Long before I met my wife she belonged to a Wine Club in Cardiff, not that I think really this was for genuine oenophiles but more of a social club where the cheese got as much attention as the wine. It was though by all accounts great fun and had a loyal following.

At one such gathering she was persuaded to buy a bottle of Chapoutier Côte Rôtie 1996 (for what was then an unusual concept – drinking at some point in the future). This bottle has been with us now for more years than I care to mention, moved house with us and still with its hand written sticker “DO NOT DRINK UNTIL 2010”

It’s been an ongoing debate – as 2010 passed, when would we actually drink this single bottle?

Last weekend we had friends round, a normal drill of each couple bringing one of the courses – Richard decided on Beef bourguignon (after a few errors with a beef wellington earlier the previous day) – so we decided that we may as well finally drink the CR96.

It felt like my Chemistry A level practice all over again – I knew the theory – now it was time for the real thing. We decided on a face off – we lined up a Jasmin Côte Rôtie 2004 to ‘compare and contrast’ – well, following the science A level reference – more an experiment control. So, having asked (one of) our resident Rhone experts at Yapp HQ I was ready.

We kept both bottles outside during the day – it was 12-13 degrees, so ideal – warmer than chilled whites but cooler than normal red serving temperature. We decanted (with military precision) both bottles 1 hour before serving the Beef bourguignon.

The 1996 on pouring was thinner and browner that the 2004 –and on decanting had hardly any nose. The 2004 however had a classic Northern Rhone nose – a bouquet of raspberries and violets and a palate of dense black fruit flavours and ripe tannins.

However, an hour later the 1996 had literally blossomed – and now in comparison was way in front – always reassuring when your revision comes good in the exam!

The 1996 Côte Rôtie was devoured by all at the table, it was delicious and had a finish that was seemingly never ending.

Should you want to repeat this at home (we had great fun doing it) you’ll find our selection of Côte Rôtie wines here.

Happy drinking!

There’s always been a bit of debate about when it’s best to finally put Christmas in the past and just get on with what the New Year may bring. Personally, I’m a huge fan of the “New Years Day tear down” but my children (and wife for that matter) are always reluctant to consign Christmas to the family history vaults once again.

So, as always, there’s always a balance to be found.

I’ve always enjoyed finding a use for something after I’ve used it first time round – on Christmas Eve I’d stocked the cellars (well, my wine rack to be precise, I’ve yet to broach the subject of a cellar with my wife) with all I needed to execute my culinary plans through to New Year (the Châteauneuf du Pape: Le Vieux Donjon Rouge 2008 was spot on with a rib of beef on the big day it’s self and my perennial accompaniment to Thai green curry and sticky rice Alsace: Gewürztraminer 2007 proved a great hit on Christmas Eve).

The Yapp box that had served me well over the holidays, I’d happily worked my way through the selection with family and friends, then came into it’s own once again: an ideal way to safely keep all the Christmas decorations safe until next year. Who knows, I might even use the box for my Christmas wines in 2012!

If, like me, you do need to restock – don’t forget our New Year Sale runs until 9th January, and we now deliver orders the next working day.

Happy New Year!

[ed. There is some debate as to when 12th Night actually falls. From The Guardian: "The Church of England plumps down firmly on 5 January as the Twelfth Day of Christmas, and therefore the evening of the 5th as Twelfth Night. This difference in dates is said to have arisen because centuries ago 'days' began at sunset and night-time was considered part of the following day. So if you start counting at sunset on 24 December, the twelfth night afterwards is 5 January. But when using today’s system and starting days at midnight that puts twelve nights on from the 25th as the evening of 6 January." New Years Day sounds just fine to me...].

Yapp Brothers wine has to be the marketers dream ‘product’ – once people try wine from the list they tend to come back for more and we do have a very loyal following of converts. The key to this of course is getting new wine lovers to try the wines from our list.

To this end, we always enjoy getting out and about – and recently we were delighted to be showing a selection of autumnal wines to the Kington Langley Wine Appreciation Society (KLWAS). A favourite Aunt of mine (aka ‘Aunty Di’ or the ‘Mighty Min’ – a long story) is also a member of a Wine Appreciation Society in the Northern Home Counties (Potters Bar to be precise). She always insists that the difference between wine appreciation and wine tasting is that the “appreciators” consume as well as taste. They reckon on 20 tasting glasses from one bottle, so there are 20 members in the Society – so no one gets half measures.

