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Not Just Lunacy?Moon cycles and minerals - understanding the often misunderstood world of biodynamics

160 YEARS OF WINE HERITAGE | laywheeler.com | Autumn/Winter 2014

Inviting You Into A World of WineCellar Circle’s Landmark Launch

Travel EuropeThrough Germany, Italy and France, we show you Europe’s finest delights

Forage A Feast Our most comforting food and drink recipes for Autumn

Replacing the Fine Wine Plan, Cellar Circle will

remain true to its roots, providing informative

and sensitive guidance from the team here

at Lay & Wheeler. Membership comes with

benefits including: a 10% discount on all

purchases from Majestic Wine, free delivery

of your wines to any Majestic Wine store, and

a case from the Cellar Circle team on the first

anniversary of membership.

Dave Smith, Director of Lay & Wheeler, said of

the changes: “The launch of the Cellar Circle

in this, our 160th year represents a wonderful

opportunity for our business and for our

current and future customers. It offers an

affordable and inspiring opportunity to build a

dream cellar without hassle.”

If you would like more information

don’t hesitate to get in contact with

the team here on 01473 313 300, or

visit www.cellarcircle.co.uk

We were really pleased to launch Cellar Circle in September, built on Lay & Wheeler’s 160 years of links with the world’s greatest producers, and Majestic Wine’s 30 years experience inspiring people to discover and explore the exciting world of wine.

A lot has happened at Lay & Wheeler since our last edition. We have celebrated our 160th anniversary over the summer, and in mid-September we launched Cellar Circle, which has, I’m sure you’ll agree, taken the old Fine Wine Plan and made it great. As we drift towards Christmas and the New

Year, thoughts here turn towards Burgundy and

the release of the 2013s in January. We look at

what makes the region unique, and also at the

oft-misunderstood philosophy of biodynamics,

increasingly prevalent there. Inspired by our recent

offers, L&W staff also recount trips to Germany

and Tuscany, whilst we have our usual features on

seasonal food and drink.

I must admit that I have a particular soft-spot for

this time of year. True, days are short and it can be

brisk outside. But what better excuse for wrapping

up warm and braving the cold, before retreating

back indoors to rich wines and even richer food.

So settle in, have a read, and pour yourself a glass

from that long anticipated bottle. It’s what autumn

and winter are all about!

Cheers!

Robbie Toothill Cellar Door Editor

Welcome to

Having looked after members of the Bin Club

and the Fine Wine Plan, I can not wait to tell all

of our customers about the launch of Cellar Circle! Being

so customer-friendly, and with such great benefits, it will

be a joy to chat about.

Victoria Chaplin Wine Advisor, Cellar Circle

Coming from a science background, I find that

some biodynamic principles can seem like

smoke and mirrors. However the proof is in the tasting.

I taste the wines of Pontet Canet, Domaine Leflaive

or Zind-Humbrecht and cease to care how or why

biodynamics works, I just know that it does!

Al Luffingham Account Manager, Private Clients

I always look forward to travelling to Burgundy

in January in the ‘Van du Vin’ (normally a Ford

Transit), visiting producers and collecting samples

in readiness for the Burgundy tasting in London,

next year on Monday 12th January. We get back on

the 9th ensuring that the samples are as fresh as

possible for the tasting.

Nick Pitcher Operations Manager

In 2008, a few short weeks after starting work

in the wine trade, I was given a glass of 1970

Mouton-Rothschild with my work’s Christmas meal. I

clearly remember thinking ‘ah, so that’s what all the fuss

is about!

Hayley Whyatt Advisor, Fine Wine Trading Team

Introducing Cellar CircleWords from the team

| Cellar Door Autumn/Winter 201402 Cellar Door Autumn/Winter 2014 | 03

GermanyI have been to Germany twice now, my

first visit being a school trip, I will not

mention how many years ago that was! I

remember vividly that the food was not

great and most of the week I was very

hungry. I also got into trouble with the

teacher for staying up late and running

up and down the hotel corridors.

Fortunately for myself, and for my

fellow hotel guests, my second trip was

rather different – although we did stay

up late when we visited Ernie Loosen,

who treated us to an amazing dinner.

He kept nipping off to his cellar to

bring up more blind wines which we

had to take a guess at, brilliant fun and

an experience I shall not forget.

Two of our sales team, Paula and Hayley, found themselves in Germany this summer, but in very different places, under very different circumstances. Whilst Paula was seeking out the best new releases for Lay & Wheeler to offer, Hayley was miles from wine country on a family holiday. Both were searching for wine Nirvana – they let us know how they got on…

Indeed, the food I experienced on my

second visit was amazing. In hindsight,

it probably was the first time round

but my immature taste buds did not

appreciate it. But back then I would not

have had all the lovely wines to pair

up with the food.

