German Riesling Masterclass by German Wine Queen 2012 Annika Strebel

Had a lovely evening at the German Riesling masterclass tutored by the German Wine Queen 2012, Annika Strebel.

The wines were tasted in this order (as usual, badly taken notes):
1. Kesselstatt WV Edition I Kaseler Riesling trocken 2009
No chemical fertilisers.

2. Dönnhoff Riesling trocken 2009
No chemical fertilisers. Fruity on the nose.

3. Wittmann Riesling trocken 2009
This bottle was from the personal collection of Boon of Wein & Vin. Certified biodynamic.* Philipp Wittmann’s family estate started in 1663. With intensive vineyard care, old vines, low yield, and good winemaking skillz the Wittmann wines have raised the profile of Rheinhessen slosh. This wine was from many different soils. When you first smell it, you smell the fruitiness of the wine (honey melon, papaya). An amazing wine for Rheinhessen and Wittmann has been awarded four grapes (out of a possible five) by the German wine magazine Weinwirtschaft.

4. Van Volxem Saar Riesling 2009
From the Mosel-Saar region which is a little bit colder than the rest of German winegrowing regions. Still a little bit reductive. Van Volxem is from the Bitburger family. Auditor turned winemaker. Wants to make German rieslings like how they were pre-World War I. He’s a quality freak, up to the quality of the manure used for fertiliser. Waits until very late before harvesting. Latest harvest, spontaneous yeast. His higher level wines go through maceration. Lychee top note. For 11.5% alcohol, it is quite powerful.

There was an interesting bit of information from the representative from the German Wine Institute about how the current system of classification came from the social democratic government. They did not want the same system as Bordeaux (by grapes) or the system in Burgundy (by vineyard sites). They wanted to classify the quality of the wine – but this would be rather subjective. So the compromise was to classify the quality of the grape juice – and this came to the ripeness of the grapes which would be measured by sugar level.

Some years, the grapes are so good that you can only make Spätlese wines. But the winemaker’s customers also want Kabinett wines so the law allows you to downgrade.

But ultimate dryness or sweetness of the wines depends on how long the winemaker allows the grapes to ferment. The earlier you stop fermentation, the sweeter the wine will be.

5. Kesselstatt Josephshofer Kabinett 2010
Monopole of Kesselstatt. Steep slope, 60 degrees gradient, in middle of Mosel. Vines are planted differently here to ensure most exposure to sun. The slate forces the roots to dig deeper, resulting in a mineral taste in the wines. The slate is also very dark and absorbs heat, warming up the vines during the night. Ripe grapes and cold fermentation. Like minty cough drops, liquorice. A bit of residual sugar – half-dry, semi-dry.

6. Kesselstatt Scharzhofberger Kabinett 2010
Same winery, different site. Scharzhofberger has become rather famous recently due to Egon Müller. Also steep slope – 30 to 60 degrees gradient. Late harvested, very ripe. Almost sparkling, very lively acidity, residual sugar, very ripe apricots to the nose. Very open even though 2010.

The same vineyards as before but Spätlese, which just means “late harvest”:
7. Kesselstatt Josephshofer Spätlese 2010
More intense as a Spätlese. If you stop fermentation, then lower alcohol, higher sugar. Honey, raisins, apricot in the end. Long finish.

8. Kesselstatt Scharzhofberger Spätlese 2010
There was some discussion about how the amazing thing about German wines is their acidity, which helps with the sweetness. Apparently, Germans usually drink dry wines and export the sweet ones!

We hung around after to talk and drink some more. Much effusive enthusiasm for German wines (and cycling through vineyards), so much more to taste and experience, but may we not destroy ourselves with the mercies of God!

*While many German producers are “ecological” and do not use fertilisers etc, they are not certified organic (EU) or biodynamic (Demeter) because they refuse to have to deal with the bureaucracy that hands out these certifications.

Wolf Blass Wines and Wisdom

At an invited tasting of the luxury collection* of Wolf Blass wines, presented by its chief winemaker, Chris Hatchet, it was interesting how many people in the room found favourites in the 1993 Black Label Cabernet Shiraz and the 1998 Platinum Label Shiraz. These renditions of the Barossa Valley had all the body and complexity of, some nodded and murmured approvingly, Bordeaux.

In a time when postmodernism is the zeitgeist of the age, where an upstanding member of society is expected to preface any view with an apologetic “but this is just my personal opinion”, it’s somewhat fascinating to contemplate the implications of such a consensus. (Arguably though, the journalists and editors of wine magazines, sommeliers, wine merchants and educationalists had all been cut from the same cloth, the cloth that references everything with French terroir. ;-))

We’ve spent the last month or so working at understanding the Book of Proverbs with the help of Joshua Ng’s The Beginning of Wisdom (Proverbs: Volume 1), published by Matthias Media. Probably haven’t understood even an eighth of what’s on offer but have gathered this much:

• if wisdom is the knowledge of how to best live in this world, then the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD. Of course, anyone, by careful observation could attempt to live in a way that he thinks is expeditious (and write books about it) and he may, to some extent, be right. But he can never grasp the whole picture. God made the universe (and therefore knows best how it works!) and God will come again to judge (and can therefore tell us how to live now in light of future judgement – assuming you trust what he says ! (hence, fear and faith));
•  because of future judgement, wisdom is not something that is just nice to know only if you were of a serious-minded sort of persuasion, but a matter of life and death for everyone. It is imperative that we gain wisdom to avoid eternal death;
• Proverbs, read together with the New Testament, states quite plainly that not all good actions lead to positive outcomes in this life; the Bible is quite realistic – we live in a fallen world that has been corrupted by our sin;
• but there is a certain time in everyone’s future in which their all wise actions now will see a good outcome. Proverbs, read together with the New Testament, demonstrates that  the supremely wise thing to do is to acknowledge Jesus as our saviour and master, and live under his rule – for that is how we will be able to really understand how to live now and how to face God’s judgement in the future.

