Meeting Doug Lehmann of Peter Lehmann Wines at Pearson’s in Washington DC, USA/Australia

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Doug Lehmann at Pearson's in Washington DC

Peter Lehmann is an icon in the world of wines. I was happy to meet Peter Lehmann’s son, Doug Lehmann, who was Managing Director of Peter Lehmann Wines until recently, at “good old” Person’s Wine Store in Washington DC.

Peter Lehmann Wines

Peter Lehmann Wines is one of Australia's most respected winemakers.  The wines are made from grapes purchased from about 185 independent growers as well as grapes grown in the 4 company-owned vineyards. Many of Peter Lehmann Wines growers’ families have worked the same vineyards for five and, in some cases, six generations.

The majority of the vineyards from which Peter Lehmann Wines sources fruit are classified as mature, ranging in ages from 20 to over 100 years old. Many are ungrafted and dry grown.

Peter Lehmann Wines produces around 600,000 cases annually with distribution to Australia but also to the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries.

Fascinating History of Peter Lehmann Wines

It all started in the late 1970s. Peter Lehmann was the winemaker for Saltram, when he was instructed by his superiors not to buy any grapes from the farmers anymore, because of the oversupply of Australian wine. He was appalled and refused to send a letter to the growers with the bad news. That was the moment when everything changed.

Peter Lehmann found some investment partners and established a consortium, with the view of buying the grapes himself. The first vintage was processed in 1980. Peter Lehmann sold all the white juice to Lindeman's which gave him enough cash to pay for all the grapes. The legend grew of Peter sitting up on his weighbridge, measuring grapes, sharing a glass of wine and some good German sausage with the growers who came to sell their grapes. About 185 growers became part of the extended family.

In 1982 the winery was formally named Peter Lehmann Wines.  From then on, Peter Lehmann's wines have been marketed under the Peter Lehmann Wines label.

Pictures: Dough Lehmann

In the following years, the original investors of Peter Lehmann Wines sold their interests and principal ownership passed to the South Australian investment company, M.S. McLeod Holdings in 1987. Peter Lehmann and his wife Margaret remained minority shareholders. In 1990, Peter’s son Doug Lehmann was appointed CEO of the McLeod Wine Group.

A few years later, the McLeod Wine Group run into financial problems. Peter, Margaret and Doug Lehmann, with staff and growers, mounted a fearless campaign to save the company. Their savior was a close friend, who lent them US$4 million, giving them the breathing space to raise the necessary capital through a public offering. The capital was oversubscribed almost overnight, with Barossa growers, staff, friends and small subscribers rallying to invest.

In 1993, Peter Lehmann Wines was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and Doug Lehmann took up the challenge of Managing Director. At that time, Peter Lehmann Wines had a shareholder base of over 3600 people.

After a decade of success as a public company, the company faced yet another threat with multi-national drinks company, Allied Domecq buying shares on the open market. Recognizing that Donald Hess shared the same beliefs, long term views and cultural values as Peter Lehmann Wines, Peter Lehmann sold five per cent of his holding to Donald Hess. This triggered a very public takeover battle with Peter Lehmann backing Donald Hess all the way. Eventually, Donald Hess purchased 86% of the company for a total shareholder value of the company of US$ 103 million. It still meant selling the company, but it went to a group the Lehmanns felt were compatible with their view of life. They retained just more than 10 per cent.

Today, Peter Lehmann Wines is part of the Donald Hess family. For more on the amazing success story of Donald Hess, see: German Winemakers in the World: Swiss-German Donald Hess, US, South Africa, Argentina, Australia

Peter Lehmann - born in 1930 - is not in good health any more but he remains a legend.

Barossa Valley

The Barossa Valley in South Australia is one of the best wine-producing regions on Australia, around an hour from Adelaide. The Barossa Valley is primarily known for its red wine, in particular Shiraz. Normally, large proportions of Barossa Shiraz is used in Penfolds Grange (Australia's most famous wine). Other main grape varieties grown in the region include Riesling, Semillon, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon. There are also some fortified wines traditionally produced in the region.

The evidence of the original German settlers can be seen in the steeply sloping roofs of the older buildings. The local cuisine is very heavily influenced by Germanic culture. Religion in this region is predominantly Lutheran.

Doug Lehmann

Doug Lehmann is the eldest son from Peter’s first marriage, with Annie Lehmann, born in 1952. Doug Lehmann began cellar work in 1972 under his father’s guidance. Since 1990 until recently, Doug Lehmann was Managing Director of Peter Lehmann Wines.

Pearson’s

Pearson's is a amily owned business which was established in 1933 when "Doc" Eisenberg bought Pearson's Pharmacy on Wisconsin Avenue. Alcoholic beverages were sold by prescription during Prohibition but soon thereafter, when alcohol again became legal, liquor sales overtook the small neighborhood pharmacy. So he and his wife, Sarah, opened Pearson's Liquor Annex a few doors down the street. During the 1940's and 50's, Pearson's became a major force in Washington's liquor market. In the 60's, Pearson's entered the sophisticated world of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and fine German wines.

