Real Taste, Connoisseur of Wines
Benjamin Franklin once famously said, "Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance". In view of this, what has prompted you to devote so much time to actually studying - never a pleasant thing - about wine?
I once worked in a surpermarket, looking after the wine section. It was my pleasure assisting clients to choose their perfect wine, so I started to take an interest in order to be as professional as possible, and to be in a position to answer the questions posed by the clients. I hated to answer, "I don't know".
At this point, my boss offered to sponsor my first course about the study of wines, which I accepted with open arms. Some years later, I took the advanced course, and now I'm studying for a Diploma in Wines and Spirits. My mission is not as easy as Benjamin Franklin thought, since studying has to be done in a hurry to keep up with times ... tensions soar during exam periods and life is easy when you drink wine, not study it! But from his point of view, he was right.
Do you collect, as well as enjoy samples of, the rarer and better wines on the market?
I do collect wines from the Bordeaux 1855 classification. This was a classification that included the best 61 Left-Bank Bordeaux wines. My collecting always depends on the price and the availibility fo a wine on the market, which is effected by the demand for the particular vintage, as vintage sets the price. I have managed to buy a few bottles but I am still far from completing a set of all the 61 bottles. Apart from these, I also collect some local wines and any other wines which I find interesting. There are times when it's the moment to enjoy the collection, so I open the bottles that are supposed to be at their peak, keeping the cork as a souvenier .
Regarding tasting, normally the best way is to have a vertical tasting. These are occasionally organised by the exclusive importers. A few years ago I went to a Barolo vertical tasting session and we were lucky to have some old vintages, with the oldest being 50 years old. It was kind of magical. This vintage Barolo is, of course, very rare and it commands high prices. It was brought directly from the winery as a compliment to the persons attending the tasting. Lucky that I was there!
How far has the art of wine-making in Malta come? What is your assessment of some of the better single-estate, Maltese wines?
I always say the same thing about Maltese wine. I am proud to be Maltese and I am also proud that we produce some excellent, red wines on our small island. The white we produce is not bad, but we don't have an excellent climate for white wines.
I think that Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot perform very well in Malta, and we do produce some excellent reds, many of which regularly win medals when competing abroad. The Marnisi Estate (Marsovin) in Marsaxlokk produces some excellent wine, which is a blend of the 4 traditional Bordeaux varieties. Meridiana, in Ta' Qali, also produce excellent wines, with Celsius and Bel being amongst my favourites.
How do good Maltese wines compare to foreign wines, quality-wise?
It depends on what style of wine you prefer. Maltese wine is very good, and sometimes superior to foreign wines in the same price range. The problem, though, is that small quantities of any wine are produced and prices have to go up since production is limited and the expenses are high.
In Europe, if you want a good wine, you normally have to spend more money than you do when buying a New World wine. Labour in France and Italy is not cheap and this is reflected in the price of finished product. I normally opt for New World wines - those from Chile, Australia, South Africa and Argentina - which I believe offer the best value for money. Obviously to have a good wine one still has to spend a reasonable price, even with the New World wines.
One can, of course, find wines which are very cheap - sometimes costing as little as €3. But when taking into consideration the shipping costs and profits, this usually means that the wine left the winery at a cost of around €1 or less. You can't expect to have a good wine when purchasing at these kind of prices.
Finally, yes, I do push local wines since many are better value for money than many foreign wines selling at the same price.
Old World or New World wines? Which do you generally prefer?
New World.
Your favourite red ... and white?
Since I study the subject, I taste a lot of wines made from different grapes, from different regions, different climates and wines made using different technologies. My favourites tend to be full-bodied red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Aglianico.
I also like Syrah and complex Merlots. French Bordeaux blends are amongst my favourites but with the passing of time there are always new and interesting wines to discover. Lately, I tasted a Campo all'Albero, from Tuscany, which was excellent. I also have a bottle which I'm keeping for a special occasion.
Regarding white wine, altough it's not my favourite there are always some nice whites. I like these, especially, in hot temperatures where one feels he must opt for something more refreshing. My favourites are aromatic varieties such as Riesling and Gewurztraminer, but I also like Chardonnay, and when I want an easy-drinking wine I tend to order a good South African Chenin Blanc. Sauviginon Blanc is not a favourite, but it is always tempting having a Cloudy Bay close to hand - it's excellent.
Which wine would you serve with a first course of Roquefort and pears? This sort of combination of strong cheese and sweet pears confuses me when I'm faced with choosing a suitable wine.
If the Roquefort were served instead of dessert, with the pears, I would serve a nice Sauterne, which is an excellent accompaniment to Roqeufort and also goes well with the fruit. But since you mentioned the dish as a first course, I think that one has to find an alternative in order to avoid a very sweet wine at the beginning of the meal. So I'll switch to a glass of Moscato D'Asti. Its sweetiness goes well with the cheese, and its flowery, orange blossom, honey aromas make an ideal accompaniment to the pears.
A young Riesling from Alsace will also be a good accompaniment since the palate of apricots and sweet spice compliments the strong Roquefort, while the hints of lime goes well with the pears.
I've recently tasted a rather good Moscato di Pantelleria, which was served us with nuts, cheese and desserts. Which dessert wine do you suggest?
There are many dessert wines which are very good and which come from all over the world, produced from different grapes and using different methods.
I still have to taste a lot more dessert wines in order to answer this question perfectly, but, in my opinion, Sauternes, Trockenbereenauslese wines and Tokayi Aszu are amongst the best dessert wines in the world. They also command high prices which reflect their excellence.
"Wine is ..." Give us a quotable quote, preferably your own.
Wine is a magic potion which few understand.
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