News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

The Daily Telegraph

Published: 23 July, 2008

JONATHAN RAY celebrates the opening of the new James Bond film Casino Royale by going to New York in search of the perfect martini - all right for some.

ANTHONY ROSE gets out his crystal ball for 2007. He advises buying 2001, 2002 and 2004 Bordeaux as good and affordable; but with a cold, wet 2006 harvest, he says the spotlight turns to 2005 Burgundies. He also says 2001 was a great vintage in Spain and for Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino Riservas. He also points to 2005 Beaujolais and 2004 Douro wines. He says he is more likely in 2007 to pick out a Pinot Gris from New Zealand, an Albario from Spain, an Austrian Grner Veltliner, an Italian Fiano d'Avellino, Greek Assyrtiko, Hunter Valley Semillon or Eden Valley Riesling from Australia.

The Sunday Times

Published: 23 July, 2008

JOANNA SIMON also looks to the future and suggests that her readers to look at affordable reds from Spain (again), the south of France, Chile and Argentina, with 'good things coming out of Italy, especially in the south'. She says all are better bets than Australia, California and South Africa. For whites, she says that Spain is limited but worth investigating. In Italy, unfamilar grapes and regions are the key; while for France, try the Loire and the south west. In the New World: Chile and the Cape. Her Cellar Notes wines are 2005 La Sabrosita Old Vine Garnacha (4.99, Marks & Spencer); 2004 Conti Leopardi Rosso Piceno Superiore (5.69, The Sunday Times Wine Club) and 2005 Esprit du Rhne (4.99, Tesco).

The Times

Published: 23 July, 2008

The January sales among the major independents are where JANE MACQUITTY recommends her readers look for bargains. She says Lay & Wheeler, Justerini & Brooks, Corney & Barrow and Berry Bros & Rudd all have wines that are worth seeking out.

The Observer

Published: 23 July, 2008

South Africa is the least exciting red wine producing country in the New World, states TIM ATKIN MW. Why are their red wines so mediocre when their whites are increasingly impressive, he asks. Except for likes of Vergelegen, Thelema, De Toren, Tokara, De Trafford, Boekenhoutskloof, Rustenberg, Bouchard Finlayson, Graham Beck, Fairview and Tulbagh Mountain, he says there is a huge lake of underwhelming reds. On the other hand, the Cape whites are getting better and better with old vine Chenin Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay, Viognier, Riesing and especially Sauvignon Blanc proving exciting for Atkin.

Financial Times

Published: 23 July, 2008

Robert Parker of Maryland is, without a shadow of a doubt, the most influential wine critic there has ever been,' insists JANCIS ROBINSON MW. Her wine tastes have varied from his on occasion, particularly over a bottle of 2003 Chteau Pavie, and these differences in opinion have led to a media obsession with The American Palate versus The British Palate, she remonstrates. This transatlantic divide has experienced a bit of setback, however, and she reveals that Robert Parker's newest team member is British. In Robinson's opinion, Neil Martin of www.wine-journal.com, may have a particularly inexpressive face but, fortunately for us all, he has the most distinctively expressive way with a keyboard'. Furthermore, Martin has assured her that Parker welcomes and positively encourages an alternative view and not an echo of his own voice (what would be the point of that)'.

Financial Times

Published: 23 July, 2008

JANCIS ROBINSON visits Domaine David Clark in Morey-Saint Denis, Burgundy, and meets a fresh-faced, bright-eyed, Indianapolis-born man of Scottish parents who went to Cambridge. While at IBM in Leamington Spa, he worked his way through the stock of the local Oddbins and ended up doing vintages in Napa and at Tahbilk in Australia. Hebecame a software engineer with the Williams Formula One racing team, and then ended up on an organic farm in the Auvergne. In 2004, he bought a small vineyard up on the bottom rung of Burgundy's vinous ladder. Last year Clark produced 6,000 bottles of wine and his land will be certified organic by the 2009 vintage. His wines are available in the UK through Berry Bros & Rudd.

The Daily Telegraph

Published: 23 July, 2008

JOANTHAN RAY lunches with 'Mr Grner Veltliner', Lenz Moser, whose company, Laurenz V (he is the fifth generation Lenz Moser), concentrates on Austria's indigenous white grape variety.

The Sunday Express

Published: 23 July, 2008

JAMIE GOODE has chosen a few bottles that offer something a bit out of the ordinary'. These alternatives include 2005 Via Leyda Pinot Noir La Brisas Vineyard, Chile (7.99, Oddbins). I'm not opting for the usual red Burgundy, but instead going for a Pinot Noir from Chile, combining cherry fruit with a subtle herbiness. Don't look so surprised: it's really very good.'

The Sunday Telegraph

Published: 23 July, 2008

It's not always a good idea to give wine as a Christmas present, says SUSY ATKINS. Uninspiring bottles include the very big brands and cheap supermarket own-labels. Instead choose a classic, traditional label which screams "special"' - 2003 Campbells Rutherglen Muscat NV, Victoria, Australia, 37.5cl (7.99, Waitrose) for example, or 2003 Margaux Initial de Desmirail, Bordeaux, France (13.99, Marks & Spencer). Champagne Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV, France (28-31, available nationwide) is high up on my wish list because of its elegant, fresh flavours with rich notes'.

The Independent On Sunday

Published: 23 July, 2008

RICHARD EHRLICH dons a professor's hat for an evening to teach the food writing students at London's City University a thing or two about wine. He chooses to do this with the sadistic' method of blind tasting, and although the results are not revealed, Ehrlich promises that sharpening one's tastebuds by blind tasting is as useful for budding food writers as it is for oenophiles'. This week's wine recommendations include 2004 Insignum Riesling (4.99; Sainsbury's).