David Choi now owns the store.

What Doug Poured

2010 Peter Lehmann Layers White

Semillon, Muscat, Gewuerztraminer, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay, each add character to the final blend. An attractive pale yellow with green tints, it has aromas of citrus, hints of peach and aromatic lifted spiciness. It has excellent structure and a soft creamy mouth-feel, delightful depth on the middle palate and finishes wonderfully fresh with a mouthful of crunchy fruit.

2010 Peter Lehmann Layers Red

The red is a Rhone blend, with Shiraz, Mourvedre and Grenache as the lead grapes. It’s smooth and easy-drinking, great fruit and spice blend and a fantastic everyday red.

2009 Peter Lehmann Clancy's Blend

Blending Shiraz 39% and Cabernet Sauvignon 38% with Merlot 23% makes Clancys an extremely affable drop, the perfect companion to robust flavors and spirited conversation. Australia’s legendary red blend

2009 Peter Lehmann Shiraz

This is such a classic taste of Barossa Shiraz, with lashings of chocolate and plum aromas and flavors. It’s a big mouthful of fruit with a firm and generous structure delivering all the comfort you’d expect from a Peter Lehmann wine.

Postings about Earlier Tastings at Pearson's

The Pinot Noir Specialist Sequana Vineyards, California

The Wines of Duckhorn Vineyards, Napa Valley

The Excellent Wines of Alexander Valley Vineyards in California

Meeting Matthieu Mangenot, Managing Director of Domaine Long-Depaquit in Chablis, France and Tasting His Wines

Zinfandel and Other "Italian" Wines of Seghesio Vineyards in California

Wine Tasting: The Pinot Noirs of Patricia Green Cellars, Oregon, US

schiller-wine - Related Articles

German Winemakers in the World: Swiss-German Donald Hess, US, South Africa, Argentina, Australia

In the Plane: Wine on South African Airways from Johannesburg to Livingstone in Zambia (Victoria Falls)

Wine, Art and Food: Donald Hess’ Glen Carlou Estate in South Africa

The Pinot Noir Specialist Sequana Vineyards, California

Photo Impressions from the Pre-release VDP 2011 Grosses Gewaechs Wines Tasting in Wiesbaden, Germany

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller at the 2011 VDP Grosses Gewaechs - Grand Cru - Pre-release Tasting in Wiesbaden, Tasting and Photographing

Germany’s 2011 VDP Grosse Gewaechs – Grand Cru - white wines were released on September 1, 2012. These are the ultra-premium dry wines from the very best vineyard sites made by some of the best producers in Germany.

At this annual occasion, a number of presentations by the VDP – the association of German elite winemakers - take place all over Germany, including one in Berlin during the first days of September and then one later in the month at the historic Eberbach Abbey in the Rheingau.

One presentation that clearly stands out is the pre-release tasting for a group of about 120 wine journalists, sommeliers, retailers, importers, etc from all over the world, but mainly from Germany, in the old Kurhaus in the stately German spa town of Wiesbaden, which is 45 minutes drive from Frankfurt. It is a seated, very well organized tasting where you have the chance to go through the Grosses Gewaechs wines during 2 full days.

Pictures: In the Tasting Room and during the Press Conference with Philip Wittmann, Weingut Wittmann, Eva Rapps, Managing Director VDP, and Jochen Becker-Köhn, Weingut Robert Weil

The invitations for this event are highly sought after. This year, I was happy to get invited and to participate in the event. Others I saw at the event were Jancis Robinson from the Financial Times, US wine importer Rudi Wiest and Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland editor Joel B. Payne.

I have reported about this event here: Germany’s 2011 VDP Grosses Gewaechs – Grand Cru - Wines Released. Notes from the Pre-release Tasting in Wiesbaden, Germany

Weinkaiser's Photo Impressions

Ralf Kaiser – Weinkaiser – has put together a nice series of photos, which was reissued by the VDP. It also includes a picture of me (see above), taken during the evening event of the first day. See here for the photos: Weinkaiser's Photo Impressions.

Schiller Wine - Related Postings

Germany’s 2011 VDP Grosses Gewaechs – Grand Cru - Wines Released. Notes from the Pre-release Tasting in Wiesbaden, Germany

When Americans Drink German Wine - What They Choose

The Doctor Made a House Call - A Tasting with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC, USA

Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany

Best German Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2012

German Spaetlese Wines Can Come in Different Versions. I Have Counted Five.

