Minerals & Terroir

April 2009 - Press Release

2009-04-17T11:40:00.001+01:00

PRESS RELEASE: Minerals & Terroir – How water can affect the taste of wine

London, UK, 16^th April 2009

Introduction

Mineral water is a product with indisputable provenance, yet the relevance in a gastronomic setting, particularly in taste, is not understood. A sommelier, a wine buyer and a water specialist started tasting waters alongside white wines in September 2008, in order to see whether water could affect the taste of a wine. It has since been experienced that the range of effects that water can have on the palate is quite remarkable. Not only can the wrong water harm a given wine, but an appropriate choice of water can actually enhance the natural characteristics of a wine.

Background

There is no credible fine dining establishment that doesn’t have a serious wine list with complementary spirits and cocktails – all appealing to their discerning clientele, whilst aiming for the holy grail of both specialisation and differentiation.

So why is it that in the light of recent criticisms aimed at the offering of bottled mineral water in restaurants, there has been no attempt to halt the loss of key revenues from this high-turnover product? It is quite ironic, given the encyclopaedic knowledge of how wine pairs with food, that it is the lack of knowledge that has proven to be the stumbling block.

There is simply no answer to the accusations that mineral water is no different to tap water. Lack of a unitary understanding from the mineral water industry prevents both the successful communication of an establishment’s water selection and subsequently, the offering of a mineral water appropriate for the cuisine – or dare it be said...the wine!

Detail

Minerals and Terroir is an ambitious project. It is so called as the aim is to see beyond the marketing of mineral waters and focus on the chemistry of the liquified minerals that form h2O and the individual characteristics of a wine that are borne of their terroir. We do this with taste in mind.

Over 50 white wines have been tasted, representing typical grape varieties on most sommeliers’ lists. These have been tasted alongside 11 still waters, including tap water and 10 sparkling waters. We plan to start the red wines soon.

A number of respected individuals have attended these tastings as guests, ensuring that Minerals & Terroir has not remained a ‘closed forum’ and that we take on board alternative observations. There is a unanimous surprise as to how much a water can actually affect a wine.

A detailed scoring system from 20 has been created, reflecting the variety of ways in which a water can affect the taste experience of a wine. The results turn ‘established’ knowledge on its head, with low mineral waters mostly harming wines and highly mineralised waters being most likely to enhance a wine or at least, allow it to express itself.

The findings mean that a restaurant can now offer an informed choice of water to their guests – and that vital attention to detail which will ensure that the selected wine isn’t adversely affected by any element of the meal. Finally, the on-trade can demonstrate value in the generous margins applied to bottled water.

The Minerals & Terroir team is:

Roberto della Pietra – Head Sommelier, Roussillon restaurant, Pimlico.

Nicolas Angelina – Wine Buyer, Noura restaurants, London

Michael Tanousis – Managing Director, Aqua Amore – Mineral Water Specialists, London

Grape Varieties - Highlighted have been sampled

2009-03-02T12:59:00.000Z

Loire Valley

Sancerre/Pouilly Fumé, Petit Bourgeois
Saumur/Montlouis/Vouvray
Muscadet

Burgundy

Chablis
Aligoté
Côtes d'Or (Meursault)

Bordeaux

oaked
un-oaked

Rhone Valley

Côtes du Rhône (Marsanne/Roussanne)
Chateauneuf-du-Pape (80% Roussanne/Clairette/Grenache blc)
Condrieu/VdP Viognier

Alsace

Gewurztraminer
Riesling
Muscat d'Alsace (dry)
Pinot Gris

South (Roussillon/Languedoc/Provence/Southwest)

Côtes du Roussillon/Coteaux du Languedoc (Grenache blanc/Macabeu/Carignan blanc etc.)
Côtes de Provence
Jurançon Sec/Pacherenc du Vic Bilh Sec
Vermentino Corsica

Italy

Fiano
Gavi
Soave
Pinot Grigio
Vernaccia
Grillo (Sicily)
Insolia
Trebbiano (Lugana)
Nuragus

Spain

Rioja (Viura)
Galicia Treixadura/Godello/Dona Blanca
Somontano (Gewurztraminer)
Rueda (Verdelho)
Rias Baixas (Albariňo)

Portugal

Louriero (Vinho Verde)
Codega, Rabigato, Donzelinho, Viosinho, Cercial (Tiara)
Bical (Dao/Bairrada)
Maria Gomes (Bairrada)
Arinto (Becelas)

Germany & Austria

Riesling
Scheurebe
Gruner V.