It’s funny how your opinions of a place

can change...

Germany is the 8th largest wine

producer worldwide

8th From Paula’s tales of wine country...

Wine has been produced in Germany

since Ancient Roman times

Paula Hunter in the Mosel

Ernie Loosen providing one of his many delights


Matching yourGerman Riesling with the right foods.

Kabinett – Try it with simple grilled

fish such as halibut or plain chicken

dishes. Strong sauces do not work

well. Or simply have it on its own as

an aperitif, and as Ernie says, “drink

yourself sober.”

Spätlese – Have with barbecued

pork or sweet and sour prawn dishes.

Generally works well with spiced

dishes, especially Asian cuisine.

Auslese – Rich cheeses, including

goats cheese, foie gras and richer

styles of food.

Beerenauslese – We are getting

into the dessert territory here, sweet

puddings of apple pie and cream,

caramel and toffee puddings, the

perfect match.

Trockenbeerenauslese – Tropical

fruit salad, more caramel and apple

pudding and, of course, blue cheese.

Eiswein – Again one for the dessert,

or I like to have my pud, then sit back

and enjoy this on its own.

Thundering along the autobahn at 100 MPH

in the relentless summer sun (there are no

speed limits on large sections of the German

motorway), I found it hard to think of little

other than a refreshing glass of white wine.

I have been visiting Westphalia since my

teens, but this was my first visit with my own

family and critically, my first since working in

the wine trade.

Our destination, Bielefeld, is unfortunately

(for me) nowhere near wine country.

Nevertheless I hoped to sample a few

wines rarely encountered at home. I had

half expected to find nothing but Riesling

on the local wine lists and was surprised

at the dominance of Spätburgunder (Pinot

Noir) and Spätburgunder rosé as the

German representatives; whilst aware of

the increased red varietal plantings (12%

of Germany’s vineyard area is devoted to

Spätburgunder), the prevalence still came as

a surprise. The presence of other varieties

in generic dry quaffing styles supported

the notion of a ‘drying German wine taste’.

However, my German friends insist that

very few Germans drink the sweeter styles

and that these were largely produced for

the export market – I needed to head back

home to satisfy my curiosity for such wines!

Although I can’t help but feel a little

disappointed to not have found anything

new and exciting, I fully intend to widen my

search on my next trip - perhaps one day I

will even get to visit a German vineyard….

To Hayley’s miles from wine country...

Germany has a total of 13 designated

wine growing regions


Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloins with a Lemon, Sage & Parmesan CrustAs the nights draw in, and autumn passes in the blink

of an eye, there is a lot to be said for consoling yourself

with lunches that stretch long into the evening, with great

company and good wines (or vice versa). Ludo, from our Fine

Wine Trading team, shares a seasonal favourite with us...

InstructionsPreheat your oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4, then

thoroughly mix the ingredients for the crust together and

spread over a plate.

Cut the tenderloin in to 4 equal pieces, season well, and dip

in the beaten egg, followed by the crust mixture.

Heat a generous glug of olive oil in an oven-safe frying pan

on a medium heat and place in the sliced tenderloins. Once

the side lying down has achieved a nice golden colour, give

the tenderloins a quarter-turn to colour the next section.

Once the tenderloins are golden apart from

one side, turn them onto that side, remove

the pan from the heat and pop it in the oven.

15 minutes should be enough to ensure

that your tenderloins remain moist.

For me, this dish is excellent in the autumn, with the lemon zest reminiscent of summer, whereas sage ushers in more comforting, wintry tones. I cannot think of anything better than having friends for dinner, going all out to show them a good time (and let’s admit it, impress them a little…)

This is a quick, relatively easy, and most importantly inexpensive dinner party option – having blown my budget on the wine!

Sloe Gin

First, find your sloes – there is no

need to wait until after the first frost,

just pop them in the freezer when

you get home for a day or two. Freezing will

puncture the skins, removing the need to

prick them – another sloe gin-making myth.

Fill your chosen vessel approximately

half full of sloes, and then poor over

the gin. Good quality gin will always

taste best in the final product. There is no

need to add sugar at this stage – you will

have much more control over sweetness if

you add it to taste at the end.

Leave for a few months, and then

add syrup to taste. The syrup is

made by heating a pan with

equal quantities of sugar and water until the

sugar has dissolved, and then leaving to chill.