Myself and our intrepid Shop Manger, Mei Williams, hosted (although I have to say more hosting was done by Mei as he is the font of all oenophilic knowledge) the recent KLWAS gathering. Mei had selected nine wines that were showing particularly well and, although working at Yapp HQ I think I know the wines pretty well, Mei still has the knack of adding to my knowledge. The wines shown were all personal favourites that I’m rarely out of stock on the domestic front. But I did discover that the label on the Pic Saint-Loup: l’Arbouse 2009 Mas Bruguière represented the slopes of the valley. The Pic Saint-Loup is one of the peaks – the other being the Montagne de l’ Hortus.

The KLWAS have a great, friendly format where after tasting the wine members all try and guess the price. Looking down a list of what sells best certainly gives a nod to what moves out of our cellars the quickest. The Côtes de Thongue: Tradition 2010 is always a favourite, I know it’s one of the few wines we stock that has 50% Merlot (backed by Rhône staples 25% Grenache Noir and 25% Carignan) but it’s forward drinking and a real crowd pleaser. The ‘bidding’ by the KLWAS for this wine was all above £10 a bottle, a few members suggesting £15 a bottle would be right. So when we revealed the price at £8.50 a bottle I think we may have won a few more converts.

All wines did show well – the Domaine Maby La Fermade Blanc 2010 was a huge success and with a few eyes focussing on the Christmas period, the last wine (Domaine la Tour Vieille: Banyuls Réserva) got everyone talking about Christmas Puddings and various festivities

.

As we drove back on a typically wild and wet Autumn night, we both had enjoyed the night, hopefully won over a few new Yapp converts and we hope to return to the KLWAS soon.

If you would like to talk further about what we do ‘Out and About’ or if you’d like us to get involved with your Wine Club, please do drop us a line to sales@yapp.co.uk – or if you are a oenophile living in the SP15 postcode, looking to join a friendly and relaxed Wine Society here’s a link!

http://www.kingtonlangley.org/Community/KLWineAppreciationSociety.htm

I’d planned a cycling jaunt to the Alps with some friends for a bit of R&R after a busy few months chez Yapp and a stressful flat move. As we packed the bikes into the van under the clear blue London skies at 5.00AM on Tuesday morning we harboured high hopes of sun on our backs as the road rose to meet us. By the time we hit the new Reims bypass, however, a steady drizzle had begun and by Burgundy even the Côte d’Or was looking moody and threatening through the driver’s window.  On arrival at the excellent King of the Mountains cycling lodge after 12 hours on the road, our delightful hosts Guy and Helen did their best to put a positive spin on the forecast for the next few days over salmon en croute washed down with a perfectly potable Pays d’Oc Cabernet, but the signs were ominous.

Chris Hayes, the landlord of the Marquis of Westminster, would like to call time on the Alpe d’Huez.

The next day we set off to tackle Alpe d’Huez, an iconic climb of 14km rising a vertical kilometre above Burg d’Oisans over 21 hairpins that always makes its mark on the destiny of the Tour de France and has a special place in the hearts of dutch cyclists. The last time we’d rode this beast it had been 40 degrees on the valley floor but by switchback 7 the sleet had turned to snow, impressive for 1st June.  On reaching the ski station finish we dived into the first café for a welcome hot chocolate and a Croque Monsieur.  Suitably sated and partly thawed out we took advantage of the next door cycle shop to buy dry socks and warm hats, all of which we had consigned to drawers back in the UK. Yet as we descended the sun broke through and by the time we were riding back to our base two-thirds of the way up the Col d’Ornon we were shedding layers. Such is the way in the mountains and we’ll treat each day as it comes. Meanwhile we’ve stocked up on Jacquère and Roussette from the local Savoie vineyards and stoked-up the wood burning stove.

Sheep stop play on the approach to the Col d'Ornon....

I was fortunate enough to spend last Thursday lunchtime at Le Gavroche selecting the wines for our forthcoming Spring lunch. I took the opportunity to buttonhole the head sommelier David Galetti, who presides over a list of biblical proportions, about his personal recommendations of wines to accompany asparagus.

