Chief better known as a wine merchant. He managed to conjure up astonishing amounts of rare wines, especially in large bottles, from places of whose existence no one was aware. When he wasn't finding a "lost consignment" of nineteenth-century Yquems left by a Russian Tsar in Poland, he was discovering hundreds of cases of Pétrus in Venezuela or eighteenth-century Lafites belonging to Thomas Jefferson behind the wall of an unknown building in Paris. What all of these wines had in common was their excellent condition. Rodenstock successfully operated as a wine merchant until 2006, when the FBI came knocking on his door. In 1988, American billionaire Bill Koch paid half a million dollars in auction for bottles of Lafite from 1784 and 1787 that had supposedly belonged to President Jefferson. These were some of the bottles discovered by Rodenstock in Paris. Eighteen years later, Koch had the bottles analysed by top experts. They believed that they were fakes, as were another one hundred or so bottles in Koch's cellar. All of them had come from Rodenstock. The case is currently being hashed out in several courts, which have also given summons to many of the biggest auction houses and wine businesses. Many collectors are desperately trying to rid themselves of their Rodenstocks before the case is settled, as the worst-case scenario is that they could become worthless. I myself have lately received very good offers of larger bottles of Lafite 1900, Pétrus 1921, Cheval Blanc 1947, Latour à Pomerol 1961 and Mouton 1945, among others. The most suspicious offer concerned the Château Lafleur 1947 vintage, which was offered to me in a single batch of 156 bottles. When I asked for pictures of the wines, I received a group photograph of five bottles. Their labels were 99 per cent identical, down to the same scratches and marks. I would have bought one bottle to test out of interest, but the seller would not agree to that. In the last 24 months I have opened seven bottles of Lafleur 1947. Based on the contents, at least five of them were forgeries, although externally they looked and felt genuine. Although the wine world has for several years suspected the authenticity of the Rodenstock bottles, the matter has not been discussed publicly. This is understandable in a way, because the knowledge and experience of the world's leading wine critics and writers regarding certain top wines and their ageing processes is to a great extent based on Rodenstock's wines. The wine merchants that have for three decades sold his wines to thousands of customers are in a tricky situation as intermediaries. Nor have the estates whose wines Rodenstock has served in his grand affairs reacted. Although there is as yet no certainty regarding the authenticity of his wines, they have mostly received excellent reviews and perfect scores from the most esteemed critics. For example, Château Lafleur mainly has Rodenstock's magnums to thank for the 100-point scores awarded to its 1947 vintage, whether they are genuine or not. When I visited the Lafleur estate, the owner told me that the winery's books show that only five magnums of the 1947 vintage were bottled. Between 2007 and 2009, however, more than twenty estate-bottled magnums were sold in auction, so the sommelier was justified in his worry regarding the bottle I now held in my hand. In my view, the bottle seemed genuine based on its external condition, as had the first one. On the other hand, the likelihood of this cellar containing two of the five bottles made at the Château Lafleur estate over sixty years ago was pretty low. Next, the sommelier picked up a double magnum of estate-bottled Pétrus from 1921. As our eyes met I knew that he, as I, had heard that Château Pétrus had bottled no double magnums in 1921. > 21 NUIKKI FINE Nu i k k i the unbearable lightness of sharing

kiton.it

CHÂTEAU CHEVAL BLANC ­ A THOROUGHBRED OF THE WINE WORLD Text: PEkkA NUIkkI & UWE kAUss Photographs: PEkkA NUIkkI & JOHANNEs GRAU Despite the icy winD anD lashing rain, a large group of villagers haD gathereD on the narrow streets of s aint -e milion to receive h enry iv, King of france. he was expecteD to stop at the village on his way from p aris to his birthplace of p au . t he weather conDitions anD the long journey were taxing , however , anD the exhausteD horses in the K ing ' s retinue haD to be replaceD . t he K ing ' s famous peDantry threateneD to ruin the expeDition , as he woulD only accept a white horse for his steeD . l ucKily , one was founD : the only white horse in the area liveD in the stables of a small inn five Kilometres from the saint-emilion. the owner of the inn gave the horse to the King as a present, anD so the journey coulD continue through the village . t he horse became legenDary as the white steeD of K ing h enry iv, anD was immortaliseD in many paintings anD sculptures. centre of The origins of the story are difficult to trace, but it is probably no coincidence that 250 years later, those stables became the site of a vineyard named Cheval Blanc ­ White Horse. Today, the white steed carries a new king: Pierre Lurton, who is adorned with the golden crown of Château d'Yquem. 24 FINE

C H E V A L B L A N C 25 FINE Estate

Pierre Lurton 26 FINE

CHÂTEAU CHEVAL BLANC ­ A THOROUGHBRED OF THE WINE WORLD Pierre Lurton's fate was decided many generations ago. It is said that only in the mafia are family bonds stronger than in the wine industry. The wine world is dominated by many families with histories that stretch back hundreds of years. In the Bordeaux region alone there are several dynasties that control many vineyards and large wine wholesalers. However, only a handful of families still run the same wineries they did in the early nineteenth century; almost all the estates in Bordeaux changed owners during the 1900s. Global financial crises, wars and a series of poor vintages, especially in the 1930s, fuelled changes in ownership. Many family businesses that were established as wine wholesalers enjoyed greater financial stability than plain winegrowers did. In bad times, some of them managed to buy estates that had fallen into financial difficulties, often for a bargain. Many of today's most prosperous wine families are descended from large banking or wine merchant families, whose wealth allowed them to transition into the winegrowing business. The Lurton family is one of the most renowned and largest of such families. The Lurtons arrived in Bordeaux in the late 1800s. They acquired their first vineyard, Château Brane-Cantenac in Margaux, in the 1930s. The then head of the family, François Lurton, also acquired a significant stake in the celebrated Château Margaux. He later traded that for the Clos Fourtet winery in Saint-Emilion. Although Pierre Lurton's great-uncles André and Lucien only had access to limited capital, they confidently bought more than a dozen vineyards in the years following the Second World War. Many of the estates were in poor condition, deeply scarred by the War, the economic crisis and the devastating frosts of 1956. Therefore they were sold cheaply, and, to André and Lucien's great fortune, later turned out to be real goldmines. they have spread out around the world. I am related to most of my business partners. I have long worked in close contact with my father and my uncle, and they have taught me diplomacy and care above all, because our family tree is very complex. Although I deal with my relatives, I have to be very tactful." cheval blanc before lurton In 1832, the prospects were poor for the Figeac vineyard in Saint-Emilion. Madame Félicité de Carle-Trajet signed an agreement to hand over 16.3 hectares of gravelly land to the Ducasse family. As a widow, she paid a high price for her late husband's mistakes. On the brink of bankruptcy, she was forced to give up their once magnificent wine estate piece by piece. It was now in a terrible state, with many buildings collapsed and several other corn varieties being cultivated there besides wine. In the early 1800s, Figeac was the most renowned vineyard in Bordeaux, together with Haut-Brion. The poor widow would scarcely have been comforted by the knowledge that her actions would give rise to a new success story, with Ducasse and his sons-in-law as the pioneers. Ducasse began by having a castle built on the land, and later extended the plot by a further 15.4 hectares. After this, the estate's muddy, gravelly and waterlogged soil was dried to improve the quality of its wines. Ducasse continued to sell his wines under the Figeac name until 1853, Jean LaussacFourcaud can be credited for instance with planting Cabernet Franc in the vineyards in 1870. André Lurton, who owned six estates, had seven children. His brother Lucien had around ten estates and as many descendants. The cousins grew directly into the family's wine business, and soon there was talk of a Lurton family empire, so powerful were they in Bordeaux. Today the family controls more than twenty-five châteaux in the region. Pierre, the son of Dominique Lurton, is today the most renowned member of the family, and for good reason. He manages the world famous estates Château Cheval Blanc and Château d'Yquem. Pierre took over the reins of the Château Cheval Blanc estate and wines in 1991. He describes his demanding task as follows: "All the Lurtons are in the wine business, and C H E V A L B L A N C 27 FINE Estate

"A lthough my job involves all of the duties included in managing the vineyards, I feel I am a winemaker above all." 28 FINE

C H E V A L B L A N C 29 FINE Estate

"My main aim for the near future is to maintain the Cheval Blanc character and style" when the first bottles of Cheval Blanc were launched on the market. Son-inlaw Jean Laussac-Fourcaud continued Ducasse's praiseworthy efforts in quality development. He can be credited for instance with planting Cabernet Franc in the vineyards in 1870, which has since become an essential part of the Cheval Blanc identity. Having later changed his name to Fourcaud-Laussac, Jean became internationally recognised at the London and Paris fairs of 1862 and 1867. The diplomas received at those fairs still have The estate only produces approximately thirty-five hectolitres per hectare. pride of place on the Cheval Blanc label. Despite this acknowledgement, it would take another fifty years for Cheval Blanc to become truly world-famous. a star is born Although Cheval Blanc had received recognition at international fairs, it was by no means among the most esteemed wines in Bordeaux. The famous classification of 1855 had mercilessly left all the right-bank estates in the shadow of Médoc, Graves and Sauternes. After the ownership changes and a later infestation of phylloxera, Figeac was but a shadow of its former self. Belair and the historic Ausone, which had once again shot to fame, were the only prominent wineries on the right bank. The 1921 vintage changed everything, however. The extremely hot year produced two legendary wines: Château d'Yquem and Cheval Blanc, both of which trumped all other Bordeaux 30 FINE

wines. With this vintage, Cheval Blanc rose to the vanguard of great Bordeaux wines and achieved star status, especially on the British market, where its breakthrough was down to one man in particular. Wine Director Michael Broadbent of Christie's declared Cheval Blanc the best red wine of 1921. Andes in Argentina. Lurton still considers his most important task to be supervising operations on the estates and working in the wine cellar: "Although my job involves all of the duties included in managing the vineyards, I feel I am a winemaker above all." an exception without compare Since 1921, Cheval Blanc has asserted itself as one of the most eminent SaintEmilion wines. However, it is much more than that; it is the only top wine from Bordeaux that uses a majority of Cabernet Franc grapes in its blend, and as such it is also the most prestigious Cabernet Franc wine in the world. The Cheval Blanc wines are exceptional in that their character is more reminiscent of Pomerol than SaintEmilion. In the light of these factors, Cheval Blanc is truly an exception without compare among Bordeaux reds. This was noted by the world's seventh-richest man and owner of the LVMH holding company, Bernard Arnault, together with his Belgian business partner, Baron Albert Frère. In 1998, they acquired the vineyard for around 155 million euros from the Fourcaud-Laussac family, in whose ownership it had been since 1832. Now Arnault owns both of the wineries responsible for those legendary 1921 vintages, Château Cheval Blanc and Château d'Yquem. He has put his righthand man Pierre Lurton in charge of the operations of both. Lurton has mixed feelings about the price trend. The Cheval Blanc estate employs five senior oenologists who look after approximately 6000 cases of Cheval Blanc and 2500 cases of the estate's number two wine, Petit Cheval, produced each year. Lurton stresses the importance of the soil and explains that the operations in the cellar are simply fine-tuning. "Cheval Blanc does not follow trends or bow to fly-by-night wine gurus. Cheval Blanc is timeless, produced using traditional craftsmanship. We believe that it is not enough for a truly great wine to be excellent; it must also have a personality that makes it unique. This means that a brilliant wine cannot be made by closely following instructions from a manual. Naturally the winemaking operations in the cellar are important, but the character and personality of the wine come from the terroir. The terroir consists of the combined effects of the soil, the local climate and the vines," Lurton says. "They will think I have gone somewhat crazy" a new King The first thing you notice about Pierre Lurton is his unruly, boyish presence that exudes energy. This energy is essential, because in addition to Cheval Blanc and Yquem, he produces other wines, including Cheval des Andes, which are made from Malbec grapes at his Bodega Terrazas de los multilayereD Behind Cheval Blanc's unique character and blend lies a multilayered soil base in which Cabernet Franc thrives better than anywhere else. The 41-hectare estate is located on a gravelly plain on the northwestern edge of Saint-Emilion, and flanks the legendary region of Pomerol. Its closest neighbours are L'Evangile and Le Conseillante, while Pétrus is just a stone's throw away. The earth comprises three different ground types. On the surface are sand and gravel, which are low-nutrient materials. Below these, at a depth of 80­ 90 cm, is ferrous clay. In some parts of the vineyards, there is still a multilayered gravelly soil stratum beneath this. The large number of stones on the surface of the earth trap warmth and thus guarantee the ideal ripening of the grapes, even in cooler weather. "At Cheval Blanc, it is a combination of gravelly topsoil and heavy, clay-based soil deeper down. The gravel content gives the wine its refined nature, whereas the clay provides its `fullbodiedness' and velvety tannins. The great Cheval Blanc is born out of the combination of these two soil types," Lurton explains. The warmth of the soil ripens the grapes relatively early. This supports the use of later grape varieties such as the tanninrich Cabernet Franc rather than the earlyripening Merlot. Just over one half of the cultivated area on the Cheval Blanc estate grows Cabernet Franc, while a bit less has Merlot. In addition, around one per cent of the acreage consists of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. "My main aim for the near future is to maintain the Cheval Blanc character and style while increasing its quality by limiting the harvest and further specifying the choice of grapes," Lurton says. Quality assurance at Cheval Blanc is maintained by restricting yields to the low quantity of 35 hl/ha. This is achieved thanks to the older-than-average 33-yearold vines, with minimal use of natural fertilisers and by grafting the vines onto low-yield Riparia rootstock. Yields are kept low using the Guyot Simple single-cane vine training system, in which the number of flowers is lower than average. In very sunny and warm crop years, the vines must be thinned out in order to maintain quality. C H E V A L B L A N C 31 FINE Estate

Lurton has also made development efforts in the production process. Fermentation takes place at a temperature of 30­32 degrees Celsius and the temperature is allowed to fall naturally without artificial regulation towards the end of the fermentation process. During the initial stages of fermentation, Lurton uses the pumpingover method for both colour extraction and in order to prevent reductive aromas from building up. After fermentation, skin extraction continues for three weeks before pressing. The extraction time is based on the amount of extraction agents formed in the grapes, and is decided after tasting by a jury. The jury includes former management members from the estate, who have solid experience of various vintages of Cheval over the decades. For pressing, Lurton's team has, after numerous tests, found old-fashioned hydraulic presses to be preferable to the pneumatic alternatives. They found that their wine tasted better before blending when it came from a pneumatic press rather than a hydraulic press, yet after blending, the hydraulically pressed wine was surprisingly of much higher quality. After blending, the wine matures in French oak barrels, of which only some are new; this is to ensure that that the oak does not overshadow the terroir. Vin in Bordeaux. He was recruited as an oenologist by Cheval Blanc immediately after graduation, which is a remarkable achievement. "The vineyards are divided into 32 plots whose aromas vary significantly due to the different soil compositions," he says. "The grapes from each plot are fermented separately in their own tanks, and the oenologists do not decide which plot's wine to use for the Cheval Blanc blend, and in what proportions, until after the winemaking process." The estate only produces approximately thirty-five hectolitres per hectare, so the "The building will meld into the surrounding landscape, but it will stand out as something completely new and previously unseen in this region," vines must be cut during the summer to restrict the crop. The wine matures in new French oak barrels for 20 months, in order to develop its characteristic structure and tannins. "We love oak," Clouet confesses. "During fermentation and ageing, wine samples are only pumped out once or twice, and even that is done very carefully to prevent oxidation." This handcrafted process has its price, but the end product is worth it. It makes we love oaK In the cellar, several rows of piled-up barriques stand on the ochre-coloured floor. They contain everything that will go into the 2008 vintage of Cheval Blanc. "Our technique is very traditional, even old-fashioned," explains winemaker Pierre Olivier Clouet almost apologetically. The young winemaker studied agriculture in Normandy, after which he qualified in winemaking from the esteemed Ecole du the wines more intense and complex. The blend is made after two months of barrel ageing, as a team effort between the oenologists and Managing Director Lurton. "There are no guidelines for the proportions of grape varieties in the wine. Nor is the quantity of finished wine decided in advance. At the end, all that matters is that the wine is a typical Cheval Blanc," Clouet says. After this, the cuvée is aged in wooden barrels for another year. Once the label is afixed, the price of the bottle can exceed 400 euros, depending on the vintage. The subscription price for 2006 was 480 euros, while the price for the 2007 vintage is already around 500 euros. Lurton has mixed feelings about the price trend. "Price inflation has been a problem for the most renowned wines. Of course I understand you have to pay for a quality wine. Cheval Blanc, for example, is clearly a luxury product ­ very expensive and rare. However, it is not my aim to produce a wine that is objectified and used as a bargaining chip by investors. We produce wine for people to drink; it's that simple. I do understand that the price is an inevitable consequence of the quality and desirability of our wines, but we will not change our style just to receive better scores from critics. Many critics seem to like our style of winemaking, and this naturally leads to our products being traded in auctions," Lurton says. lingering aftertaste Cheval Blanc is a name that awakens the interest of any wine enthusiast, and has done for 80 years. It has enjoyed many legendary vintages, the best so far being 1921, 1947, 1950 and 1982. The Cheval Blanc brand also became widely known to the public thanks to the Alexander Payne film Sideways in 2004, 32 FINE

CHÂTEAU CHEVAL BLANC ­ A THOROUGHBRED OF THE WINE WORLD which portrayed Cheval Blanc 1961 as the most precious wine in the universe. In the real wine world, however, that title belongs to the legendary Cheval Blanc 1947, which the world's well-known wine critics place at the top of the world's best wines ever produced, together with Margaux 1900 and Mouton Rothschild 1945. Pierre Lurton describes Cheval Blanc: "Cheval Blanc is a strong but not aggressive, mellow, silky, faultlessly elegant and sophisticated wine based on the essence of Cabernet Franc and coloured by Merlot. It is reminiscent of a Pomerol rather than a Saint-Emilion. Its crispness and cashmeresoft tannins make it age beautifully, and it only becomes more rich in nuances over time." Technical Director Ken Van Leeuwen, who is in charge of the vineyards, goes on: "Although this wine is very attractive already when young, it has incredible development potential. The reason is probably the location next door to Pomerol. The fabulous, long and extremely refined aftertaste is the result of successfully ripened Cabernet grapes. The ultimate ambition in our entire winemaking process is to bring out these characteristics in the Cheval Blanc wines without any artificial tricks that might affect their character." the symbol of a new borDeaux Throughout our interview, the Cheval Blanc estate is enveloped by a strong, cool wind. It makes the vine leaves and tablecloths flutter day and night. This climate keeps the grapes dry and healthy. The estate's pale main building, dating C H E V A L B L A N C 33 FINE Estate

from 1860, has narrow turrets and white shutters, and even includes its own little chapel. The buildings look much larger in real life than in photographs. Between the main building and the refined orangery are wooden chairs and light-coloured garden umbrellas. Behind the vineyards you can discern Château Figeac in Pomerol, whereas the roof that is visible behind the estate belongs to Château Pétrus. Perfectly manicured lawns and meticulously pruned orange trees, rose bushes and shrubs are surrounded by paths and courtyards covered in pale gravel that crunches underfoot. Alongside the road to Château Cheval Blanc stands a battered sign onto which someone long ago painted the name of this resplendent château. Following the sign, you arrive at the building's security gate, which can only be opened with a code or by a security guard for those who have made a prior appointment. We arrived as agreed and now sit upstairs in Lurton's office, which is decked out in light-coloured wood, enjoying the fantastic view from the windows. On the large desk there are folders, magazines and photocopies. From a plastic pocket in one of the folders, Lurton extracts a plan for renovating the image of Saint-Emilion. He intends to build a new cellar for Cheval Blanc. "They will think I have gone somewhat crazy," he says and tosses his head towards the surrounding estates that bathe in the evening sun. The building known as the chai, in which Clouet and his colleagues make the wines, is slated for demolition, in order to make way for a building the likes of which has not yet been seen in these parts. It has been designed by Parisian top architect Christian de Portzamparc, whose handiwork includes the new home of the Rio de Janeiro Philharmonic Orchestra, Cidade de Musica Hall, Luxembourg´s La Philharmonie Hall and, as it happens, a skyscraper owned by the LVMH Group in Manhattan. He also designed the French Embassy on Berlin's Pariser Platz, so he is certainly not short of references. The question is how do you get such a renowned architect to design you a wine cellar? "Portzamparc's cellar isn't intended as a simple wine cellar; it will be the `symbol of a new Bordeaux'," Lurton says solemnly. The two floors of the modern cellar will be placed within an artificial hillock. The top floor will hold steel vats for vinification, while the bottom floor will contain the oak barrels, which will be visible from above through a glass floor. Lurton hashed out all the details of the building ­ for example grape delivery and unloading, as well as the use of gravity rather than pumps ­ in numerous meetings with Portzamparc's designers. The structure will also contain storage for old vintages and a tasting facility. Clearly visible from afar, this "symbol of the new Bordeaux" will look like a concrete ramp rising towards the skies. From its midpoint, the ramp twists around itself in a spiral. At the top edge there will be a roof terrace from which guests will be able to enjoy a breathtaking view of Saint-Emilion and Pomerol. At the intersection point of the spiral there will be a terrace intended for private use by customers, where wine and food can be served directly from underground facilities. "The building will meld into the surrounding landscape, but it will stand out as something completely new and previously unseen in this region," Lurton says. Such audacious architecture has indeed not yet been witnessed in Bordeaux; similar structures have thus far mainly been erected in Spain and on the other side of the ocean. The cost of the 7000-square-metre building and its surrounding parkland is estimated at 10 million euros. "A completely ordinary, well-equipped cellar would cost almost as much," Lurton says. The owners have approved the budget and work has begun. The estimated date of completion is early 2011. The park and the viewing platform will be accessible for tourists interested in winemaking, and that will make this the first top-rated wine estate that opens its doors, at least partly, to the wider public. Even if the visitors cannot afford to buy the estate's wines, they can peer into the cellar from above and witness it being produced. This will help to lift the veil off the legend ­ a legend that has unquestionably maintained its status as a fine wine for more than 150 years. > 34 FINE

Best Cheval Blanc Vintages by Pekka Nuikki 1911 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2010/now x 2 89 D 30 min / G 30 min 1920 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2005/now x 2 91 D 1 h / G 1 h These two Belgian-bottled Cheval Blancs were in quite poor condition. No capsule and the levels were low-shoulder fill, but the price was also very low and worth a try. Moderately light and tawny-to-brown colour. Tobacco-like, spicy, slightly herbal and slightly oxidized nose. Sweet on the palate. Old but still energetic. A bit acidic and green but quite complex. Controversially, I liked it ­ most did not. Flavourful on entry but drying out at the finish. 1926 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2005/now x 1 84 D 30 min / G 30 min 1928 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/now x 4 92 D 1 h / G 1 h Wonderful château-bottling. Level was upper low-shoulder. Decanted 30 minutes. Deep, bright and clean colour. Very intense and powerful nose with ripe blackberries, liquorice, spices and chocolate. The medium-bodied and soft palate is very concentrated. Great structure, with very ripe dark fruit, moderate-level acidity and ripe, smooth tannins. Lovely, refined complexity, derived from integrated toastiness. The finish is long and dry, with earthy and rustic flavours. This is still a delicate wine, although it passed its peak decades ago. 1921 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2007/2015 x 4 100 D 30 min / G 1 h This is the vintage where Cheval Blanc made its reputation. Château-bottled, excellent condition with base neck level. Decanted only for 30 minutes (we simply could not wait any longer). A very dark but bright colour with some amber on the rim. Huge, immensely rich nose ­ opened immediately with lots of exotic fruit aromas, together with chocolate and coffee notes. An unbelievably rich and complex wine. Very thick, warm and multi-layered with sweet fruit and soft, melted tannins that follow all the way through. It was even better than the first tasting we had from a château-bottling magnum nine years previously. Heavier, richer and a more luscious wine than back then, and even at that time we thought it was masterpiece. The most recent encounter ­ another château-bottled magnum ­ was superior to the previous ones. It was more youthful, richer and had millions of layers, unbelievably. 1929 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2007/now x 5 96 D 45 min / G 1 h The last time we drank this beautiful Cheval was during dinner at Domaine de Chevalier. We tasted it blind and it was somewhat uncomplicated to guess the vintage. It had all the characteristic sweetness and charm of the 1929 vintage. Still very fresh and lovely. Decanted one hour. Very harmonious and balanced. On the nose rich aromas of ripe fruit, tobacco and minerals. Full-bodied, with a fabulous balance of lovely, rich fruit flavours and silky texture, and just enough grip to keep it lively. Plenty of white chocolate and smooth coffee flavours on the finish. Drink now. 1924 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/now x 3 93 D 1 h / G 1 h The 1924 vintage was only average on the Right Bank, although the summer was beautiful and there was hot weather during the harvest. Fine looking château-bottling. Level was top-shoulder. Decanted 30 minutes. A fine dark colour. Quite open and sound nose. A lighter wine than many others from 1924, but has a good medium-body and well-balanced structure. Not many tannins left and quite acidic, but nevertheless an attractive and smooth wine with a long and intense ending, which still drinks beautifully. 1931 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2006/now x 2 81 D 10 min / G 20 min 1934 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2008/now x 3 87 D 30 min / G 30 min C H E V A L B L A N C 35 FINE Estate

1938 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/now x 1 82 D 10 min / G 20 min 1943 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2010/now x 2 88 D 30 min / G 45 min 1944 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2004/now x 1 86 D 30 min / G 30 min 1945 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2010/now x 8 92 D 1 h / G 1.5 min 1947 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/2020 x 53 100 D 1.5 h / G 2 h The Cheval Blanc 1947 has been tasted by us on more than fifty occasions, but it has scored a faultless 100 points only 27 times. Its track record falls below the Latour 1961s and Mouton 1945s, mostly because there are so many variable négociant bottlings available. And regrettably there are also quite a few frauds around. The Cheval Blanc 1947 was made from exceptionally ripe grapes with remarkably high sugar content. The blend is about two-thirds Cabernet Franc and one-third Merlot. The harvest was delayed until the last moment, raising the alcohol content to two per cent above normal. 1950 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/2010 x 11 98 D 30 min / G 1 h 1950 is an underrated vintage in Bordeaux and in many cases rightly so. This was, however, an excellent vintage in Pomerol, St. Emilion and parts of Graves. The 1950 Cheval Blanc is very rich, concentrated and youthful. There are a number of different négociant-bottlings of this wine ­ most are very good. Needs only a short amount decanting time and should be drunk over an hour or so. This Nicolas-bottled Cheval was in mint condition. Level by the neck. Decanted for 30 minutes before tasting. What a colour ­ more bright and youthful than the 1982 Cheval. Very expansive and open nose with an exotic bouquet of ripe fruit, caramel, mint and cedar. The Cheval Blanc 1950 is still a gorgeously fruity, opulent and full wine with elegant and soft tannins. Extra long and multi-dimensional finish. Very hard to resist now, but should easily last through 2010, at least. 1952 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2008/2020 x 14 97 D 2 h / G 2 h This must be the best price-quality ratio Cheval Blanc that can be found. The vintage was very good overall in Bordeaux, but especially on the Right Bank. A warm spring and hot summer from June until the end of August ensured good vegetative growth to the vines. Only the cold September ruined the dreams of outstanding quality. This wine has been always delicious when tasted. The deep, clear brick-red colour already indicates the richness of the wine. The powerful yet elegant nose reveals ripe dark fruits: mainly blackcurrants, with dark chocolate, coffee and spices. Almost full-bodied taste, it is very opulent and fleshy with a velvety texture. The tannins are gentle but firm and the finish is very balanced. The wine is drinking perfectly now but has the qualities to keep for another decade. But why wait, since it definitely will not improve any further. 1949 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2008/2015 x 7 95 D 45 min / G 1.5 h A huge wine from this extreme vintage. A rainy and cold flowering period reduced the size of crop. An extreme heatwave shortly after that of 43C (109F), was followed by storms but ended in fine weather during the harvest. This was (once again) a superb Cheval Blanc vintage. Good château-bottling with upper-shoulder level. Decanted 45 minutes. Deep, intense and bright mahogany colour. Rich nose of ripe dark berries and plums, as well as spices with mineral tones. Very ripe fruit flavours provide an almost sweet sensation on the palate. Moderate acidity and ripe, soft tannins. Long, elegant and supple finish. Very appealing now but will keep for a few more years. 1953 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2008/2015 x 7 93 D 1 h / G 1.5 h 1955 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2005/2020 x 4 94 D 1 / G 3 h Very deep, clear-red colour. Intense and complex nose with some development. Fresh mint, dark chocolate, cassis and roasted coffee beans. Full-bodied taste with vividly pronounced acidity, meaty rich and ripe tannins and intense fruit of blackcurrants. Tremendously long finish with a robust and muscular edge. A very youthful and energetic wine that will last well over ten years. The ripeness of the wine, together with the minty and herbaceous aromas, is very much in common with the style of Heitz Martha's Vineyard's wines. It amazes with its youthful character. 36 FINE

