Wine labelling with a jaundiced eye

This morning a column I wrote for Jancis Robinson's Purple Pages was introduced as having a 'jaundiced' view. Yellow babies and disease? Don't look into the eyes! No, it's none of these. It's more to do with my idea that wine labels should be regulated a lot tighter than they are right now and that I haven't lost that 'angry young man' voice from my writing! I have the same views in relation to the advertising of cosmetics on television. You know the kind, "I believe in the science ....." The 'science' tends to be a survey conducted with 80 women, in some obscure part of the world where freebies accompany the survey, and ridiculous graphics, graphs and statistics are then scrolled past our eyes to make us believe our skin will puff back out like a smooth babies bum all over again. Yeah, that kind. Try advertising wine like that!

  

Jaundiced? Absolutely

Proud? Absolutely. I can't think of a finer wine writing site than Jancis Robinson's Purple Pages. It just keeps on churning out good stuff day after day.



Jancis Robinson - a fabulous read.



Wine labels are fast becoming vehicles for messages on topics that have very little to do with the wine inside their bottles. I don't like that. In addition, terms such as 'reserva' have become meaningless and confusing. Am I wrong in thinking that if some terms on a wine label are regulated by law then so should all of the others that appear beside them! No, I am not. 

That's what the column was about. I loved writing it and I really owe a great deal of thanks to the team at Purple Pages for publishing it.   

As for my photo? It was taken by Ireland's leading food photographer Harry Weir. Harry was doing a shoot for http://www.greatfood.ie/ and he snapped a few of me in his studio at the time. That might explain why there's a rather odd looking background to the photo - but aren't the colours just super! Thanks Harry.  

The Banfi Family

Last week James Mariani CEO, of Banfi Wines, and their Irish distributors, Febvre of Ireland, hosted a wonderful evening at the Cellar restaurant in the Merrion Hotel. It was wonderful because, in every sense, it was a true family affair. How many times over the years have I met winemakers and winery owners who have told me how brilliant their family is, and how important their family is to their work, only to find that the family

• is nowhere to be seen
• didn't really want to meet me at all (but was being wheeled out anyway!)
• couldn't give a fiddlers about the 'family' (read hubbies) business
• was mournfully boring
• or wasn't a real family at all but put together for the photo shoot!

Last week was different. James and his family were on holiday in Ireland and, for a few hours, Febvre had us all join them. I'm sorry I didn't bring my camera for a few holiday snap shots.  

James opened with an unabashedly passionate speech regarding his associations with Ireland. Bear in mind Banfi Vinters, on Long Island NY, is the largest importer/distributor of wine into the US. Back in the 1970's they purchased 7100 acres (2830hectares) of Brunello di Montalcino in Tuscany and proceeded (with some controversy along the way) to build one of the premier wine estates in the world at Castello Banfi. Along with its sister estates, Banfi Tuscany and Vigne Regale in Gavi, Banfi continually wins major awards for both its wines and its research into how to make those wines better (see this link for a look at this).

Taking all of this into account wasn't it brill to hear that Jame's wedding gift from his wife was an Irish passport! Seems that Bernadette's family emigrated from Kinvara Park on the Navan Road in Dublin around 1960. Her mother is in her mid eighties now - as is my dad. Why is this relevent? Because that is exactly the same street that I lived on at that exact same time! This was turning into a good old holiday chin wag.



Castello Banfi



Executive Chef at The Merrion, Ed Cooney, matched an amazing meal to the following Banfi wines.

Welcome Drink

Banfi Brut Metodo Tradizione Classico

Top class: plenty of fruit with temendous yeasty autolysis and back bone. Pinot Noir 50% Chardonnay 40% are blended well with 10% Pinot Bianco - James tells us that its the Pinot Bianco that curves this wine out and makes it so attractive and approachable. 

Summer Salad of Roasted Peach with Toasted Almonds, Lambs Leaf and Summer Truffle Vinaigrette

Castello Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio 2010

I have often been a critic of Pinot Grigio as found on many of our shelves. I have also been a loyal fan of well made and well served Pinot Grigio. This cut through our salad to pefection and generously added to its enjoyment.

   

Steamed Fillet of Seabass with Bouillabaisse and Garlic Aioli

Castello Banfi Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2009

Red with white meaty fish. You can tell James just loves do this! This rosso is pure fleshy fruit and it behaved like a sauce to the plump white fish meat. The result was that the whole of the meal was so much more enhanced than its parts. 'Don't be afraid' is the message. Mind you another message is don't get it wrong and serve the next wine with the fish!

Roast Rump of Kettyle Irish Lamb with Shallot Puree, Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Black Cherry Balsamic Treacle

Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2005

This is a big wine coming into its prime. Loads of well hung meats in its body coupled with softening tannins and deft oaking. When I began to have a discussion of this with James we ended up talking of clones, chaos theory and quantum physics. I began to think what a great 'pint man' James would make! 

    

The Merrion Au Noir Chocolate Mousse with Summer Berries

Banfi Regale Brachetto d'Acqui 2010

This is an enchanting dessert wine where light bubbles and light sweetness are matched well by intense floral perfumes. It slips down seamlessly and along with chocolate mousse I'm on fairly safe grounds in saying that this was divine.

Did I say I didn't bring my camera. No holiday is complete without the odd snap shot. Lighting was low and my phone just couldn't do the occasion justice - but sure that's what holidays are all about!

James on the left having a holiday chat with Anthony Alkin of Febvre.