Visiting Agnes and Fritz Hasselbach at their Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim, Rheinhessen, Germany

Visiting Weingut Josef Leitz in Ruedesheim – Johannes Leitz is Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide 2011

Impressions from the Riesling and Co World Tour 2010 in New York

The Focus on Dry German Riesling – Daniel Hubbard Presents the German DSWE Portfolio to the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter)

The Wines of Franz Kuenstler from Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany

Hanging out with Rheingau Winemakers: Dirk Wuertz, Desiree Eser, Alexander Jakob Jung, Hansi Bausch and Christian Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany

Headwind (Gegenwind) – A Protest Wine against the Unbridled Exploitation of Culture and Nature

Meeting Winemaker/Owner Desiree Eser, Weingut August Eser, at the Banks of the Rhein River in the Rheingau in Germany

The VDP - the Powerful Group of German Elite Winemakers - Refines its Classification System, Germany

Visiting Armin and Caroline Diel and their Schlossgut Diel in Burg Layen in Germany

A Pinot Noir Star: Visiting August Kesseler and his Weingut August Kesseler in Assmannshausen, Germany

Wine Caravan from Germany Visiting the East Coast, US: Dr. Fischer, Fitz Ritter, Bolling-Lehnert, Schneider, Dr. Thanisch

Visiting Agnes and Fritz Hasselbach at their Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim, Rheinhessen, Germany

The Future of the Rheingau Wine Region - Brainstorming at Weingut Balthasar Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany

Pictures: Discussion at Weingut Balthasar Ress, Hattenheim

Wine Maker (at Weingut Balthasar Ress in the Rheingau as well as at his own Weingut Wuertz Weinmann in Rheinhessen) and Wine Blogger Dirk Wuertz had put together an interesting list of guests and wines to brainstorm about the question: Quo vadis Rheingau?

The Rheingau

It is remarkable: For its entire length of nearly 560 miles, the Rhine flows north with one exception – a 28-mile stretch where the river changes its course. Here, it flows to the west, thereby enabling both the river and the vineyards facing it to bask in the warmth of the sun all day long. This is the Rheingau, one of the medium-size German wine regions. It is a quietly beautiful region, rich in tradition. Queen Victoria's enthusiasm for Hochheim's wines contributed to their popularity in England, where they, and ultimately, Rhine wines in general, were referred to as Hock.

Pictures: Some of the Wines

The third President of the USA - and notable bon viveur - Thomas Jefferson visited the Rheingau in 1788 and wrote that the wine of the "Abbaye of Johnsberg is the best made on the Rhine without comparison … That of the year 1775 is the best." He also referred to the Rheingau’s Riesling as the "small and delicate Rhysslin which grows only from Hochheim to Rudesheim". Impressed by the quality of the Rheingau Riesling wines, he bought 100 grapevines to take back to his estate in Virginia.

Although the Rheingau is one of Germany’s smaller wine-growing regions, its 3,100 ha (7,660 acres) of vineyards are vastly diverse in their geological makeup. The soil varies from stony slate at the western part near the villages of Assmannshausen and Rudesheim to loess, sand and marl in the lower central villages of Geisenheim, Johannisberg, Winkel, Oestrich and Hattenheim. Soil reverts to stony phyllite in the higher central and eastern villages of Hallgarten, Kiedrich and Hochheim. Generally, wines from the lower slopes where the soil is heavier—sandy loam and loess—produce fuller wines, while at the higher slopes where it is more stony and slatey, the wines reflect more minerality, elegance and concentration.

The Rheingau enjoys a distinctly continental climate with cold winters and warm, but not hot, summers. The Rheingau is dominated by Riesling, accounting for 4/5 of the vineyard area. Pinot Noir accounts for 1/10 and is concentrated around Assmannshausen.

The Rheingau – with its rich history and many wine estates with a world wide reputation - is by many perceived as a wine region that is falling behind from a position where it was leading German wine.

The Participants

Hosts

Stefan Ress, Weingut Balthasar Ress
Christian Ress, Weingut Balthasar Ress
Dirk Wuertz, Director of Operations, Weingut Balthasar Ress
Christine Scharrer, Marketing Chef Germany, Weingut Balthasar Ress

Guests

Including:

Desiree Eser, Weingut August Eser
Alexander Jung, Weingut Jakob Jung
Hansi Bausch, Weingut Bausch
Ralf Kaiser, Weinkaiser, Blogger
Helmuth O. Knall, Wine Times
Christin Jordan, Journalist
Lars Dalgaard, Journalist
Guiseppe Lauria, Gault and Millau
Kristine Baeder, Sommelier Magazin
Guenael Revel, Journalist, Canada
Thomas Guenther, Weinverkostungen, Blogger
Joachim Kaiser, Wine Consultant
Christian Schiller, schiller-wine, Blogger

The Discussion

Dirk Wuertz opened the afternoon with a “12dry” by Josi Leitz, “an extremely successful wine from the Rheingau sold in the whole world” as he said. The other very popular wine, I mentioned, was Dr. L from Ernst Loosen, a medium-dry wine from the Mosel. Furthermore, the most popular German wine in New York is Gunderloch’s Jean Baptiste, also a medium dry wine for about US$ 15.

