I have just returned from a brief visit to a rain-drenched Rioja, tasting and assessing the new releases. The wines in general are elegant, fresh and focused but even in youth seem to  lack  something of the concentration and tannic grip of more illustrious forebears such as 2001 and 2004. Overall, I would say, of the major Bodegas visited La Rioja Alta, Artadi and Allende are very much on form, but that CVNE have lost a little focus. Easy enough to say, perhaps, when their new corporate structure involves part ownership by the Coca Cola dynasty.

The Artardi wines from outside of Rioja maintain their outstanding quality/price ratio, their 2007 Artazuri Granacha Rosé the best so far, its ’serious’ sibling Santa Cruz truly outstanding. In Rioja itself, Juan Carlos (pictured with  son Carlos above) is focusing more and more on specific parcels, which he likes to vinify separately, with assemblage tending to take place as late as possible. One of his new vineyards Ribaltyo (right) looks like Beaucastel, with its large glacial pudding-stoned carpet; others rely more on Alavesa limestone and others again have more clay in the soil.

A tasting by plot revealed very significant differences. Another El Pison maybe around the corner? A propos, the range was looking excellent in 2007, with Vinas De Gain, Pagos Viejos and El Pison all appropriately brilliant, far outperforming what one may have expected from the year. Elsewhere, at La Rioja Alta it is still the traditional styles which are the most convincing. Both the Alberdi 2002 and the Ardanza 2000 are showing great promise and the 1995 904 La Rioja Alta continues to grow in complexity. We are lucky enough to have secured one of the last parcels of this wine, which is currently being shipped.

The best CVNE wines for me were from Jesus Madrazo’s single vineyard estate, Contino. Overall I generally prefer Imperial to Real, although the latter, its putative Burgundian influence often somewhat unclear, can sometimes work, as with the Vina Real Reserva 2001.

And so, inevitably, to the inimitable Miguel Angel de Gregorio (left pictured in the 1945 Calvario vineyard) at Finca Allende. Those of hubristic temperament may have questioned the scale of his grandiose building projects, yet the winery has at last been completed and very impressive it is too, its fine 17th century sandstone facade and elegant cupola making it by some distance the finest Bodega in Briones!

His wines are uniformly excellent, even the Coronado from La Mancha, which, with the 2004, has shed several layers of torpor and a degree or two of alcohol. The white 2006 is more aromatic than the 2005 but attractive nonetheless. Aurus is getting better, wearing its 25 month oak ageing with Guigal-like dexterity…………yet the best  of all is undoubtedly Calvario. The 2005 is better even than the 2004; its texture silky, its tannins very fine and its fruit character exemplary. The 2006 will probably be nearly as good when the oak has softened a little.

It has been clear for while that the growing imbalance between supply and demand in Champagne, fuelled by burgeoning international demand, is set to lead to shortages in certain markets, with concomitant higher prices and hopefully a more carefully selected distribution chain.

Pretty much every corner of the 33,500 hectares where vines are permitted to be planted has now been planted. A victim of its own success perhaps? A licence to print money for the lucky few? Stark economic reality weighs in favour of the cherished concept of terroir. On one side of the fence a hectare will be worth a modest €5,000 , on the other a rather more impressive € 1 million. There is clearly an argument to extend the area for the vines, modestly, but to do so in such a mannered and punctilious fashion, the process gives off a semblance of propriety rather than profiteering.

So the INAO have done the research, have employed the geologists, the climatologists, in short all possible experts and have identified 40 new communes where, apparently, the quality of the land, soil, aspect and so forth is deemed suitable for Champagne vines. Just for good measure 2 communes have been expelled; their ‘terroir’ deemed no longer, to coin a phrase, ‘fit for purpose’. A slight imbalance, at first blush.

Vines, of course, take rather a long time to produce good fruit; this addition of the number of communes from 319 to 357 will only engender suitable fruit from 2021, and logically, will  thereafter increase production by somewhere in the region of 12-15%.  If global demand continues to grow at its current rate, this will only have a minor effect in the grand scheme of things. The majority of the new communes are in the Marne Valley and in the ’satellite’ enclaves of Aube and Aisne; none especially near to the famous Grand Crus such as Avize and Le Mesnil-Sur -Oger.

It is easy enough to snort at Tartuffian double standards and the rather belated discovery of the intrinsic merit of this new land, yet one has to remember that Champagne has built its astonishingly strong market position through the labours of caution and a disinclination to favour short term gain. One may, contrary to atavistic inclinations, perhaps, give the Champenois the benefit of the doubt  and see this expansion as both necessary and well-planned. After all, at one point, a century ago, the delimited area was almost double its current size. In that light the expansion seems modest and, dare one say it, sensible….

Early in 2007 the celebrated Rhône writer, John Livingstone Learmonth sent me (along with the rest of his address book) a petition to try and prevent what was described as ‘Le Cornas menacé par l’urbanisation’ .

Unbelievably the powers that be (or were) planned to build a 5 storey building slap bang in the middle of this tiny (100 hectares) and wonderful vineyard; for a long time it appeared that the scheme would go ahead. Finally, mercifully, the mayor has bowed to the power of the people and the project has finally been abandoned.

Thank the lord! The only cause for regret is that Robert Michel (left), who has been supplying Berrys for many years, has announced his retirement.

