Setley Ridge Vineyard

By mthomas

When we visit family in the New Forest we usually zip past Setley Ridge Vineyard but this time we pulled in and really enjoyed the brief diversion. It was also interesting in retrospect to reflect on the state of the English wine industry and how it is likely to develop over the coming decades.

Five wines are produced at Setley Ridge but I guess more money is made from the excellent food on sale in the farm shop (pictured right). This is the economic reality of producing low volumes of wine in an area not traditionally associated with viniculture. It takes time to develop a portfolio and makers here are invariably unsung heroes battling against the odds. Land and labour are expensive, and production costs mean these wines are competing with high quality imports. You need to diversify and have a good business plan if you are going to survive.

The red, made from a blend of Regent, Rondo and Triomphe, is clearly a work in progress. Drinkable but at £9.95 probably reliant  on inquisitive tourists. The Seyval also unlikely to compete at £7.99 unless the buyer is keen to support English producers. The blend of Seyval and Muscat, also £7.99, is more successful and could make an impact at the right tasting. It is one for a forward-thinking restaurant to add to its list. The rosé  (Schonberg and Rondo) could ride the increasing popularity of this style and might find a good home at some of the summer sporting or arts events in the UK. At £8.95 it needs an affluent audience willing to reject Californian blushes which retail at half the price. The local pubs have Ringwood bitter and it would be nice to see more of them stocking these local wines.

Perhaps the most interesting wine in the Setley portfolio is their ‘Special Release Red’, a Pinot Noir. This is the grape that is most likely to reveal terroir and I was intrigued, and relatively impressed, by their effort. It is nowhere near the sophistication of many Burgundys or new world pinots at this price point (£12.95) but is a noble attempt at exploring the potential of the grape in the UK. I would love to see how it performs in a blind tasting and it is only through the endeavours of the vanguard in the South of England that progress will be made. I have no doubt that really good Pinot Noir, that can compete with the rest of the world, will be produced in the UK over the next few decades. Many scoffed at the idea of English fizz reaching the level it is at today but are now eating humble pie.

The New Forest offers lots of other good reasons to visit but the opportunity to taste wines can only add to its attractiveness. I caught up with youngest brother Oliver (still only 22 and helping to manage one of the best pubs in the area) and beat him at tennis despite my age. We followed the game with a swim in the seawater pool and 9 holes of golf (which he won by 2 shots but my eagle on a par 4 hole made my day) - a kind of relatively sedate triathlon. We also went for lots of walks and did a bit of foraging. Best were some lobsters from a local supplier (3 weighing a total of nearly 2 kilos for £22) because we picked out ones that had lost claws or legs and thus had become unattractive to restaurant buyers. The spaghetti with lobster for 6 we knocked up was superb and incredibly cheap for such a treat.  I also remembered to borrow a fishing rod to take to France next week. The great thing about catching a fish is that you can splash out on the wine, maybe even an English one.

Setley Ridge is situated right in the middle of the New Forest National Park. Lymington Road, Brockenhurst, SO42 7UF. Tel 01590 622246

http://www.setleyridgevineyard.co.uk/

Bar Boulud

By mthomas

I went to Bar Boulud the other day for a very pleasant lunch. Chef Daniel Boulud is renowned for his traditional French cuisine and was recently awarded three Michelin stars for his New York restaurant. He is one of an increasing number of big name successful US chefs opening eateries in London. Reviews have been good and I can see why.

The Bar Boulud menu is based on French charcuterie served alongside seasonal bistro cooking. Situated in the basement of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Knightsbridge (formerly the old Hyde Park Hotel), it has its own separate entrance and is a slick operation. The set menu at lunch and between 5.30 - 7 pm is £20 and an absolute steal for cooking of this quality.

Chop-chop salad with lobster and Oysters fin de claires were fine to start but the charcuterie tasting board and DBGB ‘piggie burger’ (cooked perfectly medium-rare as requested) were outstanding.  If there is a better burger in the UK I haven’t eaten it. The drawn pork, ’slaw’ and home made bun complimenting a succulent and perfectly formed thick pattie of top quality ground beef. The charcuterie is also outstanding and a terrine based on Moroccan lamb tagine was beautifully spiced and memorable for good reasons.

Daniel Boulud favours the Rhone and Burgundy and this is reflected on the list, which is strong and has a good choice by the glass as well as top-end bottles for four-figures. Sommelier David Vareille suggested Domaine des Neuves Roches (website here) Saumur Champigny 2009 made by Thierry Germain (one to watch in his own right). Unfiltered young Cabernet Franc, pleasingly ‘cloudy’, aromatic and bursting with red and black fruits. Served chilled it was a great foil to richness of burger and charcuterie. I have written previously about wines from the Loire which are increasingly reliable and excellent value. In the hands of a skilled maker, like Germain, Cabernet Franc can excel.

My only criticism, and it took some thinking to identify a downside, would be the slightly ‘hotel’  feel to Bar Boulud. You could be anywhere in the world and so it did not really have a London feel to it and could become quite staid. Even so , this is a great addition to Knighsbridge and I guess, even in these tough times, it will thrive because it gets the basics right.