Joachim Kaiser had prepared a little “discussion paper” to get the discussion starting. He stated that outside of Germany, German wine was perceived as a sweet wine. Indeed many people outside of Germany equate wine from Germany wine (fruity sweet) wine from the Mosel. He demanded that the Rheingau holds against that and suggested to promote a particularly dry image in the Rheingau. He also stated: What Bordeaux is for red wine in France, the Rheingau should become for white wine in Germany. One thing that was also missing in his view was a lead winemaker, an icon, and a leading Rheingau wine, as Rheinhessen has it with Klaus Peter Keller and his G-Max, which sells at a 3 digit price.

Then, we had a discussion. Here are some important points.

Pictures: Brainstorming in the Garden

Hellmuth Knall argued that a number of things have gone wrong in the Rheingau. Why does the Rheingau call their absolutely finest dry wines Erstes Geweachs and not Grosses Gewaechs as everybody else does in Germany? Why is a Erstes Gewaechs wine not really dry? Generally, he felt dry Rheingau wines tend to have a sweet finish that he does not really like. As for the lead figure, this was of course Bernhard Breuer until he passed away.

Ralf Kaiser (Weinkaiser) contended that when he worked as a wine store people would come in and ask for a dry wine but then choose an off-dry dry wine.

I reported from the US, where at the monthly tasting of the German wine society there is an overwhelming majority for fruity sweet wines. Middle Mosel Kabinett wines with say 15 gram sugar are the favorites. Dirk Wuertz argued that might be true for the German wine society but  the New York trendy wine bars you will not find fruity weet wines. Dry wines sell very well there.

Then, the wine makers entered the discussion.

Christian Ress saw 2 trends. One trend was to the classic grape varieties. That favors Riesling producers and in particular the Rheingau. Second, he saw a trend to cool climate wines with low alcohol. That also spielt ihm in die Haende. Weingut Balthasar Ress exports more than half of its production. We were honored by the presence of a group of sommeliers from the Maldives, where Ress is becoming active.

Desiree Eser argued that her situation was very different. She exports almost nothing. She sells all the wines to direct clients of the Weingut August Eser. They all want dry wines and she therefore makes her wines in a dry style. "But not bone-dry, as Riesling benefits from that little hint of sweertness" she concluded.

Kristine Baeder, editor in chief of the Sommelier Magazine, made an interesting point at the end of the discussion. Rheinhessen has seen an amazing emergence of young, dynamic winemakers. But Rheinhessen did not have the reputation the Rheingau has and consumers never had any expectations. That gave the yong winemakers of Rheinhessen all the freedom of the world to experiment and come up with whatever they wanted to come up with. The young generation of Rheingau winemakers is much more operating within tight historical constraints.

Barbeque, Dinner and more Wine

After the formal part of the discussion, we proceeded to the table and ate eat dinner. Dirk was in charge of the barbecue. We had more wonderful wines and discussion over dinner, in a much larger group, as we were joint by Stefan Ress and another group of people Stefan Ress brought along, as well as a group of sommeliers from the Maldives.

Pictures: Dinner, more Brainstorming and more Wine

For more on this afternoon and evening, see: Hanging out with Rheingau Winemakers: Dirk Wuertz, Desiree Eser, Alexander Jakob Jung, Hansi Bausch and Christian Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany

For more on Weingut August Eser, see: Meeting Winemaker/Owner Desiree Eser, Weingut August Eser, at the Banks of the Rhein River in the Rheingau in Germany

For more on the Rheinhessen wines of Dirk Wuertz, see:

Dirk Wuertz and His Bag-in-a-box Rieslings

In the Glass: 2007 Rheinhessen with Oysters at the Ten Bells in the Lower East Side in Manhattan

Schiller Wine - Related Postings

When Americans Drink German Wine - What They Choose

Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany

Best German Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2012

German Spaetlese Wines Can Come in Different Versions. I Have Counted Five.

Visiting Weingut Josef Leitz in Ruedesheim – Johannes Leitz is Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide 2011

Impressions from the Riesling and Co World Tour 2010 in New York

The Wines of Franz Kuenstler from Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany

Hanging out with Rheingau Winemakers: Dirk Wuertz, Desiree Eser, Alexander Jakob Jung, Hansi Bausch and Christian Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany

Headwind (Gegenwind) – A Protest Wine against the Unbridled Exploitation of Culture and Nature

Meeting Winemaker/Owner Desiree Eser, Weingut August Eser, at the Banks of the Rhein River in the Rheingau in Germany

A Pinot Noir Star: Visiting August Kesseler and his Weingut August Kesseler in Assmannshausen, Germany

A Combination of Extraordinary Wine and Art: Peter Winter's Georg Mueller Stiftung in the Rheingau

Dirk Wuertz and His Bag-in-a-box Rieslings

In the Glass: 2007 Rheinhessen with Oysters at the Ten Bells in the Lower East Side in Manhattan

 

3rd Annual Champagne Day on October 26th, 2012, France

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller Having a Glass of Champagne in Reims, France

The 3rd Annual Champagne Day on October 26th, 2012 is coming up on October 26th, 2012. All you have to do to participate is get some Champagne in your glass on October 26th 2012 and share your photos, tasting notes, experiences or videos on any social media site. Be sure to add the #ChampagneDay hashtag, so your friends from around the globe can share in the fun.

