Guilty Pleasure Blog RAW The Artisan Wine Fair London 2013

Young Fair With Overwhelming Energy

I was looking forward to explore wine made by »natural wine artisans«. Founder of RAW fair, Isabelle Legeron MW said “Their wines are pure, kind to the planet, very possibly better for your health and best of all they're absolutely delicious.”

169 wine producers and growers, over 700 wines to taste

Highlights of this year's RAW included 169 wine producers and growers, over 700 wines to taste, official RAW wine shop in association with Ottolenghi; talks and tastings with top experts including Isabelle Legeron MW, Jancis Robinson MW, Fiona Beckett and Paul a Young and delicious food from some of London's top artisan producers and restaurants. Of course thethirdwine.com team was not able to taste all of the wines that were on the show. We had a target to taste at least a few wines from the producers from each of the country (Italy, Slovenia, France, Australia, Hungary, Swiss, Canada,Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Georgia, Spain, Portugal) and we were looking at the labels that were eye catcher.

Summary?

I do like the idea of unite these artisans together in one place. I do like that entirety of the domaine from which the grapes are issued must be farmed organically and/or biodynamically. I do like the idea, that no winemaking additives (yeasts, enzymes, lysozymes) may be used in the cellar except for low levels of sulphites. As I said, we tasted approximately 30 percent of the wines from the show and I can say that most of them were correct. That means no mistakes or diseases were found. To those I can only say big respect. Some of the wines were fresh, harmonized and well balanced. Some of them (white wines) were due to long maceration with too high tannins. Unfortunately we also encountered on wines with acetic acid, brettanomyces and oxidation. I think those wines are not for the fair if the main goal is: for our health.

To sum up, I look forward to monitoring the development of environmentally friendly wine production in the world.

My TOP

• • Blanc Noir Fut 2012, 12%, Domaine Leandre – Chevalier, Bordeaux, France (pear nose and very fresh)

  • Sauvignonasse 2009, Mlečnik, Vipavska dolina wine district, Primorska wine region, Slovenia (floral honey on the nose and in the mouth; still fresh)

  • Chinchele 2011, 13.8%, Si Vintners, Margaret River, Australia (full-bodied wine)

  • Riesling 2011, 11.7%, Pearl Morissette Estate Winery, Niagara Peninsula, Canada (gently wine with a pinch of salt on taste)

  • Garganega 2012, Gambellara Saro, Cristiana Meggiolaro, Veneto Italy (dried orange peel the first impresion, later pure wine juice)

On the show were TOP Slovenian wine makers: Terpin, Batič, Klabjan, Klinec Medana, Kmetija Štekar, Mlečnik, Nando, Čotar.

More: www.rawfair.com