1957 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2004/now x 2 86 D 30 min / G 45 min 1958 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2007/now x 1 88 D 45 min / G 1 h 1959 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2010/2015 x 13 95 D 1 h / G 2 h All four bottles were in excellent condition. Bottle by P. Bouillon. Decanted one hour. Deep, dark, brick-red nose. Very rich and ripe, fruity nose. Plums, dark fruits, spices, chocolate, coffee and toastiness. Full-bodied opulent palate with very ripe, dark fruitiness and round tannins. The high level of alcohol adds power and sweetness to the rich, spicy and toasty finish. 1964 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2008/2020 x 12 95 D 1 h / G 2 h One of the biggest harvests since the Second World War, this wine is considered very good overall, especially in southern Médoc and on the Right Bank. Cheval Blanc was one of the most successful châteaux in Bordeaux during this year. Developing, moderately intense tawny colour. Opulent and restrained nose with sweet fruit tones, cedar and spices. Ripe tannins still have a good grip on the medium-bodied palate, as well as a mineral twist. A dose of volatile acidity adds a nice edge to the ripe fruit and delicate finish. The wine still performs nicely, and is chunky and elegant with a modest alcohol level of 12 per cent. 1966 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2008/now x 5 91 D 1 h / G 1 h Very good-looking bottle. Level was top-shoulder. Decanted 45 minutes. Good dense, bright colour. Very delicate, fragile nose. Ripe but not baked. A medium-bodied wine with some soft tannins and appealing fruit left. On the palate it is layered and quite intense but not as rich and complex as we expected. A gentle and somewhat tired aftertaste. Will not improve, but we are sure that perfectly stored bottles are still very worthy and will last well for another five years. 1960 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2005/now x 1 84 D 30 min / G 30 min 1961 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/2015 x 8 93 D 1 h / G 1 h Château-bottled. Good condition with by the neck level. Decanted one hour. Moderately intense, brick-red, bright colour. Nose delivers lots of green aromas ­ blackcurrant leaves, capsicum and mintiness. Refined, medium-bodied palate with sheer aristocracy. The highly-marked acidity is enhanced by the green aromas of the wine, which delicately highlight cedar and cigar box flavours and refined firm tannins. Very concentrated in style but reserved compared to the opulent and rich 1947. This wine definitely has style, but it will never grow as big and outstanding as the 1947, or even 1964. 1969 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/now x 6 88 D 1 h / G 1 h 1970 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2010/2015 x 13 91 D 1 h / G 2 h 1974 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2006/now x 2 83 D 30 min / G 30 min 1975 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/now x 11 90 D 1 h / G 2 h 1978 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2007/now x 4 88 D 45 min / G 1 h 1962 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/2015 x 6 91 D 1 h / G 1.5 h C H E V A L B L A N C 37 FINE Estate

1981 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2008/2015 x 3 86 D 45 min / G 1 h 1982 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2010/2025 x 9 98 D 2.5 h / G 3 h This remarkable vintage generated perfect ripeness within all Cheval Blanc's grape varieties: the blend had 60 per cent Cabernet Franc, 34 per cent Merlot, 1 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 4 per cent Malbec. This blend produced a wine of intensive cherry-red colour and an extremely elegant and charming complex nose of chocolate, mocha, ripe blackcurrants and hints of butterscotch. The medium-bodied palate is very delicate and classy, but still concentrated. A chewy wine with vivid acidity and minerality, with intense fruitiness supported by firm and ripe tannins. Roasted coffee and chocolate flavours dominate the long finish. The immense concentration and harmonious balance guarantee long ageing potential for this lovely wine. 1994 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2007/2025 x 4 91 D 1.5 h / G 3 h 1995 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/2025 x 6 90 D 2 h / G 3 h 1996 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2006/2030 x 3 90 D 5 h / G 3 h 1998 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/2025 x 4 93 D 4 h / G 4 h 2000 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/2025 x 3 96 D 12 h / G 4 h Opaque, purple colour. Opulent and intense, yet with a delicate nose of roasted coffee, toastiness and ripe dark fruits with floral tones. The medium-bodied palate charms with its delicacy ­ vivid acidity, firm refined tannins and intense dark fruitiness. The mid-palate shows complex spiciness and toasty oak aromas before it turns into a lingering, mineral finish with cassis and coffee flavours. Drinking delicately well already, although it will keep for decades in the cellar. 1985 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/2020 x 6 90 D 2 h / G 2 h 1986 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2006/2025 x 8 88 D 3 h / G 2.5 h 1989 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/2025 x 5 92 D 2 h / G 2 h 1990 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/now x 6 98 D 3 h / G 3 h Excellent magnum. Decanted for three hours. Opaque and dark ruby-red colour. Powerful yet discreet bouquet of ripe fruit, coffee, mint and mineral scents. Wonderfully rich, thick, powerful and concentrated wine with layer upon layer of ripe, exotic fruit. The 1990 Cheval is incredibly full-bodied, well-balanced, pure and perhaps slightly more tannic than the 1989. It has an excellent grip and a long, thrilling, fairly tannic finish. 2003 Château Cheval Blanc (St.Emilion) 2009/2035 x 2 92 D 12 h / G 6 h 38 FINE

daniel boulud at blackberry farm august 2010

world-class chefs and vintners within reach, world-class experiences without compare. Situated on 4,200 protected acres in the Tennessee foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Blackberry Farm's private country estate offers guests unparalleled accommodations, Relais Gourmand cuisine and a Grand Award-winning 160,000-bottle wine selection. Discover exclusive Food & Wine events with visiting chefs and vintners, like three unforgettable days this August with iconic New York chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud, along with the acclaimed vintages of Château Latour. To reserve your place for this and other one-of-a-kind culinary experiences, contact our Reservations team, or log on to blackberryfarm.com/events to learn more about our complete calendar of special events throughout the year. Walland, Tennessee 00.1.865.380.2260 blackberryfarm.com

Text: Armin Diel & Pekka Nuikki Photography: Johannes Grau & Pekka Nuikki he spring sunshine is beginning to break through the dark clouds covering Bordeaux, as we travel towards the Château Lafite estate. The traffic is quiet and there is little congestion in the car parks of the estates we pass. The same is true of Lafite. The apparent peace and quiet are only on the surface, however, for under it hustle and bustle is rife. This is due to the upcoming market release of the 2009 vintage. The year is turning out to be perfect; according to the producers, it is the best so far in the twenty-first century. Two more weeks, and we can ascertain if that is the case, with the beginning of Bordeaux's most keenly awaited annual event, en primeur. We are visiting some of the top estates to survey the situation a few weeks before the en primeur period begins. The atmosphere at the wineries is one of impatience. The representatives' faces reveal their great expectations of the vintage. They appear to have on their hands every wine producer's dream. The boldest comments come from Mouton Rothschild's director Philippe Dhalluin, who compares the vintage to 2005: "This kind of vintage will sell out in two hours," he reckons. Bordeaux ­ mid-March 42 FINE

­ Wine whispers, money talks B O R D E A U X 43 FINE Bordeaux

Vineyard director George Chevallier of neighbouring Lafite is a bit more cautious with his words, but still full of praise: "It is a super vintage. The grapes reached the top maturity, and the picking occurred under ideal circumstances. We are now at the end of the blending process and in a few weeks there are people coming from around the world to taste the wines en primeur. It is not a secret to say that it is a really great vintage. Very well balanced, good fruit ­ everything is just at the right level. However, I don't want to compare it to any other vintage because it is difficult. I prefer to do that after ten years." At Château Margaux, expectations are also running high. The quality of grapes picked from various vineyards clearly exceeded any quality achieved previously. Pierre Lurton, director of Cheval Blanc in Saint-Emilion, admits that the year's quality was a surprise even there. In tasting the wine, they found that its crisp fruity nature and exceptionally fine silky tannins, combined with a multilayered and strong character, make it a superb vintage. At the polestar of Sauternes, Yquem, it is also agreed that this was an exceptional crop year. The crop was harvested in a monthand-a-half instead of the usual three. There were still temperatures of up to 30C (86F) in October. The harvest was two-and-a-half times the average size and the grapes achieved a degree of ripeness that is being compared to the exceptional years of 1989 and 1947. In two weeks' time, the producers' forecasts will be put to the test when thousands of wine professionals arrive at the en primeur event to taste the 2009 wines. Among them will be FINE's Bordeaux expert, Armin Diel. Dijon on the Saturday morning en route to Bordeaux. Awaiting me there were the wines of the 2009 vintage ­ already garlanded with advance praise. Amid the fatigue that accompanies such tastings, I sense something like happy anticipation and expectant interest ­ will these wines really be better than the legendary vintages of 1982, 2000 and 2005? Full of expectation, this journey ­ diagonally across France ­ lasts seven hours; sufficient time to mull over the impressions of the past days and slowly reset one's taste buds from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. And time is of the "This kind of vintage will sell out in two hours" Philippe Dhalluin essence; I have to arrive in Saint-Emilion by six o'clock to pick up the key for La Mondotte where I will be staying for the first three nights. With a pullover casually knotted round his shoulders, Stephan Von Neipperg opens the door for me. The count, from Schwaigern in Swabia, is someone I got to know twenty-five years ago, when he first awoke the Château Canon-La-Gaffelière estate ­ acquired by his father ­ from its slumber. We greet one another cordially, drink a glass of champagne and chat about this and that. As the conversation turns to the effects of the worldwide economic crisis, he is clear about one thing: "Anyone who claims that it has not had an impact is simply lying!" In the UK and the USA in particular business has fallen away, he asserts. "Thank goodness that Asia has compensated for some of this downturn." His wife Sigweis discreetly looks at the clock,and it is high time we set off. Bordeaux ­ end of March Drawn by the news that the wine barons of the Gironde undoubtedly had the best vintage of all time in their casks, some six thousand expert visitors from the retail and gastronomy sectors, not to mention around two thousand journalists from all over the world, were making their way towards southwestern France. Of this number, no less than half had succeeded in being accredited with the Union des Grands Crus, the Association of Bordeaux Winegrowers, for the `Semaine de Presse'. This guarantees the privilege of separate tastings and accommodation in the chateaux themselves. After three days of extensive tastings in the `Grands Jours de Bourgogne', I set off from 44 FINE

For supper my path leads to the door of `L' Envers du Décor' in Saint-Emilion, a first class wine bistro with hearty regional dishes and a superb wine list. At the neighbouring table a cheerful wine-imbibing group is in full flow, in whose midst I recognise François Mauss. Some fifteen years ago this go-getting Luxembourger, now settled in Bordeaux, established an international tasting company with the imposing name of `Grand Jury Européen'. Since we know one another from many joint wine tastings, François Mauss asks with an understanding wink, "What are you doing tomorrow? Would you like to come along with us to Ausone, Pavie, Angélus and to Michel Rolland and Stéphane Derenoncourt?" The enticing prospect of a glass of some of the best wines before the actual tasting week causes my vague plans for a relaxing Sunday to be rapidly cast into oblivion. I accept. Sunday morning begins by exercising the palate at Château Haut-Carles in Saillans, above Fronsac. It is here that the `Cercle de Rive Droite' has set up quarters for the presentation of some eighty red wines from the right bank of the Garonne river, i.e. from Saint-Emilion, Pomerol and other localities in the area. The cold function suite is divided into two halves by curtains. On the left-hand side sit those who ­ for whatever reason ­ wish to carry out a blind tasting, on the right everyone else. Although, to all intents and purposes, only the second division of the respective appellation is represented here, it is soon evident that the 2009 vintage certainly includes wines of exceptional quality. Never before have I tasted anything to match the concentrated red wine of Château BardeHaut from Saint-Emilion. Excellent too are the wines of the host Château Haut-Carles and of Moulin-Pey-Labrie from the neighbouring appellation Canon-Fronsac; not to mention Silvio Denz of Switzerland, whose wonderful, sandalwood fragrant Péby-Faugères would be one of my greatest discoveries of the week. After modest refreshment from a cold buffet it is on to the appointment with the Grand Jury at Château Ausone. It is indeed astonishing that François Mauss has managed to convince proprietor Alain Vauthier to welcome his assorted tasting troop on the Sabbath, moreover to an enormous building site where hardly a stone has been left standing. The 2009 wine is pretty damned good. It is true that black cherry and cranberries still predominate in the bouquet, but on the palate the wine does indeed reveal structure and great finesse. The next port of call is Château Pavie, where proprietor Gérard Perse greets the guests. In the first years following its acquisition by this Parisian businessman the wines, which tend to have an opulent character, aroused a lively controversy in international wine circles. On Alain Vauthier the one hand, American Robert Parker, whose opinion is keenly echoed, has prompted a change of style amongst a whole generation of winemakers with his fondness for the all too sumptuous droplets ­ out with elegance and restraint, in with opulence! This stylistic preference does not meet with requited love everywhere however, particularly amongst his British counterparts who for many years have favoured the more elegant Bordeaux type. Respected English wine writer Jancis Robinson countered the tide boldly when she gave the 2003 vintage of Château Pavie, one of Parker's favourite wines, a real dressing down, conceding only 12 of 20 possible points. Two years later, she raised the heat even further. The 2005 Château Pavie she characterised members of the Grand Jury Européen B O R D E A U X 45 FINE Bordeaux Grand Jury Sunday

as "over-concentrated beefcake," sardonically asking who would want to drink a second glass of it. The 2009 Pavie is once again a very impressive wine whose full-bodied taste and silky tannins will quite possibly be united one day in a superb symbiosis. Parker is taken by it, and ends up giving it 96­100 points. "It can ripen happily for fifty years and more," says Gérard Perse. What will Jancis Robinson make of this? "I was impressed by Pavie 2009," she wrote after the en primeur week. Château Angélus is only a few kilometres away. Today, co-owner Hubert de Boüard awaits an expanded group of thirty members of the Grand Jury. As is customary, the tasting begins in the sampling room on the principal floor of the property with the constantly high quality of Lafleur de Boüard, a fiftyacre estate at Lalande de Pomerol. From the 2009 vintage the more powerful Prestige Cuvée Le Plus de Boüard stands out. Practically all the tasters are agreed that this 2009 wine from Château Angélus has a splendid career ahead of it. Admittedly, this very dark wine, loaded with black cherry and abundant, new wood will demand a few years of patience before it has attained its optimal maturity. 46 FINE

CHÂTEAU AUSONE B O R D E A U X 47 FINE Bordeaux

Gérard Perse Michel Rolland ­ all smiles The visit to Michel Rolland, incidentally a long-term friend of Robert Parker, can only be regarded as a noteworthy event. Not far from his spacious laboratory operation in Maillet, the most influential oenologist in the world grants us a private audience at his vineyard of Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol. Flanked by his wife Dan, the jovial Rolland is in excellent form and introduces his dapper sonin-law as the Dirécteur-Général of the Rolland Collection. The 2009 wines are from reliable vineyards indeed! But why does the master not take steps to elicit any more interesting drops from his own vines? Soon afterwards we meet Stéphane Derenoncourt, who embodies the new school of oenological wine consulting in Bordeaux. Unlike Rolland, he constantly strives to carve out a more elegant style of wine; certain estates of which he is in charge work their vineyards in accordance with ecological principles. On the occasion of the en primeur week he gathers his customers for a joint presentation at Château La Gaffelière in Saint-Emilion. Three wines stand out this afternoon: Château Larcis-Ducasse has a highly concentrated fragrance, yet seems very invigorating and reveals an almost dancelike elegance. While the bouquet of the Pavie-Macquin highlights a fine sandalwood sweetness and the fruit forms a perfect equilibrium with the tannins, the Clos-Fourtet wine is a true bundle of joy when it comes to Cabernet Bouquet and black cherry. Could this indeed be the wine of the year? Where is Pétrus? Monday morning begins in radiant sunshine with one of the most important tastings of the en primeur week, and is held at the home of Jean-Pierre Moueix who controls a large part of the trade on the right bank, which, since 1964 has included the distribution of Château Pétrus. Escorted by his son Edouard, the elegantly attired Christian Moueix welcomes the guests in a highly personal style. Although not every inquiry was covered in the appointed period, the wine tasters now crowd into the woodpanelled room. But where is the Château Pétrus? Hitherto it always stood at the end of the Moueix wine collection, this year for the first time one had to arrange a separate appointment in the winery, something by no means all of the wine noses had realised. Oh dear! At Pétrus the visitors are expertly enlightened on the merits of the 2009 produce by Jean-Claude Berrouet, the long-haired cellar master of the estate, and Olivier, his son and successor. "Yes, it is really a great vintage," says Papa Berrouet, who after fortyfive years is now enjoying his well-deserved retirement and has taken on a more advisory role to his son. The wine itself is really superb ­ how indeed could it be anything else? The smooth sweetness forms a pleasurable counterpoint to the fine aromatic tannins. A wine for the treasure chamber! Just a couple of hundred metres from Pétrus I run into Jacques Thienpont and we partake of a sample of Le Pin 2009. Twenty years ago the Belgian owner was only seldom to be seen during the en primeur week. Even afterwards one had the feeling that he was ready to welcome only a handful of selected tasters. This time, however, everything is different. Right at the start of the narrow track a small signs points us in an unfamiliar direction to `Degustation Le Pin' and not to the former simple farmhouse that for three decades was home to the most famous old vines, or vieilles vignes, and which has now been pulled down to be replaced by a spectacular new building. Instead, the tasting occurs in an improvised little building housing the wine press that Jacques Thienpont two years earlier had prepared as alternative accommodation for the vinification of his extremely expensive red wines. The 2009 Le Pin is the prime example of a perfect Merlot, wherein the invigorating freshness is married with the exotic fruit components in a most exquisite way. Monday evening sees the Dîner d'Acceuil at Château La Dominique, the first event for carefully selected guests. This function is a true Vanity Fair and almost always follows the same pattern. The wine growers attempt to direct the supposedly most important guests to their own tables, where they then Michel Rolland 48 FINE

Stéphane Derenoncourt surprisingly proffer their own wine from the multitude of available bottles. The dinner is of the finest quality: scallop carpaccio, millefeuille of veal with mushroom tapenade and, alongside the obligatory cheeses, a lavish dessert. As if on command, the company rises just after ten in the evening as the tasting is to continue early the following day. Sauvignon Traube is predominant. And 2009 is set to be a very great Cabernet year, as Denis Dubourdieu confirms at the press conference of the University of Bordeaux at Château La Lagune. Five preconditions are necessary, the Professor proclaims, in order to produce really great red wines in the Bordeaux region: an early and swift flowering, dry weather up to the end of the fruit, sunny days to accelerate the change of colour of the grapes, warm and dry weeks in August and ­ last but not least ­ fine autumn weather during the gathering of the harvest. While all these parameters were supplied in an almost ideal way in 2009, this is no quality guarantee however, according to Dubourdieu. "The risk in years of good weather is indeed somewhat greater, as one is tempted to prolong the harvest far too long, particularly if your neighbour still has not harvested", he states roguishly. The fruit characteristics are dependent on the time of the harvest, and in 2009 it was also possible to harvest cooked fruits throughout. Spontaneously, these words recall to my mind certain excessively rich Merlots from the right bank, whose alcohol content should not be much above fifteen per cent by volume. Furthermore, the character of the tannins is very much influenced by the making of the wines, says Dubourdieu, who himself owns two estates and, at the same time, advises numerous châteaux. has, however, enabled the production of exceptionally good sweet wines. In the setting of the Opéra of Bordeaux, Château d'Yquem had extended an invitation for the presentation of the new vintage, to be attended in Tenue de Ville, befitting the occasion. On the parquet circle of the Grand Théatre guests are welcomed by attractive young ladies, whose black suits are entwined by a golden ribbon. They accompany the guests into the Salle Boireau on the first floor of this imposing building. The anticipation grows! In the midst of the large ceremonial room illuminated by four giant chandeliers, on whose ceiling great composers such as Beethoven, Gluck and Mozart are immortalised, sommeliers with white gloves serve the new vintage: "What a silky richness, coupled with noble rot, almost as elegant as your Rieslings in Germany," rhapsodises Michel Bettane, the most famous wine critic in France. And what a difference to the similarly served 1989 Yquem, a wine dominated by the wood and alcohol that lies rather mournfully in the glass. In almost endless waves small delicacies are served up from the repertoire of the Parisian three-star chef Yannick Aléno of Le Meurice, who acknowledges the honour in person: gelée de boeuf au caviar, mascarpone à la Truffe, lobster ravioli with seafood sauce, crab roulettes and much more. All Bordeaux luxuriates in sheer enjoyment! Yquem at the Opera For the white grapes and in particular Sauvignon Blanc, by contrast, it has been almost a little too hot to retain the aromas and, above all, the freshness. The perfect quality of many Sémillon grapes in the Sauternes region The extolled white horse Tuesday morning is overcast with scudding rain clouds. The group of journalists has the opportunity to taste Château Cheval-Blanc 2009 ­ the Union des Grands Crus presents the wines of their one hundred and thirty-two members in regional tastings. Since, however, the most famous estates are missing, it is also necessary to take the trouble to arrange individual tasting appointments at the chateaux outside the official programme. Three renowned estates ­ Mouton Rothschild, Yquem and Cheval-Blanc ­ nevertheless assume a special status in the Union as honorary members and consequently offer the journalists a co-ordinated form of tasting. For me, the Cheval Blanc is unquestionably one of the best wines of the 2009 vintage. This gem of a red wine reveals silky tannins and an extract sweetness that one recognises only from the very best years. The legendary 1947 Cheval-Blanc automatically comes to mind! Golf carts and velvet gloves On Thursday the sun is shining again at last. Besides the tastings of the Union, the spotlight is today on the Premiers Crus of Médoc as well as certain Super Seconds of Médoc. And 2009 ­ the year of the Cabernet Enveloped in light rain, Wednesday morning finds us in the Médoc, where the CabernetB O R D E A U X 49 FINE Bordeaux

after Dubourdieu's lecture, expectations are now running particularly high. In the case of Château Mouton Rothschild it is an established tradition that the journalists are conveyed the four hundred metres from the vinothèque to the tasting room by golf carts, and this somewhat impromptu performance was readily enacted. For the first time in twenty years both the Cinquèmes Crus of Château d'Armailhac appeal to me far more than the Clerc Milon, which is a hint too alcoholic. Nothing of the sort can be alleged against the Mouton Rothschild. With its broad aroma palate ranging from black cherry to Cabernet bouquet together with a well-structured body, this wine demonstrates considerable development potential. Owing to building work under way in the Château, on this occasion the en primeur tasting of the Lafite-Rothschild takes place at the neighbouring Duhart Milon Rothschild estate in the heart of Pauillac. The 2009 Lafite immediately discloses a very robust tannic structure, which then dissolves on the palate in radiant fruit. Nowhere else in Bordeaux is a greater fuss made of admittance to the Holy of Holies as at Château Latour. At the approach to the estate terrain there is a small attendant's hut in which a poor fellow bides his time. He may only open the barrier when he has checked the number of occupants of the car against those of the original registration. Next time I would not be at all surprised if we had to present our ID papers! Thank goodness all this jumping through hoops has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the wine. As far as the 2009 Château Latour is concerned, the ripe tannins and almost exuberant fruit results in a symbiosis that in Bordeaux is readily characterised as "an iron fist in a velvet glove". This is the just the wine that Professor Dubourdieu may have been thinking about when he spoke of a gorgeous vintage for Cabernet Sauvignon. From Pauillac it is a mere stone's throw to Château Cos d'Estournel, which lies on a small hill above Lafite. After a two-year conversion phase, for the first time Cos now presents its new tasting room from which there is a spectacular view of the cubic tanks of the new fermentation cellar. Seldom before have I tasted a better wine here than that of 2009. Apart from bursting with strength it imparts, above all, great finesse. Like many other wine estates in the Bordeaux, at Château Montrose too the 50 FINE

CHÂTEAU MARGAUX B O R D E A U X 51 FINE Bordeaux

silhouette of a construction crane dominates the landscape ­ in this case marking the emergence of a new barrique cellar. This is urgently needed; only a few days previously the acquisition of 52 acres (21 hectares) from Château Phélan-Ségur for almost twenty million euros was signed and sealed. As a result, the total vineyard area now extends to 223 acres (90 hectares)! The 2009 Montrose remains absolutely faithful to its style as a robust red wine of the Médoc: a longlasting classic through and through. As in 2000, Château Margaux must once more be Primus inter Pares of the Premiers Crus in the Médoc. Courtesy of the otherwise so level-headed estate manager, Paul Pontallier, we entice a hymn of praise for the 2009 vintage: "Since 1982 I have been responsible for Château Margaux, however I have never, ever had such a perfect wine in the cask!" Could this indeed be the wine of the year? That remains to be seen. On Friday the party finally reaches the Graves, the only Bordeaux region where both white and red Grands Crus Classés are to be found. In both categories three vineyards stand out at the Union tasting: Domaine de Chevalier, Pape Clément and Smith-HautLafitte, and I have a weakness for the latter in both disciplines. Whereas the red scores with its great full-bodied character and perfectly integrated tannins and extract sweetness, the white, together with its note of opulence, also displays an astonishing elegance. Both red counterparts are incredibly dense and complex. Owing to their tremendous tannic structure they certainly require quite a few years before they can be drunk with pleasure. My inquisitive question as to how the quality of this exceptional wine will affect the anticipated en primeur price remains unanswered here, as in all the wine estates around the Gironde. Prices were a subject on which nobody wished to comment at all during the week. Let it be said that any forecast is laden with risk. Many more obscure châteaux, that in 2009 have produced their best wines for a long while, will have to settle for price markups of between ten and twenty per cent on the previous year. Thereby they confer their wines with an exceptionally attractive priceenjoyment ratio. At the forthcoming Vinexpo in Hong Kong, the more famous estates will attempt to raise their prices to at least the level of 2005. And despite the persistent economic crisis nobody should cherish the slightest illusion that in the case of cult wines such as Lafite, Latour or indeed Pétrus, it is possible to pick up any kind of bargain. Bordeaux ­ end of June The temperature surpasses 30C (86F). Bordeaux has recovered quickly from the previous day's thunderstorm, and from a record en primeur period. The event proved to be a success in terms of sales and quality alike: record scores and prices will be seen and everyone agrees on the vintage. The biggest factor affecting prices, namely Mr Parker, has published his scores, and we are left to await the final selling prices of the wines. Parker's verdict was a relief: "It may turn out to be the finest vintage I have tasted in 32 years of covering Bordeaux," he said. Eighteen wines received scores of 98 to 100, which is remarkable even in a great vintage. Out of the first growths, Parker rates Haut-Brion, LafiteRothschild, Latour and Margaux from 98 to 100. Mouton Rothschild received lower scores of 96­98, although this is naturally still very good. And Robert Parker is not the only one to praise the vintage. Jancis Robinson was also highly positive: "In all my years of immersion in tasting Bordeaux en primeur, I have never written the word `Napa' so often in my tasting notes. Come to think of it, I had never written the word `Napa' at all when trying to describe the latest vintage shown off to wine media and trade in Bordeaux every spring. Nor have I ever had so much fun tasting young Bordeaux as I Conclusions at Haut-Brion A visit to Château Haut-Brion is essential to draw matters to a satisfactory conclusion. Since building work is in progress there too, this year's tasting takes place in the neighbouring estate of La Mission Haut-Brion. While the wine merchants and sommeliers sample the wines in a large dégustoir on the ground floor, managing director Jean-Philippe Delmas, who has managed both estates since taking over from his father in 2004, receives the guests in a somewhat discreet setting on the first floor. Major changes have occurred for La Mission Haut-Brion and the associated labels. The red wine that until 2005 was sold under the independent label of Château La Tour HautBrion is now a fully integrated component of La Mission and its second wine, La Chapelle de La Mission. Since 2009, the white Laville Haut-Brion has traded as La Mission HautBrion Blanc, a label that incidentally was used between 1925 and 1930. The third novelty is a white second wine under the name of La Clarté, in which selected quantities of Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion are married. Whereas the ripe fruit driven 2009 Haut-Brion Blanc is an ideal wine for power drinkers, the white wine from La Mission is considerably more elegant. 52 FINE did the week before last. Perhaps these two phenomena are related." It appears that after a few highly eventful years, the most influential critics of Europe and the U.S. agree on the quality of the 2009 vintage. There is also accord as to prices. Despite the highest prices on record, the world is clamouring for 2009 futures. In the last week, all five first growths have released their first tranche, or allocation, at prices that many experts call crazy. Traditionally, châteaux release their en primeur wine in tranches. The first tranche is a toe in the water, as they want to see how the market behaves before pricing the following tranches accordingly. Château Haut-Brion released its first tranche at 500 euros per bottle from the cellar, before négociants and retailers added their markup. That matched the price of Latour's first tranche. Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux and Château Mouton Rothschild released their wines at 450 euros a bottle. In Sauternes, Château d'Yquem came out at 440 euros. Négociants ­ the middlemen to whom the châteaux sell the wine ­ announced they would sell Château Lafite to merchants at 550 euros. It should reach the market at around 8000 euros per case. In fact, as négociants did not receive a lot of wines in the first tranche of their 2009 en primeur, they will have to wait for the second and perhaps the third tranche, by which time the idea of buying a Lafite at 550 euros per bottle will be history. This represents a jump of over 300 per cent from the price of the 2008 vintage, and over 50 per cent from the release price of the previous legendary vintage, 2005. Comparing the prices of the 2009 vintage to the record price tags of 2005, most other classified estates have also raised their prices by a staggering 20­50 per cent, and Château La Mission by a huge 146 per cent; Montrose by 69 per cent, Pontet-Canet by 61 per cent, Canon by 55 per cent and Lynch-Bages by 42 per cent. When we visited Bordeaux before the en primeur sale, several top estate directors openly admitted to us that they "now have a lot of money", and many are undertaking expansion projects requiring major investments. They can now complete the work without worry, as the 2009 vintage will provide enough funds to cover the cost. By now, if not before, the wines produced by these very wealthy wineries have become luxury products that the whole world thirsts after, regardless of the price. We will go into that in more detail in our next issue, where we look in depth at wines as luxury items.>

FINE's favourites After tasting about four hundred cask wines of the 2009 vintage, FINE's Bordeaux expert Armin Diel awarded the following red wines an optimum potential of 95 to 100 points. FINE's special recommendations The following listed wines, whose quality potential lies between 91 and 95 points, made a particularly favourable impression on our writer. Saint-Emilion Château Angélus Château Ausone Château Cheval-Blanc La Mondotte Château Pavie Château Pavie-Macquin Graves Domaine de Chevalier Château Haut-Bailly Château Malartic-Lagravière Château Pape-Clément Pomerol Château Clos l'Eglise Hosanna Château La Conseillante Château La Fleur-Pétrus Château Rouget Margaux Château Dufort-Viens Château Discours Château Lascombes Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry Château Marquis de Terme Château Prieuré-Lichine Pomerol Château l'Église-Clinet Château Pétrus Château Lafleur Le Pin Château Trotanoy Vieux Château Certan Saint-EstEphe Château Calon-Ségur Château Lafon-Rochet Château Meyney Saint-Julien Château Beychevelle Château Branaire-Ducru Château Gruaud-Larose Château Léoville-Poyferré Château Talbot Graves Château Haut-Brion Château La Mission Haut-Brion Château Smith Haut-Lafitte Margaux Château Margaux Château Palmer Château Rauzan-Ségla Pauillac Château Batailley Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste Château Lynch-Badges Château Pontet-Canet Saint-Julien Château Ducru-Beaucaillou Château Léoville-Las-Cases Saint-Emilion Château Beauséjour-Bécot Château Canon La-Gaffelière Château Clos Fourtet Château Figeac Château Larcis-Ducasse Château Péby-Faugères Château Troplong-Mondot Pauillac Château Lafite Rothschild Château Latour Château Mouton Rothschild Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse-de-Lalande SAINT-Estèphe Château Cos d'Estournel Château Montrose B O R D E A U X 53 FINE Bordeaux

