Spanish Wine Fair - Old Billingsgate

12-Mar-09 - The wine trade goes bonkers with events from mid-March to the end of June, and the Spanish Trade Fair is usually one of the first events. It used to be held at the Royal Horticultural Hall on Vincent Square but moved a few years ago to Old Billingsgate, by the Thames, which is a much better, and bigger venue. Unfortunately a side-effect of this is that there are more exhibitors, and now that the show is only on for one day (it was originally held over two days) it's practically impossible to get around to everybody. In addition, everybody knows everybody at the event and it's too easy to get into chatting with old chums while the time slips away.

In the event I pruned my list ruthlessly to ensure that I got to taste wines that I wouldn't ordinarily encounter, vowed not to be beguiled into stopping for lunch, and set to work. The only other thing about the venue is that there's nowhere to sit, and as I need to get my breath back and rest my creaking joints about every fifteen minutes, it really is a nuisance. Fortunately, however, all the stands had high stools behind them and I simply 'borrowed' one at each of my visits. I did mention the lack of seating to the lovely Sue Glasgow, who arranges the event every year, and she has promised to look into it.

There isn't room here to list every stand I visited or every wine I tasted, so I'll try and keep it simple. I was looking particularly for wines from 'emergent' regions and focussed on such as Ribeira Sacra, Bierzo, Montsant, Priorat, Tierra de León, Arribes, Almansa, etc. I did taste some other wines, especially the excellent new vintage of Rías Baixas, but I haven't listed them below.

These are some of the highlights (17/20 and over only, and in the order in which I tasted them):

2005 Baboix, Buil i Giné, Montsant (Alliance Wine) - 17/20
Garnacha, Cariñena, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo, 14% abv

2007 Giné Giné, Buil i Giné, Montsant (Alliance Wine) - 17/20
Cariñena, Garnacha, 14% abc

2005 Joan Giné Giné, Buil i Giné, Montsant (Alliance Wine) - 17/20
Garnacha, Cariñena, Cabernet-Sauvignon, 14% abv

2008 Peregrino Verdejo, Gordonzello, Tierra de León (Antoine Peterson) - 17/20
Verdejo, 12% abv

2006 L'Heravi Crianza, Vinyas d'en Gabriel, Montsant (Antoine Peterson) - 17/20
Cariñena, Garnacha, Syrah, 14% abv

NV Casa Don Ángel Malbec, VdM, Vera de Estenas (Antoine Peterson) - 17/20
Malbec, 13% abv

2004 Perinet, Mas Perinet, Priorat (Antoine Peterson) - 18/20
Cariñena, Syrah, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Garnacha, Merlot, 14% abv

2005 Gran Abadengo, Ribera de Palazas, Arribes (Besós) - 18/20
Juan García, 13% abv

2004 Finca El Puig, Gran Clos, Priorat (Besós) - 17/20
Garnacha, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, 15.5% abv

2006 Taberner, Huerta de Albalá, VdlT Cádiz (Boutinot) - 17/20
Syrah, 15% abv

2007 Perlat Anyada, Cellers Unió, Montsant (Buckingham Schenk) - 17/20
Garnacha, Cariñena, Syrah, 13.5% abv

2003 Llicorella Selección Especial, Cellers Unió, Montsant (Buckingham Schenk) - 18/20
Garnacha, Cariñena, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Syrah, 14.5% abv

2006 Mas d'en Compte barrel-fermented, Joan Sangenis, Priorat (Burridges) - 17/20
Garnacha Blanca, Picapoll, Pansal, Macabeo, 13.5% abv

2006 Mas d'en Compte Crianza, Joan Sangenis, Priorat (Burridges) - 17/20
Garnacha, Cariñena, Cabernet-Sauvignon, 13.5% abv

2004 Gran Marius Reserva, Piqueras, Almansa (Burridges) - 17/20
Monastrell, Garnacha Tintorera, Tempranillo, Syrah, 13.5% abv

2005 Coma Vella, Mas d'en Gil, Priorat (C&D Wines) - 17½/20
Garbacham Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cariñena, Syrah, Merlot, 15% abv

2005 Cartoixa Reserva, Scala Dei, Priorat (Codorníu) - 18/20
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Garnacha, Syrah, 14% abv

2007 Vega de Luchán, Ejeanas, VdlT Gállego-Cinco Villas (Donaldson Reeves) - 17/20
Garnacha, Tempranillo, Cabernet-Sauvignon, 13.5% abv

