Australia's most infamous wine region: The Riverina

*this post was penned a while ago... getting lost long haul, but now here it is online...

As I sit drinking a glass of Warburn Estate ‘Gossips’ Semillon Sauvignon Blanc on the terrace of my chosen watering hole in Brisbane tonight (it’s not a place known for its wine, particularly – much less, this is they only white wine they list), I am reminded of my well spent past few months working a vintage in one of Australia’s lesser known wine regions. Lesser known, or perhaps simply forgotten; I spent the beginning of this year in the Riverina in New South Wales – an area that has been making wine since the early 1900s. Its capital is Griffith - a country town that lies smack in the middle of the vast Australian countryside, around 6 hours driving inland from both Melbourne and Sydney.  It's small, it's rural. It's a town like no other I’ve experienced yet. It’s a place infamous for its post world-war immigration heritage, when Italians largely from the Veneto region and the very south moved their families over in droves to establish a better life than the ones that they left behind. History hints at the area’s previous reputation for mafioso-style organised drug crime, but today the town’s heritage is more readily evident in the myriad of Italian eateries, cafes, and italocised surnames that abound businesses and schools citywide, not to mention of course, its wineries.

In terms of wine style the area is perhaps characterised primarily for the botyritised desert wines that find this area's climate so friendly, hitting the local headlines at least most recently with reports of ‘Two Italian boys’ – one of the local producers, winning bronze at the Rutherglen Wine show last year for their 'the sticky italian', a botrytis semillon, and a notable 90 points out of 100 in the Sydney Morning Herald's Cellar Talk, edited by Aussie wine critic Huon Hook. Other notable local styles come in the form of Semillon Sauvignon Blanc a la the glass I have in front of me tonight, juicy and sweet still Moscato, sun-drenched Durif and Shiraz, and a local smattering of Petit Verdot. The soils in the immediate vicinity are clay loam but sandy soils found further out allow for this broad range of varietals to be grown, and the overall general fertility of the area means there's a veritable fruit bowl of produce to be found: rows and rows of citrus fruit trees planted in neat uniform rows grow up next to bright green rice fields, cherry farms, pumpkins, broccoli plants and walnut trees.

One of the oldest wine producers in the Griffith area is McWilliams. Sam McWilliams brought his vines to Griffith in an Ox cart, so the story goes, and along with their other smaller sites throughout the rest of Australia they remain as the most 'recognised and awarded winery in the history of Australian winemaking'. Their main premises are now based in Hanwood, a tree-lined 5km drive from Griffith, having scaled down from three wineries in total some years ago. One of these sites was sold to the largely infamous Casella family whose own Italian roots lie in Sicily; infamous because Casella Wines runs the gargantuan Yenda operation founded in 1969 that is responsible for producing an estimated 1.2 million litres of wine a year under their unmistakable Yellow Tail brand, known the world over, particularly in the United States, and equally as prominent on the shelves back at home in the UK. "Almost 10% of Australia's total grape crush in 2011 was by Casella Wines" with the export market making up around 95% of overall sales. It’s big, it’s commercial. It’s the Riverina.

There are some smaller, slightly more boutiquey operations that exist alongside these such giants. I came across Yarran Wines, probably my favourite producer of the region, late in the afternoon on Easter Day just as festivities were beginning to wind down. Live music played out on the verandah to a small but select crowd of those in the know to a magnificent backdrop of vines and dark hills, set against a vast open Australian sky. It is by far the most picturesque of all the wineries I visited here so it is no surprise to discover that the venue is available for weddings amongst other functions. As for the wines, the range is impressive given the size of the operation, owned and run by 'crazy' Sam Brewer, one time wine-maker for nearby sizable De Bortoli who since went back to the family business of grape growing and then into wine production again. My favourite from the range was probably the Leopardo Shiraz, and nothing beats a glass of their soft appley fizz when watching the sun begin to dip behind the hills in the distance. You can find them at Myall Park Road, Yenda, NSW, 2681, Australia.

De Bortoli where I was working, is another of the large operations here, with their Bilbul winery being dubbed ‘the mothership’ the place where De Bortoli wine production originated. These days they also operate another perfectly idyllic winery set in the heart of the Yarra Valley where Leanne, winemaker husband Steve Webber and their two girls are based. Most of the production from Griffith feeds the domestic market through the sale of cask wines, but they also have their own superstars – the sweet, sticky world-renowned Noble One is probably the most easily identifiable (heaven in a glass, even when its from 1984). Red wine-makers take pride in their Petit Verdots and Durifs, and the whites generally show off a very palatable fresh, Loire-style, widely spotted on table tops on many a sunny evening (in the Riverina this means almost every day). History-infused, the sparkling range produced here, Emeri, is named after the current generation in charge’s grandmother, whose family house still sits on site.

Westend Estate, Warburn Estate and Beelgara are other operations with distinct Italian roots. Beelgara is based just outside of Griffith in Beelbangera, and was recognised by Australia's version of Jancis Robinson, James Halliday, as a five star winery in 2012. The majority of these wineries are prominent features at Griffith's annual La Festa, a celebration that takes place each Easter weekend in town where the local wineries show off their stuff.

