Making wine might sound glamorous to you and me, but it’s a tough job. Here, former winemaker Ben Chan – now a member of our BBX team – recalls a typically non-stop day in the cellar.

“Beep! Beep! Beep!” It must be 5am; it feels like I only closed my eyes a few seconds ago, but here we go.

It’s a warm autumn morning in countryside Australia. After a quick breakfast I’m at the winery and catching up with Drew and Katerina, the night shift team.

They had a good shift, problem-free. The press has only 30 minutes left of its cycle and the next 10 bins of Chardonnay are weighed and ready to go. “Nice one. See you tonight.”

Jean arrives. He’s the vintage intern. His family have a vineyard in the South of France and he’s here to learn how we do things Down Under.

Alcoholic fermentation is underway in some of the tanks. I ask Jean to check the temperature and sugar level of each of them. Managing the fermentation is one of my primary concerns. These checks help me to follow how each tank is progressing and make any adjustments as necessary.

I go to the office to see the boss, who lets me know the vineyard team are machine-harvesting Merlot and hand-picking Pinot Noir.

The press cycle has finished, and Jean is back. I ask if he’d rather clean the press or start the pump-overs and punch-downs for the red wines. He chooses the reds, so it looks like I’m getting wet.

I empty the skins from the press, unplug it, then hop in and hose it out. Next, I jump on the forklift and fill the press with the rest of the Chardonnay. I connect this to the free-run tank, start the pressing cycle and collect a sample for laboratory analysis.

Back in the office we have a taste of the Chardonnay juice and take some measurements. After tasting, we decide it could do with a little more acidity for balance and freshness, so we’ll add some tartaric acid. It’s best to add it before fermentation as the result will be more harmonious.

Jean has laid out samples of all the tanks. They all taste great except for one, which is a bit stinky. During fermentation, yeast can sometimes get stressed and produce sulphides, which smell of rotten eggs. We check the chart; this one is still in the first half of fermentation, so we will give it some air by doing a rack, splash and return. The air will help blow off some of the sulphides and give the yeast a bit of a boost. Hopefully this will clean it up.

We inoculated a tank of Chardonnay yesterday, and we can see that the sugar level has dropped a bit. We’ll transfer this one into smaller oak barrels. Fermenting in barrel gives better oak integration with the fruit, but we want to make sure the fermentation is already going strong. Inoculating in barrel can be riskier as you have multiple vessels to manage.

It’s been a while, so I should check the press. Once I taste an increase in bitterness or a decrease in acidity, I’ll make the cut over to the pressings tank.

I’m hungry; must be lunch time.

The first truck from the vineyard arrives with the Merlot. Back on the forklift, I unload the picking bins and weigh them. Jean has set it up so that the grapes go from the sorting table, through the chiller and into a fermenter tank which holds about 10 tonnes. We’ll keep the must chilled around four degrees Celsius for a day or two before warming and inoculating it with yeast. This cold soak will allow greater extraction of colour, fruit aromas and flavours from the skins without adding too much astringency from the tannins.

Next up is the Pinot Noir. We’ve got just three tonnes of it, so we’ll use smaller open-top fermenters. Open fermenters allow us to use a portion of whole bunches as well as de-stemmed fruit. The whole-bunch element will enhance the bright red-fruit character of the Pinot Noir. These vessels also allow more precise control over smaller batches; we can gently work the cap by hand for lighter extraction.

Jean and I start to barrel down the Chardonnay and clean the processing equipment. Back in the office there are some grape samples from the vineyard: more Chardonnay and Merlot, and some Shiraz. We crush them up, do the chemical analysis and taste. The Chardonnay and Merlot are both ready to be picked, but the Shiraz is a little low in sugar and tastes a touch green, so we’ll leave that to ripen further.

The vineyard team have brought more fruit for processing, so I’m back on the forklift and unloading the truck. I’m probably not going to get to crush this lot, however, as the night shift have arrived. It must be 6pm.

As a member of our expert BBX team, Ben Chan helps our customers make the most of our fine wine exchange. Find out more about BBX here.

Bangkok’s wine scene has transformed dramatically over the past few years, evolving from a relatively niche interest to a vibrant and sophisticated market. This growth can be seen in the ever-improving range of wines, and the knowledge and curiosity of the city’s wine lovers. Joey Luo, one of our Private Account Managers, tells us more about this thriving scene.

I’m originally from Chengdu in China’s Sichuan province, a vibrant city renowned for its pandas, culinary delights and baijiu [grain spirit]. I grew up with fine alcohol in the home, and it was here where I developed an appreciation for quality and complexity.  

This lifelong passion led me to Berry Bros. & Rudd in 2015, starting my career in the Hong Kong office. The local wine scene was flourishing at the time, booming after the removal of wine taxes in 2008. The market there developed a profound understanding of wines, with a particular focus on Bordeaux and Italian regions, which eventually expanded to include Burgundy and Champagne. This dynamic environment gave me a solid understanding of the fine wine market. 