2007 Rectoral de Amandi, Gallegas, Ribeira Sacra (Donaldson Reeves) - 17/20
Mencía, 12.5% abv

2007 Misterio de Fontana Roble, Fontana, Uclés (Dreyfus Ashby) - 17/20
Tempranillo, 14% abv

2005 Itsas M Urezti, Itsas Mendi Upategia, Bizkaiko Txakolina (Dreyfus Ashby) - 17/20
Hondarribi Zuri, 13% abv

2006 Fra Guerau Crianza, Fra Guerau, Montsant (Freixenet) - 17½/20
Syrah, Garnacha, Monastrell, Tempranillo, Cariñena, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, 13% abv

2008 Verd Albera, Martí Fabra, Empordà (Indigo Wine) - 17/20
Moscatel, Garnacha Blanca, Garnacha Gris, 13% abv

2005 Clos d'Agon, Mas Gil, Catalunya (Indigo Wine) - 18/20
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Syrah, Merlot, 13% abv

2007 12 Volts, 4 Kilos Vinícola, Binissalem (Indigo Wine) - 18/20
Callet, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, 14% abv

2007 4 Kilos, 4 Kilos Vinícola, Binissalem (Indigo Wine) - 18/20
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Callet, 14% abv

My general feeling was that standards were higher than ever and the variety of Spanish wines simply becomes wider every year. The fair seemed to be very well attended but unfortunately I didn't get to visit the 'exporters' section at all. I shall just have to arrive earlier next year... Or go to Spain more often.

In a break with tradition, there was a consumer event in the evening, in another hall on the first floor at Billingsgate, where about 30 exhibitors were showing wine (and some foods from Spain) to 300 readers of SQUARE MEAL Magazine. The event was a sell-out: I was there as a pundit to answer any questions and, judging by the number of people who came up to the table with queries, it was a great success. It would have been good to linger once the rush was over but I had to dash to catch the 21:00 from Euston to Milton Keynes Central. Needless to say there were no seats in second class (are there ever on this train?) so I parked myself in first and waited for the guard. He arrived eventually and said he's come back to collect the upgrade, but never did. As I got off, he was at the door and said "Oh, I never did get back to you.." To which I replied "Thank you very much!" and headed of for the Travelodge.

Spanish Wine Fair - the view from the coffee lounge

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The Lustau Legacy at Lola Rojo, Clapham

07-Mar-09 - Some background about this: my first ever visit to Spain was in 1974, and it was to visit the bodegas of Emilio Lustau in Jerez. I was travelling on behalf of my employer, Vintage Wines Ltd. of Nottingham, carrying samples of the types of wines which we wanted to add to our Don Quixote range of Sherries - which was then one of the finest in the kingdom. Having telephoned the airlines (what did we do before the internet?) I discovered that a return flight to Seville was £130, and at that time I earned £35 a week. Add in hotels, travel to Jerez, etc., and the week's trip would have peaked at somewhere around £500 - about three months' pay. My boss - the late Reg Haward - weighed in with £50 in expenses but even so the cost was prohibitive. I subsequently went to one of the tour operators, who did me a deal for £56, including flights and six nights' full board in the Hotel Palma Sol in Benalmádena, which was then a tacky seaside resort is now an even tackier seaside city. I was accompanied by an old school pal, Mike Smith, and we hired a clapped-out SEAT 127 and drove over the Sierra de Ronda to Jerez, where we were treated royally, but that really is a whole 'nother story.

The reason I mention this is because I have kept in touch with the Lustau company ever since, and am on their mailing list. The company was taken over a few years ago by the Luís Caballero Group, but they left it as a stand-alone business and its wines are now, as ever, amongst the best that Jerez has to offer.

One recent result of this connection occurred last Christmas (2008), when I had an e-mail from Lustau. I can't even remember what it was about but it required a reply, which I sent. Then I started to receive copies of replies from other people, and it became clear that owing to some glitch in the software, everybody's replies were being sent to everyone else on the mailing list - hundreds of them. Some miserable bastards kept posting messages grumbling about the invasion of their privacy, some said they hadn't had so much fun for years, and I got a message from John Scholes, whom I hadn't seen for 25 years but who was also on the Lustau mailing list, and he'd picked up my e-mail address from the various rogue messages.

A bit more background: from 1975 to 1988 I hosted adult-education wine appreciation classes in Nottingham (Clarendon College) and Derbyshire (Friesland School), and John and his colleague Alan Brocklehurst came along to the classes. They are both mathematicians and were living in Derbyshire and working for Rolls-Royce in the technical departments. They had a great chat-up line with girls - Al was introduced as an 'atom scientist' and John as a 'rocket scientist', both of which descriptions were absolutely correct. I don't pretend to understand the science, but they used to make mathematical models of various nuclear and chemical reactions which, er, drove nuclear reactors and, um, rockets. For once it really was 'rocket science'. Al has been to The Eversley on numerous occasions, but not since the autumn of 2007.