You'll be able to search what other wine lovers are sharing by searching posts using tools like Tweetdeck, Google, twitterfall.com, hootsuite.com or kurrently.com to name a few.  This is a global event set to run 24 hours in order to give everyone time to share a glass when it makes sense in their time zone.

To get going, here is a short introduction to Champagne.

Champagne – An Introduction

Champagne

Champagne is the name of the world’s most famous sparkling wine. It is also the wine region in France from which Champagne comes and an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée according to French Law.

Picture: The Wine Regions of France

The Champagne region lies at the northern edge of the world’s vineyard-growing areas. So, Champagne’s grapes bear the hallmark acidity of a cool climate region. In 1927, the viticultural boundaries of Champagne were legally defined and split into five wine producing districts - The Aube, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne, Montagne de Reims, and Vallée de la Marne. The Champagne area covers 33,500 hectares of vineyards around 319 villages that are home to 100 Champagne Houses that buy grapes and make their own Champagne, 5,000 growers who grow grapes and  make their own wine and 14,000 growers who only sell grapes. The region is set to expand to include 359 villages in the near future.

Pictures: Ambonnay in the Montagne de Reims region. Grapes from Ambonnay are the source of Krug's Clos d'Ambonnay Champagne. This single vineyard Champagne is the rarest (and most expensive) in the world. Produced from 1 1/2 acres of Pinot Noir, only 3000 bottles are made from 11 tiny 200 liter Krug casks. The Clos has been around since the year 1700, and the Krug family has been getting the grapes from here for three generations. In 1994 they bought the vineyard and changed the pruning methods and made their first single vineyard wine from the Clos the following year- the 1995, which currently sells for $ 2500.

Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay are the primary grape varieties used to make Champagne.  Champagne may be either Blanc de Noirs (made from red grapes), Blanc de Blancs (made from white grapes, most often Chardonnay - A famous example is Ruinart) or Rose, either by adding red wine to a white blend or sometimes by fermenting the juice in contact with the skins.

Champagne comes with varying degrees of sweetness, due to the addition of a dosage just before the wine is finally bottled. The most common is brut, although throughout the 19th century and into the early 20th century Champagne was generally much sweeter than it is today.The sweetest level is doux and then, in increasing dryness, demi-sec, sec (dry), extra sec, brut (less than 12 grams of sugar per litre), extra brut ((less than 6 grams of sugar per litre), brut nature/brut zero/ultra brut (less than 3 grams of sugar per litre).

Typically, Champagne is made of still wine from several vintages (non-vintage, NV). Champagne's AOC regulations further require that NV Champagne cannot legally be sold until it has aged on the lees in the bottle for at least 15 months and  vintage Champagne be aged for three years. Most top producers exceed the requirement for vintage Champagne, holding bottles on the lees for 6 to 8 years.

EU law and the laws of most countries reserve the term "Champagne" exclusively for wines that come from the Champagne region.

Champagne also makes still wines: Rose des Riceys and Coteaux Champenois, typically high in natural acidity.

Méthode Champenoise

Méthode Champenoise is the (traditional) method by which Champagne is produced: After primary fermentation and bottling, a second alcoholic fermentation occurs in the bottle. This second fermentation is induced by the addition of yeast and sugars. It is this that generates the carbon dioxide bubbles responsible for the pop and sparkle that are the symbols of Champagne.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller Having a Glass of Champagne in London: The Amazing Champagnes of the St. Pancras Grand Champagne Bar in London – But no English or Other Sparklers

After aging, the bottle is manipulated, either manually or mechanically, in a process called remuage, so that the lees settle in the neck of the bottle. After chilling the bottles, the neck is frozen, and the cap removed. The pressure in the bottle forces out the ice containing the lees, and the bottle is quickly corked to maintain the carbon dioxide in solution. Some syrup (le dosage) is added to achieve the desired level of sweetness in the Champagne.