Fast forward three years, and I relocated to Bangkok with my family. Thailand’s capital, at the time, was still home to a relatively niche wine scene compared to the dominant beer market. Having said that, there was a noticeable interest in natural wines, which appealed to consumers due to their fun label designs and modest prices.  

Over the past five years, I’ve witnessed a significant shift in drinking trends in Bangkok. The local wine community has grown, driven by the efforts of wine merchants who have actively promoted wine culture through events and education programs. This concerted effort has resulted in a more knowledgeable and curious consumer base, eager to explore and appreciate fine wines.  

One of the most exciting aspects of Bangkok’s evolving wine scene is the diversity of tastes among local drinkers. While there is still a strong appreciation for famous Bordeaux labels and top Burgundy wines, there is also a burgeoning interest in Grower Champagne and German wines. These wines not only suit the local climate but also pair beautifully with the diverse flavors of Thai cuisine.  

Engaging with local wine enthusiasts has been incredibly rewarding. Their curiosity and openness to new experiences reflect a broader trend towards a more sophisticated and informed wine culture in Bangkok. This shift is also evident in the increasing popularity of wine events and tastings, which provide opportunities for consumers to expand their knowledge and palate.  

Berry Bros. & Rudd has actively participated in fostering this growing wine culture in Bangkok. Since we came out of the pandemic, we’ve had the pleasure of hosting events again, to introduce ourselves to local wine drinkers and share our passion for fine wines. These events have not only helped us connect with the community but have also contributed to the broader appreciation and understanding of high-quality wines. Looking ahead, we’re excited to get to know the Bangkok wine community even more, and inspire new drinkers to join us in this growing movement.  

The transformation of Bangkok’s wine scene is a testament to the city’s evolving tastes and the tireless efforts of those passionately advocating for wine culture. I’m proud to be part of this exciting journey. As we look to the future, we remain committed to fostering a vibrant and informed wine community in Bangkok, one that continues to explore, appreciate, and celebrate the world of fine wines. 

The 2020 vintage is among the best in recent memory for white Burgundy, says Adam Bruntlett. In this report from the biannual Burgfest tasting, our Burgundy Buyer takes a closer look at the wines. 

Each autumn I spend around five weeks tasting the new Burgundy vintage from barrel. I’ll taste every single wine we buy (and some we don’t), and I’ll often taste the same wine more than once. This allows me to get under the skin of the vintage, to understand how the wines should age. And yet, each tasting is just a snapshot. Wine is a living thing, particularly when in that youthful, pre-bottling state. It is essential, therefore, to revisit the wines and to reevaluate the assessments made from barrel. This is where the special tasting known as “Burgfest” comes in. 

Burgfest

Twice a year, a 12-strong group descends on a former Cistercian farmhouse in a sleepy valley behind Savigny-lès-Beaune. Jasper Morris MW, Neal Martin and Neil Beckett bring journalistic rigour, joining a selection of importers from the UK, USA, Singapore and Norway. Collectively, we take on the arduous task of revisiting some 250 Premiers and Grands Crus three years after bottling. 

The wines are tasted blind, but within flights of their village and vineyard. They are decanted and served cool, allowing for them to warm up as we taste. As the temperature increases, the wines reveal more nuances and change shape. How positively a wine evolves in the glass as it meets oxygen is a benchmark for how it will evolve in bottle. We only taste in the morning, with around 40 to 50 wines per day. This allows time to concentrate while also avoiding fatigue. 

In May this year, it was the turn of the 2020 whites. My hopes were high for an exciting set of wines. In my vintage report from barrel at the time, I was effusive in my praise for the whites. But predicting how a wine will develop is not an exact science. The previous edition of Burgfest had shown some wines from the warm 2019 vintage that were a little riper than I personally like. Would 2020, another warm vintage, fall into the same trap? Or could it eclipse 2017 or 2014 as the greatest white vintage in modern times? 

Starting out with Chablis

First thing on Monday morning, ten flights of Chablis lay ahead of us. In the olden days of lean, green and mean Chablis, this might have been a daunting prospect. But recent warmer vintages have somewhat altered the wines’ profile, giving a little more flesh on the bones. This might disappoint purists, but Chablis has soared in popularity as a consequence. 

Highlights included those vineyards known for their power and generosity. Fourchaume and Mont de Milieu appeared to have embraced the warmth of the vintage. Famille Grossot and Le Domaine d’Henri’s L’Homme Mort Vieilles Vignes were my picks from Fourchaume; William Fèvre, Grossot and Pinson all excelled in Mont de Milieu. Samuel Billaud and Benoît Droin stood out, scoring consistently well throughout. 