Anyway, to cut a long story short all three of us agreed to meet for a reunion lunch last Saturday (07-Mar-09), and as I'd had rather a good lunch at Lola Rojo in Clapham (see post of 16-Jun-08) with Tom Moggach of The London Paper, I suggested that we should go there. The problem was that they don't take bookings, so I suggested that we meet at the Windsor Castle on St John's Road and decide what to do from there on (the idea was that we could all get to CLJ without changing trains). I turned left out of the station and the only pub I could find was the Falcon, which was heaving (and offered 12 guest beers, as well), but this was not the place. A friendly soul pointed out that I should have turned right out of the station, so I schlepped back up the hill and, indeed, found the Windsor Castle - strangely almost deserted in great contrast to the Falcon. Al arrived and said he wasn't surprised: the Bombardier was off and the London pride was less than exciting. John arrived and we decided that, booking or no, we'd try for Lola Rojo. It's a half-mile walk from the station, and I offered to get a cab and catch them up, but in the event we all piled into a cab and off we went... All the way down St John's road (all the right-turns are 'no entry') until Evelyn road, then left-turn only on to Clapham Common, so all the way round the common and on to Wakehurst road, and then... Road closed due to roadworks. Several more zigzags before we arrived, and a £10 fare for the 'half mile' journey.

But it was worth it. We got a table by the door with a view to the terrace where, on a Saturday, they sell 'street food' tapas over the wall to passers-by. We got stuck into a bottle of Palacio de Bornos Rueda Verdejo and started decimating the menu. The meal was a triumph: we chose nine tapas, from pan con tomate to roast suckling pig, with cod croquettes, squid with chorizo, fabada, serrano ham, tortilla, patatas bravas and garlic prawns. We graduated from the Verdejo to Colección Costeira Treixadura from Ribeiro, and then Pittacum Bierzo Mencía with a selection of Spanish cheeses. The only mild criticism was from Al, who said that he thought the patatas could have been a little more brava - the sauce was delicious but rather mild, and we all like our chillies. We finished off with large glasses of Brandy de Jerez (very gamey, rich, aldehydey, fab) and coffee, and John picked up the tab before we staggered back to the taxi.

The service was excellent (and the waitresses must be the prettiest in London) and we all enjoyed it so much that we've agreed to meet again in the summer and repeat the event. Trouble is, I think it might be my turn to pay...

Journey home from CLJ? A 12-carriage train evolved into an 8-carriage train, and when it arrived ('delayed') it turned out to be a 4-carriage train, but with 12 carriages'-worth of passengers. I don't know how they get away with it. I managed to squeeze in, but got off at East Croydon. It meant a half hour delay, but at least the following train really did have 12 carriages. After figuring out which four of them were actually going to Worthing (furthest from the front, of course) I did manage to get a seat, and was home in time for apéritifs. It had been a busy day.

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Spring meeting of the 'Old Radfordians'

04-Mar-09 - As I have mentioned in earlier posts, my old boss Mike Hapgood and I have a kind of 'luncheon club' once every three months or so (which he has now dubbed the 'Old Radfordians'), when we talk about life, the universe, and the good old times when BBC Southern Counties Radio was the fourth-biggest BBC local radio station in the UK. He was coming from Southampton and I was coming from Worthing so we decided to meet in the Chichester area, and a quick browse through the Good Food Guide came up with Cassons in Tangmere. It's got an 'AR' in the GFG which means it's been recommended but doesn't yet have a full rating, so it seemed worth a try. It's on the A27 dual carriageway which is dead easy to access from the east but rather less so from the west, as Mike had to go onward to the next roundabout and come back. Mind you, it was better for him going home, of course.

Anyway, the restaurant is in a lovely old Sussex cottage (with bags of car parking), family run and with a spectacular inglenook fireplace (albeit let down a bit by a crappy 1970s electric convection heater in front of it), and the welcome is warm, friendly, and efficient. According to their website, husband 'Cass' Casson is the FOH man and his wife Viv is the chef. There's no mention of the name of the waitress who served us but I have to say that she was astonishingly, if not to say impossibly pretty. The tables are well-spaced for privacy and comfort, and the place seemed to be doing good business for a country restaurant on a Wednesday lunchtime. Interestingly, we were the only men in the room and, even though we're both (just!) over 60 we were probably amongst the youngest: Cassons is obviously popular with 'ladies who lunch'.