Lebanon

Chardonnay (oaked)
Muscat/Sauvignon/Semillon

New World

Australia

Chardonnay
Semillon, Semillon/sauvignon
Riesling

New Zealand

Sauvignon
Chardonnay

South Africa

Chenin Blanc
Sémillon

USA

California/Oregon/Washington

Chardonnay
Sauvignon
Viognier
Chenin Blanc

Canada

Chardonnay
Sauvignon
Sémillon

Latin America

Torrontés Argentina
Viognier Argentina
Chardonnay Chile
Sauvignon blanc Chile

White wines sampled

2009-03-02T11:18:00.000Z

With Still water we have tried:

Pacherenc du Vic Bilh Sec, Domaine Berthomieu, 2007, SW France
Empreinte du Temps, Domaine Ferrer-Ribière, 2006, Roussillon
Semillon, Knappstein Lenswood Vineyards, Adelaide Hills, 2000, Sth Australia
Muscat d’Alsace “Prestige”, Cave de Ribeauvillé, Alsace
Petit Bourgeois, Henri Bourgeios, 2007, Loire Valley
Riesling Tradition, Albert Mann, 2007, Alsace
Chablis, Colette-Gros, 2006, Burgundy
Vouvray Sec, Champlou, 2006, Loire Valley
Gruner Veltliner. Hopler, 2006
Stella Bella, Margaret River, 2006, Western Australia – Semillon & Sauvignon Blanc
Chateau Ka, “Source blanche”, 2007, Lebanon – Muscat, Sauvignon, Semillon
Chateau Ksara, Cuvee du pape, Chardonnay, 2006 – 12 month French new oak
“Tiara”, Niepoort, Douro, Portugal 2007
Torrontes, Finca el Retiro, Mendoza, Argentina, 2007
“Flor de Gewurtztraminer”, Bodegas Laus, Somontano, Spain, 2007
Scheurebe Trocken, Weingut Wittmann, Rheinhssen, Germany, 2007
Meursault “Clos du Cromin”, Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur 2006 Burgundy (Chardonnay grape)
Grappoli del Grillo, Marco de Bartoli 2005 Sicily, Italy (Grillo grape)
Terra do Gargalo 2002, Monterrei, Galicia, Spain (Treixadura, Godello, Dona Blanca grapes)
Corse Calvi “Clos Culombu”, Domaine Culombu 2007, Corsica (Vermentino grape)
Vernaccia di San Gemignano, Pietrafita (Estate), Tuscany, 2007, Italy
Soave, “Sereole”, Bertani, Veneto, 2007, Italy
Inzolia “Montoni”, Vignali, Roccamora, Sicily, 2008, Italy
2007 Bourgogne Aligoté, Domaine Ghislaine & Jean Hugues Goisot, Saint Bris, Burgundy
2007 Montlouis sur Loire “Minérale+”, Domaine Frantz Saumon, Touraine, Loire Valley (Chenin blanc)
2006 Pinot Gris Réserve, Domaine Jean-Baptiste Adam, Alsace
2004 Clos Floridene, Domaine Denis & Florence Dubourdieu, Graves, Bordeaux (Sauvignon/Semillon/Muscadelle grape)

With Sparkling:

Penny’s Hill Chardonnay 2006 Australia
Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling 2006 Selbach, Germany
Heller Estate Chenin Blanc, 2006, California
St Clair Sauvignon, 2007, NZ
Gavi, ‘Costa Mazzana’, Piedmont, 2007
Pinot Grigio, Linea Classica, Alto Adige, 2007
Fiano di Avellino, Campania, 2007
Lugana DOC, S. Cristina, ‘Vigneto Massoni, Veneto 2007
Rueda, Herederos del Marqués de Riscal 2007 Rueda, Spain (Verdejo grape)
Rias Baixas O Rosal, Valmiñor 2007 Galiçia, Spain (Albariño grape)
Nuragus di Cagliari “Pedraia”, Cantina Santadi 2007 Sardinia, Italy (Nuragus grape)
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Domaine de la Janasse 2007 Rhône Valley, France
Chenin Blanc, Morgenhof Estate, Stellenbosch, 2007, South Africa
Viognier “Villavieja”, La Agrícola, Mendoza, 2007, Argentina
Maria Gomes, Luis Pato, Bairrada, 2007, Portugal
Viognier, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes, Domaine Yves Cuilleron, 2007
2007 Riesling Eden Valley, Terra Barossa
2006 Viognier 'Mill Road Vineyard' Eberle Paso Robles
2007 Rioja Blanco barrel fermented Viura (10% Malvasia) Luis
2006 Clearwater, Chardonnay Malborough, New Zealand, Sherwood Estate

Sparkles & Surprises (Session 11 - 21 February 2009)

2009-02-23T15:06:00.006Z

This week we resumed with the attendance of guests. Olivier Gasselin of Chelsea's 'Bluebird' restaurant graced us with his presence again. His astute observations are always welcome, whilst his cautious approach keeps us focused on what we are experiencing.

