On the 16th September (a very wet Wednesday) we invited Julio Mestre, owner of Los Siete Misterios Mezcal, to our Soho and Shoreditch stores for an evening of mezcal masterclasses.

Let me start by giving you a little Los Siete Misterios history lesson:

Los Siete Misterios is inspired by the land, legends and mysteries of Mexico. It was established in 2010 by Julio Mestre and his brother Eduardo. They had one objective in mind, to produce mezcals that symbolise the countries rich heritage, passion and culture.. and that they did!

Los Siete Misterios is produced in the district of Sola de Vega in the Sierra Sur Region of the State of Oaxaca. The natural climate and terrain is the ideal spot for agave growth.The agave is cooked in underground ovens before it is hand smashed using wooden mallets. Once the mezcal has fermented in sabino vats for 10 days it is then distilled using a clay pot technique that has been around for centuries. This gives it its unique and very powerful flavour.

On tasting that evening was the Los Siete Misterios Doba-yej, Los Siete Misterios Espandin, Los Siete Coyote and the Los Siete Misterios Tobala.. and I couldn’t wait to try them all!

Mezcal varies hugely in flavour and you’ll notice this if you’ve tried it yourself. The flavours change slightly because of the way it’s cooked and the type of wood used.

Just a few little interesting facts for you here, or if you’re planning to produce your own mezcal, some things you should definitely take note of.

1. Mezcal shouldn’t be left too long to ferment as it can overpower the flavour, due to the acidity.
2. To prevent damaging the agave you need to restrict the amount of water which gets to it.

So first up was the Los Siete Misterios Doba-yej.

This is distilled in copper pots, giving it a slight rubbery taste. It had citrusy aromas of lemon, lime and grapefruit and delicate notes of toasted caramel, floral and sweet agave. This mezcal tends to improve with air as it develops the fruity and floral notes. Similar to wine I’d advise you leave it to breath for a bit before you decide to taste it.

Next up was the Los Siete Misterios Espandin. Instead of a copper pot this is distilled using a clay pot, giving it a more refined flavour. It has fruity aromas of cherries, raspberries, bananas and delicate flashes of smoked olive and wet earth with a powerful long finish.

After the Espadin it was time for the Los Siete Coyote. This had fruity tones of strawberry, cherry, banana, mango and well-cooked agave. It had delicate tones of liquorice anise, mint, vanilla and floral flashes.

And last but not least was the Los Siete Misterios Tobala which had delicate notes of chocolate, tar, prunes, smoked chipotle and cooked agave with a delicious sweet finish. Note to self: Leave it in the glass for a few minutes before sipping, helps to bring out the best aromatic qualities!

To finish up, I’d like to say a huge thank you to Julio for introducing us to the world of mezcal and for letting us sample the delicious Los Siete range. Cheers!

If you missed out on this masterclass then don’t worry, you can keep an eye on upcoming masterclass by visiting our website.

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On the 16th September,  Alex Down, Amathus Wine Expert, hosted a California vs Burgundy masterclass at our City store in Leadenhall Market. The idea of the masterclass was to get everyone to try something a bit different and pull them away from the usual Chardonnays, Chablis, Pinot Noirs that we’re all guilty of buying.

So to avoid any reservations or pre consumptions Alex decided to turn the masterclass into a blind tasting. On tasting was a selection of California and Burgundy wines, three red and three white.

Down the side of the tasting sheet was a list of the 6 wines on tasting that night. The idea was to taste the wines first, see if people could pull out any crucial flavours and then from there decide which one they thought it might be. Trust me this wasn’t as easy as it sounds..

So up first and in no particular order was the whites which included a Domaine Charley Nicolle 1er Cru Chablis 2013, a George’s Burrier St Veran ‘En Faux’ 2013 and a Fess Parker Chardonnay 2013. 

So let’s have a look at some of the flavours our masterclass attendees could taste, (the majority of which were spot on).

The Domaine Charley Nicolle Chablis (from Burgundy) was described as light and fresh with a burst of citrus and acidity that hit the mouth. The George’s Burrier St Veran (again from Burgundy) had some toasted and honeyed notes with grapefruit savours. It’s typically described as having a long finish but surprisingly compared to the Domaine it didn’t. The final white was the Fess Parker Chardonnay 2013, the only white from California. This had aromas of citrus, lemon and honey and flavours of vanilla and spice. This was a favourite of mine that goes perfectly with a bowl of creamy pasta. Bon Appetite!

