Week in pictures: 3 – 9 February

This week in pictures features Sarah Neish tasting New Zealand Wines, Louis Thomas grabbing a drop of DRC, Douglas Blyde tasting Château Troplong Mondot, and Brown-Foreman’s sustainability plans.

New Zealand Wines

This week db editor Sarah Neish attended the New Zealand Wines trade tasting and masterclass with wine writer and broadcaster Oz Clarke.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021

Senior staff writer Louis Thomas went to Corney & Barrow, the UK distributor of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, to taste the 2021 vintage.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Aymeric de Gironde, the disarmingly amusing CEO of leading Saint-Émilion property, Château Troplong Mondot (1745), hosted a press dinner at Berry Bros. & Rudd to showcase three vintages including 2018, which he authored.

Located atop the Saint-Émilion plateau 110 meters above sea level, a vantage from which de Gironde jokes he “feels like the king of the hill looking down at my neighbours” the estate features a 12-metre high cellar evocative of the Glass Bridge of “Squid Games”. “We need to make investment look good,” said de Gironde.

Describing the wines as “a blend of personalities”, de Gironde collages fruit reaped from multiple parcels of clay and water-sucking limestone over the 27-hectare site, focusing on “silky” Merlot “seasoned” with Cabernet.

With “50 years” of potential, the 2018, finalised by de Gironde, was distinctly aromatic, with floral, garrigues, and leather notes giving way to a polished, savoury palate of bacon-wrapped rillette and proper gravy, with a precise finish. The concentrated 2016, meanwhile, featured dried blood on the nose, with a lush, rounded, charming palate with black pepper notes and defined tannins. Finally, the 1998 had posh potpourri notes, yet more blood, and a sense of subtlety on the long, layered finish, with melded tannins.

De Gironde is no stranger to blending, given his family worked at Hennessy for two centuries – he as Business Unit Director. Also under the LVMH mantel, he oversaw the business and marketing development for Krug, whose 170 edition was served at tonight’s dinner. He subsequently became international commercial director of AXA Millésimes, overseeing châteaux, Pichon Baron, Suduiraut and Petit Village, segueing to Cos d’Estournel as Directeur Général. He joined Troplong Mondot in 2017.

Having banned herbicides, insecticides and chemical fertilizers since 2002, Troplong Mondot became the first French winery to sign with IWCA (International Wineries for Climate Action). In addition, one-tonne horses, which are both lighter and less hungry than the Percherons previously used, are deployed in the vineyards, along with Indian runner ducks, reputed to devour snails, but not grapes. Other sustainably inclined initiatives include the provision of pigs and chickens used to eat up organic waste before they appear on the dinner table, while vine prunings are converted into pellets for heating.

Served by “a gigantic vegetable and herb garden” Les Belles Perdrix maintains both a Michelin star and green star for dishes such as Davide Charrier’s duck tart, and the chocolate and caviar dessert from “one to watch” pâtissier, Adrien Salavert. Known as “The Keys”, accommodation includes the art studio of former owner, Christine Valette, “an emblematic figure of Troplong Mondot”, and a swimming pool. “You live the life of the owner of the estate if you can afford it,” says de Gironde of the experience. The estate is particularly family-friendly, featuring a playground, and, supplementing the vintage full-sized version which takes guests on vineyard tours, miniature Land Rover vehicles, while a nanny is provided for workers’ children.

Brown-Foreman

Member of the Scottish Parliament and Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Alex Cole Hamilton, visited the global spirits and wine manufacturer Brown-Forman’s Newbridge Bond as a new solar array goes live this year.

In the first project between YLEM Energy and Brown-Forman, the producer of brands such as Jack Daniel’s and Benriach, a 620kW solar array was developed to deliver 502,117 KWp of clean energy each year at the Edinburgh site. The move is a part of Brown-Forman’s objective to source 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

The 630kWp solar system is also part of YLEM Energy’s Xchange product that was launched in April 2023 and will allow Brown-Forman to export excess renewable energy generated at the Newbridge Bond to the National Grid and reduce its onsite energy costs. Brown-Forman are also exploring the potential to work with YLEM Energy to identify energy efficiency measures onsite to make its operations as sustainable as possible.

Cole Hamilton said: “I am delighted to see businesses taking initiative in advancing sustainability agendas and working towards tackling climate change directly by reducing their emissions. The boost for skilled employment and increased investment in the area has my full support and I look forward to hearing the progress that this partnership will bring.”

Kieran McGuire, European Environment Health and Safety Manager at Brown-Forman stated: “At Brown-Forman, we are committed to our goal of sourcing 100 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and this solar installation is a great step towards meeting that goal.”

Baccarat

As an alchemist of joy, Baccarat, together with award winning Mo bar announce their partnership with four specially crafted cocktails served from 31 January to 29 February.

The partnership celebrates the majestic Lunar New Year of the Dragon and kickstarts a regional collaboration with Mo bar Singapore – where two of the cocktails will also be served at the Mo Bar in Shenzhen.

Each cocktail “marks the joie de vivre in life – taking delight in the everyday joys”, the brand said.

The cocktails include a Blue Manhattan served in Baccarat Masséna Flute with Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Home-made PX Sherry + Rosso, Hinoki Bitters; Walker Sour served in Baccarat Narcisse Coupe with Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Bourbon Oak Barrel Syrup, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Citrus and Egg White; Disaronno Expectations served in Baccarat Harmonie Highball with Mezcal, Disaronno Amaretto, Verjuice, Clarified Pineapple Juice, and Egg White; and a Insomniac served in Baccarat Beluga Tumbler with Osmanthus Aged Rum, Mr Black Coffee, Coconut Water, Black Cocoa and Orange Bitters.