Argentina and Chile visit-- how long would it take get a reasonable impression of the scope of things?

Question from a MW friend:

When you visited South American did you visit both Argentina and Chile? I'm thinking about a trip for research on my book and wondering about the logistics of doing both countries as opposed to only Argentina. How long did it take you get around, how many days would be needed to get a reasonable impression of the scope of things? Any thoughts you may have would be helpful.

Response from me:

Yes, I visited both Argentina and Chile for two weeks each in April this year.

Chile -- within a week you could do Aconcagua to Maule and hit the major central regions. I went as far north as Elqui and Limari and although interesting, not as important yet. I would also suggest visiting Chile's three largest wineries, Concha y Toro, San Pedro, and Santa Rita. They own over 77% of sales volume.

http://www.conchaytoro.com/FilesMC/fact_sheet_2009_ING.pdf

Market Share
(in volume terms)
Domestic Market Sales
(Millions of Chilean pesos)
Sales Volume
(Thousands of liters)

Santa Rita
28.7%
Concha y Toro
29.7%
San Pedro
20.4%
Santa Carolina
2.0%
Tarapacá
2.6%
Other
16.6%

In Argentina, Cuyo (Mendoza and surrounds) is doable in a week. I can look on my itinerary to suggest some not to be missed spots such as Carlos Pulenta in Lujan and O Fournier in Uco. I also went to the north to Salta(beautiful and pergola training), but, I believe that over 90% of exports come from Mendoza and surrounds.

I would also try to make an appointment with Susanna Balbo of Crios Wines(and more) in Lujan. She is the president of the Wines of Argentina and a wealth of knowledge. She is putting together a tasting panel of MWs for an upcoming event. I had lunch with her at Gotham a week ago. Please let me know if you want her contact info.

I've also heard good things about the biodynamic work that Alvaro Espinoza has done in both countries.

Please be sure to use the contacts at both Wines of Chile and Wines of Argentina. I found them very helpful.

I think you could do one week at each to get a reasonable impression of the significant regions.

What else would be helpful?

Outstanding Japanese food in the East Village at the serene Kyo Ya

I LOVE FOOD. I love wine. In my spare time, I find myself planning culinary adventures and dinner parties although with the latter, it's limited, with the scarcest availability.

I like to get recommendations from palates that I trust, read food magazines and search Zagat's and New York mag for up to date information on the NY food scene. Although I have a short list of non-local places such as Alinea, Schwa, Moto, Goodstone, Town House, Inn at Little Washington, El Bulli and the Fat Duck that I'd love to visit, I'm focusing on exploring the options in my playground, the streets of NYC.

Interestingly, Kyo Ya, my choice for dinner this Friday, has the highest food rating in Zagat NYC.

Food	Decor	Service	Cost
29	24	26	$100

Though most surveyors have yet to discover this “sophisticated” East Village Japanese kaiseki specialist, those who know it say it’s “one of the best” for “wonderful” multicourse set meals served in “calm”, wood-lined environs; “kimono-clad” servers ensure all feel “well-cared-for” here.

Not including Kyo Ya, I have eaten at sixteen of the top twenty Zagat-rated restaurants for food. However, it has been years since I've gone to Mas or Per Se, on the list. I've not been to the three other restaurants, Sasabune, Rosanjin or Sugiyama, notably all Japanese. Away from this list, I'd like to visit Brooklyn Fare, Minetta's Tavern and Co Pizza. I'd also like to go to Cookshop, Il Bagatto and Peter Luger's, old favorites. Last week, I tried to make a second ressie at Brooklyn Fare with my friend Marko, but it was booked until November; luckily, I planned in advance and have a ressie there in a couple of weeks. Aside, some current favorites in NYC include Marea for the best pasta(lobster with uni spaghetti is amazing!), Mary's Fish Camp for the best lobster rolls, Mad for Chicken for the best fried chicken and Momofuko Ssam for general excellence. My most important criteria is the quality of the food and generally, I'm drawn to places with concise, focused menus(it is easier to get a few things right); I'll happy pay up if the quality warrants. That said, great food doesn't have to be expensive, as some of my favorite meals ever have been inexpensive, made with simply the best, although not most expensive, ingredients.