Before we move onto the reds, I’d like to give you a quick tip. You might already know this but if not here goes… The sign of a good wine is not necessarily where it comes from or how it is made but can be determined by how long the flavours remain in your mouth. So next time you have a glass of wine bare this in mind!

So on the red side, again in no particular order, was the Fess Parker Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2012, the Patrick Clemencent Pimont Rouge 2012 and the Fess Parker ‘Ashley’s’ Pinot Noir 2012.

The Fess Parker Sta. Rita hills (from California) was described as a bit spicy, it had pepper and red cherry qualities but was light at the same time. The Patrick Clemencent Pimont Rouge 2012 (from Burgundy) was much more dryer than the Rita Hills and was quite subtle in flavour. Finally we had the Fess Parker ‘Ashley’s’ Pinot Noir, again from California. This had more depth with scents of blackberry, black cherry, sage, vanilla and baking spices on the nose and provided a long lingering finish on the palate. This particular pinot noir actually comes from Fess Parker’s daughters winery who is, believe it or not, called Ashley!

After the tasting it was time to decide on our favourite red and white from the ones we’d tasted. Let me remind you that it was a Califonia vs Burgundy masterclass so we were intrigued to find out which one came out on top.

The clear winners of the masterclass was the  Fess Parker Chardonnay 2013 and the Fess Parker ‘Ashley’s’ Pinot Noir 2012, both from California, Santa Barbara County. For me this was quite surprising, I assumed that the Burgundy wines would be the favourite, simply because they’re very established in the wine world.

Not to sound like a clique but you should never judge a book by its cover. When it comes to wine you should always try it before you decide whether you like it or not. Don’t not try it because of the region it comes from, a lot of the time you’d be very surprised!

To keep an eye on our upcoming masterclasses please visit our website.

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Last week we gave a warm welcome to Rhum Clément for a series of masterclasses held in our Amathus stores. The evenings were hosted by the fabulous Audrey Bruisson, Global Ambassador of Rhum Clément and Peter Holland, from the Floating Rum Shack.

Rhum Agricole is the result of a nineteenth-century molasses shortage and the imagination of Homère Clement, owner of an estate in Martinique. He analysed and mimicked the French distillers of great Armagnacs to perfect his method of rum production known today as Rhum Agricole. To make the rhum he pressed the sugarcane like grapes to extract their fresh natural juice and then fermented a wine to distil into an eau de vie.

The masterclasses were a great success. Everyone got involved right from the start and were keen to get stuck into making their own Ti Punch, which was served on arrival. In case you didn’t know the Ti Punch is the national cocktail of the French islands, like the Mojito is to Cuba and the Caipirinha is to Brazil.

After the Ti Punch it was straight into the tasting. With a little help from Peter and Emilie Campesato (Amathus Brand Ambassador), Audrey presented each of the rums for our masterclass to taste.

First up for tasting was the Clément Première Canne, a natural rum distilled from free-run fresh cane juice resulting in a clean and crisp spirit with tremendous body and balance. An absolute essential for your cocktails!

Next up was the Clement Canne Bleue which is produced using a single variety of sugar cane called Canne Bleue. This rum stands out for its powerful flavour and elegance.

Following on from the Clement Canne Bleue was the Clément Select Barrel. This is aged in particular oak barrels selected for their rich natural sweetness and intense aromatic qualities for a minimum of three years. It’s known for its soft vanilla notes and remarkable smooth finish.

It was then time to taste the Clément V.S.O.P which is aged for a minimum of four years in virgin Limousin barriques and re-charred Bourbon casks.

Second to last was the Clément 10 years. This rum has been prepared by the longstanding traditions of the Clement Family. The reduction of flavours over time has given this rum a beautiful concentration of character.

And last but not least the Cuvée Homère Clément. To create this, natural rums are aged in oak casks (French & Bourbon vats) for at least 6 years. This founder’s cuvée stands out for both its power and finesse.

I think everyone will agree that the critics were very tough, but I was pleased to see that all of the rums went down a treat!

If you didn’t get chance to attend this masterclass then not to worry. We have another masterclass next week with Bodegas Carelli, wine from the Mendoza region in Argentina. Visit our website to book your place now.

