To the Languedoc and back again: Bancroft's Mike reports...

Recently, Bancroft's very own Mike Unsworth and Managing Director Neil McAndrew recently took a trip over the channel to tour the realms the South of France in the company of some of their favourite vinous chums. Mike Unsworth reports:

"This time three weeks ago, we were stood on a plateau in the hills of the Languedoc, looking over the expansive vineyards of Domaine Cabrials. While our guests filmed the winemaker and quizzed him about a wine anorak's favourite subjects - soil types, pH levels, clonal selection and the like - we took a step back behind the camera and enjoyed a moment's rest with a cool glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

 

Life through Jason's wine glass: Sud de France Languedoc-Roussillon trip January 2015

Last month Bancroft's Jason Busby headed down to the South of France for vinous explorations and all manner of interesting food. A foodie as much as a wino, here he reports on his findings, provides an insight into how we source our wine and what we look for as well as visiting a few of our current suppliers...

"the Langedoc-Rous is a hidden gem with great value wines that are over looked by the more well-known areas of Bordeaux and The Rhone."

"This was a well organised trip by the Sud de France team where approximately 150 wine buyers from around the world - America to China, Germany to Brazil congregated for the the Languedoc-Roussillon tasting of 1500 wines coupled with the Biologique festival both at the expo in Montpellier.

An unforgettable trip to visit Elena Walch in the Alto Adige, by Alex Harper

At some point this year, the gods were smiling down on me and I won a week’s holiday as the guest of Elena Walch in Italy's premium wine production region of Alto Adige. 

Sales and Marketing Trip to Rioja: Bodegas Altanza

 Day two on our Rioja trip and after the early morning bike ride in Sanmiego, the team are ready for another great winery visit, this time to Bodegas Altanza. 

Sales and Marketing Trip to Rioja: Bodegas Remírez de Ganuza

6am starts are never easy but a few coffees later and we were already looking forward to a great trip to Rioja! This time the whole sales and marketing teams were in full force and looking forward to the first winery - our new agency Bodegas Remírez de Ganuza. Fernando and Luis were absolutely fantastic hosts and took us straight to where it all starts – the vineyards! 

A little Serbo-Croat goes a long way, AKA Neb's Summer Holiday July 2013

0300 is not the time to get up unless there is very good reason....flying to visit Marjan Simcic in Slovenia and Ivica Matosovic in Croatia provided the reason to get out of bed. The only good thing is that you can pack an awful lot into a day like this, especially when you don't turn in until gone four the next morning, but that is getting ahead of ourselves. 

Vertical tasting and Grappa with De Stefani in the Veneto, by Claire Scott-Gall

Our next stop on our grand tour of northern Italy was De Stefani in the Veneto region. Alessandro and his father were there to welcome us with Alessandro giving us the grand tour of the nearby vineyards and winery. 

Barossa – the Winds of Change, by Alex Harper

Barossa Shiraz has a reputation for being the hairy armed Neanderthal of the wine world. Driving into the parched valley; yellow grasses paying testament to the heat of the summer; it is easy to understand how it got this reputation. However three days in this beautiful valley opened my eyes to the unique patch of dirt that these farmers have the fortune of working with. 

Feeling inspired in the Goriska Brda, Slovenia

Last week I spent a fabulous week touring the north of Italy and Slovenia with my husband, who luckily loves wine as much as me. Despite an early morning flight and feeling very tired and unsteady after a fantastic wedding the night before…we arrived in Venice in good spirits and were ready to tackle the Italian roads! Or so we thought…. 

Alex is at her happiest in the Cederberg, SA

This year’s holiday destination is slightly out of the ordinary. The itinerary comprises surviving on 5 hours sleep a night, working from sunrise to well after sunset and being on your feet all day; regulated working hours and weekends off? Forget it. I had chosen to work a harvest, but I had chosen the winery with care. The remote and breathtakingly beautiful Cederberg Mountain conservation area is a vast and largely deserted place of stark red rock formations, 5000 year old San Bushman paintings and at 1100m high, South Africa’s highest altitude winery; Cederberg Private Wine Cellar. This is my home, my job and my heart for three weeks. 

