All posts by HallgartenAdmin

France, Wine, Wine of the Month

WOTM: Gérard Bertrand ‘Hampton Water’ Rosé, Languedoc 2018

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We recently introduced this wine from award-winning music icon, Jon Bon Jovi, hi son, Jesse Bongiovi and acclaimed French winemaker, Gérard Bertrand, who joined forces to launch their premium rosé wine label, ‘Hampton Water,’ in the UK.

In a nutshell:

Fresh and well-flavoured with distinctive and intense aromas of red fruit, citrus notes and a touch of delicate spice.

The producer:

‘Hampton Water’ captures the spirit shared between the chic Hamptons in the US and the equally stylish ‘art de vivre’ found in the South of France. This collaboration between Jon and Jesse Bon Jovi and Gérard Bertrand, is all about enjoying life and having a good bottle of wine to share with friends. Made in the Languedoc, it is a reflection of the Southern French terroir and Gérard Bertand’s wine-making expertise, while paying tribute to the glamorous Hamptons lifestyle.

The wine:

Each variety was harvested separately when it had reached optimum ripeness. The winemaking process was managed in order to respect the characteristics of each variety and the terroir it was grown in. The grapes were de-stemmed, cooled down to 8°C and transferred to the press to extract the must. Particular attention was paid to the pressing to ensure that only the first, highest‐quality juice was retained. The juice was then left to settle to obtain the precise aromatic profile specifically aimed for in Hampton Water. Fermentation lasted between 15 and 30 days, depending on the degree of clarification and the temperature. Approximately 20% was aged in oak, adding subtle complexity. Finally, after light fining, the wine was bottled early to preserve its fresh and fruity character.

Best served with:

The perfect apéritif; or enjoy with light salads, sushi or grilled fish.

Spain, Wine, Wine of the Month

WOTM: Xosé Lois Sebio, ‘O Con’, Rias Baixas, Albariño 2017

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Introduced to the Hallgarten portfolio in 2018, this oaked Albariño from Xosé Lois Sebio recently came out on top in a panel tasting of Galician’s best Albariño, described by one sommelier as; “like a lemon meringue pie, with zesty, salty butter. Super-creamy too – this really stands out in terms of quality, and I think restaurant guests would be happy to pay extra for it.”

 

In a nutshell:

An intense and aromatic example of Spain’s iconic variety, Albariño. Citrus fruits combine with floral notes, vanilla oak and pine nuances in this deliciously opulent and creamy wine.

 

The producer:

Winemaker Xosé Lois Sebio has produced this stunning eponymous collection of wines as a result of a personal quest: to find wines with unique personality from more risky processing zones and with a very marked identity. This original and quirky range is made from high quality grapes in areas which are often neglected or simply different; vineyards that are difficult to farm due to the high costs of conventional viticulture.

Away from fashions and conventions, the sole intention is to respect and express the soil, variety and area; producing wines with soul and personality. The wines are vinified with minimal intervention and low sulphur. These are collectable wines for lovers of the authentic and different.

 

The wine

The grapes for O Con come from a single vineyard ‘Sobre a Mina’ in the DO Rias Baixas in the North West of Spain. The old, low yielding 70 year old Albariño vines are planted at a density of 1,000 to 2,000 vines per hectare and produce grapes with concentrated flavours.

The vineyard is situated on a hillside at an altitude of between 50 to 100 metres above sea level, where it is influenced by cooling sea breezes from the Atlantic.

The wine did not go through malolactic fermentation, retaining its naturally refreshing character. The wine was aged for 11 months in second and third fill French barrels of 228 to 600 litres.

 

Best served with

Seafood or delicate fish dishes.

 

For more information on ‘OCon’, Rias Baixas, Albariño 2017 or any wines from Xosé Lois Sebio, please get in touch with your account manager. 

Argentina, Wine

Malbec World Day

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Malbec World Day seeks to position Argentine Malbec as one of the most prominent in the world. Every April 17th, and throughout the whole month, different activities are carried out in major cities around the globe to celebrate the success of Argentina’s flagship grape. This is the perfect opportunity to shout about the inky, rich wine that is Malbec, tell your customers and open some bottles!

 

Doña Paula, Estate Malbec | 2017
Mendoza, Argentina

Winemaker Marcos Fernandez creates wines that reflect their sense of place from 100% estate owned fruit, which has been sustainably farmed and  handpicked from two of their finest, high altitude vineyard sites in Uco Valley,  Mendoza.

The cool climate allows the grapes to develop rich varietal characteristics, while retaining balanced acidity, producing an elegant and complex expression of Malbec.

 

Matias Riccitelli, Malbec ‘The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree’ | 2017
Mendoza, Argentina

Young, dynamic winemaker Matias Riccitelli deftly handcrafts wines to express the full potential of Argentine high-altitude terroir. The fusion of two vineyard sites at elevations of up to 1,400 metres brings complexity to this exceptional Malbec.