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Join us for an evening of Bodegas Carelli masterclasses on the
9th and 10th September at our City and Shoreditch stores.
The masterclasses will be hosted by Enrique Carelli, the owner and
winemaker at Bodegas Carelli.

The winery has been owned by the Carelli family since 1943, when Santos Carelli planted their first vineyards in Argentina’s premium Mendoza region. The winery is now under the control of Santo’s son, Enrique who works with his son (also called Enrique). The winery lies on a latitude of 34 degrees which defines the style of wine they produce and gives it its distinct fresh and floral character.

To book yourself a ticket please visit http://bit.ly/1KjCupW

Being an Italian family it made perfect sense to the Bottega’s to make wine in South Africa using famous Italian varietals. We’ve already looked at, and vicariously enjoyed, their French influenced range of wines, follow the link if you missed it, so now it’s the turn of some of the most expressive wines I’ve tasted in a long time.

Italy boasts more indigenous grape varieties than any other country and yet we rarely see them being produced successfully outside of Italy. They have a real sense of place and so being able to produce high quality wines with iconic Italian grapes is truly a feat to be applauded.

We started our Italian Odyssey with the grape best known for producing Barolo and Barbaresco, Nebbiolo.

Idiom Nebbiolo 2010 is as typically varietally correct as any text book will tell you. Licorice, nutmeg and tar first fill the nose but these are quickly followed by lashings of juicy sweet and sour black cherries and roasted strawberries. The texture is firm and confident in the mouth and the rose petal delicacy of the finish really highlights the skill that has gone in to creating such a mutli-faceted wine.

Staying in Piedmont we next tasted the grape that has made the towns of Asti and Alba famous, Barbera.

Idiom Barbera 2010 is as smooth and sumptuous as you could want a wine to be. So inviting with aromas of milk chocolate and dried cherries the richness continues with hints of freshly ground coffee beans and warm buttery toast. But forget all the waffle, this wine can easily be described by just 5 words; George Clooney in a glass! Hmmmmm

Chianti is arguable the most recognised red wine of Italy and so the Bottega family couldn’t really make iconic Italian varietals without including Sangiovese, the grape much loved across Tuscany, including Brunello di Montalcino.

Idiom Sangiovese 2010 is once again absolutely typical of the variety except with a little more warmth and playfulness. We have the expected strawberry, cherry and plum fruit, leathery earthiness redolent of riding horseback through a forest after the rain, and the tannic, but not too tannic, structure. But what I feel really gives this wine the edge is the fresh floral, herby finish that lifts the palate at the end. It is an absolute delight.

Our final wine on this exploration and admiration of Italy is a grape that in southern Italy is called Primitivo, but is possibly better known for being what the Californians call Zinfandel. And what a wine to end with.

Idiom Zinfandel 2010 is exotic and explosive in the glass. It bursts with heady fragrances of sage, rosemary, dill and thyme before giving way to something more reminiscent of gingerbread, balsamic vinegar and slow roast lamb. You can actually taste in the wine what you should be eating with it! Add to this armfuls of fresh raspberries, black currants and Morello cherries and the mouthful is complete. Sumptuous yet elegant with something new waiting to be discovered behind every drop.

It was such a pleasure to taste the range of Idiom wines and you have the chance to as well. On Thursday 11^th December Amathus Knightsbridge is hosting a comparison evening of the Idiom Italian varietals against their original counterparts. It proves to be an interesting and entertaining masterclass so book your place early to avoid disappointment. Simply email us at tastings@amathusdrinks.com to secure your place.

Ardbeg Whisky from the small Scottish island of Islay is one of the most recognised and respected whiskies in the world. So when Amathus Knightsbridge had the chance to host a master class of Ardbeg’s most recent limited edition, Auriverdes, it was a hand we simply had to bite off.

We were joined for the evening by Eduardo Vivas, Ardbeg’s brand representative, to talk us through what we were tasting. Every year Ardbeg release a special edition whisky, each with their own story and character. We started the evening with Ardbeg’s classic 10 year Old before moving on to last year’s limited release, Uigeadail, followed by, of course, the Auriverdes. The whiskies were all tasted neat, with a dash of water and also with a morsel of cheese and the changes on the palate were fascinating.