After a particularly intense work week, I was ready for a relaxing evening; buying wine is hard work! :) A friend picked me up from my office. A light sprinkle of rain with a cool freshness in the air indicated to me that fall is now here. (Yikes, where was summer?) The restaurant was serene and relaxing, just what I needed, and a nice preface for the evening.

I was impressed with Kyo Ya and I'm looking forward to returning. The chef's special dishes, cold appetizers and sashimi were outstanding with the hot dishes and entree good to outstanding.

Following is my dinner selection and my comments.

Cold apps:

Yuba And Uni Yoshino Style sea urchin on tofu skin in crystal clear sauce
A, so very good
Aigamo Soy Demi-Glace roasted duck simmered in our demi-glace style sauce
B, liked the delicacy but wanted more texture


Chef's Specials:

Smoked Hotate cherry wood smoked hokkaido scallop marinated in white sesame oil
A-, it was a little too cold and made the scallop too firm

Chef's Selection of Sashimi:

Red Bachan Sea Urchin from Portland
A, different textures and flavors with creamy goodness. I love high quality uni. Who knew there was such a range?
Bonito Tataki from Izu
A+, my favorite of the evening. Smoked. Literally.
Big Eye Medium Fatty Tuna from Panana
B+, I liked the the gradation in fat content but I prefer the pure indulgence of uniform fat. This is the first time that I've knowingly ate tuna from Panama. Love that they stated the origin. 

*note, prices were not listed on the daily special sheet but came in at around $20


Hot apps:


Famous Sweet Potato Tempura served with soy sauce and mongolian salt
B+, Almost a pale/medium yellow in color with a good balance of richness and lightness.

Kurobuta Kakuni slowly cooked pure pork belly
B, Good flavor intensity but lacked texture. Crispy skin would have made a nice contrast. 



Entree:


Hokkaido Style Lamb grilled with japanese style bbq sauce
B-, My least favorite. Slightly overcooked and too sweet.

With dinner, we drank a 1993 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Spätlese Auction. Z's auction wines are made with highly selected berries that are fermented in a single 1,000 liter barrel(for reference, a typical Bordeaux barrel is 225 to 228 liters, a traditional Italian botti is 500 liters). This was my first Zilliken auction bottling. The wine was beautiful, with an elegant finesse and minerality-- the weight of water. My dinner companion noted corn in the aromas. We'd been told that the auction wines have more concentration, however this bottle did not. I tried the same wine from 2007 and the 1993 again, two days later, and found significant differences. The 2007 was piercing and intense, the 1993, subtle, with less obvious charms(how I prefer my peeps), but still rocking. I purchased the 1993 wine direct from the winery in the Saar, via the distributor Bowler and the importer Rudi Wiest. Tasting notes on 4/03 from Hanno Zilliken: Delicately yellow, greenish color. Delicate petrol notes. Juicy acid structure, peach and apricot fruit indicative of botrytis. Very complex. Aging potential for another 10-20 years.

Thanks for reading!

Kyo Ya
94 E. 7th St., New York, NY 10009 
nr. First Ave.
212-982-4140

Then there were 280... EIGHT NEW MASTERS OF WINE IN 2009

I had three friends pass the theory (one on the first attempt) and the other was referred on her dissertation. One practical pass.



EIGHT NEW MASTERS OF WINE IN 2009
LONDON: 4th September 2009

The Institute of Masters of Wine is delighted to welcome eight new members today, bringing the number of MWs worldwide to 280.

The successful candidates have an impressive range of experience that includes wine importing and distribution, education, journalism, broadcasting and restaurant management.

Dr Josef Schuller MW, Chairman of the Institute, commented, “The MW qualification is uniquely demanding and I warmly congratulate all of our new members on their achievement. I am particularly pleased to see the continued diversity in expertise of our membership.”

The 2009 Masters of Wine are:
- Susie Barrie MW, a freelance journalist, author, television and radio presenter from Winchester, UK;
- Michael Collier MW, a wine consultant based in Surrey, UK;
- Roman Horvath MW, managing director of Domäne Wachau, Austria;
- Isabelle Legeron MW, a French-born educator, event organiser and television broadcaster, living in London, UK;
- Tim Marson MW, a wine buyer for Bibendum in London, UK;
- Tuomas Meriluoto MW, managing director of WineState, an importer in Finland;
- Frank Roeder MW, founder and chief executive of VIT, a wine distribution company based in Saar, Germany;
- Mai Tjemsland MW, owner of GastroConsult, a restaurant, catering and wine club group in Oslo, Norway.