*we have a long-running debate about the use of non-subtle adjectives in marketing (“luxury”, “premium”, “indie”) and whether this practice actually attracts or turns off the targeted audience.

Day Seven of a 24-day “Advent Calendar”

T’was 12:50am on Day Seven, when an SMS rattled in:”CSW, congrats n welcome to the CSW world!”.

The deadly combination of studying, sporadically, only the topics that interested me (France, Italy) + innumerable stupid mistakes i was all too keenly aware of when the proctor told us to put down our dulled 2B pencils, it seemed, had not sunk the CSW exam*. Managed to pass with at least 75% (edit: think it was actually a 87% or 89%).

“What does this mean?” asked a colleague who had been informed of this unexpected turn of events. For now, this means a “certificate (suitable for framing)” and a “CSW lapel pin” in the mail all the way from The Society of Wine Educators in USA, the opportunity to add the “CSW” post-nominal to the paltry number trailing my name, and the chance to bring the name of all more worthy Certified Specialists of Wine into disrepute by asking dazzlingly n00b questions at vintner wine dinners.

Party time, excellent!

*patent stupidity (no, there isn’t an Iberian Sea) aside, i still don’t know, off the top of my head, the relative climates of wine-growing regions in Portugal and Greece, details of Chilean irrigation laws, names of the sub-regions of famous wine-growing places in Italy, classification of wine-growing regions in South Africa, intricate details of some wine-making processes…and despite having spent a lot of time in French territory, the relative tannic values of its grapes…

…and even the stuff i do profess some knowledge of is mired in befuddlement – at the Vinum Caveau Wine Bazaar i said cheerfully to a surprised sales manager concerning the last bottle of Emilio Lustau Tintilla de Rota,”sherry from the solar system”… -.-‘

And when i stumbled at the difference between sweet and dry sherries (because i was thinking of the “Sercial, Verdelho (known in Vinho Verde as Gouveio and in Spain as Godello), Boal (or Bual), Malvasia” sequence of Madeiras from Portugal), at least i could still remember, from last month’s sherry tasting, my fondness for the amontillado (oh wait…or was that the manzinilla…)

(No reflection on teaching ability of Lim Hwee Peng though, who runs courses under the eponymous Lim Hwee Peng School of Wine and provides wine-related services under Winecraft Marketing. While he didn’t exactly spoonfeed us, he was always available despite his own busy schedule to help those who were keen on learning, give extra lessons and pep talks, and generally, meet up for drinks.)

World Gourmet Series Wine & Restaurant Experience 2011 WRX Wine Journey

Due to a race that morning and a much-needed carb-laden lunch after, only managed to catch the last few hours of the WRX Wine Journey, part of the World Gourmet Series Wine & Restaurant Experience 2011. Billed as an affordable gourmet wine and food fair (S$38 for wine activity centres and masterclasses, S$88 for additional “Gourmet Pairing Market food and wine”) i thought commendable effort was made to try to educate consumers. It wasn’t quite as crowded as expected, possibly because it was difficult to get to Grand Copthorne Waterfront in the rain, but this meant more space to move around and time to talk to the wine educators present.

The WRX Wine Activity Centers, themed wine stations meant to be hosted by local wine experts, included The ABCs of Italian Wine, Hot Holiday Wines, “Know Your Pinots” Blind Pinot Noir Challenge,

BUBBLES!!! – hosted by Britta Giese,

Glorious Grüner – a whole selection of Grüner Veltliner from Austria! hosted by Maxim Sokolov from Unique Food and Wine (facebook). Amazing how variations in terroir, climate, processes can create such differently delicious products from the same grape grown in the same country – some of the wines actually tasted like chardonnay or had the aroma of a sauvignon blanc:

started with Jurtschitsch Little J, followed by Jurtschitsch Loiserberg Kamptal Reserve Osterreich 2010, Huber Alte Setzen Erste Lage Traisental Reserve, Huber Berg Erste Lage Gruner Veltliner Traisental Reserve, Leth Scheiben 2009, Markowitsch Alte Reben 2009, Prager Hinter der Burg Federspiel 2009, Weingut Brundlmayer Lamm 2009, Franz Hirtzberger Smaragd 2009, and finally Rudi Pichler Reserve 2008. From my notes, i liked the Prager and Markowitsch but that’s probably not all;

The Spanish Wine Inquisition hosted by Edwin Soon; and

Global Cabernet Sauvignon hosted by Tan Ying Hsien of Taberna Wine, who was patient enough to have a prolonged chat about how to taste wines, chide me for marking down cab savs because of their youthfulness and suggest some books to read to teach myself at least the vocabulary of wine-tasting. Another person who happened to be at the table very kindly took me through smelling and tasting a corked wine – very useful! This n00b was grateful.

The WRX Try-and-Learn Masterclasses were similarly exciting:

“Rising New Zealand Reds” was presented by Man O’ War winemaker Duncan McTavish. We tasted Mt Difficulty Estate Series Pinot Noir 2009, TerreVin Pinot Noir 2008, Vynfields Reserve Pinot Noir 2008, Escarpment Kupe Pinot Noir 2009 (which i liked), Man O’ War “Ironclad” Merlot Cabernet Franc 2009 and Man O’ War “Dreadnought” Syrah 2009.