Remuage

The remuage technique was invented by Veuve Clicquot and her German cellar master Anton Mueller.They revolutionized sparkling wine drinking. Until the beginning of the 1800s, the appearance of Champagne was marred by the lees, the sediment of dead yeast cells that remained suspended in the wine following the secondary fermentation in the bottle. In consuming a bottle of Champagne it was thus necessary to either decant the sparkling wine before serving it or to leave it in the glass for some time so the sediment could settle before drinking the Champagne. The remuage technique put an end to that. See: "German Wine Makers in the World: Anton Mueller Invented the Remuage Technique Revolutionizing Sparkling Wine Drinking, 1800s, France"

Picture: Lunch with Champagne in the Champagne - Bordeaux Trip September 2012, France

Types of Champagne

The type of Champagne producer can be identified from the abbreviations followed by the official number on the bottle:

NM: Négociant manipulant. These companies (including the majority of the larger brands, such as: Ayala, Billecart-Salmon, Bollinger, Canard-Duchêne, Deutz, Heidsieck & Co., Henriot, Krug, Lanson, Laurent-Perrier, Moët et Chandon, Mumm, Perrier-Jouët, Joseph Perrier, Piper Heidsieck, Pol Roger, Pommery, Louis Roederer, Ruinart, Salon, Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot) buy grapes (hence négociant) and make Champagne themselves (hence manipulant).

CM: Coopérative de manipulation. Cooperatives that make Champagne from the growers who are members, with all the grapes pooled together.

RM: Récoltant manipulant. (Also known as Grower Champagne) A grower that makes Champagne from its own grapes.

RC: Récoltant coopérateur. A co-operative member selling Champagne produced by the co-operative under his or her own name and label.

SR: Société de récoltants. An association of growers making a shared Champagne but who are not a co-operative.

ND: Négociant-Distributeur. A wine merchant selling Champagne under his own name, but not producing it.

MA: Marque auxiliaire or Marque d'acheteur. Increasingly common, such wines are essentially own-brand Champagnes, bottled for specific retailers under a specific label (usually owned by the retailer), usually produced by a co-operative.

History

Champagne first gained world renown because of its association with the French Court. Royalty from throughout Europe spread the message of the unique sparkling wine from Champagne and its association with luxury and power in the 17th, 18th and 19th century.

The Ruinart Champagne House was the first Champagne House founded in 1729, soon followed by Taittinger (1734), Moët et Chandon (1743), Veuve Clicquot (1772) and others.

Pictures: Taittinger in Reims

Sparkling wine houses sprung up all over Europe in the 1800s. In Germany, Kessler, was the first Sekt house, founded in 1826 by Georg Kessler, who had worked for Veuve Clicqot. Fürst von Metternich started to produce Sekt in a beautiful castle overlooking the Rhein river in the Rheingau. Von Metternich received the castle from the Austrian Emperor Franz I in 1816 as a gift for his skillful negotiations as his Minister of Foreign Affairs during the Vienna congress (1814 -15). In Austria, the German Robert Schlumberger moved from the Champagne region with his future wife to Vienna and established in 1842 a Sekt House there. Schlumberger was born in Germany, worked in Reims in a Champagne house and married an Austrian, who brought him to the capital of Austria. There, he rose quickly and became the “father” of the Austrian Sekt industry - see: German Wine Makers in the World: Robert Alwin Schlumberger--the Father of Austrian Sekt (Austria)

schiller-wine: Related Postings

The Amazing Champagnes of the St. Pancras Grand Champagne Bar in London – But no English or Other Sparklers

Champagne in Russia

Barth Primus is Germany's First Sekt Made with an Erstes Gewaechs Base Wine

In the Glass: Volker Raumland Sekt Estate - The Discovery of the Year, Eichelmann 2010

German Wine Basics: Sekt

Nyetimber's Classic Cuvee 2003 from England has been Crowned Champion of Worldwide Sparkling Wines

Visiting Rotkaeppchen-Mumm - the Second Largest Producer of Sparkling Wine in the World - in Freyburg (Saale-Unstrut), Germany

Saint Valentine's Day: French Champagne, German Sekt or Virginia Sparkler!

The Up and Coming Premium Sparklers of Franciacorta (#EWBC), Italy

The Premium Sparklers of il Mosnel, Franciacorta, Italy

Italy's Prosecco

German Wine Makers in the World: The Korbel Brothers from Bohemia Introduced "Champagne" to the US

German Wine Makers in the World: Anton Mueller Invented the Remuage Technique Revolutionizing Sparkling Wine Drinking, 1800s, France

German Wine Makers in the World: Eduard Werle --- Owner of the Veuve Cliquot Champagne house (France)

German Wine Makers in the World: Robert Alwin Schlumberger--the Father of Austrian Sekt (Austria)

As Close as You Can Get to Champagne – Claude Thibaut and His Virginia Thibaut Janisson Sparklers at screwtop Wine Bar, USA

Blogging, Wining and Dining at the European Wine Bloggers Conference (#EWBC) October 2011 in Brescia, Italy – A Tour D’ Horizont

Champagne – An Introduction, France

Tasting Virginia Chesapeake Bay Oysters with Oyster Producer Travis Craxton at the Rappahannock River, USA

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Owner Travis Croxton and Farm Manager Patrick Oliver

The Chesapeake Bay and Oysters

The Chesapeake Bay – the largest estuary of the USA - used to be an area, where oysters would flourish. Virginia and Maryland combined to harvest 30 - in some years even 40 - million pounds oysters every year. But since the 1960s, oyster production in the Chesapeake Bay has collapsed to less than 1 percent of what it used to be. The oyster’s habitat is dangerously polluted, its reefs overfished, its numbers decimated by a pair of ravaging diseases.

