Blog – Page 22 – Wine Garage – Wine Importers Based in Thailand

Achaval Ferrer Malbec Altavista 2008

graceful Andes' classic — graceful Andes’ classic

Argentinians have long enjoyed their well made wines in the domestic market, and the full-flavored Malbec from Mendoza entered the world stage only about 15 years ago. The bottles tried in the past have been of the juicy and brambly type or the dense and alcoholic, so I am happy to read the good news from Luis Gutierrez’ Argentina 3.0 (Robert Parker).

In it he mentions two important trends for Argentinean wines. The first “there is a global trend towards more freshness and drink-ability in wines, toward more balance, elegance, and differentiation, towards less excess and more harmony, and Argentina and Chile are no exceptions” which speaks of the Achaval Ferrer Finca Altamira I enjoyed from the 2008 vintage. He continues “I think Argentina is on the way, and beside the classical regions regions in Mendoza, Lujan de Cuyo, Maipú, Cruz de Piedra, Perdriel or Agrelo, other specific and much newer sites are added to that list, mostly in the Uco Valley”, and this is where consumers, not only in Thailand, but around the world, should start experimenting with and try wines above the entry level from the various appellations Argentina offers.

Of course, you have to like the style the country offers – a dark color, intense flavors and well textured wines full of extract. But look beyond that and you find great wines with nuance and structure, and a good price.

The Altamira by the way i rate 4.0 stars (out of 5).

Skirts, rumps & deep reds

Inside track with the Accidental butcher

There is certainly a wide range of beef around for carnivores to embellish, and one of them must be the free-range Cape Grim from Tasmania.

Steve Craig, owner of Accidental Butcher, explained the uniqueness of the forgotten cuts and how to prepare them, while Blair Mathieson, chef at Quince – Eatery & Bar grillled them lightly and served with either anchovy butter, tarragon aioli or red pepper jam.

Cape Grim cuts

A Wine Garage event would not be complete without sound wine, and guests were lucky to meet and taste the organic wines from Alain Chabanon, the local hero in in Montperoux. All his wines have great varietal expression while successfully marrying mediterranean warmth with elegance.

My personal favorite was a special cut called Picanha, which is part of rump cap.

Paradigm Hill Pinot Noir 2002

Oh yeah! I hope no wine snob will ever dismiss Australian wines again!

Of course the million bottle brand will not do it for you, but cooler Yarra and Mornington Peninsula in Victoria certainly bring forth stylish Pinots and Syrah (yes not Shiraz!). Made in minute quantities by a scientist, George Mihaly, this perfectly mature Paradigm Hill Pinot Noir 2002 could not have been better to celebrate a combo birthday dinner of friends.

George gave this magnum to a good friend, who opened the bottle a few hours before the dinner. After a first whiff, I thought this is a premier cru Burgundy from the mid 1990s, yet the wine gained more weight and fruitiness than Burgundy would allow during dinner

A lovely and enjoyable wine to drink.

Well deserved 4 stars (out of 5).

Thomas Henry, new age sodas

Thomas Henry, as you all know, was the chap who invented soda water in England in 1773! But it took some quality-minded Germans to come up with this name for new age, or better, adult sodas in 2010.

These are intensely flavored mixers for great long drinks, made from choice herbs and other ingredients.

Got these samples put into my bag at Prowein 2014. Perhaps there will be an importer interested to carry them in Thailand, since the Fevertree, the other alternative is constantly sold out.

4.5 stars for Tonic and Ginger Ale, 3.5 stars for Bitter Lemon (out of 5) and the rest of the line up I did not yet taste.

Philippe Alliet Chinon Coteau de Noiré 2005

Wines from the Loire, I wished there is more around in this part of the world!

Have always been eagerly awaiting years to pass by before opening a bottle of Bourgeuil or Chinon from producers like Charles Joguet, Couly Dutheuil, Pierre Jacques Druet, Yannick Amirault, and of course Clos Rougeard in Saumur.

And this one from star Chinon winery did not disappoint, despite seeing 100% new oak. Polished and refined, a lovely wine at a fair price, enveloping your nose and tastebuds in inviting earthy and floral aromas. Can easily go another 5+ years.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars.

Dönnhoff Riesling Hermannshöhle 2007

Majestic Hermannhoehle (Crush Wine NY) — Majestic Hermannshöhle (Crush Wine NY)

This is one of the best, the grandest, of all dry Riesling made in Germany. A wine touched by the light hands of Helmut Dönnhoff, and now Cornelius his son, whom I just met at Prowein in Düsseldorf.

Unfortunately I waited too long to open this vintage, and the acidity wasn’t around any longer to hold the power and richness of fruit together, making an overall average experience of this Grosses Gewächs.