“Western Australian Masterclass” by Jeremy Oliver, where we learned to distinguish Margaret River wines by taste (and i showed a strong preference for Peccavi wines) (flight: Xanadu Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2009, Peccavi  Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2011, Wignalls Unoaked Chardonnay 2010, Peccavi Chardonnay 2008, Xanadu Chardonnay 2008, Wignalls Premium Chardonnay 2009, Wignalls Pinot Noir 2009, Voyager Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2007, Peccavi Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Voyager Shiraz 2009) and the difference between technical scores (like Robert Parker’s) and wines that wine critics actually like to drink at home, and

“Stickies and Puddings” by Britta Giese, where the challenge was to match the different desserts with the given dessert wines: Small Gully Mr. Black’s Concoction Moscato 2009, Oremus Furmint Late Harvest Tokaji 2008, Markus Molitor “Zeltinger Sonnenuhr” Kabinett 2008, Tchida Zweigelt Strohwein, NV Ratafia de Champagne Henri Giraud, Cockburn’s Special Reserve Port. (There was a mild flurry of excitement when a chap in the front row keeled over onto the floor mid-session. Fortunately, it was only the after-effects of mixing cold medicine with alcohol. I was afraid i might have to dust off archived CPR skills.)

Outside, the food and wine pairings were:


fricassee of snails, wild mushrooms & beetroot, cauliflower & white chocolate emulsion (Paul Longworth, Au Petit Salut) x Man O’ War

crepes ribbons with homemade sausages, porcini mushroom and cheese sauce (Luca Carrino, Capricci) x Batasiolo

“porchetta allo spiedo” (pork belly cooked slowly in gentle fire with orange zest sage & rosemary herbs) (Moreno Martini, Gaia Ristorante & Bar) x Avignonesi

“casseler” (smoked pork in sour dough bread with “spreewald style”sauerkraut and spicy mustard) (Jan Touschil, MAGMA German Wine Bistro, Deli + Shop) x MAGMA

marinated whole south africa abalone with tofu in “teochew” style (Yong Bing Ngen, Majestic Restaurant) x Freixenet

roast baby chicken with truffle, brioche, jamon and pinenut stuffing, rosemary and garlic potatoes (Christopher Millar, Stellar, 1-Rochester Group) x Grant Burge

chilly infused grainy mustard enchanced chicken kebab served with avacado garbanzo pinenut chat (Manjunath Mural, The Song of India) x Mt Difficulty

slow cooked spiced veal cheeks served with deep fried mantou (Daniel Sia, The Disgruntled Chef) x Penfolds

Simply Italian Great Wines Asia Tour 2011 Singapore

Made it out of meetings just in time for the guided wine tasting presented by Istituto del vino italiano di qualita grandi marchi at Simply Italian Great Wines Asia Tour 2011 (Singapore), as part of the World Gourmet Series Wine & Restaurant Experience.

Good to be able to put a taste to some of the wine regions/grape varietals we’ve been studying (with over 2,000 native grape varietals in Italy alone, it’ll take more than a lifetime to cover everything!), and very interesting to hear that for most of the wineries, it’s all about La Familia.

The wines presented were meant to represent the best of many of the wine-growing regions in Italy, reflecting their unique grape varietals, geography, climate, processes. The wine tasting seminar was chaired by Dr. Michael Lim (ML) who writes at The Travelling Gourmet. Wine order and very random notes (with atrocious grammar):

Carpene Malvolti – Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Cuvee Oro (dry)
Sparkling wine from northeast of Italy in Conegliano-Valdobbiadene area in Veneto, made from 100% prosecco (name of grape also name of wine), made using the charmat method by the now 4th generation of the family since 1868. They called the wine “champagne” until 1924 when they were obliged to change it to “prosecco”. The wine presented was dry with sugar about 23g/l. Very very light yellow, white flower aroma, long-lasting bubbles, an easy drink. ML: goes very with dim sum – har gao, seafood – oyster, lobster.

Alois Legeder – 2010 Tenutae Lageder “Porer” Pinot Grigio (Demeter-biodynamic)
From the Alto Adige region, north of Veneto and at the border with Austria – one of the coolest regions in Italy and with high altitudes of more than 1000m. Most of the fine wines are grown on these slopes down to the valley. Alot of the wines from this region are in the German style. Pinot grigio isn’t too acidic in structure so it is popular because you can drink alot of it. This white is made according to Demeter-approved biodynamic methods. ML: good with cold salads, cold smoked salmon, seafood – lobster, sashimi.

Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute – Il Pareto Rosso Toscana IGT Nozzole 2007
A Folonari from the 8th generation of the wine family presented this wine. He said that they were concerned to work with native grape varietals and the soil to produce wines that were distinctive though not necessarily better than others; the average quality of wines all over the world had grown in recent years but the problem he saw was that they didn’t have character or origin. So he and his father set out to acquire vineyards in the most exciting places in Tuscany to get wines with distinctive character that showed the terroir. The wine presented was 100% cabernet sauvignon with strong terroir imprint – not just typical Cab Sav spice but also earthiness, hints of leather, gamey-ness – characteristics more likely found in aged sangioveses (like Brunellos). Also the acidity didn’t make the wine fruity or jammy but made it good with food. Interesting to see this from an international variety. Was aged in French oak – part new, part one year old. ML: good with roast beef, roast lamb, meat dishes

Marchesi Antinori – Guado Al Tasso Bolgheri DOC Superiore 2007
From a famous wine-making Florentine family which has been making wine since they joined the guild in 1385. Pere Antinori is known in Italy for having turned quantity into quality wines through experimentation. The wine presented was from Bolgheri, at the coast of Tuscany. Bolgheri is traditionally better for Bordeaux varieties (hence the varietal composition of the wine presented – cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc (and petit verdot)). The whole region was once owned by one family – there were two daughters – one married Antinori and the other, another man who would go on to make the eponymous Sassicaia (well, actually, he was more into horses but he borrowed Antinori’s winemaker who came up with a nice blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc). The wine presented was the first vintage of Guado Al Tasso – still a bit fresh. ML: goes well with Sichuan beef in black pepper sauce.

Umani Ronchi – Cumaro Conero Riserva DOCG 2007
From the Marches region. 100% Montepulciano. ML: Good colour extraction. On the nose, medium to long finish – chocolate and cocoa finish (third nose). Good with Cantonese roast duck with crispy skin and Imperial baked chicken with wolfberries and red dates.