12

3

Here at Lay & Wheeler, wine is certainly not our only tipple. Most of the team can be tempted with a pint or two of a local brew, whilst the changing seasons bring new treats. Autumn and winter means Sloe Gin, and Al from the Private Clients team has been convinced to share his closely guarded recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients• A glug of olive oil

• A knob of butter

• 2 whole pork tenderloins

• 1 egg, beaten

AUTUMNAL BLISS

Remove from the oven and rest for a couple of minutes,

before slicing to serve with a squeeze of lemon (or a lemon

butter sauce with a few sages leaves thrown in, if you’re not

too worried about calories!)

This can be accompanied by many things: I found it to be

a particularly good partner for ratatouille. For a wine match,

try an aged vintage fizz, or a still chardonnay... Bon appétit!

For the crust• 1 handful of finely chopped

sage and/or thyme

• 1 handful of grated parmesan

• Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

• 2/3 handfuls of breadcrumbs –

“Panko”are best for a light and

crispy finish.

• Salt & Pepper

09Cellar Door Autumn/Winter 2014 | | Cellar Door Autumn/Winter 201408

Lucy Fisher writes, “Tuscany...just the thought of it raises a smile and transports you to a sun-dappled olive grove. This region of Italy has long been a favourite with Britons and it is not difficult to see why”. She visited Tuscany on honeymoon last year, and shares with us some of her highlights:

FlorenceSince reading E.M.Forster’s ‘A Room with a View’ I have

wanted to go to Florence and despite the city brimming with

visitors, this doesn’t detract from the beautiful architecture

and stunning art on every corner. Be warned that you may

end up feeling ‘over-frescoed’ but it would be wrong to

visit Florence and not appreciate the wealth of art. With

just a day or two there, we saved the Uffizi for a future trip

and took the advice of a family friend and made a bee-line

for the Convento di San Marco to see Fra’ Angelico’s The

Annunication. No postcard prepares you for its beauty.

CertaldoThis Tuscan market town, not far from Florence, is made up of

two parts: the newer part of town nestled around the original,

historic centre, all of which is reached by funicular railway. This

offers outstanding views down the valley to the almost mythical

towers of San Gimignano, and nestled in the fortified walls is

a wonderful cookery school run by the force of nature that is

Giuseppina. We spent an hour shopping in town for all of our

ingredients before creating a delicious three-course meal using

fresh, local produce, which demonstrated that this combination

of quality and simplicity is the key to the best meals.

Food and drinkSurely one of the main draws of the

region. The joy of ripe tomatoes, locally

pressed olive oil, courgettes and juicy

peaches bought from a farmer’s stall

outside Bolgheri, along with wine

made close to the legendary estate of

Ornellaia. Local restaurants and bars

serving fantastic value set menus, with

the best of local produce. The delicious

selection of antipasti which accompany

a glass of wine, savoured in the shade

of plane trees in the square. Discovering

that Aperol Spritz is not just a fad in the

UK but a delightful apéritif which now

epitomises summer for me.

LandscapeIt really is full of rolling hills, cypress

trees and hilltop villages reached via

dozens of hairpin bends.

LuccaIf you’re going to put yourself through

the hassle of Pisa in order to see a

tower which leans then reward yourself

with a long lunch and amble around

its near neighbour Lucca. A beautiful

walled town personifying elegance,

highlights include a shaded park atop

the city walls and the unique

elliptical piazza.


Dreaming of Tuscany

FRUITDAY

FRUITDAY

Understanding BiodynamicsNick Connell, Lay & Wheeler’s Sales Manager, looks at the methods employed in this ever-more-widespread, yet oft-misunderstood, winemaking philosophy:

Biodynamic Wines Many crucial decisions are made by

winemakers every day but one of the

most important in their careers will

be whether to maintain their vineyard

using chemicals, run it as certified

organic or whether to take the plunge

and adhere to biodynamic rules

and principles.

So, what is biodynamic? Essentially an extreme form of

organic farming, prohibiting the use

of synthetic fertilisers and agro-

chemicals but allowing sulphur

based sprays to be used in order

to control mildew. The quirk of

biodynamic methods is that they rely

upon producers nurturing vines with

homeopathic preparations made from:

cow manure (usually buried inside

a cow horn over the winter), quartz

and seven plant materials, including

Chamomile and Yarrow flowers. These

are named Preparations 500 – 508 and

are applied as sprays to the vines or

as compost in the soil. Certifying and

labelling wine as biodynamic involves

jumping through many regulatory

hoops and must meet the stringent

international standards of the

Demeter Association, who are the

certifying body.

