Ramon Bilbao, Rioja, news!

Recently we received some exciting news:

The wines of @Ramon Bilbao are imported by @Verbunt Wijnkopers in the Netherlands and sold via Horeca and @Wijnkring. Find you dealer at: https://www.wijnkring.nl/zoekwijnkringwinkel/index/list/postcode/

How to combine our Rosé?

Op het you-tube kanaal van +Ramón Bilbao #Rioja verschijnen met grote regelmaat video over hun wijnen, Dit maal de Rosado waarbij een aantal mooie spijscombinaties worden getoond. Geluid is in het spaans, gelukkig is dit mooi ondertiteld in het engels.


Waar te koop: In Nederland importeert @Verbunt Wijnkopers dit #rioja wijnhuis voor de +Wijnkring en #Horeca.

Jefford on Monday: The taste of Cava

Jefford on Monday: The taste of Cava

Andrew Jefford considers the role of indigenous grape varieties in Cava and other sparkling wines.

Recaredo's Xarel-lo grapes. Credit: Andrew Jefford

The taste of Cava is important.  It matters, indeed, even to those who never drink sparkling wine.  If this sounds bizarre, bear with me.

Champagne – no surprise here — is the dominant force in sparkling wine.  More than that: it’s one of humanity’s happiest achievements, like the invention of the piano or the bicycle.  Take a flock of low chalky hills in the dour, agri-industrial landscape of northern France, plant three members of the Pinot family, harvest them just before winter slams the door on summer, then manipulate the results with cunning craftsmanship.  The result is the most famous wine in the world, and a symbol and metaphor for celebratory ease and sensual finesse.

Within the wine world, Champagne’s dominance of its category means that there is an almost-unquestioned assumption that all sparkling wine should be made in that way, and from those varieties.  It’s wise to assume the former.  The latter, I’d suggest, is often an error.

Chardonnay and the two Pinots make impeccable sparkling wine in the Champagne region, where they can snail towards ripeness over a cool, fretful summer.  In sugar terms, they don’t fully ripen– but the Champagne method, and a little chaptalisation if necessary, compensates for that.  Phenolically, by contrast, the long season gives these varieties a perfumed, vinous, nuanced and teased ripeness which makes Champagne sing.  (Climate change gives the nearby UK a plausible stab at pulling off the same trick.)

Once you start to shift the varieties towards lower latitudes, by contrast, those varieties begin to lose their interest.  No grape variety, remember, is universally great.  They are only great in a certain place on earth, with all that that means in terms of soil, topography and climate.  Champagne’s hegemony has been wonderful for Champagne, but it may have held other sparkling wine producers around the world in check.

It’s true that in very cool places (Tasmania comes to mind), Chardonnay and the Pinots may indeed be the best choice pending the revelation of better options, for which experiment is needed.  In warmer locations, though, Chardonnay and the Pinots are often a poor choice.  In order to give a sparkling wine something resembling ‘a Champagne balance’, the varieties have to be picked inarticulately early, long before they have achieved any kind of phenolic maturity; and in such locations, when phenolic maturity eventually comes, it will be much less subtly constituted than in Champagne anyway.  An alternative (and often a complement) is for producers to adjust acidity, thereby making an industrial product whose fine-wine interest drops swiftly away.

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‘The best Cava is a fine sparkling wine of genuinely indigenous style’

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Take a look at the varietal nuancing which unfolds during a sparkling journey south from Champagne towards Cava.  We clip through the Loire valley, where the climate and soils are still close enough to those of Champagne for Chardonnay-Pinot sparklers to work well, even if Chenin Blanc creates more interesting and regionally characterful sparkling wines.  Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can make Crémant de Bourgogne a plausible Champagne substitute (remember Chablis’s close proximity to the Champagne’s Aube region), though Chardonnay begins to assert its still-wine varietal character once you are south of the Yonne, and especially so if the raw materials come from southern Burgundy or Beaujolais.  (I plan to take a close look at Crémant de Bourgogne in 2017.)

By the time we reach Limoux in the cool upper Aude valley, the rules regarding grape varieties for sparkling wine are in sensible modulation, reflecting latitude.  Yes, you can use Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but there is little chance down here of phenolic ripeness outrunning sugar ripeness and delivering a full-season Chardonnay or Pinot grape with a potential alcohol of just 9.5% or 10%.  Most Crémant de Limoux is in fact principally a blend of Chardonnay and Chenin, while the more interesting Blanquette de Limoux is based on the perfectly site-adapted local variety Mauzac.  The result is a set of often refined sparkling wines which do not unsuccessfully ape Champagne, but reflect their surroundings.

