The stories about whether wine 'or wine is good or bad for your health are legion. I don't want to go into that right now. But there are two funny statements about alcoholic beverages by famous culinary TV presenters (who were also chefs and writers). They influenced the world of wine, beer and other alcoholic beverages.
Keith Floyd was not a well-known cook but he was the first to make the British think differently about food and wine. His influence was enormous. Although the best man was by no means teetotal. His slogan was, "This is a two-bottle recipe, one for the chef and one for the recipe. You never saw him without a drink in his culinary TV and wine programs.
Herwig van Hove from Belgium is a physical chemist by origin who made dishes and talked about food in the TV program '1000 seconds'. He presented it together with 'Felice Damiano' (his real name, was Dré Steenmans for short). Felice always asked at the end of the program 'And Herwig what to drink with it'. Herwig then answered along the lines of: 'with something so tender you have to.....'. Was often beer or wine. In his younger years, Dré was also a cook. I often had the pleasure of meeting Herwig van Hove at the international wine fair Vinexpo in Bordeaux . I use Félice's text regularly. In addition, Herwig also wrote wine books. In my field, I got to meet Michael Broadbent several times and interview him at the wine fair Vinexpo(Bordeaux). He was the founder of the wine departments of Christies London and Amsterdam. Michael Broadbent is one of the most iconic wine connoisseurs in the world. He got to taste the world's most extraordinary and oldest wines. He also wrote wine books.
Now this wine-beverage fair takes place every year in Paris. The fair in Paris is called Wine Paris. Which I now write about for Eurocave and my previous story was about. The difference is that now, unfortunately, there are no more wine festivals taking place in wine castles. The nice thing though is that some of the winemakers/distillers I met in Bordeaux have grown with me and I have seen their businesses grow. You see each other getting older and now back at Wine Paris. Their wines/drinks are changing in flavor and the quality is improving as well.
In addition, fortunately, many other wineries and distilleries have been added, many of which I do not yet know. Sometimes that is difficult (but I often stick to it) when you get to taste old cognac. This year at Tesseron I got to taste a 75 year old and 'Experience 01' (limited and costs over €1600) cognac. And these taste really special.
Distillery Paul Devoille (since 1859) is a family business, producing very beautiful and distinct liqueurs and eaux-de-vie (spirits). I have known the family for quite a long time; Hugues de Miscault and his sister now run the company. In addition to distinct liqueurs made from fruit and other plant products, sublime eaux-de-vie, simple or 'vieille' (elixir of life, spirits) also from fruit, they produce gins, whiskey, beer and other specialties there. You may call 'eaux de vie' 'vieille' (old) after being aged in oak barrels for three years. A lot of old basket bottles with liquor in them were aging in an attic in their company. I also knew this fantastic company at the Vinexpo.
Excellent wines are made in Austria, both white and red wines from Grüner Veltliner, Welschriesling, Sauvignon Blanc or for red wine Blaufränkisch, Blauer Zweigelt, St. Laurent or also Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Since two years I have come across the Weingut Sonnenmulde there; from Gols in Burgenland near Vienna. It is a family business where now the son and daughter have taken over from their parents. There they produce wines made from one grape variety and the fancier "cuvées" (composition of multiple grape varieties). I also visited this winery in Austria.
In addition, there are wine countries you don't immediately think of like Slovenia. Winery Sanctum of Marko Podkubovšek and his wife is such an example. They have learned winemaking on the job and they have never taken wine training. The Podkubovšek family has around 7ha of vineyard in the town of Loče in the Štajerska region (Styria). Slovenia is said to have between 14,000 and just over 15,000 hectares of vineyards. In fact, this is not very clearly indicated.
They learned that in the 12th century the Carthusians (monks) had planted Pinot Noir in their region at an altitude almost equal to the altitude in Burgundy in France. Consequently, this grape is one of their showpieces. In addition to wines from the Chardonnay grape variety, they make a cuvée of Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt 'Buhamara', 'My Red' Syrah and Pinot Noir, 'Carthusian Red' Blaufrankisch from a single vineyard and aged in wood, 'Red Barrel' from Syrah and Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir Prestige and the summum Devina Pinot Noir Single Vineyard (from a single vineyard). I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the wines. In my case, I never run out of wine.
This guest blog was written by Jiri William Penders
About Jiri William Penders
J.W. Penders Wine Import is a small wine company. They sell wines from France and Austria. All wines are tasted twice; at the winery itself and at home. Furthermore, Jiri William Penders is
- Honorary citizen of the village of Pouzols-Minervois
- Ambassador of the wine guild Minervois
- Knight of the Mesnie (wine guild) du Fitou
- Member of the journalists' organization FIJEV (The International Federation of Wine and Spirits Journalists and Writers).