The Grands Crus took a step up in 2020. Louis Michel, a domaine renowned for using no oak at all, demonstrated the benefits of stainless-steel tanks in preserving freshness. The estate’s Les Clos was my top-scoring Chablis of the tasting, despite stiff competition from Droin’s Grenouille. 

Onto Meursault

Day two was all about Meursault. The standard was exceptionally high, as evidenced by the appreciative murmurs as we tasted. I struggled to pick a favourite between Comtes Lafon’s Porusots and Bouchères in the early flights. Benjamin Leroux’s Pièce Sous Le Bois showed the benefits offered by the cooler slopes of Blagny, with freshness and tension. 

Antoine Jobard’s wines displayed a coiled energy – still quite backward and reductive, but with huge potential. Michel Bouzereau was equally impressive but more approachable. Jean-Marc Roulot took my top score, though I was really impressed by Bitouzet-Prieur’s Charmes and Perrières. 

That day’s lunch was a vibrant occasion. From discussions, it felt as though we had been tasting something special; we weren’t yet sure if this was an anomaly, however. Theoretically, Meursault should be well adapted to deal with warm and dry vintages, thanks to its relatively deep clay soils and reliable water supply. Might the steep slopes of St Aubin – first up on Wednesday – show the effects of heat a little more? 

From St Aubin to Chassagne-Montrachet

In St Aubin, there were good performances from Hubert Lamy, Marc Colin and Jean-Claude Bachelet. Head and shoulders above the competition, however, was De Montille’s En Remilly. The combination of generous fruit, smoky reduction and a sleek, mineral backbone made for a wine of outstanding precision – albeit one which needs time to fully blossom. 

On to Chassagne-Montrachet and the highs kept coming. Paul Pillot was the star, with Bernard Moreau and Marc Colin just behind. The excitement in the room was palpable as the wines metamorphosed in the glass, constantly shifting shape and blowing us away with their tension and concentration. Unsurprisingly, the best vineyards were those on the higher ground, like Grandes Ruchottes, Grande Montagne and La Romanée. Add to that list Caillerets and those parcels adjacent to the Grands Crus, like Blanchots and Vide-Bourse. 

Puligny-Montrachet 

Day four was devoted entirely to Puligny-Montrachet. Like Chablis, you can expect a certain amount of precision and tension here. The shallow topsoil and high water-table suggested the village might have struggled in comparison to its neighbours to the north and south. 

Any concerns were swiftly dismissed when we tasted these racy, lacy whites. Jean-Marc Boillot and Etienne Sauzet were my picks in the earlier rounds. Jacques Carillon was metronomically consistent. Elsewhere, the under-the-radar Sébastien Magnien was my pick of the Folatières. 

Domaine Leflaive, under the guidance of the masterful Pierre Vincent, showed for the second year running that it has returned to the highest echelon of white Burgundy. A stunning Combettes was followed swiftly by an outstanding Pucelles – that was almost matched by the neighbouring Olivier Leflaive wine. My star of Puligny, and of the week so far, was De Montille’s Cailleret. It narrowly edged out Michel Bouzereau with its simply magical intensity and stinging freshness. 

The Grands Crus 

Ahead of us lay 41 Grands Crus, beginning with a double-flight of no fewer than 16 Corton-Charlemagnes. It is difficult to generalise about so many wines and such a varied vineyard, but the warm and ripe vintage clearly suited the generous and powerful style here. As is often the case, however, many wines were something of a step down in complexity and finesse from the best Premiers Crus of Puligny. De Montille was again a personal favourite, along with Benjamin Leroux, Tollot-Beaut and Henri Boillot. 

A three-wine flight of Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet followed. Such a small flight allows you to focus on the differences between the wine: Jacques Carillon was elegance personified; Jean-Claude Bachelet was much more hedonistic and sensual; and Domaine de la Vougeraie was textural and layered. 

Bâtard-Montrachet brought greater highs in the form of Olivier Leflaive’s rippling, somewhat backward wine and Vincent Girardin’s sophisticated yet muscular expression. Jean Chartron delivered a wine with more elegance than you might expect from Bâtard. 

Next, and quite special, was the chance to taste 10 Chevalier-Montrachet wines; this is perhaps my favourite vineyard. Domaine Leflaive narrowly edged out De Montille for me. Bouchard’s Cabotte bottling and Jadot were just behind, proving the big houses are on top form these days. An honourable mention must go to Bruno Colin. 

The week’s final flight was Montrachet itself: five wines of magical power, density and elegance. The richness at this level in a sunny vintage was something to behold, but matched by a stinging acidity and firm, mineral grip. The wines will need a lot of time in bottle to show their best. 

It was hard to separate Marc Colin and Olivier Leflaive as my preferred wine. Ultimately, I plumped for the elegant sophistication and mouth-aching freshness of the former over the sleek, spicy and chewy character of the latter. 