Press on over the Pyrenees and down the Mediterranean coast to Catalunya, and for the first and only time in the wine world you will come across a major sparkling wine region using the ‘traditional method’ whose very greatest wines do not include Chardonnay or either of the red Pinots, but are crafted from the indigenous varieties Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada.  (Prosecco, too, is based on its own indigenous variety Glera — but most is made by the Charmat method, known in Italy as Metodo Martinotti.)

Limestone pebbles typical of the Cava region. Credit: Gramona

The result, in the case of the best Cava, is a fine sparkling wine of genuinely indigenous style.  One which, in other words, not only has Mediterranean scents and flavours, but whose balance is necessarily and appropriately different to that of Champagne.

The taste of Cava matters, then, not only because the finest examples are beautiful in their own right (see the tasting notes below), but because it could and should serve as a model for sparkling wine produced in lower latitudes and warmer locations.  Take away the bubbles, and it illustrates one of the fundamental truths of terroir: the necessity to be honest about exactly which varieties are well adapted to a site, and the duty to work with those if you want to make wine which can give fullest voice to the potential of a place.

Of course you can make a counter-argument based on the commercial desirability of sparkling wines based on the Champagne formula.  Moreover because technique and craft plays a larger role in the creation of sparkling wine than of still wine, skilled practitioners can do “a decent job” with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir almost anywhere, not least in Catalunya itself.  The result, though, will always be some sort of a compromise — and at the highest levels, that’s not enough.

Describing Cava

Fine Cava is customarily un-dosed (though one of the four Cavas below has 6 g/l) and is intrinsically well-balanced in that state.  The acid profile is gentler than for Champagne, though the indigenous varieties are still picked relatively early; its factors of balance are texture and aroma rather than acidity alone.  The spectrum of aromas and flavours is unique, Mediterranean in inspiration and allusion, and quite different from those of Champagne.

Source: http://www.decanter.com/wine-news/opinion/jefford-on-monday/taste-cava-sparkling-wine-348716/

Decanter Awards 2015

+Wijnkring en +Verbunt Wijnkopers scoren flink met "hun" wijnhuizen tijdens de Decanter Awards 2015.

+Ramón Bilbao

@Castello di Bossi

@Cazes

@Vina Errazuriz

@Graham's Port

+Kendall Jackson

+Laurent Miquel

+Alessandra Galiasso @Marchesi di Barolo

@Nautilus estate

@Ogier

@Oxford landing

+Salentein Wijn

+Yalumba Wine

Als veulens in de wei bij Verbunt Wijnkopers

Gemaakt op donderdag 16 april 2015 06:22

Verbunt Wijnkopers biedt naast een uitstekende portfolio het voordeel dat het bedrijf kantoor houdt op het landgoed van mede-vennoot Salentein. Naast een dependance in Tilburg natuurlijk, de town of origine van Verbunt. Het landgoed en de panden op landgoed Salentein zijn state of the art en ongelofelijk goed onderhouden. Het geeft extra cachet aan de proeverij. De lunch wordt als immer perfect verzorgd door restaurant Salentein. Dit jaar staat er buiten een parilladawaar Angus beef op gegrild wordt. En het weer werkt wederom boven verwachting mee. 

Als eerste feliciteren we Peter van Houtert met de aanwinst Errazuriz. Hij verklaart daar ‘ontzettend blij’ mee te zijn en hij voegt er enigszins cryptisch aan toe ‘nooit je oude schoenen wegdoen voordat je nieuwe hebt’. Bij de entree werden de gasten al onthaald met een glaasje cava van Clos Amador, een mooi product dat via de Wijnkring verhandeld wordt. De pers wordt speciaal ontvangen door marketing manager Marjolein van der Meir en dan kan het feest beginnen.

Errazuriz

Dit Chileense huis is zoals gezegd nieuw bij Verbunt. Hiervoor zat het bij de andere Tilburgse importeur Jean Arnaud. Regional Director Jonathan Stevens antwoordt desgevraagd dat Errazuriz gewoon heel blij was met de mogelijkheden die Verbunt biedt. Stevens leidt hierna de masterclass en hij begint met de geschiedenis.

Don Maximiano, de overgrootvader van de huidige eigenaar Eduardo Chadwick, stichtte in 1871 de eerste wijngaard van Chili in Panquehue. Van deze wijngaarden, de Don Maximiano Estate, komen de absolute topwijnen van Chili zoals de Founders Reserve en de Sena, tot 2005 een joint venture met Robert Mondavi uit Californië. Sindsdien is Sena 100% in handen van Chadwick. Een andere icoonwijn is de Chadwick, deze komt van Vinedo Chadwick in de Maipo Valley. Don Maximiano was ook de eerste die op 100 kilometer van Santiago wingerds aanplantte in de Valle de Aconcagua.