A surprise was to come an hour into the session when Swissotel's Alan Calzari knocked on the door with Mandarin Oriental's Markus Lindner! This added more opinions and observations from seasoned F&B professionals.

If the concept of recommending waters with wines is ever going to gain market acceptance, it is vital that the decision makers in the industry gain exposure to our tastings whilst they are still an imperfect science, in order to understand that this isn't something that we are making up as we go along!

With sparkling waters today we sampled:

2007 Riesling Eden Valley, Terra Barossa

2006 Clearwater, Chardonnay Marlborough New Zealand Sherwood Estate

2007 Rioja Blanco Barrel Fermented Viura (10% Malvasia) Luis Canas

2006 Viognier 'Mill Road Vineyard' Eberle Paso Robles

Nicolas also suggested that we calculate the entire cost of Minerals & Terroir to date, in terms of wines, waters and our time...I have no idea what that is likely to be. Needless to say, we wouldn't have been putting our spare hours into this if cost was an issue.

Highlights were the emergence (finally) of a clear leader in terms of a sparkling water that has begun to show more consistently across the white wines. It is a French naturally sparkling water that is high in bicarbonates and sodium.

Complement...or Enhance? (Session 10 - 7th February 2009)

2009-02-08T23:54:00.010Z

Today we established a further definition to the scoring category. In addition to defining the score based on taste experiences, we also determined that a wine need not necessarily 'enhance' a wine, in order to recommend it alongside it.

Quite simply, sometimes a water can prove to be an excellent complement to the wine - a 15+ almost. So we have decided to include the score of 15 into the recommendations list also.

Complement?

Or enhance?

Three Amigos...Two Viogniers (Session 9 - 31st January 2009)

2009-02-02T09:21:00.002Z

With Sparking water today we sampled:

2007 Chenin Blanc, Morgenhof Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2007 Viognier “Villavieja”, La Agrícola, Mendoza, Argentina

2007 Maria Gomes, Luis Pato, Bairrada, Portugal

2007 Viognier, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes, Domaine Yves Cuilleron

The presence of two Viogniers, both Old and New world, offered us a great opportunity to start answering some questions - such as whether it is the grape variety, or the terroir (and other factors) that determine the pairing with waters. The answer was more indicative of grape variety, but there were key discrepancies. For instance, there were three instances in which there was a recommendation with one wine, but not the other. In one instance, where there was an old world recommendation, the new world wine was deemed to have been harmed by the same water.

Hmm, curious and a little frustrating as it would have been lovely to have drawn a line under it and said "wow, it is simply the grape variety that matters!", but then, wine is a little more complicated than that isn't it...

Having said that, there are instances in which the same water has been recommended with both wines, so I think that this may prove to be the key. If we can find waters that consistently pair well with certain grape varieties, then not only will we be able to incorporate these into wine menus with a high degree of accuracy, but from a scientific perspective, we shall be able to understand which key combination in minerals is necessary for consistent wine-specific matching.

Striking a balance... (Session 8 - 24th January 2009)

2009-01-26T16:08:00.001Z

Today we had the pleasure of hosting freelance journalist Fionnuala Synnott to sample Still waters with some rather eclectic wines (well, 3 of them):

Meursault “Clos du Cromin”, Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur 2006 Burgundy (Chardonnay grape)

Grappoli del Grillo, Marco de Bartoli 2005 Sicily,

Italy

(Grillo grape)

Terra do Gargalo 2002, Monterrei,

Galicia

Spain

(Treixadura, Godello, Dona Blanca grapes)

Corse Calvi “Clos Culombu”, Domaine Culombu 2007, Corsica (Vermentino grape)

Fionnuala (I have to concentrate when spelling her name!) was delighted to find that the Irish spring water was her mother's favourite from her home county. I am sure that this didn't influence her scoring!

She also made some very astute observations regarding the scores, commenting on how the score of 6-9, rather than saying 'harms elements of the wine' should be altered to reflect/accomodate when a wine is unbalanced as a result of the introduction of water to the palate. Roberto and I agreed and this has now been included in our ever evolving score sheet.

Nicolas was away, which meant that not all of the wine was finished. Since I normally take the empty bottles with me for potential future photo opportunities, someone had to finish off the wine...ah, well!

Happy New Year! (Session 7 - 17/1/09)

2009-01-18T20:58:00.004Z

Today, Godfrey Spence was again the guest. It is a pleasure that with his experience, this new concept should be of such great interest.