Griffith: it's a town and area as infamous as it is interesting. It's worth a stop-off even if just to allow your jaw to drop at the make up of it all. And now hopefully somewhere more recognisable when it comes to reading wine labels.

Breakfast: Griffith, Australia

If things have been a bit quiet of late, it's because since the end of January I've been living in Griffith, Australia, an off the beaten track part of this vast country, working as a cellar hand for De Bortoli wines on their Bilbul estate and winery. It's been a great experience to date, from confined spaces training, starting off in the cellar itself and then moving into the lab on night shifts.

I've never worked a night shift at home before but here in some ways they've become my new best friends. It's been hot here (temperatures have topped 40 degrees at times), so during the day I've been sleeping less but waking up more gently and have enjoyed being able to potter around for a few hours before work. I'll often spend this time going for a swim or a milkshake, then being the night owl that I am, I'll come alive under the stars. Here we finish at 6:30am, just as sun rises, and on occasion I've made it out for breakfast before going home to bed: the most indulgent of all meals to have out in the sunshine.

Here's a round up of places I've been and where to go, should you ever be nearby:

Dolce Dolce: 

The first of my many discoveries here in town. Dolce dolce sits at the top of Banna Avenue next to a plaque on the wall that names the neighbouring Art Deco inspired La Battaglia salon as one of the places in Griffith with marked Italian heritage. Open for breakfast and lunch, it exudes a stylish European twist; French jazz and spoken Italian that emanates from the kitchen floats past brunchers who sit relaxed both outside and in. Pancakes here with ricotta and honey come well recommend. Pink Ca del Bosco (sparkling) Franciacorta sits in the same display case as the home made puddings, whilst the rest of the wine list commands more choices from Italy, a nice change from the predominantly Australian selection elsewhere.

Coffee: bittersweet and creamy. Goes well with the Sunday papers.

Why I love it: it's as close to French or Italian bohemia as you'll get in this small town. It's just a shame it's rarely open when I'm awake (8am-3pm).

Cafe Deli: 

My second love. This place had me exceptionally excited with its wide range of ingredients that stuff its foccacias, wraps and sandwiches. They use Turkish bread and make fresh juices including those made from lemongrass which sits straight and green in its growbox on top of the counter. Breakfasts include Eggs Benedict, mushrooms on eggy bread and French toast with honey and berries. Very sweet and satisfying. We had to wait some time for our order to come despite others' food arriving quicker around us. And on previous occasions I've found the bread a little stale.

Why I love it: A good range of sandwich fillings and table space outside to watch the world go by with a coffee makes this place one to stop at.

Miei Amici:

Owned and run by a friendly couple with distinct Italian heritage 'Miei amici' which translates to mean 'my friends' is another cafe that opens bright and early at 7am, catching the nightshifters just as they leave work. It also closes just after 3. Salivate over the pancake stacks, cooked breakfasts, and muffins in the display case beneath the till that will wink at you when you pay up. In a nod to the buffet manager on my train journey to get here I've had the 'raisin toast delight' served with ricotta, honey and banana - it came decorated with a reminder of summer - two split strawberries.

Why I love it: it's clearly a local favourite, proved by the stream of regulars who stop by on their way to work for their takeaway coffee, but also popular with visitors - myself included. Recently employed waiter Michele is from Italy, practising his English as he goes, and the owner tells us that he likes chatting to passing visitors - he and his parter take a month off each year to travel the world. Brilliant.

O'Donnells: 

The latest find on my list. This place hosts a cycling club in the early mornings who sit lycra-clad on their usual long table drinking white mugs of coffee. On the other side of the cafe, whose dark windows make it a little hard to know if it is open from the outside sometimes, lies boxes that labelled 'O'donnells organic garlic', shelves containing their own organic jam and orange juice, and leaflets advertising BONAH - 'beaut organic nice and healthy' a range of organic meat packs available to order. There's a desert case that houses lemon coloured 'melting moments', gluten free brownies. On top of it lies packets of organic seeds - 'grow your own'. Blackboards displayed around the place are scribbled with sweet things, daily specials (baked eggs with capsicum and chorizo, or salmon frittata with wasabi mayo) and wine. The enormous servings of white chocolate and raspberry waffles served with maple syrup and white vanilla ice cream are delicious. Wash them down with a crisp, apple zesty bottle of McWilliams Brut Reserve for $24.50. 

Why I love it: Origina, organic and licensed at 7am. I'll be back...

Bertoldo's gelateria/caffetino:

A Banna Avenue institution. Here they do cakes, cookies, ice cream and savoury baked goods. If I come in I always stroll over to the counter to look at the brownies, or the sugar meringue mice before ordering a coffee. The milkshakes here aren't as good as at La Tavola, but the coffee is reasonable. Make your way through the plastic curtains for ice cream. A blessing on a hot day.

La Tavola:

'Now doing breakfast' a recently displayed sign reads 'from 9am to 11am Sunday: 'the early bird catches the worm.'

Why I love it: La Tavola does the best milkshakes in town. They're not flashy in their flavours but they come in sleek metal containers as only milkshakes should and cool both your body and your mind to a slow stop in minutes. They're also only a bargainous $3.50

Il Corso:

Good coffee, friendly service. Lovely spot on the main street. Always busy, but not too busy..