These powerhouses can be enjoyed for their youthful fruit during year 2 after the vintage, but should strut their best between years 5 and 10 depending the vintage.

If you invest in premium wines, get to know the ins and outs of that particular vintage too in order to determine peak drinking period!

Ruggeri Prosecco Vecchie Viti 2011

Vecchie Viti from over 100 year old vines

The sparkling wine category has grown rapidly in Thailand over the past 3 or 4 years, and the big winner has been Prosecco. To keep prices reasonable, many lower grade Spumanti made their way into the country, leaving experienced wine drinkers now waiving off their hands to the sound of Prosecco.

The truth is this is still the best alternative to Champagne (unless you can locate a good Crémant) and one with a better QPR. So pick a special bottle, which you know has been stored well, such as the old vines from Ruggeri.

This Prosecco has more body, flavor, and bouquet, and is made from a rigid selection of top quality grapes grown on centenarian vines. The winery is one of the best in the region, but doesn’t own all of these old vineyards, and works closely with farmers in the esteemed Valdobbiadene DOCG to source a sizeable amount for their top cuvée.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars.

Veyder Malberg Gruner Veltliner Hochrain

I have always been a fan of Austrian wines, in particular the lighter-styled Gruner Veltliners and Rieslings from the Wachau in Lower Austria.

Over the years, the pricier and highly rated wines designated “Smaragd”, have become fuller, clocking in above 13.5% ABV and making it quite difficult to finish a bottle, at least for me.

For this reason I am delighted to find producers like Veyder Malberg, who can capture the purity and intensity of flavors into a bottle at 12.5%. The Hochrain 2011 was phenomenal on the nose, palette and finish, and wine that dances in your mouth.

4.5 ouf of 5 stars

Bogedal Beer, Denmark

This micro-brewery produces about 70,000 bottles annually and can be compared to a wine in its complexity. The pre-industrial age style beer produced from gravity flow is unfiltered and un-pasteurized, leaving behind a complex, deep and delicate yet strong, rich beer. The producers puts all emphasis on quality and you can see in on the selection of bottle, the label paper and typography, and of course wonderful taste.

Don’t forget to leave the bottle upright and always in cool and dark place as recommended. All the natural sugars are still in tact and the top can blow off as the brew is very much alive and will keep for a long, long time.

I only tasted No. 326 which is a golden beer with scents of caramel and cane sugar and aromatic taste of cappuccino and chocolate, and the Hvede, a complex and full-bodied wheat beer with soft and fruity notes of orange.

At the price of a good wine bottle, it is still worth every penny and you will have a hard time sipping normal beer again.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Cote Rotie, Rhone

Even after years of drinking my way through the various intoxicating appellations of the Rhone Valley, I continue to be mesmerized by the wines from the Northern section, especially those from the steep sloped vineyards of Cote Rotie, located above the town of Ampuis and equal to the size of Hua Hin Hills Vineyard in Thailand.

Many classic as well as single vineyard cuvees have been tried and the names I fondly remember are Stephane Ogier, Christophe Bonnefond, Robert Jasmin, Francois Villiard, Jean Michel Gerin or Yves Cuilleron. While the soft vintages are easily approachable young at 4-5 years, the vintages of acclaim are hard hitting wines which need at least 10-12 years of maturation before opening up to expose complex aroma beneath the deep dark core.

Looking at French wine map, it appears the entire Rhone valley, should make rich and warm wines from sunny vineyards, but not so in the northern reaches, which the French call vin septentrional. It is here in Cote Rotie, where structure is matched with elegance. Take a closer look and you are reminded of Burgundy in style, but will not mistake the dark-berried Syrah. The same schist and granitic soil that runs from Burgundy through Northern Rhone all the way to Piedmont, allows for vintners to create wonderfully Burgundian-styled wines respectively of Pinot Noir, Syrah or Nebbiolo.

A good Cote Rotie rarely wows you from the start. Instead, it runs its course (2-3 hours in a decanter), before slowly building up intriguing concoction of dark berries, graphite, and smokey bacon fat – something you will find nowhere else. If the winemaker has co-fermented some Viognier with the Syrah, you will notice a light floral note in the bouquet. They are highly sought after and pricey due to limited supply and manual work on the slopes.

Along the Rhone river — Seyssuel from above (google)

Are these wines worth the praise? An astounding yes, but you need find the right moment, and of course pay a handsome fee for each bottle. I suggest, that if you want a very similar experience, go even further north to an area around Vienne called Seyssuel. This was a coveted region during the Roman times, but left forgotten since until many of the young and talented winemakers moved there to reenergize what the trade knows as Vin de Pays Collines Rhodaniennes. Here you will find very similar wines for half the price.