With Sparkling waters we tried:

Rueda, Herederos del Marqués de Riscal 2007 Rueda, Spain (Verdejo grape)

Rias Baixas O Rosal, Valmiñor 2007 Galiçia, Spain (Albariño grape)

Nuragus di Cagliari “Pedraia”, Cantina Santadi 2007 Sardinia, Italy (Nuragus grape)

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Domaine de la Janasse 2007 Rhône Valley, France (50% Grenache, 25% Roussanne, 25% Clairette)

The Nuragus proved a wonderful wine, whose prominent characters made it difficult to find a water which 'enhanced' it. Having observed this though, there were waters that harmed the character too, which demonstrates the value of a 0-20 system of scoring as relevant when appreciating wines in a dining environment.

Still Waters - League Table

2008-12-16T14:22:00.021Z

The tastings and scores to date have revealed that there are some waters, so far, that are far better suited to a larger number of white wines than others.

The key scores here are 16-20. These are waters that enhance the taste of the wine and as such are recommended for consumption alongside the particular wines.

If you click on the image to enlarge it, you can see that, of 16 wines, the English Well water is currently leading the way with 11 recommendations, with Danish Artesian and Irish Spring waters with 8 recommendations each.

We shall hopefully begin to analyse trends with this information in the coming months, particularly with regards to the question of what determines matching suitability - the grape variety or the terroir.

A look at our scoring sheets

2008-12-16T11:24:00.005Z

The scoring sheets are a fairly straightforward affair. I have enclosed an image here so that you can see what we complete during 'Minerals & Terroir' sessions.

We used to include a column on the sheet marking 'yes/no' scores, but as detailed in the previous posts, that has now been rendered unnecessary by our evolved scoring system, which is largely self explanatory.

This also means that the tastings should be more straightforward, with less time spent paused for jotting notes - unless additional or expectional observations are recorded.

suSpence and revelation! (session 6)

2008-12-15T19:15:00.012Z

Our guest to the latest tasting session was freelance wine tutor and author, Godfrey Spence.

With vast experience in the wine trade, Godfrey was curious to understand what I had been trying to tell him for weeks about 'Minerals & Terroir' in frustratingly limited 'wine speak'. Nevertheless, with the true spirit of a wine enthusiast, he agreed to come along and lend his observations.

The wines for today, white again, were to be tasted alonside still waters. Roberto's selection was:

2007 “Flor de Gewürztraminer”, Bodegas Laus, Somontano, Spain
2007 Scheurebe Trocken, Weingut Wittmann, Rheinhessen, Germany
2007 Torrontes, Finca el Retiro, Mendoza, Argentina
2007 “Tiara”, Niepoort, Douro, Portugal (Grapes: Rabigado, Codega, Donzelinho, Viosinho, Cercial)

Once again the English Well water showed well alongside the Danish Artesian. Curiously, the Scheurebe was a very difficult wine to enhance, with the inimitable English Well water best complementing the wine.

Interestingly, the Australian Rain water also transformed the taste of the Torrontes into cassis - like Ouzo or Pastis. We don't yet know why this is, but it is something to look into at a later date.

Of 16 wines, we can now see the most recommended waters are the English Well, Danish Artesian and Irish Spring. We can also see the the English Spring matches wines with the fruitier wines - the Muscat, Gruner & Gewurztraminer. Once we analyse these results for trends, we should hopefully understand the nature of these successful (or unsuccessful) pairings.

It will be fascinating to discover whether the waters match universally well to grape varieties and their characteristics e.g. high acidity, or whether it is the unique terroir of the wines per se which is the determining factor.

Importantly for credibility, Godfrey found the exercise fascinating and having conceded that he was previously unaware of how water may have affected the taste of the wine, is now fully supportive of what we are setting out to acheive - a greater understanding of water/wine combinations to benefit and enhance a gastronomic environment. I'll invite him to post his comments on here, which should be very interesting to read, from a third party perspective.

Bluebird... in Piccadilly (session 5)

2008-12-08T19:55:00.008Z

The christmas schedule can be punishing on the most well seasoned of sommeliers and Roberto had to sit this week out to maintain his good looks to ally his cool Italian charm.

As an alternative destination, we headed to Noura Piccadilly, base of Nicolas Angelina. The manager, Joseph, not only accomodated us, but joined us for the first session in order to understand what Nicolas had been banging on about for weeks. We also had the benefit of selecting wines from Noura's own wine list - one that had been compiled by Nicolas.

We were pairing white wines with still waters:

Gruner Veltliner, Hopler, 2006
Stella Bella, Margaret River, 2006, Western Australia - Semillon & Sauvignon Blanc
Chateau Ka, "Source Blanche", 2007, Lebanon - Muscat, Sauvignon, Semillon
Chateau Ksara, Cuvee du Pape, Chardonnay, 2006 - 12 month French new oak

In addition to a new venue, there was also a new taster to join us. The first wine-trained guest to join us was Olivier Gasselin, Head Sommelier at the D&D restaurant, The Bluebird. Boasting a 700-strong wine list, this would certainly be an excellent barometer of how valid our observations to date had been.