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Text: Stuart George FINE meets Simon Berry, the seventh generation of his family to represent the distinguished and historic London wine merchants Berry Bros & Rudd 56 FINE

Known as "clubland" because of the many private clubs in the area, the St James's district of London is the spiritual home of the English gentleman. He buys his shirts and socks at Turnbull & Asser in Jermyn Street, then strolls round the corner to Truefitt & Hill for his shaving brush and foam. All that promenading means that a new pair of bespoke shoes must be purchased at John Lobb Ltd. Having lunched at The Carlton Club, where those of a conservative nature can find like-minded company, our English gentleman now turns his thoughts to that evening's dinner party. The cigars come from James J. Fox, of course. And the wine? Well, since he is on the east side of St James's Street he may as well wander down to No. 3 at the bottom end of this ancient thoroughfare, where an old family-owned wine merchant in an even older building has became an international brand. "Her corn, and wine, and oil" After the fire that destroyed the Palace of Whitehall in 1698, the Royal Court shifted west to St James's Palace, where it is still formally based, though the Queen resides and entertains at Buckingham Palace. In the seventeenth century, the only major buildings at the southern end of St James's Street were the palace and another Tudor building that has since been identified as Henry VIII's tennis court. In the year of the fire, the Widow Bourne established a grocer's shop at No. 3 St James's Street, where the tennis court had been."We don't know very much about her", explains current Berry Bros & Rudd Chairman Simon Berry, who is the seventh generation of his family to head the company."We don't know what her Christian name was, how old she was or anything about Mr Bourne ­ apart from that he was dead." The shop did not have a proper business name at that time but there was a coffee mill sign outside, thus it became known as Widow Bourne's shop "at the sign of the coffee mill". The sign still hangs outside No. 3. The Widow's daughter married William Pickering, who rebuilt No. 3 and the houses behind it in the courtyard subsequently called Pickering Place. The marriage produced two sons, William Junior and John, neither of whom produced an heir. After the death of John in 1754, William invited his distant relative John Clarke to become a partner in the firm. Clarke's daughter Mary had married an Exeter wine merchant called John Berry. Although only an infant, their son George was designated heir to The Coffee Mill by John Clarke. George began working in London at the age of 16, though it was not until 1810 that No. 3 became "Berry's" in place of The Coffee Mill. In 1854, his sons George Junior and Henry ­ the eponymous "Berry Brothers" ­ succeeded George upon his death. Rudd complexion Over 220 years after the Widow Bourne had established The Coffee Mill at No. 3, Berry Brothers acquired a junior partner. Hugh Rudd came from a Norwich family of wine merchants and was recruited for his expert knowledge of German wines. He was "the Jasper Morris of his day, the country's leading expert on the most fashionable wines, which at that time were German," according to Simon. The appointment of Rudd was very timely: in 1921, outstanding wines were made in Germany and Berry Brothers & Rudd was ideally positioned to buy perspicaciously. The business prospered between the wars and in 1931 a new lease for No. 3 was signed by its then owner Sir Charles Bunbury. He was a descendant of Sir Thomas Hanmer, a renowned Shakespeare editor and former Speaker of the House of Commons, with whom the Widow Bourne had signed her agreement. The war years, though, were difficult for Berry Bros: from 1936 to 1949 four members of the Berry and Rudd families died. Because of the rule laid down by his ancestors that only one member of each branch of the family was allowed to work at Berrys, Anthony Berry was destined not to work in the family firm. But when his elder brother George was killed in North Africa in 1941 he was welcomed into the business and served as chairman from 1965 to 1985. The company has prospered again in recent years. According to The Sunday Times Rich List 2009, the extravagant City bonuses of 2007 and the consequent brisk trade at BBR pushed the Rudd family's wealth to over £80 million. In 2008, tougher trading conditions wiped £20 million from the value of the Rudds' shareholding. John Rudd (and his family) remains the largest individual shareholder at Berry Bros & Rudd. Hugh's granddaughter Elizabeth is today Deputy Chairman. BERRY BROS & RUDD 57 F I N E Merchant

Anthony's son Simon Berry started working for the company in 1977 after two years in France with various wine producers, including Moët & Chandon, Maison Michel Chapoutier and Château Mouton Rothschild. In 1987, he became Marketing Director. A board member since 1994, he was made Deputy Chairman in 2002 before becoming Chairman in 2005. "The feast was done, the red wine circling fast" Berry's has long had famous clients: the list of names in its books is virtually a sociopolitical history of England. The giant scales, used originally to weigh bags of tea and coffee, have hosted many famous patrons over the years. In the Regency era of early nineteenth century England, there was a fashion for men to wear very tight clothes, à la Beau Brummel, the dandy who allegedly insisted on cleaning his Hessian boots in Champagne. There were no bathroom scales in those days, so the man about town had to go to No. 3 to be weighed. Simon Berry admits that there are better records of people's weights than of what they actually bought, because many records were destroyed during the War: "We've no idea what Byron, Pitt the Younger, Warren Hastings or the Duke of York bought from us but we can tell you what they weighed on a particular date!"The earliest record of a customer's weight dates from 1765. The poet Lord Byron was obsessed by his weight and went often to No. 3's scales for an assessment. Shortly before the publication of his poem "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" in March 1812, Byron had been staying at No. 8 St James's Street, on the site of the current Lobb shoes shop, five doors up from Berry's. Byron's publisher John Murray was nearby in Albemarle Street. Upon publication, as Byron himself put it, "I awoke one morning and found myself famous." Napoleon III became friends with the first George Berry when they found themselves together in the company of special constables at about the time of the threat of Chartist Riots in 1848. Napoleon used to hide in the cellars at No. 3: "I'm not sure how effective it was as a hiding place, "ponders Simon, "because he used to give interviews to the London Evening Standard in the cellars. It's not exactly high espionage but he became part of the folklore of the company." oldest wine merchants in the world that would exclude wine estates. There are some German estates that have been around since the 12th century", Simon explains. Chalié Richards claims to be the UK's oldest wine merchant, with records that show them to be selling wine in 1700. But descendants of the founding family are no longer involved there, whereas BBR ­ uniquely ­ has been a family business based in one building for over 300 years. "I don't know of a wine merchant that was founded in 1698 that is still going", maintains Simon, "but in 1698 we didn't sell wine, or at least there is no record of it. The Berrys in Exeter, however, were selling wine at that time. It wasn't a terribly respectable trade in those days, though." "Her cutty sark, o' Paisley harn" "Thank God it was there, " says Simon of his company's Cutty Sark whisky brand, which was created by his grandfather Francis. "It kept us independent. For a long time it was 90 per cent of the turnover and 105 per cent of the profit", he admits. "Being a wine merchant in those days was deeply unprofitable. It stopped us having to look overseas for more wine business. It was so profitable that we didn't have to sell much wine." The brand was established in time for the end of Prohibition and Berry's was able to reap the benefits. The Cutty Sark brand became enormously lucrative and by the 1970s it was the largest selling whisky ­ the "His goblets brimm'd with every costly wine" Berry's is unsure whether it sold wine to George III but it did sell to the Prince Regent and George III's other sons,"so we say that we have been selling wine to the Royal Family since the reign of George III", insists Simon. Queen Victoria bought wine from Berrys and had a large cellar, filled mainly with Hock, whose shortened name she created, being unable to pronounce "Hochheimer". Berry's claim to being the UK's or even the world's oldest wine merchant "depends on what mood we're in. If we say we're the 58 FINE

largest selling spirit, indeed ­ in the USA. Its name, broad Scots for "short shirt", is taken from Robert Burns's poem "Tam O'Shanter": "Her cutty sark, o' Paisley harn, "The Scottish artist James McBey designed the label. Berry's other major brand is The King's Ginger Liqueur, which Simon Berry calls "central heating for adults! It does warm you up. It's a good drink with a good story behind it." In 1906, King Edward VII was advised by his doctor to prevent colds by drinking a "warming cordial" after being out in his new "horseless carriage", or car. So Berrys created a ginger-based drink for him, which was repackaged in 2009:"We're going to take it out to the world! It's very good served on ice. Cyril Ray used to pour it over vanilla ice cream. And it's perfect for those long Scandinavian nights." This very English liqueur is actually made in Holland at Bols; the ginger comes from Papua New Guinea. Simon arrived in Amsterdam expecting to find tanks everywhere but instead saw one man breaking eggs and pouring the yolks into a huge bowl. "Where's the production director?" he asked. "That is the production director, " he was told. not a simple world and certainly not where alcohol is concerned. People want to tax it or make it illegal." The Heathrow store was closed in May 2006 and the Dublin shop in April 2009, both victims of expensive running costs. Berry's toyed with the idea of a US store for years and Simon has "not crossed it out completely." Hong Kong, however, is less legislated than Scandinavia, so a store was established there in 2003, with a second retail outlet opened in March 2010. A Berry Bros presence has also been established in Tokyo.This is not a retail outlet as such but "how a wine merchant should start. You need an office and a dining room," insists Simon. Finding a suitable retail address in Tokyo can be difficult and costly: "It's no good just landing from London and assuming that the world will flock to us. Relationships in Japan have to be built up over a very long time. It's all about trust and forging the Simon's cousin Christopher Berry Green established the Basingstoke warehouse in 1968. Prior to that there were eight cellars scattered across London. Berry Green decided that it would be more efficient to have a proper warehouse facility where wines could be looked after properly and stored on behalf of customers, "so we built a warehouse on another roundabout in Basingstoke." In February 2009, Simon Berry briefly became a TV star when the BBC4 documentary The Firm was broadcast as one of three programmes on the wine trade. It presented a snapshot of Berry Bros & Rudd, set against the backdrop of the then emerging financial crisis (the film was made in January-April 2008). Most of the film showed Simon Staples and Jasper Morris ­ Berry's Bordeaux and Burgundy buyers respectively ­ at work and play, though sometimes it was hard to tell the difference between office hours and after hours. Berry's continues to be a major player in the global fine wine trade: Staples' purchasing budget for the 2007 Bordeaux campaign was £60 million; in any given vintage he is the world's largest individual buyer of Bordeaux. Terminal velocity The expansion of the wine part of the business came about because of an admission that the company could not rely solely on the profits of Cutty Sark. The opening of the concession store at Heathrow's Terminal 3 in 1994 led to a realisation that the Berry's brand was actually "more than just an old wine merchant at the bottom of St James's Street", as Simon puts it. Berrys and the British Airports Authority thought that they would be selling wine mostly to UK residents flying out of the airport who would be buying gifts for business meetings and so on. But it turned out that most of the revenue was from non-UK residents buying wines that were unobtainable or less expensive than in their home country. In the early days of the Heathrow store, Scandinavians were the best customers. A survey by Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) revealed that Scandinavians preferred to fly with them rather than British Airways because they were able to purchase wine at Terminal 3. Simon Berry is still a member of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and a Scandinavian shop was considered but eventually ruled out because of the state monopolies that control the sale of alcohol across Scandinavia. "If it was a simple world, we'd be there by now, " rues Simon, "but it's Back to the future No. 3 is like a country manor house transplanted into the city. It is filled with old furniture, old photographs and even old telephones. All in all, it is a very civilised place in which to work or buy wine. But the gentlemanly, antique veneer is slightly misleading. In many ways, Berry Bros & Rudd remains a most traditional merchant. But a closer look reveals a company that is at the cutting edge of wine retail today. Berry's was one of the first wine merchants to embrace the Internet and launched its site in 1994. "We really believe in it," asserts Simon, "it's actually a very old fashioned way of selling wine because it provides information, which is what the wine trade is all about. It's more than just a bottle on a shelf. One of the best things people can ever say to me is, `I waste so much time on your site.' It presents the oldfashioned way of being a wine merchant in the most fabulous way." The printed list used to have to fit into the chairman's waistcoat pocket. "What seems impossible now might be possible in the future,"ponders Simon. "If somebody had said to me 20 years ago that we would have a way of updating a list as often as you like, it won't appear on paper at all and you can order from it, I would have thought they were mad." > B E R R Y B R O S & R U D D SIMON BERRY relationship effectively. You can't rush it. But one of the great things about Japan is that if you are selling wine to the older generation, the younger generation will come through. They think, `if it was good enough for my father and grandfather, then it is good enough for me.' It is nonsense to worry about an ageing client base in Japan." Education is "incredibly important" in Japan, reckons Simon, but "they don't understand dusty old bottles with great provenance at all." Basingstoke boys The "heritage" of BBR is an important factor in its ongoing success, though nowadays its HQ is actually in unglamorous Basingstoke rather than regal St James's: "You need the buying team there because that is where the wine is stored. And if the buying team is there, you need the sales team there. Part of the business is the resale of our customers' wines, which are stored there. You can't be scattered in too many places." 59 F I N E Merchant

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From Music argiulo Jeff to Wine 62 FINE

Text: Juha Lihton en The world of wine is fascinating. This is due not only to the countless wines that exist but also to the people who produce them. napa Valley is one of those areas where many vintners have had successful careers in other fields of business. This success allows them to make their wines purely out of passion. Their guiding light is not commercial success but the ambition of producing the perfect wine, and to achieve this, they employ the top experts in the field to take care of the actual winemaking. This lets the owners fulfil other dreams on their estates. For Oakville-based vintner Jeff Gargiulo, music has always been his other great passion in addition to wine. it is fascinating how this vineyard owner, who also produces music in nashville, has been able to combine two worlds that are important to him in a way that enriches both his life and the lives of those in the napa Valley who spend time with him. Vintner Jeff Gargiulo G A R G I U L O 63 Fine Personality

64 FINE

Gargiulo J e f f it is a warm October sunday. Gargiulo Vineyards, located in Oakville, next door to the famous Dalla Valle and screaming eagle, is surrounded by limousines. casually dressed guests weave through the Bentleys parked in the yard to a large terrace where the wine is flowing and waiters amble around with nibbles. nearly three hundred guests have been invited to enjoy Jeff Gargiulo's garden party and see performers that have been the talk of the town during the last few days. The stage will host artists who are well known from the Grammy Awards and American idol. Among them is the evening's host, who receives warm applause as he begins with the catchy guitar riff to Mustang sally. Gargiulo joins us during the break. We are relaxing in the estate's elegant country-style tasting room, surrounded by a number of beautiful handmade guitars. Laid-back and youthful, Jeff enjoys his role as the musician-cumhost. "i hope you enjoy the arrangements. i think it's great that our garden party has grown to these dimensions. it has become an event that people queue up for. it all started in the autumn of 1998, when we had a small do to celebrate our first harvest. it was attended by a handful of friends and featured wine, cheese and music that i played with my friend Billy Dean," Gargiulo explains. The small-scale jam session has gradually grown into a large annual affair that is now known as the Oakville sessions. Both the guest list and the catalogue of performers have ballooned. Thanks to the nashville-based music production company that Gargiulo runs with Dean, the event now boasts some of the biggest country music stars in the u.s., including Monty Powell and Anna Wilson. Alternatives to wine and music Music is not only played at Gargiulo Vineyards during garden parties. The estate's maturing wines and ripening grapes can all enjoy the melodies thanks to speakers integrated into various parts of the vineyards. The facilities include a private music studio that allows Gargiulo to practise with a band made up of winemakers and friends. "We mainly play for fun, but we do occasionally perform," he says. Gargiulo was also recently appointed as the director in charge of music for the famous Auction napa Valley. While music has this important role in his life, Gargiulo is dedicated to his other passion, which is for wine. "Although music has been a central part of my life since i was a teenager, wine has been with me even longer. My parents are first- and secondgeneration italian immigrants and i was brought up with the italian wine and food traditions. We have had wine with dinner ever since we were children, although back then it was mixed with ginger ale. My father was a wine collector and i became familiar with valuable wines from a young age. He mainly collected Bordeaux wines, and that is where i also started, together with my wife Valerie, towards the end of the 1970s when i was in my early twenties," Jeff says. He continues: "i focused on French and italian wines, but i did buy some early californian cult wines as well. With regard to italian wines, i was lucky to buy Brunellos and Barolos from the top vintages of 1971, 1978 and 1982 for a good price before they became popular. in particular, i managed to procure one of my personal favourites, Giacomo conterno's Barolo Monfortinos from 1971 and 1978. in terms of French wines, i bought my first Bordeaux wines from the 1970 vintage when they were released. One of my favourites from that vintage is château Trotanoy. i also bought older Bordeaux bottles from other collectors; one i am especially pleased with is a château Margaux 1959. i bought wines from 1982, such as my favourite, château Léoville-Las cases, as futures. From Burgundy i gathered wines of the 1964 vintage, from Rioja i collected 1955s and from Rhône, château Rayas from 1985. The californian wine that i will never forget and that really got me hooked was Robert Mondavi cabernet sauvignon 1970. i also still consider Heitz's Bella Oaks cabernet sauvignon of 1977 to be a gem. My collecting enthusiasm led me to have up to five thousand bottles in my cellar at one point." While music and wine were an important part of Gargiulo's youth, they were hobbies to which he did not expect to dedicate his career. "i G A R G I U L O 65 Fine Personality

We wanted to focus on winegrowing and selling the grapes. After tasting our first ripe grapes, however, my wife and i agreed: their quality exceeded our expectations and we didn't have the heart to sell them. We instead decided to produce the wine ourselves," Gargiulo recalls. in 2000, when the first Money Road Ranch vintage was still maturing in his cellars, Gargiulo received a surprising phone call from Phillips. "i was in Florida when Jean rang. she was by then already known as the owner of the American cult winery screaming eagle. she still acted as an agent for luxury real estate, though, and called to say that the plot next to screaming eagle was coming up for sale. Jean offered me first refusal on the phone and said she needed an answer right away. There was no alternative: we bought the land without seeing it," Gargiulo laughs. spent some time looking for myself after completing school and college in Florida. i considered a career in law, but i soon realised that studying was not my thing. i got a job in my father's tomato-growing business in Florida, instead." Having started on the tomato plantations, the 22-year-old Jeff was quick to learn and soon progressed to managerial duties. From the farming side he transferred to marketing, and by the time he ascended to become company president at the age of 33, he had a comprehensive understanding of farming, marketing and running a business. in the next decade, Gargiulo expanded the business from just tomatoes to include berry and fruit cultivation, and into new geographical areas in Puerto Rico, chile, Mexico and california. with the winegrowing process and an enthusiasm for fine wines inspired Jeff and his wife to start up their own winegrowing project. "Belle and Barney owned a valuable piece of land, and the renowned Heitz Vineyards turned the grapes from this plot into Bella Oaks single-vineyard wine. Barney taught me to understand the napa Valley terroir, and he also introduced us to the Valley community in a way that would have been difficult for outsiders. in the late 1980s, my wife and i eventually decided to buy our own vineyard and start growing wine. i had visited Burgundy a few times and became aware of the concept of terroir. i understood the significance of the vineyard for the quality of the grapes. i wanted to produce top-quality grapes, and found that the best place to do so was in Oakville, napa Valley. i never doubted that we would be successful as winegrowers. Barney's teachings and vision of winegrowing in Oakville, my decades of success and experience of cultivation, and the vision i had of the world's best wines thanks to my wine-collecting pastime provided me with the necessary opportunities and knowledge to produce fine wines." Towards the end of the 1980s, Barney Rhodes introduced the Gargiulos to real estate agent Jean Phillips, who mediated the sale of the best vineyards in napa Valley. it would take several years and some misfortune to others, however, before a suitable vineyard was found. The decision to buy the plot also sealed Gargiulo's decision to dedicate himself to winegrowing. Their passion for the business had grown to such heights that Jeff and Valerie Gargiulo decided to have their own vineyard built and to start producing wines under their own name. Jeff had sold his father's old vegetable and fruit business years before, so he no longer had ties to Florida. The family moved to their new vineyard, Oakville crossroad, in napa Valley. The Money Road Ranch brand was joined by a second wine in 2004; the product of the cabernet sauvignon grapes grown next door to screaming eagle was named after its address, with the abbreviation OVX. Own wine From vegetables to wine Having expanded his business to california, Gargiulo came into contact with the best wine district in the united states, napa Valley, where relatives of his wife, Belle and Barney Rhodes, owned one of the top vineyards in the area: Bella Oaks. numerous visits to the Rhodes' family home, familiarisation 66 The phylloxera plague that raged in california and napa in the early 1990s brought many vineyard owners into financial difficulties. One of these was the esteemed Beaulieu Vineyards, which put a plot up for sale on Money Road, next door to silver Oak. With help from Phillips, the Gargiulos acquired the vineyard in 1993. They carried out major soil improvements and replanting. "You cannot undo farming, and it is essential that you are right from the very beginning. One more year does not make a difference at the end of the day," Jeff explains. The old vines were dug out, the fields were deep-drained in 1993 and vines were replanted in 1994. The first crop was harvested in 1998. "initially we did not think we would produce wine under our own name. Wine wins the day? As his vineyard's wine production slowly developed in the early years of this century, Gargiulo continued in the fruit business at the helm of the world's largest lemon and orange growers, sunkist. However, with the exception of his current role as an investor in the san Francisco-based food distribution company GreenLeaf, Gargiulo is now fully immersed in producing wines and directing Gargiulo Vineyards. "even though i have always approached my work with ambition and made no FINE

Gargiulo J Gargiulo only has one goal in his winemaking: to produce the perfect wine. in his opinion, this wine must combine classical european refinement with the fruity tones of the new World and the multidimensionality achieved through oak maturing. Perfection is the aim, not only in the vineyards but also in the cellars, where expert winemaker Kristof Anderson produces the wines in small batches and with extreme accuracy. Anderson is supported by top winemaker Andy erickson of screaming eagle, Dalla Valle and Ovid. compromises on the quality of the products i represent, i must say that winemaking has posed completely new qualitative challenges for me. in the fruit business, i produced the best possible quality and sold it on. After that, my work was done and the sold batches had no significance. With wine, it is different. every bottle that is sold bears my name, which is the guarantee i give to the end consumer. The wine is often consumed years, if not decades, later. Regardless of the crop year, it is my duty to ensure that my wines meet expectations, and hopefully exceed them, once the bottle is opened and served. This makes winegrowing significantly more challenging than other types of agriculture. To ensure the best possible quality for my wines i have to possess vineyards in an excellent location and know how to grow the grapes correctly. The best way to achieve this is to understand the vineyard's terroir and to know its history." pleasure, not only separately but also together, and in good company," Gargiulo explains. The break is over and Billy Dean comes to take Jeff back to the stage. Gargiulo leaves us with one final comment: "i hope you enjoy the rest of the day. And remember: the stay has to be good, but the wine better." This statement indirectly answers the question about the relationship between wine and music in his life. The garden party continues, with excellent and entertaining performances and fare. As Jeff hoped, our stay at the event was superb and therefore put his wines under a lot of pressure. Well, the wines were truly good, and very promising. Whether they will become even better remains to be seen. At least there is no reason to doubt that they could become one of the great wines of napa Valley. > e f f Which comes first ­ wine or music? "it is evident that i am giving my all to my winery. When it comes to music, i'm happy to be able to integrate it into my life together with wine. in my mind, neither is more important than the other. i love them both. They complement each other. Both produce G A R G I U L O 67 Fine Personality

Colliding culinary cultures A sia seems to be the new "promised land" for the wine business. The focus, up until now, has mainly been on wine collecting, but there is now a growing interest in wine as a social drink. When it comes to combining wines with local foods, there is a fascinating world just waiting to be explored. During my travels, I have realised that traditional rules of Western wine and food matching simply do not apply; the Asian palate reacts in a different manner. On a number of occasions, I have brought a bottle of Riesling ­ complete with a good dose of residual sugar ­ along to a Cantonese restaurant thinking that it will suit any sweet and spicy food, only to be told kindly by my local friends that perhaps the combination is not ideal. Given my knowledge, based on Western food and wine matching, turned out to be not really helpful in Asia, I have had to eat and drink my way to a greater understanding of how to get it right. Furthermore, I have discovered that there is no such thing as an "Asian cuisine". There are at least eight regional cuisines in China alone. Indeed it would be like talking about a "European cuisine", and who in Europe would agree that traditional Alsatian food is in any way similar to modern Nordic food? Aside from the pure enjoyment of taste, most food has a deeper and more abstract meaning. Some foods are created to assist a more spiritual experience, designed to cleanse the body and soul, whereas others represent historical and symbolic occasions, similar to Christmas. Most traditional Asian cuisines seek balance through opposites: hot balances cold, crispy balances soft, pickled balances fresh and spicy balances mild. It is truly exciting to match food and wine using these principles. This has been crucial to many successful pairings for me, as well as offering a way to a deeper understanding of Asian culture and how to achieve the perfect marriage between wine and Asian cuisine. The Japanese Kaseiki meal is an excellent example of the harmony and balance sought in Asian cuisines. The feast is served in a very precise order, according to taste, texture, appearance and colour. The famous Chinese Shandong dish `Eight Immortals Crossing Sea teasing Arhats' is another instance where balance is crucial. This traditional starter, served before a celebratory dinner, is made up of eight main ingredients: fin, sea pumpkin, abalone, asparagus, prawns, ham, swim bladder and fish bones. These ingredients represent the eight immortals, while chicken breast is added to symbolise the Arhats, or Buddhist saints. Bearing in mind that Asian people tend to eat with a purpose, it is easy to see why pairing bold, pungent and spicy Sichuan cuisine with an icy cold semi-sweet German Riesling Kabinett just doesn't work for a person from that region. When the Chinese eat spicy food they actually do so to heat up their bodies, to start sweating, to get the unhealthy humidity out of the body. It is not their intention to drink something that cools down the body 68 FINE

at the same time, so whereas a cool German Kabinett might seem soothing to most Western palates, it goes directly against the Chinese philosophy behind eating spicy food! During one of my last trips to China I had dinner in a traditional Sichuan restaurant. Many dishes contain Sichuan pepper that literally numbs your tongue ­ the local people eat it because they like the numbing, tingling sensation that it brings. I was eating with a group of wine producers and almost choked when I heard one of them say, while pouring his wine: "This wine matches the local food perfectly! It removes the unpleasant effect of the pepper." A total cultural collision! As the wine culture in Asia evolves, we will most likely discover new fascinating combinations of wine and food. When this occurs, the once imported social wine culture in Asia can be exported back to Europe, bringing with it a host of innovative discoveries. > Marie Ahm C O L U M N 69 FINE Ahm

P e r f e c t i o n 70 FINE i n c o m f o r t Text: Meri Kukkava a ra Photos: A man New Delhi Picture yourself able to travel and stay in hotels without restrictions. Let your imagination run wild and make a list of all the things you would appreciate in the accommodation you choose for your journey. High on my list would be appreciative and sensitive service, a beautiful and harmonious environment and a complete experience in an aesthetic and environmentally respectful location. In addition, I would want the opportunity to spoil myself with completely luxurious pampering treatments and excellent food.