Staying in a sunshine state of mind: The San Francisco Mandarin Oriental

We arrived at the Mandarin Oriental in a taxi. One of those iconic yellow ones that you can’t help but naturally associate with the United States – a patchwork of vast landscapes, cities replete with towering skyscrapers, yellow school buses, softball and baseball, and super-size me meals. For us upon arrival, baseball would have more of a bearing on our trip than first imagined - until that point, it had become a forgotten entity. As we hailed a cab from the airport the traffic on the freeway was almost at a stand still. We asked our driver why. “Something to do with the stadium” she replied, with nonchalance, as she surveyed the second of her two mobile phones, picking it up and then talking with the same tone of indifference in some strange language that fell silent on our deaf ears. This stadium event we later realised when we strolled about the centre of this meaty metropolis, was Game 2 of the World Series - a craze that sweeps most US cities in a tidal wave of different team colours each October. At a non-descript diner later that evening (jetlag was a good excuse: we had to do it once), instead of all eyes being glued to the mammoth sized sandwiches that fought their way to the orange booths like ours, the rest of the customers sat with heads fixed, staring up at the TV screens that re-capped the highlights of the game that from earlier: the black and orange Giants had beaten the Detroit Tigers 2-0.  Two days and two games later they would win the whole tournament. Their seventh title yet.

They say every city is the same, every hotel room no less different. Yet this city – the one ‘by the bay’, the saintly San Francisco, goes somewhere further against the grain. For me, it is a city reminiscent of Buenos Aires – a curious observation since when I was in Buenos Aires, people told me it reminded them of San Francisco. I rest my case. But like the city down south, this is an urban space that oozes with an underlying bohemian soul, a personality that underneath the glass fronted towers that curve up into the heavens, offers an injection of sunshine and happiness into metropolitan life. For us, this image of the city was greatly enhanced by our second welcome of the trip, by two red-coated doormen of the hotel who unburdened our sight-seeing, cable-car hopping, weary bodies, ensconcing us into this particular luxurious institution, admired the world over for its style and reputation. The building itself, in the superbly positioned crux of the Financial District, could be forgiven for classing itself as just that and nothing else. Yet when you reach the top 11 floors and delve into the bedrooms, you’ll soon realise there’s a whole lot more to be said. And unlike at the office, you’ll want to stay here until well past hometime. Dual aspect windows greet you as you walk through sleek, seemingly very private, doors for views of the city and that infamous bay that you’ll struggle to peel your face back off the glass from – those that suffer from vertigo are ill-advised to stay here, unless you simply want to concentrate on what’s inside. Bathrooms are a marvel of marble and come complete with heady Mandarin Oriental Moulton Brown toiletries, big fluffy robes and super powerful showers. General Manager Clifford Atkinson leaves his mark on your stay with a plateful of moreish biscuits left underneath the large plasma screen that plays TopGear amongst other internationally acclaimed programmes. And you’ll find a mini-bar with clever things like a USB stick too, for business folk and photo-full memories alike.

In the bar that night we deliberate over choosing an iconic Californian wine from the selection detailed on the scattered accompanying iPads – there is an affordable and also exciting range on offer; or whether to succumb to ‘the biggest gin selection in San Francisco’. The gin wins. We receive our cocktails well mixed by the friendly barman, in the company of a couple of other stylish but no less amiable bar-attendees. We head out later for dinner at one of the city’s fine culinary establishments, and wrench ourselves from our vast and ridiculously comfortable beds the next morning for a stroll to the ferry terminal to brunch under the palm trees. Opening a copy of the San Francisco chronicle, we read a travel piece on a summer vacation to England ‘don’t bring summer clothes’ it advises, with an accompanying picture of wet weather walkers on the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. I stare through my sunglasses at what was a (now empty) plate of pancakes and sweet bacon. A wry smile creeps over my face. They might be beautiful dales, and the drizzle may be something of a novelty, but given half the chance, I sure know where I’d rather be.  
GO GIANTS! 

222 Sansome St  San Francisco, CA 94104

(415) 276-9888

Rolling with the Swiss: Badrutt's Palace

At approximately 11am, a white silence steals our breath away as we step almost seamlessly from the plane door on to a train that would carry our winter-coated crocodile through a snow-clad Switzerland. A blanket of thick powder covers everything in sight, wet snowflakes gently splattering against the wide windows on the exterior of our red metal cocoon – a swissrail first class carriage.  Outside, monochrome sugar dusted evergreens and an eerie low-lying mist steer our eyes and imaginations further into this enchanting landscape, to our destination: to St Moritz.

 

Once feet crunch again on hardened ground we are met by a vintage Rolls Royce Phantom, one that bears the symbol of a triangular shaped golden palace on its derrière. Moments later there we arrive: Badrutts Palace - a luxurious, five star hotel that beams with a decorative richness and a tangible sense of elite history. In 1896 Hans Badrutt, son of hotel pioneer Caspar Badrutt opened what still stands as the modern day Palace. It is a haven of contemporary tradition, awarded with countless accolades not simply for its indelible reputation as one of Switzerland’s top hotels, but also for the guests it has hosted, past and present. We arrive days after the building opens again for a new winter season. A vast Christmas tree sits outside, towering up to the sky, grazing the highest levels of the hotel’s pointed towers, glistening with red and golden baubles that likely match the coloured jewels of its equally ornate visitors.  Warm smiles, classically uniformed doormen and personal butlers greet us at the door. Check in occurs in one of the 37 private suites, and we are reminded instantly of lives that might have been otherwise lived in one of the hilltop castles that we passed by on our train minutes earlier. From Zurich you’ll reach St Moritz in under 4 hours, from Milan it’s around the same. Of course, on board some guests’ choice of private jet, it becomes decidedly quicker.