Efforts are underway to reverse this dire development. Virginia protects oysters with large sanctuaries in public waters but allows watermen to harvest them on a rotating basis about every two years. The state also strongly encourages private aquaculture, selling plots of riverbed or bay floor to oyster farmers for $1.50 an acre. A total of 93,000 acres of water bottom is leased for farming. Maryland is only beginning to develop aquaculture.

Pictures: At the merroir with Owner Travis Croxton

One option that is on the table to revive the oyster production in the Chesapeake Bay, but not yet pursued, is to allow the Pacific oyster to be produced in the Chesapeake Bay. For the different types of oysters that exist in the world, see below.

Travis Croxton – who I met recently at the Chesapeake Bay - and his business partner and cousin Ryon Croxton are among those innovative growers, who use aquaculture to produce quality oysters. Currently, there output reaches 4 million oysters per year. Overall, more than half of Virginia’s increase during the past years came from private aquaculture

American Institute of Wine Food (AIWF) Visit

Organized by Joe Del Balzo from the AIWF, I visited the farm of Travis Croxton at the Rappahannock River and enjoyed a three course tasting meal at their Oyster Bar “merroir”.

The AIWF is a non-profit organization founded by Julia Child, Robert Mondavi, Richard Graff and others in 1981 to advance the understanding, appreciation and quality of what we eat and drink in the USA.

We toured the facility, learned about the native species the Croxtons are so passionate about, sampled oysters, and enjoyed a wine and food pairing in the “merroir” tasting room.

4 Types of Oysters in the World

I distinguish 4 types of oysters.

The Pacific

Originally from Japan, the Pacific or Japanese oyster is the most widely cultured oyster in the world. It accounts for 75% of world production. In France, it has crowded out the Belon and now accounts for 99% of oyster production there. Gone are the days of the Belon in Paris. The Pacific oysters are marketed under a variety of names, often denoting their growing area. The Kumamoto is one of the most famous Pacific oysters. I tend to think of a Pacific oyster as a creamy oyster, with a mineral note.

The Olympia

The Olympia is a very small oyster seldom exceeding 2 inches. For comparison, in Massachusetts, oysters must be a minimum of 3 inches to be sold. Olympia is a native American oyster, which once flourished on the West Coast, before the Pacific took over. Olympias are hard to find today as they grow very slowly and are difficult to transport. They hold very little liquid and dry out quickly. The Olympia has a very full flavor with a distinct aftertaste.

The Atlantic

Another American native, there are many varieties of Atlantic oysters, such as the Malpeque from Prince Edward Island in Canada and the Blue Point from Long Island in New York State. Bluepoints were originally named for Blue Point, Long Island but now the term is generally applied to any Atlantic oyster two four inches long. These two are now the most common restaurant oysters in the US. Also called Eastern oyster, the Atlantic has a thick, elongated shell that ranges from 2 to 5 inches across. It's found along the Atlantic seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico in the US.

The Belon

The Belon, or European Flat, is Europe’s native oyster. The Belons are round and shallow. That’s why they are called Flats. They are also not very liquid and dry out fast. They have a long history. They used to grow in Brittany, Normandy, England, Spain, Holland, Greece and the Black See. But a disease is wiping them out worldwide. The Flats from the Belon river in Brittany were at some point the connoisseur’s top choice and the name was soon adopted by all oyster growers, a bit like the Blue Points from Long Island. The Belon oyster grows in limited quantity in Maine on the rocks of the Damariscotta river bed.

Rappahannock River Oysters

The origins of Travis and Ryan Croxton’s company - Rappahannock River Oysters - can be traced all the way back to 1899. It was in that year that 24-year-old James Arthur Croxton, Jr., purchased five acres of leased river bottom in the Rappahannock River near Bowlers, Virginia. Today the company is run by James Arthur’s great-grandsons, Travis and Ryan Croxton.

Pictures: Rappahannock River

Touring the Oyster Farm

We toured the oyster farm with Farm Manager Patrick Oliver.

“Our oysters are grown from seed (1/8”) to market-size (3” plus) in trays in the water. This method allows us to produce a healthy, clean oyster by growing it up off of the bottom.

We're apt to brag that Rappahannock River Oysters grows only Crassostrea virginica, the Chesapeake Bay's native oyster. Our techniques for growing our celebrated bivalve have changed a little since Rappahannock River Oysters's early days. Today our oysters are grown "off bottom," positioned squarely in the water column where food quality and quantity are greatly improved. Not only do the oysters grow faster, they grow richer, plumper, and rounder - and all under our watchful eye. We monitor salt and temperature levels, guard against predators, cull out slow growers and misshapen shells - all to ensure that the customer gets a consistently healthy, attractive, and succulent oyster.”