There's a set lunch at £17.00 for two courses or £21.00 for three but, of course, we messed it about a bit by sharing a dessert (Mike couldn't resist the apple and blackberry crumble and I have to admit that it was superb), and they charged us by the dish, which worked out exactly right (I checked). I had a starter of smoked salmon and salmon mousse on a bed of, er, leeky things which was absolutely delicious. I'd started with a glass of 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Prestige Domaine Vigné-Louriac which was very pleasant if a little lightweight. With the salmon I tried the 2007 Soave RST Alpha Zeta which was rather better: more weight and ripeness and a good counter to the fish.

I hummed and hahed over the main courses quite a bit. The chef seems to have a penchant for what I'd describe as 'fancy' cooking: quite a lot of lemon, cider, honey, caramelised apples and vegetables and all that sort of thing which, if you've read previous posts, you will know is something I always feel gets in the way of the real taste of the ingredients. I ordered the croustade of venison casserole, red cabbage, parsnip purée, beans and game jus and it was, indeed, splendid: the filo pastry on the venison was spectacularly good, and the vegetables were beautifully done except for the red cabbage which was caramelised. Now, I have nothing against red cabbage, caramelised or otherwise, but it's the old 'sweet and savoury on the same plate' which I find hard to like (see posts passim). With this I had a glass of 2005 Rioja Palacio de Beltus which was very pleasant if undistinguished. I haven't visited the bodega - indeed, I've never heard of it, and it seems to share its name with a bodega in the DO Ribera del Guadiana, but no matter. Wines by the glass are £4.75 and £5.75 for a 175ml and 250 ml glass respectively.

This is Mike's Report:

Minutes of the meeting of the Old Radfordians:

MATTERS ARISING
The quarterly celebratory lunch was held in Cassons in the presence of two fans of the president. Cassons was a very nice, easy place, sort of blending upmarket and slightly modern with the parochial. While it was welcoming, the décor pleasant, and service was efficient, fast and not intrusive, Cassons is definitely not a cool place. (Old Radfordians, who have to be over 60 to be eligible, provided the young crazy entertainment apart from a nice looking middle aged lady with her mother, but Amy, Lily, Paris and Mark Ronson - where were they? Mercifully, there was no music and the atmosphere in the restaurant was relaxed and chatty).

Food was very like the place. It felt like someone who knew what to do had taken trouble to present it well. The starter I had - Roquefort and walnuts with some sort of sticky juice on them accompanied a cornet thing with Roquefort in it. Jolly nice, but not subtle - sort of like a nice bit of Stilton with honey.

Main course was ravioli on a slightly vinegary bed of leeks, and surrounded by mushrooms. Again - looked very nice, jolly eatable. Not subtle. Pudding very good. Coffee not bad for England. Chocolate very nice.

Worth £21 a head? Yes. Would I go back? Might do, but not with Paris or Victoria.

Mike had his regulation one glass, in this case the 2006 Chilean Merlot Rio Claro, which he pronounced to be of good character. Actual final cost was £60 including the wines, but excellent value for money.

The 'two fans' mentioned above were two ladies at a nearby table, one of whom called me over on my way to the Gents to ask if I was John Radford. Having confessed that this was so, she said "we do miss you on the radio. In fact, I don't listen any more except to Paul Miller." "Everybody loves him" I replied, as I made my final approach to the urinals, although not before I'd pointed Mike out as the man who was in charge when we was fab. When I returned, he had drawn up his chair to their table and was engaged in conversation. He returned to our table muttering about 'listener loyalty' and how people still remember, three years after the 'Robert Mugabe' years (my phrase, not his) began at the radio station, how things used to be.

So, an excellent lunch, and we shall most certainly be back. If only I could figure out who Amy, Lily, Paris, Mark Ronson and Victoria are. Perhaps I shall never know.

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To Le Manoir Borne

27-Feb-09 - To Great Milton in Oxfordshire to interview Raymond Blanc (RB) for YES CHEF! Magazine, but first a beef about the trains. My route was Worthing to Victoria, cab to Marylebone, and then Marylebone to Haddenham and Thame Parkway. If you know Marylebone station you'll know that it's about a quarter of a mile from the station entrance to the end of platforms 5 and 6. That's something of a marathon for my creaky joints, but can be achieved if I take it slowly, pausing along the way. But no such luck this time: the departure boards finally gave the platform number for the train less than four minutes before its departure, leading to a mad scramble with me puffing and panting and bringing up the rear. I did make it, with seconds to spare, but it's not something I'd care to repeat. But my point is this: the station staff must have known well in advance from which platform the train would leave, so why the delay? I have a cynical, sneaking feeling that they do it to amuse themselves, sniggering at the CCTV screens as we all rush like lemmings through the ticket barriers. It happens at Victoria, too.