As I have stated repeatedly, I am of the belief that we must add value to restaurant go-ers, particularly where water is concerned. The aim of 'Minerals & Terroir' is to make accessible the knowledge that the appropriate choice of waters can actually enhance the experience of the wine - which will have an impact on the food.

No one will know this better than a sommelier, and I awaited Olivier's opinion with eagerness.

The tasting brought an unlikely 20 points for the Tasmanian Rain allied with the Gruner Veltliner. Olivier felt that it ehanced the minerality and complexity of the wine, in a way that the wine alone could not acheive.

We also began to see a trend, in that the English Well water that had previously been shown to enhance the Petit Bourgeois (Sauvignon Blanc) also enhanced the Stella Bella and Chateau Ka - both containing Sauvignon! Additionally, the Danish Artesian which had previously enhanced the Knappstein Lenswood Vineyards (Semillon), also enhanced the Chateau Ka, containing Semillon.

Joseph remarked on how he was very surprised at the extent to which the waters affected the wine - and admitted that he had previously thought that Nicolas was going a little mad!

Olivier's opinion was that prior to attending, he had no pre-conceptions of what to expect, as he didn't really feel that water would have a significant impact on wine. Having sat through a tasting of four wines and eleven waters, he was quite curious as to the new understanding that he had reached about the previously ignored combination of wines and waters. He also requested that he attend future tastings also

In my opinion, since Olivier is a respected sommelier in a top London destination, this is a definite tick in the box from an individual who, after the tasting session, could appreciate the commercial relevance of what we were proposing, in addition to the experience-enhancing quality to offer his customers.

Taste of Italia - with Sparkling waters (Session 4)

2008-11-29T22:44:00.000Z

Today we welcomed our first guest to 'Minerals & Terroir'. Chemist and pharmacologist Dr. Raj Patel was invited to lend his views and add some perspective to the chemical reaction that occurs on our palates.

We opted for Italian whites for this session, with Nicolas selecting:

Gavi, 'Costa Mazzana', Piedmont, 2007 (Cortese)
Pinot Grigio, Linea Classica, Alto Adige, 2007
Fiano di Avellino, Campania, 2007
Lugana DOC, S. Cristina, 'Vigneto Massoni', Veneto, 2007 (Trebbiano di Lugana)

The toughest to match was the Pinot Grigio, with subtle flavours and tones of peach flesh. The French naturally sparkling water showed best with this as it had done with the Heller Estate Chenin Blanc.

We noted that some sparkling waters reacted with the wines in such a way that they 'froth' up on the palate. This is a largely unpleasant reaction which isn't desireable in a sparkling water.

With regards to our anaysis of the waters, it also began to dawn on us that a simple 'yes/no', as we had been opting for up to this point may not be adequate in matching wines and waters. The subtleties of taste experiences that we were beginning to understand demanded a more thorough points assignment.

Particularly important, was the agreement that any water scoring 16 or greater is deemed to enhance the wine being consumed, either in part, or as a whole. Progressing with this understanding is a vital piece of information for Aqua Amore and the wine trade, as this key category is what we shall be looking for in order to pair and recommend on wine menus. This is what will enhance drinkers' experience and facilitate the realisation that mineral waters have an irrefutable place in fine dining as a result of their unique qualities. As Roberto has labelled the category of 16-20, in all his wisdom - "top bollocks!".

In the meantime, Dr. Raj jad been fine tuning his palate to both waters and wines. He offered to take the mineral content of the waters and the scores to date in order to run them through a statistical analysis cofigurator and analyse the information for trends and permutations, that may assist us in understanding and predicting which waters will match particular wines. We're really looking forward to receiving this information, so until then:

With regards to Dr. Raj's opinion on whether his taste experience of the wine was altered in different degrees - it was an unequivocal yes. This is importants, as it represents the experience of someone who has no specialisation or great experience in wines or water. He could represent the type of customer who wishes to enjoy a meal in a fine dining restaurant and upon taking the advice of the sommelier, would taste the benefit of having had a fine water with his selection of wine.

Session 3 - Whites with Still

2008-11-22T19:52:00.003Z

Roberto and Nicolas had been travelling for a while, most notably having been invited on a week long tour of the vineyards of Chile - kindly invited by the 'Wines of Chile' association. The returned marvelling at the variety of terrain and the quality of wines.

