Yet more press for Casal Caeiro

The press in Venezuela appear to quite like our wine, which of course could be for several different reasons. The first and most obvious reason is that Angela was born there. Secondly it could be that we have a very good distributor, who makes sure that our wine is regularly presented to the press. And finally, it goes without saying that the most likely reason is that we make a really good Albariño!

Our Casal Caeiro 2006 (which has only recently been released in South America) is described as having "a rich, powerful, aromatic nose, displaying an array of citrus fruits and salty, mineral notes. Clean and intense in the mouth with a lively, fresh acidity and a long, persistent finish."

More recent press.....

In recent weeks two or three of our wines have been mentioned in wine guides and magazines, both in Spain and around the world. These most recent articles have included tasting notes, but no particular rating as such, albeit that all the comments have been very good.

The 2007 ABC wine guide accurately described our Castro Martin with "a scent of orange blossom, and hints of melon, lemon and grapefruit" on the palate.

The July issue of Vinos y Restaurantes commented that our Casal Caeiro Barrica displayed "intensely fresh citrus aromas and varietal fruit, nicely combined with the toasted oak"

Always nice to get a mention!

The cost of supermarket shopping

Let me start by saying that I actually like supermarkets - I belong to the minority of males who quite enjoy wheeling a trolley up and down the aisles!

The choice of goods in UK supermarkets is mind-boggling (especially when compared to the somewhat limited selection that we have here in Galicia). I also have to admit that supermarkets have been instrumental in promoting competitive pricing, albeit sometimes at the expense of local traders. Unfortunately our small local shop does not enjoy the same purchasing power, and, regrettably, it is this very power that can sometimes be abused......

We regularly hear of desperate UK dairy farmers being forced out of business as they are obliged to sell their milk to supermarkets at below their cost price - although it would now seem that this problem is slowly being addressed with the promotion of locally produced milk. Likewise with local fruit and vegetables - as the high street giants now scramble to reduce their carbon footprint they are increasingly supporting their local producers. All very positive news.

I am however puzzled by the 'fair trade' range of products carried by many chains, simply as this phrase appears to imply that the rest of their trade might not be as fair as it should be! Maybe I am just reading too much into this?

The bad news is that the "supermarket squeeze" on pricing has now filtered through to the wine trade too. The following text is an extract from an article in the UK's Daily Telegraph, and relates the story of Southern French producers:

Mr Bourchet is just one of many small-scale "vignerons" (wine growers) in the Languedoc and Roussillon region who are prepared to grub up to avoid bankruptcy after three years of losses.
He said times were so bad that several winegrowers had committed suicide since the beginning of the year.
Local wine producers are furious that their sale prices have been slashed by around 50 per cent while wine prices in shops and supermarkets have not dipped. A litre of vin de pays is sold for as little as 0.35 euros (24p) and costs 10 times that amount in supermarkets. "Someone is pocketing the difference and we want to know who," he said.

My message to the supermarkets..... don't forget to support your (not so local) wine producers too!

95 points for Casal Caeiro!

El Gourmet gives Casal Caeiro 95 points

OK, so it's not Robert Parker Jnr., but 95 points must be good in anyone's book!

The Gourmet (translated) tasting note reads as follows:

Deliciously fresh and vibrant. A pale yellow colour, as it should be, the nose bursts with mature white fruits, most noticably melon, with a floral background. Mineral acidity with a lovely carbonic touch that adds to the fresheness - delicate and persistent in the mouth.

Recommended with Pulpo a la Gallega, Fresh Langoustines, and Poached Fish

Flaming June?

(Dark) blue skies over Salnes

The results are out, and it's official - Galicia had poor weather during the month of June (as though we needed to be told). So let's look at the stats....

The 30-year average temperature for June in our area is 18.1°C (64.6°F). Last year was well above this at 20.3°C (68.5°F), but in 2007 we have managed only a miserly 17.5°C (63.5°F) - just a little down on the average.

But then we have the rainfall figures...... Our 30-year average rainfall for the month of June should be around 65 litres per m² (please don't ask me the imperial equivalent). Last year we had only 11 litres per m², but this year we have had a whopping 134 litres per m² - over ten times more than in 2006, and just over double the June average.

These are not ideal conditions for grape growing, but I guess that we shouldn't really complain when we compare ourselves to the poor people of South Yorkshire in England who can only reach their homes in a rubber dinghy. Fortunately, my mother (who lives in Yorkshire), is located on top of a hill, so if she ever suffers from flooding then we really have a problem and should start building an Ark!