ombiasy WineTours 2013: Bordeaux and Germany - All Postings

Picture: Didier Cuvelier, Annette Schiller, Anne Cuvelier and Christian G.E. Schiller at Château Leoville Poyferre

Bordeaux

Led by Annette Schiller, the Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy took place from September 9 to 19, 2013. The group comprised 12 wine lovers from the United States, including Annette and Christian Schiller. This posting provides a listing of all postings that I issued concerning the Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy, in chronological order.

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

An Afternoon at Château Pape-Clément (in 2013), Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux

Visiting a “Holy” Construction Site: Château Angélus in Saint-Emilion, France

Dinner at Château Canon La Gaffeliere, Appellation Saint-Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé, France

Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Organic Château Beausejour in AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion, France

Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur with Winemaker/Owner Dany Rolland, Pomerol, France

Visit of an Ultra-premium Non-mainstream Bordeaux Producer: Tertre Rôteboeuf, with Owner and Winemaker François Mitjavile

Visiting and Tasting at Château Climens, with Owner Bérénice Lurton, Bordeaux, France 

Lunch, Tour and Tasting with Owner Catherine Thibault d'Halluin (nee Boyer) and Winemaker Julien Noel - Château du Cros, Château Mayne du Cros, Château Courbon and Clos Bourbon, Bordeaux, France

Visiting an Oyster Farm at Arcachon Bay, Bordeaux: Raphael Doerfler at Earl Ostrea Chanca , France

Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Château Léoville-Poyferré, with Didier Cuvelier and Anne Cuvelier, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Pontet-Canet, with Owner Alfred Tesseron, Bordeaux

A Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet in Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, with Winemaker and Owner Basile Tesseron (2013), France

A Tour and Tasting at Château Coufran, Haut-Médoc, with Co-owner Frédéric Vicaire, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Lynch-Bages in Bages, Bordeaux, France

Tour at Tonnellerie Berger and Fils: How is a Barrique Made? Bordeaux, France

Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Cru Classé de Graves, France

Germany

Picture: With Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf (Nahe Valley) in the Vineyard

For 9 days (from August 22 – August 30, 2013) we explored seven of the thirteen wine regions and several cultural highlights in Germany: the Saale-Unstrut wine region in the former GDR, Weimar, cradle of German intellectual thinking, the Wartburg where Martin Luther spent his years hiding from the Roman Catholic Church, the Rheingau with its pristine vineyards and quaint medieval villages, the romantic middle Rhine valley with its castle-ribboned banks, world-renowned wineries in the Mosel valley with its dizzying steep vineyards, the beautiful, peaceful Nahe valley, the biggest wine barrel in the world, the upcoming young ambitious winemakers in Rheinhessen and the one thousand year old cathedral of the city of Mainz, one of the nine wine capitals of the world.

We visited 16 wineries, tasted fabulous wines, shared wine pairing meals with the proprietors of top wine producing estates and had fantastic meals at great restaurants and historical places. 

I have published a series of postings on the 2013 German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy. See here:

Ombiasy Wine Tours: Wine and Culture Tour to Germany Coming up in August 2013

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Weingut Pawis in the Saale Unstrut Region - A Profile, Germany

Tasting at Weingut Balthasar Ress, Hattenheim, Rheingau, with Stefan Ress, Germany

Impromptu Winetasting with Alexander Jung, Weingut Jakob Jung, Erbach, Rheingau, Germany

A Tasting at Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn, Rheingau, with Angela and Peter Jakob Kühn, Germany

Tasting with Rita Busch at Weingut Clemens Busch in the Mosel Valley, Germany 

Ernst Loosen Presented his Wines at Weingut Dr. Loosen, Bernkastel-Kues, Mosel Valley, Germany

Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour, Tasting and Lunch with Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Nahe Valley, Germany

An Afternoon with Riesling Star Winemaker Helmut Doennhoff at Weingut Doennhoff in Oberhausen in the Nahe Valley, Germany

The World Meets at Weingut Weegmueller, Pfalz, Germany

Tasting with Johannes and Christoph Thoerle, Weingut Thoerle in Saulheim, Rheinhessen, Germany

Impressions from the Mainz Wine Market 2013, Germany

Weinfeder: Die “Digital Wine Communications Conference 2013” in Rioja, Spanien

This article is a re-release of an article which was initially published in: Weinfeder Journal, page 25, February 2014, Edition #42. Weinfeder Journal is the quarterly on-line journal of the Weinfeder - the association of German wine writers. The first version of the article was a posting (in English) on schiller-wine: The 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Logroño, Rioja, Spain

Dieser Artikel ist eine Wiederveroeffentlichung eines Artikels, der urspruenglich in dem Weinfeder Journal, Seite 25, Februar 2014, Edition #42 veroeffentlicht wurde. Weinfeder Journal ist eine vierterljaehrlich on-line Publikation der Vereinigung deutschsprachiger Weinpublizisten. Die erste Version des Artikels war ein Posting (auf Englisch) auf schiller-wine: The 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Logroño, Rioja, Spain

Vom 25. bis 27. Oktober 2013 fand die “Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) 2013” in Logroño (Spanien) statt. Bis zur diesjaehrigen Veranstaltung “European Wine Bloggers Conference (EWBC)” genannt, war es die sechste jährliche Veranstaltung dieser Art. Bisherige Konferenzen fanden in Spanien, Portugal, Österreich, Italien und der Türkei statt.