Eduardo Chadwick stamt af Don Maximiano. In 1985 neemt hij de wijngaarden van zijn moeder over. Hij omringt zich met ervaren vakmensen voor de wijnbouw en wijnbereiding. De prachtige oude bodega bij Panquehue krijgt een opknapbeurt, moderne persen en roestvrijstalen gistingsvaten vervangen de oude glorie. Hij besluit hier de mooiste rode wijnen van Chili te gaan maken. Net als zijn voorvader Don Maximiano heeft Eduardo het volgende adagium in zijn vaandel staan: ‘Van de beste grond, de beste wijn!’. In Valle de Aconcagua plantte hij nog dichter bij de oceaan dan zijn grootvader. Op de El Manzanar Estate, gelegen op 14 km afstand van de Oceaan, staan sinds 2005 sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, merlot en shiraz.

Op La Escultura Estate, gelegen in de Casablanca Valley, 40 km van de oceaan zijn chardonnay, suavignon blanc, pinot noir aangeplant. Manzanar en La Escultura profiteren het meest van Humboldt Current, ideaal voor cool climate rassen. De Max II tot en met VI wijngaarden, meer of minder in de buurt van de Rio Aconcagua, herbergen de Bordeaux rassen en Max III is zelfs een Certified Organic Vineyard. Hiervan komen fraai gelabelde wijnen sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon en een late harvest sauvignon blanc.

Berlin Tasting

Stevens legt uit dat Errazuriz met de modernste technieken werkt - infraroodstralen op de wijngaarden, optische selecties – om met het beste van het beste te komen. Dat heeft effect gehad want op de prestigieuze Berlin tasting van 2004 onder prestigieuze proevers eindigen de topwijnen van Errazuriz hoger dan Chateau Latour, Solaia en Margaux. Deze tastings werden nog in zestien hoofdsteden herhaald, ook in Amsterdam. In totaal proefden 1400 wijnexperts bij 22 tastings en bij twintig van deze gelegenheden stonden de Chileense wijnen in de top 3. Dat is natuurlijk een prachtig resultaat. Chadwick heeft met deze proeverij Errazuriz èn Chili op de wijnwereldkaart gezet.

De proeverij

Errazuriz maakt wel 45 wijnen, een gedeelte daarvan is in Nederland verkrijgbaar. Welke springen er op deze maandag uit? De Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc uit Manzanar, de Max Reserve Carmenere 2012 en de Single Vineyard Carmenere 2008. De cabernets sauvignons van resp. Don Max 2008 en Max Reserve 2012 bereiken supermooie rijpheid met soepele tannines. De Errazuriz proeverij was in de Argentina Art zaal en er hingen echt schitterende werken aan de muur. De voorjaarsproeverij was in de grote zaal met diverse vertegenwoordigers o.a. Hugues Romagnan van Pol Roger en Pedro Leite van Graham’s. Jurgen Honing stond hier bij Errazuriz achter de tafel. 

Clos Amador, Ogier, Ramon Bilbao, Kendall Jackson, Markus Molitor, Yalumba, Marchesi di Barolo en Salentein natuurlijk, een topper op de Nederlandse markt. Bij de kelderschatten een paar mooie rosé’s van Sainte Roseline. Mooie producten her en der verspreid. In totaal stonden er meer dan 200 wijnen ter tafel. Bij het vertrek werd nog een mooie felgekleurde champagne emmer met tulpen overhandigd. Zoals gezegd, een feestelijke dag. En je krijgt ook zoiets van.. het komt wel goed met de wijn in Nederland.



Bron: Charlotte van Zummeren @winebusiness.nl

www.verbunt.nl

www.wijnkring.nl 

Rioja: Blend it like Ramon Bilbao

As you sip away at your glass of Rioja, do you ever consider the steps that led to your enjoyment of it? Decanter's associate editor, Tina Gellie, recently turned winemaker for the day to put her blending skills to the test.

Rodolfo Bastida of Ramon Bilbao put journalists through their paces in London.

Sure, you may have glanced at the bottle label and noted that it came from Rioja Alta and that it was 100% Tempranillo. You may have even read a bit further and discovered details about soil, altitude, and vine age.

But, did you ever stop to think about why this soil, those vineyards and that variety were chosen? It’s more than just that they were the best. They might not all have been, individually. But in combination – as a blend – then that’s where the magic happens. And that’s where the winemaker’s skill comes into play.

Recently I was invited to an ‘Art of Blending’ session with Rodolfo Bastida, who has been the winemaker for Ramon Bilbao in Rioja since 1999. Rodolfo wanted to explain the intricacies involved in deciding on a blend: which villages and vineyards to use, what proportion of each, and how to imagine what the wine might be like in five, 10 or 15 years’ time.

‘Winemaking can be like painting,’ he said. ‘You can use a big brush and a big pot of one colour to obtain something that’s pretty bland, or you can use a small brush with lots of small pots of different colours to give character and complexity.’