Lungarotti – Rubesco Riserva Vigna Monticchio Torgiano Rosso Riserva DOCG 2005
Two sisters make this wine (power frau! presenter’s mother and aunt). They are now in the third generation of winemaking since 1962. The presenter’s grandfather started to make quality wines in Umbria at a time when no one else was doing so – yes, outside of cities, everyone had his own personal vineyard for his personal consumption, but no one had a winery with constant attention to quality of the vineyard (pruning activities in winter, harvesting in July). The wine presented, Vigna Monticchio, came from a vineyard on top of a hill, clay soil, West exposure. Barrique 1 year and 4 years in bottle. The grandfather believed strongly that bottle aging was very important for the wine to breathe and get better. 70% Sangiovese and 30% Canaiolo. Complex with notes of cherries and progressively, spices and cocoa. ML: good with pork in soya sauce (tau yu bak), beef bourguignon.

Rivera – Il Falcone Castel Del Monte DOC 2005
From Puglia, the heel of the boot. 70% Nero di Troia, 30% Montepulciano. ML: on the nose, strawberries, red berries with some licorice. Medium to long finish. Good balance – dry and robust, tannins are silky and soft – because there was frequent pumping over which made the tannins softer. Not over-oaked like Australian wines. Good with curries and Singapore laksa. (liked this one.)

Tasca d’Almerita – Rosso Del Conte Contea Di Sclafani DOC Tenuta Regaleali 2006
Alberto Tasca d’Almerita, from the 8th generation of the winemaking family, represented this Sicilian winery. He spoke of the difficulty and excitement of getting to know Italian wines because of all the varieties and regions there. Sicily has a great range of regions from vineyards at sea-level to 1000m, clay to sandy, weather conditions. Rosso del Conte means rose of the count. Alberto’s uncle heard so much about how good Chateauneuf de Pape was, went to have a look, returned and swore to make the best wine in the world from the vineyard in the middle of Sicily. It was far from influence of the sea, good for ripeness but challenge was to get acidity. Grape varieties: Nero d’Avola and selection of best red varietals authorised by DOC. ML: first nose – coffee. Good with chicken satay with peanut sauce.

Argiolas – Turriga Isola Dei Nuraghi IGT 2006
From Sardinia, Turriga is a blend of 4 different grapes (85% cannonau – same family as grenache, 5% carignano, 5% malvasia nera, 5% bovale?), aged in French oak and then in bottle for 15-18 months. On the nose, first impression is complexity. Good with suckling pig and lamb. ML: good with pecorino cheese with honey, beef rendang.

Michele Chiarlo – La Court Barbera D’Asti Superiore Nizza DOC 2007
From Piedmonte which close to the French border and is famous for its white truffles (peak of season now). For great food, they needed great wines to pair with. There’s the Barolo, Barbresco, and Barbera. Barbera has been in the shadow of the first two in the past because it was usually just used as a house wine but not for a quality wine. Founder of the Chiarlo winery has always been focused on the Barbera. He believed that great wines can only come from great vineyards – a lot of attention on the terroir. Nizza is a small area that produces Barbera – unique, small production. Spends one year in a large cask, after which it moved to a small cask, and then blended together and bottled. ML: i was the first gourmet to match mooncakes with one of their dessert wines. This wine goes well with roast goose.

Mastroberardino – Radici Taurasi Reserva DOCG 1999
From Campagnia in south of Italy, known for sun and sea and buffalo mozarella. Family has been producing wines for 7 generations. Campagnia was the campania felix of the Roman empire – strong culture of food and wine (as Pompeii shows). There are 3 DOCGs in the small area – link between terroir and wine. The wine presented was one of the 3 DOCGs – the Taurasi – name of the village in the centre of the area of production. 100% aglianico grown in chalky clay soil with strong influence of nearby Mount Vesuvius volcano gave particular personality to the wine. Now, the attention has turned from international varietals to classical varietals that come from Italian soil. “Radici” is the name of the property (single vineyard). This is a reserva – a little longer aging – 30 months in wood, 18 months for bottle refining. The vintage, 1999, is quite young for a Taurasi. They don’t produce every vintage since not all might be highest quality – the last jump was in 2002.  ML: good with wild boar meat. (i liked this one too.)

Biondi Santi Tenuta Greppo – Brunello Di Montalcino DOCG 2006
One of the most important winemakers in Italy, especially for brunello di montalcino. One of the family created it in 1888 with a clone of Sangiovese Grosso to make the Tuscan wine. Colour is bright ruby, taste is elegant with well-balanced acidity and tannins, though a bit young.

Pio Cesare – Barolo DOCG 2007
100% Nebbiolo. ML: on the nose, ripe morello cherry; on third nose, spices and cloves. On palate, hints of roasted meats and spices and the tannins are evident but elegant. Persistence of the wine – flavour remains long. Good for pan-seared tuna, fish soup from Marseille. (i really liked this one.)

Masi – Costasera Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico DOC 2007
Started in 1772, 7 generations ago. From Veneto, near the town of Romeo and Juliet, Verona. In Valpolicella, there are three grape varieties – Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara, dried for 3-4 months on bamboo trays to make a more concentrated. Thanks to apassimento process, even though the wine is dry, very smooth, a gentle giant. ML: good with Cantonese style Emperor pork ribs, sweet and sour pork.