After a morning’s skiing, at lunchtime we discover the (arguably premier) reason for a winter love affair here: the food. I’ve always liked to imagine that car numberplates in Switzerland bear the letters ‘CH’ to stand for cheese or maybe chocolate (it’s true that on our Swiss flight over here, we experienced the beginnings of death by decadent chocolate over a mere croissant for breakfast), yet the cuisine offered to those who can afford to flock here will dazzle palates with more than just a heady injection of lactose. Here you’ll dine as kings. From a truffle and caviar specific menu at La Marmite, we sample tuna and veal tartar, followed by red deer meat with polenta and pesto, whipping up a frenzy of thought on regional food and drink (Swiss wine, for instance, seems to be causing a stir on the west coast of the US at the moment). This place is run by the son of owner and local man Reto Mathis, responsible for originally dreaming up the idea of the St Moritz gourmet festival, one that attracts Michelin starred chefs from around the world, and which in 2013 will celebrate its 20^th year. The quality of the food in his restaurant is echoed back at The Palace later that evening where we begin the après ski in Le Grand Hall with a St Moritzino signature cocktail, made of vodka, almond syrup, lemon juice and cointreau. This evening we are participants at the chef’s table; witnesses to gastronomic creativity under our watchful eyes and eagerly twitching noses. It is a special moment for all involved. Later, head pastry chef Stefan leads us into a low-lit assault on the sweeter senses in a different prep room. Accompanied by up-beat music we sample countless hedonistic puddings and deserts. Our evening finishes at the King’s Club, a St Moritz institution, and possibly one of the most eligible dance floors in Europe. Tonight the hotel’s dancers are dressed in high-vis, such is the 80’s fluoro party theme. We stand and watch them sashay in and out of the crowd like the shadowy luminescent trails of a glowstick.

Indulged senses continue on visits to The Palace with welcome moments of stopped-time spent in the spa and wellness centre - an alpine styled space, created from local granite and wood, stripped bare to work in harmony with the overall Ayurvedic theme. Popular treatments include skin food rituals, hot stone massages and intracuetical oxygen facials, as made famous by the likes of Madonna, and the rest of Hollywood since. Couples can enjoy their own private therapy rooms, before joining the rest of the spa-goers upstairs at the rest of the well laid-out wellness stations (clothing, as the sign notes, is optional). Later, we peruse the shops that line the streets. Emilio Pucci, Tom Ford and the well-dressed windows of Moncler invade our peripheral vision, places that could prompt more melting of plastic than any cheese and champagne infused fondue gone awry. That evening we dine at Chesa Veglia – one of the oldest farmhouses in St Mortiz, and The Palace’s more informal restaurant, for more people watching yet.

Stays at Badrutt’s Palace reek of gastronomic enjoyment and refined indulgence yet achieve this without perhaps the oft’ expected sense of OTT exclusivity. It is a fairytale destination that inadvertently bulges at the seams with years of stories: “I’ve got a picture of my mother in a long black skirt on skis in St. Moritz” so says my 90yr old grandmother upon my return. “She used to talk on tape back in Tasmania about her travels.” Our own travel tales here are enriched by the charming hotel staff, and our native Australian ski instructor John Webster, who after 25 well-spent years of living here, has his own share of experiences to be told; some that we hear, some that we can only begin to imagine. On our reverse train journey that will eventually lead us home we return charmed and invigorated, ready to carve out new stories of our own; ones that we can only hope will prove as rich as those we’ve been a happy part of here.

Rooms and suites (in various different categories) range from CHF 490 – CHF 20,230 per night.

Spa treatments start from CHF 120

Seasonal opening dates:

Winter season 1^st December 2012-1^st April 2013 (closure 2^nd April 2013)

Summer season 21^st June 2013 until 8^th September 2013 (closure 9^th September 2013)

Fly with Swiss air from London to Zurich from £120 return

www.badruttspalace.com www.swissair.com

Be my Champagne Valentine

St Valentine’s day needs nothing more than a bottle of the pretty Femme de Champagne Millesime 2000 from Duval-Leroy that gives you ladylike vanilla bursts of freshness and a very elegant bubble. This particular version comes in pretty little half bottles, available from Mayfair’s excellent Hedonism wines – so if you don’t pick up your future betrothed amidst the rest of the selection, you can be sure to enjoy the perfect date for one. 95% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Noir. It's not only hearts that will flutter.