The Sunday Times

Published: 23 July, 2008

Tokaji is a wonderful wine to have to hand at Christmas,' says JOANNA SIMON. 1995 Disznoko Tokaji Asz 5 Puttonyos, 50cl (21.49, Oddbins) is rich yet tangy'; 1999/2000 Royal Tokaji Asz 5 Puttonyos, 25cl (8.99, Waitrose) has apricots and spice in a stocking-filler bottle'; 1999 Oremus Tokaji Asz 6 Puttonyos, 50cl (37.50-38, Fortnum & Mason, Berry Bros) is exceptionally opulent'.

The Guardian

Published: 23 July, 2008

Instead of arranging wine by price, geography or the banal "dry and fruity" route, Christine Parkinson at London restaurant Hakkasan has come up with headings such as "Curious Vines: distinctive wines, unusual, often ancient, grape varieties. Not Chardonnay".' And it's working, says VICTORIA MOORE. Sales of a Piedmont white made from Arneis have risen eightfold'. This week's top bottle tip from Moore is the elegant' 2004 Condrieu Les Vins de Vienne, France (19.99, Tesco Fine Wine).

The Observer

Published: 23 July, 2008

We can't get enough of sparkling wine at this time of year, but you should be suspicious of bargain-basement Champagne,' says TIM ATKIN MW. Its invariably acidic mouthwash.' His choice of ros Champagne is Delamotte Ros NV (23.97, Corney & Barrow), best branded non-vintage is Taittinger Prlude Grands Crus (24.99 each for three, Majestic; 34.99, Tesco) and top branded vintage Champagne is 1999 Bollinger La Grande Anne (from 49.99, Oddbins, Majestic, Thresher).

The Daily Telegraph

Published: 23 July, 2008

I am invariably plunged into gloom at this time of year,' says JONATHAN RAY, but if I get our wine sorted out, it becomes a bit more bearable'. With smoked salmon on Christmas Eve, Ray suggests 2004 Tim Gramp Clare Valley Riesling, Australia (9.99, Adnams). Then, for the all-important following day, 2005 Tapanappa Tiers' Chardonnay (29.99, Telegraph Wine, Noel Young Wines, The Secret Cellar) is great with the turkey.

The Times

Published: 23 July, 2008

JANE MacQUITTY also departs from the norm and breaks out of her comfort zone to visit her local corner shops. She describes her Food, News Booze and Lottery Londis store in Fulham, south-west London, as 'enlightened' compared to the 'grim collection near me'. She sees 'two Chardonnay girls revving up for a night out with expensive pink dross, Blossom Hill White Zinfandel and Gallo Sierra Valley Grenache', while a knowledgeable-looking middle-aged male customer walks out with his usual, 'two bottles of 2004 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz'. She visits a Costcutter with a 'miserable range of Dark Ages wines', a Netto with 'wall-to-wall upright branded wines of ancient lineage' and a Spar, where the 'competent wine buyers spend most of their time sourcing the group's lengthy, constantly changing own-label range'. She concludes by commending her own top 100 Winter Wines. Both the red and the white star buys are Blason de Bourgogne wines: 2005 Pinot Noir (4.99-6.49; Asda, Co-op, Morrisons); and 2005 Chardonnay (4.99-6.43, widely available).

The Daily Mail

Published: 23 July, 2008

MATTHEW JUKES' selection of festive choices is, he says, the easiest column of the year to write, as more effort has been put into perfecting sparkling wine than any other category of wine in the world over the past few years. Good cava is hard to come by outside its native country,' but 2001 Marqus de Monistrol Vintage Cava, Peneds, Spain (7.99, reduced to 3.99 until 31 December, Co-op) is a top wine, with a discount that seems very bizarre to me. This is the party wine of the year. I put my name on it, and as you know, I am a very fussy taster.'

The Independent

Published: 23 July, 2008

However much we talk dry, we clearly adore drinking sweet,' says ANTHONY ROSE, and few countries churn out affordable sweet wines quite as cheerfully and cheaply as Australia'. He's thinking of 2005 Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora, 37.5cl (4.79 to 7 January, Morrisons). Or for rich and voluptuous flavours, 1999 Chteau Filhot, Sauternes, 37.5cl (9.33 buy two get one free, Thresher) is a complex and stylish sweet Bordeaux white'. But Germany and Austria have every right to fight over the sugar-coated crown', too. For the quintessence of sweet white finesse, the 2003 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, Riesling Auslese, Scharzhofberger, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, 37.5cl (14.80, Jeroboams, Laytons) displays opulent yet delicately balanced sweet and sour tropical zest.'

The Independent

Published: 23 July, 2008

ANTHONY ROSE admits to not only having once been an avid supporter of Cava, but also to making pyramids of the lead capsules from Sainsbury's Cava bottles. Having got that sad admission out of the way, he goes on to recommend 2001 Marqus de Monistrol Cava (3.99; Co-op) as one of this month's bargains in his Christmas fizz round-up. Healso likes Montana's Lindauer Ros (8.99; Threshers), Marks & Spencer's basic Oudinot Champagne (12.99), Sainsbury's 2000 Taste the Difference Vintage Champagne (22.99) and Waitrose's 1999 Vintage Champagne (21.99).

The Sunday Telegraph

Published: 23 July, 2008

SUSY ATKINS recommends Alsace wines, Gewrztraminer, Beaujolais, New Zealand Pinot Noirs and Tuscan reds as food-friendly wines for a 'newly liberated palate'.