Dass die Veranstalter den Namen der Konferenz geaendert haben, war ueberfaellig. Es geht zwar weiterhin auch um Bloggen bei der Konferenz, das zentrale Thema ist jedoch ueber die Jahre die digitale Weinkommunikation geworden, die von Produzenten, Haendlern, Importeuren und Exporteuren immer mehr genutzt wird. Das ist unterschiedlich in den verschiedenen Laendern. In den USA zum Beispiel gibt es kaum noch Winzer, die nicht eine facebook Seite und ein Twitter Konto haben. In Deutschland ist das ganz anders. Nur relative wenig laeuft ueber die digitale Schiene in Deutschland. Dementsprechend war Deutschland auch bei dieser Konferenz kaum vertreten. An der Konferenz nahmen etwa 250 Teilnehmer aus mehr als 30 Ländern teil.

Wie in den Vorjahren war die 2013 Konferenz eine höchst unterhaltsame und lehrreiche Mischung aus Workshops, Vorträgen , Weinproben und Besuchen von Weingütern.

Es gab etwa 30 parallele Workshops, Vorträge und Verkostungen an den beiden ersten Konferenztagen, in 3 verschiedenen Tagungsräumen: Panos Kakaviatos leitete eine interessante Diskussion über die Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf die Weinbereitung. Doug Frost, einer von 3 Menschen auf der Welt, die sowohl Master of Wine als auch Master Sommelier sind, stellte uns die 3 Unterregionen der Rioja Region da. Die "Aged Rioja Tasting” Probe war sehr beliebt, und die Plätze waren schnell belegt. Der New Yorker Blogger und Buchautor Tyler Coleman (Dr. Vino – uebrigens wirklich promoviert, in Politischer Wisssenschaft) und andere gingen der Frage nach: "Was ist Wein Kommunikation und wer sind die Wein Kommunikatoren im Jahr 2013". Da ging es natuerlich viel um Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. David White, aus Washington DC, und andere gingen dem Problem nach: “Herausforderungen einer globalen Marke in der Internet Kommunikation”. Julia Harding und Jose Vouillamoz, die mit Jancis Robinson das Standard Werk “Wine Grapes - A complete Guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, including their Origins and Flavours” verfasst haben, leiteten eine Verkostung von "seltenen iberischen Sorten".

An beiden Tagen gab Verkostungen in der Lobby von 09.00 bis 15.00 Uhr. Am ersten Tag praesentierten ausschliesslich Rioja Produzenten ihre Weine. Am zweiten Tag gab es auch andere, darunter eine Menge portugiesischer, Produzenten.

Der erste Tag endete mit einem Weingut Besuch und Abendessen auf dem Weingut. Wir wurden auf 6 Busse aufgeteilt und zu 6 Weingütern gebracht. Ich hatte das Vergnügen, Bodegas Baigorri zu besuchen. Es war ein sehr interessanter und vergnueglicher Abend. Ein Gala-Dinner in Laguardia war der Hoehepunkt des zweiten Tages.

Am dritten Konferenztag ging es den ganzen Tag in die Weingueter. Die Teilnehmer konnten zwischen verschiedenen Touren wählen. Meine Gruppe besuchte Bodegas Bilbainas in Haro und Bodegas Palacio in Laguardia, wo wir auch zu Mittag assen.

Den 3 Konferenz Tagen gingen am Donnerstag am Nachmittag ein Besuch mit Tapas und Wein Probe in Bodegas Dynastia Vivanco in Briones und am Abend die legendäre "Bring Your Own Bottle Party" in der Altstadt von Logroño voraus. Ich hatte natuerlich einen deutschen trockenen Riesling mitgebracht, von Weingut Kruger Rumpf in der Nahe.

Schließlich gab es vor und nach dem DWCC 2013 eine Reihe von Pressereisen, für die man sich anmelden konnte. Ich habe an einer faszinierenden 3 Tage Reise nach Porto, der Vinho Verde Region und dem Douro Tal teilgenommen.

Die DWCC 2014 wird in Montreux in der der Schweiz stattfinden. Das kuendigte Jancis Robinson ueber eine Video Einspielung an, und auch, dass sie teilnehmen wird.

Fruehere Weinfeder Journal Beitraege

Amerikanische Whiskey-Hersteller in Deutschland, Weinfeder Journal Dezember 2013, Edition #41, Seiten 33ff.. siehe hier auf schiller-wine

Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Weinfeder Journal September 2013, Edition #40, Seite 30, siehe hier auf schiller-wine

Schiller’s Favorite Tapas Bars in Logroño in La Rioja, Spain

Picture: Christian G.E. and Annette Schiller in a Tapas Bar

As part of the 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference, My wife Annette and I spent a couple of days in Logroño in La Rioja, which has an amazing Tapas Bar scene.

See:
The 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Logroño, Rioja

Let me quote Norman Miller (The Guardian, Saturday 1 August 2009): While tapas are ubiquitous in Spain, the question of who serves up the best is divisive. Granada, the spiritual home of the tapa, has a good shout, and it's also one of the few places where they are still offered free with a drink. Seville probably has the most atmospheric old bars, but not the best tapas, while San Sebastian's elaborate pintxos, as they're called in Basque, are delicious works of art.

But my vote goes to Logroño, the untouristy capital of La Rioja, for the sheer concentration of tapas bars in its medieval old town.