Donna Fugata – Ben Rye Passito Di Pantelleria DOC 2009
From the small island of Pantelieria, Sicily – volcanic island, sunny and windy so that the vines have to be cultivated in low-tree type. 100% Zibibbio (muscat of alexandria!). Harvested for one month and there are several harvests. Natural drying process outside and then fermented, the next harvest is then added to the fermented wine. Challenge is to balance the sweetness and acidity and freshness. Rich and pleasant – 200g of residual sugar. On the nose, southern italian – apricots, figs. Good with bitter chocolate – a meditation wine. ML: good with foie gras and oysters. Complex aromas. (This was the most popular for many of the tasters. I went behind to snap photos of the bottles and returned to find my glass missing – it had been emptied by a stranger who had taken the neighbouring seat and he was looking rather happy.)

What to Make of Bad Childhoods

It was really refreshing to enjoy a simple homecooked meal with new friends at their rental flat.

We brought along a Jean-Marc Brocard Montee de Tonnerre Chablis Premier Cru 2009 and some brie de meaux and comte, and chatted until midnight. (You can tell from the crescent moons and lady bugs on the label that this Chablis was made in a biodynamic way. It could have been chilled more though because the bitter edge was rather apparent in the aftertaste. Note to self for future reference: it was also quite nonchalant about the charms of the brie de meaux and comte.)

I appreciated that there was little pretension in the conversation and that lives were shared honestly and openly (it seemed). Not many have Norman Rockwell childhoods, but it is what they make of their lives after that shows their character: there are the sort who blame their parents for everything wrong in their lives (their failed relationships, their meanness towards others, their sexual orientation etc), then there are those who pretend that their growing up years were just perfect in a scary Stepford wives sort of way, then there are others who frankly acknowledge that the early years were really quite shitty but that’s life and one just has to work to live the rest of one’s years in the way one thinks is best.

The third group is usually able to think this way because:

• they acknowledge that everyone is a sinner and therefore, (i) their parents may not have known better; and (ii) they themselves may not have turned out any better even if their parents were perfect; and
• they have a relationship with a Father whom they know cares consistently and deeply for them and always acts in their best interests. Thus valued, they are freed to live in a stable manner and to act in accordance with the will of an unchanging Maker (who has in fact made us to live best that way), rather than being blown back and forth, fruitlessly seeking to fulfil the capricious whims of other sinful humans and/or the latest fashionable philosophy of the day.

He Who Made The Grapes

An intense fortnight of vino fun:

Over a seafood dinner at The Seafood International, Playground @ Big Splash,

Oliver’s Taranga Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 McLaren Vale, Napa Cellars Mount Veeder Napa Valley Chardonnay 2009, Robert Mondavi Winery Napa Valley Chardonnay Reserve 2006, there was talk about the making of wine menus and about wines from Spain and Italy.

Then there was some very informative sherry tasting – a Lustau fino, a Lustau amontillado (which really tasted of the sea), two manzinillas (Lustau Pasada de Sanlucar and Deliciosa Sanlucar de Barrameda), a Lustau dry oloroso, and then two PXs (Lustau San Emilio Pedro Ximenez Sherry and a Harvey). This first encounter with sherry left the strong impression that they had quite a bit of rice aroma (in the sense of the smell of rice being cooked) about them.

The unfinished bottles were brought along to Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood and introduced to good cze char, two rounds of Heinekens, a Gewurztraminer VT (Baron de Hoen Gewurztraminer Vendages Tardives (ie. late harvest) 2007 from Alsace), a Muscadet (Chateau du Cleray Muscadet Sevre Et Maine Sur Lie 2007) and a wine from Cote Chalonnaise which we had just been discussing over dinner (Domaine Faiveley Monopole La Framboisiere from Mercurey). The amontillado did indeed go very well with the fish. Exciting discussions lasted till 1.30am as would be natural at a meeting of people enthusiastic or even obsessed about wine – a true fellowship of believers, unlike the sort of “fellowships” some Christians claim they have when they come together yet talk about anything but Christ.

A gawk, after breakfast, at a wine stall at Loewen Farmers’ Market at Dempsey,

then a full day tour, accompanied by red wine lubricants (Scarpantoni Brothers’ Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 from McLaren Vale, and Montevina Winery Zinfandel and Terra d’ Oro Sangiovese 2007 from Amador County ), of the better-known wine growing regions, their geography and grape varietals, and wine appellations, wine styles and wine laws.

After the wine exam, the wine teacher opened a very nice bottle of Trichero Mario’s Vineyard Cab Sav 2008 from Napa Valley, some of us wound down with cold Heinekens over lunch,

then we popped by a Languedoc-Rousillon wine-tasting, met and chatted with a few people from the trade and tasted the Southern French wines before heading for a stress-relieving massage.

Am still continually amazed by the beautiful complexity of the vinifera, so much more complex and more beautiful than real experts and obsessive connoisseurs can ever hope to fathom or enjoy completely, and my thoughts could not but turn to the one who made not just grapes for wine (and we’re not even talking about the labrusca species), but who made all things:

Behold Our God
Verse 1
Who has held the oceans in His hands?
Who has numbered every grain of sand?
Kings and nations tremble at His voice
All creation rises to rejoice

Chorus
Behold our God seated on His throne
Come, let us adore Him
Behold our King—nothing can compare
Come, let us adore Him

Verse 2
Who has given counsel to the Lord?
Who can question any of His words?
Who can teach the One who knows all things?
Who can fathom all His wondrous deeds?

Verse 3
Who has felt the nails upon His hands?
Bearing all the guilt of sinful man
God eternal, humbled to the grave
Jesus, Savior, risen now to reign

Tag
You will reign forever
Let Your glory fill the earth

from Risen
Jonathan Baird, Meghan Baird, Ryan Baird, and Stephen Altrogge
© 2011 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP)/Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)

The Straits Wine Company’s Singapore Wine Fiesta 2011 – Days 2 and 3

The atmosphere on Day 2 at The Straits Wine Company‘s Singapore Wine Fiesta 2011 was quite different from the first night. Possibly because the sweltering heat had been interrupted by a sudden downpour, it was hot and muggy under the tent mid-afternoon and the heavily sweating representatives at the Italian section were rather irritable (“There is no point my speaking to you! It is too loud here! And the music too it is too loud!”) and indeed the din of the Saturday crowd was amplified by thumping music from the resident DJ.