A M A N 71 FINE Lifestyle

72 FINE FROM THE START, AMANRESORTS HAS AVOIDED LARGE SIZE AND VOLUME. INSTEAD IT VALUES THE NOTIONS OF SMALL, CHARMING AND INTIMATE

The Dutch-Indonesian entrepreneur Adrian Zecha has created sites around the world that probably fulfil the wishes on most people's lists. He believes that it is possible to build environmentally friendly holiday resorts that feed visitors' aesthetic yearnings while offering peace, quiet and wonderful experiences thanks to their small size and complete services. That philosophy led to the creation of Amanresorts. Amanresorts believes that small things can be great and that less can be more. environment and culture. Some of the recurring characteristics at all Amanresorts are simplicity and consideration for the local culture. NEW DELHI'S PEARL On my recent journey to India I had the chance to visit Aman New Delhi. Divided into old and new sections, Delhi is India's second most populous city with around 14 million inhabitants. It contains a rich combination of modernity and historic sights. Old Delhi was PLACE OF PEACE built, surrounded by thick walls, in 1638, at the behest of the Great Mughals, or moguls. It In just over two decades, Amanresorts has served as the capital of the Mughal Empire and grown to comprise 24 individual resorts in 15 as the home of the royal court, as well as artists, countries. The first resort was the result of a tradesmen and all levels of society. Delhi offers happy coincidence. Zecha was searching for a visitors a breathtakingly eclectic window into home for himself in Phuket, Thailand, when he India, with its people, animals, bazaars, monuments and, especially, traffic. Amid this came upon a beautiful coconut grove. He throbbing activity, Aman New Delhi is like a realised that the time and place were right to beautiful closed pearl oyster in open a small luxury hotel a stormy sea. respecting the beauty of the OFFERS Completed in 2009, Aman site, and this led to D E L H I the construction of the VISITORS A BREATH- New Delhi was designed by first Amanresort, named Australian architect Kerry Amanpuri ("place of peace"). TAKINGLY ECLECTIC Hill. The clean lines of the It was opened in January 1988. hotel beautifully incorporate WINDOW TO INDIA From the start, Amanresorts traditional Indian ornaments. The rooms and suites are has avoided large size and elegant and unpretentiously luxurious. volume. Instead it values the notions of small, Gorgeous stone floors are covered with skilfully charming and intimate. In this way it can offer handmade rugs that echo the rooms' its guests personal service and individualised sophisticated earthy colour palette. Traditional experiences. It responds to the wishes of guests Jali screens provide privacy on terraces and hoping for a high-quality lifestyle while still valuing sustainable choices and a thirst for balconies, and their delightful, ornamental experiences of diverse cultures. Aman's guests shadows are integrated into the interior design. are pampered in a creative and beautiful The transition between rooms and balconies or environment, and the concept seamlessly terraces is seamless, through large windows. involves opportunities for luxurious spa The outer areas with their couches provide a treatments. wonderful setting for a lazy afternoon nap. I Located all around the world, Amanresorts was very impressed by the room's own 5m x 5m are similar yet different. The main similarity is swimming pool on the balcony: what a luxury in the level of service: this is the basic pillar on the heart of a hot metropolis! Aman New Delhi, just like the other which everything else rests. The differences lie in the actual stay, as the experience varies Amanresorts, offers its guests tailored experiences near by. Delhi has plenty to depending on the location. Zecha believes that see and to do, from picturesque markets to most important factors in addition to service are the hotels' design and the aesthetic elements countless pretty parks, monuments, temples, mosques and other sights. Aman New Delhi's arising from their environment. All sites are guests have at their disposal an Ambassador car located in places of great natural beauty, making the surroundings an essential aspect of the with a chauffeur, as Aman has acquired a whole resort's aesthetics. However, every resort is fleet of these luxury cars that were designed after the Second World War and that were once completely different; they are designed by different architects to perfectly suit the A M A N 73 FINE Lifestyle

AMAN Although the wine was originally made to please just one man, EugèneAimé Salon, he was not alone in his such an integral part of the Indian cityscape. With their refurbished retro interiors, they now provide Aman guests with a waft of old Delhi. Delhi can also be explored on foot, with Aman's own guides specialising in architecture, history, culture and art, in order to introduce you to the ancient city. PLEASURE FOR THE PALATE Aman New Delhi's restaurants serve dishes made with care and skill, ranging from classic cuisine to the exotic, not forgetting the local culinary traditions. The Aman Restaurant menu changes often and comprises Indian, Asian and European cuisine. The kitchen uses fresh, organic vegetables directly from Aman's own gardens. Next to the restaurant is the Naoki counter, which specialises in French kaiseki. It combines the finest techniques of French cuisine with Japanese artistry when composing dishes. Wine enthusiasts will be pleased with the extensive wine list, with hundreds of wines from a number of hand-picked producers from around the world ­ the oldest dating as far back 74 FINE

N as 1944. Further familiarisation with the wines is possible in the wine cellar and its intimate tasting room. A most interesting interior can be found at the Lodhi Restaurant, which is split into three levels: the relaxed tapas lounge on the lower level and a Mediterranean restaurant on two levels above. The large windows on the lower level open onto the large pool that reflects the sky. Upstairs, the focal point is the open kitchen with its wood-fired oven. One challenge for the development of the restaurants' wine selection arises from the Indian culture, which has not traditionally involved wine. Australian-born Kavita Faiella, Cellar Master at Aman New Delhi, explains: "When you are in a city that doesn't have a strong wine culture and you can't rely on importers putting something new in front of you each week, as a sommelier, you kind of need to do a lot of the legwork. Keeping up to date via the internet with various wine blogs and magazine websites is really important, otherwise it is so easy to lose touch. I think it is a good thing how the social media is becoming such an important element of the wine world. Here at Aman, we source 70 per cent of our wines ourselves. It is not only about finding good wine A M A N 75 F IN i f FI N EEL Lfie setsy ly l e te

Wine cellar with members' cabinets for the list, but also introducing producers. The best thing about wine in Delhi is that because the wine drinking culture is in its adolescence, no stigmas exist; it is just as easy to sell bottle of Spanish Albariño as a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Because of this we are able to list and sell some really interesting wines, everything from Txacolina from the Basque Country to Greek Rosé from Kiriyani. It is all just about experimentation here in India at the moment, which is nice." INNOVATIVE WINE PROGRAMME The Amanresorts Wine and Spirits Programme works with many vineyards, making it possible for the resorts to offer some of the world's most desirable wines. Aman New Delhi's house wines include a Cabernet Sauvignon from the famous Torres Mas La Plana estate, a dry Scalabrone Rosé from the Antinori Guado al Tasso estate in Bolgheri and champagne from Jacquesson, which was once a favourite of Napoleon. Some wine producers have bottled wines especially for Aman as extensions of their own brands. In New Delhi, every room has a half-bottle of Krug champagne and a StEstèphe wine from Château Cos d'Estournel, Cellar Master Kavita Faiella bottled exclusively for Amanresorts. Faiella describes their cooperation with the Bordeaux estate: "Château Cos d'Estournel's JeanGuillaume Prats has a very positive attitude towards our wine programme and is happy to work with us. St-Estèphe is a wine that has actually been created together with Prats. We have sampled the barrels together and influenced the final blend for our cuvée. Working with India comes naturally to him ­ after all, the founder of the estate, Louis Gaspard d'Estournel, was fascinated by India and all things Indian and was known as the Maharaja of St-Estèphe!" Away from the Cos d'Estournel partnership, Champagne Salon has created three exclusive wines for Aman. Thanks to this one may find three vintages of custom-disgorged Salon Blanc de Blancs champagne from 1983, 1988 and 1990. Amanresorts has also gained access to some estates' private cellars and oenotheques, whose unique offerings contribute an interesting depth to their wine selections. Thanks to the wine programme, Amanresort guests can book in advance to visit partnering vineyards, châteaux and homes around the world. The programme works with more than 250 wine and spirit brands, including Champagne Salon, Domaine Leroy, Fisher Vineyards, Martin 76 FINE

Private plunge pool Miller's Gin and Duncan Taylor Single Cask Rare Scotch Whiskeys. The Austrian glassmaker Riedel is another partner. Faiella takes me to the hotel's stylish wine cellar and tells me about certain wine projects that are under way at Aman New Delhi: "Towards the end of the year we will launch a new Wine Club. It will involve personal wine cabinets for members in our cellar, as well as activities and events. The club is really just about trying to bring the wine drinking people of Delhi together. There is already a good core of wine drinkers established in the city who appreciate wine and want to learn more about it. By working with these people we will hopefully encourage more people in the city to embrace wine." In India, wine is subject to high taxes, a burden which Faiella hopes will be alleviated in the near future. "Until this happens I think it will be hard to see wine become a part of the culture, as we have seen in Hong Kong for example." When I ask Faiella which of her current tasks she is most excited about, she replies: "All of them, really. Being involved in developing something new is really inspiring. The wine culture is in its early stages in India, so we can start all of our projects with a clean slate. That really requires an energetic pioneering spirit!" HEAVENLY RELAXATION Another very special element of Aman New Delhi is the lavish and beautiful spa. India is known for its ancient Ayurvedic well-being traditions, and the Aman Spa offers timehonoured Indian treatments combined with contemporary therapies. There is also a wide selection of high-class cosmetic and body treatments for men and women, as well as a prestigious hair and beauty studio. The spacious and elegant wellness area includes two traditional hammam baths and a bamboo orchard for relaxation. In the sheltered garden, the hotel's architecture is mirrored in the surface of a 50-metre swimming pool. I was attracted to the idea of trying out various traditional therapies, so I opted for a treatment combining many different techniques. The Aman Spa provides thorough training for its staff, and you can really tell. I was placed in the skilled hands and extremely calm care of Sukanti, a young Indian spa therapist. At the end of the treatment, I felt light and full of peace. The relaxing package involved Reiki, deep tissue massage, shiatsu, Thai stretching, relaxing massage, third eye opening and several hot towels placed on the body. It was heavenly. Amanresorts has also gained access to some estates' private cellars and oenotheques, whose unique offerings contribute an interesting depth to their wine selections. A M A N 77 FINE Lifestyle

I was plunged into a state of bliss. The Aman Spa treatments are designed by Aman's in-house Spa manager and they provide a completely unique experience: the client is lulled by music composed specifically for each treatment, and the therapists use specially made oils that are not only therapeutic but also caress the senses. The treatment room is beautiful. It is a luxurious and sophisticated relaxation room, with generous amounts of space and natural lighting that filters in fetchingly through bamboo shoots. This amazing space crowns the spa experience. Amanresorts' founder Adrian Zecha has a simple philosophy: to offer an unprecedented, stress-free, relaxing experience that provides extraordinary memories. The location must be pleasant and the environment free of pollutants. No mysticism is required; only friendliness, true warmth and good food. I understand and value the ambition to design resorts that appeal to people with their beauty and whose services can fulfil virtually your every last wish. In this, Amanresorts has really succeeded. All we need to ask now is whether Zecha has created such perfect resorts that the travellers won't ever want to step AMAN NEW DELHI Lodhi Road New Delhi 110003 India www.amanresorts.com/amannewdelhi Champagnes 1990 Salon Blanc de Blancs Custom Disgorged for Aman 1988 Salon Blanc de Blancs Custom Disgorged for Aman 1983 Salon Blanc de Blancs Custom Disgorged for Aman White wines 1993 Domaine Leroy Meursault 1er Cru `Les Perrières' 1978 Domaine Leroy Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru `Les Chevenottes' Red wines France 1990 Château Cos d'Estournel, St-Estèphe ­ Bordeaux 1990 Château Pichon-Lalande, Pauillac ­ Bordeaux 1989 Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac ­ Bordeaux 1988 Château Cheval-Blanc, St-Emilion ­ Bordeaux 1978 Leroy Pommard Premier Cru `Les Vignots', Bourgogne Italy 2000 Gaja Barbaresco Sorí Tildín, Piedmont, Italy Spain 2005 Artadi El Pison Reserva, Rioja, Spain 2004 Alvaro Palacios L'Ermita, Priorat, Spain 1986 Vega-Sicilia Unico Artist Label Magnum, Ribera del Duero, Spain 140 000 INR (2555 Eur / 2991 USD) 170 000 INR (3100 Eur / 3632 USD) 190 000 INR (3468 Eur / 4059 USD) USA 2005 Araujo Estate Altagracia, Napa Valley, USA 2003 Harlan Estate, Napa Valley, USA 2001 Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA Fortified Wines 1944 Henriques & Henriques Sercial Madeira * The prices in Euros and US Dollars are approximates 11 000 INR (201 Eur / 235 USD) 58 000 INR (1060 Eur / 1240 USD) 21 000 INR (384 Eur / 449 USD) 22 000 INR (402 Eur / 470 USD) 65 000 INR (1186 Eur / 1389 USD) 58 000 INR (1060 Eur / 1239 USD) 32 000 INR (585 Eur / 684 USD) 30 000 INR (550 Eur / 641 USD) 35 000 INR (640 Eur / 748 USD) 65 000 INR (1187 Eur / 1389 USD) 52 000 INR (950 Eur / 1111 USD) 37 400 INR (683 Eur / 799 USD) 26 000 INR (475 Eur / 555 USD 63 000 INR (1150 Eur / 1346 USD) 110 000 INR (2008 Eur / 2350 USD) 78 FINE MAN AMAN NEW DELHI'S WINE CELLAR TREASURES

A M A N 79 FINE Lifestyle

Jan-Erik Paulson 2009 BORDEAUX ­ TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY? My e-mail server is working overtime. The reason is the en primeur campaign that has just started and new offers arrive hourly. The hype started in the summer of 2009, well before the harvest ­ early, even flowering, hot summer etc. After the harvest, it accelerated further to reach new heights once the wine was safely in barrels. There was a nervous waiting period of a few months until Bordeaux was invaded by every wine critic able to string five words together. 80 FINE

he wines were universally praised and apparently we now have the best vintage this century ­ and possibly of all time ­ for only the fourth time in the last ten years! Stock market indices, exchange rates and the big question of whether the Chinese will buy not-yet-bottled wine or not is discussed as much as the levels of tannins, polyphenols and alcohol levels, in anticipation of the top châteaux releasing their opening prices. At the time of writing this has not yet taken place but there seems to be an absolute certainty that these will reach new records. So, to buy or not to buy? If you are an investor you probably will, in the hope of making a killing, rely upon wine drinkers' fear of not being able to buy the wine in a couple of years time. The new T prestige-focused Asian buyers will no doubt go for the Premier Crus, and the price may well be irrelevant. But should you as a "normal" wine lover buy now? Bordeaux tastes pretty horrible when young. Tannins and oak overpower the fruit of the wine and only after a number of years in your cellar does the wines develop the elegance and complexity that is characteristic of a great claret. Well, I don't see the point of anyone over the age of fifty buying a wine that, according to most opinions, needs twenty years to reach its first drinking phase, particularly if you can buy the great 1989s and 1990s at similar prices. You should ask yourself if you really want these wines to be drunk by your widow and her young new husband. The same also goes for anyone who does not already own a cellar full of mature wines. You will most likely be able to buy great wines like Château Haut-Brion 1966 or Château Latour 1970 for less money than their 2009s. And you will have much joy with these, both now and over the next decade or two. My experiences over the last years have shown that the chances of getting the wine you want at a similar, or even lower price, a couple of years after the initial hysteria has died down is a distinct possibility. The old rule ­ buy lesser châteaux in great years and great châteaux in lesser vintages ­ holds as true as ever. The general winemaking abilities have never been better and there will be bargains to be had if you stay clear of the "Big Names". Therefore it makes sense to buy "lesser" châteaux or second-wines for your cellar ­ as long as you have some mature wines to drink while you wait for the 2009s to reach their promised heights. > C O L U M N 81 F I N E Pa u l s o n

82 FINE

Stuart George reviews the fine wine market for the first quarter of 2010. T he green shoots that began to sprout in the global economy late in 2009 started to blossom and bear fruit in the first quarter of 2010. On an annualised basis, the US economy posted growth of 5.7 per cent for the last quarter of 2009. Goldman Sachs's net earnings for the first quarter of 2010 were $3.46 billion, up from $1.8 billion for the first three months of 2009. BP's first quarter profits rose to £3.6 billion, more than double those of a year earlier ­ though these have been severely dented by events in the Gulf of Mexico. General Motors reported its first quarterly profit since 2007. In the UK, the New Year began with the country emerging from the steepest recession and harshest winter for many years. Lloyds Banking Group, which is 41 per cent owned by the UK government, returned to profit. The charmed sunset The results of Sotheby's Hong Kong auction on January 23 were so good that the room must have been glowing afterwards ­ the HK$52.9 million / US$6.78 million total was Sotheby's highest ever for a single-day wine sale. The ten-hour auction saw a six-litre Impériale of Lafite 1982 make HK$363 000 / US$47 190 (estimate HK$140 000­ 200 000). Pétrus prices were as tall as Hong Kong's Central Plaza: two magnums of the 1982 sold for HK$360 000 / US$46 800, nearly three times the high estimate. At Acker Merrall & Condit's Hong Kong sale on January 29, a dozen Lafite 1982 went for HK$300 000 / US$39 000 (HK$240 000­320 000). Acker Merrall also offered what it claimed to be "the single largest consignment of Henri Jayer wines ever to appear at any auction," a 69-lot collection from the cellar of Henri Jayer's US distributor Martine Saunier. The prices were incredible and recalled the Lotos-eater days of 2007/200 8. For example, six bottles of Richebourg 1978 achieved HK$680 000 / US$87 628 (estimate HK$360 000­480 000). Demolition man Hart Davis Hart of Chicago also held an auction on January 29. DRC estimates were demolished here: five bottles of the unfashionable ­ though good for the year ­ Romanée-Conti 1991 made $40 000 ($18 000­28 000). Similar estimate-busting results were seen at A U C T I O N R E P O R T 83 F I N E In v e s t i n g

FINE WINE AUCTION REPORT 2010 1st QUARTER Zachys' March Hong Kong sale and Sotheby's March auction of Lloyd Flatt's cellar, which included old bottles of DRC and Bouchard Père & Fils. The London-based fine wine exchange Liv-ex reported that turnover in January, which is usually a quiet month for the wine trade, was up sixty per cent year on year, though January 2009 was arguably the lowest point of the global recession, when the fine wine market was as jammed as a Toyota accelerator. The Liv-ex 100 Fine Wine Index, which represents the monthly price movement of 100 of the most sought-after fine wines, rose by 2.7 per cent, the largest monthly increase in almost a year, making it only eight per cent below its June 2008 high. At 3.3 per cent, the greater rise of the Liv-ex Claret Chip, which is based solely on the Médoc First Growths, suggested that Lafite was outperforming the market. At auctions and elsewhere, its prices floated upwards like the ash from Eyjafjallajökull. The London and Hong Kong merchant Bordeaux Index received a single order for Lafite worth £200 000 and sold over £8 million of fine wines in January, 72 per cent higher than its 2009 monthly sales average of £4.7million. Whatever happened to that quiet January? The not so dirty dozen At Sotheby's London on February 17, Lafite 1986 went to £10 500 (£8000­10 000), though the post-sale press releases were more concerned with 84 FINE

a Melchior of Cheval Blanc 2006 that made £14 000, nearly three times its high estimate. It was sold to VinumXtremus LLC, which bid on behalf of "a major Korea-based collector." At Zachys' February 26­27 sale in Hong Kong, a 12-lot parcel of original wooden cases of Lafite 1982 went round the Mandarin Oriental hotel like a Mexican wave. The most valuable of these twelve lots was No. 142, which made HK$340 000 / US$43 045 (HK$200 000­360 000) ­ the highest price for this wine at auction since the $45 000 bid at Acker Merrall & Condit's November 2009 Hong Kong sale. Altogether the dozen lots totalled HK$ 3 720 000 / US$480 000 (total estimate HK$2 400 000­4 320 000), an average of $40 000 per case. Allowing for exchange rates, with the US dollar relatively weak against the Hong Kong dollar, North American prices remained just behind those of Hong Kong. Christie's sold a dozen Lafite 1982 in New York on February 27 for $38 000 ($26 000­35 000). But the four bottles of Romanée-Conti 1990 that fetched $65 000 ($40 000­60 000) said even more about where the fine wine market was and where it might be going. Pro rata, this price was equivalent to its peak of $195 000 a case in May 2008, when Acker Merrall sold it at an estimate of HK$1 440 000­1 920 000, equivalent now to US$187 200­249 600, or $62 400­83 200 per four bottles. Christie's played relatively safe but the price achieved in New York might see estimates for DRC and other wines pushed back up to 2008 levels. The Liv-ex 100 Fine Wine Index rose three per cent in February, making it almost six per cent up since the start of 2010, with a year on year increase of 19.5 per cent ­ almost enough to cover the buyer's premium at a New York or Hong Kong auction! The Claret Chip rose by 3.6 per cent, making February 2010 the eleventh straight month of increases for these indices and giving total returns since March 2009 of 20.9 per cent for the Liv-ex 100 and 25.4 per cent for the Claret Chip. Lafite 2000 accelerated by nine per cent and moved above £15 000 per case for the first time, an increase of 85 per cent in only one year. Highs and lows Lafite lots flew through auction rooms during the first three months of the year like the sandstorm that swept through Beijing in late March. But the 1982's price was relatively becalmed by the end of this first quarter, with bids staying below $40 000. Four cases of the `82 were offered at Hart Davis Hart on March 22, all of which made $38 000 ($28 000­42 000), and a full case made HK$300 000 / US$39 000 ($240 000­320 000) at Acker Merrall & Condit's sale on March 26­27, over thirteen per cent below this quarter's highest price of HK$340 000 / US$43 045. Nonetheless, Lafite 1982 has rebounded from a low of $18 000 in March 2009, when the fine wine market was as cracked as the Liberty Bell. It has more than doubled in price in one year. Acker also claimed a "world record" for a Lafite "superlot" of seventy bottles spanning selected vintages from 1799­2003. Estimated to sell at HK$ 1 000 000­1 400 000, it brought in HK$2 100 000 / $273 000. The claimed record was for a single Lafite lot sold at auction. There were further signs of returning strength at Zachys' La Paulée Auction on March 12. At the equivalent sale in 2009, twelve bottles of La Tâche 1990 sold for $30 000 ($24 000­38 000). Here, eight bottles sold at $24 000 ($20 000­32 000), or $36 000 per dozen pro rata. Although this was still a long way from the $60 000 achieved by Sotheby's in April 2008, it was further evidence that prices were on an upward trajectory. The $50 000 bequest Liv-Ex Exchange turnover in the first three months of 2010 was up 73 per cent on the same period last year and 39 per cent higher than in the last quarter of 2009. The first quarter of 2010 saw the Liv-ex 100 increase by 11.7 per cent to reach a new all-time peak, passing the previous high seen in June 2008. The Claret Chip achieved a fourteen per cent rise over the quarter, which pushed it above the 300-point barrier for the first time. Bordeaux Index's turnover for Q1 was sixty per cent up on the same period in 2009. Doubtless this figure was helped by A U C T I O N R E P O R T 85 F I N E In v e s t i n g

FINE WINE AUCTION REPORT 2010 1st QUARTER the £45 000 sale of a Pétrus '82 Impériale to a "Hong Kong fine wine collector", the most expensive single bottle ever sold by the company in its 13-year existence. The least expensive ­ one hesitates to say cheapest ­ vintage of Lafite, 1991, was now traded at close to £5000 / US$6000 / ¤4700 on Liv-ex. Predictions of Lafite's price collapsing have been as exaggerated as reports of Mark Twain's death. He went on to write The $30 000 Bequest and Other Stories; Lafite 1982 looks sure to reach $50 000 before 2010 ends. The tiger's breath As it says in the Book of Changes, a Chinese classical text: "Without the breath of the tiger there will be no wind, only clouds, and certainly no rain." Despite the economic downturn, China said that it was targeting economic growth of eight per cent in 2010. Its economy is likely to grow by more than nine per cent this year, in contrast to the sub-par economic recovery of the USA and Europe. As shown by the results outlined above, more and more fine wine is being bought and sold in Asia. The combined US$28 501 810 (including premiums) tally of the four auctions held in Hong Kong this quarter was greater than that of the eight conducted in the United States, which totalled US$24 343 625. More lots were sold at US auctions than in Hong Kong but at a much-reduced value ­ $2741 to $7149. Andrew Caillard MW, Fine Wine Principal of the Australian wine auction house Langton's, observed: "The overall secondary market is generally very buoyant. There is even a touch of speculation and excitement reminiscent of a boom market. However, there is a cool breeze that wafts through the warmth. It will take only a new bout of bad economic news to bring back uncertainty. With Greece in trouble, countries like Portugal and Ireland in near-default and the UK in splendid denial, it looks like the centre of the fine wine world is moving towards Asia. The `go for gold' policy of the top wine auction houses has resulted in extraordinary price realisations and an almost obsessive reliance on Chinese billionaires ­ and ilk ­ in pulling the fine wine market out of an economic quagmire." But fine wine merchants and auctioneers should not presume that the Chinese will always spend money. An Indonesian auction in early May of treasures recovered from a tenth century Chinese shipwreck failed to attract a single bidder ­ though perhaps potential buyers were deterred by the US$16 million deposit required to bid. At the end of 2010's first quarter the fine wine market "basks and purrs" like one of Emily Dickinson's volcanoes. A brighter economic outlook has brought more liquidity into the secondary wine market, which has recovered remarkably quickly ­ at the top of the market, at any rate. Catalogues are starting to bulge, even if there are fewer sales than in previous years. However, with big money again starting to flutter around stock exchanges, there is a danger of bankers reverting to the recrudescent behaviour that scuppered the global economy. The threat of another eruption is ever-present. > 86 FINE

AUCTION REPORT 87 F I N E In v e s t i n g

FINE TASTINGS FINE evaluates all wines in circumstances as similar as possible to those which our readers would encounter them. In order for the evaluations to be truly beneficial for the reader we always act upon the following norms: We always evaluate the wines in good company ­ We strongly believe that the best part in enjoying a wine is in sharing the joy and pleasure. We do not taste the wines blind ­ Our readers do not usually drink their wines blind, so we are always aware of its name, origin or vintage when tasting. These factors naturally have an effect on the experience of the wine. We evaluate the wine within an hour of its opening ­ This is when most of our readers also have their wines. We give points to the wines based on their current enjoyment possibility ­ We believe that the most significant factor is how the wine in your glass tastes today, not ten years from now. This is why one of our most important tasks is to find amongst the thousands of wines we taste, those that are at their peak right now. In most cases we evaluate the wines in Riedel tasting glasses ­ As our readers do not always have the possibility to enjoy wine in the perfect glass, we have chosen the neutral Riedel tasting glass for our evaluations. Together with the wine evaluation we also advise how the wine should be served to enable best enjoyment. With each evaluation there is a mention of the most suitable glass shape, decanting time and serving temperature for the wine. As one of FINE's fundamental values is to support excellence, we have made the decision to not publish wines that receive below 79 points in our evaluations. We use a 100-point evaluation system, where the wines have been divided into the following categories: 99­100 A wine with the wow-effect. Sheer perfection to all senses by every parameter of wine quality. A true gift from nature. 86­89 A good wine with balance and complexity. 80­85 An average, though well-made wine. Nose and palate are somewhat one-dimensional and impersonal. 95­98 An outstanding wine that leaves an unforgettable tasting experience with its perfect structure, complexity and personality. 50­79 A modest and straightforward wine lacking life and harmony. This wine is excluded from appearing in FINE Tastings. 90­94 An excellent wine, that stands out by balance, intensity, complexity and character. 88 FINE

-Vertical Tasting 1947­1990 It is seldom that one gets to taste several Vega-Sicilia Unicos in vertical tastings, but when it does occur there is certainly excitement in the air. This occasion was no exception, although the wines did not turn out to be as wonderful as expected. The most worrying thing was the inconsistency between the vintages, and surprisingly, the lesser vintages stood out as fascinating wines. The common denominator was that after decanting the wines started to evolve in a noticeably more rapid manner in the decanter, but especially in the glass. Generally, the older Unicos before the 1980s do not seem to benefit from long periods of decanting. 1947 1948 1953 1959 1960 1965 1967 1968 1985 1987 1989 1990 Vega Vega Vega Vega Vega Vega Vega Vega Vega Vega Vega Vega Sicilia Sicilia Sicilia Sicilia Sicilia Sicilia Sicilia Sicilia Sicilia Sicilia Sicilia Sicilia Unico Unico Unico Unico Unico Unico Unico Unico Unico Unico Unico Unico 90 85 89 90 92 93 84 94 95 87 89 86 VALBUENA 1947 Vega Sicilia Unico 90 D 1 h / G 20 min 2010/Now 2010/Now 1977 Vega Sicilia Valbuena 3er Año 85 D 1 h / G 30 min Moderately-intense, brick-red colour. Open nose that has herbaceous tints combined with dark cherries, leather, smoke and nuttiness. Medium-bodied, intense and well-concentrated palate with mellow tannins and lively acidity. Ripe dark plum and cherry flavours. A long, herbaceous and silky finish with a touch of complex giving volatility. Food recommendation: Rabbit ragout with truffle flavoured Pappardelle pasta Temperature: 18C (64F), decant an hour in advance Enjoyability: Now, no further ageing Medium intense, brick-red colour. Unclean, pronounced nose. Earthy, smoky, and leathery aromas with ripe black fruits ­ blackcurrants and figs. Medium-bodied, vivid acidity, round supple tannins, ripe black fruits, and a spicy, leathery and earthy finish. Food recommendation: Roasted rack of lamb with ninemonth aged Manchego Temperature: 18C (64F), decant an hour in advance Enjoyability: Now, no further ageing 1948 Vega Sicilia Unico 85 D 30 min / G 15 min 2010/Now 1983 Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5 Año 81 D 2 h / G 30 min 2010/Now Moderately-pale, tawny colour. Oxidated, volatile nose with a touch of toffee. Medium-bodied, vivid acidity and a volatile palate with mellow tannins and elegant structure. Nutty, highly alcoholic and medium-length finish. A peculiar wine. Food recommendation: Cepe risotto with balsamico Temperature: 18C (64F), decant half an hour in advance Enjoyability: Now, no further ageing Medium-intense, tawny colour. Very evolved nose with walnuts, almonds, vegetal aromas and earthiness. Medium-bodied, intense, and nutty mouthfeel with firm, mouthdrying tannins. The palate is lacking the fruit needed to be balanced. The finish is also moderately short. Food recommendation: Fried rump steak served with rustic potatoes Temperature: 18C (64F), decant two hours in advance Enjoyability: Now to 2015 1953 Vega Sicilia Unico 89 D 1 h / G 20 min 2010/Now Dark, brick-red colour. Reserved nose with bouillon, walnut, earthy and leathery aromas. The medium-bodied palate has a silky structure which is formed by vivid acidity and gentle tannins. The fruit is on the dry side while nutty, dark chocolate and leathery flavours escort the long and round finish. Food recommendation: Venison, served with dark chocolate flavoured demi-glace, and aged Gouda cheese Temperature: 18C (64F), decant an hour in advance Enjoyability: Now, no further ageing T A S T I N G S 89 F I N E Ta s t i n g s VEGA SIcIlIA UNico

1959 Vega Sicilia Unico 90 D 1 h / G 30 min 2010/Now 1968 Vega Sicilia Unico 94 D 1.5 h / G 1 h 2010/Now Moderately-dark ruby colour. Intense nose that delivers ripe dark fruit and sweet and spicy aromas. A firm, mediumbodied palate that has a pungent acidity and mouthdrying tannins. Delicate texture of fruitiness. Still an energetic and youthful wine. The high level of alcohol gives a round and warming sensation at the end. Food recommendation: Medium-rare pepper steak with creamed potatoes Temperature: 18C (64F), decant one hour in advance Enjoyability: Now, no further ageing Moderately dark, ruby colour. Intense and charmingly complex nose with an abundance of aromas ­ blackcurrants, tobacco, smoke, dark chocolate, ripe dark fruit and farmyard aromas. A medium-bodied and elegant palate with moderate acidity, supple tannins and intense fruit with blackcurrant flavours. A long, refined and elegant finish. Food recommendation: Fried duck breast served with light Hoisin sauce and polenta Temperature: 18C (64F), decant an hour and a half in advance Enjoyability: Now, no further ageing 1960 Vega Sicilia Unico 92 D 2 h / G 45 min 2010/Now 1985 Vega Sicilia Unico 95 D 3 h / G 3 h 2010/2020 Medium-intense, beautiful tawny colour. The intense nose delivers leathery, dark chocolate, nutty and earthy tones with herbaceous nuances. Medium-bodied and elegant palate. Vivid acidity and gentle tannins form a soft, silky structure. Lingering and nutty finish. Food recommendation: Elk roast with gratin of mushrooms and potatoes Temperature: 18C (64F), decant two hours in advance Enjoyability: Now, no further ageing Medium-intense, ruby colour. Intense, rich and seductively complex nose with roasted coffee, dark chocolate and hazelnuts. A medium-bodied palate with great concentration and fruit intensity. Smooth tannins and an elegant palate that has a long, concentrated finish with roasted coffee and tobacco. Food recommendation: Grilled fillet of wild boar and gratinated rosemary, flavoured sweet potatoes with Banyulssauce Temperature: 18C (64), decant three hours in advance Enjoyability: Now to 2020 1965 Vega Sicilia Unico 93 D 2 h / G 1 h 2010/Now Medium-intense, ruby colour. Complex and rich nose with ripe black fruits, cedar and smokiness. The full-bodied palate shows an intense mouthfeel, juicy acidity and firm tannins. Fleshy black fruit flavours of brambles, cherries and blackcurrants. A Long and refined finish. Extremely energetic wine that can still be aged. Food recommendation: Châteaubriand Temperature: 18C (64F), decant two hours in advance Enjoyability: Now, short ageing ­ maximum of three years 1987 Vega Sicilia Unico 87 D 2 h / G 1 h 2010/2020 Moderately-intense, ruby colour. Volatile nose that has ripe dark fruit, milk chocolate and earthy tones. The mediumbodied palate has high acidity, gentle tannins and a moderately high volatility. The restrained fruitiness reveals some red fruit flavours. Moderate finish. Food recommendation: Fried entrecote with haricot verts and crusted, oven-baked tomatoes Temperature: 18C (64F), decant two hours in advance Enjoyability: Now to 2015 1967 Vega Sicilia Unico 84 D 1 h / G 45 min 2010/Now Dark, cola colour. Oxidated and sherry-like nose ­ walnuts, vernissa, raisins and dried dates. Full-bodied, broad palate with oxidative character, vivid acidity and slightly stalky tannins. Dark chocolate, walnut and dried fruit flavours. The moderately short finish shows burnt wood flavours. Regrettably this bottle was not in great condition, but was enjoyable. Food recommendation: Jabugo Pata Negra with aged Manchego and balsamic pickled onions Temperature: 18C (64F), decant an hour in advance Enjoyability: Now, no further ageing 1989 Vega Sicilia Unico 89 D 3 h / G 3 h 2010/2025 Moderately-intense, ruby-red colour. Pronounced, spirity nose with complex aromas of black fruits, leather and smoke. A full-bodied palate with an intense mouthfeel. Lovely fruitiness of cherry, fig and plum flavours, vivid acidity and supple tannins. Satin texture with a long, harmonious, yet reserved aftertaste. Food recommendation: Beef Wellington Temperature: 18C (64F), decant three hours Enjoyability: Drinking well already but will evolve during next the 10 to 15 years 90 FINE