Bar Boulud, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7LA, Telephone: 020 7201 3899

Collioure

By mthomas

An article on Collioure in the Observer Magazine by  Tim Atkin this week reminded me of how good wines  from this town are. It also made me reflect  (no pun  intended) on the quality of light on the Côte  Vermeille and how this increases enjoyment by  enhancing the colour of wine. The Fauvists    (literally ‘wild beasts’)  set up shop here because of  the quality of the light and made works, such as Les Toits de Collioure by Matisse (pictured below right), that captured this.

This part of Languedoc Roussillon is quite literally the vermillion coast and, as the locals point out,  is neither French nor Spanish but resolutely Catalan.  It is also one of my favourite places because it is so beautiful and culture rich. More specifically because of the happy memories I have of holidays there and of great affordable wine.

In this region the wines pick up the light and become radiant when sipped by the beach with the wonderful local food. Rosés are really respected and often made in a sophisticated food friendly style. However, the light does not travel with the wines and they can lose their sparkle outside the region. We know that colour is a learned quality indicator and that a rosé drunk on a relaxed holiday with the salty sea air on your lips is likely to taste good because of contextual ‘value added’.

Makers such as Coume del Mas, Domaine de la Rectorie and Préceptoire de Centernach turn out consistently good red, whites and rosés from a range of permitted grapes including Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache noir (often at very low yields) for the reds and rosés . Les Caves du Roussillon are a brilliant independent outfit that represent the (politicized and passionate) makers of the region and they have outlets in Collioure and nearby Port Vendres with its working harbour providing a healthy and authentic contrast to its more touristy neighbour. If you are in this region make sure you visit both and try some of the wines at the Caves. One of my fondest wine memories was an improvised afternoon flight of old Banyuls put on for me by one of the owners, Olivier, who used to set up visits for me to local makers.

In the UK the Wine Society have a good selection from the Languedoc Roussillon and their 2008 opening offer includes Collioure Blanc l’Argile, Domaine de la Rectorie, a grenache gris which will increase in complexity as it ages over the next 5 years (a bargain for this kind depth and complexity at £95 per case in bond). It should develop wonderful petrolly characteristics as it matures but will be excellent in the interim with the grilled fish and seafood of the area. Try some of the local clams (pallourdes) and oysters (bouziges) in a cafe in Collioure, or even better make the trek to the harbour at Port Vendres and sniff out the fantastic fishmonger and small oyster bar run by fishermen and wash down six bouziges with a glass of Picpoul de Pinet for a few euros.

Recent bottles

By mthomas

Sommelier Secrets

By mthomas

Whenever I am eating or drinking out at a place that has a sommelier, or at least someone interested in wine, I always try to discuss their role with them. I sometimes explain my perspective as a psychologist and follow up this initial chat with a scheduled semi-structured interview as I am fascinated by the role and enjoy researching the psychological interaction that underpins it. I have not submitted my data to peer review journals yet but thought some initial observations might be of interest.

My questions include probes around how the person became involved, their qualifications and their aims in the role. However, the most interesting responses tend to result from questions about the challenges and opportunities linked to this work. Perhaps most fascinating are the reflections on their motivations and beliefs particularly when interacting with customers.

Most sommeliers seem to see themselves as benevolent in that their primary aim is to enhance the customer’s enjoyment. Many are passionate about this and one told me that the biggest challenge in his job is ‘not getting carried away with wines I like’. There is usually a recognition that people like different things and most sommeliers have a skill set that includes eliciting what people are looking for in terms of taste, and price point. They often find themselves having to balance their enthusiasm for certain wines with a generally conservative approach by consumers. Some wines are just too different for some tastes.

They all tend recognise the importance of interpersonal communication and one I spoke to recently has studied the area to optimise his interactions. Another had a degree in psychology and mentioned ‘mirroring’ to establish rapport as he felt people are often too insecure about wine to ask questions. He also acknowledged the importance of profit and that the role is, like most things in life, not simply altruistic. Wine is expensive in restaurants and the mark-up provides vital income. This can lead to a tension between customer service and the profit margins of the owners.

At the moment sommeliers are still noticing a new austerity that they associate with the ‘credit crunch’. One from a well known restaurant serving high rollers in the city told me that customers had reported being told to ‘have a lower profile’ when it comes to corporate entertaining. Champagne is less socially acceptable in such climates.

The best sommeliers seem to be chameleons who are flexible in their interactions with a diverse set of customers. They are a generally fascinating and informed group of people who are drawn to the role due to their passion for wine.

Unfortunately, I am unlikely to write-up this paper until I have made progress on my book for Wiley’s new ‘Psychology of …’ series but will include the data in it. It is an exciting project and my best wishes go out to my Publisher Andy and his wife who are expecting their first child imminently. Also a big Happy Birthday to my youngest son Saul who is 7 today.  He is a wonderful child who brings all of us great joy.

Happy Birthday Saul!

Food and Wine Matching Widget

By mthomas

Here is an amusing and functional widget from Natalie Maclean of NatDecants. It is a food and wine matching tool. Just click on the food or wine tabs to find a match.

Have fun.