Pictures: Logroño in La Rioja

Norman Miller goes on: Almost 50 are crammed into a single block about the size of four tennis courts. I counted 24 in 100 steps along Calle del Laurel, 13 in 50 paces along Travesía del Laurel. Calle San Agustin and Calle Albornoz complete the circuit with a dozen more. Hemingway treated his taste buds here during his Iberian travels, while King Juan Carlos has given them his royal seal of approval.

This concentration grew from old wine shops (envas) that once sold Rioja's wine in these narrow medieval streets. The wine business has now shifted to nearby Haro, whose historic centre has a tiny tapas circuit of its own known as "The Horseshoe".

Pictures: The Tapas Bars of Logroño in La Rioja

With so many bars in so little space you might expect fierce competition, but Logroño, on the river Ebro and a stop-off point for pilgrims en route to Santiago de Compostela, has worked out a simple solution - each bar specialises in just two or three dishes. "There are no rivals here," says Lourdes Sainz, as I start a lunchtime progress along Travesia del Laurel at her brightly-coloured Bar Lorenzo, mingling with blokes on a booze-and-a-bite warm-up for a long Spanish lunch.

Pictures: The Tapas Bars of Logroño in La Rioja

Wendy Crispell, who also participated in the 2013 Digital Wine Communication Conference, shared my enthusiasm for the Tapas Bars in Logroño and has written about them on her blog. Here are 4 Tapas bars she visited and which she liked very much. You may also want to check the official website of Calle Laurel.

Pulpería La Universidad. Founded in 1978 this is the place to enjoy octopus, in MANY forms! From the most incredibly tender fried version to a simple but deadly preparation Galician style, dressed simply with olive oil and paprika. Also enjoy a Galician wine served in porcelain dishes, a tradition of the region.

Donosti. This brightly lit counter style spot is THE place to stop for foie! Glazed with a sweet violet jam and washed down with a local cider or wine. You will be tempted to order two but save room for their potato and ham croquettes as well. Slamming good!

Angel Bar. Who would think 3 stacked mushrooms, doused in a garlic butter and topped with a single shrimp could taste sooooo good? Simplicity rules. This is said to be a secret recipe passed down from Angel Villanueva who opened this gem in 1960. Today his daughter and grandson proudly grill their family secret in view of customers enjoying wines poured from over 20 local vineyards.

Meson del Abuelo. This comfy spot is packed with locals eating both at the counter and in a cozy dining room serving steak, chops and seafood. My pick here is the chorizo cooked down with cider, with a bit of the same to wash it down with! A list of over 30 different Spanish wines is offered at an extremely reasonable price.

Schiller’s Favorites

This posting is part of the Schiller’s favorites series.

Schiller’s Favorite Tapas Bars in Logroño in La Rioja, Spain

Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France 

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Berlin, Germany

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Washington DC, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France

Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in London, UK

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City) (2012), France

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary

Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar

Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria (2011)

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California

schiller-wine: Related Posting (DWCC 2013)

The 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Logroño, Rioja

Rioja, Portugal, Austria, Italy, Turkey …. Rioja – EWBC 2013 Back in Spain

#DWCC : Comunicatore Digitale della settimana – Wine Blogger of the Week: Christian Schiller

Visiting a Stunning Winery: Bodegas Baigorri in Rioja, Spain

Bodegas Baigorri (Rioja, Spain) Wine Blog Posting Contest .... and the Winner is: Christian Schiller from schiller-wine

A Winery, a Foundation and a Museum: Dinastía Vivanco – Tasting, Tapas and a Tour with Santiago and Rafael Vivanco, Rioja, Spain

A Visit and a Tasting at Bodegas Bilbaínas in Haro with Head Winemaker Diego Pinilla Navarro, Spain

Visiting, Tasting and Eating at Bodegas Palacio, with Winemaker Roberto Rodriguez, Rioja, Spain

Schiller’s Favorite Tapas Bars in Logroño in La Rioja, Spain

schiller-wine: Related Posting (Spain)

Bodegas Marqués de Murrieta Winemaker Dinner at Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC, USA/Spain

Alejandro Luna Beberide from Bodegas y Vinedos Luna Beberide in Spain at the Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC

The Wines of Bodegas Epifanio Rivera in Spain

Welcoming Winemaker Ruben Saenz Lopez and his Bodegas San Prudencio Wines from Rioja in Spain to Washington DC

Meeting Didier Soto and Tasting His Biodynamic Mas Estela Wines from Catalonia

Meeting Up-and-coming Winemaker Rita Ferreira Marques from the Duoro Area in Portugal at Screwtop Winebar in Clarendon, Virginia

Meeting Winemaker Yolanda Viadero from Valduero Vineyards in Ribera del Duero and in Toro, Spain, and Tasting Her Excellent Wines

Dinner with Spanish Winemaker Antonio Jose Bleda Jimenez, Bodegas Bleda, at Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC, USA

Tour and Lunch at Quinta da Léda in the Upper Douro Valley, with Winemaker Luís Sottomayor, Portugal

Picture: Lunch at Quinta da Léda with Winemaker Luís Sottomayor

This was an amazing tour. Starting in Porto, we travelled up the Douro Valley and into Spain. We spent 2 nights in Porto, 1 night in the Vinho Verde region and 1 night in the Upper Douro Valley, close to the Spanish border. We enjoyed 4 very special winemaker dinners and 3 outstanding tastings in Portugal. The tour was a sponsored pre-conference trip of the 2013 Digitale Wine Communications Conference in Logroño, Rioja, Spain: The 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Logroño, Rioja, Spain

Our last stop in the Douro Valley was a visit and lunch at Quinta da Léda in the Douro Superior which is the most eastern of the three Douro Valley sub-regions and closest to Portugal’s border with Spain. Quinta da Léda is owned by Sographe Vinhos.