Work in the vineyard, and the cellar, is

performed in accordance with the lunar

calendar – and some proponents of

biodynamics go so far as to say wine

tastes better depending on whether

it is a fruit (best), flower (neutral),

leaf (poor) or root (terrible) day. This

could be laughed at, but some buyers

for major supermarkets take it seriously

enough to only taste on fruit days.

Devised in 1924 by Rudolph Steiner,

an Austrian scientist and philosopher,

biodynamic principles have caused

much debate in the world of wine over

the past decade. Some hail that they

are “mumbo-jumbo” whilst others are

convinced that the quality of wines

produced by biodynamic producers

is infinitely superior. Certainly,

the attention to detail involved in

maintaining certification must ensure

that producers are constantly on their

toes as they are not able to rely on

chemical remedies to constantly be

tending to and checking their vines

and fruit.

Indeed, many of the world’s top

producers have adjusted to the

biodynamic way of life, including

Domaines Leflaive and Leroy in

Burgundy, Chateau Pontet-Canet in

Bordeaux, Zind-Humbrecht in Alsace

Biodynamics is essentially an extreme form of organic farming, prohibiting the use of synthetic fertilisers and agro-chemicals but allowing sulphur based sprays to be used in order to control mildew.

and Seresin in New Zealand. The

buy-in from these big names has

helped to support the cause for this

admirable form of farming but there are

obvious questions such as what if your

neighbour sprays with pesticides – can

you still be biodynamic? And, if you

have a succession of bad years, can you

opt out and then reconvert once yields

are back up?

Much of the criticism has moved

onto new targets including the

anachronistically named ‘natural

wines’, no doubt due to the undeniable

quality of some wines being produced

through biodynamic methods.

I, myself, will enjoy a superb drop of

Domaine Leflaive and raise my glass

to Rudolph, even if it isn’t quite

Christmas yet!


un|trans|lat¦ablebur|gundy?

The idea of untranslatability is certainly alluring. It offers hope that some idea is reserved for another culture – that there is something unique, still to be discovered. But as an (aspiring) linguist, I find the idea of untranslatability challenging. Surely there must be a translation for every idea. It may take more than one single word to convey, true, but this is more a linguistic gap than some intangible untranslatability. Even when struggling through translation exams at university I was convinced that there must be a way around my difficulties!

Yet every day at work I find myself using

French words. I’d like to think that this

isn’t as a result of either laziness or

some innate pretentiousness, although

I fear that the wine industry can be all

too guilty of the latter (and possibly the

former!) But no, there certainly seem

to be some words where no translation

can capture the essence of the concept

behind the word – it can be explained,

but it can’t truly be translated.

The French word I find myself using

most is terroir. I could call it a wine’s

‘sense-of-place’; indeed I frequently

do when trying to explain its meaning.

But I can’t help feeling that such

explanations fall short; that terroir is

something more, the combination of

a huge number of factors pulling on a

wine, defining its existence.

Nowhere in the world of wine is the pull

of terroir stronger than in Burgundy.

This is a land of tiny vineyards planted

(predominantly) with Chardonnay and

Pinot Noir, interwoven into celebrated

hillsides including the Côte de Beaune,

the Côte de Nuits and Chablis.

Each vineyard has its own definable

character, often producing hugely

different wines from its neighbour,

regularly of vastly different qualities,

and frequently commanding incredibly

different prices. As I said, this isn’t

purely a wine’s ‘sense-of-place’, but

rather something stronger, something

unseen, something untranslatable.

As I think of Burgundy, I find myself

drawn to another French word:

patrimoine. In its most literal sense, the

definition that I find in the dictionary,

‘heritage’, is entirely correct. But I think

it conveys something more. ‘Heritage’

in English gives a sense of looking

backwards; patrimoine is much more

in the present, the idea of benefitting

from what the past has offered, of

keeping it in mind and not letting go.

In Burgundy, where most Domaines are

small and family owned, this is central

to their philosophy. Many of the best

producers are incredibly innovative, but

they combine their anticipation of the

future with an appreciation of the past,

and an understanding of where they fit

into their Domaine’s history.

But what of Burgundy itself? Are its

wines untranslatable? Undoubtedly

producers from around the world are

making fantastic expressions of Pinot

Noir and Chardonnay. But that is what

they are: expressions, not translations,

demonstrating their own terroir, their

own patrimoine. To my mind, therefore,

Burgundy remains Burgundy,

untranslatable and so often divine.

It’s why I will always remain loyal.

Robbie Toothill, Cellar Door Editor, considers the untranslatable world of Burgundy


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