Still, managed to explore Italy and Spain before the mostly expatriate crowd hit in the evening for their pre-clubbing S$45 liquid buffet. People were starting to lose self-control – loud flirtation (“Hullooo! Do you know, people tell me Spanish men are really…”); falling into the coffee machine, flushed and giggling and unable to stand up without the help of friends.

Happily, there were seats facing Marina Bay Sands for resting and a steady supply of Malango coffee and caramel biscuits, and also Newater and Meiji crackers.

Now, the wines. Both the “cabins”, Brigaladara and Speri, from Veneto featured Valpolicella wines. The first did not contain the classic Corvina, Rodinella, Molinara blend we had been told to expect.

Brigaladara‘s Valpolicella Classico DOC 2009 (S$29) (only producers in the heart of the original historic growing district can use “classico” designation), made from Corvina 40%, Corvinone 20% Rondinella, Molinara e Sangiovese 40%, was quite alright but i really really liked the Amarone della Valpolicella Case Vecie Classico DOCG 2007 (S$145). Amarone della Valpolicella wines are models of one variation of the appasimento process where dried grapes fermented completely dry to 15-16% alcohol.

The Amarone della Valpolicella Amarone Classico Vigneto Monte Sant’Urbano 2006 (S$109) from Speri too was superb for me as well. Can understand why the Amarones command such high prices. In contrast, their Ripasso della Valpolicella 2009 (S$45) tasted strangely like warm sashimi that had been left out for a few hours. I stood there wondering if the tastebuds had been mistaken when someone else came by to try it, gagged, quickly dumped the rest and motioned for water to rinse out his mouth. A bad bottle perhaps? Unfortunately, the temp staff manning that “cabin” didn’t quite understand. I suppose they’re not allowed to drink on the job.

There were also two booths from Piedmont, another place in Northern Italy. The red grape of Piedmont is Nebbiolo and the white, Moscato, and most of the wines featured these in some form:

G.D. Vajra – didn’t quite like the Barbera D’alba DOC 2009 (S$45), but loved the Barolo Albe DOCG 2006 (S$59) and Moscato D’asti DOCG 2010 (S$25) (and also Giuseppe Vajra (named for his grandfather, Giuseppe Domenico Vajra)’s cheerfulness when many others were wilting), though DOCG in itself has nothing on DOC except a guarantee of place of origin.

Villa M featured easy-drinking stuff that appealed to many local women, including this one who was so excited she pushed in front of me as i was talking to the chap there. Interestingly, the Rosso Brachetto N.V. (S$25) was from the same grapes as the Bianco Moscato N.V. (S$25) – the, err, moscato grapes (said the representative. Hmm, not brachetto grapes?). Subject to partial fermentation and only 5% alcohol so not technically a wine.

The Tuscans brought along their stock of Sangiovese relatives:

La Poderina had their Rosso Di Montalcino DOC 2009 (S$45) which was fairly decent and a very nice Brunello Di Montalcino DOCG 2008 (S$79),

Rocca Della Macie contributed some Chiantis, though i only managed to taste the Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2007 (S$49) because the representative was having too passionate an argument about wine corks with what seemed to be some Russians who were advocating screwcaps,

Mionetto brought along some prosecco – the Sergio Brut Prosecco De Valdobbiadene DOCG N.V. (S$29) and the Sergio Rose Brut Prosecco De Valdobbiandene DOCG N.V. (S$29) were alright though not as complex as i would like.

Val Di Toro rounded off the party with its easy-drinking Auramaris Vermentino IGT 2010 (S$39), Raviresco Sangiovese IGT 2009 (S$29) and Sangiovese-Montepulciano IGT 2008 (S$39).

The Spanish gave me what was probably the highlight of the Wine Fiesta for me: Bodegas Altanza’s Reserva Especial Rioja 2001 (Robert Parker:92. me: blue cheese?!)(S$75) from 100% tempranillo grapes. It’s at it’s peak now and there are only 20 cases left in the world.

Other tempranillos tried were C.V.N.E.’s Cune Imperial Gran Reserva Rioja 1999 (85% tempranillo. S$69), Marques de Murrieta‘s Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Rioja 2004 (93% tempranillo. Robert Parker: 90)(S$79), Bodegas Mano a Mano’s Manon Tempranillo 2009 (S$22).

Returns were diminishing and the crowd made it just too difficult to move about or get drinks. The others were done so we headed to Din Tai Fung in Marina Bay Link Mall for dinner. Comparing notes, our tastes obviously differed quite a bit – they (including the guys) liked the sweet effervescence of Villa M drinks and Champagne Laurent-Perrier, while i fell for the more complex Chablis Jean Marc Brocard Premier Cru Montee De Tonnerre 2009 and Bodegas Altanza Reserva Especial Rioja 2001.

Needed to schedule a swotting session on Sunday so gave the New World a miss but popped by to purchase some wines and a Le Nez du Vin kit i’d been eyeing for some months for drinking games.

David Sankaran gave the word that morning. The passage he chose was Mark 4:26-32:

And he said,”The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

And he said,”With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

A goodly reminder that though we do our work, someone else is ultimately in-charge around here to give growth, in agriculture as well as in the kingdom God is bringing to himself. Here again unlike the constructs of men which put on showy displays of power and authority, real power and real authority doesn’t look like much in this age – just like there was no beauty in God’s son when he came to earth that we might desire him (Isaiah 53:2), so there is no seeming power in God’s kingdom now – it appears to be just a mustard seed, a few thousand of which make up one gram; it is weak, laughable but in God’s time will surely grow into an enormous tree.