Roberto's selection for today is:

Pacherenc du Vic Bilh Sec, Domaine Berthoumieu, South West France, 2007
Empreinte du Temps, Domaine Ferrer-Ribiere, Roussillon, 2006 - 82yrs old wine, Grenache Blanc
Semillon, Knappstein Lenswood Vineyards, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, 2000
Muscat d'Alsace "Prestige", Cave de Ribeauville, Alsace, 2005 (Muscat Blanc)

At this stage, we are starting to develop more specific taste categorisations for the way in which the waters match the wines. We are tasting that there are waters which actually enhance the taste of the wines.

Session 2 - Whites with Sparkling

2008-10-20T19:33:00.000+01:00

We started off this beautiful day with a wander around Pimlico's farmers' market and with a meal at Daylesford Organic, assisted with a nice bottle of Pinot Noir. Dining's easy with a couple of sommeliers!

The wines selected are:

Penny's Hill chardonnay (oaked), Australia, 2006
Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling, Selbach, Germany, 2006
St Clair Sauvignon, New Zealand, 2007
Heller Estate Chenin Blanc, California, 2006

This tasting saw a breakthrough, as we correctly predicted that the waters high in bicarbonates would match the wine well. We were proved correct and the level of carbonation was largely irrelevant to the quality of the taste - it was all about the combination of minerals.

Session 1 - Whites with Still

2008-10-11T19:45:00.005+01:00

The philosophy in selecting wines for the tasting is to opt for varieties/producers/vintages that are befitting of London's top fine dining restaurants and belong on any top sommelier's list. This is where the expertise of Roberto and Nicolas will ensure that 'Minerals & Terroir' has relevance to the wine afficionado.

Petit Bourgeois, Henri Bourgeois, Loire Valley, 2007 (Sauvignon Blanc)
Riesling Tradition, Albert Mann, Alsace, 2007 (Riesling)
Chablis, Colette-Gros, Burgundy, 2006 (Chardonnay)
Vouvray Sec, Champlou, Loire Valley, 2006 (Chenin Blanc)

Scoring is out of 20.

Au, Coq

2008-10-10T19:01:00.000+01:00

Well, this particular experience couldn't have been better timed.

I paid a visit to Brasserie St. Jacques with Nicolas. It is a wonderful restaurant with attentive staff, excellent wine and food.

After an indulgent starter dish of bone marrow salad, I ordered main of steak tartare, whilst Nicolas order a Coq au Vin. My main was simply incredible - the best I have ever had (even better than my own!).

Along with the meal, we shared a bottle of Carignan (South France) along with a bottle of Badoit.

The Carignan was a lovely wine, which opened up after time to breathe and had a wonderful persistence to it. As a non-wine person, it was a real treat and an insight into how wonderful a good bottle of wine can be.

Now, had I not been anticipating this Saturday's inaugural 'Minerals & Terroir' tasting, this may have never occurred to me - but after I had drunk the Carignan, I'd sip the water. The high level of sodium in the Badoit completely killed off the taste of the wine in my mouth. Since I had been enjoying the combination of carignan and bone marrow particularly, this was a tad annoying - and made me appreciate just how much relevance 'Minerals & Terroir' would have to fine cuisine.

Snap, Crackle and Pop!

2008-10-06T15:54:00.008+01:00

Saturday was spent conducting tastings on sparkling water.

Sparkling water preference varies from country to country, with Germans drinking it almost exclusively and the UK consuming, on average, a 2:1 ratio of still to sparkling, certainly in the on-trade.

It is not perverse, however, to incorporate sparkling waters into our tasting schedule, even if it does mean that we are effectively doubling the number of wines and therefore the length of time required to commit to 'Minerals & Terroir'.

The fact is that people drink sparkling waters alongside wine also, so is it always the case that a low level of carbonation is preferable, or are there other factors involved?

I have decided to opt for ten different sparkling waters, with a variety of factors as for still waters i.e. TDS, origin, alkalinity. We have the added dimension of carbonation - something that is rightly categorised by Michael Mascha in his book 'Fine Waters' as:

Effervescent e.g. Badoit
Light e.g. Hildon, Malmberg
Classic e.g. San Pellegrino
Bold e.g. Perrier

The carbonation certainly varies, from 1 to 6 (of 10), but the subtleties of the water remain recognisable, as with the still waters. The carbonation does add another element of texture and mouthfeel - and the naturally sparkling waters promise to be very interesting, as they are generally high in minerals and offer a 'taste'.

I think that the combination of sparkling waters with wines promises to be very interesting, both with delicate whites and bold reds.

Once again, you can see from the myriad of lines swirling across the page, there is a great variety in the organoleptic experience that different sparkling waters offer.

Next time - our first wine & water tasting!