The successful candidates’ dissertations reflected their broad and international expertise. They explored topics of relevance to the global wine industry, such as climate change, creation of new wine appellations and consumer research. This year’s dissertations included:

- Mosel winemakers’ perceptions of climate change and future adaptation strategies;

- The attitudes of pregnant and breastfeeding women in Finland to non-alcoholic wines;

- UK market attitudes towards brut nature champagne;

- Appellation Willamette: an investigation into the subdivision of the northern Willamette Valley AVA and its effects upon the region’s wine industry.

The new MWs reacted with delight and relief at their success. “It was a great challenge,” said Frank Roeder MW, “I feel very honoured to become a member of the Institute.” Isabelle Legeron MW said, “I am so thrilled and proud to now be an MW! The Institute of Masters of Wine is second to none in the wine world and it is a real privilege to be a part of it.”

The new MWs will be formally welcomed as Masters of Wine at the Institute's Annual Reception and Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 4th November 2009 in Vintners' Hall, London.

www.mastersofwine.org


Notes for Editors
The Institute of Masters of Wine is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting excellence in the wine trade. Founded in London in 1955, the Institute now has 280 members, based in 23 countries throughout the world. 'Master of Wine' is both a qualification and a title, usually abbreviated to 'MW' following a member's name. The Institute’s education programme and examination process encourage a cross-disciplinary approach to understanding wine at the highest level.

The Institute holds annual examinations in three locations: London, Napa and Sydney. These comprise three practical papers, each with 12 wines (all tasted blind), and four essay papers, taken over a four-day period. Candidates are required to assess and identify wines of varying quality levels from all over the world. For the theory papers candidates need to demonstrate knowledge of a wide range of subjects, including winemaking, grape growing, business and social issues. Students must also complete a 10,000-word dissertation on a subject of their choice.

In addition to the education programme, the Institute and its members organise events of professional interest to the wine trade around the world, including a symposium every four years. The Institute’s next international symposium, with the theme Forging Links, will take place from 24th to 27th June, 2010, in Bordeaux (www.mwsymposium.com).

More information about the Institute and its activities, including full biographies and contact details of new and existing members can be found on the website www.mastersofwine.org.

So much can change in a month

It's been over a month since I've posted last and much has changed in my life. I've started a new job, qualified to sit the MW exam and found a new roommate. Slightly stressful but in a positive way!

Freemark Abbey tasting and dinner at Aureole

Today was the close of my third week of work. I'm tired but satisfied. Phones ringing, people walking into my office, a waterfall of emails, inventory, suppliers all vying to be friendly with me, all while trying to learn an entirely new and different system... definitely a handful. After my first week, I sank into my sofa and just vegged; I was unable to make any more decisions, so I watched terrible TV and drank mediocre wine. This Friday, I'm feeling much more like myself after a nice long walk in the park followed by a 1998 Altare Barolo and NZ lamb chops.

I'm the now the head buyer/purchasing director of a premier retail wine store in Manhattan and one of the top wine retailers nationwide. I hadn't expected to find such a good fit so quickly but I'm happy with the role and especially, who I'm working for. I'm highly optimistic and ready for the challenge. I had a phone interview with a firm in Baltimore, with more comp but with a more narrow focus, but my current role is what I really wanted for the next step in my career. I'm very fortunate to have a career in wine, a priority and passion for me.

Masters of Wine(MW) candidate tasting seminar

Masters of Wine studying is going well. I've dedicated this weekend to assignments and strategy planning for the next 12 months. Ten days ago, I qualified to sit next year's exam, so I'm now a second year student. The two other first year women in my study group were asked to re-sit so I'll need to find an additional study group who is planning on taking the exams next year. I'm still not certain that I will sit next year. I'll decide next April if I am ready. It typically takes at least five years from the onset to complete the program. Only 26 in the US have done so.

I now have daily access to winemakers, viticulturalists and brand managers across the globe, in multiple price points and styles of wine, but finding the time in the day, while prioritizing my day to day activities, will need to be balanced, as work is my focus. On Monday, Ruinart had a wine dinner with their chef de caves. Ruinart is primarily chardonnay with 100% malolactic. Bacteria strain selection for malolactic fermentation is one method of managing diacetyl production, a buttery smell from diacetyl is dependent on the level, more noticeable with white wines. Oxygen concentration and catabolism of citric acids are other contributing factors to diacetyl formation. We compared the 1993 Ruinart, with a higher recognizable dicaetyl component with the current vintage, which was barely discernible. Ruinart looks to avoid the buttery diacety smell. If the diacetyl levels are too high, Ruinart either blends the wine in the NV or sends it away for distillation.