But I digress. Le Manoir was looking splendid, as always, and I saw my first daffodils and crocuses of the spring (the gardens are tremendous - they employ seven gardeners). I interviewed RB in his office, which was surprisingly small and unpretentious, and we talked over coffee and a rather delicious piece of sea-bass with pak choi and pepper-and-tomato sauce. I often eat at my desk, but never at that level. The main topic was the credit crunch and how it's affecting high-end destinations such as Le Manoir - you can read the full article in the next issue, which is out at the beginning of April. After the interview we had a quick tour of some of the rooms, all in a different style from traditional Thai to tart's boudoir, and splendidly decorated with original antiques and works of art, all set within those magnificent gardens. It really is an absolutely wonderful place. I wish I could afford to stay there!

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Manchuela at the Mermaid

26-Feb-09 - I've been to Manchuela about three times but never managed to get to visit a bodega: it always seemed to be the weekend or a public holiday. So, it was very useful to be able to taste a range of the region's wines at the conference centre of the Mermaid Theatre in London - and in the afternoon, so providing the opportunity of an affordable railway ticket. Jancis Robinson was in the chair, flanked by José Peñín, of the eponymous wine guide, and Víctor de la Serna, editor of elmundovino.com and who also owns Finca Sandoval in the DO Manchuela - one of the newer estates, and a member of Grandes Pagos de España. Also the Mermaid is very convenient - being within walking distance (even for me) of Blackfriars station.

The whole thing was well organised with proper tables to sit at - and I managed to get one next to an electric socket to power the laptop (have you noticed how quickly battery life deteriorates? I've had this one for just over a year and the original 2 hours has now become about an hour and 20 minutes).

There were 14 wines on the tasting sheet, but none with prices. Where I quote prices it's approximate retail in Spain (thanks to wine-searcher.com) none were given at the time of the tasting. These were they:

WHITE

1) 2008 Altos del Cabriel - Coop San Antonio Abad - 100% Macabeo
V. pale straw//light herby fruit, very fresh and clean//delicious, clean, fresh, a little neutral but very pleasant. 15/20

2) 2008 Viaril - Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza Coop - 100% Macabeo
Do//a little gamier, some secondary (2y) hints//yes, some maceración carbonica (m/c) style, but a richer, more complex mid-palate. A bit not-quite-clean (nqc) on the finish - a lot of lees? 13/20

3) 2007 Pago Altolandon - 100% Chardonnay
Pale straw//some richness on the nose, hint of oak?//but v. clean and crisp, fresh acidity, a little 'hard' on the finish. José said it needs more time. Jancis asked 'do we need another Chardonnay?' I'm with Jancis. 14/20

PINK

4) 2008 Realce Rosado - Unión Campesina Iniestense - 100% Bobal
'Electric' pink//good, fresh, light fruit, some m/c//yes, that characteristic bubble-gum style, a nice glugger, no great character but would be very nice well-chilled on a hot day. 14/20

5) 2008 Altos del Cabriel Rosado - Coop San Antonio Abad - 100% Bobal - €2.50-3.00
Purple-pink//another ketoney hi-fruit 2y style//but a very pleasant glugger, crisp acidity, another nice, everyday summer wine. 14/20

RED

6) 2003 Azua Selección Bobal Viejo, Vitivinos Anunciación - 100% Bobal - 30 years old (yo)+
Purple-ruby//nice ripe fruit, cherry/plum and some deep, dark fruit (ddf)//nice structure on the foretaste, good balance with fruit and tannins on the mid-palate, clean, 'chewy-fruit' finish. Good. 16/20

7) 2007 Pago Altolandon - 50% Syrah, 20% Merlot, 20% Cabernet-Sauvignon (C/S), 10% Garnacha
Purple//big, spicy, smoky, tarry, peppery//yes, good structure, the Syrah prominent, nice 'austere' mid-palate and a warm, long finish, hints of chocolate. 17/20

8) 2006 Finca Sandoval Cuvée TNS - 60% Touriga Nacional (technically illegal), 40% Syrah - €93.50 (magnum)
Lustrous dark purple//some musky ddf, richness, ripeness, subtlety//lovely rich foretaste, then a 'creamy' mix of fruit and wood on the mid-palate, a little austere on the finish but with great potential. Excellent. 18/20