Originally published on luxurialifestyle.com

Turkish Delight: The Istanbul Edition

“We only play to a minimum of 80,000 people” says the Turkish rock star with an ironic glint in his eye as he builds a pyramid out of macadamia nuts on the table that sits between us. We’re dining at a place called Nam Nam at the super sleek Kanyon mall, located in Levent, on the upper east side (if you can call it so) of Istanbul. Here is where stylish locals flock to of an evening to dine, to shop and to go to the cinema. Remarkably, the space here is home to a good few anglo-brands too (think Aga, Jo Malone, Harvey Nicols and Carluccios as just a few examples – something that I can’t help but think has been helped by James Bond’s recent escapades through the city). This set up is not perhaps the first image that might grab you when you think of this far flung city of exotica, one that for many might conjure images more akin to northern Africa “Is it like Marrakech?” The blinkered view of this city is its historic centre where the Blue Mosque and the Haghia Sophia reside - the only things on some people’s lists to see when they visit. Downtown, there they sit, timeless under glowing skies, looking ever dazzling and enchanting as those that built them intended. Coupled with Topkapi palace and the array of other heritage-infused monuments that on a par with Rome grab you at every corner, you can’t help but wow over such beacons of this city’s beautiful and fascinating past.

Yet, Istanbul is a city of 17 million people: it covers an area of over 2,000 square miles. It is enormous. Much larger than most first appreciate, much more dynamic and cosmopolitan than the historic centre hints at, with much much more to explore. Cliché though it may be, this truly is a metropolis where east meets west: just wander up Istikal Caddesi and you’ll find Topshop nestled in alongside quainter Turkish stores, bordering on to streets lined with bars in the Pera (where the city’s nightlife reigns), and restaurants that offer traditional fare sitting opposite those with an often excellent international twist (tapas, pizza… or kebab meat nachos anyone?). Back at the mall, we are in an area that that epitomises modern Istanbul, off a main highway that most of the Istanbullular drive along to get to their daily destinations. This area is the business and leisure district, and it is a stone’s throw from where I am staying: The Istanbul Edition – the first of the new exclusive portfolio – muscling in ahead of the one in New York, Miami Beach, Bangkok and London (the latter is set to open in January 2013). The Edition’s exterior, previously an HSBC bank, to some extent still looks just like any other business tower, overlooking Metrocity, another shopping mall, and the rest of the city – minaret silhouettes grazing the horizon at every angle. Inside, however, the feeling is quite different. The hotel has been open officially since May 2011, collaboratively owned by business entrepreneur Ian Schrager and Marriott.  It boasts Cipriani’s restaurant - the only one in the world to do breakfast – and what a breakfast it is. Beautifully presented fruits, pastries, the ‘haut’ of select Turkish cuisine, and its signature sophisticated service and design. Breakfast is a definite Istanbul ‘thing’. The next day we take it with the Turkish rock star at an upmarket café along the Bosphorous – one that offers us so much mouth-watering Izmiri food that we barely make it on to the plane later. It has an easy-going, lazy Sunday vibe to it, synonymous with the feeling of the area at large - Bebek. But even at the Edition, whilst there is a supremely polished sheen to its presentation, underneath there is a warm friendliness that is mirrored citywide in almost everyone else we meet.

Breakfast in Bebek

One of the main draws of the hotel is the ESPA – despite the luxurious, cutting edge bedrooms, filled with real attention to detail items like your own personal umbrella, an enormous rotating plasma screen, iPod docking station, and personal terrace (if you’re extra special), the spa is really what makes your stay worth the money. Arranged over an entire three levels of the hotel, starting with floor -5, here you can luxuriate under the warm wooden hues, ones so delightfully indulgent they’ve recently been used as the backdrop for a chocolate commercial on TV. Couples can enjoy the twin treatment suite, and choose from a wide range of relaxing therapies. Try the hammam – traditional in every way except for the colour, also in rich brown instead of the more usual white, or book in for a speciality massage – the aroma infused Swedish ones come particularly well recommended. Dip your toes into the vitality pool before trying out the sauna, steam room, sensual shower, and the pièce de resistance – the snow cabin. Yes. Really. Real snow. Real icicles. Real chills. Where else in any other urban environment can you frolic around in the snow in just your bikini whilst getting a real health kick? It simply has to be seen to be believed.

When there are new hotels opening in Istanbul all the time (a minimum of 20 this year alone), it can be a mind-boggling experience choosing the right one. On brand, on style, on luxe this one this one makes for a glamorous, yet chicly understated stay. One that’s fit for Turkish rock stars.  And his two newest groupies.

The Istanbul EDITION

Buyukdere Caddesi No 136 Levent

Istanbul, Turkey 34330

Phone 90-212-317-7700 Fax 90-212-317-7710

Email ieinfo@editionhotels.com

www.editionhotels.com

as originally published on The Arbuturian

Turkey Wine

 

It’s the last day of Christmas, but this isn’t a recycled post on what to drink with your leftovers, this is a post on a lesson in Turkish Wine. Last November I attended the EWBC, or as its now known, the Digital Wine Communications Conference, held in 2012 in Turkey’s coastal second city of Izmir. It was an eye opener to what this country can and has the potential to offer when it comes to the world of wine, and provided insight into where current production has progressed from in only a matter of years. 

Prior to this relatively new interest for producing wine here (although still only a tiny 3% of grapes grown are used for such), it is interesting to note that Turkey is in fact the birthplace of modern wine grapes as we know them – evidence of wine here dates as far back as 5,000 years. I learnt this at one of the most attention-grabbing sessions of the conference, in a talk given on ‘The Source of Wine’ by Dr Jose Vouillamoz, co-author of Wine Grapes (along with Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding), and DNA and archaeological analyst. I first met Jose, a gentle and unassuming man from Switzerland, as a few of us congregated over lunch one day. Little did I realise that he would be changing our entire perceptions of the country we were now in and its place on the world map of wine, just a few minutes later.

