Alliance Wine

News, Awards and Reviews April 2009

LONDON WINE TRADE FAIR 2009
(Tuesday 12 – Thursday 14 May)

STAND G32

• ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, London, E16 1XL
• 9.30 - 18.00pm Tuesday and Wednesday and 9.30 - 17.00pm Thursday

April has been a busy month for the Alliance Team with much focus around our presence at the London Wine Trade Fair.  Alliance Wine are presenting an exciting range of wines at the LWTF including some important new producers like Odfjell, Amayna, Vina Cobos, Paul Hobbs and Los Pecadillos. You can register to visit the Fair online at the official site: www.exporeg.co.uk/reg/wine09/login.asp

We have a very busy schedule meeting customers on our new, modern, custom-built stand which will make it easier to taste our wines and mingle.  This innovative new stand design includes plasma television screens where we will be featuring interviews, images and information about our wines and producers.

If you would like to meet with Alliance at LWTF please click on this link: Meet Alliance at LWTF

Chile at the LWTF

It’s been an exciting year for Alliance Wine and Chile – major changes throughout the range and two new major, top quality producers on-board and at the show. Odfjell moved to Alliance Wine very recently and the timing was opportune. At the Wine of Chile awards this year, Odfjell picked up the trophy for best red wine in show with their Organic Malbec. Though based in Maipo, Odfjell have vineyards all over Chile and produce wines with great flesh, finesse and substance. Coincidentally, both Odfjell and our new Argentinean producer, Vina Cobos, share the same consultant winemaker, Paul Hobbs.

We’re also delighted to announce that as of the 1st May, Alliance Wine will be the new UK agent for Amayna – the top Leyda winery that has been represented in the UK until recently by Paragon Vintners. Amayna were the pioneers of the Leyda region, bringing with them the much needed water that was required to make viticulture successful. Owned by the Garces Silva family, they have garnered much global praise for their elegant, complex, cool climate style. Encompassing Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah, they are sure to be one of the stars of the stand.

Spain at the LWTF

Spain continues to be a major focus country for Alliance with names such as Luis Canas, Remelluri, Cilar de Silos, Laus, Buil y Gine and Alvarez y Diez on the books. However, the most exciting new project this year is the launch of the new Los Pecadillos brand. Los Pecadillos, or the Little Sins, covers 7 different regions and attempts to highlight the diversity and character of spain in an easily understandable, almost “New World” labeling concept. Sourced and blended by Giles Cooke, Master of Wine, Los Pecadillos takes in regions as diverse as Rueda, Campo de Borja, Rioja, Navarra and Montilla.

Jancis rates Castel de Bouza and Vina Cobos

Jancis Robinson, the independent, internationally respected wine writer has recently commented on wines distributed by Alliance.

Jancis recently sampled Bouza Albariño 2008 Rías Baixas 16 Drink 2009-10.  She described it as: 'Fragrant, lots of acid and laurel leaf. Pure. No low temperature fermentation.'

Jancis tasting notes on 1 April 2009, 'Great Value from Argentina', included Viña Cobos wines made by California-based winemaker Paul Hobbs, who has been consulting in Argentina (and also now in Chile) for years.

Viña Cobos, Felino Malbec 2007 Mendoza 15.5 Drink 2009-10
100% Malbec. Blend of Luján de Cuyo and Valle de Uco fruit. Aged in both US and French oak, with a little new US.
Big, bold and beefy. Round and satisfying and slightly tarry. This would be great at £7-8! Very slightly green on the finish. 14.4%.
£9.99 Alliance Wine

Viña Cobos, Marchiori Vineyard, Bramare Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Mendoza 16 Drink 2010-15
Slightly green notes on the nose, which Paul thinks is due to US oak rather than the fruit. Rich and sweet and round - very South American - bring on that steak. And chimichurri! 15.5%
£34.99 Alliance Wine

Viña Cobos, Marchiori Vineyard Malbec 2005 Mendoza 16.5 Drink 2010-16
Single vineyard in Perdriel by the road to Chile. Own rooted and 75 year old vines.
Deep purple. Tight knit and still quite dry. Quite inky at the moment with 100% Taransaud (dry tannins) barrels. Made à la bordelaise. Very much Bordeaux structure. Rather tarry on the nose and rustic in texture. Tingling finish. 15%
£85 Alliance Wine

Viña Cobos, Cobos uNico, Marchiori Vineyard 2005 Mendoza 17 Drink 2010-15
Two-thirds Cab, one third Malbec.
Spicy nose, Round and rich with a hint of leather. Very polished. Big and bold. 15.1%
£105 Alliance Wine

Viña Cobos, Marchiori Vineyard Malbec 2006 Mendoza 18 Drink 2009-18
First vintage with their own winery.
Very supple and round and concentrated. Complete - and you could actually drink it before the 2005. Polished and very flattering without being sweet. 15.5%
£TBC Alliance Wine

Harpers report 'Amayna moves to Alliance'

The UK distribution of Chilean brand Amayna has been snapped up by Alliance Wine following the demise of its former stockist, Paragon Vintners. Alliance’s wine development director Giles Cooke MW said it marked the end of a Chilean range review.

Harpers Q and A with our very own Giles Cooke MW

Harpers asked Giles how Alliance Wine has adjusted to the economic turmoil.