9) 2006 Vega Tolosa Finca los Halcones - 100% C/S - €5.80
Purple//fairly closed, quite spicy/young style C/S, austere//good C/S style, still austere with structured tannins, a hint of bitterness on the finish. Probably needs a bit longer in bottle. 15/20

10) 2006 El Monegrillo - 70% C/S, 30% Syrah - €12.00
Dark purple//warm, slightly 'sweaty' fruit, some dark damsony hints, but nqc//but good structure, fruit and working tannins, dark and austere and a long finish, with a hint of bitterness (not unpleasant). 15/20

11) 2006 Finca Sandoval - 75% Syrah, 13% Monastrell, 12% Bobal - €22.85
Bright purple//dark, 'pickled shallot' richness//dark bitter-chocolate fruit, spice, pepper, some considerable heat; austere tannins on the finish but with great potential. Needs time. 16.5/20

12) 2007 Pino, Bodegas y Viñedos Ponce - 100% Bobal (biodynamic)
Bright purple//nice, 'meaty' fruit, big spicy aromatics//musky tannins working well with the fruit, and a nice mid-palate. Still quite a lot of tannin, but looking good. 16/20

13) 2007 Finca Sandoval Signo - 90% Bobal, 10% Syrah
Do//Very ddf underpinned by some peppery spice//good, rich fruit, those musky tannins again, but pushing forward some very bright red fruit, austere finish but there is real potential here. 17/20

14) 2007 Ponce PF - 100% Bobal - ungrafted 65-80 yo - €17.90
Dark purple//subtle ddf, dark choccy spice and dried fruit//lovely rich fruit, style, chocolate, still austere but the fruit is vibrant. Excellent. 18/20

Overall the tasting demonstrated that what we have in the DO Manchuela is two separate strands of development: the old-established co-ops are still happily turning out, easy- and early-drinking wines at rock bottom prices, and doing it very well. The other strand is 'boutique' or single-estate wineries which really are striving for quality. I was sorry to see so much Cabernet, Syrah, etc. creeping into the mix (although Syrah does perform excellently here), but paradoxically I applaud Víctor for his 'illegal' plantation of Touriga Nacional. I'm also delighted to see how many producers are taking the Bobal seriously at last - yet another example of what I've always said to people who denigrate what they describe as 'bulk' grapes: there's no such thing as a crap grape, only crap winemaking.

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Great Queen Street and Cava

25-Feb-08 - Belay those taxi calculations. Today I took a cab from Victoria to Great Queen Street (female cabbie, unusually), a distance of 3.4 miles and 17 minutes according to Google maps. In practice it took 30 minutes and cost £15.60. The return journey was 2.5 miles and took about 20 minutes, costing £9.60. Of course, London's one-way systems are labyrinthine, and it seems that every street in London is currently undergoing roadworks but did we really need to go via Bloomsbury Square? I shall probably never know.

Anyway, I was in Great Queen Street for a Cava tasting, of which more in a moment, because first I went to lunch at 32, Great Queen Street, which is a bistro-type place I first visited in June, 2007, shortly after it had opened. The chef, Tom Norrington-Davies, came here via the Eagle and the Hope and Anchor with an avowed intent to cook proper food from real ingredients like his mum used to cook, and not be poncy. The place is deeply unpretentious, with plain wooden tables, paper napkins and wine served in flat-bottomed tumblers, and all the better for that. Service is quick, cheerful and no-nonsense, and the prices - especially considering that we're in WC2 - remarkably restrained. It was packed when I arrived, so no sign of a recession here.

I was meeting Zev Robinson, who's making a documentary film about wine and wanted to know if I'd like to be involved, and we discussed dates and events where I'm appearing, and other subjects which might suit the film: it was very constructive. And the lunch was excellent. One of the specials was 'pie of the day' for two, but having seen the couple at the next table tucking into the pie for one (about the size of Hyde Park) we decided to go our separate ways. Zev had the mutton and I had the Gloucester Old Spot faggot and celeriac, and we shared a bowl of new potatoes. When the (fabulously attractive) waitress brought the dishes she asked which was whose. "I'm the faggot" I said without thinking, quickly adding "but not in the American sense..."