We were received by star winemaker Luís Sottomayor and his colleagues.

The Sographe Vinhos Group

Sogrape Vinhos is a family-run company – third generation - with a strong focus on exports and international markets. Sogrape Vinhos owns more than 830 hectares of vineyards in Portugal.

Pictures: In the Douro Superior

What immediately stands out is the presence of two major global Portuguese wine brands - Mateus Rosé and Sandeman as well as the prestigious wines of Porto Ferreira and Offley. Added to which are the renowned specialist brands that represent the major Portugese wine regions. Beginning with the most famous Portuguese wine of all, Barca Velha, the pride of Casa Ferreirinha (Douro) and continuing with the elegant wines of Quinta dos Carvalhais (Dão), the vibrant Herdade do Peso (Alentejo), the fresh Vinhos Verdes of Quinta de Azevedo and Gazela, and the multi-regional Grão Vasco, to name but a few.

Quinta da Leda

Luís Sottomayor: Located to the east of the Douro, Quinta da Leda is one of jewels in Ferreira's crown. With it, Casa Ferreirinha has reinvented itself with wines of great complexity and structure, full of promise with freshness and vigor. This is the same area that produces the excellent wines to create the legendary Barca Velha. The vineyard area totals 76 hectares.

Picture: Reception at Quinta da Leda with Luís Sottomayor

The Quinta da Leda winery, built in 2001, is exemplary in that it follows an approach that allows the winemaker direct contact with the wine. The grapes are received on the uppermost level and gravity is used to move the grapes, ensuring a far more natural flow, with noted gains in wine quality.

Winery Tour

Robyn Bancroft (who has written about the event on her Blog nnnnnn): Upon our arrival, we were served a sparkling wine and some nibbly-bits…

The quinta or winery facility is built into a hillside. The architect took advantage of the topography, so that gravity could feed the grapes from the surface collection hoppers down a series of floors to stainless steel storage containers for final shipping and storage off-site. After harvesting, trucks hauling carts full of grapes pull under a type of open, but covered car-port area where the grapes are dumped into a collection hopper and then gravity fed into vats for punch-over processing or stompers for punch-down processing.

Pictures: Quinta da Leda Tour

We took a flight of stairs down one level to take a look at these two different processing methods. The punch-down process is more violent and cannot be used when the grape skins are thin due to the mechanical arms which “stomp” down the grapes. The day we were visiting, the grapes being handled were thin-skinned due to a season filled with lots of rain, so the punch-over process was demonstrated. A type of wine “sprinkler” system was turned on that pumped grape juice from the bottom of the vats and sprayed it out on top. The grape skins float to the top during this punch-over process resulting in a much more gentle way of separating or extracting liquid from the grapes. The winemakers use presses to squeeze out the remnants of the grapes to collect the last bit of wine. This most-concentrated wine is placed in barrels and used like salt and pepper for final flavoring and seasoning…

Pictures: Quinta da Leda Tour

Our tour continued on down another flight of stairs to the next area so that the workers could get back to filling the punch-over vats. The pumps were super loud and filled the whole building like a busy manufacturing plant… The whole space was open, so we could see the quinta’s activities on all three floors.

Our tour ended at the bottom level of the quinta with a lovely lunch served right beneath all the wine-making activity we had just witnessed. We were greeted with large cups of warm pumpkin soup. Above us, were the bottoms of the stainless steel vats with spouts ready for efficient conveyance directly into trucks for their transport to cooler storage locations off-site which were much more conducive to quality winemaking and final bottling. A long table was elegantly laid out for us to enjoy traditional Portuguese foods.

Lunch

Pictures: Lunch at Quinta da Leda

The Wines we Drank

Reception

Casa Ferreirinha Vinha Grande Rosé 2012

Vinha Grande Rosé is Casa Ferreirinha´s most recent launch, a wine characterised by a combnation between a fine aromatic intensity and a remarkable acidity that provides it with an extraordinary elegance. Vinha Grande Rosé displays the full potential of the Douro region in the making of high-quality rosés.

Lunch

Casa Ferreirinha 2010 Callabriga Douro

Tasting Notes: Casa Ferreirinha Callabriga 2010 has a deep ruby hue. It has an intense and complex bouquet with a prevalence of ripe red fruits (blackcurrant and strawberry), black fruits (plum) and floral notes of rock-rose. Spicy aromas (pepper and curry) are also present, due to the oak maturation. Excellent quality oak notes are very well integrated. The palate has a fine body, fine-quality tannins, a well-integrated acidity, a strong presence of red fruits and warm spicy notes. It has a long and complex finish.

Casa Ferreirinha Planalto Reserva 2012

Tasting Notes: Casa Ferreirinha Planalto White Reserva 2012 has a bright hue with greenish hints and a finely intense and complex bouquet, with a prevalence of white fruits (melon and pear), tropical fruits (apricot and passionfruit) and slight mineral notes. On the palate, it shows great harmony and fine balanced acidity, with mineral and citrus flavours again in evidence. It has a long and delicate finish.