Still Water Tasting - Open University Style

2008-09-29T15:42:00.003+01:00

Having seen the Open University programmes as a youngster eagerly anicipating the start of early morning children's programmes, I never anticipated being in a situation where I'd be dealing in, ironically, dry subject matter and number-based diagrams. Thankfully, I think that I have better dress sense than the learned, if uninspiring, science teachers!

Anyway, I think that for the purposes of understanding more about waters with wines, we should taste a wide variety of waters. These are not all waters that Aqua Amore distribute, as some are not even available in this country, save for the samples we have acquired for tasting purposes. The criteria I am using to differentiate these waters is a selection of:

- Origin (rain, artesian, glacial, spring)

- TDS (overall mineral content)

- pH (acidity/alkalinity)

I have also selected London tap water in the interest of comparison purposes, since some people will undoubtably use this as their starting point as a drinking water of preference.

To evaluate the waters, we are using an excellent taste evaluation inspired by the International Association of Sommeliers. This takes into account the taste sensations mentioned in my previous blog.

This has saved us an unbelievable amount of background research and provides the template for our understanding moving forward. Hopefully as we begin to understand more about which waters suit different grape varieties, we'll be able to retrospectively understand how features such as freshness, acidity, balance and structure affect the taste of the wine.

According to the Open University style diagram, without having to study the results, there is quite a noticeable difference in the organoleptic properties of the eleven waters.

Just as a starting base for dispelling the populist misconception that 'water is water', the results are significant and indicative of the variety of results that we are likely to have in 'Minerals & Terroir'.

Roberto' s analytical nature prompts him to predict that the key elements here will be freshness, acidity and sapidity. Nicolas' head is spinning with excitement at the promise of discovering more about this subject, after such a great variety in results. And I need to pay a visit to the gents.

Acidity, by the way, is the freshness (sensation of cooling), experienced when the water is on the palate and when it has first been swallowed.

Eve to Adam

2008-09-20T22:04:00.009+01:00

To first understand what we are working with, I have selected a variety of still and sparkling waters.

When people generally 'taste' water, especially wine specialists, they always tend to look for immediate 'taste' experiences. You'll often hear 'chalky' or 'minerally' used to describe a water.

This, however, overlooks the subtle and fundamental aspects of water tasting.

Tasting a water in isolation of any other is rather like Adam seeing Eve and determining that there could be no woman more beautiful on Earth. Of course, had he sat through an afternoon of MTV, he would have probably set his sights a little higher.

Once a number of waters are tasted alongside one another, it becomes apparent that there are differentiation factors that should bear relevance to the appreciation of character. These differences are qualities that should be considered in addition to 'taste'.

There is the 'freshness' of the water - how cool is it when the water first hits the tip of your tongue. Is it fairly dull, like tap water, or does it possess a natural 'cooling' sensation that give an immediate sense of refreshment. In addition to this, there is the element of how 'fresh' the water feels when on the palate and when it is swallowed.

Other considerations are the structure, lightness and softeness of the water. When carefully considered and scored, it becomes quite apparent that there is a great variety in the constitution and 'taste' sensations offered by different waters.

Wine List gulp

2008-09-10T17:20:00.001+01:00

Well, it certainly looks comprehensive, this is provisional wine list. It will be updated as we progress. Since we're going to be tasting on Saturdays, as and when we can, we'll certainly be getting to spend a lot of time together over the coming months!

WHITES

France

Loire Valley

Sancerre/Pouilly Fumé
Saunur/Montlouis/Vouvray
Muscadet

Burgundy

Chablis
Aligoté
Côtes d'Or

Bordeaux

oaked
un-oaked

Rhone Valley

Côtes du Rhône (Marsanne/Roussanne)
Condrieu/VdP Viognier

Alsace

Gewurztraminer
Riesling
Muscat d'Alsace (dry)
Pinot Gris

South (Roussillon/Languedoc/Provence/Southwest)

Côtes du Roussillon/Coteaux du Languedoc (Grenache blanc/Macabeu/Crignan blanc etc.)
Côtes de Provence
Jurançon Sec/Pacherenc du Vic Bihl Sec

Italy

Fiano
Gavi
Soave
Pinot Grigio
Vernacca
Insolia

Spain

Rioja (Viura)
Rueda (Verdelho)
Rias Baixas (Albariňo)

Portugal

Louriero (Vinho Verde)
Bical (Dao/Bairrada)
Maria Gomes (Bairrada)
Arinto (Becelas)

Germany & Austria

Riesling
Scheurebe
Gruner V.

Lebanon

Chardonnay (oaked)
TBC

New World

Australia

Chardonnay
Sémillon
Riesling

New Zealand

Sauvignon
Chardonnay

South Africa

Chenin Blanc
Sémillon

USA

California/Oregon/Washington

Chardonnay
Sauvignon
Viognier
Chenin Blanc

Canada

Chardonnay
Sauvignon
Sémillon

Latin America

Torrontés Argentina
Viognier Argentina
Chradonnay Chile
Sauvignon blanc Chile
...
...