The faggot was huge but absolutely delicious (apart from the apple. WHY do people insist on putting apple with anything containing pork? Yes, I know that, historically, the acidity of the apple countered the fattiness of the pork, but this pork was not in the least fatty. It's a bit like Retsina, I suppose: people have just got used to the taste. But I have never understood why sweet and savoury should go on the same plate), and we had a bottle of house red - 2007 Bergerie de la Bastide Vin de Pays de Méditerranée (£12 - they also serve a half-carafe for £6 and a glass for £2 - all pro rata, very rare) which went down extremely well. In addition, a carafe of tap-water appeared without charge. I know that this is a big beef in the London blatts (the Evening Standard awards 1-5 'droplets' to restaurants based on how eager, or not, they are to supply free tap water) but about 16 years ago I wrote a book on sewerage (yes, the stuff you do as a freelance writer), during the research for which I learned the saying 'what Reading drinks today, London drinks tomorrow' - following the repurification chain down river - so I wasn't all that enthusiastic, but it was drinkable.

With a couple of cups of coffee the bill for two was £44.60, and you can eat for as little as £5 if you just want a starter. Wines are modestly marked-up and mostly under £25, although there are classics up in the £40-50 bracket. This is the way all brasseries should be and given that it was full on a Wednesday lunchtime, quite a lot of people seem to agree: good, honest, simple food, well cooked and served with a smile.

Then it was on to the Cava tasting, across the road in the Freemasons' Hall, home of the United Grand Lodge of England. 'Grand' is too small a word to describe this vast marble edifice, with pillars and frescoes, stained glass and mahogany, and it had been suitably laid out with swathes of glassware and white tablecloths. The tasting was hosted by Sally Easton, a fellow committee member (and also treasurer) of the Circle of Wine Writers, and Bruno Murciano, formerly head sommelier at the Ritz and named Sommelier of the Year 2008 in Spain last autumn. The focus was on the Xarel·lo grape, which is one of the 'big three' Cava varieties, the others being Parellada and Macabeo. In a previous post (25-Nov-08) I mentioned that I'd been to a tasting of Catalan wines at ICEX, and then subsequently lost my notes. I did remark, however, that the general standard of Xarel·lo seemed to have progressed by leaps and bounds in recent years.

In fact, if you go back far enough, the grape was the 'problem child' of Cava: too often giving rooty, earthy 'notes' to the wines and taking the freshness away. I remember talking to a grower in the early 1990s who told me the problems it faced: it was routinely being harvested too late and at yields that were too high. The reasons were simply that it struggles to ripen in cooler, higher-altitude climates, and growers were leaving the grapes on the vine in the hope that they'd get better sugar levels (and a better price), when all that was happening was that the grapes were oxidising. The other factor with Xarel·lo is that the vines have to be fully mature before they're going to give grapes which will provide the right kind of structure to balance out the fresh creaminess of the Parellada and the herby fruit of the Macabeo.

We started with three vins clairs (vins clars? ¿vinos claros?) To assess what each had to give to the final blend. First up was a Parellada which, to me, always has a 'chalky' nose (no, I know chalk doesn't smell of anything but that's what I think when I sniff it), with the trademark creamy, aromatic fruit. A bit simple on its own but then, that's what it's for. Macabeo showed some 'savoury' fruit on the mid-palate, some warmth and a rounded character on the finish. The Xarel·lo was rather riper, weightier and warmer, with hints of secondary flavours on the nose - probably fermented very cool. So these were the building blocks which go to make up Cava (Chardonnay and, most recently Pinot Noir are also permitted varieties but there's a good deal of argument about that in Catalunya so we won't go into it here), and were to taste 13 wines, each with progressively more Xarel·lo in the blend, although one didn't turn up. The wines were tasted blind and we were given a cribsheet at the end. I have calculated the retail prices according to my consultancy spreadsheet, so they will be approximate and, in some cases, the wines aren't available in the UK anyway. Those which are are marked with an asterisk.

A) No Xarel·lo

1) 2005 Bonaval Brut, Lar de Barros, Extremadura - 100% Macabeo - £7.00-£7.50
Very pale straw//slightly gamey on the nose, some smoke//but delicious freshness and crisp acidity on the mid-palate, and a decent length. 16/20

2) 2004 Mascaró Brut Gran Reserva 'Monarch' - 90% Parellada/10% Chardonnay - £12.00-£12.50
Straw//gamey 'wet straw' aromas, no noticeable Chardonnay characteristics//but there are here: big, meaty 'wet straw' on the mid palate, mature, gamey and long. Not for beginners. 16/20

3) 2005 Segura Viudas Brut - 33% Parellada, 67% Macabeo - £10.99*
Pale straw//and that same gamey 'wet straw' style//big and soft on the mid-palate, still with the maturity and a good length. 16/20