2010/2030 Medium-intense, ruby colour with tawny rim. The restrained nose has intense and lean aromas of red fruits, cherries, violets and hints of white pepper. A medium-bodied palate with vivid acidity and gentle yet supportive tannins. Youthful, fresh fruitiness of raspberries and brambles. Silky structure but short and less complex in the end. Still a very young wine that will definitely benefit from further ageing. Food recommendation: Roasted pigeon wrapped in bacon and served with olive and ricotta filled raviolis Temperature: 18C (64F), decant eight hours in advance Enjoyability: 2030 2005 Montrachet, Domaine de la RomanéeConti 2010/2025 96 D 4 h / G 3 h Intense yellow colour. Rich, toasty and buttery nose with intense tropical fruit aromas. The dry, crisp, elegant and complex palate shows multilayered flavours of vanilla, toastiness, peppermint and exotic fruits. Long, powerful and opulent mineral finish. Food recommendation: Grilled monkfish with beurre blanc and thyme Temperature: 12C (53F), decant four hours in advance Enjoyability: Now, but will keep for another 15 years 2005 Chevalier-Montrachet, Deux Montille 2010/2020 94 D 1.5 h / G 2 h MoNTrAchET -Tasting 2005-2007 The finest white wines derive from a tiny little area in Burgundy, France. There are five different grand cru classified sites: La Montrachet (8 ha), Bâtard-Montrachet (11 ha), Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet (4 ha) and Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet (1.5 ha) that are located in the communes of Chassagne- and PulignyMontrachet. All wines in the tasting come derive from very good vintages, and The wines were tasted half-blind. As the world's most expensive white wine DRC Montrachet was included and all present were keen to know if it would everyone were excited will it perform extensively better than the rest. Medium-intense, lemon yellow colour with green tints. Pronounced, broad and complex nose with toasty and smoky spearmint aromas. Charming and classic Montrachet nose. Dry, crisp and delicate style. Vivid acidity and extremely refined mineral palate with superbly harmonious finish and a delicate dose of exotic fruits. A long, elegant and charming aftertaste. Food recommendation: Grilled arctic char with green pea purée Temperature: 12C (53F), decant two hours in advance Enjoyability: Now, but will keep for another 10 years 2007 Montrachet, Domaine Ramonet 94 D 3 h / G 3 h 2010/2020 In ranking order: Pale, lime colour. Beautiful, rich and elegantly intense nose with fresh spearmint, passion fruit and toasty aromas. Dry, crisp acidity and a very citrus palate. A Sophisticated and refined wine with a restrained style. Long, toasty and mineral finish. A Seductive wine that has promising flavour. Food recommendation: Saltimbocca alla Romana with roasted potatoes Temperature: 12C (53F), decant three hours in advance Enjoyability: Surprisingly enjoyable already, but will evolve beneficially until 2020 2005 2005 2007 2005 2006 2005 2005 2006 2006 2005 2005 Montrachet, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Chevalier-Montrachet, Deux Montille Montrachet, Domaine Ramonet Montrachet, Domaine Ramonet Montrachet, Domaine Jacques Prieur Chevalier-Montrachet Château de Puligny-Montrachet Bâtard-Montrachet, Jean-Noël Gagnard Bâtard-Montrachet, Domaine Ramonet Montrachet, Domaine Ramonet Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche, Drouhin Bâtard-Montrachet Château de Puligny-Montrachet 96 94 94 93 93 93 92 91 90 90 90 2005 Montrachet, Domaine Ramonet 93 D 2 h / G 2 h 2010/2018 Medium-intense, straw-yellow colour. Pronounced, rich and toasty nose with lovely spiciness. Dry, mellow acidity, but restrained fruit. Very masculine style with high alcohol and rich toastiness. An expressive wine with glycerolic texture. Toasted toffee flavours in the finish. The fruit become more apparent within five to eight years of ageing. Food recommendation: Bistecca alla Milanese with roasted potatoes. Temperature: 12C (53F), decant two hours in advance Enjoyability: Now, but will evolve within the next six to eight years T A S T I N G S 91 F I N E Ta s t i n g s 1990 Vega Sicilia Unico 86 D 8 h / G 3 h

2006 Montrachet, Domaine Jacques Prieur 2010/2016 93 D 2 h / G 2 h Moderately intense, yellow colour. Opulent, tropical fruit aromas with an intense spearmint nose. Dry, broad and powerful palate. Toasty, mineral mouthfeel with vivid acidity and a heavily toasty aftertaste. High alcohol is marked but well-integrated, generating a long and warming aftertaste. Food recommendation: Smoked salmon with lemon-flavoured creamed potatoes Temperature: 12C (53F), decant two hours in advance Enjoyability:Now, but will evolve within the next five to six years 2006 Montrachet, Domaine Ramonet 90 D 2 h / G 2 h 2010/2020 Medium intensive, lemon colour. Delicate and sophisticated nose with smoky, toasty, and refined tropical fruit aromas and minty tones. Dry, broad and oily mouthfeel with moderately low acidity and intense fruitiness. The finish is very mineral, high in alcohol and glycerol-like. Long, smoky aftertaste. Food recommendation: Sole Meunier with lemon-flavoured potato purée Temperature: 12C (53F), decant two hours in advance Enjoyability: Now, but will keep for another 15 years 2005 Chevalier-Montrachet, Château de Puligny-Montrachet 2010/2020 D2h/G2h 93 Moderately pale, straw-yellow colour. Elegant, refined and intense nose with tropical fruit, herbaceousness and spearmint. The dry, crisp and very concentrated palate. This is a restrained, mineral style wine. Elegant buttery mouthfeel. Long, discreetly toasty finish with high, well-integrated alcohol. Food recommendation: Lobster Thermidor Temperature: 12C (53F), decant two hours in advance Enjoyability: Now, but will keep for another 15 years 2006 Montrachet, Domaine Ramonet 90 D 2 h / G 2 h 2010/2020 Medium intensive, lemon colour. Delicate and sophisticated nose with smoky, toasty, and refined tropical fruit aromas and minty tones. Dry, broad and oily mouthfeel with moderately low acidity and intense fruitiness. The finish is very mineral, high in alcohol and glycerol-like. Long, smoky aftertaste. Food recommendation: Sole Meunier with lemon-flavoured potato purée Temperature: 12C (53F), decant two hours in advance Enjoyability: Now, but will keep for another 15 years 2005 Bâtard-Montrachet, Jean-Noël Gagnard 2010/2013 92 D 1.5 h / G 2 h Medium-intense, yellow colour. Ripe, tropical and anis nose that shows some spirity character. Dry, crisp and intense mouthfeel with vivid acidity and harmonious balance. Moderately short mouthdrying finish with gentle toastiness. A charming wine. Food recommendation: Fried white fish with creamy morrel sauce Temperature: 12C (53F), decant an hour and a half in advance Enjoyability: Now, but will evolve within the next three to four years 2006 Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche, Drouhin 2010/2018 90 D 3 h / G 3 h Medium-intense, lemon colour. Intense, very ripe, buttery and toffee nose. Dry, concentrated and partly closed palate with firm structure. Restrained fruit and refined toasty palate. Still a less expressive wine. Medium-length with a mineral finish. The wine will benefit from further ageing. Food recommendation: Pan-fried turbot with butter, capers and a twist of lemon, served with roasted potatoes Temperature: 12C (53F), decant three hours in advance Enjoyability: Now, but will evolve after five to eight years of ageing 2006 Bâtard-Montrachet, Domaine Ramonet 2010/2018 91 D 2 h / G 2 h Medium-intense, lemon colour. Opulent, toasty and oaky nose with ripe tropical fruits and lovely spearmint aromas. Dry, vivid acidity, lovely mineral concentration with a high level of alcohol that escorts the long, warming and toasty finish. The wine will benefits still from further ageing, after which the fruit will open up allowing wine to reach its optimum balance. Food recommendation: Fried scallops with curry-flavoured sauce Temperature: 12C (53F), decant two hours in advance Enjoyability: Will improve with three to four years of ageing 2005 Bâtard-Montrachet Château de PulignyMontrachet 2010/2013 D3h/G3h 90 Medium-intense, straw-yellow colour. Intense, aniseed nose with pronounced sweet and spicy bourbon aromas. Dry, moderate acidity, and a high level of alcohol that is well-integrated into the toffee-flavoured finish. A big wine yet reserved. The wine is a bit short of concentration. Food recommendation: Grilled tiger prawn skewers with creamy risotto Temperature: 12C (53F), decant three hours in advance Enjoyability: Now, but will evolve within the next two to three years 92 FINE

FINE & rArE -Tasting cHAMPAGNES 2000 Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Francaises 2010/2018 90 D 30 min / G 1.5 h Medium-intense, yellow colour. The still closed, yeasty nose reveals some wild strawberry and raspberry aromas. Dry, broad palate with a moderate level of acidity. Rich, yeasty palate that shows strawberry and raspberry flavours. Long and rich style, although lacking in vividness and cripsiness. Food recommendation: Roast guinea fowl served with morel sauce Temperature: 8C (46F), decant half an hour Enjoyability: Now, but will evolve nicely within the next 6 to 8 years. 1996 Krug Vintage Brut 95 D 15 min / G 1.5 h 2010/2030 Broad, toasty, complex and refined nose with hints of apricots, red apples and mushrooms, as well as with hints of vanilla. Dry, crisp and lovely mineral character with great focus and a long, mineral aftertaste that includes with green apple flavours. Food recommendation: Pan-fried halibut with lemon and chanterelles Temperature: 17C (63F), decant 20 minutes before serving Enjoyability: Now, but will evolve beautifully until 2030 1999 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2010/2020 92 D 15 in / G 30 min Medium-intense, yellow colour. Refined, rich nose with a yeasty and brioche character. Full-bodied and broad palate with vivid acidity. A supple, lemony and green apple finish with a charming finesse. A polished wine, with a very refined and elegant style. Food recommendation: Fried white fish with creamed mushrooms Temperature: 8C (46F), decant fifteen minutes Enjoyability: Drinking well already, but will reach its peak in 2020 1995 Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 93 D 1 h / G 3 h 2010/2035 Medium-intese, yellow colour. Complex, rich nose with pronounced red apple aromas combined with clove. Dry, crisp, very mineral and intense red fruit character. Still closed and showing a less-complexed style than the Krug Vintage 1996. Highly-persistent, long and elegant finish. Food recommendation: Sushi assortment and fresh Fin Claire oysters Temperature: 10C (50F), decant an hour before serving Enjoyability: Now, peaking between 2030 and 2035 RED WiNES 1999 La Tâche, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2010/2025 87 D 8 h / G 3 h Moderately light, ruby colour. The restrained and closed nose delivers primary aromas of red fruits such as cherries, cranberries, raspberries and strawberries. Dry, crisp, and concentrated palate which is unfortunately now restrained and closed. The wine does not reveal any complex flavours, merely just red fruits. The tannins are generous yet elegantly firm. The finish is tight and has moderate length. Food recommendation: Roast duck with fried oinions, cepes and bacon served with Madeira jus Temperature: 17C (63F), decant eight hours in advance Enjoyability: 2017 onwards, peaking in 10 to 15 years NV Armand de Brignac Blanc de Blancs 2010/2018 92 D - / G 1.5 h Moderate, lemon-yellow colour. Intense, fruity nose with smoky mineral tones ­ tropical fruits, peach, marshmallows and white flowers. Dry, crisp, light-bodied palate with a fresh and fruity style that delivers tropical aromas. Smoky, delicate and lingering finish. Food recommendation: Grilled scallops, sushi, ginger-flavoured grilled prawns Temperature: 8C (46F) Enjoyability: Now, but will evolve nicely within the next 6 to 8 years. T A S T I N G S 93 F I N E Ta s t i n g s

1989 Château Mouton Rothschild 92 D 4 h / G 2 h 2010/2025 1937 Château Pétrus 93 D 45 min / G 1 h 2010/2017 Moderately intense, ruby colour. Rich, round and toasty nose with ripe plums and cassis. Full-bodied palate that shows a moderate level of acidity, as well as ripe and intense fruitiness reminiscent of blackcurrants and plums. Velvety tannins together with the high level of alcohol are in great balance, and the wine has a long, opulent and polished finish with lovely toastiness. Food recommendation: Grilled fillet of venison served with blackcurrant sauce, roasted potatoes and a grilled bell pepper Temperature: 18C (64F), decant four hours in advance Enjoyability: 2025 Medium-intense, bright, tawny-to-brownish colour. Opulent nose with ripe black fruit, as well as earthy and forest floor aromas combined with leather and smokiness. Round and velvety texture with a moderate level of acidity, rich black fruit character and mellow tannins. Less refined style but a very appealing and balanced wine with a long aftertaste. Food recommendation: Pan-fried rumpsteak with green pepper sauce Temperature: 18C (64F), decant 45 minutes before serving Enjoyability: Now, at its peak in 2017 1982 Château Pétrus 93 D 6 h / G 4 h SWEET WiNES 2010/2030 Dark, ruby colour with tawny rim. Open, perfumey and earthy nose with violets, plums, walnuts and hints of toastiness. Dry, vivid acidity and moderately firm tannic structure with a gentle mouthdrying finish. The fruit is of restrained style with bramble, cherry and plummy tones evident. After being decanted for six hours the wine has opened up nicely and shows an elegant and rich bodyweight on the palate. Long mineral and floral finish with marked, polished tannins. The wine is still young and does not reveal all of its flavour layers. However, a very well-balanced palate suggests potential for long ageing. Food recommendation: Roast duck breast with cherry sauce and truffle risotto Temperature: 18C (64F), decant for six hours Enjoyability: 2025 to 2030 1996 Vin Santo, Avignonesi 93 D 30 min / G 3 h 2010/2050 Intense, brown colour with green rim. Rich, intense, raisiny nose with rich chocolatey aromas. Luscious and intensely sweet palate with great volume. Rich, chocolate, sweet spices and burnt sugar flavours with a crème brulée character. High, well-integrated alcohol with a warming and long finish. Food recommendation: Chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream Temperature: 14C (57F), decant half an hour before serving Enjoyability: Now to 2050 1948 CVNE Rioja Clarete 89 D 20 min / G 30 min 2010/Now 2006 Kracher TBA Welschriesling Zwichen den Seen 2010/2035 D 30 min / G 2 h 93 Intense, yellow colour. Pronounced, concentrated and intense nose with honey, apricot marmelade and hints of crème brûlée. Lusciously sweet, moderately low acidity and intense honeyed palate with great concentration. Spicy, floral, honeyed, and fresh lean fruity flavours escort the long finish. Food recommendation: Tarte Tatin Temperature: 8C (46F), decant half an hour before serving Enjoyability: Now to 2035 Moderately intense brick-red colour. Evolved, yoghurty, nutty and horse stable nose. Light-bodied, vivid acidity and a mellow tannic structure with a good deal of dried fruits. Moderately short, mouthwatering finish. Food recommendation: Vitello Tonnato Temperature: 17C (63F), decant 20 minutes before serving Enjoyability: Drink up, as the wine is retiring 94 FINE

1988 Stonewell Shiraz A shade deeper than the 1987, and a brighter nose, too, with plenty of deep, dark Barossa fruit still apparent. Similar flavours on the palate, with the aged fruit showing nicely. The finish, though, is very tart and less satisfying and plump than the 1987. Drink up. SToNEwEll ShIrAz - Vertical Tasting 1987-2006 1989 Stonewell Shiraz Colour as before. Lovely nose, fresher and more youthful than the 1988, with dark fruit aromas. Big, plump palate, much richer than the previous two wines, with a better balance of fruit and acidity, though there is a bit of an acidic kick on the finish. Perfectly mature ­ drink now. Winner of the Jimmy Watson Trophy for "best one- year-old dry red" at the 1990 Melbourne Wine Show and deserving of its reputation. This was the first vintage of Stonewell to be barrel fermented. On 21 May 2009, Andrew Wigan, Chief Winemaker at Peter Lehmann Wines, presented a complete vertical of Stonewell Shiraz in London. The story of Stonewell was summed up by Wigan as "a lot of blood, sweat and tears." Having formally established his eponymous winery in 1982, Peter Lehmann wanted to make a "Show Dry Red" in 1987. After all the red wines had been made, the best lot was picked out and put into American oak. The first two vintages of Stonewell were "made after the event, a selection of barrels after the vintage," explained Wigan, though for subsequent vintages fruit selection became an important aspect of the wines's philosophy. "As far as we were concerned, until 1988, grapes grew on the back of trucks," he quipped. Stonewell Shiraz is, said Wigan, "by definition, the greatest Shiraz of the vintage at Lehmann." The grapes are drawn mainly from old, low-yielding vineyards in the drier western areas of the Barossa Valley. The oldest contributor to Stonewell is the Schrapel vineyard in Ebenezer, planted in 1885. The youngest vineyard belongs to John Russell and was planted in 1992 in Kabininigie. Different growers are used each year because, said Wigan, "different vineyards come up in different years...we want to make our best expression of Barossa Shiraz, whatever that might be." From the 1996 vintage, French oak was used increasingly, settling on 90 per cent from 2001 on. It has always been released at five years of age. As Wigan pointed out, "it's an expensive wine to make ­ French oak casks and five years of ageing." Lehmann pays AUS$8000 per tonne for Stonewell grapes compared to $1500 for non-Stonewell, "so it is a great incentive for growers to pursue quality." A thousand dozen-bottle cases were made in the first three vintages, with production increasing to 3500 cases in 1991 after the Jimmy Watson Trophy win for the 1989. 5000 cases were made in 1998 and 2002, with an average of about 2500 in recent years. Even Wigan admitted, "the early wines are quite simple and lack the complexity that we had from the mid-1990s on." The older wines oxidised in the glass, losing any freshness they might have had at first, but there was not time to retaste. Overall, though, the wine was never over-extracted, over-alcoholic or jammy. 1990 Stonewell Shiraz Colour as before. A leaner, "cooler" nose than the 1989, much less generous and with a tiny hint of brett. Less plump than before, with more tannins, so again suggesting less ripeness. Indeed, at 12.5 per cent this is a full degree lower in alcohol than the '89. It gets better as it goes along, with good flavours on the finish. Drink now. 1991 Stonewell Shiraz Colour as before. Another lean example, with not much there these days. The palate is unbalanced, unappealing, and dominated by acidity. The tannins are still there and are not hard or extracted but there is not enough fruit to support both those and that acidity. Acclaimed as a great Barossa vintage but this Stonewell is poor by comparison to the 1989 and 1990. Drink up. 1992 Stonewell Shiraz Colour as before, with a little bit more purple at the core. Dark chocolate nose, and again a tiny bit of brettanomyces. Some mint on the nose, too. Plenty of acidity again but it is in synch with the fruit. The tannins a little bit chewy but not hard. The finish is excellent ­ rich, flavoursome and long. A good Stonewell, which is a bit fresher than 1989, so just becoming the best one yet. Drink now or age another three years. 1993 Stonewell Shiraz More purple again, turning to garnet at the rim. A leaner style of nose again, smelling dried-out and not very appealing, with a tiny hint of brettanomyces and VA. The palate is better and similar to 1992, with some plump fruit, brisk acidity, silky tannins ­ a little more pronounced than 1992, perhaps, but more sinewy ­ and a long finish. Good, but a pity about the nose. 1987 Stonewell Shiraz Garnet colour. Leathery nose, but not overwhelmingly so. Still quite fresh for its age and provenance, with some dark, spicy fruit still there, too. A bit hollow in the mid-palate ­ dried out a bit? The tannins have smoothed out nicely, though there is a bit of acidity still apparent on the finish. Perfectly drinkable but probably past its best. Good, warming length. Drink up. 1994 Stonewell Shiraz Similar depth of colour to 1993, but less garnet. More youthful looking than any of the previous wines. Unappealing nose and palate, with too much acidity and not enough fruit. But there is some plump fruit on the finish, suggesting it might age longer yet and could open up into something more interesting and enjoyable. "1994 and 1996 will age better than 1987 or 1988," reckoned Andrew Wigan. T A S T I N G S 95 F I N E Ta s t i n g s PETEr lEhMANN

1995 Stonewell Shiraz A shade deeper. Not much on the nose at the moment, but not as disappointing as 1994! Dry at the front of the mouth, and certainly less "sweet" than a few of the previous wines, with plenty of acidity, too. There are still some tannins to soften but these are typically and characteristically well-extracted and not hard. Not quite ready ­ drink between now and 2014? 2001 Stonewell Shiraz Colour as before. Creamy-oak nose, very lush and enticing, as is the palate, which is full of generous, opulent fruit and some tannins to add interest to the lush fruit texture. Very seductive and moreish. Drink between now and 2015 ­ but probably at its best now for that lush fruit. French oak settled at 90 per cent for this vintage, the remaining 10 per cent American. 1996 Stonewell Shiraz A bit more purple at the core than before. The first wine that smells of young Barossa wine: dark chocolate, mint and eucalyptus, and a bit of leather that suggests maturity is not too far off. Fresh and vivid, with more tannins than any previous wine but these are silky and fine, even if the wine is far from ready on the palate. A rich, long finish confirms this as the best one yet in this tasting. Drink now to 2015. For this vintage of Stonewell French oak hogsheads were used for the first time for part of the fermentation and maturation. 2002 Stonewell Shiraz Deep purple core. The nose recalls the mint and eucalyptus of 1996 ­ only more so! Lovely and very appealing. Rich, sweet fruit, with some oak tannins still apparent at the moment, but perfectly drinkable already. Age to 2017 for softer tannins and more complexity. 2003 Stonewell Shiraz A bit more purple, more closed, and less opulent than 2002. More open and generous on the palate, however, with deep, rich fruit and some oak flavours and tannins still perceptible, but overall a lush texture. Good. The wine benefits from further ageing reaching its optimum at 2020. 1997 Stonewell Shiraz More purple again. Totally different to 1996. A bit closed but it feels older on the nose! The palate is very generous, presenting chunky tannins that are bigger and more extracted than in previous wines. The finish is rich and long. Another good Stonewell. Reaching its peak at 2015. The amount of French oak used increased to 64 per cent for this vintage. 2004 Stonewell Shiraz Viscous deep purple. Closed, a little raisiny on the nose. Still young and not yet harmonised on the palate, with some oak grip still apparent. But the balance is there and suggests ageworthiness. Too young to drink now with real pleasure. Best to enjoy between 2012­2020. 1998 Stonewell Shiraz Deep purple, opaque at the core. Rich, ripe and sweet fruit on the palate, though with less conspicuous tannins than with the 1997. Like Peter Lehmann himself, this is big and generous, as per 1989. The nose is quite challenging at the moment, though ­ a little closed and a bit acetic. Drink now to 2015. Andrew Wigan remembered 1998 as "an amazing vintage. Everything on the tasting bench was black." French oak was again increased to 70 per cent. 2005 Stonewell Shiraz Colour as before, but a shade deeper. Prunes rather than raisins on the nose, which again hints at late-picked, very ripe fruit. A bit of toasty oak is also still apparent. Very lush and approachable on the palate, though, and drinkable now, with its very supple and silky tannins. Drinking well now to 2020. The first vintage of Stonewell closed with Stelvin. "When using screw cap it is imperative that the wine is absolutely free from any reductive characters prior to bottling because these will be magnified under screw cap," explained Andrew. "However, this is standard practice for good winemakers, regardless of whether they are bottling under screw cap or cork." 1999 Stonewell Shiraz Not quite as deep in colour as the 1998. As with the `98, the nose is difficult and not very expressive at the moment. The palate is much leaner than before, not as sweet or generous, and with less of a punch on the finish. Drink now to 2013. 2000 Stonewell Shiraz Colour as before, tinged by garnet at the rim. A tobacco note on the nose, but not yet fully open and developed. A return to the plump, rich palate style of 1994 and before, with very well-amalgamated tannins, nice acidity, excellent balance and good length. A very good Stonewell. Drink now to 2015. The same oak regime as for the 1999 ­ 73 per cent French and 27 per cent American oak hogsheads for 18 months. 2006 Stonewell Shiraz Bright ruby purple. Less raisiny on the nose than 2005 or 2004 and better for it, showing some of the vividness and brightness of the '96. Rich, ripe and generous, albeit with very youthful flavours at the moment. Excellent balance and a punchy finish. Age to 2020 or more to enjoy better complexity and harmony in the wine. As a point of comparison with the inaugural Stonewell, the 2006 has 6.83 g/ltr of acidity; a pH level of 3.46; and alcohol at 14.5 per cent. The 1987 has 6.39 g/ltr acidity; pH at 3.29; and an alcohol level of 13 per cent. 96 FINE

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TexT and phoTograph: pekka nuikki Château d'Yquem 1921 There are a few wines that make yesterday, tomorrow, the present and even one's own physical being lose their meaning. What remains is only an empty, immaterial space that is momentarily possessed by a sense of taste so complete and powerful, that the whole surrounding world condenses to that one perfect sensation. It is almost impossible to describe that short moment with words or phrases, perhaps because it is not possible to return to it with merely the help of one's thoughts or memories. Or maybe it is because that moment is so separated from everything, as if it never existed, when you try to think about it later. The only proof or memory of that moment is the feeling of serenity and entirety it leaves behind. If one could put it in to just one word it would be: growth. The possibility to "grow" as a human being by tasting wines is as a thought worth exploring, and I believe that anyone who has tasted Château d'Yquem from 1921 will know what I mean. The year 1921 is in my opinion the best that Sauternes experienced in the last century. Looking at the weather conditions, the year started normally but from the beginning of March a drought ­ the rainfall was less than a quarter of the monthly average ­ and burning heat from June onwards ­ 4C (39F) above normal ­ made the summer the driest and hottest in Yquem for 75 years. Fortunately August brought along some stormy days, as a new dry and hot period started again in September. The harvest started at Yquem on September 13 and was uninterrupted for a fabulous six-and-a-half weeks. The crop was average in quantity but uniquely magnificent in quality; 85 per cent of the barrels were above 22°alc. I have been incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to taste this unforgettable wine several times ­ most of them from a normal-sized Châteaubottling, a few from a Van Der Meulen-bottling and this time from a rare Château-bottled magnum. The day had already been an unforgettable one, because I had had the pleasure of spending it in New York at the Soho studio of Sandy Skoglund, an artist I highly admire. After an interesting and thought-provoking day we headed for a long dinner at Le Cirque on Madison Avenue; a restaurant I regard as one of the city's finest and where my friend had made the reservation over a month earlier. We ended our grand dinner with this large-format Yquem he had brought along. The bottle was in exceptional condition and recorked in 1978. Level was topshoulder. Decanted two hours. Very dark, deep-golden colour, but not as dark as in earlier normal size bottles. Fresh, vibrant and rich honeyed nose with flavours of crème brulée ­ pure pleasure. Delicious wine, it's all there ­ a hard-to-describe contrast of the nectar and the weightlessness is what makes this work. A very creamy, fat and intense wine with a taste of the earth and hints of all kinds of baked luscious fruit flavours with some real backbone. The finish is so pure, clean and smooth. This is surely what they drink in paradise. 100 1921 Château d'Yquem 2010/2030 x 24 D 2h / G 4h 98 FINE

Global Auction Event Presented Live in Two Locations Orange County, California Friday, September 24, 2010 Hong Kong Peninsula Hotel Saturday, September 25, 2010 CONSIGN BY AUGUST 6, 2010 Call a wine consignment specialist to discuss your buying and selling needs. Register to bid using code FINESEPT to receive a complimentary auction catalog. Ask about our quick consignor payments and cash advances. 888.982.1982 in the United States +1.949.748.4845 International 18061 Fitch · Irvine, CA 92614 U.S.A info@spectrumwine.com www.SpectrumWine.com SWA FINE 6.23.10