About Luís Sottomayor

When in 1989 he entered the winemaking team led by master Fernando Nicolau de Almeida, Luis Sottomayor knew he was in the right company to take part in making the finest wines of the Douro. Today, his skills recognized and the quality of his work proven, he heads the Œnology team for Casa Ferreirinha and all Sogrape Port Wine brands, a responsibility he assumed in January 2003.

Pictures: Soup with Luís Sottomayor

Although Luís Sottomayor’s career trajectory has afforded him enriching experiences in several other national and international wine-growing regions, his commitment to Douro and Port Wines is unquestionable and had so far seen him awarded the 2010 Winemaker of the Year Award in the Fortified Wines category by Revista de Vinhos, one of the nation’s most prestigious wine publications. In 2012 he was nominated for the Winemaker of the Year accolade at the International Wine Challenge and eventually went on to receive yet another distinction from Revista de Vinhos, this time for outright 2012 Winemaker of the Year.

Author of world-famous wines such as Barca Velha and Quinta da Leda, and of the outstanding 2011 Vintages presented by both Ferreira and Sandeman, Luis expresses great pride in the opportunity he has been given to perpetuate a story without parallel in the world of wines, whilst highlighting the creativity and daring and of those who first set out, unaided by the technological advances of today, to produce wines of a time-defying excellence.

Born in Moreira da Maia, married and a father of three children, Luís Sottomayor has a full academic training that includes courses in œnology from the University of Dijon in Burgundy, France and Charles Sturt University, Australia, in addition to a post-graduate course in Œnology at the Escola Superior de Biotecnologia from Universidade Católica do Porto.

Pictures: Lunch with Luís Sottomayor

Arguing that the secret of great wines rests on the passion of those who write their history in the vineyards and cellars, Luís likes to emphasize the effort made at Sogrape Vinhos to preserve and enhance the legacy inherited from large and prestigious brands, by combining the values of tradition with emerging desires and trends for the future.

An avowed football supporter, Luís Sottomayor devotes some of his leisure time to rugby, horse-riding and hunting.

Bye-bye

Thank you Luis and your colleagues for an extraordinary event.

Pictures: Bye-bye

schiller-wine: Related Posting

Meeting Up-and-coming Winemaker Rita Ferreira Marques from the Douro Area in Portugal at Screwtop Winebar in Clarendon, Virginia

Meeting Rupert Symington from the Symington Family - One of the Oldest Families of Port Producers

The 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Logroño, Rioja, Spain

A Douro Valley Tour from Porto Upstream to the Upper Douro Region, Portugal

Food Tour of Porto with André Apolinário from Taste Porto Food Tours, Portugal

Wining and Dining at the Reborn Quinta de Covela, Vinho Verde Region in the Douro Valley, with Owner Tony Smith and Winemaker Rui Cunha, Portugal

Tasting 2011 Vintage Port at Quinta da Boavista, Douro Valley, Portugal

3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux

Picture: Annette and Christian G.E. Schiller at Covent Garden Opera in London, UK

3 wine tours to Germany and Bordeaux are planned for September – October 2014. As in previous years, the husband and wife team Annette and Christian Schiller will personally guide the tours throughout the trip. Through our friendships with many winemaker and owners, the tours are a very intimate, personal experience for everyone in the small group (10 people maximum) traveling with us.

Quintessential German Whites (Germany-North)

From September 04 – September 13, 2014, we will explore six (Saale-Unstrut, Franken, Rheingau, northern Rheinhessen, Mosel, Nahe) German wine regions with visits to 19 top wineries and cultural gems. We will get intimate insights into a selection of Germany’s best of the best wineries, normally closed to visitors. A cruise on the romantic Rhine River with its castle- and vine-ribboned banks, the Mosel valley with its dizzying steep vineyards, delving into 2000 years of history, and tasting first class wines under the guidance of great winemakers will be among the highlights. Special treats include wine pairing lunches and dinners with the owners and winemakers at prominent estates.

The tour follows the 2013 German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, with the Franken region added, the Mosel Valley portion extended and the Pfalz region deleted (and included in the Sun-kissed German South Tour) and includes the following wineries: Pawis, Gussek, Kloster Pforta, Juliusspital, Bickel-Stumpf, Robert Weil, Kloster Eberbach, Jakob Jung, Thoerle, Kuehling-Gillot, Kuenstler, Peter Jakob Kuehn, Clemens Busch, Dr. Loosen, Maximin Gruenhaus (Von Schubert), Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt, Doennhoff, Kruger-Rumpf, Diel, Schaetzel.

Many of the 2013 German Wine and Culture Tour highlights were covered by postings on schiller-wine. See below.

Picture: With Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf (Nahe Valley) in the Vineyard during the 2013 German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy

The Sun-kissed German South (Germany-South)

From September 14 – September 20, 2014, we will explore three wine regions (Baden, Pfalz, southern Rheinhessen) in the south of Germany and will experience the German red wine revolution. We will visit 16 crème de la crème wineries in southern Germany, normally not open to visitors. We will cross the Rhine River and visit the Maison Trimbach in Alsace to taste the difference between German and Alsatian wines despite the geographic proximity. Among the highlights will be tasting first class Pinot Noirs with the winemakers, and experiencing the culinary South. A special treat will be wine pairing lunches at 1-Michelin-star restaurants.

