He leido articulos de Michael Broadbent en diversos medios. Seguidor suyo en Decanter, guardo con cariño su Vintage Wine Companion, firmado manualmente por él mismo, un librito de referencias y catas muy ameno, util y aclarador.

Este articulo ya tiene sus años pero lo vuelvo a traer a este medio porque me resultó relevante y simpático en su momento.

Soy un admirador de la Familia Torres como bodegueros y sigo sus vinos en las diversas facetas de sus elaboraciones.

Esta nota de hoy es un homenaje de nuevo a Torres. A una anecdota y a los vinos que degustan en sus momentos sociales tan sugerentes. El detalle del telefono móvil es tan cinematgráfico como una escena de Tatí.

Recuerdo un petit homenaje que nos dimos el Sumiller Ivan Monreal y yo en mi casa de Los Cascajos con Pinot Noir Marimar y algun tremebundo catalán. Dedicado a los bodegueros.

Publicado en Decanter: (Copio)

AN OLD FRIEND, Marimar Torres, sister of Miguel, and her daughter, neither of whom I had met for ages, were planning a flying visit to London. It would be nice to meet up. Date and time were agreed, so on the basis that it would be a family affair I booked a table at my club. They arrived on the dot with mobile phones glued to their ears. Alas, it was against club rules. Not a good start; but in a corner of the library, with pre-dinner drinks, they made a couple of furtive calls.

To save time fussing over the wine list I ordered a bottle of the excellent 2009 Furmint from the Royal Tokaj Company and, with a decent red Burgundy in mind, I asked Elmira, the club’s sommelier, for her recommendation. To my surprise, she suggested Domaine François Lumpp’s Clos Jus, Givry premier cru 2005. I always take her advice, so on the table were the chilled Furmint and, decanted, the Givry, which was absolutely delicious: à point.

Marimar seemed little interested in a Côte Chalonnaise, for she had brought a clutch of her own wines. Oh dear. Verboten’ on two counts: a guest bringing in a bottle, and a ‘trade’ tasting at table. I compromised and asked her to select one Marimar Estate Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir – the others I promised to taste and note later. The first, her Acero 2009, I thought unusually pale for a Californian Chardonnay, but buttery yellow wines are those of yesteryear, thank goodness. It had a spicy yet subtle floral nose and flavour, elegant despite its 15.5% alcohol.

Marimar’s Mas Cavelle 2006 still loolked youthful. Its nose was totally different to the over-the-top varietal aroma of, for example, a typical New Zealand Pinot Noir. It was multi- dimensional, and the nose opened up in the glass. A very good wine which, perhaps, would benefit from more bottle age. We eventually rose from a table littered with decanters, bottles and glasses. All the staff had gone. The hall porter let us out.

The next morning I looked up Lumpp in Jasper Morris’ excellent book on Burgundy. Elmira was right: the Lumpp family has a superlative reputation. One lives and learns.

Next, a bit of a contrast, Rubis’ Chocolate Velvet Ruby – ‘an indulgent blend of fortified red wine and premium white chocolate’. The bottle was cloaked with a golden mesh. Despite the temptation, it had languished in our cottage kitchen for several years undera bread bin in the old fireplace alcove inhabited by our Norfolk terrier.

At least it wasn’t corked. Colour: a drab tawny, but an astonishíng scent of milk chocolate, more like a shelf-weary Easter egg than Lindt Excellence. Its 15% alcohol steadied the ship, and it actually tasted of milk chocolate. I liked it. Daphne – also a chocoholic -didn’t. Snob!