I need to kick up my tasting techniques. Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan MW, who recently became a MW, moderated a tasting this week. Her approach is analytical, organized and structured, a method that fits well with my personality. It was inspiring. Benjamin Lewin MW also led two tastings in May.

Hanging out with Chloe at Sandra's apartment in Gramercy

Gideon, Chloe's godfather, and a long-standing friend of my family's, moved into my second bedroom. I had the extra space. I'm used to having my own space so it was a somewhat awkward transition for me. I'm working out the kinks to having someone in my space; having someone new in the house certainly changes the dynamic. However, he's tidy, kind and feels like family, so it is working out well. I hope that I am being equally respectful as I want him to feel that this is his home too. And, I prefer it to him living at the Hilton. Unfortunately, we rarely see each other as he leaves to go back home to his family in Massachusetts during the weekend and works typically until 10pm in the evenings.

My living room

I've had friends from Chile, Australia and California come to visit. In addition to the stresses of a new job, a new roommate, the evening commitments of my new job -- my weekday exercise routine has suffered as has the organization and cleanliness of my apartment, on the latter I've just become more mellow. I've been eating egg whites and oatmeal for breakfast to combat some of the heavier meals I've had at Del Posto, Marea, Aureole and fried chicken in the park, just to name a few.

I'm excited to be finding my place back in the city, this oh so wonderful city.

Stay tuned!

How does Champagne compete successfully against other sparkling wine?

Champagne has been successful in competing against sparkling wine by creating a luxury product with a unique terroir, implementing quality-oriented production methods, protection of its appellation and a high-end marketing focus. It is the combination of quality product and effective marketing that has made the region so successful. The soil and climate with use of varietals contribute to Champagne's unique terroir. Vigilant and specific production methods focus on a quality product, heightened by the blending skill of the chef de caves. The role between the Houses and the Growers continues to evolve and rewards Grand Cru and Premier Cru sites with the highest prices. The Champenois have worked diligently to protect their distinct appellation, from lobbying with world trade organizations to taking legal action, when necessary. The investment in premium marketing has further cemented Champagne's pre-eminent role in the world of sparkling wines; there are no substitutes at this level. Champagne is the pinnacle of sparkling wines and other sparkling wines are not as successful in total sales, brand recognition and prestige. Today's current economic situation, however, creates challenges to that pole position as consumers are more price sensitive. However, only Champagne will ever be Champagne.

Champagne, located in France's northernmost vineyard land, has a unique terroir. Champagne's 35,000 hectares have a harsh, marginal climate and erratic sunshine. Located on a subsoil of belemnite chalk, the soil absorbs heat from the sun and slowly releases it during the night, challenging the vines to burrow for water, in addition to providing good drainage. Only Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are authorized grapes, each imparting a specific character to Champagne. Chardonnay adds backbone, pinot noir gives body, while pinot meunier brings fruitiness and aromas. Strict controls restrict yields to 99hl/ha and grapes can only be hand harvested. There is no other place like Champagne.

Modern vinification focuses on quality and contributes to the Champagne premium. Temperature controlled fermentation of the base wines is common to retain fruit flavors and freshness. Champagne vinification is not extractive and the base wine contains only the cuvee and first tailles, vinified separately. Second tailles can not be used. A slow second fermentation in bottle adds to the complexity and a long maturation on lees adds fullness and richness. Aging requirements are 15 months for non-vintage(NV) champagne and to three years for vintage wines, however serious houses allow for two years for NV and up to six years aging for vintage. Blending is pivotal to Champagne. As a marginal climate, the quality of wines varies from vintage to vintage. Champagne is traditionally blended, from not only different villages such as the Montagne de Reims, Cote des Blancs or Vallee de la Marne but from different vintages and the three allowed varieties. Some houses use up to 20% of reserve wine to mitigate the quality and quantity differences from the year to produce a house style consistent with previous vintages. The blending skill of the chef de caves is paramount and arguably, one of the most important roles, to achieve consistent high quality Champagne, especially for non-vintage wines.

