Reviews

Orbis vini-2009: people, discoveries and impressions
www.drinktime.ru, 24 December 2009

Another year is almost behind us.

It will be remembered in different ways, but I, in my line of duty, will be talking about wine. Actually, I am lucky to have a job that is also my favourite hobby, so it is rather difficult to distinguish between the two.

As the custom goes, at the end of the year we look back at the most memorable things, both good and bad, which were experienced in the past 12 months. Here I am not going to cover or rank the biggest events or the most important trends. I will rather be looking at phenomena and events, wineries and wines which made my year the way it was. So here’s my private, subjective wine review of year 2009.

My first column in Drinktime was about an increasing influence of new internet technologies. The topic was heavily discussed in the international circles last year.

The wine world is entering a new era of how we receive and exchange information. It may sound banal but new interactive platforms and social networks have revolutionised our wine communication. It has become instant, open and many-sided.

What was it like before? Printed media was the main source of information. Readers’ reaction was published a month later at best, after editorial control and if there was space in the readers’ letters section. Websites speeded up transmission of wine information, but they essentially remained electronic versions of printed publications.

And what do we have now? Information travels with incredible speed. Our communication has blossomed after its transformation into virtual shape. Drinktime readers have a freedom to state their opinions or discuss any topic, irrespective of their level of relationship with wine. Isn’t it but a real democratization of the wine world?

This year I opened Twitter and Facebook accounts. Although about 95% of information is nothing but ‘noise’, the other five are a great source of the latest and hottest news. At present these are the most effective platforms to stay tuned to what’s going on in the world of wine. Another great thing is that they let you connect with people whom you may never have a chance to meet in real life.

I will admit that I am not a big fan of virtual communication, preferring old traditional methods, but to ignore the fact that Internet altered our reality means to be seriously behind the times.

We are in a holiday mood, yet a certain unpleasant topic is unavoidable. You guessed it right; it is about the current crisis. Everybody is in a difficult situation — producers and consumers alike. At least it is encouraging to hear from producers that wineries with historic reputation and honest pricing endure the economic turmoil with less pain than others.

Still, the problem of global overproduction didn’t disappear. On the contrary, it became worse. The European government subsidises distillation of unwanted wine with less enthusiasm than before. New World wine industry is self-regulating. Further victims are unavoidable.

As consumers, we can only welcome correction of prices for expensive wines. Prices at times were halved during this year’s en primeur campaign in Bordeaux. Supertuscan and Californian wines are finally getting easier on the wallet. Yet, with a weak rouble, prices in Russia grow rather than fall. Such a shame.

Sociologists say that wine is bought in less quantity, less often and at cheaper price points. I recently read about Italian consumers of which 70% didn’t change their wine habits. I count myself among them.

Fortunately, the crisis brings more than just bad news. It creates new opportunities. For Russian wines, for example.

Russians are known for a sin of giving a light treatment to local goods including wine. Yes, the fault can be to a great extent blamed on producers who until recently hadn’t bothered to follow international standards of quality. There were exceptions, such as Chateau Le Grand Vostock, but the general picture of Russian winemaking remained oppressive.

New quality movement started in the south of Russia about 3-5 years ago. Some estates were quietly establishing own vine nurseries, planting new vineyards, modernising equipment, using advice of international consultants and finally producing decent (from international standpoint) wines. Russian consumers had no time for them then. We were discovering France, Italy, Spain, Chile, Argentina...

When the crisis came, prestigious bottles were put aside until better times and we finally noticed that Fanagoria, Myskhako, Vina Vedernikoff and some others offer better quality for the same price as Chilean varietal or mediocre European wines on our shop shelves.

I first visited a Russian wine estate in October. It was Fanagoria. There is enough work to do for the next 50 years, but I was impressed by what had already been achieved. NR and Cru Lermont ranges are good and honest. Pinot Noir is surprisingly exciting. I plan more trips to Russian vineyards next year.

At the beginning of each year I say to myself that I should cut down on travelling to wine regions and estates. But how to refuse a temptation to be among the first to taste new releases of Amarone or Chianti Classico, or to travel to new territories? An ‘abstract’ tasting is sufficient to judge general quality, but in order to understand what really hides behind a bottle, one has to go, see and speak to people in situ.

This year I discovered Somontano region in Spain which I recommend visiting even to non-wine people. A big musical marathon called Festival Vino takes place there annually in the first week of August. Local bullfighting ring is transformed into a stage for famous musicians and artists. Amazing unspoilt nature is another attraction, particularly appreciated by lovers of extreme sports.

The Taman peninsula in Russia has plenty of own ancient history and culture. In my view, Southern Russia is a distinctive region where winemaking has some unique features. It is time we looked at own heritage rather than be enraptured only with the history of European vineyards.

This year the most unconventional was a trip to Chile. Being a conservative follower of the Old World, I am not quite sure myself why I agreed to go there. To a great extent, it was driven by curiosity to compare two production philosophies, European and New World, to see what is there and what is not. It is a country of breathtaking landscapes and fantastic natural conditions for winemaking, but Chileans are only beginning to grasp potential of their territories. They already achieved certain results, although truly great wines haven’t been made yet. It takes at least 50 vintages or so to do that.

Two key events — the World Wine Symposium in Como (Italy) and the WineFuture in Logrono (Spain) — were added to the annals of the world wine industry this year. Both were organised for the first time, and they were held in autumn, one two weeks later than the other. I was among half a dozen of lucky people who attended both events.

In general, the forums discussed similar issues, but formats of the WWS and WineFuture were totally different.

World Wine Symposium was elitist, closed, it was impossible to get there without recommendations. An alternative name, Wine Davos, immediately stuck to it. Only 200 people were invited, and it was indeed a high profile gathering of owners of historic estates, influential critics, important auctioneers and famous collectors.

The WineFuture conference, on the other hand, proved to be a powerful business event. It was more practical, more intense in terms of topics discussed, with a greater coverage of the industry’s problems. The conference was open for everyone who paid to attend. Naturally, Robert Parker was the greatest attraction. Besides, other leading experts, critics, merchants and producers were invited, including Jancis Robinson, several Masters of Wine and new Internet star Garry Vaynerchuk.

I’ve already extensively written about the WineFuture. As for the World Wine Symposium, the only thing to be added is that tastings and dinners were as impressive there as were the speeches. Along with outstanding European wines I tasted the most luxurious and expensive Champagne Boerl & Kroff 1996, second to none.

Yet with the glamorous side of wine we often forget that its origin is quite humble. This is a farmer’s product, a result of his hard work on the land.

There is a common saying that great wine is made in the vineyard. This year I met two talented winemakers for whom these words have literal meaning. Eric Rousseau comes from Burgundy, whilst Enzo Pontoni — from Friuli. They are fortunate to have vineyards in unique sites, and both have mastered their terroir wines to perfection.

Rousseau and Pontoni are not interested in ostentatious fame, although Armand Rousseau and Miani wines have long created a cult following. Meetings with these winemakers, in different places and at different circumstances, were moments of epiphany, bringing back eternal values of winemaking.

A truly great wine is made with tremendous labour, deepest understanding of one’s vineyards and holy humility. Eric Rousseau and Enzo Pontoni have these qualities in full. They were my personal wine heroes in 2009.