This is a new tour, with a large number of southern producers of ultra-premium German wine included: Schloss Neuweier, Karl H. Johner, Freiherr von Gleichenstein, Fritz Keller, Huber, Dr. Heger, Zaehringer, Maison Trimbach, Friederich Becker, Rebholz, Bassermann-Jordan, Christmann, Weegmueller, Markus Schneider, Wittmann, Klaus Peter Keller, Gunderloch.

Picture: Tasting in the Courtyard at Weingut Weegmueller in the Pfalz during the 2013 German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy

Immersion in Bordeaux

From September 22 – October 02, 2014, we will travel to the Bordeaux wine region with visits to 18 top Chateaux (15 are classified growth), closed to the normal passers-by, in Pessac-Léognan, Saint-Emilion, Pomerol, Entre-Deux-Mer, Sauternes, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Margaux. The harvest celebration at Château Phélan-Ségur, the in-depth visit of an oyster farmer, and witnessing the art of barrique making at a first class family run cooperage are among the highlights. Very special treats are the many gourmet wine pairing lunches and dinners in a very private setting at famous chateaux where we will be welcomed by the owners.

The tour follows closely the Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy, with a few estates changed: Pape-Clément, Domaine de Chevalier, Angélus, Canon La Gaffelière, Beauséjour, Figeac, Le Bon Pasteur, Tertre-Rôteboeuf, de Fargues, du Cros, Millésima, Earl Ostrea Chanca oyster farm, Le Reysse, Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Léoville Poyferré, Phélan Ségur, Lafon-Rochet, Latour, Cooperage Berger and Fils, Brane-Cantenac, Haut-Bailly.

Many of the 2013 Bordeaux Wine Tour highlights were covered by postings on schiller-wine. See below.

Picture: With Dany Rolland at Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol during the 2013 Bordeaux Wine Tour by ombiasy

For pricing and details please see:

Website: Ombiasy Public Relations

Annette Schiller
USA (703) 459-7513
aschiller@ombiasypr.com

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Postings - 2013 German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy 

I have published a series of postings on the 2013 German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy. See here:

Ombiasy Wine Tours: Wine and Culture Tour to Germany Coming up in August 2013

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Weingut Pawis in the Saale Unstrut Region - A Profile, Germany

Tasting at Weingut Balthasar Ress, Hattenheim, Rheingau, with Stefan Ress, Germany

Impromptu Winetasting with Alexander Jung, Weingut Jakob Jung, Erbach, Rheingau, Germany

A Tasting at Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn, Rheingau, with Angela and Peter Jakob Kühn, Germany

Tasting with Rita Busch at Weingut Clemens Busch in the Mosel Valley, Germany 

Ernst Loosen Presented his Wines at Weingut Dr. Loosen, Bernkastel-Kues, Mosel Valley, Germany

Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour, Tasting and Lunch with Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Nahe Valley, Germany

An Afternoon with Riesling Star Winemaker Helmut Doennhoff at Weingut Doennhoff in Oberhausen in the Nahe Valley, Germany

The World Meets at Weingut Weegmueller, Pfalz, Germany

Tasting with Johannes and Christoph Thoerle, Weingut Thoerle in Saulheim, Rheinhessen, Germany

Impressions from the Mainz Wine Market 2013, Germany

Postings - 2013 Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy 

I have published a series of postings on the 2013 Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy. See here:

Ombiasy Wine Tours: Bordeaux Trip Coming up in September 2013

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

An Afternoon at Château Pape-Clément (in 2013), Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux

Dinner at Château Canon La Gaffeliere, Appellation Saint-Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé, France

Visiting a “Holy” Construction Site: Château Angélus in Saint-Emilion, France

Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur with Winemaker/Owner Dany Rolland, Pomerol, France

Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Château Beausejour in AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion, France

Visit of an Ultra-premium Non-mainstream Bordeaux Producer: Tertre Rôteboeuf, with Owner and Winemaker François Mitjavile

Visiting and Tasting at Château Climens, with Owner Bérénice Lurton, Bordeaux, France 

Lunch, Tour and Tasting with Owner Catherine Thibault d'Halluin (nee Boyer) and Winemaker Julien Noel - Château du Cros, Château Mayne du Cros, Château Courbon and Clos Bourbon, Bordeaux, France

Visiting an Oyster Farm at Arcachon Bay, Bordeaux: Raphael Doerfler at Earl Ostrea Chanca , France

Tour and Tasting at Château Pontet-Canet, with Owner Alfred Tesseron, Bordeaux

Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Château Léoville-Poyferré, with Didier Cuvelier and Anne Cuvelier, France  

A Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet in Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, with Winemaker and Owner Basile Tesseron (2013), France

A Tour and Tasting at Château Coufran, Haut-Médoc, with Co-owner Frédéric Vicaire, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Lynch-Bages in Bages, Bordeaux, France

Tour at Tonnellerie Berger and Fils: How is a Barrique Made? Bordeaux, France

Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Cru Classé de Graves, France

Visit and Tasting at Porto Cálem in Porto / Vila Nova da Gaia, Portugal

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller in Front of  Porto Cálem in Vila Nova da Gaia

As part of a pre-conference trip (before the 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference in Logroño, Rioja, Spain) up the Douro Valley, from Porto to the Upper Douro Valley, close to the Spanish border, I participated in a tour and tasting at Porto Cálem in Porto / Vila Nova da Gaia.