The role between the House and Grower has changed over time and currently, rewards the highest prices to the classified sites. On average, major houses only grow about 13% of the grapes needed for production. The remainder of this is purchased from the thousands of small growers. As prices increased in the 80s, the balance of power shifted to the growers and fixed pricing gave way to indicative pricing. Site classification has been the distinguishing mark of the region's crus, from a range of 80-100 percent of the maximum price, with the maximum price set by a committee of growers and house. The "Echelle des Crus," the ladder of growths, is a prorata system for determining grape prices. 17 Grand Crus receive 100% while the other 47 premier crus receive 90-99%. This is upwards from a revision in 1985 that was previously 50-100%. In 2008, the Growers agreed to supply a sufficient number of grapes to the houses, while the Houses agreed to share some of the economic upside with the growers. Growers, in line with the Houses, are committed to quality.

The Comite Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) has worked diligently to protect the brand of Champagne from improper use by limiting the use of the word Champagne from other countries outside France. Champagne is, by definition of the World Intellectual Property Organization(WIPO), a GI, or geographical indication, qualities or reputation specific to that defined area. The EU protects this GIs. In 2008, over 3,000 bottles of illegally labelled Andre "California Champagne" bound for Nigeria were confiscated and destroyed by the EU. Under strict EU labelling laws, only sparkling wine from the Champagne region maybe labelled Champagne. An exception to this is the US, where sparkling wine not coming from northwest France can be labelled as Champagne but cannot be imported into the EU.

Champagne is marketed as a luxury product and more effectively, as part of a lifestyle. Champagne houses and the CIVC have spent significant money on marketing to the long-term customer. The seven biggest houses account for 70 per cent of the total champagne production and have focused on premium marketing. Few other beverages have the associations with wealth, power and luxury. Champagne is a symbol of glamour, good times and celebration. A high marketing spend is made possible by the high margin realized from Champagne. In 2003, Remy spent over 40% of gross margins on sustained marketing expenditures and recorded a 13% operating margin. In 2003 and 2004, the Office of Champagne spent multi-million dollars on a regional US campaign that asked “Champagne, not from Champagne?" in an effort to distinguish Champagne from other sparkling wines. In a recent study moderated by the Reims Management school, American Millenials(aged 21-31) perceived that champagne was more expensive and a higher quality. Moreover, they stated that champagne called for very special occasions. The Millenials focus group study underscores the effectiveness of Champagne’s marketing, even within this less sophisticated market segment.

Champagne, with 8% of the global sparkling wine market, has competed effectively against other less expensive sparkling wines such as Cava, Prosecco, Sekt and other tank or method tradionelle-produced wines by making and marketing the world's pre-eminent sparkling wine. However, as the recession takes hold, challenges abound. Recently, in key markets such as the UK and US, consumers traded down to less expensive sparkling wines. Moet Hennessy's champagne sales fell 35% in the first three months of 2009. Remy Cointreau fell 12% in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009. In 2008, the value of Champagne exports, according to CIVC, fell by 5%, a change from the 7% increase in 2007. In contrast, Spanish sparkling wine and cava, for the nine months ending September 2008 increased by over 35%. In March 2009, Waitrose commented that champagne sales were up 5% year on year, while cava and other sparkling wines saw an increase of 35%. The Champenois claim to have seen historic decreases in exports, with the last significant decrease following the dot.com downfall and this current downturn is part of the ebb and flow. Depending on how long worldwide economic challenges persist, other sparkling wines could gain considerable traction in the category. Growth in Champagne sales from emerging markets such as China and India could offset some of the current decrease.

In conclusion, Champagne, with its unique geology and climate, produced in a specific method, vigilant protection of its appellation and emphasis on premium marketing has made it successful in competing against other sparkling wines. Chalk, a marginal climate and the use of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier are unique to Champagne. Quality control in the vineyards and in vinification ensures a quality-oriented product, made consistent by the art of blending. Protecting the use of word Champagne, has helped to distinguish the unique and special attributes of the appellation that can only be found in northwestern France. Benefiting from higher margins, the Champenois have marketed aggressively, and combined with a quality product, are drivers of Champagne's success. Today's current economic situation, however, creates challenges to that pole position as people become more price sensitive but only Champagne will ever be Champagne.