David Galetti - Le Gavroche

When English asparagus is in season, as it is now, it can’t be beaten and my personal philosophy is to enjoy it as frequently as possible so I was keen to hear David’s recommendations. His first observation was that if asparagus is properly cooked it should still have a little bit of a ‘croquant’ bite and that you must therefore select a wine that is ‘fresh’ and isn’t heavily marked with oak. Although Sauvignon Blanc is widely acknowledged as being the classic accompaniment  (and they list our Pouilly Fumé ‘Les Loges’ from Dominique Guyot in bottles and halves at Le Gavroche – which would be  a good match) David said that it probably wouldn’t be his first choice. He looks for a wine with ‘a hint of citrus’ and averred that it is important to have some savoury herb notes too. Pinot Blanc and dry Chenin  Blanc ‘can work very well’ apparently – so I look forward to experimenting with some of those forthwith. David dis-recommended Chardonnay as a general rule “you don’t want anything too heavy, oaky or buttery” and surprised me with the revelation that his personal preference is for a Corsican Vermentino!

So what are you waiting for? Get the green spears of goodness on the stove and start experimenting with some fresh, clean Spring whites in the newly shipped 2010 vintage.

Last month we received the sad news that Isabelle Barantin had finally succumbed to the circling sharks and sold the iconic monopole vineyard of Château Grillet to François Pinault of Château Latour. I spoke to Isabelle on the phone shortly afterwards and made the mistake of congratulating her on the sale – the property had been discreetly on the market for quite some time. ‘Ne dis jamais ça’ was her terse response. Isabelle made it very clear to me that she had been a reluctant vendor – still a few million Euros in the current account must sugar the pill to some extent. While it is a shame that this unique 3.8 hectare site is passing out of a family ownership that dates back to the French Revolution at least Isabelle can leave with her head held high having restored the vineyard and wine to their full, outstanding potential during her 17 year stewardship.

Chateau Grillet estate by Jason Yapp.

I speak from direct experience as Yapp Brothers have shipped straight from the Château since the early 1970′s and I cannot think of a wine that has been more commercially controversial. Robert Parker described Château Grillet as being ‘overpriced and overrated’ in his 1997 book wines of the Rhône, which is not what you want to read when you are sitting on pallets of the stuff. For years I had a running dialogue with Jancis Robinson who doggedly catalogued its short-comings (there was even a derogatory comparison to Harrogate springs!) before she was finally won-over by the 2004 vintage: “France’s most idiosyncratic appellation, devoted to one producer with one amphitheatre of Viognier vines has been difficult to love for many vintages but in 2004 white Bordeaux wizard Denis Dubourdieu was brought in to give the wine a good scrub and here at last we have real freshness even at three years old. There’s a deeply mineral nose and then dense fruit and a wonderfully creamy finish. Even the most jaded wine enthusiast would be fascinated by this evidence of a new era at this famous white Rhône landmark.” Which, if you are trying to sell it, is much more uplifting.

Once, after a tasting in the Crown Hotel in Southwold when a room full of Masters of Wine had roundly berated the 1990 vintage, I did consider throwing in the towel but the great Rhône guru John Livingstone-Learmonth (www.drinkrhone.com) persuaded me to keep the faith on the grounds that the terroir at Château Grillet is unique and capable of producing outstanding wines.  Happily he was right (as gurus often are) and the vintage run from 2003 onwards, under Monsieur Dubourdieu’s influence has been fantastic. I tasted the 2005 last week with Farr Vintners boss Stephen Browett at Chabrot Bistro d’Amis  (www.chabrot.co.uk). It’s a bargain there, in London restaurant terms, at £95 a bottle and is drinking beautifully now. It is still a little closed on the nose and merits decanting but it has great vigour, length and minerality and is the perfect foil for classic French cuisine. I think it has a least a decade’s happy drinking ahead of it – as does the 2006 which is also stupendous. We are about to ship the keenly anticipated 2007 which will, I suppose, mark the end of an era. If the rumours of what M. Pinault paid for the property are even half accurate it may well also be the last ever vintage of Château Grillet that is remotely affordable, so my (highly partial) advice is to fill your boots before the Bordelais ramp up the prices – it’s unquestionably a buyers’ market!