Page 112 - Bespoke Issue

Cuvee Cool The Bespoke Wine revolution
The wine world since the 1990s has gradually moved from a region and grower market to a grape varietal economy – in the 1980s it was either French or Australian red and white where now waiters will ask whether you want a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. This evolution of our understanding of the grapes used in wine means today we have a greater depth of knowledge of taste and avours of the grapes which in itself has seen a revolution in blended wines.
There has long been a budding signi cance placed upon the “art of blending” as it pertains to skilled winemaking. This departure from traditional, single-varietal wines (especially in the United States) has been apparent over the past several decades as a cionados have whole-heartedly embraced the endless ‘tapestry of avours’ accessible in an ever-expanding repertoire of blends. From the famed blends of Bordeaux & Chateaneuf du pape, to the revered Super Tuscan and massive Aussie GSM’s; the “art of blending” has become synonymous with creativity. Arguably the Most Famous Wines in the World are Blends.
Chateau Margaux – Cabernet Dominant Left Bank of the Gironde Estuary (La te-Rothschild, Mouton- Rothschild, Latour, Haut-Brion, etc.)
Chateau Petrus – Merlot Dominant Right Bank (Pomerol & St-Emilion) Cheval Blanc, Château Angélus, Château de La Dauphine, etc.
Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia – Super Tuscan Vega Sicilia Unico – Spain – Rioja Wines
Penfolds Grange – (Australia ) (GSM’s Two Hands, Hardys, etc).
Chateau Rayas – Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 13 Different Grape Varieties (Beaucastel, Hen. Bonneau, Pegau, etc)
Today this revolution is gathering pace by putting the ability to blend a wine in the hands of the consumer. Sure, owning a tailored suit or haute couture is a must, along with owning a 911 at some point in one’s life – but the new super cool is blending and labelling your own wine. There are two ways you can develop your own wine:
1. The Bespoke Adviser – many people engage with a wine expert to analyse your preferences so grape varietals can be identi ed. The adviser can then either assist on blending a wine speci cally for you or identify an existing producer with a wine that will do the same job. The existing wine route is usually cost determined as winemakers will usually insist on minimum orders to label the wine speci cally for you – or a smaller run of win can be acquired on a bespoke basis created from grapes speci cally grown and collected by conglomerates who can manage more bespoke runs.
2. The DIY method – is exactly that – go experiment – buy single varietal wines from the shops and experiment with blending them yourselves until you discover the perfect wine blend – this involves lots of note taking and drinking but can be a lot of fun! Once you have discovered your blend you then need to source the production – on this side you will need an adviser.
If you are interested in developing and blending your own wine then contact us – we would be pleased to assist you in creating your very own Cuvee for all occasions...
“A cuvée is a French term that speci cally means a blend, i.e., a wine produced from a mixture of several grape varieties, rather than from a single variety.”
Jerome Harlington jerome@harlingtonwine.com
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