Delight and Awe Putting it all to the test Caro Maurer samples a hundred vintages of Rheingau Riesling from 1846 to 2009 First day FIRST FLIGHT: Riesling 1974 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Kabinett Willy Brandt resigns as ChanCellor of West germany A bright golden yellow. Aromas of linden blossom, forest honey, dried apple and apricot. Surprisingly soft on the palate, despite a lively and vivid acidity. Botrytis left behind traces of honey and brown butter, plus a hint of caramel and candied sugar. A slightly salty minerality to the finish. A remarkably fresh overall impression. 1960 Bensheimer Kalkgasse Ben-hur Wins five aCademy aWards Gleaming old gold. Aromas of very ripe honeydew melon with honey and caramel notes. Lean on the palate, sinewy, seems slightly austere and extremely serious. The fruit has dissipated and the wine reduced to a few tangible components: a framework composed of acidity and a pleasantly saline minerality. The finish has slightly bitter notes and is a little too brief. 1965 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Beerenauslese afriCan-ameriCan Civil rights leader malColm X is shot in neW yorK Amber in colour. The nose has notes of honey combined with raisins. Initially a flavour of roasted cashew nuts on the palate, followed by a whole mixture of impressions ¬­ trail mix with dried apricots, raisins and figs. A very intense wine. There is acidity but it is well integrated into a thick, extract-rich texture, nicely balanced by a mellow residual sweetness. The brawny body remains smooth, with a long-lasting finish. 1958 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg elvis Presley does his military serviCe in germany Rusty gold with a bronze tinge. The nose shows pear jelly, honey and nougat. However, these sweet associations are not reinforced, and instead the wine is dry, with overripe fruit aromas. The wine is concentrated, nutty, complemented by roasted notes and has hints of Armagnac in the finish. 1963 Hochheimer Domdechaney Spätlese John f. Kennedy is assassinated in dallas A medium golden yellow. A very soft bouquet, floral, with a hint of vanilla and grapefruit. A somewhat leaner, thinner body on the palate, kept smooth by its acidity. Vegetal notes of hay, straw and dried herbs. Very dry, with a brut charm which nonetheless works in the finish. The acidity keeps it going to the very end. 1957 Hattenheimer Engelmannsberg sPutniK 1, the first artifiCial satellite, is launChed By the soviet union Old gold with hints of bronze. A complex nose with exotic fruits such as mango and melon, followed by dried apple, crystallised honey and nuts. On the palate, however, the wine is reduced to its essentials: dryness and a succinct and sinewy acidity. Little of the fruit remains, the body seems on the thin side and the finish is but brief. 100 FINE

1961 Rüdesheimer Hinterhaus east germany starts ConstruCtion of the Berlin Wall An intense golden yellow. Not flattering on the nose, indeed rather harsh with notes of wet wool, damp wood and a hint of cardboard ­ needs airing. Remarkably clean on the palate, with ripe pear flavours combined with peculiar fern-like aromas. Tertiary flavours dominate the vinous palate. Thanks to the mellow acidity, the texture is soft and moderately flat. A polished wine, whose charm lies in its graceful ageing. 1948 Steinberger mahatma gandhi is assassinated Glowing gold. A heavy nose, reminiscent of a damp cellar. The delicate quince fruit is barely detectable. On the palate one element predominates ­ acidity. The wine has been stripped to its bare bones by the remaining fierce acidity. Bitter notes in the finish. 1944 Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland d-day: the allied forCes land in normandy Dark old gold. Aromas of almond, wet wool, damp bark and spice. A bouquet of spicy culinary herbs and bouillon on the palate, the fruit reduced to Williams pear. Also cashew nuts, delicately salted with a distinctive minerality. A lean body with lively acidity that carries it through the finish. 2008 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Erstes Gewächs Kosovo formally deClares indePendenCe from serBia A shining straw-yellow. Complex, clearly defined aromas of yellow stone fruit, plus white flowers and pleasant freshness. Charmingly rich palate with great concentration and broad texture. The acidity is well integrated. A still youthful overall impression, although the first edges have already been rounded off. A round, harmonious and persuasive appearance. 1942 Erbacher Marcobrunn anne franK starts Writing her diary Bright copper in colour. Aromas of soup seasoning and a distinctive medicinal note with herbs. Very concentrated and compact on the palate, almost as if pressed. Still accompanied by subtle fruit notes, quince in particular. A very intense appearance, but balanced in character. Remarkably long-lasting finish. 2007 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Erstes Gewächs niColas sarKozy is eleCted President of franCe A delicate golden yellow. Still young, slightly candy-like fruit. Pear, pineapple, fizzy drink and white gummy bears, accompanied by an exotic floral aroma reminiscent of an orchid house. Buttery and creamy on the palate, with a body whose lusciousness compliments the residual sugar. Subtle bitter notes in the finish. 1941 Rauenthaler Gehrn the JaPanese attaCK Pearl harBour Old gold with amber lights. Aromas of roasted almonds, honey and candied orange. A compact package, laced with a succinct acidity and filled with appealing aromatics. Delicate leather notes, dried citrus peel, nuts and a distinctive saltiness, especially in its impressive finish. 2006 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Erstes Gewächs italy Beat franCe to Win a fourth World CuP title An intense straw-yellow. A very expressive nose with fresh, clearly defined peach and a minerality reminiscent of flint. Round and full on the palate with a very tightly woven texture. Pleasantly creamy. The multilayered quality is extended by a distinctive roasted note. A hedonistic wine, finishing with a long aftertaste. 1940 Kiedricher Gräfenberg Winston ChurChill BeComes British Prime minister Old gold with hints of amber. A multi-layered bouquet, in which new aromas continually emerge. Smoky at first with a bold touch of incense, followed by nuts, treacle, vegetable notes and honey. Sherry on the palate, oxidised, but also nutty, more reminiscent of Amontillado than Fino. Tension remaining in the body. Strong finale. Unforgettable. 2002 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Erstes Gewächs Controversial dutCh PolitiCian Pim fortuyn is assassinated A light straw-yellow. Restrained nose. Also a rather subtle fruit character on the palate, with caramelised sugar and honey. A lean body that hides the acidity well. A closed finish. SeCOND FLIGHT: Riesling Cabinet 2009 Steinberger `Aus dem Cabinet-Keller' in January BaraCK oBama is sWorn in as President of the united states A delicate straw-yellow. Fresh primary fruit character with pear, green apple, citrus and linden blossom, accompanied by a hint of yeast. Very fresh and youthful on the palate, with a tingle of carbonation and vigorous acidity. A baby wine in age, its youth still emphasised by flavours of banana sweets and exotic fruits such as pineapple. Very playful, but a great deal of fun. 2000 Erbacher Marcobrunn Erstes Gewächs the Billionth Person living in india is Born Delicate old gold. Ripe aromas of browned apple peel interspersed with yellow flowers and hints of honey. On the palate an expressive wine at its peak. Ripe pear, to which botrytis notes of nuts and honey have contributed. A full, almost luxuriant body with rounded acidity. Persuasive length. 1 0 0 R I E S L I N G S 101 FINE 100 Rieslings

THIRD FLIGHT: Riesling Auslese 1949 Rauenthaler Pfaffenberg Cabinet nato is Created By the signing of the north atlantiC treaty in Washington, d.C. Gleaming old gold. A promising bouquet with culinary herbs, medicinal notes and dried mango. Intense and lascivious on the palate. Honey notes, dried fruit such as apricots and raisins, with candied notes of roasted sugar. A texture that envelops the acidity in silk. Keeps the best until last with a fabulous finish. 1968 Rüdesheimer Bronnen Auslese invasion of WarsaW PaCt trooPs ends the Prague sPring Medium amber. The nose begins with a hint of vegetarian spice paste and white tobacco leaves, followed by pear syrup and dried fruit with apricot, apple and plum. Distinct residual sugar on the palate, and a whole octave of flavours with caramelised sugar, oxidative notes and caramel. The body is round, with a soothing acidity. A slight falter at the finish. 1947 Steinberger Cabinet Communist PoWers taKe Control in Both hungary and Poland Medium-old gold. The nose has a hint of lemon juice, wet pebbles and damp iron. Still lively on the palate despite a slight flatness. Honey notes, roasted nuts and caramel. A rather subdued finish. 1966 Rauenthaler Baiken Auslese Walt disney dies While ProduCing the Jungle BooK Shining old gold. Medicinal aroma with smoky and iodic notes. Very spicy on the palate, like a blend of dried herbs, plus vegetal flavours. Its acidic structure has but little substance. Shows fighting spirit in the finish, but ultimately lacks vigour. 1946 Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland Cabinet the united nations hosts its first meeting in neW yorK Dark old gold. Feisty on the nose. An aroma of wet wool, damp dark earth and jute. This is followed by a balanced and pleasant palate. Still remarkably lively and lean. Oxidised sherry flavours are combined with delicate fruit, pear and quince. Slightly phenolic mouthfeel. The balancing acidity escorts the candied notes and hints of nougat in the finish. 1967 Erbacher Marcobrunn Auslese the siX-day War oCCurs, geoPolitiCal ramifiCations of WhiCh eXist to this day Old gold. A capricious nose with exotic components such as Brazil nuts and coconut, but also less clean notes including wet cardboard. Almost dry on the palate, aged and still supported by its acidity, but with aromatics reduced to earthy notes and molasses. Quite a dry finish. Its best days are behind it. 1945 Steinberger Cabinet rePresentatives of the german army sign the doCument of surrender on 7th may Yellow gold. The nose is very fine and delicate, yet it increasingly opens up as it breathes, developing notes of pear and nut, as well as a touch of lavender. This wine boldly attacks the palate, but at the same time it is very feminine and lean, with the boldness in the background. A charming range of flavours with tropical fruits, roasted peanuts and milk chocolate. A refined wine with long-lasting finesse. 1962 Rüdesheimer Hinterhaus Auslese the CuBan missile Crisis Begins Dark old gold. A very distinctive nose with lilac and blossom, petrol notes and honey. An almost syrupy consistency on the palate, but not sweet. Defined by oxidative notes, plus a hint of earthiness. The finish is a little tired. 1952 Hochheimer Domdechaney Auslese maria `evita' Peron dies of CanCer at 33 Light amber. An enlivening nose with nougat and pear compote, followed by marzipan perfumed with rose water. A surprisingly firm acidity on the palate, which sets the tone, underlaid with a hint of brown apple peel and nut purée. A clear and clean impression. Remarkably long-lasting finish. 1943 Steinberger Cabinet the Battle of stalingrad ends With the surrender of the german 6th army Light amber. Aromas of fine leather, smoky notes and hints of wet stone. Simply beguiling on the palate, with preserved peaches combined with milk chocolate flavours, honey and boiled sweets. Has a liqueur-like, concentrated quality. A lastingly impressive relict. 1938 Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland Auslese the north faCe of the eiger is Conquered for the first time A light amber. Difficult on the nose and dirty with field mushrooms. Cork? On the palate too the wine seems to be lashed together and headstrong. Presents roasted and smoked notes with hints of cognac. Slightly bitter finish. 102 FINE

1951 Steinberger Auslese soraya BeComes emPress of Persia Dark old gold. Urgently needs air to help it overcome the dusty aromas. The nose nevertheless remains restrained, with mineral tones reminiscent of wet concrete. Medium-sweet palate with honeyed flavours and hints of mint and candied raspberry. Very unique and carried off by the interplay between sweetness and acidity. Medium length finish. 1950 Rüdesheimer Burgweg Auslese the Korean War Begins Old gold. The nose is rather musty and dusty, with a fruity character of green apple, and tobacco leaves. Very restrained on the palate, offering little more than a weak memory of pear and honey notes. A tired finish. 1935 Rüdesheimer Hinterhaus Auslese elvis aron Presley is Born in the ameriCan City of tuPelo Dark old gold. enticing bouquet, presenting overripe fruit reminiscent of peach liqueur. Surprisingly dry on the palate and not as expected. Traces of dried herbs, a fleeting acidity and a somewhat large-boned structure. Very dry finish. Doesn't entirely live up to the promise of its nose. 1934 Steinberger Auslese led By mao zedong, Chinese Communists head out on the long marCh Light amber. A plentiful nose with fruit character defined by dried apricots, peach and melon, plus a hint of dark chocolate but also much fleeting acidity. Still charming on the palate too, with oxidised notes throughout, alongside raisined fruit. The aromatics are reminiscent of Sauternes, but with a lower alcohol content. A very concentrated texture due to evaporation and it is almost an essence of itself. A flattering residual sweetness. FOURTH FLIGHT: Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese 2005 Rauenthaler Baiken Trockenbeerenauslese hurriCane Katrina Causes massive devastation in the southeast of the united states Dark old gold. An overwhelming fruit character, clear and refreshing: peach and dried fruit with a hint of fleeting acidity and honey notes. High residual sugar, yet the acidity stands up to it well. Still gives a very young impression, with individual components not yet fully married. A little treasure for the future. 1933 Steinberger Auslese adolf hitler BeComes ChanCellor of germany Amber. Deficient in the nose with possible cork faint. Smells like wet wood. It is remarkable that the thick structure is still able to overcome the off-note and present a peaty note similar to whisky. Only in the finish is it no longer possible to conceal the dirty notes. 2003 Steinberger Beerenauslese the Coalition forCes of the uK, ameriCa, australia and Poland invade iraq A golden hue. Opulent and slightly candy-like nose with exotic fruits and pineapples. A chewy texture, rich in extract, thick and compact and almost jelly-like. Surprisingly refreshing too. Pineapple and other exotic fruits. This expressive wine has an almost lulling effect together with the residual sugar. A wine that should not be underestimated at first sight. 1929 Erbacher Marcobrunn Auslese the Wall street Crash oCCurs Gleaming old gold. Aromas of dried culinary herbs and bouillon as well as oxidised notes. Reduced to the essentials on the palate with a structure almost pared to the bone. Madeira reduction, a hint of stock as well as rancio notes, as found in Banyuls. Highly idiosyncratic, but certainly has its appeal for specialists. 1992 Hochheimer Domdechaney Trockenbeerenauslese the signing of the maastriCht treaty signals the founding of the euroPean union Dark old gold. A round bouquet with a little of everything: peach liqueur, seasoned with a little honey and fresh meadow herbs. Very harmonious on the palate. The residual sugar is well balanced by the crisp acidity and the fruity character blended with lovage notes. A youthful feel, fun rather than filling. A pleasure to drink, with a long finish. 1994 Erbacher Siegelsberg Trockenbeerenauslese nelson mandeal is eleCted south afriCa's first BlaCK President Amber brown. A symphony of aromas: rum and raisin, candied nuts and exotic fruit such as mango, papaya and honeydew melon. Has a lot to offer the palate too: sweet ripe fruit, residual sugar balanced by high acidity and a syrupy consistency. A sensual wine, which really lays it on thick ­ and has the foundation to match. Great finish. 1 0 0 R I E S L I N G S 103 FINE 100 Rieslings

1990 Rauenthaler Baiken Trockenbeerenauslese an agreement is reaChed to unify Both sides of germany Medium amber. A splendid bouquet with candied fruit, honey, a somewhat fleeting acidity, milk chocolate and exotic spices such as cardamom. Very concentrated on the palate and viscous, almost oily. The fruit character presents mango and papaya. A sophisticated interplay of sweetness and acidity. Great finish, very long-lasting. A monumental wine. 1978 Bensheimer Streichling Eiswein-Beerenauslese the first test-tuBe BaBy is Born near london Dark old gold. The nose emerges like a fruit punch with raisins and honey, varnish and some lively acidity. Restrained palate with peachy fruit character and some oxidised notes. The texture is smooth and polished. A solid finish. An experienced wine, which tells its story unreservedly. 1979 Hochheimer Domdechaney Trockenbeerenauslese margaret thatCher BeComes Britain's first female Prime minister Light amber. Distinct notes of maturity in the bouquet. Madeira, fruit reduction, honeydew melon and a trace of cinnamon. On the palate there is still a fresh acidity to offset the subtle sweetness, but the fruit character is already noticeably in decline, and in its place flavours such as nuts and crystallised honey are all the more pronounced. Strong finish. 1977 Heppenheimer Centgericht Eiswein-Beerenauslese the deadliest Crash in aviation history haPPens on the island of tenerife, With 583 PeoPle Killed Gleaming old gold. An appetising bouquet, very fruity, with raisins and honeydew melon, caramel and milk chocolate. A surprisingly youthful impression on the palate, guided by the crisp acidity. The fruit character also tastes fresher, with peach and nectarine, as if pepped up with a chewable vitamin C tablet. The finish goes the distance. 1976 Rauenthaler Baiken Trockenbeerenauslese ConCorde maKes its first CommerCial flight Medium amber. An advanced wine with notes of roasted chestnuts and honey on the nose, plus a slightly fleeting acidity. It plays out its experience of almost thirty-five years on the palate, seeming very well balanced, thick, substantial and concentrated, but at no time overbearing. The texture is smooth and silky. The finish excels. 1973 Steinberger Eiswein-Beerenauslese the araB nations CurB their oil eXPorts, thereBy Creating an energy Crisis Light mahogany. An exotic bouquet with tropical woods, varnish notes and ripe banana. Hits the palate as if polished. This is a wine in the tertiary stage. The oxidised notes dominate with Brazil nuts, treacle, caramel and acetaldehyde. Very concentrated, but gradually declines. 1975 Steinberger Beerenauslese the leaders of the Baader-meinhof grouP are tried in stuttgart-stammheim A rich amber. The nose is full of character with notes of tropical woods such as mahogany and exotic fruits ­ dried mango, papaya and rosehip jelly. A well-coordinated presentation of acidity and sweetness on the palate and a smooth and supple texture, which is well rounded and harmonious. 1972 Heppenheimer Centgericht Eiswein-Auslese the olymPiC games in muniCh are shoCKed By a terrorist attaCK on israeli athletes A dark amber. The nose presents an interesting blend of medicinal notes and exotic flower petals, as well as a fleeting acidity. Dry on the palate and rather serious in character. Concentrated and lacquered. The aromatics are defined by culinary herbs and bouillon rather than fruit. A halting finish. 1971 Rauenthaler Gehrn Trockenbeerenauslese rolls-royCe goes BanKruPt and is nationalised By the British government A light nut brown. A very complex bouquet of toast and wood aromas, reduced fruit syrup, treacle, caramel and varnish notes. Thick and concentrated on the palate with an almost liqueur-like consistency in which sweetness and acidity balance each other out. Multi-layered, a discovery in every sip ­ raisins, plus spicy notes redolent of a demi-glace, hints of Madeira, delicate rancio notes and a fleeting acidity. Impressive finish. FIFTH FLIGHT: Riesling eiswein 1980 Rauenthaler Baiken Eiswein-Beerenauslese former Beatle John lennon is shot in neW yorK A light hazelnut-brown. An extravagant bouquet with marzipan, oxidised notes of furniture polish, dried mango and whey. A high, lively acidity on the palate. A flavour as exotic as a Caribbean cocktail, with dried mango and coconut. extremely juicy and invigorating. 1970 Hochheimer Domdechaney Eiswein »Heilige Drei Könige« Paul mCCartney announCes the Beatles have sPlit uP Medium mahogany. A striking bouquet with toffee and caramel, seasoned with Maggi sauce, culinary herbs and a hint of furniture polish in the background. On the palate the sweetness has lost ground to the acidity, though the flavours are still in harmony. Also a striking interplay of dried mango, Brazil nuts and forest honey. Leaves a lasting impression. 104 FINE

second day FIRST FLIGHT: Riesling 1939 Eltviller Taubenberg allied forCes deClare War on germany Shining gold. Needs to breathe to get rid of a slight cellar note. Behind this are delicate notes of citrus and quince, as well as some caramel and sherry. Dry on the palate, but with a soft body. An experienced wine, whose acidity seems slightly harsh due to age. Altogether very firm in character, elegant and still remarkably fresh. The medium-length finish is accompanied by honey notes. 1909 Rauenthaler Pfaffenberg sergei diaghilev and the Ballets russes revolutionise danCe Bright gold. An aroma of lacquered peach. Rather thin on the palate, attenuated, reduced to its basic acidity with little flavour remaining. Onedimensional. Reminiscent of sherry. An almost stubborn finish, but offers too little overall. 1932 Rüdesheimer Burgweg the BaBy of transatlantiC flyer Charles lindBergh is KidnaPPed Bright old gold. An intense and lively bouquet, full of honey notes and apple peel. The impression of brown apple peel remains on the palate. Still has enough substance to stand up to the harsh acidity. Gives a spirited impression. The finish is characterised mainly by oxidised flavours, and it remains quite sharp. 1907 Steinberger rudyard KiPling is aWarded the noBel Prize for literature Bright old gold. An impressive bouquet, reminiscent of Sauternes with oxidised notes, furniture polish, ripe banana and nuts. Still has a remarkable amount of extract on top of its brisk acidity. Shows finesse as well as a feminine quality. 1930 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Spätlese haile selassie i is CroWned emPeror of ethioPia in addis aBeBa Dark old gold. An appealing bouquet with apple compote and honey. Broad and soft mouthfeel, despite its high acidity. Charming wine with a lean acidic aftertaste. A wine to remember. 1906 Steinberger mount vesuvius eruPts, Killing more than one hundred PeoPle in naPles Medium old gold. The nose shows traces of apple and quince amid oxidised notes. Apple compote and nuts on the palate, salted with a delicate minerality. An enticing character, lean but not thin. A delicate wine, leaving snapshots of greatness and fond memories. 1928 Hattenheimer Engelmannsberg aleXander fleming invents PeniCillin Light amber. Dirty. Corked? Brown earthy, dusty notes, musty ­ the flavour confirms the cork. A second bottle was no better. 1905 Rüdesheimer Burgweg alBert einstein PuBlishes the laWs of his theory of relativity Old gold with hints of amber. The nose shows vegetal notes of treacle, as well as hay and straw. An almost oily consistency on the palate. A contradictory flavour. There is caramel and nougat, but also peculiar salty minerality. Refined long finish. 1919 Rüdesheimer Bischofsberg the treaty of versailles is signed By rePresentatives of germany and the viCtorious allied PoWers Dark old gold. The nose is reminiscent of syrup and dried peaches. Thickens on the palate to an almost oily consistency, although it doesn't seem greasy but rather quite structured by the still present acidity. extremely mature, a true alternative to sherry. Nutty with dried fruit and marinade. Complex and multi-layered. Lastingly impressive. A superb wine. 1896 Rüdesheimer Burgweg the first modern olymPiC games are held in athens Bright gold. A bouquet like the last harvest of the Jonagold apple, combined with unfiltered wheat beer. A very dry flavour with varnish notes, as well as nut and nougat. The finish is a little flat. A relict, which should be treated with respect. 1918 Steinberger vladimir lenin survives an assassination attemPt Intense old gold. Hints of brown apple in the delicate nose. A slight sweetness plays on the acidity in the background. Back to basics. This is the essence of the wine it once was, reduced to a ghost of its former self. Linear in its aromatics. Few honey notes. emphasised with finesse. 1 0 0 R I E S L I N G S 105 FINE 100 Rieslings

SeCOND FLIGHT: Riesling Cabinet 1917 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Cabinet the BolsheviK revolution taKes PlaCe in russia Gleaming old gold. The nose is no longer entirely clean. A blend of pear compote and damp stone. More accessible and attractive on the palate. A well-rounded texture, very tight and firm. Nutty aromas. A surprisingly long-lasting finish. 1899 Kiedricher Gräfenberg Cabinet the sPanish-ameriCan War ends With the signing of the Paris treaty. Gleaming gold. A complex and captivating bouquet of spice paste with saffron, anise and fennel. Vegetable components dominate on the palate too with the fruit character reduced to preserved peach. The acidity lurks attentively in the background, though the texture is creamy and smooth overall. An extravagant wine. 1915 Erbacher Marcobrunn Cabinet the galliPoli CamPaign of World War 1 Begins Bright old gold. A reticent and closed-in bouquet. Fuller on the palate. A striking interplay of acidity and honey sweetness, expressed cleanly and clearly. Brazil nuts, topped with a hint of coconut. Demonstrates elegance and finesse. Outdoes itself again in the finish. A big wine. 1897 Hattenheimer Speich Cabinet the first asPirin is ProduCed By Chemist feliX hoffmann Bright old gold. No longer entirely clean on the nose, with notes of a dusty attic and canned pear. This is followed by such a concentrated and tight flavour profile on the palate that the individual components are difficult to distinguish. Nougat and a fruit potpourri with orange peel. The acidity remains stiff and lively up to the finish, which is accompanied by slight bitter notes. 1911 Steinberger Cabinet norWegian Polar eXPlorer roald amundsen BeComes the first Person to reaCh the south Pole An intense gold tone. An enticing bouquet with passion fruit and other exotic fruits. Honey notes predominate on the palate, though dried mango, oxidised notes and field mushroom are also evident. The acidity carries it to the finish, where, however, the impression is somewhat flat. 1895 Hochheimer Domdechaney Cabinet Wilhelm Conrad röntgen disCovers the X-ray Medium old gold. A dirty and dusty nose. Corked. On the palate too, this was beyond remedy. 1902 Erbacher Marcobrunn Cabinet the asWan dam oPens Bright old gold. A bouquet of brown butter, roasted notes and ripe pear. Remarkably lively acidity in interplay with the fragments of fruit character. The minerality sets the tone. In the finish, however, the acidity dominates over all other components. Sherry notes alone remain on the palate. 1893 Neroberger Cabinet neW zealand BeComes the first Country to give Women the vote A light hazelnut hue. A wide variety on the nose. Sherry notes, nuts, mango and tropical woods. Very concentrated on the palate, here too, with an impressive range of flavours ­ honey notes, preserved nuts, nougat, vanilla and a pleasantly bitter spice blend in the background. Has maintained some slight residual sugar, which flirts with the acidity. A lasting and impressive finish. 1901 Hattenheimer Speich Cabinet the first noBel Prize Ceremony is held in stoCKholm Dark old gold. An appetising, intense and open bouquet with bottled peach and exotic spices like star anise. Very multi-layered, with an exciting flavour. Honey, mango and other exotic fruits, as well as saffron. A strong performance. Still amazingly youthful. 1892 Steinberger Cabinet a Cholera ePidemiC Claims more than 8000 viCtims in hamBurg Bright gold. An individual blend of pineapple, white gummy bears, herbs and medicinal notes in the bouquet. Very lean and delicate on the palate; even the acidity has a mild tone. However, there is a remarkable range of flavours: vanilla, shortbread, field mushroom ­ notes that you find in champagne due to autolysis. The finish proved to be a little weak. 1900 Steinberger Cabinet the first line of the Paris metro is oPened during the World's fair Medium old gold. An exciting and attractive bouquet with bottled mango and Madeira cake with raisins. A complex construction on the palate, with raisins, fruit in rum and prunes. Displays an enlivening interplay between sweetness and acidity, and still seems quite young at times. Accessible and forward in character, it proves its strength in the finish. 1846 Steinberger Cabinet Flasche # 3 the Beginning of anaesthesia: the first suCCessful PuBliC oPeration under narCosis Light mahogany, slightly cloudy. An impressive and sophisticated bouquet of exotic spices from an Oriental bazaar ­ incense, essential oils, camphor, laurel, nuts, hints of cognac and Madeira. Very concentrated on the palate, an intense spiciness predominates. Reminiscent of oxtail soup. The finish leaves one pondering the flavour impressions of 150 years. An unforgettable experience. What remains is awe. 1899 Hochheimer kleines Rauchloch Cabinet With his WorK "the interPretation of dreams" sigmund freud lays the foundation for modern PsyChology Bright old gold. Not entirely clean on the nose ­ petrol and forest floor aromas. More attractive on the palate, with ripened and dried pear, mango and orange, as well as a hint of peach, caramel, cooked sweets and vanilla. A reckless wine. 106 FINE

1998 Steinberger Auslese the ameriCan emBassies in Kenya and tanzania are BomBed, Killing 224 PeoPle. Bright golden-yellow. A frank and straightforward bouquet, generously composed of citrus, orange peel and mineral notes. Not even slightly shy on the palate. Feels young, sinewy, lively. Presents a graceful combination of fruit, residual sugar, acidity and minerality. The lively, refreshing acidity will see it forge ahead for a long time to come. Clean, clear and fine. 1997 Steinberger Auslese diana, PrinCess of Wales dies in a Car Crash Yellow gold. An appetising butter toffee on the nose, additionally sweetened with honey. The sweetness hits the palate with an oily consistency like liquid sugar, emphasising ripe fruit with bottled nectarines, raisins, and vanilla tones. A distinctive and pleasing palate. A complex wine with many aroma layers. 1996 Erbacher Marcobrunn Auslese THIRD FLIGHT: Riesling Auslese the first suCCessful Cloning of a sheeP taKes PlaCe in sCotland Bright golden-yellow. A less expressive bouquet, with a cantaloupe and green apple fruit character. Smooth and supple on the palate, mature, and with all the components bound together to form a comprehensive whole. This is topped by a network of acidity. Good finish. 2004 Steinberger Auslese more than 200 000 PeoPle die in the indian oCean as a result of a tsunami on deCemBer 26 A bright golden-yellow. A refreshing bouquet with freshly plucked peaches and apricots and a hint of fizzy drink. Distinct residual sugar on the palate, interplayed with a stiff acidity. Also displayed is an impression of apple peel and citrus, all presented in an open and spirited manner. Adds yet another new dimension with mineral notes in the final chord. 1995 Rauenthaler Baiken Auslese Barings BanK CollaPses after BroKer niCK leeson loses 1.4 Billion us dollars of its money Dark golden-yellow. Mature oxidised notes in the nose, with the fruit reduced to brown apple peel, along with caramel and honey. A very flattering and harmonious composition on the palate, expanded by a vanillalike sweetness with candied peach and apple. This wine has cast off its affectations and developed into real star. 2001 Erbacher Marcobrunn Auslese on sePtemBer 11 terrorist attaCKs are Carried out on the World trade Center and Pentagon in the united states Medium golden-yellow. A very full nose with slightly veiled fruit, in which citrus in particular stands out. The fruit seems more distinct on the palate, aspiring towards candied orange and lemon peel, and is reminiscent of a sweet fruit candy, in which the acidity builds tension in the background only. A solid finish. 1993 Rauenthaler Baiken Auslese a Bloody Confrontation BetWeen PoliCe and a religious seCt oCCurs in the teXas toWn of WaCo Yellow gold. A capricious diva on the nose, with dates, saffron and yellow flowers. With a creamy texture on the palate, this wine has a highly unique style which resists easy classification. Hints of vanilla and botrytis aromas. The acidity keeps going right up to the solid finish. Very individual. 1999 Heppenheimer Centgericht Auslese the euro is introduCed Yellow gold. A mature bouquet with dried fruit, orange zest, lemon balm and medicinal notes. The aromatics seem a little synthetic on the palate with hints of pineapple candy flavours. Hints of eucalyptus and mint can be tasted as well. A high-endurance finish, but the wine lacks a certain depth. 1989 Hochheimer Domdechaney Auslese tanKs Crush the Pro-demoCraCy movement in tiananmen square, BeiJing A dark golden-yellow. A generous range of stone fruit in the bouquet, as well as mature notes and ginger. A polished character in the mouth, soft and lulling, the texture creamy. A very enticing flavour profile, with macadamia nuts, a slightly buttery undertone, vanilla and crème brûlée. The finish is characterised by mature notes. Smoothly seductive. 1 0 0 R I E S L I N G S 107 FINE 100 Rieslings