The Straits Wine Company’s Singapore Wine Fiesta 2011 and Wine Fiesta @ Wine For Asia 2011 – Day 1

Had a fantastic time at The Straits Wine Company (facebook)’s Singapore Wine Fiesta 2011 at Customs House (to be distinguished from contemporaneous Wine Fiesta @ Wine For Asia 2011 at Suntec).

Someone just had to turn up with a funny hat.

The event organisation was wonderful so crowd control was in place and the whole process of buying tickets and getting tagged, being handed a pencil and Programme Guides with a map of the venue and listings of wineries and featured wines, the collection of refundable S$10 deposits for wine glasses,

purchasing and collecting wine was quite painless, leaving us to think about the wines.

Stayed focused on part of the Old World on the first night: France (excluding the bubbly) and Germany.

Started with Mischief & Mayhem from Burgundy, France. Mischief & Mayhem is a négociant run by a Brit and an Aussie and buys grapes from vineyards in Chablis and Cote d’Or (the upper bit of Burgundy) to make their wines. For tasting were the Chablis Premier Cru 2006 (S$45), Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru 2005 (Wine Spectator: 90, me: not bad but not spectacular) (S$109), Meursault 2006 (S$69), Meursault Les Poruzots Premier Cru 2005 (Wine Spectator: 91, me: love it)(S$119), Volnay 2006 (S$69) and Corton Bressandes Grand Cru 2006 (Wine Spectator: 90, me: ripe exotic berries)(S$110).

Mischief managed, we went on to Domaine Jean Marc Brocard. The Brocard family were the first to practice biodynamic (much more than “organic”!) farming in Chablis. Thought the Petit Chablis Domaine Sainte Claire 2010 (S$35) and Chablis Domaine Sainte Claire 2009 (S$39) were not bad. Didn’t try the Chablis Premier Cru Vau De Vay 2009 (S$59), but boy was the Chablis Premier Cru Montee De Tonnerre 2009 (S$69) something spectacular. Don’t know much about wines but wonder if this is a case of a premier cru vineyard producing grand cru quality, or if it is just what a premier cru should taste like. And look – Aligote (S$29) in Chablis not Cote Chalonnaise! The Brocards’ vineyards are situated on kimmeridgian clay-limestone – “the same as in Champagne” I exclaimed and Frederic Brouca was pleased to chat more, gave me his card and said to visit in spring or summer – he would be more than happy to give recommendations, arrangements etc. Unfortunately for him, we might actually take up the courtesy offer.

Then there was Château de la Tuilerie from Cotes (Costières?) de Nîmes in Southern Rhône. The representative was a very kindly man but i just didn’t quite fancy the blends – Celebration Viognier 2010 (S$22) and Celebration Merlot 2009 (S$22), though the more full-bodied Eole Rouge 2007 (S$69) was acceptable. Bought a bottle of apple juice (S$8) instead.

Other “cabins” (for some reason there was a cruiseliner theme going on) from Southern Rhône where round stones called galets are washed down from mountains and cover the ground and where vines are always in danger from the mistral wind from the north, were:

Château La Nerthe from Châteauneuf-du-Pape (the Pope’s new castle) – the Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc 2010 (S$69) showed very good promise (Grenache blanc, Rousanne, Bourboulenc, Clairette grapes) but the Châteauneuf du Pape Rouge 2006 (S$69) was just too warm for a proper taste. Didn’t try the Tavel Rose Prieure De Montezargues 2010 (S$35) and there was no more Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvee Clos Des Cadettes 2005 (Wine Spectator 95)(S$139) for tasting on Friday night; and

Jean Luc Colombo, a négociant who buys grapes from North and South Rhône for his wines. His daughter was hard at work at the stall. The couple next to me were raving about the Châteauneuf du Pape Les Bartavelles 2009 (Robert Parker: 90, me: not bad but rather too straightforward for me)(S$69). Didn’t try the Condrieu Amour De Dieu 2010 (S$99), Cote Du Rhone Les Abeilles 2009 (S$29), Crozes Hermitage Fees Brunes 2009 (Wine Spectator S$45) and Cornas Terres Brulees 2008 (Wine Spectator 91)(S$89).

Fared better with Northern Rhône. While the Crozes Hermitage White 2010 (S$29) and the Crozes Hermitage Red 2007 (S$29) from Cave de Tain co-operative were not for me, i liked the Les Hauts Du Fief Crozes Hermitage Red 2009 (Wine Spectator:91)(S$39) enough to buy a bottle. Had a good old chat with one of the two winemakers, Frank Protin, and he was charming enough to end off asking if i was from the wine industry and if i would go visit.

Representing Languedoc in the GSM South of France were:
Mas Belle Eaux – the Mas Belle Eaux Les Coteaux 2007 (S$45) and Mas Belle Eaux Saint Helene 2005 (S$59) weren’t quite to my taste, and the absence of representatives from Mas Belles Eaux did the wines no favour since the temp staff servers were only told to pour (we saw one get scolded for pouring a full glass) and didn’t know how to keep the wines at optimal temperature – a waste of an opportunity to educate future servers or consumers perhaps?; and

Les Domaines Paul Mas – after trying the La Forge Estate Chardonnay 2010 (S$25), Pinot Noir 2010 (S$25) and Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (S$25), vins de pays d’oc, i blurted,”Hey, these taste like Australian wines!”. The polite chap said that yes, they intended to make it that way.

Heavyweight, Bordeaux, had just one stall – Maison Hebrard, a negociant for wines from both banks. To demonstrate their coverage, the firm selected wines from each main region to be featured: Hebrard Chateau Landon Medoc 2009 (S$45) which tasted strangely metallic, the Hebrard Chateau Harmonie St Emilion Grand Cru 2009 (S$69) which was ok and the Chateau Guiraud Sauternes 2002 (S$155) which was one of the better renditions of Sauternes i’ve tasted.