Throughout the conference, and indeed afterwards, it was a pleasant surprise to find that, for the most part, the quality of the wine in Turkey exceeded expectations.

 

The regions, based on agricultural regions are dotted country wide, but the majority are found in the west, in the Marmara, Aegean and the Mediterranean. The rest spread out over Anatolia (from the middle of Turkey, moving east). Although European blends here are proving increasingly popular, it is the indigenous varieties that I find more interesting. The grapes are mostly listed on the front of the bottles for ease of read amongst the Turkish and include, but are not limited to, the following:

Emir – (white), known for being a good grape to use for use in sparkling wines and native to Cappadocia. Apples and citrus fruits are the most obvious of its aromas, and of the still wines I tried, this followed through on the palate with a crisp, minerally acidity. As for sparkling wines, the Kavaklidere Brut tasted on a post-trip here was fresh and pleasant, but the mousse needs some work – it falls flat quite quickly.

Narince – my personal favourite of the whites that I likened to our own native bacchus, with a flinty, grapefruit tasting acidity. It provides a wine with more body than an Emir on its own, but is still relatively light - in Turkish it means ‘delicate’, and it comes from Mid-southern Anatolia (also known as Tokat). During the grand terroir tasting we also tried an excellent Narince Chardonnay blend (Kavaklidere, Cotes d’Avanos, Narince Chardonnay 2011, [67% and 33% respectively]).

Bornova Misket – tried most memorably on the terrace of the Urlice winery near to Izmir. Similar characteristics to those of the more well-known Muscat. Melon, honeysuckle, orange blossom, and a beautiful acidity. For us, at Urlice, it was served as a welcome aperitif, in accompaniment to some tasty Turkish cheese, and their own natural version of cheese-strings.

Kalecik Karasi – a red grape that finds itself grown all over Turkey’s wine regions, but predominantly in the region of Ankara – that experiences very hot summers and very cold winters. It means ‘black from the small castle’. In general the grape is described as medium bodied, low in tannins and with “boiled candy aromas on the nose”. I tried a bottle of this from Vinkara both at the conference, and then again in Istanbul at Sensus Wine bar – I‘ve noted it as herbaceous and minerally with sour red cherries on the nose and pimiento peppers on the palate. It was easy drinking, and mighty tasty.

Öküzgözü – hard to pronounce, but once you’ve mastered it, you won’t forget it. When we visited the Kavaklidere winery in Cappadocia we tried Öküzgözü grapes fresh from the vines and they were some of the sweetest and juiciest I’ve ever had. Huge bluey-black balls (Öküzgözü means bull’s eye) with thick skins and large bitter pips: the “platonic grape” as someone in our group described them at the time. These grapes make wines that are redolent of sour cherries, raspberries, eucalyptus and mint (these two in particular often came through very well), ripe plums and a little spice. They age well due to their acidity, and often go into wines that are also blended with Bogazkere (another indigenous red grape – this one means throat burner).

*notes helped in conjunction with the conference’s handy Wines of Turkey guide.

Condesa - Latin tapas and Mexican wine in Covent Garden

Leaping on to the tapas flushed scene on Covent Garden’s Maiden Lane, recently opened Condesa brings a Mexican twist to all those Spanish themed places we’ve also seen of late. Here, alongside South American roasted coffee, Venezuelan hot chocolate and cake (where you’ll find free wifi too for long afternoons spent ‘working’) you can also tuck into a simple variety of soups and bocadillos. The décor is predictably laid back, with projected images of beach-baked Baja California at one end of the bar, and a stylish wooden-come-shiny metal decked apartment theme throughout. During the daytime and evening the petite space (with capacity for around 30 people, seated) serves up a variety of hot and cold bites. 

Dueño Daniel Caballero, originally from Mexico, has managed to stay away from the hotter climes since, mainly though his gastronomic adventures through France and Spain, meeting aptly named business partner Rafael Serrano en route. What I’m most keen about in this place is that is that next to a couple of other Hispanic choices, it has three reasonably priced La Cetto Mexican wines on the menu – including a Chenin Blanc, a Zinfandel, and a Nebbiolo – all showing very well. The zinfandel is fresh and comparable to something from Sonoma, redolent of squashed strawberries and ripe fruit, and the Nebbiolo, a lighter, more floral version of the beloved bottles I used to know in Italy, but still with prominent violet characteristics. 

Food-wise you’ll find classic lomos, choizos and cheeses, an interesting Cecina de Leon (12month old cured beef, akin to Italy’s bresaola), and Mexican ingredients such as agave syrup that comes drizzled on the blue cheese salad, green tomato salsa served on the pulled pork sliders, and a weekly changing ceviche. Changing specials include Mole chicken tostadas – not quite what you’d imagine if you haven’t been to Mexico before. The good news is that you don’t have to order food here with drinks just yet, so it’s an easy early pit-stop or place to nibble prior to more substantial meals elsewhere.