1987 Steinberger Auslese the zeBrugge ferry disaster Claims the lives of 193 Passengers Medium old gold with hints of copper. Has cast off the fruitiness in its bouquet. Smells like vegetable broth with herbs and a dash of sherry. Dried herbs also dominate on the palate, the fruit now nothing more than a background flavour. The sweetness is emphasised by a hint of caramel and orange zest. The acidity, however, stakes its claim with an unpleasant sharpness in the finish. 1959 Steinberger Trockenbeerenauslese muhammad ali Beats sonny liston to BeCome BoXing's heavyWeight ChamPion of the World Dark old gold. An older model and the earthy notes in the nose, with their suggestion of rancio, attest to this. On the palate, it offers more ­ a mix of nuts, raisins and other dried fruit, as well as dates and a trace of cinnamon. But even the lively acidity is unable to conceal a certain flabbiness. 1986 Rauenthaler Baiken Auslese the unthinKaBle oCCurs at the ChernoByl nuClear PoWer Plant in the uKraine Bright old gold. The nose presents an interplay of bottled nectarines with peanuts and caramel in the background. The familiar picturesque landscape of mature Riesling on the palate is expanded with crème brûlée flavours of caramelised sugar and vanilla. A classic wine that serves vivid nuances with every sip. 1953 Rauenthaler Baiken Trockenbeerenauslese JosiP Broz tito BeComes President of yugoslavia A light hazelnut-brown. Bouillon and culinary herbs in the nose reveal this wine's advanced age, accompanied by a hint of vanilla. The wine thickens to a syrupy consistency on the palate, conveyed by a fresh acidity. Roasted notes and a hint of polished wood are still detectable in the mix. Complex, yet already slightly quirky. 1985 Rauenthaler Baiken Auslese Boris BeCKer, only seventeen years old, Wins the WimBledon tennis ChamPionshiPs Medium golden-yellow. Impressions of liquid cocoa butter, nougat, milk chocolate and caramelised nectarines. An honourably matured and long-lasting character, which expands its aromatics on the palate with hints of Madeira. Very elegant. A Grand Seigneur. 1937 Rauenthaler Steinhaufen Auslese the great Purge in the ussr Claims the lives of more than 724 000, most of Whom are eXeCuted BeCause of their ethniCity. Hazelnut with hints of copper. A fascinating bouquet with maraschino cherries, almond cake and fruit soaked in rum. A ballet of sweetness and acidity on the palate with dark fruit, nuts, caramel, a hint of marzipan and malty notes. Not luscious, despite its rich texture. Well-formed wine with a long finish. Memorable wine. FOURTH FLIGHT: Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese 1917 Rüdesheimer Bronnen 1936 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Trockenbeerenauslese afriCan-ameriCan runner Jesse oWens BeComes a suPerstar at the olymPiC games in Berlin Dark old gold. This wine has put its Riesling past behind it. The nose evokes sherry aromas and roasted hazelnuts, tannins and polished wood. Reduced on the palate, it is reminiscent of Oloroso and roasted chestnuts. The finish is accompanied by little more than acidity. Trockenbeerenauslese neil armstrong BeComes the first Person to WalK on the moon Light hazelnut-brown. Regales the nose with Brazil nuts, dried figs and apricots, and nougat too. Very balanced on the palate and ups its game with raisins, trail mix and oxidised notes in the finish. A concordance of well-integrated acidity and residual sugar, combined with an impressively long-lasting finish. A sensual wine. 1964 Steinberger Trockenbeerenauslese muhammad ali Beats sonny liston to BeCome BoXing's heavyWeight ChamPion of the World Dark old gold with olive hints. A rich bouquet with culinary herbs, Maggi sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, hazelnuts and nougat. The wine seems sweeter on the palate, and is quite inviting with its milk chocolate and vanilla, though a strict corset of acidity keeps the style intact. Seems remarkably young and long-lasting. Powerful aftertaste. 1921 Steinberger Trockenbeerenauslese insulin is disCovered to treat diaBetes Mahogany with hints of olive. An exotic, almost imperious bouquet of marzipan scented with kirsch and coconut milk. An unusual fruit profile on the palate too: red berries, raspberries, and caramel. Remarkably light and spirited. 108 FINE

1920 Rauenthaler Baiken Trockenbeerenauslese ProhiBition Comes into effeCt in the united states Dark brown with hints of copper. A magnificent bouquet with leather, wood, roasted notes, candied fruit, marzipan and maraschino cherries. On the palate the wine goes one better with milk chocolate, cardamom and a hint of cinnamon. Continuous new impressions in the glass ­ roasted chestnuts, clove apples, orange zest. Its refreshing acidity lends to it its youthful constitution. A soloist that takes centre stage. 1982 Heppenheimer Centgericht Eiswein War BreaKs out BetWeen argentina and great Britain over the falKland islands Light hazelnut with copper tinges. An aroma of rum truffles and raisins. On the palate, the fruit character has receded, giving way to toasted and roasted flavours, which are followed by caramel and spices such as cinnamon and cardamom. The acidity holds its ground right up to the solid finish. FIFTH FLIGHT: Riesling eiswein 1981 Rüdesheimer Klosterlay Eiswein President anWar el sadat of egyPt is assassinated Dark old gold. The bouquet seems slightly enclosed and remains vegetal with hints of carrot. More attractive on the palate, with dried figs and dates, vegetable notes, roasted peanuts and some lacquered tones. A distinctive blend of sweet and bitter, which, however, quickly vanishes in the finish. 1991 Rauenthaler Baiken Eiswein deCemBer 26 sees the soviet union Cease to eXist A bright golden-yellow. The nose evokes boiled sweets, yellow fruit and damp linen. Not entirely clear or clean. It seems fresh and young on the palate, but the peach and apricot fruit character has a slightly dusty component. The finish is slightly on the short side. Rather lean in character for an ice wine. 1988 Bensheimer Kalkgasse Eiswein a Pan am JumBo Jet eXPlodes over loCKerBie, sCotland Bright old gold. Sweetly luscious on the nose. Pear jelly, banana sweets, milk chocolate and nougat. Smooth and supple as it goes down, the residual sugar kept constantly in check by lively acidity. Flavours of marzipan, rosewater and almond come into the mix now too, creating an attractive and appetising composition. 1984 Erbacher Marcobrunn Eiswein indian Prime minister indira ghandi is assassinated By her oWn seCurity guards A light hazelnut hue. The nose presents an interesting variety. Oxidised Madeira and wood notes blend with marzipan and raisined fruits. As thick on the palate as a liquid reduction. Now culinary herbs, roasted almonds, dried mango and papaya come into the mix. The concentration makes for a substantial finish. 1983 Rauenthaler Baiken Eiswein Pioneer 10 BeComes the first man-made oBJeCt to leave the solar system Bright old gold. A flattering bouquet of blossoms fresh from a spring flowerbed, the background draped in dried lemon and orange peel. The orange flavour pervades the entire palate as well and seems candied. Modest acidity leaves sufficient room for the caramelised sweetness. Substantial finish. 1 0 0 R I E S L I N G S 109 FINE 100 Rieslings

110 FINE

Tasting & Art III 1960­1967 A Premier Cru Classé, Château Mouton Rothschild is today regarded as one of the world's greatest wines. The château is owned by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild and consists of 205 acres of vines near Pauillac, in the Médoc to the northwest of the city of Bordeaux. This Premier Cru benefits from exceptionally good natural conditions: the quality of the soil, the position of its vines and their exposure to the sun. The estate was bought in 1853 by Philippe de Rothschild's great-grandfather. It was in fairly bad shape and when the classification of 1855 was set up, Château Mouton Rothschild was not deemed good enough to qualify as a first growth but instead was placed first amongst the second growths ­ an injustice which took Philippe de Rothschild until 1973 to rectify. In the 1920s Philippe de Rothschild called together the owners of Châteaux Haut-Brion, Latour, Lafite, Margaux and Yquem to talk about the idea of bottling and marketing their wines on their own. The first vintage to be bottled exclusively at the château was the 1924 vintage. To commemorate this, the cubistic painter Carlu was asked to design the label ­ another revolutionary idea in this most conservative of surroundings. The idea of an artist designing the labels was dropped until 1945, at which time Baron Philippe had the idea of embellishing the Mouton Rothschild 1945 label with artwork: on this occasion a symbolic design intended to commemorate the Allied victory and celebrate the return of peace. He commissioned this from a young unknown artist, Philippe Julian. Julian submitted several drafts for the label and the final one is based on the "V for Victory", made famous by Winston Churchill throughout the war as he rallied the forces of freedom. This marked the beginning of a series of specially designed labels for each vintage, for each year a different artist was commissioned and the payment was in wine. Since then works of famous artists such as Picasso, Miró, Dali, Chagall and of personalities like John Huston and Prince Charles have been used for the labels. This is the third part of our series Château MoutonRothschild: A Brief History of Art And Wine ­ Wine Tasting And Art 1924/1945­2003. The last two issues of FINE featured vintages 1924/1945­1951 and 1952­ 1959, respectively. The German gourmet and wine book publisher Tre Torri and wine expert, writer and artist Pekka Nuikki have published a book in English and German on the wines of Château Mouton Rothschild and their artistic labels: Château Mouton Rothschild Tasting&Art 1924/1945­2003. This book, about one of the bestknown wines of France is a beautiful, in-depth work of 256 pages, available at fine-magazines.com M O U T O N R O T H C H I L D 111 FINE Art & Wine

1960 ­ Jacques Villon 1961 ­ Georges Mathieu Birds and Vines Jacques Villon's (1875­1963) birth name was Gaston Duchamp. He came from a very artistic family; his brothers were the famous painter and inventor of "readymade" concept art, Marcel Duchamp, and the sculptor Raymond Duchamp-Villon. Between 1894 and 1906, Jacques Villon worked as a cartoonist and illustrator for several magazines in Paris, before he moved to a country village to create more than 700 paintings, which were later discovered by a gallery owner. Villon was a cubist, but his works also show his frequent exploration of the complexity of colour and light. The devotees of cubism felt the emphasis on light and colour effects to be inappropriate and tried to work in an analytical manner. That is why many cubist works of art are executed in earthy, greyish shades, emphasising form rather than colour. For the Mouton Rothschild label, Villon captured the movements of a bird in geometric shapes. The graphic is reminiscent of an architectural construction that puts the abstract into a geometric order. The individual elements are filled with vibrant colours. "Ils vont dans les vignes, les oiseaux", or "they go in the vines, the birds", is Villon's inscription under the graphic, which is a variation on a popular chanson. Although there were frosty days in April and May, blossom time was beautiful. June was promisingly warm and dry, but the rain and cold in July destroyed all hopes of an exceptional vintage. Sunny and rainy days alternated in September. Dynamic Lines and Red Dot Georges Mathieu is a representative of the Art Informel movement of French art. He was born in 1921 in Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais). First, Matthieu studied philosophy and law; at the age of 21 he turned to painting and created realistic landscapes and portraits. Soon, his imagery became inspired by more abstract forms. He abhorred geometric abstraction, however. Beginning in 1944, Mathieu created nonrepresentational-abstract paintings that were developed in a very intuitive creative act, guided by emotions. Mathieu called himself the founder of lyrical abstraction and described painting in many interviews as "a ferocious battle with the canvas". He often demonstrated his inimitable technique in front of an audience. Then he created big abstract paintings at great speed, which turned into magnificent spectacles of colour, their composition approaching an explosion. Georges Mathieu often completed his paintings in only a few minutes, being convinced that it was the only way to express his innermost feelings without distortion. The speed of the painting process was supposed to make room for coincidences. In the early 1960s, he also created sculptural works and designs for furniture and murals. The dynamic and energy of Mathieu`s artistic work is also reflected in his design for the Mouton label. His decorative, linear composition is reminiscent of Japanese calligraphy. Frost and rain in the spring devastated almost the entire blossom. Hot summer months and a warm, pleasant September allowed the grapes that did not perish to thrive and provided an abundance of nutrients. With the best weather conditions and bright sunshine, Mouton harvested a good vintage in the end, albeit in low quantities. 77pts 1960 Château Mouton Rothschild 2006/now x 1 D 15 min / G 1 h The bottle looked as good as new, and the level was neck-high. Decanted for 15 minutes. A light, bright and healthy looking colour. The bouquet was surprisingly rich and open with flavours of cedar, eucalyptus and spices. Still fresh and has some fruit left, but not much more. The wine was thin, quite tannic and unbalanced with a short, dry ending. Enjoy this with food while you can ­ an excellent 50th birthday gift from this difficult year. ··· 99pts 1961 Château Mouton Rothschild 2009/2030 x 6 D 2 h / G 2 h I have tasted Château Mouton Rothschild 1961 six times, and all those moments were unforgettable, not because of the place or company, but because of the wine itself, which has always been simply magnificent. This last bottle I bought came from a private cellar where it had spent the last thirty years untouched. Because of this it was in very bad condition from the outside. Decanted 2 hours before tasting. Dark, deep and mature colour. Ripe cassis fruit, herbs and sweetness could be sensed in the bouquet. A strangely seductive combination. Still very youthful, rich, soft, voluptuous and elegant wine. Considerably more spirited and vital than the exterior would have led us to expect. Balanced acidity and tight fruitiness combined with a long and pampering aftertaste. A gentle but most impressive acquaintance. ··· 112 FINE

The Seducing Power of Grapes Roberto Matta Echaurren (1911­2002), who simply called himself Matta, was born in Santiago de Chile. He was one of the late surrealists. First he studied architecture and worked in the firm of Le Corbusier. In the late 1930s, he met Dalí and joined the surrealist movement, enthusiastic about the manifestos by André Breton. Throughout his life, Matta studied physics and the creation of the world. Despite this rather analytical approach, he often invoked the invisible: "Only those things you can see with your eyes closed are of importance to me." In his works, order and chaos, coincidences and plans alternate. Ambiguous figures crowd brightly coloured spaces, half robot-like machines, half organic beings. According to surrealist theory, Matta saw painting a picture as an act of transformation, wherein the stream of the subconscious is dammed for a few moments in order to be captured on canvas, where it would evoke countless associations. Matta is said to be one of the most important painters of the twentieth century. His large-format paintings fetch top prices on the art market. He received many awards and big, prestigious commissions ­ including one for the UNESCO building in Paris. His design for the Mouton label shows a very rough ink drawing of gnarled, gruff and almost skeletal vines. However, his comment on the grapes is more than conciliatory: "Son tendre velouté séduit les plus rebelles" ­ their velvety delicacy will seduce even the most rebellious. The spring was defined by cold and wet weather and it remained cold until late May. The late blossom in July was followed by a hot summer. August and September were hot, too, although somewhat softened by a little rain that made the grapes swell. The harvest began late, on October 10. Nude with Grapevine Bernard Dufour, born in 1922 and the son of a painter, studied agricultural engineering before turning to painting in 1945. In his early works, he was dedicated to abstract, before painting mainly realistic portraits and female nudes in the 1960s. Most of his paintings seem to have been painted through the fog of memory. Muted light, reflections, transparent curtains, sad eyes ­ the beholder seems to sink into softly blurred dream sequences. His depiction of a nude female with a vine on the label for Mouton Rothschild shows Dufour`s veiled style. And the caption "Ainsi quand des raisins j'ai sucé la clarte" ­ as if I was sucking the essence out of the grapes ­ enhances the sensuous aspect of the label design. A long winter, cold in the lead up to spring. Blossom time came under inclement conditions. From June to September, it was unusually cool and wet. Humidity and heavy winds brought rot, but when the harvest began in October the weather was warm and pleasant. 93pts 1962 Château Mouton Rothschild 2008/now x 11 D 30 min / G 1 h In Bordeaux this was a first-class year, which has never achieved the reputation it deserves because it has always lived in the shadow of 1961. The wines became rich and complex and were slow to come around. Mouton Rothschild 1962 also came around fairly late. It was in the mid-80s when I tasted it for the first time, and then it was a quite difficult and "green" wine. But during the last twenty years it has developed a lot. Top-shoulder, decanted for one hour. Very deep, almost black colour. Wide and healthy nose. The palate is now stylish, almost sensual, with attractive, ripe fruit flavours. Reasonably long and smooth finish. Those who have had the patience and trust to let this wine age in peace are being grandly rewarded. ··· 73pts 1963 Château Mouton Rothschild 2006 / now x 2 D 15 min / G 30 min Both of the two bottles I have tasted were in good condition. Decent, aromatic, tobacco nose. Better on the nose than on the palate. A light-bodied, very, very mature, soft and simple wine, but still quite pleasant. No sign of oxidation, but it peaked a few decades ago. Will not improve and needs drinking. ··· M O U T O N R O T H C H I L D 113 FINE Art & Wine 1962 ­ Matta 1963 ­ Bernard Dufour

1964 ­ Henry Moore 1965 ­ Dorothea Tanning Rite with Hands The Briton Henry Moore (1898­1986) was certainly one of the most important sculptors of modern art history. The son of a miner, he first trained to be a teacher before studying art in Leeds and at the Royal College of Art in London. Moore was inspired by the primitive art of Africa, the South Seas and early civilisations from Egypt, Mexico and elsewhere. His materials of choice were wood and stone, although later he worked mostly in bronze. Moore had the brilliant gift of combining the abstract and representational in his sculptures, and his works gave significant impulses to sculptural art in Europe. His sculptures are characterised by their enormous impact on the beholder. With their organic structure and craftsmanship in keeping with the material, Moore's works have an arresting effect. His archetypical trademarks are reclining or leaning female figures. During his early period, Moore still sketched the ideas for his figures in order to test them, but he abandoned this method in the 1940s and began to build models. He felt limited by the fixed point of view of a sketch, demanding instead a "full three-dimensional realisation" of his ideas. For the Mouton Rothschild label, Moore sketched three pairs of hands gently cupping a chalice in a ritual manner. The notorious year of rain. The winter was rather mild and wet. Pleasantly warm spring with an undisturbed blossom. The summer was hot and dry, but then the second half of September brought insufferable and continuous rains that had a negative effect on the entire Médoc. Dancing Ram The American painter and sculptor Dorothea Tanning (born in 1910) is a self-taught artist. Without ever attending art school she became an eminently skilful artist through her own initiative. In 1936, Tanning encountered surrealism in the sensational exhibition "Fantastic Art, Dada & Surrealism" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. This style was to become a major influence on her subsequent work. In 1942, she met one of the protagonists of the surrealist movement, Max Ernst, who later ended his new marriage to Peggy Guggenheim in order to marry Dorothea Tanning. The couple lived and worked closely together until Ernst's death in 1976. Since their first meeting, Max Ernst dedicated one of his paintings to his wife Dorothea every year, inscribing it with her initial "D". Despite her close connection with Max Ernst, Tanning developed her very own surrealist style. Her work surprises, as it uses a wealth of artistic fantasy and a keen sense of the use of colour. Her early work shows ambiguous children's fantasies and nightmares. Later she often dealt with female physicality and sensuality. Many of her paintings have clear autobiographical connotations. For the Mouton label, Dorothea Tanning drew several dancing rams, very sketchy and fragmentary, in pencil and pastels. After the negative, wet conditions of the previous year, another poor vintage followed. The long winter resulted in a late blossom. There was ample precipitation in the summer, meaning there were some rot issues. The vintage was deemed weak early on and the few healthy grapes showed inconsistent ripeness. 80pts 1964ChâteauMoutonRothschild2009/nowx10D15min/G1h High-shoulder, a good, slightly light, mature colour. Somewhat earthy, aromatic nose. Not much body or complexity, but well-balanced. This lacks fruit and richness ­ a light, skinny and one-dimensional wine with an unfilled finish. Was in much better form 15 years ago. Drink it now or never. ··· 73pts 1965ChâteauMoutonRothschild 2006/nowx2D15min/G30min The bottle was in fine condition, with a top-shoulder level. Decanted for 15 minutes. Deep colour, already exceptionally mature at the edges. Surprisingly aromatic, soft and promising bouquet. Reached all corners of the nose. But the wine itself was light and one-dimensional on the palate. Some flavours of coffee, cedar and violets still present. Not very a well-balanced or multidimensional wine but it did have some lovely sweetness of soft tannins and fruit left at the end. Relatively satisfactory claret from this feeble vintage. ··· 114 FINE

Drinking Ram The Belgian author, poet and painter Pierre Alechinsky (born in 1927) found a major influence for his sketches and etchings in calligraphy, for which he developed a special appreciation during his studies in Japan. In the 1950s, he learned Far Eastern painting techniques from one of his friends, a Chinese artist. Alechinsky's paintings were created on paper, and he worked with ink and acrylics. His art strikes a balance between writing and painting. His works are characterised by the multiple margin drawings that he called "marginal notes". These drawings in several individual parts form a unit with the main work, just like a pictorial or comic strip. Paintings in ink correspond with coloured marginal drawings in acrylics and the other way around. He often used paper such as historic maps, notepads or receipts as a grounding. Following his idol Paul Klee, Alechinsky was drawn to the mystery and spontaneity in painting. His quick but carefully planned sketches always show a sense of organic movement and naturalness. With a wink and a smile he created his design for the Mouton label, featuring a ram ­ Mouton's heraldic animal ­ as a wine-drinking cartoon figure. The background of Alechinsky's design has a hatched structure that lends depth to the drawing. After a mild winter and beautiful spring, conditions for blossom time were very good. The summer was cooler than usual with a lot of rain. The hot, pleasant September allowed the grapes to thrive though, and the harvest began as early as September 26. Composition of Nuts and Nails The French sculptor and object artist César (1921­1998) was born César Baldaccini. He studied at the academy in Marseille and later at the art academy in Paris. In the French capital, he met artists like Pablo Picasso and Alberto Giacometti ­ the latter even lived in the same house. In the late 1940s, César created the first designs for sculptures in plaster and iron. After 1956, he combined scrap metal parts into imaginative, figurative or half-abstract sculptures. In the early 1960s, the age of Nouveau Réalisme, he created his "Compressions dirigées" ­ which consisted of car bodies and various other metal objects squashed in a metal press. Later, with the influence of Pop Art, César worked with coloured plastic materials that he moulded into outsized fetishes. In every interview, César emphasised that he was not an intellectual but a craftsman led by pure emotion and the logic of the material. Therefore he did not use the recurring theme of the ram for his Chateau Mouton Rothschild label, but instead chose industrial materials, which he arranged like a photogram. It is a composition of nuts and thin nails that shows strong contrasts of light and dark due to great exposure. A mild winter, with a late blossom. Heat and dry weather dominated the summer. September was divided into two parts: the first half was cool, the second very hot. Early October had extreme weather with alternating heat and heavy precipitation. 89pts 1966ChâteauMoutonRothschild2010/2015x9D30min/G1h The 1966 vintage is an excellent one for classic and delicate wines. They combine the typical classic features, style and quality of Bordeaux wines, which makes them elegant and balanced. Most of them are still in fine condition today. Many of the best wines may still mature if kept correctly, but the general principle is drink now or sell. In 1966 Mouton made first-rate wine; dark colour, earthy, open, with a fine bouquet and tobacco notes. Very full and not as light-bodied as many other wines of this sensitive vintage. Complex with a good balance. At first it was a bit too tight and dry, but after 30 minutes it opened up completely and developed richness and beautiful fruit flavours. Good and long, but a bit awkward and with a dry aftertaste. Will not improve, but will still last well. Good, skilfully made wine. ··· 82pts1967ChâteauMoutonRothschild2009/nowx4D30min/G15min Bottle was in excellent condition, and the level sat at the neck. This wine has developed quite well for a lesser vintage. Good, dark, mature colour. Open, lovely spicy Cabernet nose. A sweet and light wine with good balance. Not as complex and elegant as 1966, and after thirty minutes it started to fade and dry out. Nothing special here, but it is an honest wine at a fair price. ··· M O U T O N R O T H C H I L D 115 FINE Art & Wine 1966 ­ Pierre Alechinsky 1967 ­ César

Andreas Larsson FINDING THE BALANCE In metaphysics, one refers to balance as the desirable point between two forces. That might sound slightly too heavy for a normal wine lover but think about it ­ the desirable point between sugar and acidity, the perfect equilibrium between tannins and fruit, or that complex relationship between youthful structure and complexity of age. Amongst all the great virtues of a grand vin, balance is perhaps ­ undeservedly ­ the thing we rarely mention. 116 FINE

I f one approaches the matter from a hedonistic point of view, balance is a terrific term. Life is at its best when its numerous factors are in balance with one another. The individual fantastic parts of a great wine become all the more remarkable once combined. I am a wine lover and I just adore imbibing a great wine in serious quantities. I have run into some wine people over the years who seem to enjoy tasting, analysing and talking about wine, but damn, they just do not seem to enjoy drinking the stuff! I admittedly find the analytical and theoretical sides that surround this vast subject utterly amusing and stimulating, but it would be a profoundly grave and serious predicament not to be able to enjoy the actual product. That is what got me into this business ­ to be able to drink grands vins. Drinking these grands vins often goes hand in hand with eating great food, but again we should most urgently consider our dietary balance, which is not necessarily so easy in this business. Recently, on a trip to France, I was quite over enthusiastic when I planned to consume nine Michelin stars over one weekend. During the second dinner I was reminded about the importance of balance whilst savouring the classic mousseline de grenouilles. It was delicious in all its own right but the calorie content must have exceeded all possible limits, as it managed to sink even a man of my considerable size. I now finally realise how it must feel to be a force-fed duck or one of those fat frogs that made up this vast appetiser, immersed as they were in a cornucopia of delicious beurre blanc. Many a great wine needs its fair share of time before that superb balance is reached, just as people do. How can a young tart and acidic potation develop into something so perfumed, complex and silky with time? Well I suppose that is what makes wine wine and not simply another drink. We cannot always look for that instant gratification. I have learnt over the years that some wines, such as Cheval Blanc, Lafite-Rothschild or Sassicaia, are just darn impossible to enjoy young. They often have astringent tannins, restrained fruit and pungent acidity. Only after several years will they open up and show why they have the reputation of being some of the greatest and most compelling wines ever. This is not necessarily in contradiction with the fact that a wine can be splendidly drinkable from day one. On the contrary, I really think this is a virtue of a modern wine. There are some serious wine people, opposed to more modern ways of making wine, that believe a wine should be impossible to drink in its first twenty years and detest anything that is polished, smooth and opulent. I cannot but disagree. As much as I love a sturdy old Pauillac after some thirty-five years, I must admit to showing slight affection for a rich, fruity and loaded young wine as long as it shows balance. Just look at the magnificent and ephemeral wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti: delicious from day one, yet with a 100-year potential. Another great favourite of mine that we cannot place in the old, new, modern, garage, cult or indeed any other school, is Tertre-Rotebouef. A splendid work of art, this wine is always delicious from its infancy onwards. As with the longevity of any great wine, it changes, it develops, but always holds that balance in place! It is damn hard to resist. Tertre-Rotebouef brings to mind my beloved region, Bordeaux ­ a region whose wines are the exemplars of balance. I mean, getting the grapes to fully ripen in this temperate climate ­ with that tannic structure, length and depth of flavour, most of the time with moderate alcohol levels ­ that is a work of art and the true definition of equilibrium. Even if we take one of the most "modern styled" examples, with generous amounts of resounding attributes such as dark fruit, oak, spices and roasted coffee and compare it with a Cabernet/Merlot blend from anywhere else in the world, that other wine will face tough competition, thanks to the superb balance that one can obtain in Bordeaux. And lastly, another wine that I always try to defend and promote, but which is shamefully underrated and misunderstood, is of course Sherry ­ a wine whose greatest asset is its balance. For the modern day wine lover it might seem too simple a drink, as we do not talk about grape varieties, vintages or vineyards. Sherry is not bottle-aged and the best ones are often made on a large scale. Many believe that things need to be small scale to be good, but really it is all about balance! At the time of writing, I am enjoying the last few days of a well-deserved holiday in Sanlucar de Barrameda, sipping on a cold Manzanilla. The sand is warm and white, the wine is bright, complex and fresh, and whether that salty tang comes from the proximity of the sea or not, I am loving this moment. The balance between the wine, the surroundings and myself is perfect. The balance is created by just the right amount of everything ­ particularly wine. > C O L U M N 117 FINE Larsson

Fernando Nicolau de Almeida 118 FINE

THE 16 REINCARNATIONS OF BARCA VELHA Text and photography: Pekka Nuikki "Have I gone mad?", wondered Fernando Nicolau de Almeida out loud, running his tired gaze over an endless row of lorries that was slowly inching its way along the bridge above. The bridge's wooden frame creaked and swayed under the heavy vehicles, which were loaded with ice. Surrealistically large drops of water dripped from between the thick planks down to the dried-up riverbed in which Fernando stood. The temperature was already nearing 40C (104F), although the highest peaks surrounding the valley were still shrouded in morning mist. Even the shadow of the bridge could not relieve Fernando's discomfort as he shook his head incredulously at his achievement. Behind him lay a gruelling six-day journey from the coast to the mountain town of Pocinho. Even his drivers thought he was crazy. As several tonnes of ice were loaded into the vehicles at the port of Matosinhos, many drivers had bet that the trucks would make it to their destinations, but that they would be empty. Although a large part of the ice load had evaporated under the cruel sun blazing down from a clear sky, Fernando Nicolau de Almeida had not lost faith ­ as this was a faith founded on a distant dream named Barca Velha. B A R C A V E L H A 119 FINE History