And speaking of sweet wines, the Germans were all sorts of differing levels of sweetness. Slightly ironic when you think of the populist image of Germans.

At Max Ferdinand Richter from Mosel, there was a Riesling Zeppelin 2010 (S$25) which i tasted in honour of Led, and also entry-level Pradikats – Riesling Kabinett Trocken Graacher Himmelreich 2009 (S$35), Riesling Kabinett Wehlener Sonnenuhr 2007 (S$25) and Riesling Kabinett Brauneberger Juffer 2008 (S$35).

Then i moved on to wines further up the Oechsle index to Alec Baldwin’s Schloss Schönborn‘s Riesling Spatlese Pfaffenberger 2008 and Riesling Auslese Rudesheimer 2005 from Rheingau which i rather liked despite not generally being fond of sweet wines. These had character. Recommended them to a random stranger sharing a table who confessed in the course of conversation that since she wasn’t quite a wine drinker but could imbibe sweet whites. She tasted and agreed and hopefully will be tempted to explore beyond Australians.

On the other side of town, on Saturday, my Wine Fiesta @ Wine For Asia 2011 experience started with the frustration of not being registered for entry despite paying online and seeking confirmation from two people that no ticket needed to be issued to me. Also the workshops seemed a good idea but were perhaps targeted at a different audience: eg. the “How To Determine Quality of Wine” speaker just said repeatedly that wine quality was a personal choice, and filled up the rest of the half hour talking about not being alarmed to find sediment in bottles and to drink wine at the correct temperature.

The one booth that seemed to have promise was the Wine Review magazine’s Great Bordeaux 2008 Tasting. Unfortunately, the girls staffing the place said they didn’t know anything about the wines.

At least i did find three interesting French wines amongst the booths:

Chateau d’Esclans put niggling doubts in my mind that rosés could be easily dismissed as pretty pink with no substance. From Provence (“home of rosés”). entry-level Whispering Angel was quite good. Forgot to try the Garrus…;

Château Le Moulin’s second wine from Pomerol, Le Petit Moulin; and

Domaine Fond Moiroux Moulin à Vent AOC Beajoulais 2009 too showed more substance than i’d expected from gamay.

The mind boggles at the diversity of outcomes from just one species of vitis – the vitis vinifera. And yet perhaps it is right to call it the “common grapevine” because there is so much more out there, much more of God’s creation than our dreams could ever compare. And then there is God the Creator himself.

*wine descriptions are as far as i understand them (ie. not much, really)…please let me know if i’ve gotten anything wrong

Pedagogy Begins With Love

Cruising the empty streets in the early hours, on the way home after a full five-session/meeting day and drinking Hoegaardens first then refreshing light low-carb Pure Blondes (accompanied by Verve pizzas for missing carbs) till 3am, the wine tutor was still excitedly chatting about determining what he really wanted in life and his goal of increasing knowledge and appreciation about wine in Singapore amongst retailers* and consumers, and about his unceasing thirst to learn more about wines every where in the world and how he continues to be fascinated by how culture affects wine styles.

(*Wouldn’t it be great to be served by the sort of sommeliers described by Sam Sifton: “Sommeliers are as rare and amazing in the general population as albino squirrels. They taste and smell things in wine that are only obvious to others once they have been told about them. They know vintages and grapes and earth and humidity as some know baseball statistics or the provenance of antique model trains. And far more often than not, what they offer in return for your mild interest is information and guidance about amazing, unfamiliar and exciting wine — often of a sort that you have never even heard of, much less considered.”?)

I started to respect his humility and enthusiasm for what his chosen subject, and realised that I’ve always learnt best when i trusted the teacher because he/she was genuinely interested in what he/she was teaching. Unfortunately, for many of the teachers in school, teaching was more of a livelihood, a means of sustenance, an obligation to be fulfilled. When i met a former form teacher whom i used to get grief from, years after junior college, she admitted that she was just trying out teaching to see whether she liked it and wasn’t at all interested in helping students.

Later that day, we were at Raffles Hotel at the invitation of Country Holidays to listen to Russell Gammon talk about going on safari in Africa. If only he had been my geography teacher. Without having to resort to the artificiality of set-strategies of pedagogy, his very enthusiasm and humour was enough to jolt the brain into retaining information about the enormity of Africa (“America can fit right into the Sahara desert – the youngest desert”), continental plate shifts and the Great Rift Valley, the flooding of the lush Okavango Delta, the wildebeest  (“they look like God made them on a Sunday with the left-over bits from other animals”) migration – shadowing good tasting high protein grass, animal tracks helping with irrigation, the characteristics of predators (crocodiles, lions, wild dogs, leopards, cheetahs) etc. (They served Beau Mayne bourdeaux – reds and whites – at cocktails.)

After dinner, drinks beckoned at The Auld Alliance, CHIJMES. Over a BenRiach Speyside 16 y.o. that was gentle and fruity as advertised and an Isle of Jura Prophecy that was lovely and peat-ily complex, we discussed the teachers in our lives and teaching the Bible. Some NIE trainee teachers and new teachers we knew were in the vocation because they wanted scholarships – someone to pay for their education either locally or overseas, others were in it because they weren’t accepted in any local university and just wanted to get their degree. Having neither love for their subject nor love for students meant you had trainee literature teachers who insisted that Old English and Shakespearean English were the same thing (they had no interest in reading really) and new teachers who gloated about playing favourites in their classes, making naughty kids cry and crawl back to them for approval, and other acts of relishing and abusing their position of power. (And any such poor treatment of the vulnerable by those in authority, i realise, makes me very very angry indeed.)

Teachers of the Bible are no exception – some go to Bible college because they are incompetent to do anything else, others just want a steady job. A remarkably poor basis for undertaking this most noble of tasks. There must be first the ability to understand Scripture and teach the truth, but even the best user of modern pedagogy will fail if he did not have love for God or God’s people.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)