Porto Cálem has been bought recently by the Sogevinus Fine Wines Group, which also owns other famous Port Houses. The tasting included ports from Kopke, Burmester and Barros.

Sogevinus Fine Wines Group

Sogevinus Fine Wines Group is a Portuguese holding company, owned by the Galicia Bank Nova Galicia, focusing on high quality Port wines and Douro D.O.C wines. Since 1998, Porto Cálem is part of Sogevinus, which also includes the famous brands Kopke, Burmester and Barros. The group also owns some vineyards, Quinta S.Luiz with about 125 ha in central Douro and Quinta da Arnozelo with some 200 ha in the more prestigious and difficult to access Douro Superior. Here, they also grow olives and other crop on the steep slopes of the river. The grapes for the Calem wines come from Quinta da Arnozelo.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller in Front of  Porto Burmester in Vila Nova da Gaia

Porto Cálem

António Alves Cálem founded the Port House Cálem in Vila Nova da Gaia in 1859. Cálem is a large producer. Porto Cálem main market has always been Portugal, but exports have maintained a high significance along its history. The brand logotype - the caravel in which Port Cálem was exported to Brazil - show exactly that importance. In 1880, Brazil represented 40% of total exports. Originally, Porto Cálem was exporting 100% of its port wine to Brazil in exchange of exotic woods and by means of its own fleet.

Pictures: Porto Seen from Vila Nova da Gaia

Tour of Cálem Cellars

We took a very interesting tour of the company cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia, where, after the winemaking process in Douro, the ageing of Porto Cálem wines takes place. Located next to D. Luiz I bridge, these cellars show perfect conditions to successfully age the Port wines, as per their cool and dry air, and little light.

Pictures: Tour of Porto Cálem

This way, Porto Cálem wines age in oak casks for years and years. It is also in these cellars, that Porto Cálem welcomes every year around 120.000 visitors and from where the Port wines are exported to markets abroad.

Calem Portfolio

White Ports

Velhotes Fine White

Porto Cálem Velhotes Fine White ages in oak casks and in wine vats. With a yellow-straw colour, reveals a floral aroma and a flavour of tropical fruits. It is smooth in the mouth, fruity and elegant.

White and Dry

Porto Cálem White and Dry ages in oak casks and in wine vats. With a green-straw colour, it presents floral and young bouquet. In the mouth it is delicately dry, smooth and balanced.

Lágrima

The name Lágrima evokes the “tears” (or drops) of alcohol that slither around and inside the glass, after drinking the wine. It ages in oak casks and in wine vats. With a golden colour, it presents a bouquet of honey and dry fruits. In the mouth is sweet, intense and complex.

Ruby Ports

Velhotes Fine Ruby

Porto Cálem Fine Ruby is young and full of energy. It is blended with young port wines and kept for little time in wood casks, which enhances the original grapes characteristics and ensures a deep ruby colour and a bouquet of red berries. It ages between 3 and 4 years in oak casks. With a ruby colour, it presents young, fruity aromas. In the mouth is smooth, elegant and balanced.

Late Bottled Vintage

Porto Cálem Late Bottled Vintages are produced from a single year crop, ageing between 4 to 6 years in oak casks and in wine vats. Our LBVs present the same deep, intense ruby colour, the same balance and rich aroma of bush fruits as the Vintage Port Wines. LBVs do not require ageing or decanting and can be enjoyed single or serving with roasted or smoked meat, strong cheese and dry fruits.

Vintage

Porto Cálem Vintages results from exceptionally good crops from a single year, such as the ones of 1983, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003, referred as to “Classical Years” due to the high quality grapes obtained in ideal climate conditions.

After 2 years in oak barrels, Vintage Port wines are bottled in our cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia, in the Douro riverside. The Vintage improve and age in the bottle for decades, and should be kept horizontally, in a dark, dry aired place, enhancing its true character through out the times.

Vintage Port should be drunk with a minimum of 8 years old, but it can be appreciated with more than 50.

When recent, Vintage Port is intense, with an impressive deep purple colour and reveals strong aromas of berries (especially, raspberries and blackberries), with firm tannins and a balanced structure. By ageing, it becomes smoother, but more elegant and complex, acquiring softer colours, distinctive aromas and body.

As Vintage Port Wines throw deposit, before decantation the bottle should be kept upright for some hours. It is perfect served with strong cheese.

Quinta da Foz Vintage

Porto Cálem Vintage Port “Single Quinta”: Quinta da Foz Vintage and Quinta do Sagrado Vintage are produced with premium quality grapes exclusively from each one of these “Quintas” (vine estates), located deep in the Douro region.

At present, our Vintages offer include Quinta da Foz 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997 and Quinta do Sagrado 1994 and 1997, produced in years of excellent climate conditions. After 2 years in oak casks, these Vintages were bottled to continue the ageing process lying down in a dark, cooled air place. Such as “Classic” Vintages, the “Single Quinta” start by being intense, strong and full-bodied, ageing to become more elegant, complex and mature.

Before serving, and as per its deposit due to the ageing process, the bottle should be put in the upright position some hours before decantation. It goes splendidly with strong cheese after meals.

Tawny Ports

Velhotes Fine Tawny

Porto Cálem Velhotes Fine Tawny is one of the most popular Port Wines in Portugal. It ages in oak casks for 3 to 4 years. With a brow-tawny colour, it reveals dry fruits and wood aromas. In the mouth is velvety, fruity and balanced.