FROM PORT TO TABLE WINE Barca Velha is Portugal's best-known and most desirable red wine. Its success story began more than sixty years ago, when Almeida, then Head of Winemaking at the Ferreira Port Wine cellar, decided to create a top-quality Douro red. The task was particularly challenging, but after several study trips to Bordeaux, he believed he was ready to tackle it in 1952. He had seen how high-quality wines, suitable for ageing, were made in Bordeaux, and he decided to test his learning on local varieties and grapes from the Quinta do Vale de Meão. First he must select the right grapes. Almeida decided to rely on the local varieties that were most familiar to him; he therefore chose the best and most traditional cultivars of the region, namely Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz. However, the success of Barca Velha would not depend solely on using the best varieties, but on the patience of Almeida and his team, and their skill in solving the numerous problems that they would come to confront. Their greatest joy and, simultaneously, biggest headache, would be the region's particularly dry and hot climate. On the one hand, it allowed for perfect ripening of the grapes, but on the other it created difficulties for producing and ageing the wine. In particular, controlling the fermentation temperature, which is necessary to guarantee high quality, was practi- cally impossible using local techniques. The situation was made even more complex by the fact that almost none of the estates in the Douro valley had electricity at the time. Almeida solved this problem by adopting the pumping-over technique he had learnt in France, which allowed for efficient colour and tannin extraction. Continuous stirring of the grape pulp and the fermenting juice also helped to control the fermentation temperature. Almeida used the freighted ice to bring the temperature down to 28­30 degrees celsius. The ice was transported by lorry from the port of Matosinhos, close to Porto. The journey from there to the Meão vineyard in Pocinho, where Barca Velha was produced, took several days and caused a great deal of wonder and amusement among local farmers. The heat of the Douro region also caused another problem. The grapes can quickly become overripe, reducing their acidity and increasing their sugar content. This is suitable for fortified wines such as port, but it is a challenge for normal red wine production. After many tests, Almeida found a natural solution to the problem. He blended completely ripe grapes with a high sugar content and low acidity, which had grown on the best south-facing slopes, with varieties that grew higher up on cooler north-facing slopes; these conversely had lower sugar contents and higher acidity. In this way he achieved a natural balance in the wine. 120 FINE

B A R C A V E L H A 121 FINE History

PORTUGAL'S ORIGINAL FIRST GROWTH Fernando's long-term vision of a finest-quality Douro red begun to materialise of 1952. The very first vintage was excellent in quality, even though in terms of weather it had been one of the hottest years of the 1950s. Harvesting took more than a month, and, after careful selection, only seventeen 225-litre barrels were filled with the wine named Barca Velha. The name came from an old barge that had ferried workers to the estate over the river Douro for decades. Barca Velha became an instant classic ­ the uncrowned Portuguese "first growth", which received a great deal of international attention from the beginning. Higher prices were paid for it than for many vintage ports. TWO MEN, 16 VINTAGES Despite growing competition, Barca Velha has maintained its position as Portugal's foremost red wine. I believe there are two reasons for this. Firstly, throughout its fifty-year history, only two winemakers ­ Fernando Nicolau de Almeida and José Maria Soares Franco ­ have been in charge of producing Barca Velha. This has ensured the wine's consistent quality and character. Secondly, Ferreira has respected Almeida's original idea that Barca Velha should only be produced in really good years and released to the market after a minimum of seven years' bottle ageing. That means only 16 vintages have been produced in the last 58 years, making Barca Velha one of the rarest wines in the world. 122 FINE

OPTIMAL AT FULL MATURITY In the last decade I have on many occasions had the opportunity to taste all the vintages of Barca Velha, and my experiences of them have been nearly identical. Barca Velha appears to attain its perfect maturity at around twenty years of age. At that point it is rich, well-balanced and multidimensional. After that it begins to quickly lose its best characteristics, turning light and one-dimensional over time. Unfortunately, many of the older vintages have often been severely oxidised and almost undrinkable. Naturally it is possible that I have just been unlucky with older bottles. The best Barca Velha I have ever tasted was a 1983 (94pts). Random bottles from 1952 (90pts) and 1957 (93pts) I have also found to be excellent. Barca Velha is almost impossible to find outside Portugal, especially when it comes to the older vintages. It is lower in price, but also has lower ageing potential, than the similar Grange ­ created by Max Schubert at around the same time ­or the otherwise comparable Vega Sicilia Unico or Biondi Santi Riserva. At its best, Barca Velha is a fabulous and rare purchase. While enjoying its rich and full-bodied aromas, it is easy to lose track of time and place. With its own, modest voice, Barca Velha tells a story of its creators' inventiveness and patience. It is a story of a distant, hot valley, the richness and generosity of mutually complementary grapes, the sacred silence of the Vila Nova de Gaia cellars, the immeasurability of time, and, above all, the love and passion for wine of the people of the Douro valley. > THE 16 VINTAGES OF BARCA VELHA: 1952 1953 1954 1957 1964 1965 1966 1978 1981 1982 1983 1985 1991 1995 1999 BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA BARCAVELHA 90 84 80 93 83 88 83 87 89 90 94 88 87 88 87 2005/nowx3D30min/G30min 2006/nowx2D30min/G30min 2005/nowx2D15min/G15min 2008/2015x3D30min/G1h 2006/nowx4D30min/G30min 2005/nowx3D15min/G1h 2006/nowx2D30min/G30min 2009/2015x5D30min/G1h 2006/2015x2D1h/G1h 2005/2020x3D1h/G2h 2008/2025x6D2h/G2h 2007/2015x3D1h/G2h 2006/2020x2D2h/G1h 2006/2020x4D3h/G2h 2010/2025x2D2h/G3h B A R C A V E L H A 123 FINE History

Instructions: Decant the corked wine into a decanter or into glasses. Drop a ball of cling film that fits in your fist into the decanter and, depending on the wine, let it stand for 5­15 minutes. For a glass, use a ball the size of your thumb, and leave it for less time. The cling film should be allowed to sink into the wine to achieve a greater contact area. After the operation, decant the wine into a clean container or glass. The trick works better with red wines than white. With champagnes, it very rarely works at all. 124 FINE

FINE DEVICE Unc orked In this column I have written about a number of devices that either improve the taste of wine or make it easier to enjoy. None of the previously presented gadgets, however, compares to the following item in terms of usability, convenience or affordability. It can sometimes make the impossible possible. Optimally, it can turn an undrinkable wine into a perfectly enjoyable one. It is also one of the most closely guarded secrets among wine experts. Its everyday name is the prosaic cling film or Saran wrap, but I call it the Midas Touch. TexT and phoTograph: pekka nuikki The worst enemy of bottled wine is cork taint. In practice, a corked wine equals a spoiled wine. No one who enjoys wines can avoid it and it cannot be identified in advance. It is particularly vexing when it happens to an expensive or a unique wine. At worst, cork taint can ruin an entire evening, which almost happened to me during an event I organised in Germany. I had invited twenty or so guests from around Europe to the small town of Hattenheim for a wine tasting. The climax of the evening would be a legendary Château Mouton Rothschild 1945 magnum. As I opened the bottle, everything looked fine: the surface of the wine was at the original level, the colour was a healthy, deep red, and the bottle had its original foil and label. The cork was tightly in place and I had to work hard to extract it in one piece. After a while, my labours were rewarded by a cork stamped with the estate details and vintage, proving the authenticity of the bottle. I decanted the wine and tasted it, my expectations palpable. Imagine my disappointment: the wine was corked, and pretty badly, too. Normally one would be in trouble in a situation such as this, but not on this occasion. From my bag I pulled a roll of cling film, which I always carry with me, together with corkscrews and other wine equipment. I cut a piece of approximately half a metre and rolled it into a small ball between my hands. I dropped the ball through the mouth of the decanter into the middle of the wine and swirled it around a couple of times to allow the ball to open slightly and to then sink. I let the cling film swim around in the decanter for around a quarter of an hour, after which I poured the wine into a new, clean decanter, leaving the film behind. Tasting the wine again I found that around 80 per cent of the cork taint had disappeared! As the wine glasses emptied, none of the guests noticed any corking; quite the opposite, in fact. The wine was awarded a full 100 points four times, with an astonishing average score of 99. Naturally, the thanks mostly go to the sublime bottle of wine costing 12 000 euros, but the ball of cling film, costing around ten cents, also played its part. The effect of the cling film on the wine is like the Midas touch, considering the ludicrousness of the mere thought that a piece of plastic from an ordinary supermarket could remove cork taint from wine. The claim is far-fetched enough that I don't think any wine connoisseur who takes himself seriously has talked about it in public. I didn't believe it myself when I first heard about it some fifteen years ago, but neither could I resist the temptation to try it out. The cling film works, either by wishful thinking or due to some chemical reaction between the wine and plastic. I have used the trick numerous times, usually with success. The more mature the wine, the better the film works. With young wines the effect is not as powerful, but usually noticeable enough to make the wine drinkable. Although I have not heard any scientific explanations as to why the trick works, I can honestly recommend it based on my own experiences and those of my acquaintances. Naturally, I hope that you will never have the need for such a trick in the first place. > U N C O R K E D 125 FINE Device This section introduces devices which bring even greater enjoyment of wine.

V e r m e e r and W There are only i n e DuTch 36 painTingS aTTribuTeD To The SevenTeenTh cenTury painTer Jan vermeer. STuarT george lookS aT vermeer'S uSe of wine in Six of hiS canvaSeS anD Then conSiDerS whaT wineS he mighT have DepicTeD. Johannes, or Jan, Vermeer (1632­1675) is a shadowy figure. Although he was head of the painters' guild in Delft, the small Dutch city where he was born, Vermeer was virtually unknown in his lifetime. Now he is considered a master and his paintings fetch millions. In July 2004 A Young Woman Seated at the Virginal, a tiny oil canvas measuring just 25.2 x 20 cm, was sold at auction in London for £16.2 million. working knowledge of the wine that is shown in six of his paintings. T he DiSSiuS aucTion anD beyonD T he S phinx of D elfT There are so few contemporary documents on Vermeer's life that Philip Steadman, a Professor at University College London and author of the extraordinary Vermeer's Camera: Uncovering the Truth Behind the Masterpieces, calls him "the Sphinx of Delft." It has been established that Vermeer was baptised in December 1632, though his birth date remains unknown. There is no record of Vermeer again until his marriage to Catharina Bolnes in April 1653. Together they had eleven children. Vermeer's father Reynier Jansson was a tavern keeper who also traded paintings. In 1655 Vermeer took over the tavern, so probably he had at least a The most convincing contemporary record of Vermeer's work is in the 1683 inventory of the estate and property of the Delft printer Jacobus Abrahamsz. Dissius, which lists 20 paintings. In May 1696 an auction in Amsterdam offered "excellent artful paintings, among them 21 pieces extraordinarily vigorously and delightfully painted by the late J. van der Meer (sic), representing several compositions, being the best he ever made..." The inventory tallies with the paintings offered at the auction. Among the works were "A drunken sleeping maid at a table, by J. van der Meer of Delft" (Sleeping Maid); "A gay company in a room, vigorous and good, by ditto" (The Girl With a Wineglass); "A gentleman and a young lady making music in a room, by the same" (Girl Interrupted in Her Music); and "A soldier with a laughing girl, very beautiful, by ditto" (Officer and Laughing Girl). 126 F I N E

The smirking young musician on the left, supposedly a self-portrait of the artist because his costume is similar to the painter figure in Vermeer's T he Art of Painting (c. 1662­1668) The Procuress V E R M E E R 127 FINE Art & WINE

Officer and Laughing Girl is a cheerful and optimistic scene ­ a complete contrast to the sombre Sleeping Maid. Officer and Laughing Girl 128 F I N E

Three more paintings by Vermeer are cited in documents as the property of the painter's widow and another five were seen in auction catalogues through the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. That leaves only half a dozen or so canvases not to have been mentioned in contemporary sources, suggesting that the 36 paintings now credited to Vermeer represent more or less his entire oeuvre. T he procureSS The earliest of Vermeer's "wine" paintings is The Procuress. It is typical of the Dutch bordeeltje genre, a brothel scene that usually showed drunken soldiers and busty prostitutes. Certainly its characters look as though they are enjoying themselves. Prior to this Vermeer had painted only Biblical themes. The smirking young musician on the left, supposedly a self-portrait of the artist because his costume is similar to the painter figure in Vermeer's The Art of Painting (c. 1662­1668), holds what is probably a glass of beer. The young lady holds a glass of white wine. The glass itself is a römer, a capacious glass with a knobbly stem made from green waldglas (forest glass) to stop it slipping through drunken or otherwise distracted fingers. Such glasses were made in industrial quantities in Germany and Holland up to the nineteenth century. Vermeer has depicted the wine jug, typical of those made in Westerwald, with great precision. The Vermeer expert Jonathan Janson claims that the artist employed a pair of compasses to capture the jug's contours so accurately. The scratches of the compass are apparently still visible. The foreshortening of this painting, however, is not entirely successful. There are two incompatible viewpoints, one looking up at the figures and the other looking down on a table. The figures are so tightly grouped that it seems unlikely that there is space for the crudely phallic lute held by the young man. sharing a happy moment with a glass of wine. But always with Vermeer there are ambiguities. Like the central figure in The Procuress the female figure here wears a yellow dress and smiles; the man wears a red coat and a large felt hat, like the soldier in the earlier painting. Her hands are open but the soldier's are bent curiously; we do not see much of his face. She holds a glass of wine like the central figure of The Procuress. Is this perhaps another bordeeltje? Officer and Laughing Girl, like The Procuress, also has a disconcerting use of foreshortening. The discrepancy in the size and scale of the figures is correct mathematically but closer to what would be given by a camera lens, which led Philip Steadman to suggest that Vermeer used a camera obscura. In The Glass of Wine, we see the man preparing to refill the glass of the girl during a silent pause in their dealings with each other. The body language is very different to that of Officer and Laughing Girl. The girl's left arm is tightly folded against her lap and we cannot see the man's hands, though his cuff encircles the wine jug at the centre of the composition. A songbook lies on the table, preceding Girl Interrupted In Her Music. inTerrupTeD in Their DrinkS live, laugh , love Officer and Laughing Girl clearly prefigures The Glass of Wine. Their compositions are very similar, both paintings showing a man and a woman in an interior setting with wine to hand. Officer and Laughing Girl is a cheerful and optimistic scene ­ a complete contrast to the sombre Sleeping Maid. Here the girl is bathed in light, her cheeks are flushed ­ from the wine, perhaps ­ and she is obviously enjoying the company of the soldier who has made her laugh. They are absorbed in each other, The Girl with a Wineglass anticipates Girl Interrupted In Her Music. The female figure in both looks out at the viewer, the first gleefully but the second demurely. The white jug of wine in The Girl with a Wineglass, typical of the tin-glazed containers then produced in Faenza in Italy, also appears in Sleeping Maid and The Glass of Wine. The stained glass window through which the light pours into the room is the same in The Girl with a Wineglass and Girl Interrupted In Her Music. In Vermeer's work light is always shown coming in from a window on the left of the composition. This is because he ­ and other artists ­ painted with the light coming from the left so that the shadow cast by their hand did not taint the area on which they were working. It created an enclosed world in Vermeer's paintings ­ we can never see what is outside the window. The second man in the background of The Girl with a Wineglass is perhaps a jilted lover. Or has he simply over-indulged, like the Sleeping Maid might have? As well as wine there is some tobacco next to him on the table. There is a painting of Cupid on the wall of Girl Interrupted In Her Music, as in Sleeping Maid, suggesting a close relationship between the two figures. V E R M E E R 129 FINE Art & WINE

whaT are They Drinking ? Wine in Vermeer's paintings is always white. In the seventeenth century the Dutch taste was for sweet white wine. Indeed, so strong was Dutch buying power in France that red grapes were grubbed up and replaced by white in areas such as Sauternes, Bergerac and Anjou. Just as they liked their white wines as sweet as honey, the Dutch liked their red wines as dark as midnight. They were not interested in claret as the English were. But Cahors, the "black wine", was ideal for Dutch palates. Not only French wine was imported into Holland. Rhine wine was convenient for Dutch merchants because Rotterdam, only 10 km southeast of Delft, lies at the mouth of that river. But the Thirty Years War (1618­ 1648) devastated the Rhineland and little wine was made or exported from here during Vermeer's lifetime. Spanish wine was also drunk in Holland. For more than a century Holland was an outpost of the Spanish empire. But at the conclusion of the Eighty Years War in 1648 Spain was forced to accept Dutch independence. Even during the war Spanish wine was sent to Holland. Greek wine was shipped with tulips from Turkey and Cretan Malmsey was bought from the Portuguese, who had already discovered that strong wine benefited from sea travel. The Dutch pioneered the use of sulphur to stabilise (sweet) wines in transit. The Procuress (De koppelaarster, oil on canvas, 143 x 130 cm, signed and dated on the lower right as "J.V. MEER 1656"); Sleeping Maid (Slapend meisje, oil on canvas, 143 x 130 cm, unsigned, c.1657); Officer and Laughing Girl (De Soldaat en het Lachende Meisje, oil on canvas, 50.5 x 46 cm, unsigned, c.1658­1660); Girl Interrupted in Her Music (Onderbreking van de muziek, oil on canvas, 39.3 x 44.4 cm, unsigned, c.1658­ 1661); The Girl with a Wineglass (Dame en twee heren, oil on canvas, 78 x 67 cm, signed by the wall by the window "I V MEER", c.1659­1660,); The Glass of Wine (Het glas wijn, oil on canvas, 65 x 77 cm, unsigned, c.1661). brighT young ThingS Like an extended and close-knit family, there are links and similitudes among Vermeer's 36 paintings. His use of wine as a symbolic and compositional device to suggest temperance or self-indulgence, piety or seduction, joy or despair, is as subtle and effortless as his use of colour and reinforces his reputation as one of the great artists of the seventeenth century. > The white jug of wine in T he Girl with a Wineglass, typical of the tin-glazed containers then produced in Faenza in Italy, also appears in Sleeping Maid and T he Glass of Wine. The Girl with a Wineglass 130 F I N E

u n i c o p a r t i c o l a r e r i va - y a c h t. c o m SportRiva 56' 86' Domino a FE R R E TTIG ROUP bra n d

Piaget Manufacture movement 880P Mechanical self-winding chronograph Flyback, dual time 100 meter water resistant Titanium, sapphine case Rubber strap www.piagetpolo.com

134 FINE

Text and photography: Pekka Nuikki It is that time of day, the hour before dusk, when the streets of Calistoga begin once again to fill with people. Not that it is getting significantly cooler in this small Californian town. The road beneath me still smells of freshly fired bricks and the quivering heat makes the vineyards spreading around the town look like ghostly, levitating orchards. Elderly ladies fan themselves on their verandas, while men stand in bar doorways sipping cold beer. I feel their sharp gazes in my back as my 600-horsepower convertible impatiently crawls at a snail's pace towards the town's main street and the spa at the end of it. I park by the hot springs and turn up the AC. According to the car's temperature display, it is over 40 C (104 F) outside, and the air stands as still as my car. I am expecting my wife from the spa and looking forward to our journey home along the winding roads through the vineyards, when I will be able to rev up the W12 engine with twin turbochargers located in my Bentley GTC Speed and feel the sense of freedom endowed by the scent of the surrounding Cabernet vines and the balmy driving breeze. A Bentley waiting in front of a wellness resort is not an uncommon sight in Napa Valley. In fact, who wouldn't want to collapse into the backseat of a Bentley after relaxing thermal treatments, while a chauffeur gently guides you home? The thing is, the Bentley that now stands in front of this resort doesn't even have back doors, nor will my chauffeuring skills apparently be needed, because my wife, fresh from her pampering, gets straight into the driver's seat. The Bentley GTC Speed is an excellent symbol of the changes that Bentley has undergone in the last 15 years; the changes that have led film stars and corporate executives ­ who used to prefer travelling comfortably in the backseat ­ to move voluntarily into the front. B E N T L E Y 135 FINE Lifestyle

Once you sit in the driver's seat of the Bentley GTC Speed, there is no need to show off. "You're driving something that is more luxurious than your living room, but that can challenge any supercar at any time you like. And when the roads are bumpy and wet, who could beat your car's four-wheel drive and amazing traction?" These words come from Bentley board member Dr. Ulrich Eichhorn, and give an indication of the new Bentley philosophy, whose latest embodiment is the Bentley GTC Speed. The Bentley Continental GTC Speed is the newest addition to a family that previously comprised the coupé GT, the four-door Flying Spur and the convertible GTC. The basic model delivers 552 horsepower. This enormous performance is produced by a W12 engine created out of the marriage of two narrow-angled V6 engines. By staggering the cylinders more closely than is usual, Bentley has formulated a more compact engine that can fit under the GTC's hood. Two Borg Warner turbochargers provide this engine, which can also be found in the VW Phaeton catalogue, with its own natural character that is worthy of any supercar. In the new Continental GTC Speed, Bentley's twin-turbocharged W12 now develops 600 bhp (610 PS) that delivers true 200 mph (322 km/h) performance, with the roof up, and with exhilarating, effortless acceleration. Even with the roof down the GTC Speed can reach 195 mph (312 km/h). The GTC Speed is the most powerful convertible ever manufactured by Bentley, and the fastest four-seat convertible in the world. The `Speed' moniker refers back to the Bentley Speed Six model, presented in the late 1920s as the sportier version of 136 the Bentley 6 1/2 Litre. That car reached historic fame and glory by winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1929 and 1930. Despite their powerful engines, however, today's Speed models are not intended for brutal competition but rather for enjoyment and indulgence. "The GTC Speed offers supercar performance, superb refinement, comfort and unrivalled craftsmanship, all in one car. It perfectly evokes the spirit of the original Bentley Speed model of the 1920s," says Dr. Eichhorn. Speed blindness A light brush on the gas pedal turns the surrounding vineyards into a smooth, billowy sea speeding past. The scent of grapes blends with the burnt smell of the blazing-hot road and with the luxurious smell of the hand-sewn leather interior. Together they form a bouquet reminiscent of the best Napa Valley Cabernet wines; another reason why the GTC Speed is the perfect choice for cruising through a wine district. The GTC has four seats, which in a Bentley means that you will not have to cruise by yourself: there is plenty of room for four average-sized adults. Comfort is enhanced by the rear-axle air spring suspension, which had to be redesigned to make room for the opening roof. According to Bentley Motors' Director of Design, the Belgian-born Dirk van Braeckel: "A Bentley is the perfect longdistance traveller, the ultimate statement of the sporty gentleman's driving machine. A Bentley is a sculpture in automotive terms." FINE

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King at the front, subjects in the back Despite passenger comfort, the driver is the king of the GTC Speed. Although the GTC is large, at nearly five metres long and 2500 kilogrammes, it feels controllable and is easy to manage through narrow suburban streets. Naturally, the knowledge that the GTC will do over 300 km/h, even with the top down, is likely to tempt the driver away from densely populated areas towards straight, wide highways. The car accelerates and gathers speed with a majestic composure. Flooring the accelerator will cause 138 FINE

a clap of thunder, but its soundscape is soft enough not to disturb fellow drivers ­ even though the GTC speeds up quicker than most Ferraris at 0­60 mph in 4.5 seconds. The rear-biased all-wheel drive and adjustable suspension settings allow for more enthusiastic driving than you would ever think possible. The six-gear automatic transmission by ZF does its job smoothly. The transmission can be placed in one of two fully automatic modes (Drive ad Sport) 139 B E N T L E Y FINE Lifestyle

CONTINENTAL GTC SPEED TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS MODEL TYPE Body type: Two-door, 2+2 Grand Tourer convertible Construction: Steel monocoque with aluminium, steel and composite panels and closure Power: GTC Speed 600 bhp / 610 PS / 449 kW 6000 rev/min Torque: GTC Speed 750 Nm / 553 lb ft between 1750 ­ 5600 rev/min Fuel 98 (95) RON ENGINE Type Twin-turbocharged W12 engine Installation: Front, longitudinal Construction: Alloy block and heads Bore/stroke: 84.0 x 90.2 mm Capacity: 6.0-litre, 5998 cc Compression ratio: 9.0:1 Valve: gear Chain-driven DOHC per bank, 4 valves per cylinder, cam phased inlet and outlet PERFORMANCE Top speed (roof up) GTC Speed 200 mph (322 km/h) Top speed (roof down) GTC Speed 195 mph (314 km/h) 0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) GTC Speed 4.5 seconds (4.8 seconds) 0-100 mph (0-160 km/h) 140 FINE

or used as a clutchless manual where the driver can change gears sequentially, via either the gear lever or paddles mounted behind the steering wheel. The steering is light but sensitive. When travelling at normal motorway speeds, with the roof up, you can enjoy the driving experience and the murmur of your passengers' conversation without distraction from the wind. With the roof down at 60 mph, you'll find your hair no more messed up than if the airconditioning were turned to maximum. The GTC Speed naturally comes equipped with the latest safety systems, including the ESP 8.1 electronic stability programme with progressive intervention, the most robust fade-resistant high-power carbon ceramic brakes in any passenger vehicle, and the first-ever intelligent follow-to-stop, radar-based Adaptive Cruise Control system. The advanced continuous all-wheel drive system of the GTC Speed provides better traction in all road conditions. The drive is transferred between the front and rear axles via a highly sensitive centre Torsen differential. If the differential detects a deviation in torque demand between the two axles, it automatically sends more power to the wheels with greater grip. No other car gives this combination of power, refinement and class. As Brian Gush, Director of Chassis and Powertrain Engineering, says: "The new GTC Speed exemplifies our passion for creating cars that deliver exceptional performance and driving enjoyment. It is a driver's car which will redefine people's expectations." The Flying Dutchman Although many have been lured into the driver's seat thanks to the GTC Speed's handling characteristics, the first impression given by the luxurious handcrafted cabin might also be enough to do so. The cabin's tastefulness and elegance, the skilful cutting of the wood and leather surfaces, and the exuberant seats with adjustable thigh extension, multilevel heating and an optional massage function make this the first supercar where I do not feel the urge to immediately turn on the engine's loud bass tones. Instead I turn on the Bentley Naim premium audio system's bass booster, the 1100 Watt amplifier, and let the 14 speakers transport my mind to the stark landscapes of Wagner's Flying Dutchman. Once you sit in the driver's seat of the Bentley GTC Speed, there is no need to show off. The car's external appearance, an attractive blend of modern influences and classic Bentley design cues, speaks for itself. Although the GTC Speed is an ultramodern example of a supercar, it still exudes a certain old-fashioned dignity. Traditional values, timeless design and cutting-edge technology meet in the GTC in a fascinating way. And the GTC Speed fulfils the most important criterion for a supercar: the owner sits in the driver's seat. s rass buy thwa the ce s, y s re Ro ny. ine qui llsbus to ac ompa Ro rs c 31 19 ber Moto apier h the N it y vem No entle pt by ins w t a firs e B attem y rem th he tle an so is t al en It ting .O. B and ed. e nch body, Royc s. W au et is l steel RollskVI sed d s yM dar ntle a pre stan 6 4 Be ure 19 he t rom y T to fea uilt f Ma b y ebe tle sd Ben rst to s it fi ake mph. s. t the onen al m f 120 nt ent p o ale om ntin able c uiv Co q p ype pe ca h no e R-T u it ley ed co tw nt 2 uil 195 he Be -bodi be b s. e T lliner ey to ear y Jun Mu tl 30 eBen ,a for pow r but e last odel d, e m th de unc ylin It is Royce nno six-c issillsis a the m Ro ies f e ans Ser ion o tic tr Royc S s a ley e ver utom olls ent 5 eR a tr 195 The B 4.9-li with ide th s d l g e ri ew Ap y a n quipp e alon d b and e Crew re t rine lt a fou eng is bui ied ed. t . d I -bo unch on. Cloud a ner r ulli ur is l ilve M S p ght ing S i twe l Fly igh a e l inent ost 7 h alm 195 er T ont ed, ob tley C h t Oc unc e Ben is la yc deoor es lls-Ro i d y, in Ser Ro bod -door T ley to the piece two ent 5 e B rance a one kes. A 196 er Th pea res c bra tu ap tob fea d dis . Oc cal in r . It n nti adow ion a s late ide Sh nth ens se o er sp rea Silv nt su s six m inc o to de dt ow ed ine pen n foll eer rema n sio ngi has ver e-e t is r size i e gin - the n 0 8 e litres 197 he V .75 T ce 6 y Roy Jul ity to llsc a Ro d mo cap ay. a nd s a ophe d ie this Ser nd dr T a tley on Ben r salo the -doo 1 82. o oth he. 197 as h B ow tw ornic ew rc C s. H Ma Shad ed die in r nam ntley lve re oed Si . Be ech ent are s W.O e is lopm del t­ itag ve nd gus her w de out a Au ans e ne nd a e M to th de ign. 's L n nsi tley , give r car i n des n 0 io 198 er Be anne igge ens b b ls usp cto e Mu It is a O rs irea nam ies. ont the T Ser a new eC th m he ed of t ts fro am ren hed, efi ben e is aunc l ich orn ht is le. C g l tley ley Ei nt gri 4 en ent h fro 198 he B B es eT the Jun l and by a m d ta nen uishe ting dis B E N T L E Y 141 FINE Lifestyle

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FINE CoNtENts 13 FINEEDITORIAL 14 FINEGALLERY 21 FINENUIKKI 24 FINEESTATE Not For Everyone Valentino Monticello -- Portraits A Well-Known Secret Château Cheval Blanc -- A Thoroughbred of The Wine World 2009 Bordeaux ­ Wine Whispers, Money Talks Berry Bros&Rudd ­ Brothers in Arms Jeff Gargiulo -- From Music to Wine Colliding Culinary Cultures Perfection in Comfort 2009 Bordeaux -- To Buy or Not to Buy Fire and Ice Recent Tastings Château d'Yquem 1921 Delight and Awe Tasting & Art III Finding the Balance The 16 Reincarnations of Barca Velha Uncorked Vermeer and Wine From Backseat to Front: Bentley GTC Speed 42 FINEBORDEAUX 56 FINEMERCHANT 62 FINEPERSONALITY 68 FINEAHM 70 FINELIFESTYLE 80 FINEPAULSON 82 FINEINVESTING 88 FINETASTINGS 98 FINE1000 100 FINE100RIESLINGS 110 FINEART&WINE 116 FINELARSSON 118 FINEHISTORY 124 FINEDEVICE 126 FINEART&WINE 134 FINELIFESTYLE <<< Return to the coverpage