The late Alan Watkins, in whose memory we enjoyed a commemorative lunch at the Garrick Club the other day, was for a spell the wine correspondent of the Observer. He wrote almost exclusively about French wines. I used to chide him gently, pointing out that there were marvellous wines from the New World. He would shake his head, and say that, yes, some were all very well, even quite good. But you couldn’t drink them every day. And in the case of some, you couldn’t drink more than a single glass at a time.
French wines, he implied, had a finesse, a degree of class, a touch of steel. To extrapolate, Aussie wines, for instance, were like a new acquaintance who seems incredibly friendly but quickly becomes wearing. Whereas the French wines may be slightly distant, but when you get to know them prove to be more agreeable over time.
I myself am in both camps, if that’s possible. French wines are now fifth among bottles sold in the off-trade in this country, behind Australia, Italy, America (mostly cheap blends) and even South Africa. So there’s no doubt where British taste is headed. On the other hand, the very proliferation of chunky, richly flavoured, in-your-face wines makes many people yearn for the greater discretion, the quieter virtues, of French wines.
If that’s you, here’s your chance. Our merchant this week is Yapp Brothers of Mere, Wilts, and all the choices have been personally selected from small properties in France. There is no mass-produced supermarket stuff here at all.
First up is a delectable Viognier from the Ardèche 2009 (1). Viognier is a grape that almost disappeared, then became wildly fashionable in the ‘anything but Chardonnay’ era which, thankfully, seems to be passing.
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