Reserva Tawny

Porto Cálem Reserva Tawny ages in oak casks for 7 years. With a brown-tawny colour, its aromas are of dried fruits and spice. In the mouth is velvety, balanced and with hints of dry fruits.

Colheita

Porto Cálem Colheitas or Dated Ports are tawny Ports from a single year high quality crop such as 1961, 1988, 1989 e 1990, 1992 and 1994. Each year reveal special characteristics which are developing whilst ageing in the wood casks for a period not less than 8 years. Colheita presents a tawny colour, smooth touch in the mouth and a bouquet of vanilla, honey and dried fruits. Ready to serve single as the bottle is opened without need for decantation, are also ideal to go along with cakes and deserts.

Old Tawnies

10 Years Old

Porto Cálem 10 Anos results from a thorough selection of Port Wines aged in oak casks and blended to average 10 years old. With a tawny topaz colour, we can sense wood, dry fruits and chocolate aromas. In the mouth it is velvety, intense and with a persistent flavour.

20 Years Old

Porto Cálem 20 Anos is obtained by blending selected aged Port Wines, kept in wood for different periods of time, but that average the age indicated in the label. In orange-green tonalities, it reveals spice, honey and wood aromas. In the mouth is balanced and complex, with persistent and pleasant ending.

30 Years Old

Porto Cálem 30 Anos blends different aged Port Wines that in average reach 30 years. The organoleptic characteristics enhanced in wood casks while ageing, are the ones of the specific age indicated in the label. In a green tawny colour, it presents wood, spice and dry fruit aromas. In the mouth it is velvety, intense and with a persistent ending.

40 Years Old

Porto Cálem 40 Anos results from a careful selection of aged Port Wines, which spent in average 40 years in oak casks. With a tawny-green colour, it reveals hints of dry fruits, spice and honey. In the mouth it is involving, complex and presents a powerful ending.

Tasting

We tasted 4 Ports.

Picture: Tasting 4 Port Wines

Kopke White 30 Years

The German Family named Kopke came from Hamburg to Lisbon in 1636. Two years later, in 1638, Christiano Kopke established himself in Oporto, as merchant and exporter of Portuguese products, and he started the export of Portuguese wines already produced in the region, as part of his business. When the Wine - then known as Portwine - was recognized, the House of Kopke which is today the eldest Portwine's export firm, was one of the leaders in the field. Through many generations, the company was run by several members of Kopke's family, obtaining an excellent reputation for its wines, especially its vintage tawny.

Toro Wines and Spirits: Amber color with greenish nuances. Intense nose of great complexity, standing-out the dried fruit aromas, harmoniously combined with vanilla and honey touches. In the mouth, it is wonderfully balanced, unctuous and extremely concentrated. Sublime and endless finish.

Burmester Tawny 40 Years

Burmeister: This 40-year-old Tawny is obtained from wines that have been carefully aged in small oak casks and later blended in a small upstanding oak vat dating from 1864. The final mix, in small oak casks, is a vivacious example of the art of "blending", which CASA BURMESTER has perfected over the years.

Pictures: Panos Kakaviatos and Annette Schiller

Barros Vintage 2011

Robert Parker: (88-90) The 2011 Barros has a high-toned, forward bouquet of violets and iodine that is fresh and lively, displaying both lift and a sense of animation. The palate is very smooth on the entry with a core of sweet, spicy black fruit. Granted, it is not the most complex 2011 Vintage Port, although it is nicely balanced and there is a pleasant fieriness towards the finish. Tasted May 2013.

Kopke Colheita 1940

Kopke: The oldest house of Port celebrates its 375 years, with the presentation of a very limited and exclusive edition of Kopke Colheita Port 1940. The company completes almost four centuries of existence in the world of wine, especially Port wine. 375 years of work is an accomplishment of only few companies worlwide. To celebrate, the company launched a very special wine, Kopke 375 - Special Edition Harvest Port 1940.

Picture: Kopke Colheita 1940

The '375' marks not only the anniversary, but also the number of existing bottles. Wine has been produced during World War 2, and has been resting for 73 years in hull No. 10053, inside an oak barrel of 580 litters. Each bottle comes in a wooden case of rosewood, with black on the inside and with golden printing. The package includes the certificate for "The Oldest House of Port Wine". Each 0.75 liter bottle will cost around 680 Euros.

schiller-wine: Related Posting

Meeting Up-and-coming Winemaker Rita Ferreira Marques from the Douro Area in Portugal at Screwtop Winebar in Clarendon, Virginia

Meeting Rupert Symington from the Symington Family - One of the Oldest Families of Port Producers

The 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Logroño, Rioja, Spain

A Douro Valley Tour from Porto Upstream to the Upper Douro Region, Portugal

Food Tour of Porto with André Apolinário from Taste Porto Food Tours, Portugal

Visit and Tasting at Porto Cálem in Porto / Vila Nova da Gaia, Portugal

Wining and Dining at the Reborn Quinta de Covela, Vinho Verde Region in the Douro Valley, with Owner Tony Smith and Winemaker Rui Cunha, Portugal

Tasting 2011 Vintage Port at Quinta da Boavista, Douro Valley, Portugal

Tour and Lunch at Quinta da Léda in the Upper Douro Valley, with Winemaker Luís Sottomayor, Portugal