Mankind
like to compare – even find suitable Benchmarks. It’s everywhere, from the
financial markets, electronic-and music industry. Even wine. It’s the result of
data analysis and an easy way to judge performance, strength and potential.
In the
financial markets, portfolio managers are being judged against leading
benchmark indexes, maybe even competitors – specific designed to match their
risk mandates and focus areas. Did you over or underperform?
The iPhone set
new standards when it was launched. It’s nearest rivals have ever since been labelled
as the new iPhone killer.
The music
industry builds up their heroes and stars. Put them on pedestals and maybe burn
their fame down again. Some survive, despite rough times and end up as legends.
Some don’t even need much time to establish their status because their talent
had enough uniqueness. Just think of Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and lately Amy Winehouse all died at an age of 27 years. These legends become benchmark icons – often ruling as kings
& queens of a certain genre or time period. We like to compare new comers
against these peers, despite it’s clings like a cliché to hear the new Beatles
every second year.
For the
critiques, whom are often behind such statements, it’s a logical equation as
the simple comparison makes it easy for the public to understand the scope of
the “new” and it’s potential.
Yet the
benchmarking are often in risk of fading out, becoming that false and naïve
cliché, because it’s somehow never the new Beatles, Michael Jackson, Elvis or
Madonna. If new artists are constantly able to become equal clones to their Iconic
Idols it underlines that our presumed King or Queens weren’t a reference point
after all. Those who survive and make
it into the hall of fame possessed enough uniqueness, defining their own sound
and storytelling. They eventually became a new reference point.
In wine we
also know about Benchmarking. Some wineries or producers are legends. The thumb
rule for possessing the legendary labelling seems to emerge from impressive
historical track records. If you want to make it historical in wine you have to
make sure your wines will age gracefully. That’s the ticket to legendary status.
Worlds most sought after wines are often those who comes with a considerable
costs – those who make it into Christie’s most extravagant wine auctions. Once
you are there you are a potentially what we in the “Old world” would call a
Benchmark wine.
The
battlefield in wine are however not as even as even as one should think; because
these legends comes with considerably costs and are not like music for
everyone. Even some are not interested at all in these wines and don’t pay much
attention to them or the fact that they are a reference point.
Right now
we are seeing some of the most innovative restaurants around the globe slowly
phasing out old conventional legends. In my own backyard, restaurant Noma (and several others following) are now only serving natural wines.
Most wine
lovers would acknowledge historical references, but somehow you are never better
than your latest release and there is no guarantee that you even liked the
style, “sound” or “genre” of a wine.
Personally benchmark
legends don’t interest me much. Seeing wine from a zero angle scope is much
easier. Not taking a quality measurement against myth and historical tales
makes it much easier to level with wine. It doesn’t matter to me whether a wine
can last 200 years or 4 hours. I care about the experience here and now - life in
the wine and drinking pleasure….and so many other things.
Benchmarking
in wine is however an interesting descriptor, as you can quickly draw attention
to a known/style, which your audience can relate to. However if you really fall
in love with a wine/producer I would bet it always had enough personality and
didn’t needed to be compared against a reference point.
I am about
to introduce a new producer to you and 4 debut wines. I found myself benchmarking
and comparing him, to get a feel of both overall quality and potential. My inspiration to this introduction came
from hearing myself saying; is this the New Elvis, Sting or maybe Stevie
Wonder? It’s obviously not and that’s good news because this is something I
haven’t seen before. Potentially a new style and reference point – who knows? I
can tell you this much, that I found myself almost lost for laudatory words.
Yann
Durieux is his name and he makes wine under the Domaine name of Recrue des
Sens. I have limited information – only from various Internet sites, blogs and
the Danish importer did I learn that he worked seven years for Julien Guillot -
a name that rings very good bells in my ears. There is also a connection to
Prieuré Roch as I understand it, where he still helps out and get some of the used
barrels from. Some also comes from Alain Burguet. He works purely organic and
natural wine ideology. He is located in the village of villers-la-faye in the Hautes-Côtes
de Nuits region, which isn’t exactly known to foster the most pompous Cru-appellations.
Yet it doesn’t really scare me off, because I have learned to pay more
attention to the singularity skills of a grower and not appellation hysteria.
2010 is the
debut release from Yann Durieux and he currently have 3ha of land, but will
slowly obtain more land. Current production is about 6.000 bottles, where 50%
goes into his Aligoté “Love and Pif”.
These are
the wines I have tasted from Recrue des Sens and I haven’t written any notes,
so this is from memory.
Red and
“Manon” was tasted from Zalto Burgundy – “Love and Pif” were tasted from
Zalto Unisersal
Reds:
2010 Black
Pinot
A very light
and fragile red Burgundy wine, only possessing 11% of alcohol. There is
initially a beautiful fragile raspberry scent coming forward, but eventually
also notes of forest floor and herbs blends in. It creates a little bit more
rustic feel, but also creates good baseline and character. Overall it’s still so
fragile and drinks really well.
2010 Les
Grands Ponts
“Serve it on a good day” – that was the
sort of only instruction I got, from the importer – other that he thought it
would be something for my palate. Well – I first of all served it on a fruit
day, but had no idea what waited. I have to say, pinned to the chair with a lie
detector wrapped around my arm that this is one of the most emotional and intoxicating
wines I have tasted in a while.
Despite I can dissect it for you – as I have written no notes – I still
dream about it though it has been 14 days since I last tasted it. I remember is
as extremely floral with roses and raspberry wrapped in an extremely intense –
yet overly weightless feel. The structure of the wine is exceptional elastic;
ballerina light on it toes, yet with enormous persistence and juiciness. I was
blown away by it’s beauty and harmony and I felt like pouring the whole bottle
down in one go – which was easy with it’s 12% alcohol. It’s not a cheap wine -
but my God it’s worth every penny.
Whites:
2010 Manon
(Chardonnay)
If a white
Burgundy – especially when crafted from Chardonnay – are to win my heart it has to find a soil intensity or a really refined a elegant style. This wine does
exactly that and its uncompromising mineral spine made me think of Alexandre Jouveaux and it’s raciness made me think of young Chablis. It’s also
a wine, which feels really young with lots of potential. It’s still flavoured
with lots of citrus fruits, yet if you raise it in temperature it unrevealed some more creamy notes
of fresh butter and yeast components. The taste is really clean and delicious.
I would love to taste it again with a year or two more age.
My
experience with Aligoté is pretty limited – so when saying this has to be one
of my absolute favourite versions it doesn’t really mean that much. It’s a very
playful wine, which on one side has one hell of a tickly freshness with newly
pressed apples, lime and lemon peel. On the other hand – and it actually flips back
and forth - it has some pretty sensual sweet notes, emerging from Champagne
yeast, vanilla and overly juicy pears and peaches. The drinking pleasure is in
the category; “Finish me and open a bottle more”….brilliant wine. (tasted it
two times btw – one time in a restaurant (simple Spiegelau Authentis) and one
time at home from Zalto Universal. The experience in Zalto was so much better.
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