The good news is that along with securing his last vintage (the 2006) which will be available for those who are interested in spring, his famous ‘Geynale’ Vineyard, perched magnificently over the village, has been sold to a syndicate, the members of which include his gifted nephew Vincent Paris, and none other than John Livingstone Learmonth himself.

Their work will be cut out, of course, to scale the heights achieved by Robert; his wines have all the brooding power for which the appellation is famed, with a wonderful concentration and elegance of fruit, perhaps a result of the fact that the vines date from 1911. Few wines are better suited to game or rich wintery dishes…

Every year, about the same time, an unceremonious and initially somewhat unexpected ritual takes place. It is known as the stacking of the LBV (Late Bottled Vintage) Port in the supermarket aisle; unceremonious given the fabled pedigree of this fortified wine and unexpected given the fact that its global production is relatively small; 10 million cases in total.

And yet the two major players, both with blue-blooded English pro-genitors, choose, for whatever reason,  to fight it out year in year out in this somewhat incongruous arena. Their loss is our gain; what they perceive to be their gain can only result in lost reputation in a category irrevocably linked to image and perceived status.

But beyond the duels between the Taylors and the extended Symington family one should not loose sight of the sheer magnificence of the product, its episcopal colouring and rich heady aromas presaging marvellous and infinitely complex flavours. Only in very special years are vintages declared and even then vintage makes up only 5 % of production; here we see the real port producers at work; their integrity has mitigated against a Vintage Declaration over the last three years, this in spite of real  and burgeoning  global demand.

When a vintage is declared, it is a cause for celebration indeed; older wines age with labyrinthine charm and infinite nuance; at the moment the 77s are dumb, but the 85s are singing; yet  this may be reversed again at least once over their long lives.

The 94s and 97s are promising great things, as is the legendary 2000; and  as for the older, rarer vintages, theirs is all grace and elegance. A far cry from the supermarket gondolas and their half-price ignominy. Let’s not forget what the real fuss should be about. 

With demand on the up and supply remaining static, getting hold of premium champagne is becoming increasingly challenging - particularly the larger bottles which are extremely popular during the festive season.

 This year we could only purchase 150 double magnums of our house champagne, such was the limited production at the supplier,  Mailly Grand Cru……….. and they have almost all gone.  Champagne house Bollinger have also run out of magnums  for the UK market and Pol Roger are restricting the number of large format bottles they are selling as they are in such short supply. 

In a few years time, we may well have to introduce champagne rationing. This term, redolent of post war hardship, hardly seems appropriate for the wine of celebration and decedance, but there may come a day when hitherto widely available Grandes Marques are allocated only to regular, loyal customers, much as we do with the First Growth Clarets at the moment!

Emerging markets such as India, Russia and China are fuelling the boom but, with the UK responsible for 10% of total consumption, and now by some way the leading export market,  us Brits will be amongst the first to be hit!

Some Champagne houses are now looking to England for suitable terroirs and lobbying French authorities to increase the size of the Champagne region. The enthusiasm and effort dedicated by some very serious Champenois to the former task is indicative of a lack of confidence that the authorities will allow more than modest expansion of the region.

Champagne is thus a victim of its own success, but also the punctillious demarcation of its geographical bounderies, which in itself has underwritten quality and ensured reputaion. They are right not to sacrifice either; but inevitably this can only result in higer prices and more focused distribution.

Getting hold of cheap fizz from supermarkets won’t be a problem but, if you want the best the region has to offer, you should think ahead to secure the bottles you really want.
 

Well, as the Champenois put up their feet, preparing for some late summer sun on the Riviera after an extraordinarily early harvest, there must, for all those rugby and football woes, be a few smiles on their faces. Why? Because once more the stories of demand exceeding supply and global supply shortages are doing the rounds, grist to the mill of publicity at which the marketing professionals at the big companies such as LVHH and Vranken excel, nonchalantly of course.

But is there any truth in them? The Comité Interprofessionel Des Vins De Champagne ( CIVC) are now authorising absurdly high yields (15,500 kg/ha including bloquage - enough to make a Bordelais blush and a Burgundian faint) and yet if they are to maintain the quality imperative which has been the bed-rock of their success they will be unwise to try and extend the vineyard area (currently at pretty much full capacity at 34,000 hectares) or to reduce the ageing requirement of the wines.

Production, 25 million bottles in 1950, is set to be a record 328 million bottles this year, pretty much exactly mirroring the current sales. But the current sales look set to rise by up to 5% a year. There is no slack any more, and emerging markets, carefully nurtured, now need to be quenched.

So yes, there will inevitably be a supply problem. What I think we will see is that the great Grandes Marques will gradually cease the extraordinary St Vitas Dance of deep discounting that has been a bizarre feature of our high streets for so long, and will eventually pull out of the high street altogether, being far more selective about their distribution, primarily in the independent sector and leading hotels and restaurants.

Greater polarity will ensue with the big brands from the Boizel Group, The Vrankens and Pernod Ricard all still being widely available, but the Pols, Bols and Roederers of this world will be much harder to find, with, inevitably, concomitant pressure on prices. Every which way the Champenois can not fail to come out on top, if they can continue to manage the grape supply and pricing with their habitual aplomb.

Is it all over for Grandes Marques on the high street?