15 Maiden Lane, London, WC2E 7NG, Tel: 0203 6015752

Christmas drinks

Festive season is (already well) upon us. Fairly lights are reigning, and somewhat strangely, Marmite is filling us with savoury cheer over Oxford street this year. Here’s a round up of what I’m choosing to sensibly enjoy this December…

Aperitif: 

On a recent trip to Badrutt’s Palace, bartenders served us up a St. Moritzino – a heady cocktail of vodka, almond syrup, lemon juice and cointreau, served in a Martini glass. If sugared almond croissants were made into a drink, this would be it.

Champagne:

Billecart Salmon Extra Brut NV – with all the extra calories this month this zero dosage champagne is the perfect contender for charged glasses all over the capital and in cosy country houses over Christmas day itself. It's said to contain a mere 60 calories per glass but doesn't let you down on body - you’ll still get 4 years of ageing that supplies a delicious creaminess in addition to its initial freshness. Its mousse is vibrant, and it speaks in tongues of elegance from bottle top to the bottom of your glass. You can find it on the high street at Oddbins and from Berry Brothers at around £40-45.

Great Taste at The Cadogan

Summer 2012 saw a season of national celebration and well-deserved awards. Most of these of course were of a sporting nature, but elsewhere in our beloved capital a different sort of award has been being recognised. The Great Taste Awards – otherwise known as the ‘Oscars’ of the food world or the ‘epicurean equivalent of the Booker prize’ are organised by the Guild of Fine food. This year, in further delicious praise of them, The Cagodan hotel and restaurant has launched Great Taste - a series of lunch and evening menus inspired by the champion foodstuffs that come from the best ingredients grown and produced countrywide. And in a setting synonymous with British style and traditional elegance there can be no better place to serve them.

With over 8,800 contenders for this year’s competition, a panel of chefs, deli owners, food writers and professionals blindly whittled this list down to find the final gold star winners from all the various products entered. 123 made it to the prestigious three-star gold medals, and of those 123, a substantial amount have made it on to The Cadogan’s menus, rustled up by head chef Oliver Lesnik, previously of Petrus and Gordon Ramsay fame. Throughout 2012 and 2013, the menu will change every 6-8 weeks, working in partnership with other notable critics and prominent foodies, offering the best of what is currently in season.

The Cagodan sits proudly on London’s Sloane Street, nestled between fashion designer boutiques and red brick Victorian architecture for which the area is well recognised. Inside its pretty main doorway is the bar – redolent with comfortable tartan sofas and a classic drawing room style ambience. Quiet and relaxed, here you can enjoy drinks from the bar before making your way through to the restaurant, at the back of the hotel. Here, the first thing that will catch your eye as you wander through the doorway is the podium arranged to one side showcasing the prize selection of products that feature on the menu du jour. The second clue of the evening as to the provenance of the ingredients used comes from the bottle of Mackintosh of Glendaveny extra virgin cold pressed rapeseed oil – light and nutty - placed on one side of your table. If you can draw your attention away from the food then you’ll notice beautiful red roses adorn the otherwise elegant décor: plush gold trimmed, royal purple upholstered seats set against crisp white tablecloths are overlooked by dazzling chandeliers, creating an atmosphere that is refined, and quintessential.

Starters tried and tested, depending on season can include Cured mackerel, goat’s cheese and courgette flower, warm dressed crab and English asparagus. I chose the Steak Tartare with poached pheasant egg, sauce gribiche and crumbs in wagyu beef dripping; a heady reminder of the ‘carne crudo’ that I’d often order at this time of year when I lived in Italy. It was here that I first came across the Taste concept – visiting the ‘Salone del gusto’ show in Turin - Italy’s stunning, mountain shrouded, industrial capital. Here, mirroring our own British incarnations of the show, people will flock for miles around to try out the very best foods from all over the peninsula and the cream of the global crop from elsewhere.

Main courses from the menu at The Cadogan offer hearty meat-rich courses, and fish dishes, laced with further award-winning Taste ingredients. In a nod to my Italian memories, the Rabbit Ravioli comes highly recommended – accompanied by braised lettuce, smoked pork belly, scallions and St George mushrooms. Puddings on the Great Taste menu are yet another assault on the senses - indulgent and beautifully presented.

When I dined here I was with a very good, recently-engaged friend. This set the tone wonderfully. With the overriding sense of celebration that resonates in abundance, the restaurant’s current concept makes for an ideal setting to not only enjoy the producers memorable moments, but to also mark your own. 

Desert Island drinks: Henriques & Henriques Madeira

A couple of weeks ago I attended a lunch with Humberto Jardim from Henriques and Henriques, one of Madeira’s lesser known premium Madeira houses (next to the likes of Blandy’s or Symington’s perhaps). I was pleased to be joining as a happy reminder of an enjoyable few days spent on the island this time last year: it rests in my mind as a lush and pleasant exotica.

Maderia, as I discovered then, is sometimes better known for growing and exporting bananas rather than grapes – but yet a cool 3.01 million litres of Madeiran wine were produced last year (in 2010 it was 3.08 million litres). The wines that are made here come from five main grape varieties: Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malvasia (often referred to as malmsey, a varietal expression of Malvasia) and Tinta Negra. "Madeira is the art of blending" says Humberto, purveyor of 16 Maderia wines made in five different intensities. The base of this blend is usually Tinta Negra – a curious, oft-dismissed indigenous grape that accounts for around 85% of production. It is favoured for its resistance to disease (both pylloxera and mouldy old oidium) and is the only black grape of the other four. Nevertheless, it is known as “the grape of the island” so says Humberto.