Expectations of affectations exposed. Back In your box Harper

I am the first to admit I have a few character flaws. Actually no, I am the second. My mother usually beats me to the crunch, just to keep my feet on the ground obviously. Like many, I am prone to the odd snap judgement and the occasional generalisation. I am also a hopeless romantic, especially when it comes to wine, and the idea of a mud encrusted vigneron crooning quietly to his barrel, coaxing it through the final stages of fermentation holds far more appeal for me than the multimillion pound art deco ‘wineries’ that are popping up at a rate suggesting it is the vinous version of a.....

Burgundy Trip (2011 Vintage) - Day Four, written by Jason Busby

An early start as we managed to slip in a last minute meeting at 9am with Mugneret-Gibourg in Vosne Romanee, with another 3 meetings and a 2 hour drive to Lyon airport ahead of us there was a distinct quieter feel to the team, although all excited about the wines ahead. With nine of the finest reds I have ever had the pleasure to taste in one sitting including three Grand Cru in a charismatic cellar more than 100 years old was the way I’d like to start most days!

Burgundy Trip (2011 vintage) - Day Three, Written by Jason Busby

A short sleep and up and going in the frosty morning to Sylvie Esmonin for a full day of meetings. Met by the old brown Labrador before Sylvie came smiling out of her laboratory to take us to her cellar for one of my favourite tastings.

Sylvie Esmonin

Burgundy Trip (2011 Vintage)- Day Two, written by Jason Busby

Early rise for a stodgy croissant and some yoghurt and a few strong coffees to wake the taste buds and the body. A lovely start to a winter’s day with a Puligny tasting at Jacques Carillon’s pristine winery.

Jacques Carillon

Burgundy Trip (2011 Vintage) - Day One, by Jason Busby

An early start to get to Gatwick for our flight to Lyon. No mention of terminal confusion! Arrived mid morning in a sunny Lyon to collect car ready for 2 hour car journey to Beaune, one of my favourite places on earth, with its uncommercial, friendly atmosphere - oh and some of the greatest wines available.

Montrachet

Trip to Silvano Bolmida, Barolo, Piedmont, by Alex Harper

No exciting trip begins mid afternoon... and sure enough the alarm rang out at 4.30am. Fumbling in the dark, the inevitable odd socks are matched with strange clothing combinations sure to elicit a wry smile from travelling companions and airport security alike.

Slovenia and Croatia Trip in pictures - Part 2 Vina Matosevic, Croatia

Day two of their tasting trip and the team are off to Croatia to visit Vina Matosevic. The photo story is narrated by Neb Gusic, director.

5 hours later and we leave Slovenia.  After a few hours in the car, we are at Matosevic's in Istria, Croatia.

He greets us properly – with the glass of wine.

Slovenia and Croatia Trip in pictures - Part 1 Marjan Simcic, Slovenia

Neb Gusic shares his photos from his memorable trip to Slovenia and Croatia visiting Marjan Simcic and Vina Matosevic with a group of clients.

We arrive at Goriska Brda, Slovenia

Alex's WSET report on Portugal

After great results in her WSET diploma, Alex was awarded a trip to Portugal with Sogrape. She has written a fantastically detailed report on her visit to several Portuguese regions. Here is a snippet below, but follow the link to the WSET website for the full report.

Sommelier Trip to Slovenia and Croatia, by Neil McAndrew

Slovenia and Croatia in 36 hours was always going to be a tall order but we are all ready to go and looking forward to an incredible trip. We are taking a group of clients to see Marjan Simcic and Matosevic in Croatia. The group includes myself and Neb, Isa Bal (Head Sommelier, Fat Duck), Joao Pires (Head Sommelier, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal), Jacques Savary De Beauregard  (Head Sommelier, Home House), Colin Manning (Owner, 60 Hope Street Liverpool), Igor Sotric (Head Sommelier, China Tang at Dorchester) and David Seccombe (General Manager, Christopher’s Covent Garden).