4) Jaume de Codorníu Brut - 50% Chardonnay, 30% Macabeo, 20% Parellada - £20*
Full straw//some 'savoury' fruit and complexity, Chardonnay aromas prominent//good clean, fruit, just slightly off-dry, easy-drinking, pleasant. 17/20

B) Minority Xarel·lo

1) 2004 Juvé i Camps Brut Nature Reserva de la Familia - 33% Macabeo, 33% Xarel·lo, 34% Parellada - £15.00*
Pale straw//smoky, warm rubber, some weight//yes! The real stuff: good power and complexity, weight, maturity, ripeness, excellent. 18/20

C) Mid-Xarel·lo

1) 2005 Pere Ventura Brut Nature Trésor - 40% Macabeo, 40% Xarel·lo, 20% Parellada - £12.00*
Straw//light, floral nose with 'chalky', creamy fruit//lovely clean, fresh, crisp acidity and a good length. 17/20


2) 2004 Giró Ribot Brut Nature Gran Reserva 'Mare' - 50% Xarel·lo, 30% Macabeo, 20% Parellada - £12.00
Straw//at last some autolysis! Rich but gamey//yes! Big stuff, powerful, complex, structured, toasty and the flavour of the lees comes through on the finish. Excellent. 18/20

3) 2004 Recaredo Brut Nature Gran Reserva - 55% Xarel·lo, 30% Macabeo, 15% Chardonnay - £25-£26.00
Pale straw//a slightly 'metallic' hint (probably from the Chardonnay), but not unpleasant//nice, rich, complex mid-palate with a soft, gentle dryness (Chardonnay again), long gamey finish. 16/20

D) High Xarel·lo

1) 2005 Pere Ventura Cupatge d'Honor Brut Nature Gran Reserva - 70% Xarel·lo, 30% Chardonnay - £35.00*
Pale straw//warm, ripe, slightly 'rubbery' aromas, some maturity//very complex with a rich mid-palate but still bone dry and a long, long, complex finish. Excellent. 18/20

2) 2001 Raventós i Blanc Brut Nature Gran Reserva Manuel Raventós - 60% Xarel·lo, 40% Parellada - £28-£30.00
Straw//big, gamey, long, mature aromas//very gamey, some richness but still dry, very mature, complex and very long. Excellent. 18/20


E) Very high Xarel·lo

1) 2000 Gramona Celler Batlle Brut Gran Reserva - Xarel·lo 70%, Macabeo 30% - £40.00+
Straw//lovely soft aromatic, gamey aromas with marked autolysis//warm, ripe mature, long, complex, delicious. Fab. 19/20

2) 1999 Recaredo Turó d'en Mota Brut Gran Reserva - 100% Xarel·lo - £85.00+
Pale gold//wonderful, full complex, gamey aromas with autolysis//soft, mature fruit on the mid palate and excellent complexity on the finish. Needs drinking up. 19/20

Finally, we were to taste six progressively older vintages from the same small vineyard of 80-100-year-old Xarel·lo vines. This was conducted by Bruno Murciano, and the wines were not named.

1) 2002 with seven years on the lees, opened 90 minutes earlier - this had good autolysis with richness on the nose, but was very clean and fresh on the palate with some gamey length: good.

2) 2001 - big, 'rubbery', warm nose with good, complex weight, ripeness and a long, mature finish but still lovely fresh acidity.

3) 2000 - a richer, riper nose with noticeable autolysis, but still clean. Lovely, complex palate with clear, fresh acidity and some impressive maturity.

4) 1999 - real gamey autolysis on the nose (Bruno said 'citrus' but I didn't spot it), but a lovely rich, gamey mid-palate, excellent length, still with fresh acidity and long, long, long.

5) 1998 - even more maturity, gamey, autolysis, but starting to show a bit of oxidation on the finish. Fading.

6) 1997 - some oxidation apparent on the nose, but there is complexity and some autolysis too (Bruno suggested truffles). The palate is clean with some very broad, savoury, gamey flavours and although there's some oxidation on the nose it's not strong. Drink up.

Overall, this was a very useful lesson in how the winemakers of Catalunya have 'tamed' the Xarel·lo over the past decade, and it certainly showed itself capable of wines of richness, complexity and longevity. I was also very pleased to see a selection of premium Cavas on offer. The market for them is very, very small (most Cava sold over here is in the £5-£10 bracket) but there have always been premium wines and it's good to see them making an appearance, however muted, in the UK.

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