Today our quest is to taste a variety of single grape variety wines, matched to a variety of courses. We are in for some great discussions, and a lot of very good food.

H&H Sercial 10 yr old: A dry and astringent white grape, an ideal aperitif or salty smoked fish starter partner. Our two dishes were Tian of crab with guacamole and celeriac remoulade, and Tataki of seared Tuna with a soy, shallot and ginger dressing. The wine brought out the sweetness of the crab, but for me the clear winner was the tuna and the soy – creating ‘buzzword’ of the moment – umami (harmonious sweet and sour, as I understand it). It has a nutty, raisiny, caramel nose with good acidity on the palate, a pleasant warmth from its 19% alcohol and a dry finish.  Given the fishy theme, I ask how the wines go down in Japan – thinking that perhaps sushi could also work as a pairing. Humberto is enthused but tells me they still need educating on what the wines are and their importance at a dinner. Over a mouthful of limey guacamole he comments “we have to start from the beginning” he says. “Right back to explaining where the island is.” 

(£18 Chamberlain, Fortnum & Mason, Villeneuve wines, Wine Society)

H&H Medium rich single harvest Madeira 1998: Since 1993, it has become law to ensure that each bottle contains at least 85% of the labelled grape. This one is 100% tinta negra.  It has the nose of the old barrels used to age it – oaky, almost mouldy, but yet there are also ripe figs and rose petals, giving it a more floral, richer punch. Its palate is warm and Christmas spicy with good acidity and undertones of rich vanilla custard. It pairs beautifully with our matches – wild mushroom, spinach and (subtle) truffle oil tartlets topped with Yorkshire blue rarebit and mixed leaf salad, and then Parma ham, fresh fig and dolcelatte salad with wild rocket and a reduced balsamic dressing. Both of these work beautifully - the saltiness of the blue cheese making our mouths water in conjunction with the fresh acidity of the wine, and the sweetness and texture of the Parma ham and the figs also working extremely well. The dolcelatte perhaps is a little too much, softening the wine a little more than desired, but the balsamic rounds it off providing a final happy underlining of flavours.

(£18.99 Waitrose, Fortnum & Mason, Ellis Wharton)

H&H 15 and 20 year old Verdelho: This one has “a touch of acidity and freshness” so says Humberto as he swills his glass under his nose. The 20 year old has a nutty, intense nose that enters our flared nostrils with notes of raisins, sultanas and rich dried figs. It has a great balance between sweetness and acidity – such is the style of a verdelho, but it is the intensity of its subtle acidity that carries the flavour through. The 15 year old has a drier nose, a spicy palate and is zingy but yet caresses the palate more gently. Humberto encourages us to get a better sense of the flavour by tasting at the back of our heads “you smell with your mouth and nose at the same time”. Curiously he is right. It takes me back to singing lessons at school – where you learn to reach the high notes by focusing on your cortex (crown), chin down, eyes focused. The same method works here, although the notes of course are full of flavour, not of sound. It is served with a salt beef, quails egg and lincolnshire poacher salad (reminiscent of parmesan), and another salad comprised of smoked duck, buffalo mozzarella and orange.

(£25.00 Waitrose, Noel Young (15yro))

H&H 10 year old Malvasia: This wine comes paired with two puddings – ones that look so delectable its impossible to reject them despite our bellies slowly rising. A mouthful of each suffices: sticky toffee pudding with warm toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream, and chocolate and cinammon torte with orange blossom mascarpone cream. The malvasia here supplies darker, richer, smoother flavours with redolent choco-toffee notes (otherwise known as ‘torrefaccion’ I believe).  Malvasia can often be quite blunt, but here it shows off a breath of acidity in conjunction with the delicious but sickeningly sweet duo of puds. To afford us some in between time before cheese, Humberto shows us a couple of photos on his phone of his latest high tech winery equipment that he is demonstrably excited about.

(£18.00 Cambridge Wine Merchants, Fine Wine Company, Majestic, Tanners) 

H&H Bual 1957 Rare Vintage Madeira: a rare treat! Paired with various cheesy offerings from Paxton and Whitfield. Our chairs begin to creak. Humberto describes this one as ‘simpatic’ a beautiful word that makes perfect sense to me – simpatico as they say in Italy: lovely.  It shows off real spice, raisins, and a chewy salted lick of caramel on the palate – created through its depth of flavour and resonance of acidity. You still get the mould on the nose, but this noble grape puts its money where its mouth is. Not too much. Not too rich. It regales of a raisin marmalade topped off with honey. Delicious. 

With stomachs suitably stretched, two of each course has set us up well for a very slow walk home. It gives me time to think, and as the sky darkens above my head I reflect on Humberto’s concern with a need for education in the Asian markets on where this island is. Perhaps it is similar to explaining Tasmania to those unfamiliar with the geography of Australia. Whichever the case, one thing remains true for both: once discovered, never forgotten. Expect more tourists.