Made from carefully selected and hand-picked grapes, the cool evenings and warm days produce rich, concentrated flavours, while retaining a balancing freshness.

It’s no wonder this received 92 points from Tim Atkin.

 

Piattelli Vineyards, Malbec Premium | 2017
Salta, Argentina

The century-old vines are grown at an altitude of 1,700 metres surrounded by the stunning Andes Mountains. At this elevation the vines are exposed to intense sunlight, resulting in the grapes forming thicker and darker skins to protect themselves, and ultimately produce deeper colour and flavour concentration.

Valeria produces this exquisite Malbec, which is smooth and refined, full of rich black fruits and a touch of graphite from this cooler region.

Training, Wine

On the road with the training team…

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This week we have been on the road with Garry Samuels, the newest member of Hallgarten’s training team. Garry has experienced many jobs in hospitality, from kitchen porter, to deputy manager, and through this experience he discovered his love of wine and educating those in the trade.

 

A week way out west with Garry… if you live in the east
  • Travel days: 4✔️
  • Towns/Cities: 4
  • Miles covered: 566
  • Venues Visited: 6
  • Team Trained: 68

Okay, so not an average week in the life of an educator and wine product trainer, but not far off. With customers to teach, spread from Torquay to Nottingham, sometimes you just have to pack your bag and spend some time on the road.

One of the main challenges I am often faced with, and was apparent on this trip, is the ability to quickly bounce between the educational needs of one group to those of another, for instance:

Venue one
Question: What’s your most popular wine?
Answer: Marlborough Sauvignon.

Venue two
Question: What’s your most popular wine?
Answer: Vodka, Red Bull

This really demonstrates the importance of training reflecting both the team members needs and the customer demands – just delivering the same two hour session every time simply does not cut it.  My project of late has been to centre training around wines sold by the bottle. Many front of house team members simply never have a chance to try these, so how do we expect them to sell them, more so if they are long, complex, unpronounceable foreign words… like Mâcon!

Other questions I always ask but are rarely answered correctly:

  • What does dry mean?
  • How many different types of Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc do you have on your wine list?
  • What wines work best with your spicy dishes? (Answer: IPA, obviously!)

So there is a large element of repetition to the job, addressing the foundation knowledge all the team should have, and yes, there is great opportunity to vary the delivery to make sure the training has the most impact on those it is aimed at, new or experienced.  And how do we know we have made a positive difference?  Responses like; “I NEVER KNEW THAT!!!”, “I don’t like wine but that’s really nice” and “When are you visiting next?”.

But don’t take my word for the importance of training, here’s what one of the students thought:

“Garry’s wine training gave my team the confidence to really sell our wines to customers, learning in-depth descriptions of the wines palates and the perfect food pairings for each wine. He engages well with the team and his clear passion for wine helps to motivate the team and make them want to be passionate about wine too, his friendly personality makes you feel at ease to ask questions about anything in the world of wine! The training has certainly helped improve my wine selling skills and I now feel more confident to upsell our higher quality wines to guests.”

 

As an Approved Programme Provider, our four WSET-Certified Educators have guided more than 300 students through WSET courses and our own Wine Sure programme. Contact your account manager for more information.

New Zealand, Wine, Wine of the Month

WOTM: Lake Chalice ‘The Nest’, Marlborough, Pinot Gris 2017

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Taking its name from the stunning tree-lined lake in the heart of the Wairau Valley, Marlborough, our Wine of the Month for March is the water inspired Pinot Gris ‘The Nest’ from Lake Chalice.

In a nutshell:

Aromas of freshly-cut pear mingle with citrus undertoneson this softly textured and beautifully balanced Pinot Gris.

The producer:

Lake Chalice was established in 1989 with a vision of producing internationallyrecognised wines from the heart of the Marlborough region. New Zealand’s native falcon, the ‘Kārearea’, is proudly displayed on every  bottle of Lake Chalice wine.Kārearea favour the remote mountains and  foothills of the upper Awatere and Wairau valleys and these valleys are home  to Lake Chalice’s three unique vineyardsites.
Each vineyard has a diverse  microclimate, biodiversity and terroir which areseamlessly translated into  multi award winning wines by talented winemaker Chloe Gabrielsen. Taking a  boutique approach she handcrafts parcels of fruit from single vineyards into elegant, aromatic, fruit driven wines and has garnered a global reputation of outstanding quality. Certified ‘Sustainable Winegrower of New Zealand’.

The wine:

The grapes were immediately pressed to minimise skin contact followed by coolfermentation in with selected yeasts in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, inorder to capture the desired level of fruity aromatics.

A small proportion was aged inseasoned French oak adding complexity to the wine. This wine was blended to beapproachable in its youth.
For further information on the Lake Chalice ‘The Nest’, Marlborough, Pinot Gris 2017 or any other Lake Chalice wines, please contact your account manager.