My tasting notes from the evening will follow but first, here’s a brief breakdown of Islay whisky.

Southern Islay Whiskies, and Ardbeg particularly, are known for having a distinctive peaty character. Most of Islay is made up of peat, layer upon layer of spagnum mosses and vegetation that have rotted and condensed over the centuries. The salty sea breeze adds even more flavour by blowing salt onto the peat bogs which then dry, retaining the sea salt. The briny peat is burnt to malt the barley which is subsequently distilled. Combine this with water which also has a peaty quality and the resulting whisky is, not surprisingly, very characteristic of the area.

So, what did we think of the whiskies?

Ardbeg 10 year Old

Revered around the world as the peatiest whisky of them all, the 10 year old is retains complexity and refinement. It does not flaunt its peat, rather gives a backbone to the other characters of malt, sweetness, and freshness. The first aroma is that of smoke and spice but as the whisky opens up in the glass these give way to freshly cut grass, antiseptic, smoky bacon and vanilla. With a dash of water more citrus notes become obvious and with Montgomery Cheddar the whole mouthfeel softens out and reveals more stone fruit flavours and mellow smoothness.

Uigeadail

Uigeadail is the name of the Loch that feeds the Ardbeg distillery with its peat laden water. The barrels used to age this edition are old Olorosso Sherry casks which give the finished product a distinctive richness. Notes that we found ranged from sweet honey, butterscotch and Christmas cake to savoury salted almonds, toasted hazelnuts and BBQ spare ribs. With water added the freshness of the whisky came out more and when paired with 24 month matured Parmegiano Reggiano we discovered more floral and grassy notes.

Auriverdes

Produced with the Brazil Football World Cup in mind this expression of Ardbeg is a dram of two halves, just like the beautiful game itself. Auri is Latin for gold, describing the colour of the whisky and Verdes is Latin for green, representing the bottle. It’s no coincidence that these also happen to be the colours of Brazil either. The barrels used to mature the Auriverdes are old Bourbon casks and only the ends of the barrels are toasted, burnt. This gives the whiskey a complex balance of light lifted notes combined with deeper, savoury, toasty notes. This expression has a distinct salty character making it a really savoury dram. Think smoked fish smothered in butter. With water added the whisky becomes even more complex (‘how is that possible?’ I hear you ask) showing notes of bonfire, burning forest floor and a softer, more floral element. The cheese pairing for the Auriverdes was an amazingly creamy, rich Tunworth soft cheese. Now the whole mouthful with cheese and whisky is divine, all the flavours mentionted above seem to combine and acquiesce into one effortlessly rounded, complex, exquisite mouthful.

I think it was safe to say a fun, educational and eye-opening evening was had by all. All three expressions of Ardbeg are available to buy at Amathus Knightsbridge, Soho and City and online at www.amathusdrinks.com

Interested in what you’ve read? Come and join us at an upcoming master class soon. Find out more by following the link.

Last week saw our Masterclass in Washington and Oregon wines take place here in our city branch in Leadenhall. The event was hosted by our very own Wine Sales & Marketing Manager  Alex Down. With consummate charm and incredible enthusiasm Alex expressed his breadth in knowledge by vividly describing the soils, climates and history behind the Elk Cove wines which are produced in the north of the Willamette Valley, Oregon.

Proceedings began by sampling their sprightly Riesling and their exotic Pinot Gris. These were followed by a seductive and powerful Pinot Noir. The wines of Elk Cove display a weight and class of their own, the Pinot Noir encompasses many of the traits of a good Burgundy with subtle mushroom-like notes and faint animal aromas but carry a breadth in fruit only Oregon could muster. The whites are their forte both finely balanced and poised between power and grace.

With a different introduction spanning the paleogeograpic history of Washington and the north of America, Alex introduced us to the wines of Gordon Estate. Produced in the Columbia Valley by the brothers Gordon since the mid-1980s, these wines immediately express character and depth, a treacly Chardonnay, a gritty Merlot and a supple Cabernet Sauvignon, all of such intriguing personality that the evening’s tasting ended on a high.

Such a succinct but precise summary of the wines of the north west of America could not have been achieved by any other means. These wines are available from us here at Amathus Drinks over the forth-coming weeks, keep your eyes peeled for them, they are truly worth the hunt.