Tasting Autumn at Berry Bros. & Rudd
Written by Douglas Blyde
 If you ever wondered where television wine presenters go when not ‘pixelated’, I now know the answer. From my recent visit, it seems that these delightfully marinated individuals occupy the vaults of venerable St. James institution, ‘Berry Brothers and Rudd’. Amongst several ‘noses’ picked from the wine trade glitterati, I spied the meticulously florid, Jilly Goolden and almost contagiously excited, Joe Wadsack lapping the luxuriously-laden tasting tables. Teeth left un-brushed so as not to ruin my palate with minty hints, I joined them in the atmospheric Pickering Cellar for the autumn tasting of Britain’s oldest wine merchant...
Although etiquette frowns on clinking glasses and actually swallowing all but the most exotic of wines, there is always a temptation to treat these decadent tastings as upmarket drinks parties. However in the interests of research, I remained focussed whilst tasting around 60 bottles from Berry’s 2,000-plus strong range. Along the journey, I discovered a new range of expressive Champagnes, ‘monolithic’ Burgundies and spirited Scotch, rums and cognacs. However, whilst I wish it weren’t so, the highlight cost at least twice the price as anything else open.
 Hungary’s Royal Tokaji Company’s millennium ‘Essencia’ gave me goose-bumps. Reflecting a ludicrously long fermentation taking up to eight years, and meagre production of only 2050 half-bottles a year, this £313.15, 2.9% elixir was served upon a crystal spatula - an echo from a time doctors would prescribe the decadent spoonful of sugar as medicine. Heady aromas of maple syrup and ripe apricot emanated from the slowly settling molten amber squalls. The velvet, contoured palate yielded sumptuous flavours of liquefied crème brûlée cleansed by satin acidity and a finish as generous as a Ken Dodd show (but far more elegant).
At the other end of the spectrum in style, origin and price (£7.55), Chono’s crisp, bitter black chocolate tasting ‘06 Syrah came from Chile’s northern Elqui Valley, at the edge of the Atacama Desert. As well as being an exciting region for emerging winemakers and UFO spotters, it is known for its Pisco, which alas, Berry’s doesn’t stock.
Despite the fact its beautifully antiquated premises date from 1698, Berry’s are a company with an eye on the future. It was the first British wine merchant to offer online shopping, and more recently caused controversy with the ‘future of wine report’. By 2058, it claimed the amount of English land under vine could rival France; China might become one of the world’s biggest producers, and bees could be trained to detect wine faults. And in terms of investment, a case of premier league, Lafite-Rothschild ‘05 Bordeaux, currently available for nearly £12,000, could inflate to almost £10 million.
More information: www.bbr.com |