Pictures: Farm Manager Patrick Oliver Explaining the Farm Operations

The Oysters we Tasted

We tasted 3 kinds of oysters.

Pictures: Oysters on the Half Shell

Rappahannock

Location: Topping, Virginia
Salt Range: 13-17 ppt.
Species: Crassostrea virginica (native)
Grow-out Method: Aquaculture

Taste Profile: Deep cupped and mineral rich, with an understated saltiness that lets the oyster's natural flavor come though, our Rappahannocks offer up a sweet, buttery, full-bodied taste with a refreshingly clean, crisp finish. It's the very same oyster we started growing in 1899.

Stingray

Location: Ware Neck, Virginia
Salt Range: 17-22 ppt.
Species: Crassostrea virginica (native)
Grow-out Method: Aquaculture

Taste Profile: Drawn from the pristine waters of Mobjack Bay, Stingrays are the quintessential Chesapeake Bay oyster: sweet and mildly briny with a clean, crisp finish. Named after the Bay oyster's chief predator, these Stingrays bite back!

Olde Salt

Location: Chincoteague Bay, Virginia
Salt Range: 28-33 ppt.
Species: Crassostrea virginica (native)
Grow-out Method: Aquaculture

Taste Profile: The truest taste of the ocean, our Olde Salt oyster brings together a bold sea-side brininess with a smooth, clean follow-through. Grown off the coast of Chincoteague (think Misty), our Olde Salt oyster is more than a classic, it’s a legend.

Merroir Tasting Menu with Wine Paired by Sommelier Joe Del Balzo

We had a wonderful meal, paired with wines suggested and introduced by Joe Del Balzo.

Pictures: Joe Del Balzo

Oyster on the 1⁄2 Shell Trio featuring Olde Salts, Rappahannock River, and Sting Ray

Chesapeake Bay Crabcake, Creole Remoulade Sauce, Rustic Italian Bread

Lamb ‘n Clam Stew, featuring Border Springs Farm lamb and our Olde Salt clams 


Dessert

Rappahannock Oyster Bar at Union Market in Washington DC

Before leaving “merroir” and heading back to Washington DC, Travis Croxton told us about his latest project, the Rappahannock Oyster Bar at Union Market in Washington DC near Gallaudet University. I have not yet been there, but at the center of it is a 20-seat bar, flanked by a communal table and patio seating. Watching over the tiny open kitchen for the moment is Dylan Fultineer. A veteran of the esteemed Hungry Cat in Santa Barbara, Calif., and Blackbird in Chicago, Fultineer is helping out until he starts cooking at the soon-to-open Rappahannock, a 3,000-square-foot restaurant in Richmond and another venture by the Croxton cousins.

The regular selection of raw oysters ($2 each) includes Rappahannocks, Stingrays and Old Salts. Down the road, the restaurateur anticipates offering “guest oysters” from elsewhere in the country. In addition, the menu includes steamed Olde Salt clams, oyster chowder with bacon, crab cakes, and grilled tuna loin with local peppers, tomatoes, and mojo de ajo. Travis Croxton said they plan to change the menu seasonally.

Earlier AIWF Events

Earlier AIWF events about which I have reported on schiller-wine include:

3 German Winemakers – Dr. Fischer, Fitz-Ritter and G.A. Schneider – and the American Institute for Wine and Food (AIWF) at the L2 Lounge in Washington DC, USA

Wine and Crab Cakes: Amy Brandwein from Casa Nonna and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 6th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA


schiller-wine: Related Postings

Fine Wine and Fine Oysters in Madagascar: Oysters from Fort Dauphin and Wine from Clos Nomena

In the Glass: 2007 Rheinhessen with Oysters at the Ten Bells in the Lower East Side in Manhattan

New Hampshire, US: Cheese ... Lobster and Oysters ... and Wine!

A Plateau des Fruits de Mer and a Pessac-Leognan Wine in Bordeaux City, France

Oysters and Wine

The Best Wines for US West Coast and Other Oysters

West Coast Oysters and Wine with Jon Rowley in Seattle, USA

Maryland Crabs and Wine, USA

Wine and Crab Cakes: Amy Brandwein from Casa Nonna and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 6th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA

In the Glass: A Rust en Vrede 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon With South African Oysters in Stellenbosch

A Plateau des Fruits de Mer and a Pessac-Leognan Wine in Bordeaux City, France

Schiller's World of Seafood

In the Glass: A Rust en Vrede 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon With South African Oysters in Stellenbosch

Oysters - and Wine - at Zuni Café in San Francisco, USA

The 2012 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition - 10 Oyster Wines