Struggling to pick a winner, I reflected on my privilege to be able to taste such wines in this esteemed company. Over our final lunch, we agreed that 2020 was the most successful white Burgundy vintage we had tasted at Burgfest. As with any tasting, it is but a snapshot of a moment in time. But this particular photograph is saturated with vivid colours. The detail is perhaps not yet defined at the top end of the spectrum, but I have no doubt that, in time, all will come seamlessly into focus. 

Browse our range of 2020 white Burgundy.

September brings a cheerful abundance of produce to our shelves, offering plenty of opportunities for seasonal feasting with friends and family. And every feast, no matter how small and ordinary, deserves good wine to elevate the occasion. Discover some seasonal delights and Own Selection wines to pair with them.  

All seasons are beautiful in their own way, but the transition from late summer to early autumn is especially so: golden fields dotted with hay bales, oak trees in full glory, fruit falling in soft heaps on the ground. There’s a sense of the year coming to fruition – a word meaning, in origin, “to enjoy”, sharing the same root with the word “fruit”. This is truly a season in which we get to enjoy edible gifts of all varieties, with blackberries, raspberries, damsons and figs all coming into season.  

But for me, September’s leading fruit has to be the apple. My childhood garden was home to two old apple trees, and I grew up closely connected to their rhythms, the soft blossoms of spring through to the hearty abundance of autumn. Every September, we’re treated to a deluge of huge, bulbous green fruits, lending themselves perfectly to pies, crumbles and chutneys, and seeing us into the darker months with cheer.  

An apple chutney is a beautiful thing, preserving September’s glorious produce for the cold season ahead. With a touch of spice, it can elevate the humblest of dishes to something special. Bringing together elements of saltiness, sweetness, spice and acidity, chutneys offer versatile gastronomic opportunities: curries, roast dinners, sandwiches and cold cuts can all be elevated by a generous dollop. It is the perfect condiment, perhaps.  

If we’re lucky, we still have a few beautiful afternoons left for a late summer picnic. A crusty baguette, an appropriately stinky brie, a jar of apple chutney and a bottle of Good Ordinary White would make a fine al fresco arrangement, with the delicate zest and fresh acidity of the white standing up to the zing of the apples. Come evening, a spoonful alongside your sausages and mash makes for a simple but delicious supper. Sausages and apples: a timeless match, only bettered by wine. A glass of St Emilion from Bordeaux would work very nicely here, with hints of clove spice from time spent in oak speaking to the warm spice of the chutney.  

On a recent camping trip, I discovered the joy of apple cake for the first time. We set up our tents just in time, before the rain forced us into them. Between our tents, we passed around a tin of Yorkshire parkin and a bundle of apple cake wrapped in brown paper. The cake had been a gift to my friend from her neighbour, especially for this trip, and it struck me as one of the most heartfelt things one could give to their neighbour. Alongside a dram of Kilchoman’s gently peated whisky and a good downpour of rain, it was utterly delicious. Soft apples and sweet, fiery smoke – a divine pairing.  

But enough about apples. My next favourite thing about September is the fact that the month has an “R” in its name. If you know how the saying goes, you’ll know that means oysters are on the menu. My favourite way to eat oysters is with a sharp sea breeze, stacked on a paper plate with a good portion of chips. Oysters naturally lend themselves to theatre, whether it is the low-lit drama of a London establishment or huddling around a bench with your friends, trying to stop the seagulls from having at them.

There are lots of delicious things to drink with oysters; their saline quality makes them incredibly versatile. A glass of strong, dark beer is the rustic version (and my favourite to sip on while batting away seagulls). Alongside a well-made Bloody Mary, you have a revivifying aperitif – an excellent after-work combination. But a good wine will really give this scenario a sense of occasion.  

Much has been said about Champagne and oysters, but personally, I’d be inclined to choose something with more delicacy and freshness to preserve their subtle flavour. Our Crémant de Limoux, a favourite of mine for adding a special touch to everyday occasions, would be perfect. For something a little more indulgent, look to our English Sparkling Wine – its lively green apple fizz is wonderful with oysters (and chips).  

Chablis, with its characteristic notes of iodine and oyster shell, should not be overlooked either, offering a crisp and refreshing combination. If you like your wines to have a touch more ripeness, the Swartland White from Eben Sadie gives a hint of peach and chamomile alongside a river-stone purity.  

As a big fan of sweet and salty combinations, I am intrigued by the prospect of oysters and Sauternes – ridiculously aristocratic, purported to be a classic pairing in the 18th century. It wouldn’t necessarily be the first pairing that would spring to my mind, but next time I happen to have an abundance of both at hand, I’ll be sure to try it out.  

Browse all our Own Selection wines here