We were given four barrel samples of 2013 Tempranillos from each from a different high altitude vineyard in Rioja Alta and told to taste them individually to assess their character and then blend them in our test tubes – in any combination and proportion – to create the perfect Edicion Limitada.

Rodolfo said he was looking for a ‘pure, fresh and fruity wine with a hint of umami character that showed Rioja authenticity’ and could be enjoyed now but had the capacity to age. We only had four samples and at Ramon Bilbao they normally deal with 10.

The problem that winemakers face (and I quickly realised) is that barrel samples aren’t the finished wines. Like tasting Bordeaux en primeur, you have to be a bit of a seer to predict what it ‘might’ be like in time. Consequently, Rodolfo reminded us several times that this was a ‘technical not a sensorial’ tasting. We had to think analytically not just about aroma and flavour, but the structure, body, acidity and elegance of each wine separately and how two or more wines would marry (or clash) to make the perfect whole.

Most of us worked individually to create our blends, which Rodolfo then assessed. My first one used 50% of the savoury, Haro vineyard wine from very poor soils at 475m, and 25% each of from the 600m-high, old Abalos vineyard (elegant, peppery and chocolatey) and 500m-high Cuzcurrita vineyard (evident cinnamon and varnishy US oak). Rodolfo was quite polite at my finished product, but essentially dismissed it.

My second attempt comprised 30% of the Abalos fruit and 50% of the Cuzcurrita grapes, but replaced the Haro fruit with 20% of wine from the San Vicente vineyard at 510m. Its distinctive, balsamic character was due to the Tempranillo being the Peluda (‘hairy’) clone. ‘I like it,’ said Rodolfo. ‘Spicy and structured, but perhaps lacking in some fruit charm.’ Back to the drawing board.

Eventually, it was Decanter contributor (and no stranger to blending himself) Peter McCombie MW who found the perfect combination: 20% Abalos ‘for the elegance and spice’; 30% San Vicente for ‘the acidity and balsamic note’; 40% Haro for ‘the complex, savoury-fruit base’ and 10% Cuzcurrita for ‘the oak’.

Unlike mine or other blends created by the group, the pieces of this liquid jigsaw slotted together perfectly: a smooth, supple mouthfeel of chocolatey plum fruit and a soft cloak of oak – a lovely modern Rioja.

Read more at http://www.decanter.com/news/blogs/team/588201/rioja-blend-it-like-ramon-bilbao#UvhQAU5z4PMbizDy.99

Rámon Bilbao: 2 X bekroond door IWSC

Wijnmaker en manger-director Rodolfo Bastida van Rámon Bilbao kon bij het galadiner twee keer naar het podium lopen. Eerst ontving Bastida uit handen van Laura Catena de trofee behorende bij de International Wine & Spirit Competition's titel ‘Beste Spaanse producer van het jaar‘. Eerder al, in oktober, was Rámon Bilbao door het IWSC al bekroond met de titel ‘Beste Rioja Wijn’. De trofee die hierbij hoort ontving Bastida bij dezelfde dis.

Persbericht

BEST SPANISH PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Bodegas Ramón Bilbao´s international recognition continues, having achieved the title of “Best Spanish Producer of the Year” and becoming one of the stars of the IWSC annual awards banquet ceremony.

Last October Ramón Bilbao Gran Reserva 2006 was crowned as the “Best Rioja Wine” at this competition, and the Bodega was announced as one of the finalists for the category of “Best Spanish Producer of the year”, competing with Hijos Antonio Barcelo, Codorníu Raventós, Nubori and Bodegas de Familia Burgo Viejo.

At the awards Rodolfo Bastida, Ramón Bilbao Managing Director, was called to the stage twice to collect both awards – Best Rioja and Best Spanish Producer - and in doing so became one of the stars of the evening.

A large international crowd gathered at the Guildhall in London for the IWSC annual awards banquet which was also celebrating its 45th year as the world´s premier wine and spirits competition where only the top producers of the industry participate.
This achievement is just recognition for the team’s hard work and investment at Ramon Bilbao, its history and the full dedication of our partners.

Rodolfo Bastida wants to thank all who believe in the brand and looks forward to celebrating future successes together.
Now it´s time to celebrate and spread the good news.
Cheers!


About IWSC
The International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC), now in its 45th year, is the premier competition of its kind in the world.
The unique combination of detailed technical analysis and specialist judging panels means that gaining an IWSC ‘Competition Award’ is an exceptional achievement. IWSC proclaim wines with the highest mark in their respective category as "Outstanding" those wines are re-tasted for national trophies.
Laura Catena, IWSC President hands the Best Producer of the Year Trophy to Rodolfo Bastida, Managing Director and Winemaker of Ramón Bilbao

Bron: www.winebusiness.nl en facebook @Ramonbilbao_wijn.

In Nederland worden de wijnen van Ramon Bilbao geimpiorteerd door Verbunt Wijnkopers.