Giles was happy to comment about how we are performing in the recession, how businesses can adjust to the downturn, and the principle behind the appointment of another MW to Alliance - Fergal Tynan.  See the full interview by clicking on the link below or on Gile's photo.

http://www.william-reed.co.uk/downloads/digital/harpers/harpers_300409.pdf

'The Times' Wines for Spring
25 April 2009

Jane MacQuitty highlighted Chateau Ka wines (distributed by Alliance and sold by Waitrose) in her recent 'Wines of Spring' piece for The Times.

THIS WEEK’S BEST BUYS

2008 Château Ka, Source Blanche,
Bekaa Valley, Lebanon Waitrose, down to £7.99

Unusual muscat, sauvignon and semillon-based appley white with pleasing fruit.

2005 Château Ka, Source de Rouge,
Bekaa Valley, Lebanon Waitrose, down to £7.99

A bold, beefy, chocolatey, atypical cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah mix.

Jane advised: 'Spring, at last. Out go cravings for big winter food and heavy wines, and in comes a desire for delicate, leafy whites. Keep a close eye on vintages: pick the latest fresh 2008 northern hemisphere wines and look out for the first, early bird 2009 southern hemisphere whites.

Old World Meets New World with Shelmerdine

www.wineanorak.com/blog/index.htm

Jamie Goode described the following wine, distributed by Alliance as 'quite striking'.

Shelmerdine Merindoc Vineyard Shiraz 2005 Heathcote, Victoria

From a single 7.4 acre vineyard on granitic soils, wild ferment and aged in French oak. 14.5% alcohol. This has a complex nose of super-sweet blackberry and plum fruit with some meatiness, a hint of mint and a pure, almost liqueur-like richness. The palate is concentrated with lush, sweet, intense fruit combined with some spicy oak and complexing black olive, meat and herb notes, as well as hints of medicine. It's very much new world in style with its ripe, intense fruit, but there's some old world-style complexity here, too. 90/100 (£23.99 Oddbins)

More wineanorak.com - Remelluri

On Wednesday 29 April 2009 Jamie Goode was impressed by Remelluri:

'Some incredible wines today, really impressive.  Remelluri Rioja 2004 caught my eye (brilliant stuff with amazing minerality and intensity).'

The High Achievers

Andrew Catchpole reports in Harpers Wine & Spirit (17 April 2009)

Favourable money markets and good value is fuelling a surge in South African wine imports.

Raats Family wines are highlighted by Andrew as bringing premium wines to satisfy the market:

'Brands may bring people to the category and help them understand the varieties and styles of wine on offer, but until recently South Africa seemed to be faltering in terms of making a broader impact at a more premium level. This, though, appears to be fast changing with double-digit growth in the £5 to £10 price bands and above, along with a roll-call of wines to satisfy this market.

In no particular order, names such as Ken Forrester, Raats Family wines, Jordan, Springffeld, La Motte, L'Avenir, Paul Cluver, Neil Ellis, Vergelegen, Beyerskloof, Boschendal, Flagstone and many others, sit alongside similar priced rivals from anywhere in the world.'

See Bruwer Raats in the attached photo on your right.

Nielsen figures to December 27,2008, show a remarkable 26.30% growth by  value and 22% by volume in the off-trade and prediction from the trade recession notwithstanding - are that strong growth will continue through this year.  South Africa claimed 9.3% of the market by the New Year up from 7.8% at the end of 2002.

Top 100 Vins de Pays 2009

LARGESSE SHIRAZ VDP OC 2008 has been selected in the TOP 100 Vins de Pays 2009

The product will be shown at LIWF 2009 at the booth H40/2 (Fast – Track to France). 

This is the 2nd year that this wine has been awarded!

Godfather of Paso Win Scores Huge Win in San Diego

Eberle Winery has won a string of awards at the San Diego International Wine Competition.

• 2007 Barbera - BEST OF SHOW / RED WINES
• 2003 Cabernet Reserve - Sweepstakes Winner
• 2007 Sangiovese - GOLD
• 2008 Muscat Canelli - GOLD
  

Gary Eberle was featured on an online blog following these wins.  The full story can be viewed on winereviewonline.com's blog or by clicking on the image of Gary Eberle chatting to Gerald Boyd (the blog's editor).

Decanter (issue June 2009) recommends...........

• Domane Wachau, Achleiten, Smaragd, Wachau
  'Sweet and intense with focus and wonderful citric acidity carrying a long fragrant finish. Well balanced. From 2009.' (16.33)
• Domane Wachau, Achleiten, Kellerberg, Wachau
  'Rich peach and apple fruit .  Smooth and complex texture.  Layers of fruit, individual style.  From 2009.' (15)

International Sommelier

Two vintages of Chateau de Ferrand was featured in International Sommelier in April 2009.  Notes included:

• 1998 Chateau de Ferrand Saint Emilion Grand Cru
  'Subtle and round on the first taste, with flavours of mocha, fruit in eau-de-vie and spices.  A wine that is pleasant to enjoy now.'
  
  
• 2003 Chateau de Ferrand Saint Emilion Grand Cru
  'Delicious and well balanced on the first taste, with lovely tannins and excellent concentration.  Flavours of black fruit, blackcurrant, and violet.  The finish is full of flavour and long.  This marvellous wine can be enjoyed now, but, if we have the patience, it will be a great pleasure in seven to eight years time.'

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