REDS

France

Loire Valley

Saumur Champigny/Chinon/Bourgueil
Sancerre

Burgundy

Côtes de Nuits
Côtes de Beaune

Bordeaux

Medoc
Libournais

Rhône Valley

Crozes Hermitage/Cornas/Côte Rôtie
Vacqueyras/Gigondas

South (Roussillon/Languedoc/Provence/Southwest)

Côtes de Roussillon/Coteaux du Languedoc
Côtes de Provence/Bandol
Gaillac/Madiran

Italy

Nebbiolo
Barbera
Sangiovese
Aglianico
Nero d'Avola

Spain

Rioja
Priorat
Ribera del Duero

Portugal

Tinta Roriz/Touriga Nacional etc.
Baga (Bairrada)

Lebanon

New World

Australia/NZ/USA/South Africa

Cabernet Sauvignon
Shiraz
Merlot
Pinot Noir
...

Latin America - Argentina, Chile

Malbec
Carmenere
Bonarda
...
...

I know that a number of wine people will point at this and say 'impossible', all wines, regardless of grape variety are different.

This is where the expertise of Nicolas and Roberto will come into play, so that an 'typical' example of an NZ Sauvignon, for example, can be selected. This should give adequate representation of the type of water that will best match the varietal.

Planning for the tasting

2008-09-07T16:54:00.001+01:00

Roberto and Nicolas between them know quite a lot about wine. I, on the other hand, know next to nothing. I am hoping that in this instance, my lack of knowledge on wines will enable me to offer a layman's perspective, which should help gauge how relevant the varying combinations of wine and water to an untrained palate.

We started the first session with the intention of mapping out our taste experiment and determined that the most thorough way to gain an understanding of the water and wine would be to first taste the waters in isolation in order to understand the characters better and then taste the waters alongside a comprehensive list of wines.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

2008-08-20T11:26:00.008+01:00

It is quite a small world and my meetings with the two other participants in this came together in quite a nice way.

A relationship with Roberto was struck on the basis of a phone call from me, in order to introduce some of our waters to him as a buyer for Roussillon restaurant in Pimlico. It is a great place that has held a single Michelin star for a number of years. He is also a sommelier of great repute, who finds pleasure in discovering little known but wonderful and new wines and producers.

Nicolas Angelina of Noura was first mentioned to me in another meeting with one of Aqua Amore's customers called Meejana.

This little treasure trove is both a Lebanese restaurant and by day, a boutique deli. It is in Weybridge, Surrey and Ed was one of the first people to call us with a genuine interest in water. When I heard his wife Rita talking about her favourite waters and preferences, I almost fell off my chair! Rita told me about this chap, Nicolas, who had tasted waters for the Arabic press and also for a number of UK trade publications, in addition to being closely involved in the wine tastings.

I gave Nicolas a tentative call to let him know what we did at Aqua Amore and I was very pleased to hear that his passion for waters was very strong. Soon after, we held a preliminary tasting at Noura, to which a number of people, distributors, sommeliers and other water companies were invited. I brought a number of waters along and we all tasted and chatted, to no real illumination on the subject of waters. It was on that occassion, however, upon which Nicolas tasted a few waters alongside a Funtabaliras Vermentino and noticed a difference in which his taste buds were tickled by the combination of liquids.

Hence, the idea of a wine and water tasting was born and given his knowledge on wines, he assured me that this would be a unique and revolutionary venture. I suggested asking Roberto to join us, given that we both know him and are comfortable working with him - notwithstanding the fact that his passion for wine would ensure open-mindedness on the subject.

Minerals & Terroir

April 2009 - Press Release

Grape Varieties - Highlighted have been sampled

White wines sampled

Sparkles & Surprises (Session 11 - 21 February 2009)

Complement...or Enhance? (Session 10 - 7th February 2009)

Three Amigos...Two Viogniers (Session 9 - 31st January 2009)

Striking a balance... (Session 8 - 24th January 2009)

Happy New Year! (Session 7 - 17/1/09)

Still Waters - League Table

A look at our scoring sheets

suSpence and revelation! (session 6)

Bluebird... in Piccadilly (session 5)

Taste of Italia - with Sparkling waters (Session 4)

Session 3 - Whites with Still

Session 2 - Whites with Sparkling

Session 1 - Whites with Still

Au, Coq

Snap, Crackle and Pop!

Still Water Tasting - Open University Style

Eve to Adam

Wine List *gulp*

Planning for the tasting

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Wine List gulp